我们前两次讲的习惯用语都和赌博有关,玩儿赌博得有筹码也就是chip。今天我们来讲几个由chip这个词发展而来的习惯用语。第一个是:the chips are down。习惯用语the chips are down来历已久。它来自扑克牌桌。描绘的是下赌注的筹码都已经放在桌面上而打扑克的人即将摊牌一决输赢的当头。
例句-1:I had a wife and kids to support, so the chips were really down. But I found out who my real friends were. Pete started phoning people with connections and got me a new job in a week.
例句-2:Look, with my support slipping, the chips are down. If you don't raise another million this week for more TV ads, I don't think I have a ghost of chance to get enough votes to win!
例句-3:Bill, you know Sally in accounting. Well, her mother died last night. We'd like to send flowers. Most people are chipping in five dollars. Would you like to chip in too?
最后还有点儿时间,我们再学个也用chip这个词的习惯用语:cash in one's chips。Cash作名词的时候指“现金,” 但是在短语cash in里面cash是动词。Cash in原来的意思是赌局完结时去帐房把自己手上的筹码交进去换成现金,作个了断。Cash in one's chips被人们沿用到日常生活中,指的不是赌局完毕,而是人生的终点。换句话说就是如一场赌博般的人生收场了。我们来听个例子。说话的是个退役军人。他刚刚得到一个怀消息。
例句-4:I just heard that Charley, my best friend in the army, cashed in his chips last week in Chicago. I haven't seen him in 25 years but back then we were as close as any two men could be.