例句-1:Right - the Beatles were fantastic. Their music is still popular now. They were the greatest! Nobody has come along afterwards who can hold a candle to them.
这位忠实的Beatles乐迷认为Beatles是最伟大的摇滚乐队,后来的任何乐队简直都不配当为他们举烛照明的小厮。所以can't hold a candle to somebody意思是比某人差多了。
我们再听个例子。这回是个球迷在赞誉他心目中最伟大的篮球明星乔丹。
例句-2:I'm talking about Michael Jordan,Number 23,who played for the the Chicago Bulls. He set all sorts of records and won four world titles. Nobody can hold a candle to him.
这个习惯用语来自久远的年代,当时最快速的交通工具是马拉的驿车。现代人的交通来往当然便利快速得多了。电话是人们最方便的联系方式之一,因为通过电话人们能立即交换信息,于是就产生了另一个与hold one's horses意义相仿的习惯用语: hold the phone。习惯用语hold the phone可不是指拿着电话。它跟打电话无关。
刚才说过它的意思和hold the horses差不多,也用来要求某人耐心点儿,别急着说什么或赶着做什么。
例句-3:Look,could you hold the phone and stop interrupting me! Do me a favor and listen to what I have to say - let me finish the report before you ask any more questions.