017　前功尽弃
Back to square one

Just the minute I almost finished my essay, the computer crashed and everything went back to square one.

就在我快写完论文的时候，电脑死机了，一切都前功尽弃。

“square”是方格的意思，这个用语从字面上理解就是“回到最初的方格”。是不是想起小时候玩的跳房子了？没错，这个词就起源于英国孩童的游戏，如跳房子和蛇梯棋。游戏中，开始你可能遥遥领先，但一着不慎，就可能回到原点。所以本俚语主要用来形容一切努力付诸东流，前功尽弃。

Rose：Hey, I heard that you proposed to your girlfriend last night. How was it?

嘿，我听说你昨晚向女朋友求婚啦？Kevin：Oh, let's drop it.

唉，别提了。

Rose：What happened?

怎么了？

Kevin：We had a big fight before the dinner over some trifles. We broke up and everything just went back to square one.

吃饭前我们为了些小事闹翻了。我们分手了，一切又回到了原点。

Rose：I'm sorry to hear that. Anyway, good luck！

听到这个非常遗憾。不管怎样，祝你好运！