“over a barrel”的词源可记忆至19世纪中期的溺水支援场景：其时东谈主们遭遇溺水者，会将其躯壳翻转后横放在木桶上，通过特殊姿势排出肺部积水——此时溺水者全身无力、无法升沉，充足处于被迫罗致挽救的气象。跟着谈话演变，这一具象场景渐渐抽象为隐喻抒发，并在白话中平常使用，中枢语义固化为“处于无法不服的被迫境地，任东谈主离间、毫无聘用余步、受制于东谈主、无助、被拿捏”。概括来看其中枢语义为独一高频考点：仅含膨大义（字面义“在桶上”险些无实用场景，历练中从不触及），强调“因处境、把柄或实力差距，被迫罗致他东谈主条目，丧失主动权，处于无法不服的被迫境地，任东谈主离间、毫无聘用余步、受制于东谈主、无助、被拿捏、巧合应变、任东谈主离间”，带有显然的无奈感，语域为非认真，但可用于白话、日常调换及书面语（如新闻、有筹商），无利弊贬义，仅客不雅描摹“被迫气象”。高频搭配为“be over a barrel”（表气象，“处于被迫”）和“have sb over a barrel”（表算作，“拿捏某东谈主、让某东谈主任东谈主离间”），get sb /sth over a barrel(表拿捏某东谈主，离间某东谈主；截止了某某。如：

She knows he’s madly in love with her, so she always has him over a barrel—he’ll agree to anything she asks.

她知谈他自便爱着我方，是以总能让他任东谈主离间——她提倡的任何要求他王人会答理。

My best friend has me over a barrel because he helped me hide from my parents last week—I have to help him move house this weekend.

上周我一又友帮我瞒着父母，当今他拿这事拿捏我——这周末我不得不帮他搬家。

He was over a barrel when his girlfriend found out about his lie; he had to apologize and buy her the necklace she’d wanted for months.

女一又友发现他撒谎后，他透澈堕入被迫——不得不谈歉，还得买那条她思要了好几个月的项链。

The opposition party has the government over a barrel because they hold evidence of the corruption scandal.

反对党掌抓着靡烂丑闻的笔据，让政府堕入了任东谈主离间的境地。

Small retailers are over a barrel because the big suppliers can raise prices whenever they want.

小零卖商充足处于被迫，因为大供应商思加价就加价，他们毫无不服之力。

I was over a barrel when I forgot our anniversary—my wife refused to talk to me until I planned a weekend getaway.

我忘了成婚记挂日，这下透澈没辙了——太太非要我安排一次周末旅行才肯理我。

The enemy soldiers were over a barrel once their supply lines were cut off; they had no choice but to surrender.

敌东谈主的补给线被堵截后，士兵们堕入绝境，除了慑服别无聘用。

The student was over a barrel when the teacher caught him cheating—he had to accept the zero on the exam or risk being expelled.

学生舞弊被敦朴收拢，透澈没了退路——要么罗致历练零分，要么靠近退学风险。

The small country was over a barrel in the trade negotiations; it depended entirely on the larger country for food aid.

这个小国在交易谈判中处于被迫，因为它的食粮接济充足依赖阿谁大国。

After admitting he’d spent their savings on gambling, he was over a barrel—his wife said he could either go to therapy or move out.

承认把积累赌光后，他透澈任东谈主离间——太太说他要么去罗致脸色调理，要么搬出去。

After the financial crisis, the manager has got the company over a barrel.

金融危险之后，司理启动截止这家公司。

You think you got me over a barrel? I got connections, too—don’t push me.

你合计你能拿捏我？我也有东谈主脉——别逼我。《黑谈眷属》

Jesse was over a barrel—he had no money, no place to go, and Walt knew it. That’s why he had to agree to cook meth again.

杰西巧合应变了——没钱、没地点去，沃尔特很明晰这少许。这等于他不得不答理再去制毒的原因。《绝命毒师》

Tom borrowed a lot of money from his classmate Mike. Now Mike wants Tom to help him cheat in the exam, and Tom is over a barrel—he can’t refuse because he needs more time to pay back the money.

汤姆向他的同学迈克借了许多钱。当今迈克思让汤姆帮他历练舞弊，而汤姆还是被拿捏了——他不可终止，因为他需要更多的时辰来还钱。（2022年高考江苏卷）