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第三章 成语

Ⅰ. 概况

Ⅱ. 分类说明

Ⅲ. 真题举隅

Ⅳ. 高分练习

Ⅴ. 典故allusions

Ⅵ. 谚语proverbs

Ⅰ概况

在英语中,有些表达是约定俗成的,如果按字面的意思翻译,望文生义,往往会造成误会,贻笑大方,这就是我们所说的习惯用语即 idiomatic expressions,或者简称为惯用语。

例如:

1. to make an exhibition of oneself

意即“丢脸,出洋相,当众出丑”,而不是“显示自己”。

2. Why should I quarrel with my bread and butter?

“我为什么要和自己的生计作对呢”而非“我为什么要和自己的黄油面包发生口角呢?”

3. keep the wolf from the door

意即“为免除饥饿而奋斗”,而不是“以免引狼入室”。

4. The university fees don’t include room and board.

意即“大学的费用不包括食宿费”,而不是“大学的费用为包括屋子和黑板”。

5. Peace was saved at the eleventh hour.

意即“和平在最后时刻被挽救了”,而不是“和平在 11点钟被挽救了”。

6. Mary has left her job for good.

意即“玛丽永远离开了她的工作”,而不是“玛丽好好地离开了她的工作”。

7. She made light of her illness.

意即“她轻视自己的病”,而不是“她减轻了自己的病”。

8. He is ignorant to a proverb.

意即“他的无知是有名的”,而不是“他不知道这个谚语”。

9. They made an example of the boy.

意即“他们严惩这个男孩,以警戒他人”,而不是“他们以这个男孩为榜样”。还有一个故事是这样的:1970年美国作家斯诺访问大陆,后来写了文章发表在《生活》杂志上,报道毛泽东承认“文革”时期红卫兵武斗过火,好像“和尚打伞”。当时担任翻译的是唐闻生,也是后来替周恩来和尼克松传译的人,她照字面翻译了,于是斯诺的文章里,“和尚打伞”变成了“a lone monk with a leaky umbrella”(孤独的和尚撑着漏雨的伞)。“和尚打伞”是湖南的谚语,意思是“无法无天”。这一翻译的不着边际,使当事人误会,也使异国读者一头雾水。惯用语的另一个表现是文化的特殊性,如英文中有 pull one’s leg,中文中有“拖某人的后腿”。但这是天大的误会,英文 pull one's leg 是“开玩笑”的意思。与中文“拖某人的后腿”相差何其远矣!再如英文 eat one's word和中文“食言”,相差也是南辕北辙:英文是“收回前言,认错”之义;中文“食言”是“失信,没有做到答应过的事情”的意思。

Ⅱ分类说明

接下来,我们将分门别类对一些习惯性的表达加以总结。

第一节 颜色colors

black tea 红茶

black look 愤怒的眼神,狠狠地瞪一眼

black and blue 遍体鳞伤,青一块紫一块

black art 妖术,法术

black as my hat 漆黑的

black dog 忘恩负义的人

black day 凶日

black future 黯淡的前途

black hat 坏人

black letter day 倒霉的一天

black tie 黑蝴蝶领结

swear black is white 颠倒黑白,不惜一切,不择手段

black-out 暂时性记忆丧失;昏迷;停电

go black 人晕倒时眼前一片昏黑

in the black 有结余的,有盈余的

black ink 盈利,利润

black Friday 耶稣受难日,不吉利的周五

black diamonds

blue beard 连续杀害妻子者(源于法国传说)

