The latest measure marked an about-face from Barak's earlier stance. Following the Feb. 10 general election, which saw the decades-old party skid to the fourth and its lowest-ever position in the parliament, Barak and some other senior members said that the party needs to sit in the opposition and restrengthen itself in order for a forceful return in the future.
巴拉克這一新舉措與他早先的立場(chǎng)大相徑庭。2月10日的大選之后,這個(gè)擁有數(shù)十年歷史的政黨在國(guó)會(huì)中的地位下滑到了第四位,這是該黨在議會(huì)中有過(guò)的最低位次,巴拉克和其他黨內(nèi)高級(jí)人士就此發(fā)表言論說(shuō),工黨需要改變立場(chǎng),壯大實(shí)力,以期來(lái)日東山再起。
在上面的報(bào)道中,about-face 就是指“ (立場(chǎng)、觀點(diǎn)等的) 徹底改變”,換言之,也就是和原先的做法截然不同。about-face 的字面意思是“向后轉(zhuǎn),(朝反方向的)倒轉(zhuǎn),(朝反方向的)行進(jìn)”。如:do an about-face and march away (向后轉(zhuǎn)之后齊步走開)。about 作為副詞有“沿反方向、到反面位置”的意思,把 about 與 face相結(jié)合,就是把臉向相反方向轉(zhuǎn)動(dòng)。
上文所采用的是 about-face 是這個(gè)詞最常用的意思,用來(lái)形容與原來(lái)相反的行為。例如:do a sudden and complete about-face on oil policy (在石油政策方面突然來(lái)一個(gè)180度的大轉(zhuǎn)彎)。
另外,about-face也可作動(dòng)詞用,意思為“做向后轉(zhuǎn)運(yùn)動(dòng),倒轉(zhuǎn),向反方向行進(jìn)”和“改弦易轍”。例如:The young man about-faced according to the order of the drillmaster. (年輕人依照教官的命令向后轉(zhuǎn))。