【英语时差8,16】大量伤亡；纷纷罹病

With a strong poison spray¹ aimed at a bunch of flying insects, it's easy to imagine several of them falling together at the same time. Because flies are small and dirty creatures, we do not much care if many die at once. However, when it comes to humans, we care very much. When a large number of people, such as soldiers, are killed at one time from enemy fire, we may apply this idiom. It is also used regarding² a large number of people falling ill from a mass sickness in a short space of time. Strangely, despite the unsympathetic image of comparing humans with flies, this idiom is used as often regarding friendly forces or groups of people we care about, as it is used regarding foes³.

1 spray   

v.喷，(使)溅散；n.浪花，飞沫；喷雾

参考例句：

• The liquid came out of the bottle in a spray.液体从瓶子里呈雾状喷出。
• We were wet with the sea spray.我们被海水的浪花溅湿。

2 regarding   

prep.关于，至于；就…而论，在…方面

参考例句：

• Regarding John,I will write to him at once.至于约翰，我将立即给他写信。
• Regarding these facts,a special committee is to be appointed.鉴于这些事实，必须成立一个专门委员会。

3 foes   

敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They steadily pushed their foes before them. 他们不停地追击敌人。
• She had fought many battles, vanquished many foes. 她身经百战，挫败过很多对手。