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缩回蜗角

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对中国人来说,蜗牛触角向来都有渺小而狂妄的含义;《庄子·则阳》篇里分据蜗牛两角的触氏国、蛮氏国常常爆发争地战,使人看到发动侵略战的野心家其实多么渺小,有一点蜗角虚名就自高自大的人又是多么可笑。英国人显然也认为蜗角有点狂妄意味,所以,他们说收敛傲气、不再狂妄、临阵退缩等,会用draw/pull in one's horns(缩回蜗角)这个成语。我们都知道,蜗牛一感觉到危险,就会把触角甚至全身向后缩,一直缩回壳里。这给人当做由轻浮变得比较慎重的表现。所以,人们就用draw/pull in one's horns来说退缩或收敛了,例如:When he saw that I had the support of the majority, he drew in his horns and admitted he might have made a mistake.(他见我获得多数人支持,就软了下来,承认自己可能错了)。

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