还记得小品《英雄母亲的一天》里一个很搞笑的镜头:电视台的记者来给老太太录象,让她从门外走进来。结果,老太太一紧张,不知道该迈哪只脚,就一直把右脚放前面,像螃蟹一样横着就进来了。显然,老太太知道要把最好的那只脚放前面(put your best foot forward)。
“Put your best foot forward”有好几个意思。一个跟脚的关系最直接,意思是“快点走”。如,You'll have to put your best foot forward if you want to be there by nine. (如果你想在9点到那,你就得快点走。)
第二个跟脚也有关系,把最好的那只脚放前面,当然是想给人“留下好印象”。如,All I could do was put my best foot forward and hope I made a good impression.(我能做的就是给人留下好印象,希望我做到了。)
另一个的意思是引申出来的,“竭尽全力,做到最好”。如,Make sure you put your best foot forward for tonight's performance. (记得要把今天的表演做到最好。)