美国习惯用语:773 breathe down someone's neck

 　　今天我们要讲的美国习惯用语是：breathe down someone's neck. Breathe是呼吸的意思；neck是脖子的意思。Breathe down someone's neck 连在一起，是对某人盯得特别紧的意思。

　　前不久，我朋友Jenny跟她老公Jeff大吵了一架。Jenny说，她的公公和婆婆星期天要来吃饭，所以她让Jeff去收拾一下院子。过了一会，她去看看Jeff干得怎么样了。但是Jeff却说，Jenny is breathing down his neck, 他觉得Jenny盯他盯的太紧了。嗨，这算什么？他要真想知道被人盯的滋味，就应该去听听下面这个汽车修理工是怎么说的。

　　例句-1：I have this one customer who constantly watches me while I'm repairing his car. Finally, I told him that if he continues to breathe down my neck, he's going to have to find another mechanic. I can't concentrate on my work with him around all the time.

　　这位汽车修理工说：有一个顾客，修车的时候一直站在我旁边。最后我急了，告诉他，你要是再这么盯着我，就另请高明吧。他这样盯着我，我实在没办法专心工作。

　　我还记得小时候，爸爸妈妈去上班，下午放学就是姐姐看着我和弟弟做作业。她每隔几分钟，就要检查我们是不是在偷懒，简直就是在breathe down our necks!

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　　美国历史上有一对著名的雌雄大盗邦妮和克莱德，他们一度横行各地，抢劫银行，成为耸动一时的社会新闻。我们来听听下面这个历史学家是怎么说的。

　　例句-2：During the 1920s and early 30s, Bonnie and Clyde committed several robberies and murders as they traveled across several states. But law authorities were never far behind them. They kept breathe down their necks before finally trapping the gangsters¹, who died in a gunfight.

　　他说：在二十年代和三十年代初，邦妮和克莱德横穿数州，抢劫杀人。不过警察一直紧追不舍，死死地盯住他们不放，最后终于堵住了邦妮和克莱德，并在枪战中把他们击毙。

　　我看过由他们的故事改编的电影，拍得特别棒。除了警察以外，还有什么人会breathe down someone's neck?  给你个暗示，凡是会紧紧盯住别人的人都可以算在其中。没错，可以有家长、老师、还有上司。

1 gangsters   

匪徒，歹徒( gangster的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The gangsters offered him a sum equivalent to a whole year's earnings. 歹徒提出要给他一笔相当于他一年收入的钱。
• One of the gangsters was caught by the police. 歹徒之一被警察逮捕。