Miss就是失去的意思。 To miss the boat从字面来解释,它的意思是:误了上船的时间。但是,作为俗语,to miss the boat就是失去了一个好机会。下面这个例子是说一对夫妇由于耽误了时间而失去了买一栋房子的机会。这位丈夫说:
We found exactly the house we wanted, but we waited to buy it in the hope the price would go down. But we missed the boat; when we called the agent back, he'd just sold it to another family.
It has always been my dream to visit China. Finally, our company decided to send me to Beijing last month to open an office, but one day before the trip I fell sick and was hospitalized for surgery. So once again I missed the boat.