Strut 一词源自古英语strutian（凸出、鼓起或直挺挺地凸起），16世纪末开始用来表示“趾高气扬地走、高视阔步”，强调浮夸的或演戏似的装模作样，带着矫揉造作的尊贵，比如：他过去常常在城里大摇大摆地晃荡，好像那是他的地盘。但他现在要面对狱中生活的严酷现实了。

He used to strut around town like he owned the place. But he now faces the

stark reality of life in prison.男孩们神气十足地走来走去，想引起旁边一群女孩的注意。女孩们忍住不嘲笑他们，直到他们走了。

The boys strutted around trying to get the attention of a group of girls who were nearby. The girls

refrained from sneering at them until they were gone.而在上面《经济学人》例句中出现的习语

strut one's stuff本义指为了引起他人注意而“卖弄地跳舞、表演”，泛指则表示“显露身手、卖弄本领”，比如：

别自吹自擂了。你为什么不下舞池露上一手？

Stop blowing your own trumpet

. Why don't you get out on the floor and strut your stuff?他决心一改公司保守落后的形象，并且认为这是他大展身手的好机会。

He decided to revamp

the company's provincial image and believed that it was the opportunity for him to strut his stuff.另外， strut 也可以用作名词，除了表示“趾高气扬的步态、高视阔步的样子”外，还可以指细长的用来支撑车辆、建筑，或使之部分结构更加坚固的“支柱、撑杆、支杆”，比如：

One strut had fractured

and been crudely repaired in several places.一根撑木出现了裂痕，有几处已进行了粗略的修补。