该短语是及物动词短语,需接宾语(通常为“不想提及的事”),结构为:
draw a veil over + 名词/代词(直接接话题)
draw a veil over + doing sth(接动名词表示“做某事”的行为)
1、 回避尴尬/痛苦的过去
She decided to draw a veil over her childhood trauma and focus on the future.
她决定不再提及童年的创伤,专注于未来。
Let's draw a veil over that embarrassing party incident—it's better left forgotten.
咱们别再提那次派对的尴尬事了,忘了更好。
2、 掩盖丑闻/失误
The politician tried to draw a veil over his corruption scandal by changing the subject.
那位政客试图通过转移话题来掩盖自己的腐败丑闻。
The company drew a veil over the product recall to avoid damaging its reputation.
公司对产品召回事件避而不谈,以免损害声誉。
3、 正式场合的“避重就轻”
The report draws a veil over the government's failures in handling the crisis.
这份报告对政府在应对危机中的失误避而不谈。
被动形式:a veil is drawn over sth(某事被掩盖/回避)
e.g. A veil was drawn over the details of the accident to protect the victims' families.
同义词:gloss over(轻描淡写)、hush up(隐瞒)、cover up(掩盖),但“draw a veil over”更具文学性/正式性,强调“彻底不再讨论”的态度。
“draw a veil over”用于刻意回避或掩盖不愿公开的话题,常见于书面语或正式语境,核心是通过“拉帷幕”的比喻,表达对某件事的“封存”或“噤声”。