“keep a hold on”是一个常用的英语短语,核心含义是“保持对…的控制/掌握”“抓住…不放手”“维持对…的影响力/联系”,可用于具体事物或抽象概念(如情绪、局势、关系等)。以下是详细解析:
字面直译是“保持对…的握住/掌控”,引申为:
1、 控制(情绪、行为等抽象事物);
2、 抓住(具体物品)不丢失;
3、 维持对(局势、项目、人际关系等)的影响力或掌控力。
根据宾语的不同,短语的侧重点略有差异,常见场景如下:
强调“抑制、不失去对…的控制”,常用搭配:`keep a hold on one's emotions/temper/patience`(控制情绪/脾气/耐心)。
She struggled to keep a hold on her tears when hearing the bad news.(听到坏消息时,她努力控制住眼泪。)
It’s important to keep a hold on your anger in a heated argument.(在激烈争论中控制住脾气很重要。)
侧重“紧紧握住”,宾语多为具体的东西(如包、钥匙、扶手等)。
Keep a hold on your phone—there are pickpockets in this area.(抓牢你的手机——这一带有色狼/小偷。)
The child kept a tight hold on his mother’s hand in the busy market.(孩子在繁忙的市场里紧紧抓住妈妈的手。)
强调“维持对…的主导权或进展的控制”,宾语常为“situation/project/company”等。
The manager needs to keep a hold on the project to avoid delays.(经理需要掌控项目以避免延误。)
The government is trying to keep a hold on the rising inflation.(政府正试图控制不断上涨的通胀。)
引申为“保持对某人的影响力或联系”,宾语多为“friends/family/connections”等。
Even after moving abroad, she still keeps a hold on her old friends via video calls.(即使移居国外,她仍通过视频通话和老朋友保持联系。)
He likes to keep a hold on his business connections by sending holiday cards.(他喜欢通过寄节日贺卡维持业务联系。)
keep a tight hold on:加强语气,表示“严格控制/紧紧抓住”(最常用的变体)。
例:The CEO keeps a tight hold on the company’s budget.(CEO严格掌控公司预算。)
keep hold of:与“keep a hold on”含义相近,但更侧重“不丢失”(可互换,如“Keep hold of your keys”=“Keep a hold on your keys”)。
短语中的“on”是介词,后接名词/代词(如“keep a hold on it”“keep a hold on the situation”);
可用于口语或正式语境,根据场景调整(如商务场合用“keep a tight hold on finances”,日常用“keep a hold on your bag”)。
总结:“keep a hold on”本质是“维持对…的控制或联系”,核心是“不放手、不失去”,具体含义需结合宾语和语境判断。