[ duànchuī ] run out of rice and fuel; can't keep the pot boiling; go hungry
Example Sentences:
1.
His machine - made storiettes , though he hated them and derided them , were successful . by means of them he redeemed all his pledges , paid most of his bills , and bought a new set of tires for his wheel 它们给他赎回了当掉的东西，偿付了大部分欠债，给他的自行车买了一副新轮胎，还使他免于断炊之虞，给了他时间写作雄心勃勃的作品。
2.
He described how he labored with her and convinced her ; and how she almost died for joy when she had groped to where she actually saw the blue speck of daylight ; how he pushed his way out at the hole and then helped her out ; how they sat there and cried for gladness ; how some men came along in a skiff and tom hailed them and told them their situation and their famished condition ; how the men didn t believe the wild tale at first , " because , " said they , " you are five miles down the river below the valley the cave is in " - then took them aboard , rowed to a house , gave them supper , made them rest till two or three hours after dark and then brought them home 他描述了他费尽口舌去说服她，等她摸索到能看见蓝色天光的地方，她简直高兴死了他是怎样挤到洞外，然后帮忙把她也拉出了洞，他俩怎样坐在那儿，高兴得大喊大叫然后有几个人是如何乘小艇经过，汤姆招呼他们，并讲明自己的处境：已经断炊。那几个人起先如何不相信这荒唐的事，因为他们讲“你们呆的山洞在河下游五英里处”然后把他俩弄上小艇，划到一座房子处，让他俩吃了晚饭，天黑后休息了两三个小时，才把他们带回家。
