"throw":原义“投掷”,此处引申为“施加、炫耀”;
"one's weight":字面“某人的重量”,引申为“(社会/职位/体力等的)影响力、权势、优势”;
"about/around":表示“到处、随意地”。
合起来就是:“把自己的‘权势重量’随意施加到各处”,即“仗势欺人、耀武扬威”。
通常是拥有一定权力/优势的人(如上司、长辈、强者、有地位的人等)。
后跟地点/场合(说明“在哪里仗势欺人”):
at the office(在办公室)、in the team(在团队里)、on the playground(在操场)、at home(在家)等;
后跟行为对象(说明“对谁耀武扬威”):
with subordinates(对下属)、at junior staff(对基层员工)、to scare others(吓唬别人)等。
职场场景:
The new manager throws his weight about by making everyone work overtime without extra pay.
(新经理仗势欺人,强迫所有人无偿加班。)
日常场景:
She hates her uncle because he always throws his weight around at family gatherings, telling everyone what to do.
(她讨厌叔叔,因为他总在家庭聚会上耀武扬威,指挥所有人做事。)
校园场景:
The big boy threw his weight about in the playground, forcing smaller kids to give him their snacks.
(那个大个子男孩在操场仗势欺人,强迫小孩子们把零食给他。)
"pull rank":强调“利用职级/头衔压人”(更正式,侧重“职位权力”);
例:The sergeant pulled rank on the privates to get his way.(中士利用职级迫使列兵听他的。)
"boss people around":更口语,侧重“指挥、使唤他人”(不一定涉及“权势”,但同样负面);
例:Stop bossing me around—I can do it myself!(别指挥我——我自己能行!)
该短语仅用于负面语境,描述他人“滥用权力的行为”,不能用于正面或中性场景。
总结:"throw one's weight about" 是描述“仗势欺人”的生动表达,重点在“随意炫耀/滥用自己的优势”,用在批评或抱怨他人的权力滥用行为时非常贴切~