bluebottle 警察

blue button 交易所的低级职员

bluefilm 黄色电影

blue blanket 护身符

blue-blooded 出身名门的,贵族的,纯正的

blue-eyed boy 宠儿,红人

blue law 严格的法律

blue ribbon 一等奖,最高荣誉,最优秀称号

blue Monday 烦闷的周一,精神沮丧的时间

blue in the face 脸色发青,(气得、累得)说不出话

a blue outlook 消极的人生观

feel blue 感到无精打采

bluejacket 水兵

blue-pencil 删改,修订

a blue woman 有学问的妇女

cop the blue 承担责任

out of a clear blue sky 突如其来的,毫无准备的

out of the blue 冷不丁的,出乎意外的

a bolt out of/from the blue 晴天霹雳

in to the blue 遥不可及,远不可测

between the devil and the deep blue sea 进退维谷

sing the blues 诉苦,抱怨

once in a blue moon 千载难逢

brown sugar 红糖

brown study 深思,出神

brown bread 黑面包

brown off 出大错

brown nose 马屁精,爱献殷勤的人

brownie point 拍马屁所得的信任

brown-bag 自带午餐上班或上学,自带酒水上餐馆

brown rice 糙米

chocolate drop 对黑人的蔑称

chocolate-box 打扮俗气的,矫揉造作的

green-eyed 眼红妒忌的,疑心重的

see/look through green glasses 对…感到羡慕 /嫉妒

green in one's eye 少不更事的样子,容易上当受骗的样子

green girl 新手,黄毛丫头

green horn 新移民

green back 一美元钞票

green stuff 现钞,钞票

green power 金钱的力量

green line 轰炸线

green light 认可,准许

green room 演员休息室

green meat 素食

green thumb/fingers 在园艺方面有才能的人

He looks green. 他看起来脸色不好。

a green old age 老当益壮

green goods 新鲜货

in the green wood 在青春旺盛的时代

grey mare 胜过丈夫的妻子

the pink of politeness 十分彬彬有礼

in the pink of condition/health 红润健康的,健康状况很好的

pink collar 主要由妇女从事的工作 (如秘书、护士等 )

pink slip 解雇通知书

pink tread 上流社会的活动

be tickled pink 高兴极了

be born in the purple 生在帝王家 /王室

purple wine 葡萄酒

purple heart 紫心勋章 (授予作战中负伤的军人 )

purple passage/patch 辞藻华丽的段落

red brick 红砖大学

red cap 搬运工

red tape 政府机关惹人讨厌的手续和形式、公文和表格等

red-tapism 文牍主义,官僚主义

red carpet 红地毯,招待贵宾用红地毯铺路,意义得到引申,表示隆重的意思

red handed 现行犯的,被当场抓住的;当场,正在作案

see red 愤怒

red-pencil 检查,删除,改正,修正

red cent 一分钱,一便士

red-eye 夜班飞机

a red battle 血战

red blood 活力充沛的

red-letter day 大喜之日,圣徒之节日

in the red 赤字,亏损

red neck 美国南部晒成红脖的劳苦农工

a white day 良辰吉日

a white elephant 沉重的负担,昂贵却派不上用场的物体,累赘物

white room 绝尘室

white lie 善意的谎言

white-livered 胆小的

white coffee 加牛奶的咖啡

white feather 胆怯

white goods 大型家用电器

white dream 不眠之夜

white man 善良的人

white hand 清白无辜的

hit the white 完全正确(源自古代射箭,箭靶中心是白圈)

days with a white stone 过着幸福的生活

white lightening 自酿的威士忌酒

white war 没有硝烟的战争(经济竞争)

white money 银币

white sale 大减价

a white spirit 高尚的精神

a white heart 大好人

white crown 罕见的事物

white way 白光大街(城市里灯光灿烂的商业街)

yellow hook 法国或议会的报告书

yellow back 法国廉价小说

yellow dog 卑鄙无耻的小人

yellow belly 胆小的

yellow bellyyellow streak 胆怯,怯懦

Mr. Brown is a very white man. He was looking rather green the other day. He has been feeling blue lately. When I saw him he was in a brown study. I hope he'll soon be in the pink again.

