這個(gè)短語(yǔ)的字面意思是：抓住老虎的尾巴。這是非常危險(xiǎn)的局面，如果松開(kāi)手，肯定對(duì)付不了兇猛的老虎。但是抓住老虎尾巴不放，看來(lái)也是兇多吉少，因?yàn)閷?shí)際上本來(lái)也沒(méi)有任何制服老虎的可能。中文所說(shuō)的“騎虎難下”其實(shí)同這個(gè)短語(yǔ)的意思非常接近。
Once you start using heroin, you'll have a tiger by the tail. If you get hooked, you'll need more and more, it'll cost you more money, and you might have to steal to support the habit. 你一旦開(kāi)始用海洛因，就很難找到退路。上癮之后，需要量越來(lái)越大，需要更多的錢，甚至還要為了滿足毒癮去偷竊。
毒品是老虎尾巴，說(shuō)話不算話也可以是老虎尾巴。喬治•布什在競(jìng)選美國(guó)總統(tǒng)成功以后就有這樣的教訓(xùn)。他1988年競(jìng)選的時(shí)候許諾說(shuō)，當(dāng)選后絕不增加征收聯(lián)邦稅。但是他登上總統(tǒng)寶座之后怎么樣了呢？
He found he had a tiger by the tail. Despite his promise he had to raise taxes to cope with the deficit. And this helped Bill Clinton beat him in his try for re-election in 1992.
布什打破自己的許諾，增加征稅，結(jié)果最終在連任競(jìng)選中被克林頓擊敗。
也許老虎尾巴還是不抓為好。
Once you start using heroin, you'll have a tiger by the tail. If you get hooked, you'll need more and more, it'll cost you more money, and you might have to steal to support the habit. 你一旦開(kāi)始用海洛因，就很難找到退路。上癮之后，需要量越來(lái)越大，需要更多的錢，甚至還要為了滿足毒癮去偷竊。
毒品是老虎尾巴，說(shuō)話不算話也可以是老虎尾巴。喬治•布什在競(jìng)選美國(guó)總統(tǒng)成功以后就有這樣的教訓(xùn)。他1988年競(jìng)選的時(shí)候許諾說(shuō)，當(dāng)選后絕不增加征收聯(lián)邦稅。但是他登上總統(tǒng)寶座之后怎么樣了呢？
He found he had a tiger by the tail. Despite his promise he had to raise taxes to cope with the deficit. And this helped Bill Clinton beat him in his try for re-election in 1992.
布什打破自己的許諾，增加征稅，結(jié)果最終在連任競(jìng)選中被克林頓擊敗。
也許老虎尾巴還是不抓為好。