成語“付諸東流”的意思大家都知道啦，它比喻希望落空，成果喪失，前功盡棄，好象隨著流水沖走了一樣。這么形象的表達方式可不只我們中國人能想到的，英語中也有類似的說法，不過他們不用“流水”沖走，而是用“順著排水溝流走”（down the drain）。

“Down the drain”就是“付諸東流”的異國兄弟，它表示資源尚未妥善利用就都浪費掉了，常與動詞go一起出現。來看下面的例句：

All our efforts went down the drain when the power went out. Now we have to do the whole experiment again. 電一停，我們的努力全都付諸流水。現在我們的實驗得整個重新來過。

Rebecca could not believe that their four-year friendship had gone down the drain.瑞貝卡不敢相信，他們四年的友誼就這樣成了過眼云煙。

His fortune went down the drain when he began drinking heavily and gambling in casinos.自從他開始酗酒又在賭場賭博，他的財產漸漸揮霍殆盡。

When Beckham missed the penalty kick, his team's advantage went down the drain.貝克漢姆踢飛了點球，球隊的優勢隨即化為烏有。

Why throw money down the drain at the local car wash when you can do it yourself at home？明明自己在家可以洗車，為什么要浪費錢開到洗車店去洗呢？


點擊進入：往期回顧

（實習生江巍 英語點津陳蓓編輯）