第二节 动物animals

black sheep 害群之马,败家子

count sheep 数想像中跳过篱笆的羊以求入睡

like a sheep to the slaughter 似乎未意识到将入险境

like sheep 无独创性的,无独立性的

sheep without a shepherd 没有带头人的群众

cast/make sheep's eyes at 向…愚蠢地送秋波

the sheep and the goats 好人与坏人

play/act the giddy goat 行为如小丑

get sb.'s goat 惹某人发火,嘲弄某人

ride the goat 加入秘密组织

black swan 稀罕物

swanlike 优雅的,弯曲的

swan's down 天鹅绒

All your swans are geese. 你的一切美妙期望(诺言)都成为泡影。

firefly 萤火虫

a fly in amber 珍贵遗物

afly in the ointment. 美中不足之处,使人扫兴的(小)事

a fly on the wheel. 自大的人

break a fly on the wheel 杀鸡用牛刀,浪费力气

Don't let flies stick to your heels. 赶快,别拖拉。

rise to the fly. (鱼)上钩,(人)中圈套

There are no flies on him. 他很精明能干不会上当。

flyweight 小东西,无足轻重的东西

lady bird 瓢虫

jail bird 囚犯

for the birds 毫无价值的,不屑一顾的,可笑的

a bird in the bush 未到手的东西

a bird in the hand 已到手的东西

a little bird 消息灵通人士,暗中提供消息者

birds of a feather 一丘之貉

eat like a bird 吃得极少

get the bird 被喝倒彩,被解雇

give sb. the bird 嘘某人,解雇某人

like a bird 轻易地,无阻地

birds and the bees (可以对孩子们讲的)两性关系的基本常识

bird of peace 鸽子

bird of passage 候鸟,漂泊不定的人

have a bee in one's bonnet/head 苦思,胡思乱想

beeline 直线,直路,最短距离

bee's knees 杰出的人或事物,理想的人或事物

dragonfly 蜻蜓

talk fish 吹牛

a loose fish 放荡不羁的人

a pretty kettle of fish 混乱,乱七八糟,尴尬,困境

big fishin a little pond 矮子中的高个儿

cry stinking fish 暴露自己的缺点,拆自己的台

drinklikea fish 大喝,牛饮

feed the fishes 葬身鱼腹,晕船

fish orcutbait 要么全力以赴要么放弃

haveotherfish tofry 另有他图

neitherfish, flesh, norfowl /neitherfish orfowl 非驴非马,不伦不类,古怪的人或物

fish in troubledwaters 浑水摸鱼

Don't teach fish to swim. 切勿班门弄斧。

silk worm

be food for worms 死尸

Even a worm will turn. 逼人太甚,必有反抗。

open a can of worms 着手处理麻烦问题

the worm of conscience 良心的谴责,悔恨

worm's-eye view 从地面向上看去的景象,最下层的看法

wormwood 苦恼,痛苦

cat 在美国,猫也是女性的代名词,狗指男性

old cat 坏脾气的老太婆

a cat on brick/ like a cat on a hot roof 坐立不安

cat gut 羊肠线

fat cat 指大腹便便的有钱人

barber's cat 面黄肌瘦的人

let the cat out of the bag 泄露机密

wait for the cat to jump 观望形势

bell the cat 为大家的利益承担危险,为别人冒险

cat around 寻花问柳

enough to make a cat laugh 极好笑

no room to swing the cat in 地方狭小

turn cat in pan 投向对方,叛变

cathouse 妓院

cat's paw 被人利用的人,替罪羊,替死鬼

catwalk (桥面、机器等的)狭窄通道,(舞台灯的)天桥

cat's cradle 挑棚子,翻线戏,翻花花绳

fight like Kilkeny cats 殊死搏斗

Cats hide their claws. 知人知面不知心。

like cat and dog 争斗激烈

cats and dogs 价值低的股票,杂物杂货

rain cats and dogs 大雨倾盆

in the dog house 陷入困境

prairie dog 草原鼠

dog days 三伏天

lucky dog 幸运儿

you dirty dog 你这卑鄙的家伙

Dog does not eat dog. 同类不相残。

sick as dog 病得厉害

top dog 重要人物

dog sleep 不时惊醒的睡眠

live a dog's life 过着牛马不如的生活

play cat and mouse 欲擒故纵,残忍地捉弄

like a drowned mouse 像落水老鼠似的狼狈

mouse and man 众生,一切生物

mouse potato 鼠标迷,长时间使用电脑的人

as poor as the church mouse 像教堂里的老鼠一样穷

rabbit 拙劣的运动员,尤指网球运动员

odd rabbit 该死

rabbit food 绿生菜,凉拌蔬菜

jackrabbit 一种“野兔”

