英语俚语：A Basket Case

英语自学网

　　A Basket Case 走投无路，无依无靠
        　　Jim: I’d be a basket case if you think of me that way. I need your
understanding.
        　　Lucy: I know. I know. But you always bat around without doing things
useful.
        　　Jim: Can’t you be more considerate (体谅些)? I need your encouragement.
        　　Lucy: All right. Do what you can do now instead of twiddling your
thumbs(闲得无聊).
        　　注：basket和case都是容器，两词放在一起仍指容器。据说四肢都被截断者无法自己行动，只能借助basket case让别人抬着活动。后来人们使a
basket case来指“无依无靠”或“走投无路”。在目前的英语口语中，a basket
case还可以用来表示“陷于绝境”、“心神错乱”或“无可挽回的事情”。例如：These small companies are all basket case
now. 这些小公司现在都走投无路了。