Put through the wringer

To put someone through the wringer 意為「使某人歷盡艱辛,使某人飽受折磨」,其中 wringer 是指現代電動洗衣機問世之前所使用的衣物絞乾機。由於使用這種衣物絞乾機相當費力,使用過程倍感艱辛,因此比喻為上述意思。這個慣用語出現於 20 世紀伊始時,但在 1940 年代達到使用上的顛峰。

由於 wringer 的發音與 ringer 一樣,有人可能會將此慣用語寫成 put someone through the ringer,那就錯了,因為 ringer 意為「冒名頂替者;按鈴者,敲鐘者;電話的鈴聲裝置」等,與 wringer 完全無關。不過,若將 wringer 改為 mill,就變成另一個同義的慣用語,即 put someone through the mill,這應該也是磨坊 (mill) 的工作讓人吃足苦頭、受盡艱難所衍生的用語。

例句:

  • The teacher really put the students through the wringer. (這位老師真的使學生吃足苦頭)
  • His family has really been put through the wringer these past few months, because his father suffered from a bout with cancer, his wife lost her job, and the bank threatened to foreclose on the family’s house. (過去這幾個月他的家庭真是受盡磨難,因為他父親得了癌症、他太太失業,而銀行威脅要法拍他家的房子)
  • John’s been put through the wringer lately, first with his divorce, and then losing his job. (約翰最近先後遭受離婚和失業的痛苦折磨)
  • Mary is really putting through the mill with her divorce. (瑪麗正受到離婚的痛苦折磨)
  • I heard Paul had an interview this morning – they really put him through the mill. (我聽說保羅今早去面試了 — 他們真的讓他受盡了考驗)
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