看美剧学英语高频短语：Throw in the tower
Throw in the towel is an idiomatic expression meaning to give up, admit defeat, or stop trying after realizing that success is unlikely. Tone: informal, often slightly regretful but sometimes practical. （放弃、认输或停止继续尝试，通常是在经过努力之后仍然无法成功的情况下。整体语气通常带有：无奈、遗憾或现实接受的意味。）
The phrase comes from boxing: a coach would literally throw a towel into the ring to signal surrender on behalf of the fighter. In modern English, it is widely used in both literal and metaphorical contexts to describe quitting after struggle or exhaustion. （这个表达来源于拳击比赛：教练会把毛巾扔进拳击场，表示替选手认输或停止比赛。在现代英语中，它被广泛用于比喻意义，表示：）
It often implies:
- surrender after effort （在努力之后选择放弃）
- stopping a difficult attempt （承认失败）
- accepting failure or limitation （停止继续尝试）
- emotional or physical exhaustion leading to quitting （因疲惫或无力继续而退出）
场景一：《绝望的主妇》Desperate Housewives S05E06 09:55（Katherine & Bree）
Katherine：I’m thinking about moving to Maryland. 我在考虑搬去马里兰。
Bree：Maryland? 马里兰？
Katherine：Mm-hmm. Dylan’s there with her husband, And the baby’s coming soon. 嗯，迪伦和她丈夫在那里，而且孩子也快出生了。
——>> Maybe it’s time for me to go inflict myself on them. 也许是时候让我“去打扰”他们了。
Bree：You can’t just up and move. 你不能说搬就搬。
——>> You have a life here. 你在这里有生活。
Katherine：No, I don’t. I have a job—period. 不，我没有。我只有一份工作，仅此而已。
——>> No kids to raise, no husband, no boyfriend. 没有孩子要养，没有丈夫，没有男朋友。
——>> Might as well throw in the towel and… Go be a grandma. 那还不如直接放弃……去当个“奶奶”。
Bree：Katherine, you are a vibrant, attractive woman. Katherine, You—你是一个有活力、有魅力的女人。你……
Katherine：Who hasn’t had sex in two years. 你——一个两年没性生活的人。
——>> That spells “grandma” to me. 在我看来，这就等于“奶奶”。
场景二：《金装律师》Suits S04E16 20:19（Harvey, Mike & Rachel）
Harvey：Both of you? 你们两个一起？
Mike：We both work for you. 我们都为你工作。
Rachel：Which is why we’re both here to say 也正因为如此，我们今天来是想说
——>> maybe it’s time we explore other options. 也许是时候考虑其他选择了。
Harvey：You got to be kidding me. 你在开玩笑吧。
——>> You spent two days on this, and you’re ready to throw in the towel? 你们花了两天时间，现在就要放弃？
Mike：We’ve spent two of our five days on it, 我们五天里已经用了两天
——>> and we still don’t have a name, so we think it’s time to consider— 但还是没有结果，所以我们觉得该考虑——
Harvey：What? 什么？
Rachel：Going after Forstman, for whatever he did to you 12 years ago. 去追查 Forstman，为他12年前对你做的一切。
场景三：《纸牌屋》House of Cards S02E13 09:09（Raymond & Linda）
Raymond: My lawyers are saying 50/50 that I survive a trial. 我的律师说我在审判中有五五开的生存概率。
——>> Now, I’m not a big fan of those odds, 我不太喜欢这种概率，
——>> but I’m willing to take ’em. 但我愿意接受。
Linda: If your lawyers are putting it at a coin toss, 如果你的律师把它说成抛硬币的结果，
——>> then you’re paying them too much to be overly optimistic. 那说明你付钱让他们过度乐观了。
Raymond: And how can I trust Garrett? 那我怎么相信 Garrett？
——>> He turned his back on 20 years of friendship. 他背弃了20年的友谊。
Linda: He could accuse you of the same. 他也可能同样指控你。
Raymond: Well, nobody on this planet 没有人
——>> wants to see Frank Underwood go to jail more than I do. 比我更想看到 Frank Underwood 进监狱。
——>> I just don’t want to be sharing a cell with him. 我只是不想和他关在同一个牢房。
Linda: That won’t happen. 不会发生的。
Raymond: All you’ve given me to go on is Garrett’s word. 你给我的依据只有 Garrett 的一面之词。
Linda: He’s asking you to tell the truth. 他只是让你说出真相。
——>> Good things happen to those who do the right thing. 做正确的事会有好结果。
Raymond: And you just expect Frank to lie down, 你就指望 Frank 认输躺平吗，
——>> throw in the towel, hmm? 直接投降，是吗？
Linda: We don’t even give him the chance. 我们甚至不会给他这个机会。
——>> Your testimony knocks him out cold. 你的证词会直接把他击垮。
场景四：《金装律师》Suits S04E07 28:14（Jessica & Louis）
Jessica: Louis, glad you’re here. Louis，很高兴你来了。
——>> I just got off the phone with Charles Forstman. 我刚和 Charles Forstman 通完电话。
——>> He wants to cross the “T”s, dot the “I”s, 他想把所有细节都处理完
——>> and be done with this deal, and so do I. 结束这笔交易，我也是。
Louis: Oh, believe me, Jessica. 相信我，Jessica。
——>> Nobody wants to be done with that man more than me. 没有人比我更想摆脱那个人。
——>> I’m actually heading over there in an hour, 我一小时后就过去，
——>> but before I do, I just wanted to tell you 但在那之前，我想告诉你
——>> that I finally figured out what I want as my reward. 我终于想清楚我想要的回报是什么。
Jessica: And what is that? 那是什么？
——>> I want to amend my contract 我要修改合同
——>> to allow for telecommuting whenever I deem appropriate 允许我在认为合适的时候远程办公
——>> and a month’s more vacation every year 并且每年多一个月假期
——>> to be used at my discretion. 完全由我自行支配。
Jessica: Anything else? 还有吗？
Louis: I want it in writing, 我要书面确认，
——>> and I want my partnership protected 并且我要确保我的合伙人身份
——>> for as long as this situation persists. 在当前情况持续期间受到保护。
Jessica：Okay. 好的。
——>> Before I give you what you’re asking— 在我答应你之前——
Louis: Jessica, you said I could have whatever I want. Jessica，你说我可以要任何我想要的。
——>> You’re not gonna talk me out of this. 你别想说服我改变主意。
Jessica: I’m not trying to talk you out of anything. 我不是要劝你放弃。
——>> I just want to say that the fact 我只是想说
——>> that named partner isn’t happening now 合伙人头衔现在还没实现
——>> doesn’t mean it never will, 并不意味着永远不会实现，
——>> and I’d hate to see you 我不想看到你
——>> throw in the towel because you’ve lost faith. 因为失去信心而放弃。
Louis: Yeah, well, the only thing I’m throwing 好吧，我唯一“抛出去”的
——>> is my hat in the ring for Sheila’s heart. 是我对 Sheila 的追求。
——>> I don’t understand. 我不明白。
Louis: I love her. 我爱她。
——>> And I miss her. 我想她。
——>> And I want to try to win her back, 我想试着赢回她，
——>> and I need these things to make that happen. 而我需要这些条件来做到这一点。
Jessica：Then you have them. 那你就如愿以偿。
