圖文閱讀:騎虎難下

have a tiger by the tail 騎虎難下

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這個短語的字面意思是：抓住老虎的尾巴。這是非常危險的局面，如果鬆開手，肯定對付不了兇猛的老虎。但是抓住老虎尾巴不放，看來也是凶多吉少，因爲實際上本來也沒有任何制服老虎的可能。中文所說的“騎虎難下”其實同這個短語的意思非常接近。

Once you start using heroin, you'll have a tiger by the tail. If you get hooked, you'll need more and more, it'll cost you more money, and you might have to steal to support the habit.

你一旦開始用海洛因，就很難找到退路。上癮之後，需要量越來越大，需要更多的錢，甚至還要爲了滿足毒癮去偷竊

毒品是老虎尾巴，說話不算話也可以是老虎尾巴。喬治•布什在競選美國總統成功以後就有這樣的教訓。他1988年競選的時候許諾說，當選後絕不增加徵收聯邦稅。但是他登上總統寶座之後怎麼樣了呢？

He found he had a tiger by the tail. Despite his promise he had to raise taxes to cope with the deficit. And this helped Bill Clinton beat him in his try for re-election in 1992.

布什打破自己的許諾，增加徵稅，結果最終在連任競選中被克林頓擊敗。

也許老虎尾巴還是不抓爲好。