“Checkmate”这个词出自国际象棋,意思同汉语的“将!”,指的是在一方把关键的一个棋子放到致对方于死地的时候说一声“将军!”不过现在这个短语也用来表达“一次彻底的胜利”。
- The rebels surrounded the president's palace. He had no option but to agree to their demands: it was checkmate.
- Unless we make some serious changes around this business, our competition will catch up and it will be checkmate.
指的注意的是,stalemate(僵局)和checkmate的意思正好相反,stalemate 表示一种双方僵持不下的局面。
- I could only afford £150,000 for the house but the seller would go no lower than £155,000. We reached a stalemate and called the deal off.