(hare)as mad as March hare 十分狂野,野性大发

harebrained 轻率的,鲁莽的,愚蠢的

hare hearted 易受惊的,胆小的

hold with the hare and run (run with the hare and hunt) with the hounds 两面讨好

make a hare of sb. 愚弄某人

start a hare 在讨论中提出与主题无关的事情引起争议

hare and hounds (假扮兔子者在前面撒纸屑,假扮猎犬者在后面跟踪)追逐游戏

be like a bear with a sore head 脾气暴躁

be a bear for punishment 能忍受粗暴对待,顽强,倔强

loaded for bear 做好战斗或行动的准备的

bearcat 力大无比的人,精力旺盛的人

bear garden 嘈杂的场所

bear hug 熊抱,粗鲁的紧紧拥抱

koala bear 考拉

the Four Tigers of Asia 亚洲四小龙

the British lion 不列颠之狮,指英国

as majestic as a lion 勇猛威严

the lion's mouth 虎穴

the lion in the way 拦路虎

beard the lion in his den 太岁头上动土

lionhood, lionship 名人地位

lion heart 勇士

lion-hunter 巴结社会名流的人

lion's share 最大或最好的一份

guinea pig 天竺鼠

bleed like a (stuck) pig 血流如注

bring one's pigs to the wrong market 卖得吃亏

drive one's pigs to market 打鼾

in a pig's eye 永不,绝不,当然不

in a pig's whisper 低声地,顷刻间

make a pig of oneself 吃得过多,过分放纵自己

pig between two sheets 火腿三明治

Pigs might fly (if theyhad wings). 无稽之谈。

whenpigs fly 永不,绝不,绝不可能,天方夜谭,猴年马月

pig out 狼吞虎咽地大吃

What can you expect from a hog but a grunt? 狗嘴里吐不出象牙来。

buy a pig in a poke (未见实物)乱买东西,盲目赞同

teachpig to play on a flute 赶鸭子上架

dumb as an oyster 守口如瓶

a horse of another / a different color 完全另外一回事

back the wrong horse 下错赌注

Don't put horse before the cart. 不要本末倒置。

horse around 嬉闹,胡闹

be on one's high horse 趾高气扬

ride/mount the high horse 趾高气扬,耀武扬威

come off one's high horse 不再骄傲自大

eat like a horse 吃得很多

change horses 换马,换人马,换班子

work like a horse 辛苦地干活

beat / flog adead horse 做无用功

hold one's horses 忍耐,慢下来,停止胡搅蛮缠

change horse in the mid stream 临阵换将

straight from the horse's mouth 说话者本人的原话,从可靠者处得来的消息

hitch horses (together) 同心协力,意见一致

horse and foot 骑兵和步兵,全军,全力以赴地

look a gift horse in the mouth 对礼物吹毛求疵

horse feathers 胡说废话

horselaugh 纵声大笑,哄笑

horse sense 粗浅而实用的知识,常识

no chicken 年龄不小

chicken out 胆小如鼠

play chicken 比试胆量

chicken feed 微不足道的一点钱

chicken shit 鸡毛蒜皮的小事,胆小鬼,懦夫

bug off 逃跑撤离,(停止打扰而)走开

bug out (眼睛)暴突,撤退,逃窜,兴味索然地离开

bug up 激动起来,被弄得稀里糊涂

put a bug in sb.'s ear 事先给某人提示或警告

bughouse 疯人院,疯狂的

have ants in one's pants 坐立不安,急于行动

monkey business 胡闹,恶作剧,骗人的把戏

monkey shines / monkey trick 恶作剧,把戏

monkey wrench 活动扳手,破坏性因素

you young monkey 小淘气鬼

make a monkey out of somebody 把某人弄得好像傻瓜一样

a monkey with a long tail 抵押

monkey's wedding 晴天下雨浇王八

get one's monkey up 生气

have a monkey on a house (up the chimney) 抵押房屋

have a monkey on one's back 甩不掉的包袱,有很大难题

eat crow 把自己弄得很丢脸

asthe crow flies 按直线地,笔直地,径直地

have a crow to pull with sb. 找某人的茬

crow's nest 瞭望台,交通岗亭

break a butterflyon the wheel 小题大做,杀鸡用牛刀

have butterflies in one's stomach 心里七上八下

smell a rat 感觉事情不太对劲

die like a rat 被毒死

have rats in the attic 不安,想入非非,进入疯癫

like a rat in the hole 像瓮中之鳖

ratfink 卑鄙小人,讨厌的家伙,内奸

rat race 激烈竞争,残酷竞争,无休止奔忙

