Caught with One's Pants Down——當場出醜,當場被抓
** catch someone in an e-mbarrassing, compromising, ill-prepared or guilty position
某人處於尷尬、妥協、準備不足或犯罪的境地而被抓
~~ 當場出醜,當場被抓;作案時被捕;被逮個正着;當場就擒;當場抓到某人做壞事
~~ caught with one's trousers/breeches down; caught in the act; caught doing something illegal/wrong; caught red-handed; caught with a hand in the cookie jar; caught with one's fingers/hand in the till; caught off guard
!! The phrase alludes to a husband catching another man, in the act, of having an intimate and illicit love affair with his wife. 這句話暗指丈夫抓住另一個男人正在與他的妻子發生親密和不正當的戀愛關係。
!! Another alludes to a white frontiersman, having put down his muskets, and having his pants lowered to pee in the woods, was caught by a lurking hostile Indian. 另一個故事則提到一名白人邊疆戰士放下步槍、脫下褲子在樹林中撒尿,結果被潛伏的敵對印第安人抓住。
>> He was really caught with his pants down; he was sitting in the boss’s office with his feet up on the desk and smoking a cigar when the boss walked in. 他真的是當場出醜了;當老闆走進來時,他正坐在老闆的辦公室裡,把腳放在桌子上抽着雪茄。
>> We spent a lot of time preparing for the inspection; we didn’t want to get caught with our pants down. 我們花了很多時間準備檢查;我們不想當場被抓。
學勤進修教育中心英語專科導師
李啟文教授