Wheel and deal

Wheel and deal 是個美國慣用語,意為「(為獲利而) 投機取巧,耍弄手段」,尤指商業或政治上的投機取巧、胡作非為。這個慣用語當動詞用,即 to wheel and deal,第三人稱單數為 wheels and deals。Wheeling and dealing 為現在分詞和動名詞,而 wheeler-dealer 為名詞,意思是「投機取巧的人;愛耍手段的人」。

這個慣用語的起源眾說紛紜,但有幾種有趣的說法。第一種說法認為起源於美國賭博業,而 wheel and deal 可能是用來描述某人經營輪盤賭 (roulette wheel game) 或紙牌賭的能力。第二種說法認為起源於 1930 年代的汽車業,當時許多汽車經銷商 (car dealer) 宣稱他們也從事車輪買賣 (wheel deal)。二次世界大戰後,wheel and deal 變得很常用。

例句:

  • Harvey spends his time wheeling and dealing on the stock exchange. (哈維把時間都用於從事投機的股票交易)
  • Mark loves to wheel and deal in the money markets. (馬克熱愛在貨幣市場做投機生意)
  • No one will vote for a politician who wheels and deals and has nothing else. (沒有人會投票給除了胡作非為沒有其他本事的政客)
  • It’s a book about all the wheeling and dealing that goes on in financial markets. (那是一本有關金融市場各種投機取巧伎倆的書)
  • Scott got tired of all the wheeling and dealing of big business and quit his job resolutely and determinedly to run a coffee shop in the country. (史考特厭倦了大財團的一切投機取巧行徑,因此毅然決然辭職,到鄉下開了一間咖啡館)
  • Warren worked in the property business for a number of years, acquiring notoriety as a formidable wheeler-dealer. (華倫在房地產業混了好多年,得了個不好對付、愛耍手段的惡名)
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