什么是“第十一个小时”——序数词的特殊用法

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first, second, third ... 这些单词对于英语学习者来说都是最基本的词汇，那你知道除了简单地表达顺序之外，它们的其他用法吗？

1. On first acquaintance

含义：when you first meet sb

初次相见

例句：

Even on first acquaintance it was clear that he was not “the right type”

初次见面时就看出他不合适

注释：此用法一般用于正式语体

2. There’s a first time for everything

含义：the fact that sth has not happened before doesn’t mean that it will never happen

没有发生的事情并不意味着永远不会发生

注释：对于这句话的理解看英文解释更加清晰，它不是别人第一次做某事后的安慰性话语，而是暗示凡事皆有可能的幽默说法。比如一门课程一直是百分百的通过率，别人告诉你挂科是不可能的，这种时候你就可以调侃地说：You know, there’s a first time for everything.

3. First come, first served

含义：People will be dealt with strictly in the order in which they arrived

先来后到

例句：

Tickets are available on a first come, first served basis

票先来先卖，售完为止

4. Third time lucky / Third time is the charm

含义：used when you have failed to do sth twice and hope that you will succeed the third time or used as a good luck charm when you encourage sb to do sth for the third time

（但愿）第三次会有好运

注释：一般直接用于口语中，表达对于自己或他人的鼓励。

5. take / plead the fifth

含义：to make use of the right to refuse or answer questions in court about a crime, because you may give information which will make it seem that you are guilty.

（在法庭上）拒绝回答，避而不答

注释：这是一句美式表达，源自《美国宪法》第五次修正案（the FIFTH AMENDMENT of the US Constitution），该条保障这种权利。

6. in seventh heaven

含义：extremely happy

非常幸福

例句：

Now that he’s been promoted he’s in seventh heaven.

他被提拔了，简直乐上天了。

7. at the eleventh hour

含义：at the last possible moment at which something can be done before problems or solutions might arise

在最后的关键时刻

例句：

At the eleventh hour the school decided that something had to be done.

在最后一刻学校决定采取行动。

注释：这句话源自圣经

This account in Matthew is a <a href="http://dict.hjenglish.com/w/%3Cspan%20style=" font-size:10.5000pt"="" style="text-overflow: ellipsis; color: rgb(0, 90, 148);">parable" class="hjdict" word="parable" target=_blank>parable regarding workers who arrive at the eleventh hour of the workday and are still paid a full day's wage. Biblical scholars have suggested that the parable can mean that even people who come to Christianity late in life will still earn the full benefits of the joys of eternal life.

犹太人将白昼分为12个小时，有些工人们会在第11个小时才赶到，而照样可以获得一天的报酬。有些学者认为，这个故事在告诉世人，即使你很晚才相信，也能享受其一切福祉。