He has been left holding the bag.
他一个人背下了黑锅。
left holding the bag 是相当古老的习惯用语,从1760年起就流传了,但没有确切出典,有一种猜测是这里的bag可能是装赃款赃物的袋子,同伙听到了警报都走了,就剩拿着袋子的那个人被抓,人赃俱获。现在这个短语的意思是:“替别人背黑锅,或独自承担错误和罪责”。因此,当美国人说"He has been left holding the bag."时,他/她要表达的意思就是:"He has been made into a scapegoat."、"He has been unjustly blamed."、"He has been left to take full responsibility."。
情景对白:
Terry: How could the boss be so cruel to Jim? I feel really sorry for him.
泰瑞:老板怎么可以对吉姆这么无情?我真为他难过。
Benjamin: Yeah, me too. He has been left holding the bag.
本杰明:是啊,我也一样。他一个人背下了黑锅。
搭配句积累:
①It must be someone else that stole the key of the safe.
肯定是有其他人偷了保险柜的钥匙。
②He's accused of embezzling funds from the company.
他被指挥擅自挪用公款。
③He can't be the leaker because he is a newcomer who knows nothing here.
他不可能是泄密者,他只是个新人,什么也不了解。
④He should have spilled his guts.
他本应该说出实情的。
单词:
1. scapegoat n. 替罪羊
I don't deserve to be made the scapegoat for a couple of bad results.
我不应该为一些不好的结果顶罪。
She felt she had been made a scapegoat for her boss's incompetence.
她觉得,本是老板无能,但她却成了替罪羊。
2. embezzle vt. 盗用,挪用
One former director embezzled $34 million in company funds.
一名前主管挪用了3,400万美元的公司资金。
She insinuate to us that her partner have embezzle fund.
她旁敲侧击地指出她的合伙人盗用了资金。
3. spill one's guts 把知道的原原本本地说出来
Bcause I wanted to be a quiet listener when you wanted to spill your guts.
因为我想在你想倾诉的时候做一个安静的聆听者。
But that doesn't mean you should spill your guts out to your kids.
当然这并不意味着你应该对孩子们无所不言。