13个让你看不懂的英文习语的起源（1）

The origins of 13 everyday sayings non-English speakers don't understand

Have you ever had to "separate the wheat from the chaff"? Or "fly by the seat of your pants"?
你曾经“把糠从小麦里筛出来”（separate the wheat from the chaff）过吗？或者“让屁股蛋来引领飞行方向”（fly by the seat of your pants）过吗？

Linguistic researchers found the origins of these and other everyday phrases that don't make sense to non-English speakers in a study commissioned by Privilege Insurance.
在一项由Privilege保险公司委托开展的研究中，语言学家发现，这些以及其它日常习语的起源在非英语使用者看来并说不通。

Keep scrolling to see the 12 origins of everyday phrases, as well as one bonus phrase no one can agree on.
来看看以下这12个众说纷纭的日常习语的起源，最后还有一个附赠的习语哦。

If you are very drunk, you may be "three sheets to the wind." The phrase comes from having a ship's sails properly fastened.
如果你喝得酩酊大醉，也许你就成了“三条风中凌乱的帆绳”（three sheets to the wind）。这一习语来自于适度拉紧的船帆。

According to researchers, "sheets" refer to the ropes that fasten a sail. If one of your sheets isn't properly tied down, the ship would become difficult to control and would be "to the wind," or moving erratically.
研究者称，sheets指的是固定船帆的绳索。一旦一条绳索没有绑紧，船便会变得难以控制，随风行驶，或者飘摇不定。