Jade: I just bought a lottery ticket. I hope I can win some money this time.
Alan: Well, don't hold your breath.
Jade: Of course not. I'Il die if I do that.
Alan: No, silly. Don't hold your breath means, ''Don't expect too much.'' Most people have to lose their money

愛玉：我剛才買了一張彩券。希望這次能中獎(jiǎng)。

黑輪：別抱太大希望啰。（注：Don't hold your breath 字面上的意思為「不要憋氣」

愛玉：我當(dāng)然不會(huì)。那樣我會(huì)死掉。

黑輪：不是啦，傻 。Don't hold your breath. 的意思是說(shuō)：「不要抱著太大的期望。」大多數(shù)的人必須賠錢，才能讓少部份的人有錢可贏！

流行語(yǔ)放大鏡

Look Closely!

Don't hold your breath. 別抱太大希望
。
breath 是名詞「呼吸」或「一口氣息」的意思，而 hold your breath 是「摒住呼吸」。為什么別人沒(méi)事會(huì)要你 Don't hold your breath.「不要摒住呼吸」呢？難道是你臉色開始發(fā)青，讓人以為你要窒息了？還是你感冒鼻塞，別人好意提醒你別忘了呼吸？

我們?cè)诜浅Ｆ诖臣掳l(fā)生的時(shí)候，有時(shí)會(huì)因?yàn)檫^(guò)於緊張而呼吸變慢或憋氣，所以中文里也有「摒息以待」這樣的說(shuō)法。因此當(dāng)別人對(duì)你說(shuō)：Don't hold your breath. 的時(shí)候，就是叫你不必摒息以待、期望太高，免得憋氣太久腦部會(huì)缺氧，期望過(guò)高也就容易失望哦！

例：
A: I entered the lucky draw. Maybe I'll win something this time.
我參加了抽獎(jiǎng)。說(shuō)不定這次會(huì)抽中什么東西哦。
B: Don't hold your breath.
還是別想太多吧。

A: When is the boss going to give us a raise?
老板什么時(shí)候會(huì)幫我們加薪？
B: Well, don't hold your breath.