不鳴則已一鳴驚人（地道英語表達(dá)）

A: Tom set the whole country by the ears with his discovery.

約翰的發(fā)明震驚了全國。

B: He is really terrific!

他真行。

A: He was very clever when he was a boy.

他小的時候就非常聰明。

【對話精講】

set by ears

此語源于一個斗狗的故事。有兩個好事之徒以狗打架賭博，就分別揪住狗的耳朵讓它們相斗。轉(zhuǎn)義為“使人爭吵，使人不和”，還可以表示“因新發(fā)現(xiàn)而引起轟動或使人震驚”之意。

釋義1：使人爭吵，使人不和

e.g.During his short stay, Philip set us all by the ears.

菲利普在這時短期逗留期間，搬弄是非，搞得大家不得安寧。

e.g.They got on well enough together until the question of promotion set them all by the ears.

他們原來一直相處得很好，后來提職一事引起了他們之間的不和。

e.g.Uncle always seems to set the family by the ears.

叔叔好像總是使一家人不和。

e.g.She set the whole neighborhood by the ears.

她使四鄰不和。

釋義2：使人震驚，一鳴驚人

e.g.He seemed a very lively young man, certain of his own abilities and eager to set people by the ears.

看來他是個非?；钴S的青年，對自己的能力十分自信，且急于一鳴驚人。

e.g.He set the whole city the ears with beating the champion.

他擊敗了冠軍而一鳴驚人。