VOA词汇掌故2024--Being 'Put Through the Wringer' Is Not Fun

And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English.

Today we talk about a physical action called "wringing²." That is "wring¹" beginning with a silent "w."

The dictionary publisher Merriam-Webster describes the verb "wring" as squeezing or twisting something like clothing to remove moisture or liquid. You can also "wring" someone to get more information.

In the old days, people used a "wringer" to remove water from their clothing. With a wringer, you put clean but very wet fabric³ between two rollers and turn the handle to squeeze water out.

Imagine if that was your hand instead of your clothes. Ouch! That would really hurt. And this gives us a common expression: to put through the wringer.

When someone is put through the wringer, they face a very difficult or unpleasant experience.

Now, let's hear the expression used in a conversation between two friends:

A: Hey, I heard you trained with Julia for your race. How did it go?

B: It was hard. Julia was really tough on me. She put me through the wringer! And I couldn't walk for days afterward⁴.

For another example, let's say you are looking for a new job. The employer wants you to go through several weeks of difficult training and then pass a test at the end. You can say you were put through the wringer.

However, when writing this expression, make sure that you write "wringer" with a "w" and not "ringer" that begins with an "r." The two words sound alike but are spelled differently and have completely different meanings.

A "wringer" with a "w" is the device we talked about earlier. It's used to remove water from clothing and fabric.

A "ringer" without a "w" is a person who "enters a competition under false representations." The term "ringer" can also refer to someone or something that strongly resembles another.

Hand-wringing

The verb "wring" with a "w" is also used to describe an action in which someone twists their hands together. They usually do this when they are nervous or worried about something.

And that gives us another expression: hand-wringing.

Merriam-Webster defines hand-wringing as an extreme expression of concern or guilt⁵. The dictionary publisher noted⁶ a recent example written by Christopher L. Gasper on BostonGlobe.com on February 18, 2023:

"For all the hand-wringing the NBA has done about players coming straight out of high school, the track record is good."

In other words, there is nothing to worry about having basketball players coming to the NBA straight out of high school.

And that's all the time we have for this Words and Their Stories. Until next time ... I'm Anna Matteo.

Words in This Story

squeeze - v. to press together from the opposite sides of

twist - v. to pull off, rotate, or break by a turning force

fabric - n. cloth (as in clothing or bedding)

false - adj. not genuine : intentionally⁷ untrue : adjusted or made so as to deceive : intended or tending to mislead

refer - v. to have relationship : relates

resemble - v. to be like or similar to

1 wring   

n.扭绞；v.拧，绞出，扭

参考例句：

• My socks were so wet that I had to wring them.我的袜子很湿，我不得不拧干它们。
• I'll wring your neck if you don't behave!你要是不规矩，我就拧断你的脖子。

2 wringing   

淋湿的，湿透的

参考例句：

• He was wringing wet after working in the field in the hot sun. 烈日下在田里干活使他汗流满面。
• He is wringing out the water from his swimming trunks. 他正在把游泳裤中的水绞出来。

3 fabric   

n.织物，织品，布；构造，结构，组织

参考例句：

• The fabric will spot easily.这种织品很容易玷污。
• I don't like the pattern on the fabric.我不喜欢那块布料上的图案。

4 afterward   

adv.后来；以后

参考例句：

• Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏，然后吃饭。
• Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来，这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。

5 guilt   

n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责

参考例句：

• She tried to cover up her guilt by lying.她企图用谎言掩饰自己的罪行。
• Don't lay a guilt trip on your child about schoolwork.别因为功课责备孩子而使他觉得很内疚。

6 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

7 intentionally   

ad.故意地，有意地

参考例句：

• I didn't say it intentionally. 我是无心说的。
• The local authority ruled that he had made himself intentionally homeless and was therefore not entitled to be rehoused. 当地政府裁定他是有意居无定所，因此没有资格再获得提供住房。