ants in one's pants要是直譯就是“螞蟻爬到一個(gè)人的褲子里”。誰都能想象這種讓人坐立不安的尷尬處境。它唯妙唯肖地表現(xiàn)一個(gè)人緊張不安、神經(jīng)質(zhì)的狀況。看個(gè)例子吧。它說的是以個(gè)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人正為準(zhǔn)備一份報(bào)告而焦灼不安。
例句:The company's financial report isn't due until next Friday. But the boss has ants in his pants and wants us to have it all ready Tuesday. How does he think only the three of us can do it?
他說:公司的財(cái)務(wù)報(bào)告要星期五才得交,但是領(lǐng)導(dǎo)卻實(shí)在焦慮不安,要求我們?cè)谛瞧诙偷冒褕?bào)告都準(zhǔn)備好。他怎么想得出只有我們?nèi)齻€(gè)人就能辦到呢?
這位領(lǐng)導(dǎo)在人力不足的情況下,還要求手下人提前完成工作,可見那報(bào)告真是讓他焦灼不安,所以ants in one's pants是用來描述人焦灼煩躁的心情的。