tilt at windmills
作勢挑戰(zhàn),故作姿態(tài)
講解:
tilt at windmills的典故出自塞萬提斯的《唐吉訶德》。書 中這位食古不化的騎士看到風車以為是火龍,挾著長矛就策 馬而攻之。后來,tilt at windmills便引申為「向虛幻的敵人挑戰(zhàn)、故作姿態(tài)」之意。
例句:
And [Congressman Jim] Cooper may be tilting at White House windmills largely to increase hisstature in anticipation of his campaign for the Senate next year,when a special election for Al Gore’s former seat is held-(出自:TIME, Dec. 13,1993,p. 39 )
眾議員金古柏之所以要作勢向白宮挑戰(zhàn),主要原因可能是想自抬 身價,來為明年補選高爾留下的參議院席位預做準備。