【畫「說」俚語 Fun 輕鬆】#15 Twist Someone's Arm to Do Something 強迫某人做某事

延伸閱讀 >> 詞彙測驗 Vocabulary Test (2026.04)

(Mrs. Chen is seeing her daughter's teacher, Mrs. Su. )
Mrs. Su: I'm sorry you had to take time off to come see me.
Mrs. Chen: Well, you said it's important.
Mrs. Su: Fanny is failing all of her classes.
Mrs. Chen: What?
Mrs. Su: Do you help her with her homework?
Mrs. Chen: I try, but I have to twist her arm to get her to do it.
Mrs. Su: I think you should get her a tutor.
Mrs. Chen: All right. It's either that or I'll have to twist a little harder.

 

（陳太太與女兒的老師蘇老師會面。）
蘇老師：真抱歉妳還得請假來找我。
陳太太：還好，因為您說這事很重要。
蘇老師：芬妮每一科都會不及格。
陳太太：什麼？
蘇老師：妳會輔導她寫功課嗎？
陳太太：我會做，但我要用逼的她才會寫。
蘇老師：我認為妳應該替她請個家教。
陳太太：好吧。要不就請家教，要不我就會逼她逼得更緊一點。

 

俚語精解

twist 指『扭』或『轉』，arm 指『手臂』，
twist someone's arm to do something 字面意思是『扭轉某人的手要他做某事』，引申為『強迫某人做某事』。

阿雄結婚後生活幸福美滿，但也越來越不重視自己的體型，體重胖到要破100 公斤大關了。
阿花很緊張，一直逼他運動。這時我們就可說：
She has to twist his arm to make him exercise every day.
（她每天都要強迫他運動。）

 

twist 還有下列常用俚語：

twist someone around your little finger，字面上的意思是『把某人繞在你的小指上』，引申為『有能力擺佈某人』。

阿雄很疼阿花，對他百依百順，阿花要他往東他就不敢往西。我們可以這樣說：
She twists him around her little finger.
= She can ask him to do anything for her.
（她將他玩弄於股掌──她可以要他為她做任何事。）

 

以下兩個俚語則有『不計任何代價做某事』的意思：

give one's right arm to do something
give one's eye teeth to do something

阿花愛漂亮，聽說用某種香皂洗臉，所有的皺紋就會不見。
雖然這塊香皂要花上她 1 個月的薪水，她也在所不惜。我們可以說阿花：
She would give her right arm to look young again.
= She would give her eye teeth to look young again.
= She would try anything she can to look young again.
（為了看起來更年輕，就算付出一切她也在所不惜。）
＊eye tooth  n. 犬齒（複數為 eye teeth）

cost someone an arm and a leg   字面意思是『花了某人一隻手臂和一條腿』，引申為『花大錢』。
The little soap cost her an arm and a leg.
（這一小塊香皂所費不貲。）

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