
muck
词源
源自中古英语'muk',可能来自斯堪的纳维亚语系(如古挪威语'myki'意为粪便),与德语'Mist'同源。最初指动物粪便,后引申为各种污物。
noun
❶ 指潮湿肮脏的泥土、污物或腐烂的有机物,常出现在农场、工地等场所,带有令人不悦的气味和质地。
“The farmer's boots were covered in muck after working in the pigpen.”
(农民在猪圈工作后,靴子上沾满了污泥。)
“Children love playing in the muck after the rain.”
(孩子们喜欢雨后在水坑泥泞中玩耍。)
❶ 比喻糟糕或低劣的事物,常用于口语中表达对某事物的强烈不满或贬低。
“This movie is absolute muck - don't waste your time watching it.”
(这部电影简直糟透了——别浪费时间看了。)
“He's always writing that political muck in the newspaper.”
(他总是在报纸上写那些低劣的政治评论。)
verb
❶ 指弄脏或沾满污物,常用于描述动物或人在泥泞中打滚或工作的动作。
“The pigs were mucking about in their pen.”
(猪在围栏里打滚弄得浑身是泥。)
“I mucked up my new shoes while gardening.”
(我在园艺时把新鞋弄得满是泥土。)
❶ 口语中表示搞砸或弄糟某事,常与'up'连用,表达因失误导致不良结果。
“I completely mucked up the presentation by forgetting my notes.”
(我忘了带笔记,把演讲彻底搞砸了。)
“Be careful not to muck up this important deal.”
(小心别把这笔重要交易搞黄了。)
常见短语
muck about — 指无所事事地闲逛或胡闹,常用来形容浪费时间或行为不认真的状态。
“Stop mucking about and do your homework!”
(别胡闹了,快去做作业!)
muck in — 指大家一起动手帮忙干活,特别指参与不体面或辛苦的集体劳动。
“Everyone mucked in to clean up after the festival.”
(节日过后大家都动手帮忙清理。)
where there's muck there's brass — 英国谚语,字面意思是哪里有污秽哪里就有金钱,引申指肮脏或辛苦的工作往往报酬丰厚。
“My grandfather always said 'where there's muck there's brass' to encourage me to take the factory job.”
(我祖父总说'吃得苦中苦方为人上人'来鼓励我接受工厂的工作。)