美式慣用語(2): bone up on sth. (American Idioms (2): bone up on sth.)

美式慣用語(2): bone up on sth.
American Idioms (2): bone up on sth.

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bone up on sth.

中文：臨時抱佛腳；重新複習
English: study sth. hard, usually in preparation for a test; brush up on sth.

[例句] (Example)
Why not just bone up on the French or Russian I’d already studied years ago? (Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert)
[翻譯]
為什麼不乾脆複習一下我幾年前就學的法語或俄語就好了？（《享受吧！一個人的旅行》，伊莉莎白．吉兒伯特著）

[說明]
這個慣用語的來源主要有兩種說法，但至今都尚未被證實。第一種是說因為古代用獸骨（bone）來磨亮（polish）皮革，因此便將bone當動詞使用，以「bone up on某件事物」表示精進（polish）對該事物的認識。第二種說法是認為與維多利亞時代的一位名叫Henry George Bohn的書商有關係，由於他製作了大量的教學用書，因此後人便取他的姓Bohn的諧音bone，以「bone up on某件事物」來表示認真念書。

[Explanation]
"There are two chief theories as to the origin of this phrase. One is that it derives from the practise of using bones to polish leather. So, to 'bone up' on a subject was to polish or refine one's knowledge. The second theory relates to the Victorian bookseller Henry George Bohn (1796-1884). He produced a large catalogue of books, including many study texts.” (The Phrase Finder)

[網路例句] (Examples from the web)

• I have to bone up on the state driving laws because I have to take my driving test tomorrow. (The Free Dictionary)
• David Cameron vows to bone up on his history after Letterman show gaffe. (Sep 27, 2012, Guardian by Nicholas Watt)

[翻譯]

• 我得複習一下州立交通法規才行，因為我明天就要去考筆試了。
• (英國首相)大衛卡麥隆在《萊特曼秀》上出糗後誓言重讀歷史。

[參考工具](References)

• The Free Dictionary
• The Phrase Finder
• McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs

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