英语习语谚语成语用法精粹 宗教神话类3-4 a fly in the ointment

【字面理解】药膏里的一只苍蝇

【英文解析】a small defect that spoils something valuable or is a source of annoyance

【中文解析】扫兴的人;煞风景的事物;美中不足之处

【典型例句】① We lead a very happy life here. The only fly in the ointment is the heavy traffic.我们在这儿过得很快活，唯一美中不足的就是交通拥挤。

② The party was quite enjoyable; Sam’s presence was the only fly in the ointment.那个宴会十分有趣;唯一使人 扫兴的是萨姆也在场。

【注释】非正式表达，源自《圣经?传道书》第10章第 1节死苍蝇使作香的膏油发出臭气。这样，一点 儿愚昧也能败坏智慧和尊荣(Dead flies make the perfumer's ointment give off a foul odor; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. Ecclesiastes 10:1)变体： the fly in the ointment; flies in the ointment。同义习语： one rotten or bad apple spoils the barrel (一颗烂苹果坏 了整箩筐苹果)。