迷你对话学地道口语第592期:嘴巴硬

　　Subject：He never says uncle.
迷你对话
A: Look! They are quarreling seriously. I won’t permit¹ this kind of thing.
看，他们吵架吵得好凶呀。我不允许这种事情发生。
B: It is no use. I know one of them. He never says uncle.
没用的，我知道他们其中的一个，他的嘴特别硬。
地道表达
say uncle
1. 解词释义
此语也可以用做cry uncle。意思是“to give up or give in”“to surrender”or “to admit defeat”。当男孩子们打架时，一方向制服另外一方，另一方就会说“Say uncle.”这时候，不服输的了，就不喊uncle。后来，say uncle就成了“服输”的代名词，而never say uncle和中文中“嘴硬”意思相同。
2. 拓展范例
e.g. I refused to say uncle no matter how they threatened me.
无论他们怎样吓唬我,我都不肯服输。
e.g. Say uncle, guy, you're finished.
投降吧，你这个家伙，你完蛋了。
e.g. I'm determined² to show them I can be a star. I'm not going to say uncle.
我决心展示给他们看我可以成为一名明星，我不会放弃的。
e.g. Although our class team was being beaten we wouldn't say uncle.
虽然我们的班队要被打败了，但我们不服输。

1 permit   

n.许可证，许可，执照；vt.允许，容许；vi.容许

参考例句：

• The doctor will not permit mother up until her leg is better.在母亲的腿好些之前,医生不允许她起床。
• The soldiers had orders to permit no stranger through.士兵们接到命令不许任何陌生人通过。

2 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。