BBC地道英语｜To have an axe to grind 别有用心
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Hello and welcome to The English We Speak,I’m Neil and joining me is Feifei…
大家好，欢迎收听地道英语，我是尼尔，今天和我一起的是菲菲…
Hiya.
你好。
Feifei, can you explain to our listeners why I’m sharpening an axe in the studio.
菲菲，你能向听众们解释一下为什么我们要在演播室里磨斧子吗？
Yes, I can – because in this programme, we’ve got an expression for you which contains the word ’axe’. It can have three different meanings: 1 - to have an opinion you want other people to accept.
嗯，可以，因为在这期节目里，我们要学的表达方式里就有“斧子”这个词。它有三种不同的意思：第一种，你想让其他人接受你的想法。
2 - to be angry or upset about something.
第二种，对某事感到生气或是沮丧。
And 3 – to have a hidden plan.
第三种，别有企图。
The expression is ’to have an axe to grind’. If you can imagine in the past,if someone did something bad to you, you might want to get revenge – and hurt the person. So you might need a sharp weapon – like an axe!
“别有企图”这个表达方式，你可以想象一下，在过去，如果有人对你做了一些坏事，你可能会想要报复他，伤害他。因此你可能会需要一件锐利的武器——比如一把斧子。
That’s horrible.
真是太可怕了。
In modern use, you can say that someone ’has an axe to grind’ but it doesn’t mean they’re going to attack you with an axe!
在现在的使用中，你可以说一个人“别有企图”，但这并不代表着他们会用一把斧子来袭击你。
Let’s hear some examples of the different meanings of this expression.
让我们听几个例子，看看这个表达方式的不同意思吧。
Oh no here comes Roger.He’s got an axe to grind about smoking, so you’d better put that cigarette outor he’ll be talking to you for hours about your health.
噢不，罗杰过来了。他会想让你接受他关于吸烟的想法，所以你最好把烟熄灭，否则他会跟你讲你的健康问题讲上几个小时。
Don’t suggest getting dinner from Yummy Chicken.Jim’s had an axe to grind since they fired him last month.
不要想着吃“美味鸡肉”家的晚餐了。上个月他们解雇了吉姆之后，他对此非常生气。
These local politicians have always got an axe to grind. You know they’re hiding something from you.
这些当地的政客们总是别有所图。你知道他们对你有所隐瞒。
So, in the first example,the expression ’to have an axe to grind’ means to have an opinion you want people to accept. Roger is anti-smoking and he tells smokers just what he thinks of them. He has an axe to grind.
所以在第一个例子里，这个表达方式的意思是想让别人接受你的想法。罗杰反对吸烟，他告诉吸烟的人他是怎么看待他们的。他想让别人接受自己的看法。
In the second, Jim got fired by Yummy Chicken so he’s upset and angry with the company. He wants some kind of revenge. He’s got an axe to grind.
在第二个例子里，吉姆被“美味鸡肉”这家餐厅解雇了，因此他很沮丧，对这家餐厅也感到很愤怒。他想要报复。他对此很生气。
And in the third one, the politicians are keeping secrets from people. There’s something they want to do that they aren’t telling you.They have an axe to grind. We should say that this use isn’t very common in British English.
在第三个例子里，政客们会对人们保守秘密。他们会想做一些没有告诉你的事情。他们别有用心。这种用法在英式英语里不是特别常见。
Well now that’s explained, Neil,I think you should put that axe away before someone gets hurt.
好的现在解释完了，尼尔，我觉得在有人受伤之前，你应该把斧子拿走。
Good idea.It’s very sharp now – feel it.
好主意。它现在非常锋利了，感受一下。
Argh!I’ll have an axe to grind if you don’t put that weapon away!
啊！如果你不把这个武器拿走的话我会生气的！
Sorry!
对不起！
Bye!
再见！