1887 in figurative sense of "useless person or thing," originally American English, from dead (adj.) + wood (n.). Dead wood in a forest is useful as firewood; perhaps the reference here is to the dried up parts of plants grown for commercial production of flowers or fruit.
双语例句
1. At last I had the deadwood on the Red Pony.
最后我终于制服了那匹红马驹.
来自互联网
2. The Methods: Used have helped enormously in cutting out deadwood.
这些方法在废物利用方面起了相当大的作用.
来自互联网
3. The remainder are standing deadwood, still valuable to the forest because of the life they support.
其余下的是直立的朽木, 对森林来说仍然很重要,是因为它们能维持其它树木的生命.
来自互联网
4. What a shock! I thought you might have been killed by Captain Deadwood.
真的吓了跳. 我还以为你已经被朽木队长杀死了.
来自互联网
5. They have the deadwood on you now, for they know you took that girl into your room.