smoking gun
冒烟的枪,确切无疑的罪证
讲解:
smoking gun字面上是指「刚击发过、还在冒烟的手枪」,这是杀人犯无法抵赖的物证,引申为「确切无疑、足以定罪的证据」。
例句:
[Nixon] had also been listening to some of the disputed tapes, and he had found one—the “smoking gun'-that threatened to destroy his whole case ....This tape recorded Nixon ... ordering a cover-up, planning to use the FBI and CIA to protect himself.(出自:TIME, May 2,1994,p. 42 )
〔尼克松〕也在听一些引起争议的录音带,而且找到了一卷——也就是后来媒体称之为「冒烟的枪」那卷录音带——可能会将他整个的抗辩推翻……带子上录有尼克松……命令手下掩饰,并计划利用联邦调査局与中央情报局来保护自己。