34．把帽子抛进拳击场

［词语］to throw one's hat in/into the ring

to toss one's hat in/into the ring

［含义］宣布参加竞争或比赛；声明参加竞选

［趣释］【物事喻指】帽子（hat）是生活用品，但脱帽和抛帽在不同的国家、不同的场合有着不同的文化内涵。古时，在美国竞技或庙会中，有普通人向职业拳师挑战的节目。这时候，挑战者只需将自己的帽子抛进拳击场（the ring）中，即表示参加挑战。后来，人们用“把帽子抛进拳击场”（to throw/toss one's hat in/into the ring）喻指宣布参加竞争或比赛，声明参加竞选。

［运用］His friends are urging to throw his hat in the ring． 他的朋友督促他宣布参加竞选。

The post of mayor of this town is a low-paying, thankless job, so far no one has tossed his hat into the ring． 这个镇的镇长职位是一个工资低而又不讨好的工作，直到现在还没一个人愿意出来竞选。

As soon as the government opened building on the giant development project, all of the big companies threw their hats in the ring． 自从政府对大规模开发工程项目进行招标以来，所有大建筑公司都报名投了标。

At first only two countries were urging over possession of the island. Now two more have tossed their hats into the ring． 最初只有两个国家对该岛有主权争议，现在又有两个国家宣布对它有主权要求。