◙ noun 1. a very large solitary cat with a yellow-brown coat striped with black, native to the forests of Asia but becoming increasingly rare • （老）虎 2. Panthera tigris, family Felidae • 拉丁名Panthera tigris，猫科 used to refer to someone fierce, determined, or ambitious • 强悍的人；劲头十足的人 »despite his wound, he still fought like a tiger. 尽管有伤在身，他打起来还是勇猛得像只老虎。 »one of the sport's young tigers. 体坛的年轻小将之一。 [亦作tiger economy] a dynamic economy of one of the smaller East Asian countries, for example, that of Singapore, or South Korea • （尤指东亚较小国家，如新加坡、韩国的）小龙经济 (informal, chiefly Austral./NZ)a person with an insatiable appetite for something • [非正式，主澳／新西兰] 不知足的人 »I'm a tiger for a bargain. 我对买便宜货乐此不疲。 3. used in names of tiger moths and striped butterflies, e.g. scarlet tiger, plain tiger • ［用于灯蛾、斑纹蝴蝶的名称中，如scarlet tiger, plain tiger］ 4. [Tigers] . another term for Tamil Tigers • 同Tamil Tigers
【IDIOMS】
◘ have a tiger by the tail (也作 be riding a tiger) 1. have embarked on a course of action which proves unexpectedly difficult but which cannot easily or safely be abandoned • 处境比预料的困难
【语源】
1. Middle English: from Old French tigre, from Latin tigris, from Greek