美國(guó)習(xí)慣用語(yǔ)Lesson 108 - call the shots / call one's bluff

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to call the shots

to call one's bluff

我們經(jīng)常會(huì)問(wèn)別人：你們家里誰(shuí)說(shuō)了算？也就是誰(shuí)作最后決定。美國(guó)人經(jīng)常說(shuō)：to calls the shots。

To call the shots也就是作最后決定、下命令。To call the shots的原來(lái)意思是：軍官下令部隊(duì)開(kāi)槍。但是現(xiàn)在to call the shots已經(jīng)在口語(yǔ)中常常出現(xiàn)。請(qǐng)聽(tīng)一個(gè)公司雇員在講他公司里的事：

例句-1: "The three partners who own our company are supposed to have equal say in running it. But one of them, old Mister Johns, is the one who calls the shots and tells us what to do."

他說(shuō)："我們公司三個(gè)老板在經(jīng)營(yíng)方面應(yīng)該是有同樣發(fā)言權(quán)的。但是最后做決定的總是老約翰先生，每次都是由他來(lái)告訴我們干什么。"

有些男人很不喜歡女人當(dāng)他們的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)，但是有時(shí)也無(wú)可奈何。下面就是一例：

例句-2: "Some men in the office thought no woman could be strong enough to be boss. But a week after Miss Smith took charge, they learned she was going to call the shots and they'd better listen."

他說(shuō)："辦公室里有些男的雇員以為沒(méi)有一個(gè)女子有足夠的能力來(lái)當(dāng)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)。但是，在史密斯小姐主管工作一個(gè)禮拜以后，他們知道她說(shuō)的話就是命令，因此還是服從她為好。"

下面我們要給大家介紹的一個(gè)常用語(yǔ)是：to call one's bluff。To call one's bluff就是揭露某人虛張聲勢(shì)的做法。這個(gè)俗語(yǔ)來(lái)自美國(guó)人喜歡玩的撲克牌游戲。有時(shí)你手里的牌很壞，但是你想讓別人認(rèn)為你手里的牌好極了，可是別人不相信你，對(duì)你進(jìn)行挑戰(zhàn)，這就是to call one's bluff。你聽(tīng)聽(tīng)一位打牌老手是怎么說(shuō)的：

例句-3: "Sometimes you can scare the other players out of the game with a bluff and 'steal' the pot with a worthless hand. But it can be very expensive if another player calls your bluff."

他說(shuō)："有時(shí)候你可以虛張聲勢(shì)把其他牌友嚇住了，這樣你就偷偷地用一手壞牌贏了錢(qián)?？墒?，要是另一個(gè)打牌的人不相信你，向你挑戰(zhàn)，那你就可能會(huì)輸不少錢(qián)。"

To call one's bluff這個(gè)說(shuō)法現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)不局限在打牌上了。下面這個(gè)例子是一個(gè)公司的經(jīng)理在對(duì)他的助手講話：

例句-4: "One of our salesmen asked for a raise in salary today, and said he'd have to leave if we didn't give him a raise. But I called his bluff--I told him no, and wished him good luck. Then he said he'd stay on with us because he liked working here so much."

他說(shuō)："我們公司的一個(gè)推銷(xiāo)員今天要我給他加工資，說(shuō)要是我們不給他加工資，他就不在這兒干了。但是我沒(méi)上他的當(dāng)，拒絕了他的要求，還祝他好運(yùn)氣。于是他就改口說(shuō)他非常喜歡這兒的工作，愿意在這兒繼續(xù)做下去。"

今天我們講的兩個(gè)俗語(yǔ)是：to call the shots和to call one's bluff。To call the shots是下命令、做最后決定。To call one's bluff是揭露某人虛張聲勢(shì)的做法。

「美國(guó)習(xí)慣用語(yǔ)」第一百零八課就講到這里。歡迎下次再一起來(lái)學(xué)習(xí)美國(guó)習(xí)慣用語(yǔ)。再見(jiàn)。