small European herring, 1590s, variant of sprot (c. 1300), from Old English sprott "a small herring," according to Klein related to Dutch sprot and probably connected to sprout (v.).
双语例句
1. Throw out a sprat to catch a mackerel.
抛出小鱼钓大鱼.
来自互联网
2. The competition and prize of a free car is a sprat to catch a mackerel.