'That Train Has Left the Station!' (or...It's too late)

And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning¹ English.

On this program we explore words and expressions in the English language. We give examples, notes on usage² and sometimes we use them in a short story.

Today we talk about transportation³ expressions involving ships, boats, and trains.

A train ride can be a wonderful adventure.

Imagine that you are in your final days of study in Budapest. You have lived there as a student for over a year but have never traveled to Prague. So, on your last weekend, you plan a train trip from Budapest to Prague. But you only have a couple of days to make the trip.

You buy a ticket leaving late on a Friday night. You plan to catch the train after your last class. You are so excited! But after class your professor offers to buy you dinner. He wants to send you off with a celebration⁴. You don't want to be rude. So, you agree, but your eye is always on the clock.

Dinner takes longer than you thought it would and soon it's nearing your time to catch the train. So, you thank him and say you have a train to catch. But he insists that you stay for a quick dessert and offers to drive you to the station. You do the time math in your head and figure that if he drives you, you will have just enough time to catch your train. But then, after dessert, he remembers, "Oh I didn't drive. How silly of me!" You tell him, "Thanks. I really have to go!"

You rush to the station! But by the time you get there the station, the train – your train -- is pulling away. And there won't be another one until the next night. You have missed your train and your chance to see Prague before returning home!

And that brings us to our expression for today. "That train has left the station."

It means⁵ you have missed an opportunity. The chance to do something – something you really wanted to do – has passed.

We say this when a process is already underway. The time for discussion⁶ is over. It's too late to change your mind. And it's too late to make changes. Some possibility or choice is no longer available or likely.

If you like boating⁷ expressions, you can also say: "That ship has sailed," or that someone has "missed the boat." They are all used the same way.

Besides missing⁸ an opportunity, all of these expressions could be used in another situation: When events have been put into place and there is no stopping them.

For example, let's say your mother wants to fix you up with the nice child of her boss. She arranges⁹ the whole date without talking to you first. You don't want to go, but she has already told her boss that you would.

If you were to tell me about it, I would probably say to you: "Sorry. But that train has already left the station. You must go on that date."

Usually when we use "that train has left the station" or "that ship has sailed" it means events are going forward and you can't stop them.

Now, here is a note on usage. Simply put, these sayings mean, "It's too late. So, save your breath¹⁰." So, they could sound rude or thoughtless¹¹. And they are informal¹².

So, I would say them to a friend and co-worker¹³. But I wouldn't say them to my boss or my professor – although it was his fault that I missed my train in the first place!

Words in This Story

adventure –n. an exciting or dangerous experience

rude –adj. not showing concern or respect for others

insist –v. to demand that something happen or that someone do something

dessert –n. a usually sweet course or dish (as of pastry¹⁴ or ice cream) usually served at the end of a meal

silly –adj. having or showing a lack of thought, understanding, or good judgment¹⁵

opportunity –n. an amount of time or a situation when something can be done

boss –n. a person whose job it is to tell others what to do; chief

informal –adj. not suited for serious or official speech and writing

1 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

2 usage   

n.惯用法，使用，用法

参考例句：

• I am clear about the usage of this word at last.这个词的用法我算是弄明白了。
• The usage is now firmly established.这种用法现已得到确认。

3 transportation   

n.运输，运输系统，运输工具

参考例句：

• The transportation of goods by air costs a lot.航空运输货物花费很高。
• He finally solved the difficulty of transportation.他终于解决了运输的困难。

4 celebration   

n.庆祝，庆祝会；典礼

参考例句：

• The celebration passed off successfully.庆祝活动圆满结束。
• The celebration of Christmas is a custom.庆祝圣诞节是一种习俗。

5 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。

6 discussion   

n.讨论，谈论；论述

参考例句：

• It is certain he will come to the discussion.他肯定会来参加讨论。
• After months of discussion,a peace agreement is gradually taking shape.经过几个月的商讨，和平协议渐渐有了眉目。

7 boating   

n.划船

参考例句：

• They were fond of boating.他们喜欢划船。
• The lovely river itself was ideal for fishing and boating.这条美丽的河流本身就宜于钓鱼和划船。

8 missing   

adj.遗失的，缺少的，失踪的

参考例句：

• Check the tools and see if anything is missing.检点一下工具，看有无丢失。
• All the others are here;he's the only one missing.别人都来了，就短他一个。

9 arranges   

v.安排，准备( arrange的第三人称单数 )；把…（系统地）分类；整理；改编（剧本等）

参考例句：

• He's a wonder with the way he arranges everything without any help. 他不要任何帮忙就把事情样样办妥，真是个奇才。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Charlotte always arranges everything in our house and rules us like a despot. 在我们家里，件件事总是由夏洛特去安排，她象个专制君主那样统治着我们。 来自辞典例句

10 breath   

n.呼吸，气息，微风，迹象，精神，一种说话的声音

参考例句：

• I'm just going out for a breath of fresh air.我正要出去呼吸新鲜空气。
• While climbing up the stairs the old man always loses his breath.那老人上楼时总是气喘吁吁的。

11 thoughtless   

adj.没有考虑的，无深虑的，轻率的

参考例句：

• It was thoughtless of you to forget your sister's birthday.你真粗心，把你姐姐的生日都给忘了。
• I wonder why you are so thoughtless of others.我很奇怪，你为何如此不替别人着想。

12 informal   

adj.非正式的，不拘礼的，通俗的

参考例句：

• I got an informal reception.我受到了非正式接待。
• The leaders met over informal lunches.领袖们在非正式午餐时进行会晤。

13 co-worker   

n.共同工作者；同事

参考例句：

• I went to visit my co-worker on Saturday.周六去同事家做客了。
• My new co-worker comes to work late every day.我的新同事每天上班都迟到。

14 pastry   

n.油酥面团，酥皮糕点

参考例句：

• The cook pricked a few holes in the pastry.厨师在馅饼上戳了几个洞。
• The pastry crust was always underdone.馅饼的壳皮常常烤得不透。

15 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。