You are a rat. 你是个鼠辈。

He rats me out. 他把我出卖了。

have a cow 生气

Why buy the cow when the milk is free. 何必为了一棵树而放弃整片森林。

till the cows come home 无限期地,没完没了地

sacred cow 神圣不可侵犯

cash cow 摇钱树

The black ox has trod on sb.'s foot 灾祸临头 /某人已到老年

ox-eyed 大眼睛

fowl's beak and ox's buttocks 鸡口牛后

bull point 优势,略胜一筹

like a red rag to a bull 使人愤怒的 , 令人极端烦恼的

hit a bull's eye 命中靶心,达到预定目标,取得成功

a cock-and-bull story 荒诞的故事,无稽之谈

holy cow 对某事表示惊讶 , 惊奇 , 愤怒等

as awkward as a cow on roller skates 非常笨拙,笨手笨脚

milk the bull 做徒劳无功的事,缘木求鱼

take the bull by the horns 在困难的条件下做出决定性动作,不计安危,勇敢面对

a bull in china shop 一个鲁莽闯祸的人

like a bull at a (five-barred) gate 狂怒地,猛烈地,凶猛地

shoot the bull 闲聊,吹牛,空谈

bull session 自由讨论,闲谈

throw the bull 胡说八道

bullheaded 刚愎自用的,固执的

bull's-eye 靶心

bull pen 开放式公共场所

as sly as a fox 像狐狸一样狡猾

crazy like a fox 非常狡猾精明

play the fox 行为狡猾

An old fox is not easily snared. 老狐狸不会轻易被捉住。

She is fox; she is foxy. 她是个性感女郎,很性感。

fox fire 磷火

fox-trot 狐步,轻步

like a parrot 毫无知识

parrot-fashion 机械地模仿

parrot cry 人云亦云的话,人人都在叫的口号

like water off a duck's back 不起作用;毫无影响

shoe the goose 徒劳无益

swan song 绝笔

第三节 人体body

brain drain 人才外流

brain trust 智囊团

brainteaser 难题

brain storm 突有灵感,献计献策

brain child 头脑的产物

brain wave 计上心头

brain power 智力,智能

beat/cudgel/rack one's brains 绞尽脑汁

coin one's brains 动脑筋挣钱

have sth. on the brain 一心想着某事,热衷于某事

turn sb.'s brain 冲昏头脑,使某人得意忘形

brain-picking 信息挖掘

sleepyhead 爱睡觉的人

hit the nail on the head 一针见血

blockhead 笨蛋

swelled head 自满

dead head 死脑筋

make head 前进

count heads 点名

knock head 叩头

gather head 时机成熟

long head 先见之明

head and ears 全身

put one's head in a noose 自投罗网

above the heads of 深奥得使(听众等)不能理解的

be light in the head 头晕,头脑简单,愚蠢

bury one's head in the sand 闭眼不看将来临的危险,不面对现实

have a good head for 有…的才能

give…its head 让(马)自由驰骋,让…随意而为

have a head(尤指宿醉引起的)头痛

have a long head 有远见

head.first .头向前的,冒冒失失的

Heads I win, tails you loose! (掷钱币打赌时说)正面我赢,反面你输。(即反正我赢定了)

run one's head against a wall 碰壁,试图干不可能的事

scratch one's head 搔头皮,对(某事)迷惑不解

skull session 坐在一起动脑筋

out of one's skull 愚蠢的,傻的

skull and crossbones 骷髅画,骷髅旗(死亡之象征,昔时海盗用作旗帜)

skull practice 讨论会,磋商,情况交流会

bad hair day 头发不整

against the hair 违反本性

not turn a hair 不动声色

hang by a hair 千钧一发

let one's hair down 不拘礼节,态度随便

loose one's hair 发脾气

not turn a hair 不动声色

split hairs 作琐细的分析

short hairs 小辫子

poker face 不动声色

straight face 绷着脸

make faces 做鬼脸

sad face 愁容

smooth face 讨好的面孔

face card 带人像的扑克牌

face value 票面价值

pull a long face 拉长脸

about face 向后转

accept the face of 偏袒,偏爱

do one's face 化妆,抹脂粉

face the music 承担自己行为的后果

fall flat on one's face 脸朝下倒下

in the face of day 公开地,在光天化日之下

cheek by jowl 形影不离

by the sweat of one's brow 靠自己辛勤劳动

all my eyes (and Betty Martin) 胡说八道,鬼话,欺骗

have eyes bigger than one's stomach/belly 眼馋肚饱(贪吃而食量不大)

