Bring Someone to Heel – 制伏，使就範，使聽話

《紐約時報》前段時間在報導中國政府開始控制大公司的時候，寫了這樣一段話：

Several Chinese conglomerates are now so big, so complex and so indebted that the government is trying to bring them to heel. 中國一些企業集團太龐大，太複雜，債務太多，政府準備對他們進行整頓。

Bring to heel是很有用的短語。Heel原意是“脚後跟”。美國人訓練狗的時候，有時會命令它Heel!就是讓狗乖乖地跟在主人後面走。後來引申為“讓某人聽命，聽話”，“制服”或“使就範”的意思。To cause someone to obey, to force someone to act in a more disciplined manner.

例句：

• The trainer’s effort to bring the lion to heel failed. The wild animal killed him. 馴獸師想制服那頭獅子，結果自己卻被獅子咬死了。
• Sogo was brought to heel by his wife. 主持人瘦狗被老婆訓得服服帖帖的。
• The president tried unsuccessfully to bring the media to heel. 總統管不住媒體。
• The boss used kindness to bring his employees to heel. 老闆靠善言善語讓員工聽話。