“risk life and limb”是英语中极具画面感的传统习语，最早可追溯至16世纪末的英国书面语。“risk”（冒……风险）为核心动词，“life”（生命）和“limb”（四肢，尤指手臂和腿）是并列宾语，字面意为“拿自己的生命和四肢去冒险”。最初用于描述矿工、水手等高危职业者的工作状态，17世纪后逐渐脱离具体职业，延伸为“为某目标不顾身体伤害甚至生命危险”的通用表达，19世纪进入现代英语后，成为兼具书面庄重感与口语感染力的常用习语。
该习语的核心语义是 “不顾个人安危，冒着重伤或丧命的极大风险”，语义具有三个关键特征：
- 风险程度：强调“风险极高”，远超普通“take a risk”（冒险），必然涉及“身体伤害（limb）”或“生命威胁（life）”，无轻微风险的引申义；
- 情感色彩：中性偏褒义，隐含“因信念、责任、情感等正当理由而勇敢冒险”，极少用于描述“为恶行冒险”；
- 语法结构：固定动词短语，仅作谓语，主语必须是人（或拟人化的机构），无被动语态，常见搭配为“risk life and limb to do sth.”（为做某事冒生命危险）或“risk life and limb for sb./sth.”（为某人/某物冒生命危险）。同义词：put one's life on the line。
如：
He risked life and limb to reach the top of the mountain—he wanted to propose to her at the sunrise she’d dreamed of.
他冒着生命危险爬上山顶——只为在她梦寐以求的日出时分向她求婚。
During the flood, her husband risked life and limb to carry her out of the collapsing house—their marriage became stronger after that.
洪水来袭时，她的丈夫冒着生命危险把她从倒塌的房子里抱出来——那之后他们的婚姻更加牢固了。
She met him at a hiking club, and he risked life and limb to save her when she slipped off the cliff—she knew he was someone worth trusting.
她和他在徒步俱乐部相识，当她从悬崖滑落时，他冒着生命危险救了她——她明白他是个值得信任的人。
The teacher risked life and limb to pull the students out of the burningroom during the fire.
火灾发生时，那位老师冒着生命危险将学生们从燃烧的教室里拉出来。
The politician claimed he had risked life and limb for the country’s democracy when he spoke out against the dictatorship.
这位政客声称，当他公开反对独裁统治时，他为了国家的民主冒了生命危险。
The entrepreneur risked life and limb to deliver medical supplies to the war-torn region—his company’s reputation depended on it.
这位企业家冒着生命危险向战乱地区运送医疗物资——他的公司声誉全系于此。
The diplomat risked life and limb to negotiate the release of the hostages in the conflict zone.
这位外交官冒着生命危险在冲突地区谈判，以争取人质的释放。
Soldiers risk life and limb every day to protect their country’s borders from enemy attacks.
士兵们每天都冒着生命危险保卫国家边境，抵御敌人的进攻。
I’d risk life and limb to be with you, Rose—even if it means freezing in this ocean.
露丝，我愿意为和你在一起冒生命危险——就算要在这海里冻死也愿意。《泰坦尼克号》
I don’t have a choice—I have to risk life and limb to stop him. That’s what being Spider-Man means.”
我别无选择——我必须冒生命危险阻止他。这就是当蜘蛛侠的意义。《蜘蛛侠：英雄归来》
The firefighter didn’t hesitate—he rushed in to rescue the little girl trapped in the upper floor of the burning building. Everyone knew he was risking life and limb.
消防员毫不犹豫地冲了进来，营救被困在燃烧大楼上层的小女孩。每个人都知道他冒着生命危险。（2021年上海高考）
The volunteers delivered food to people in the earthquake-stricken area, where aftershocks and falling rocks were common—they were risking life and limb.
志愿者们向地震灾区的人们运送食物，那里余震和落石很常见，他们正冒着生命危险。（2022.12四级）
The journalists risked life and limb to report the truth about the war, even though the government tried to silence them. Their work helped the world understand the suffering of the people.
记者们冒着生命危险报道了战争的真相，尽管政府试图让他们闭嘴。他们的工作帮助世界了解人民的苦难。（2023年考研英语一）
The mountain climber told the reporter: ‘My girlfriend wanted to see the snow lotus on the top of the mountain. I promised her I’d bring one back, so I risked life and limb to climb it—even though the path was full of ice and gaps.’
这位登山者告诉记者：“我女朋友想看看山顶上的雪莲。我答应过她，我会带一个回来，所以我冒着生命危险爬上了它——尽管这条路到处都是冰和缝隙。”（2024年广东中考）