if you had half an eye 如果你不是完全瞎了(或糊涂透顶)的话

keep one's eyes peeled/skinned/polished 擦亮眼睛,留心看着,注意,警觉

worth a Jew's eye 极为贵重的,稀世珍宝般的

eye to eye 看法一致

black eye 受伤后的黑眼圈

snake eyes (骰子中的)双么

private eye 私人侦探

dry eye 不哭的人

evil eye 狠毒的眼光

make eyes 抛媚眼

be all eyes 聚精会神地看

eye shot 视野

roll one's eyes 翻白眼,表示难以置信或不屑一顾

mind your eye 当心

cast sheep's eyes at sb. 对某人抛媚眼

do sb. in the eye/dust the eye of sb. 欺骗某人,叫某人上当

easy as my eye 易如反掌

easy on the eyes 悦目的,好看的,美丽的

Eyes front! 向前看(口令)

have an eye for 很能看出(或鉴赏、识别)

have an eye to the main chance 留心着谋私利的最好机会,只顾自身利益,唯利是图

eyeball to eyeball 面对面

on the nose 整点,整齐

nose dive 一落千丈

count noses 清点人数

follow one's nose 笔直地往前,凭本能行事

have a nose for 对…敏感,很善于发现

pay through the nose 被敲竹杠,付费过高

with one's nose in the air 目中无人地

as plain as the nose in your face 一目了然

bite sb.'s nose off 气势汹汹地回答

cannot see beyond one's nose 鼠目寸光

lead somebody by the nose 牵着某人的鼻子走

turn up one's nose at somebody or something 对某人或某物嗤之以鼻

poke one's nose into something 多管闲事

give an ear to 听一听

be all ears 全神贯注地听

have an ear for 对……听觉灵敏

bend sb.'s ears 和某人谈个不休

fall on deaf ears 不被听取,未被理睬,未受重视

preach to deaf ears 对牛弹琴

grin/smile from ear to ear 咧着嘴笑

lend (an) ear 晴天

pin sb.'s ears back 收拾某人

play by ear 凭听觉记忆演奏,无准备地处理某事

sleep on both ears 酣睡

take sb.'s ears off 对某人唠叨不休

wet behind the ears 乳臭未干的,无经验的,幼稚的

be all mouth (and no trousers) 只说不做

motor mouth 没完没了地说话

bad mouth 诽谤

big mouth 爱说闲话者

lion's mouth 虎穴

from hand to mouth 勉强糊口

word of mouth 口碑

mouthpiece 喉舌,代言人,机关报

button up one's mouth/lip 缄默不语

run one's mouth 说得太多,大嘴巴

leave a bad taste in one's mouth 留下坏印象

take the words right out of one's mouth 说出了某人想说的话,观点不谋而合

put words in one's mouth 把话强加于某人

down in the mouth 沮丧,垂头丧气

born with a silver spoon in one's mouth 生于富贵之家

loose lips 说话很随便

lip service 空口的应酬话

keep a stiff upper lip 感情不外露,沉着坚定

escaped someone's lips 脱口而出

seal sb.'s lips 使某人守口如瓶,禁止某人讲

on everybody's lips 众口相传

be stepped to the lips in 深陷于…之中

lip deep 无诚意的

bite one's tongue 保持沉默

hold one's tongue 保持沉默

have too much tongue 太多嘴

silver tongue 流利的口才

tongue twister 绕口令

oil one's tongue 说奉承话

with one's tongue in one's cheek 假心假意地,挖苦地

on the tongues of men 被人谈论着

keep a civil tongue in one's head 讲礼貌,避免粗鲁

give / throw tongue 猫 /狗狂吠

cut one's teeth 长牙

sweet tooth 爱吃甜食之人

tooth and nail 竭尽全力

be armed to the teeth 武装到牙齿

be dressed to the teeth 浓妆艳抹

between one's teeth 从牙缝中,低声地

escape by the skin of one's teeth 死里逃生

in spite of sb.'s teeth 不顾某人的反对

lie in one's teeth 撒大谎

put teeth in 强制执行

tooth fairy (据信会用钱换取儿童掉下的牙齿的)买牙仙女

dress to the teeth 武装到牙齿,费尽心机打扮

chin music 闲谈,空谈

keep one's chin up 不气馁,不灰心

stick one's chin out 冒险

