Call Mary, she can come at the drop of a hat.
给玛丽打电话吧,她召之即来。
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中世纪,在欧洲社会中,流行着决斗的风气。这些人在决斗之前,往往把帽子狠狠地往地下一摔,意味着决斗马上就开始了。这一习俗不仅在决斗中,在其它场合也意味着坏事立即就要发生了。时过境迁,决斗这一现象已成为历史的过去。然而at the drop of a hat这一短语却流传下来,而且保留了“立即,马上”这一意义。
例句:
Don't mention basketball to Tom. He would go and play at the drop of a hat. 别对汤姆提起篮球,他只要听到这两个字,马上就会直奔篮球场。
At the drop of a hat, he would tell the story of the road he wanted to build.
他抓紧一切机会向他遇到的人宣布他的修路计划。
He was quarrelsome and ready to fight at the drop of a hat.
他一副要吵架的样子,马上就能打起来似的。
海纳百川,有容乃大;壁立千仞,无欲则刚。