出自《伊索寓言》(Aesop's Fables),有一篇狗站马槽的故事,说的是一头狗躺在堆满稻草的马槽里,狗是不吃草的动物,而当马或牛一走进稻草时,这头狗却朝着马,牛狂哮,不准食草动物享用。
因此,“狗站马槽”就成了一个家喻户晓的成语而进入英语中,常用来比喻a
person who prevents others from
enjoying sth that is useless to
himself; a churlish fellow who will
neither use a thing himself nor let
others use it,讽刺那些占据说职位或某些物质却不做事的人。
a dog in the manger是个名词性短语,常与系动词连用,充当表语(主语补足语)
If you don' t know how to skate, why don' t you give the skates to me? don' t be a dog in the manger.