cut a (wide) swath through
穿過,掃過(一大片)
講解:
swath是用鐮刀收割谷物所割出的一條路線,首當其沖的谷物紛紛倒下,其余則夾道而立。例如:The typhoon cut a wide wath through Southern Taiwan.,意思是「雕風掃過的大片南臺灣地區都七零八落。」。The Amazon cuts swath through lush tropical rain forests.意思則是「亞馬孫河切過茂密的熱帶雨林。」。另外,cut a wide swath原來是說割麥的動作很大,割到的范圍比別人寬,因而cut a (wide) swath through可以引申為「炫耀、夸飾」或「強烈、有力」之意.
例句:
Studies indicate that fat bias cuts a wide swath through U.S. industry, from xecutives to waitresses. And in most cases,no laws are broken.(出自:TIME, Mar. 25,1991,p. 50 )
研究顯示,對胖子的歧視橫掃美國業界,從主管到女侍都遭殃。而且大部分的案例并不違法。