大千世界:大量伤亡；纷纷罹病

With a strong poison spray¹ aimed at a bunch of flying insects, it's easy to imagine several of them falling together at the same time. Because flies are small and dirty creatures, we do not much care if many die at once. However, when it comes to humans, we care very much. When a large number of people, such as soldiers, are killed at one time from enemy fire, we may apply this idiom. It is also used regarding² a large number of people falling ill from a mass sickness in a short space of time. Strangely, despite the unsympathetic image of comparing humans with flies, this idiom is used as often regarding friendly forces or groups of people we care about, as it is used regarding foes⁴.
Spray
1. 浪花,水花,飞沫
We parked the car by the sea and it got covered with spray.
我们将汽车停在海边,汽车上溅满了浪花。
2. 喷雾;喷雾状物
A spray of salt water hit her in the face.
飞溅的海水打在她的脸上。
3. 喷雾器
4. 喷洒液,喷液
Did you bring along some insect spray?
你有没有带些杀虫喷液来?

Space: 持续时间
He had twelve phone calls in the space of an hour.
他在一小时内接了十二只电话。

Foe³
1. 敌人,仇敌
This is the most serious challenge from his political foe.
这是来自他政敌的最严重的挑战。
2. 敌军
3. 反对者[(+of/to)]
4. 危害物[(+to)]
Tobacco is a foe to health.
抽烟危害健康。
 

1 spray   

v.喷，(使)溅散；n.浪花，飞沫；喷雾

参考例句：

• The liquid came out of the bottle in a spray.液体从瓶子里呈雾状喷出。
• We were wet with the sea spray.我们被海水的浪花溅湿。

2 regarding   

prep.关于，至于；就…而论，在…方面

参考例句：

• Regarding John,I will write to him at once.至于约翰，我将立即给他写信。
• Regarding these facts,a special committee is to be appointed.鉴于这些事实，必须成立一个专门委员会。

3 foe   

n.敌人，仇敌

参考例句：

• He knew that Karl could be an implacable foe.他明白卡尔可能会成为他的死敌。
• A friend is a friend;a foe is a foe;one must be clearly distinguished from the other.敌是敌，友是友，必须分清界限。

4 foes   

敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They steadily pushed their foes before them. 他们不停地追击敌人。
• She had fought many battles, vanquished many foes. 她身经百战，挫败过很多对手。