[ti:Surprising Origin of 'To Keep at Bay'] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM [00:07.22]Now, it's time for Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning English. [00:14.32]On this program, we explore everyday expressions that we use in conversation. [00:21.44]Americans often use the first saying we will talk about today. [00:26.52]But many people likely do not know where it comes from. [00:32.24]To keep something at bay means being unable to move closer [00:37.80]while attacking or moving toward someone or something. [00:42.56]If you keep something at bay, [00:45.56]you appear to be in control of the situation. [00:50.12]English speakers say either "keep at bay" or "hold at bay." [00:57.28]For example, when protecting their village, [01:01.04]the villagers kept the armed attackers at bay through the night. [01:06.57]The villagers did not let them come closer. [01:11.28]However, bad people can also hold something at bay. [01:16.48]The armed robber held police at bay for about 9 hours before they caught him. [01:23.52]So, the robber did not let police get anywhere near him. [01:28.72]They didn't catch him until 9 hours later. [01:34.36]In these examples, the things being kept at bay [01:38.20]-- the attackers and the police -- are real. You can physically touch them. [01:44.68]But you can also use this expression about more intangible things [01:50.92]-- ones you can't see or touch. [01:54.80]For example, if you move to a new city [01:58.24]you can keep loneliness at bay by joining a club, [02:02.96]playing a group sport or taking a class. [02:07.52]You can also invite your old friends to come and explore your new city with you. [02:14.08]All these things will keep loneliness away from you, or at bay. [02:21.52]You can keep illness at bay by eating healthy food [02:25.56]and getting enough sleep and exercise. [02:29.16]And I can hold my desire for chocolate at bay [02:32.72]by not buying it and keeping it in my house! [02:37.28]English learners and native speakers alike [02:40.88]may think the term "at bay" has to do with water, [02:45.36]perhaps involving a ship unable to reach the shore. [02:50.16]After all, one of the many definitions of "bay" [02:54.36]is a large area of water that is partly surrounded by land. [03:00.60]But language experts will stop them right there. [03:04.76]To find out the origin of this expression, [03:08.36]let's talk about another definition of "bay." [03:12.68]It also means to bark with long, drawn-out sounds, [03:17.68]as when a dog cries out at the moon. [03:21.00]Those hounds are baying. [03:27.52]In the 14th century, barking hounds were said to be "at bay." [03:33.52]When dogs are kept at bay, they are kept from attacking. [03:38.20]The Phrase Finder website says the first recorded usage of "at bay" [03:44.00]is in an English story from the year 1330. [03:49.52]Back to modern times, "at bay" is a common expression. [03:55.28]You can use it with friends and strangers. [03:59.80]Now, let's hear this expression used at work. [04:04.20]Let's say you are the head of a small company that makes toys. [04:08.96]Part of your job is to keep open lines of communication [04:12.88]between the owner and company employees. [04:16.56]Well, when the owner suddenly makes changes to work rules, [04:22.00]the employees get angry. [04:25.16]And you hear about it. [04:27.16]The owner's solution is to throw a party for the employees. [04:32.44]You tell her that a party will not keep their anger at bay. [04:38.24]They only thing that will improve the situation is fair treatment. [04:44.56]Now, there are other ways to keep something from getting worse. [04:49.20]You can also ward off something or stave off something. [04:55.36]To ward off a danger or illness means to prevent it from affecting you or harming you. [05:03.16]We often use "ward off" when talking about mental health, [05:07.40]disease or, strangely enough, evil spirits. [05:12.84]For example, she knew that, for her, [05:16.04]the best way to ward off a bad mood was to see a happy movie. [05:22.52]You eat chicken soup to ward off the common cold. [05:26.72]And some people say that you can use garlic [05:30.00]to ward off vampires and keep them from sucking your blood. [05:35.64]Staving off something sounds much more official. [05:40.24]We use "stave off" in fairly serious situations, [05:45.56]such as ship-wrecked survivors who staved off starvation [05:50.64]by eating coconuts for eight months. [05:54.44]Here's another example, [05:56.20]"The single mother staved off poverty by working three jobs." [06:02.96]Now, what if you simply want to keep your distance from a person. [06:08.36]You don't want to be near them. [06:10.72]In this case, you wouldn't use "ward off" or "stave off" or even "at bay." [06:17.92]What can you use? [06:19.84]Well, we have a great expression for keeping distance. [06:25.48]To keep someone at arm's length [06:27.96]means you don't want to be close to that person. [06:31.68]Imagine that you are holding your arm straight out in front of you. [06:36.60]A person can't get close. [06:38.88]And that's the point. [06:41.84]Let's say, you meet someone. [06:44.72]You don't know her very well, but she seems nice [06:48.84]-- seems is the important word here. [06:53.04]Slowly over time, you learn more about the woman. [06:57.12]And you don't like what you see. [06:59.84]She is strange and not in a good way. [07:04.32]You catch her in some lies. [07:06.68]And she appears to be a trouble-maker. [07:10.68]So, you decide to keep her at arm's length. [07:14.76]When you don't answer her calls and ignore her emails, [07:19.20]she will know you are keeping her at arm's length. [07:24.40]In this case, you could say you kept her friendship at bay. [07:29.64]But you were never friends in the first place. [07:33.08]So it sounds more natural to say that you kept her at arm's length. [07:40.24]We here at Learning English have no desire to keep you at bay or at arm's length. [07:46.96]And we certainly don't want to ward or stave you off! [07:50.96]You're our audience Without you, [07:54.32]well, we wouldn't be here! [07:57.56]I'm Bryan Lynn. [07:59.36]And I'm Anna Matteo. [08:01.04]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM