“hold back from”是一个常用的英语动词短语,核心含义是“抑制(自己)不做某事;阻止(某人/某物)做某事”,强调通过主动控制或外部阻碍,使行为者无法或克制自己进行某个动作。
hold back:本身有“抑制、阻止、退缩”的意思(可指情感、行动或他人);
from:引出“被抑制/阻止的具体动作”(介词,后接动名词)。
根据主语和对象的不同,常见两种场景:
结构:hold oneself back from doing sth.
(“oneself”需与主语保持人称一致,如myself/yourself/himself等)
例:
I had to hold myself back from laughing at his silly mistake.
我不得不抑制自己,不对他的愚蠢错误发笑。
She struggled to hold herself back from yelling at the rude waiter.
她努力克制自己,不冲那个无礼的服务员大喊。
结构:hold sb./sth. back from doing sth.
例:
The teacher held the students back from rushing out of the classroom before the bell.
老师阻止学生在铃响前冲出教室。
Fear held him back from pursuing his dream of becoming an actor.
恐惧阻止他追求当演员的梦想。
The heavy rain held us back from going to the park.
大雨让我们无法去公园。
介词搭配:“from”后必须接动名词(doing),不能接动词原形;
语义侧重:比“refrain from”(克制)更强调“主动努力抑制”或“外部强力阻止”的动作;
常见搭配场景:多与“情感(tears/laughter/anger)”“行动(speaking/acting/going)”等词连用。
refrain from:更强调“自觉克制”(如:Refrain from smoking in public. 公共场所请勿吸烟);
keep from:更口语化,侧重“避免”(如:I can’t keep from thinking about her. 我忍不住想她);
hold back from:更突出“努力控制”或“外部阻碍”(如上述例子)。
总结:“hold back from”是表达“抑制/阻止某动作”的实用短语,关键是明确“谁在抑制/阻止”和“被抑制/阻止的动作”,结合动名词使用即可。