今天我们要讲的美国习惯用语是:come down on like a ton of bricks。Ton,是一吨两吨的吨;brick,是砖头的意思。A ton of bricks一吨重的砖头砸下来,想想都让人不寒而栗。Come down on like a ton of bricks,这个习惯用语的意思就是严厉惩罚的意思。
大学刚毕业的时候,我干过一段时间的导游。我们经理最不能忍受的就是员工迟到。有一次,一个同事因为没赶上车来晚了,经理根本不听她的解释,当场就把她开除了,He came down on her like a ton of bricks. 没错。当时的情况就是这样。
例句-1:After enlisting in the army, I didn't know if I'd survive basic training. My sergeant was really strict. Anytime one of us in the platoon made the slightest mistake, he'd come down on us like a ton of bricks. He thought by disciplining us in such a severe way, we'd become better soldiers.
我原来有一个同学,父亲管得特别严,考试只要考不到全班前三名,回家就会受罚。Her father would come down on her like a ton of bricks. 除了老板、长官、和家长外,还有什么人会如此严厉呢。我们来听听下面这个男孩子是怎么说的。
例句-2:I really disliked my fifth grade teacher. She used to come down on me like a ton of bricks. Once I was sent to the principal's office just for chewing gum in class. I couldn't wait to finish that school year!