Tiger by the Tail——騎虎難下

** to do something that turns out to be too formidable, powerful, difficult, or dangerous to manage or cope with.（做某種太難對付、太強大、太困難或太危險的事情，以致無法應付。）

** to be in a nasty situation, especially unexpectedly, that will get much worse before it gets better.（處在令人討厭的情況下，尤其是出乎意料的情況，這種情況在變好之前會變得更差。）

~~ 騎虎難下；進退兩難；遭遇勁敵

~~ in a pickle // in a bind // have a bull by the tail // stir up an hornet’s nest !!

This metaphor conjures up the vivid image of grabbing a powerful and fierce tiger by the tail. One wouldn’t want to hold on, but one wouldn’t dare to let go. Holding on could mean being dragged through underbrush and banged into trees, while letting go could mean being eaten alive.

（這個比喻讓人聯想到捉住一隻強大而兇猛的老虎尾巴的生動形象。一個人不想堅持下去，又不敢放手。堅持下去可能意味着被拖入灌木叢中並撞到樹上，而放開可能意味着活生生被吃掉。）

>> Due to the poor economy, shareholders are dissatisfied with the company's continuous losses, and employees are dissatisfied with their current salary, the CEO is really holding the tiger by the tail.

（由於經濟欠佳，股東不滿公司不斷虧損，員工又不滿意他們現有的待遇，首席執行官實在是騎虎難下。）

>> I was dead tired driving last night and it was raining cats and dogs. Should I sleep in the van or drive for another two hours to get home? I had the tiger by the tail.

（昨晚我開車累得要死，又下着傾盆大雨。我應該在車廂裡睡一晚，還是駕駛兩小時回家？實在是進退兩難。）

學勤進修教育中心英語專科導師 李啟文　　教授