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：「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^於緊張而呼吸變慢或憋氣，所以中文里也有「摒息以待」這樣的說法。因此當(dāng)別人對(duì)你說：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.