【字面理解】掛于頸上的信天翁
【英文解析】a burden which some unfortunate person has to carry
【中文解析】累贅,無法擺脫的苦惱,沉重的負擔
【典型例句】① The person who has killed another person has an albatross around his neck for the rest of his life.殺人者 終生負疚。
② It is his albatross to be involved in the scandal.與這一丑聞有牽連,這是他無法擺脫的煩惱。舊時迷信,說殺死信天翁(albatross)會帶來厄運。 英國詩人S. T.柯爾律治(S. T. Coleridge)的著名敘事 長詩《古舟子詠》(The Rime of the Ancient Mariner) 描寫一位老水手在海上隨意射殺了一只信天翁,致使 全船遭難的故事。老水手為了贖罪,便將鳥尸掛于頸 上,跪地祈禱,故有該習語。后來albatross轉義為“沉 重的負擔;揮之不去的心病;無法擺脫的苦惱”。