"twist the truth" 是一个动词短语,字面意为“扭曲真相”,实际指故意篡改、歪曲事实,通过改变信息的原本面貌来误导他人、隐瞒真相或达到个人目的。
简单来说,就是“歪曲事实”“篡改真相”(强调“故意性”,不是无心的错误)。
该短语通常作谓语,主语多为“人”或“媒体/机构”(强调主动歪曲的行为),常见搭配有:
结构:`sb twist the truth (about sth)`
例:
The salesman twisted the truth about the product's quality to make a sale.
(推销员为了促成交易,歪曲了产品质量的事实。)
Don't twist the truth about what happened last night—we all saw it.
(别歪曲昨晚发生的事——我们都看见了。)
结构:`twist the truth to do sth`
例:
The politician twisted the truth to win voters' trust.
(政客歪曲事实以赢得选民的信任。)
She twisted the truth to avoid getting in trouble.
(她歪曲事实是为了避免惹麻烦。)
例:
The newspaper was accused of twisting the truth to attract readers.
(这家报纸被指责为吸引读者而歪曲事实。)
常见语境:新闻报道、辩论、日常纠纷(当有人故意“编故事”“改事实”时使用)。
同义词:
distort the truth(更正式,强调“扭曲”);
misrepresent the facts(更书面,“错误陈述事实”);
bend the truth(口语化,“稍微歪曲”,程度较轻);
stretch the truth(“夸大事实”,属于“歪曲”的一种)。
反义词:tell the truth(说实话)、be honest(诚实)、present the facts accurately(准确陈述事实)。
1、 I can't believe you twisted the truth to make me look bad!
(我不敢相信你居然歪曲事实,让我难堪!)
2、 The documentary was criticized for twisting the truth about the historical event.
(这部纪录片因歪曲历史事件的真相而受到批评。)
3、 When questioned, he started twisting the truth instead of admitting his mistake.
(被质问时,他没有承认错误,反而开始歪曲事实。)
总结:"twist the truth" 是一个带贬义的短语,重点在于“故意篡改事实以误导他人”,使用时需结合“主动、恶意”的语境。