俚语世界

 Basket case

    Jim: I’d be a basket case if you think of me that way. I need your understanding.  

    Lucy: I know, I know. But you always bat around without doing things useful. 

    Jim: Can’t you be more considerate (体谅些)? I need your encouragement. 

    Lucy: Alright. Do what you can do now instead of twiddling your thumbs (闲得无聊).

       注：basket和case都是容器，两词放在一起仍指容器。据说四肢都被截断者无法自己行动，只能借助basket case让别人抬着活动。后来人们用a basket case来指“无依无靠”或“走投无路”。在目前的英语口语中，a basket case还可以用来表示“陷于绝境”、“心神错乱”或“无可挽回的事情”。例如：These small companies are all basket cases now. 这些小公司现在都走投无路了。