A stab in the dark 瞎猜

The script of this programme 本节目台词

If you take a stab in the dark you won't be needing this knife!

Rob: Welcome to Authentic Real English with me Rob and Feifei, where are you?

Feifei: (off mic) A…A…over here…come quickly. 快点儿过来！

Rob: What seems to be the problem?

Feifei: I think there's been a murder! 有人被谋杀了！

Rob: What?! Really – a murder, here? How can you be so sure?

Feifei: Well, last night I was speaking to my friend and we were talking about Jenny from our office…

Rob: Oh yes Jenny, I haven't seen her around for a while … so?

Feifei: 我那个朋友说 Jenny 遇到了她的白马王子，结了婚然后移民去了澳大利亚。她还说什么 a stab in the dark，黑暗中被刺了一刀。那你说 Jenny 是不是遇害了？

Rob: 'A stab in the dark'? Ha - so you think she was murdered?

Feifei: Well possibly – 我好久都没见过 Jenny 了，说不定被 murder 的那个人就是 Jenny. Oh dear, I think we should call the police!

Rob: Hmmm, don't call them yet. That phrase isn't as bad as you think. There's not been a murder. When you say you are 'taking a stab in the dark' it means you don't really know the truth and you are just guessing.

Feifei: Really? 哎呀，可把我吓死了。原来在英语里，人们用“taking a stab in the dark 在黑暗中被刺了一刀” 来表达人们在没有任何依据的情况下瞎猜，猜想的人并不知道事情的真相。That is good news.

Rob: Let's hear the phrase in action…

Examples

• It might be a stab in the dark but I think my football team is in a good place to win the league this season.
• I don't know how many people came to see the show, but I'll take a stab in the dark and say about 300.
• John thought we could sell our old car for £500 – but really he was taking a stab in the dark!

Feifei: 记住 to take a stab in the dark 这个表达和“背后叉刀”没有任何关系。不过，我说咱们可还是不知道 Jenny 的下落啊，这么久都没她的信儿了。

Rob: Well maybe she didn't move to Australia… maybe she just got a new job… but I'm just taking a shot in the dark.

Feifei: “Taking a shot in the dark 在黑暗中开枪”？

Rob: No - a shot - or a stab in the dark means the same thing – it means I'm guessing – I don't really know.

Feifei: Well guess no longer – look, here she comes!

[door opens]

Jenny: Hello you two – why are you looking so worried – has someone died?!!