Those who made large profits out of illegally selling rationed goods during World War II were fishing in troubled waters.
5.cats paw 被他人利用的人;受人愚弄者
cats paw 也坐cats-paw或catspaw,字面意思猫爪子,出典17世纪法国著名的寓言作家拉封丹的《猴子与猫》。讲的是狡猾的猴子哄骗头脑简单的猫儿,替它从炉火中取出烤熟的栗子来。猫儿应命去做,结果猫爪子被火烧伤了,而取出的栗子却被猴子吃光了。
追根嗍源,远在公元前3世纪的《伊索寓言》中就有这个故事,不过没有题目。
cats paw常用来比喻a person used as a tool by another;one who is used merely for the convenience of a cleverer or stronger person之意。按其内涵,这个成语与汉语成语为虎作伥所比喻的意义相似,仅是动物的形象不同
cats paw除了单独做复合名词使用外,还构成to make a cats paw of sb
eg:It is easy for him to be used as a cats paw of evil-doing.
I am afraid that he is making a cats paw of you.
6.Pull the chestnuts out of the fire火中取栗;替别人冒险
Pull the chestnuts out of the fire来自法国著名的寓言作家拉封丹的《猴子与猫》。
cats paw与Pull the chestnuts out of the fire是同源成语,但两个成语无论在结构上或意义上都不相同,前者比喻充当别人的工具或爪牙,后者常用来表示to do sth dangerous for others的意思。
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