一日一成语【41】keep one’s head above water

keep one’s head above water

游过泳的人都知道，要能够自如地游动，首先要能够把头部抬出水面，这样便可以边游边呼吸，不用担心溺水了。在水中遇到麻烦时，人们千方百计想做到的也就是让头部露出水面。作为成语，keep one’s head above water并不真用来描述溺水者在水中挣扎的情景，而是用来比喻一种困境，尤其是因欠债而造成的困境，把头保持在水面之上就等于使自己不陷入到债务的泥坑中去：

Earning barely enough to support the family, father was quite happy only if he could keep his head above water.
父亲赚的钱勉强够养家，能不欠债就算不错的了。

To keep his head above water, he has been selling the valuable antiques his father has left him.
他一直在出售他父亲留给他的贵重的古董，这样才不致陷入债务。

With the deterioration of the economic situation, it is difficult for most small businesses to keep their heads above water.
经济形势不断恶化，大多数的小商号难免负债。