【字面理解】藥膏里的一只蒼蠅
【英文解析】a small defect that spoils something valuable or is a source of annoyance
【中文解析】掃興的人;煞風景的事物;美中不足之處
【典型例句】① We lead a very happy life here. The only fly in the ointment is the heavy traffic.我們在這兒過得很快活,唯一美中不足的就是交通擁擠。
② The party was quite enjoyable; Sam’s presence was the only fly in the ointment.那個宴會十分有趣;唯一使人 掃興的是薩姆也在場。
【注釋】非正式表達,源自《圣經(jīng)?傳道書》第10章第 1節(jié)死蒼蠅使作香的膏油發(fā)出臭氣。這樣,一點 兒愚昧也能敗壞智慧和尊榮(Dead flies make the perfumer's ointment give off a foul odor; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. Ecclesiastes 10:1)變體: the fly in the ointment; flies in the ointment。同義習語: one rotten or bad apple spoils the barrel (一顆爛蘋果壞 了整籮筐蘋果)。