成語故事
東晉大将謝玄在叔叔謝安的指揮下取得了淝水大戰的全面勝利，迫使前秦王苻堅逃回關中，謝玄乘勝追擊，收複了北方的大片領土，就在北方快要統一的時候，東晉皇帝聽信讒言令其收兵駐守淮陰。統一北方未遂，人們感歎他是功敗垂成。
英文解釋
簡明釋義
fail on the verge of success；suffer defeat when victory is within reach；abandon work near completion；a slip between the cup and the lip；
例句
任何一關沒有正确應對，都可能功敗垂成。
Any close to was not answered correctly, likely suffer defeat on the verge of victory.
菲利普：隻是他們功敗垂成。皇馬守門員救球救得好。
Philip: only they didn't because the real goalie made a fantastic save.
否則的話，在今後的幾十年裡，這些國家将由于年輕人缺乏才能和生産力而功敗垂成。
The report says otherwise, countries will lose out for decades on the talent and productivity of these young adults.
耶稣基督的死是一個完全勝利的救贖，而不是一個功敗垂成的嘗試。
The death of christ was an atonement which totally succeeded, not an attempt which partially failed.
因為它主觀上是功敗垂成，我們真的感到疏離。
And it is because it is subjectively struck out, that it really alienates us.
在這周的尾聲，他也試圖打破水中憋氣九分鐘的世界紀錄，但功敗垂成。
At the end of the week, blaine attempted, but failed, to break the world` s nine-minute underwater breath-holding record.
幾位女士試圖減肥，但同時又吃奶油蛋糕，結果是功敗垂成。
Several ladies who were trying to lose weight had already fallen by the wayside by eating cream cakes.
成功的第一步，就是要先擁有強烈的欲望，如果缺乏強烈的欲望與企圖心，到最後一定會功敗垂成。
The success first step, is must first have strong desire, if lacks strong desire and business center of figure, to finallycertainly canfail when success seemed within reach.
