提到酒桶，會想到木製的橢圓形大桶，底和頂都是平的，中間部分隆起，有點像一顆橄欖。這類大桶，英文叫barrel。以前歐洲的船隻在船上擺放了很多這類型的木桶，除了作為容器儲酒、儲油、儲糧之外，據說還有其他用途。

有人遇溺被從海上救起之後，為把水從肺部排出，便讓他頭向下俯伏在橫放的木桶上，來回推動木桶，人被擺在木桶上軟弱無力，只能任人擺布；有人犯了錯，觸犯了法規，要接受懲罰，也會把人攤在木桶上，再施加鞭打，俯伏木桶上的犯人不能反抗，只得忍受。

另外又有傳說，要逼人就範，就把人吊在注滿熱油的木桶上方，這人在上面看着木桶的油，無可奈何，只能順從。

這些不文明、不人道的做法現今已不再存在，不過，在英文用語上還是遺留了一些痕跡。說have/get/put someone over a barrel（把人放在油桶上），就是說把人置於十分困難的環境，使他別無選擇，任人擺布，唯有聽從，以人在木桶上無助和痛苦的處境作為比喻，形容一個人over the barrel，就是說他處於弱勢，受人支配和擺布。

His employers knew that he had a criminal record and couldn't possibly find another job without their reference. So they had him over the barrel. If he complained, they could fire him.

他的僱主知道他有犯罪紀錄，沒有他們的推薦，不可能找到另一份工作，所以他們任意擺布他。如果他投訴，便會把他辭退。

It is difficult to find an apartment in this region. So the landlady gets the couple over a barrel on the rents. She knows that they don't have an option.

在這地區找一個公寓單位並不容易，女業主知道這對夫婦別無選擇，便任意收取昂貴租金。

The company was put over a barrel by its creditors. It needed the money and so had to agree to those very harsh terms.

那公司被債權人玩弄於股掌。公司需要那筆資金，逼於無奈同意那些十分苛刻的條件。

Mum has got me over a barrel. If I don't listen to her, she cuts my pocket money.

母親充分掌控了我，如果我不聽話，她就扣減我的零用錢。

同一個字可以有不同意思，barrel亦然，另一句提到barrel的用語是give someone both barrels，但說的不是送某人兩個酒桶，當中的barrel不是酒桶或大木桶，而是槍支的一部分，是裝子彈的槍管，普通的獵槍是單管的，強力的則有兩個槍管，同一時間可以發射大量子彈，give someone both barrels/let someone have it with both barrels（雙管齊下射擊某人），不是真的向某人開槍，而是比喻猛烈地、狠狠地、強力地攻擊、批評或懲罰某個人。

It was a serious mistake and his boss gave him both barrels.

這是嚴重錯誤，他的上司狠狠地斥責他。

The decision is very wrong. People should let the officer in charge have it with both barrels.

這個決定大錯特錯。人們應該強烈批評負責的官員。

When the team suffered a heavy defeat in the match, the fans gave the players both barrels.

球隊在賽事中大敗後，球迷痛罵球員。

兩句用語都提到barrel，一個指木桶，另一個指槍管，各有不同的比喻，have someone over a barrel意思是令某人陷入別無選擇、任人擺布的困境，而give someone both barrels意思是強烈地指責某人，兩者都不是好事吧。

●Lina CHU [ linachu88@gmail.com ]