习语起源109－缩回蜗角

对中国人来说，蜗牛触角向来都有渺小而狂妄的含义；《庄子·则阳》篇里分据蜗牛两角的触氏国、蛮氏国常常爆发争地战，使人看到发动侵略战的野心家其实多么渺小，有一点蜗角虚名就自高自大的人又是多么可笑。

　　英国人显然也认为蜗角有点狂妄意味，所以，他们说收敛傲气、不再狂妄、临阵退缩等，会用draw/pull in one's horns（缩回蜗角）这个成语。我们都知道，蜗牛一感觉到危险，就会把触角甚至全身向后缩，一直缩回壳里。这给人当做由轻浮变得比较慎重的表现。所以，人们就用draw/pull in one's horns来说退缩或收敛了，例如:

　　When he saw that I had the support of the majority, he drew in his horns and admitted he might have made a mistake.
　　他见我获得多数人支持，就软了下来，承认自己可能错了。