"break one's word" 是固定短语,意为“食言;不守诺言;违背承诺”。
其中:
"break" 在这里表示“打破;违背”;
"one's" 需替换为物主代词(my/his/her/their/your等)或名词所有格(如Tom's),指代“某人的”;
"word" 引申为“诺言;承诺”(= promise)。
该短语是动宾结构,通常可根据语境添加介词短语补充“对谁食言”或“在某事上食言”,常见搭配:
直接说明“某人食言”,无需额外补充。
例:
He broke his word and didn't show up for the meeting.(他食言了,没出席会议。)
Don't break your word—people will stop trusting you.(别食言,否则没人会再信任你。)
用介词"to"引出承诺的对象(即“对某人不守诺言”)。
例:
I'm sorry I broke my word to you—I'll definitely help you next time.(对不起我对你食言了,下次我一定帮你。)
She broke her word to her daughter about taking her to the zoo.(她对女儿食言了,没带她去动物园。)
用介词"about"或"on"引出承诺的具体内容(即“在某事上违背诺言”)。
例:
He broke his word about paying back the money by the end of the month.(他在月底还钱的事上食言了。)
They broke their word on the agreement to reduce pollution.(他们在减少污染的协议上违背了承诺。)
一般现在时:break one's word(强调习惯或常态)
例:He always breaks his word—don't believe him.(他总食言,别信他。)
一般过去时:broke one's word(强调过去的行为)
例:She broke her word yesterday and didn't come to the party.(她昨天食言了,没来派对。)
现在完成时:has/have broken one's word(强调对现在的影响)
例:He has broken his word so many times that no one trusts him anymore.(他多次食言,现在没人信他了。)
同义词:break one's promise(更直白,“违背诺言”)
例:Breaking your word is the same as breaking your promise.(食言和违背诺言是一回事。)
反义词:keep one's word(遵守诺言;信守承诺)
例:If you keep your word, people will respect you.(如果你信守诺言,人们会尊重你。)
该短语可用于日常口语或正式场合,强调“说话不算数”的行为。
例:
1、 A: Did John help you move?
B: No, he broke his word—he said he'd come but never did.
(A:约翰帮你搬家了吗?B:没有,他食言了——他说会来但没到。)
2、 The company broke its word about giving employees a raise this year.
(公司在今年给员工加薪的事上食言了。)
3、 Never break your word to a friend—it hurts the relationship.
(永远不要对朋友食言——这会伤害感情。)
综上,"break one's word"是表达“食言”的常用短语,核心是“违背自己说过的话”,通过物主代词和介词短语可灵活补充具体信息。