【字面理解】在杯子和嘴唇之间还会有许多失误
【英文解析】a situation where things did not happen at the last minute the way they were expected to due to unforeseen reasons
【中文解析】事情往往功败垂成
【典型例句】① There’s many a slip between the cup and the lip! Who knows what may happen.事情往往功敗垂成， 谁知道将会发生什么。
② A: I was to get a raise this year, but it didn’t happen due to the mergCT.
B: Well, there is many a slip between the cup and the lip!
A:我今年本来是要加薪的，可是因为公司合并，却没 加成。
B:哦，凡事总难十拿九稳的。
【注释】该习语源于希腊神话。安凯厄斯(Ancaeus)是主 神宙斯(Zeus)的儿子，在开辟一片葡萄园时，他的仆 人预言说，他将永远喝不到用这葡萄园里的葡萄所酿 成的酒，安凯厄斯很不以为然。当葡萄熟了，酿成了 酒，安凯厄斯倒了一杯葡萄酒，举杯至唇边，把仆人嘲 讽了一番，仆人却说杯到唇边还会失手呢。”话音刚 落，就有人报信说，一头野猪闯进了葡萄园，正在践踏 葡萄，安凯厄斯急忙放下酒杯跑了出去，结果在与野猪的搏斗中不幸身亡。所以在英语里“There’s many a slip between the cup and the lip.” 的意思是“杯到唇边还 会失手;事情往往功败垂成”。相关谚语:There’s many a slip twixt the cup and the lip.(万事总难十拿九稳。/ 事 情往往功败垂成。)变体：between the cup and the Up“将 成未成之际;功败垂成之际”。