take it on the chin 承受失败,忍受打击

wag one's chin 唠嗑,聊天

stick one's neck out 为了某人 /某事冒风险

break one's neck 拼命

pain in the neck 某人非常讨厌

break the neck of 做完(工作等)的最难部分

breathe down sb.'s neck 紧跟在某人后面,密切监视某人

neck or nothing 铤而走险,孤注一掷

on sb.'s neck 缠在某人身边

risk one's neck 冒生命危险

save one's neck 免受危难

talk through one's neck 信口开河,随口乱说

stiff neck 顽固之人

cold shoulder 冷漠

an old head on young shoulders 少年老成

be up to one's shoulders 深深陷入

square one's shoulders 挺直身子,表现勇敢

rub elbow / shoulders 与人交往

at one's elbow 近在手边

give sb. the elbow 排挤某人,排斥某人

rub elbows with 与(名人等)交往

shake the elbows 掷筛子,赌博

up to the elbows (in) 非常忙,深深卷入

out at (the) elbows 手头紧的,贫穷的

elbow grease 使劲擦拭,苦干,费力地工作,重活

elbowroom 宽裕的空间,充足的活动余地,行动上的自由

an arm and a leg 大笔钱

by the strong arm 强硬地

twist sb's arm 向某人施加压力

with open arms 热情地

arm wrestling 掰手腕

a babe in arms 涉世未深的人

an old head on young shoulders 少年老成

burnone's finger 遇到挫折

butterfingers 抓东西不稳的人

at one's fingertips了 如指掌

lift a finger 尽举手之劳,出力帮忙

burn one's fingers 由于多管闲事而吃苦头

by a finger'sbreath 差一点

give sb. the fingers 恶意对待某人,亏待某人

one's fingers itch to do sth. 急于干某事

slip through one's fingers 从某人的指缝中溜掉,错过

beall fingers and thumbs 笨手笨脚

pinkie promise 拉钩

give (someone) a big hand 为某人帮忙,为某人鼓掌

have a fingerin everypie 什么事情都参与

wash one's hands of 洗手不干;与……断绝关系

free hand 全权处理

green hand 生手

old hand 内行

good hand 漂亮的一手(好字)

hot hand 走运的一手(牌)

second hand 间接地

firsthand 亲自

get the upper hand 占上风

red hands 血腥的手

cool hand 大胆而脸皮厚的人

light hand 熟练的手

change hands 易手

join hands 携手联合

kiss hands 吻君王之手

hold hands 手搀手

time hangs heavy on one's hand 时光漫长

know like the back of one's hand 熟悉,精通

all hands to the pump 大家都来帮忙

at the hands of 从…那里,由于…的作用

bear a hand 出一把力

bite the hand that feeds one 恩将仇报

by the left hand 门第不相称的婚姻所生

give one's hand to sb. 准备和…握手,(女子)答应和某人结婚

grease the hand of 买通,向…行贿

hand and foot 完全地

have an open hand 慷慨,大方

play a lone hand 单枪匹马地干

throw in one's hand 放弃

throw up one's hands 绝望

with an iron hand in a velvet glove 外柔内刚地,口蜜腹剑地

Many hands make light work. 众人抬柴火焰高。

mailed fist 暴力

hand to fist 亲密的,齐心协力的

grease the fist of 向…行贿,买通,给…消费

make a good/poor fist at 把…做得很成功或不成功

knuckle sandwich 抱以老拳

give sb. a rap on the knuckles 谴责某人

knuckle down 开始认真工作

knuckle under (to sb.) (向某人)认输,屈服

knucklehead 笨蛋

pot belly 大肚子

belly laugh 捧腹大笑

belly up (死鱼般肚子朝天地)死去,完蛋,垮掉

belly button 肚脐儿

turn one's back on somebody 不理睬他人

get off sb.'s back 不再找某人麻烦

see the back of 摆脱

with one's back to the wall 处于绝境,被逼得走投无路

break one's back 尽最大努力,拼命干

break the back of 完成任务的绝大部分或最艰巨部分

go back on 背信弃义,食言

be all legs 又瘦又长

black leg 骗子,工贼

leg work 跑腿活儿,新闻采访工作,外勤

pull one's leg 开某人的玩笑

Jack leg 是“外行”,而不是“杰克的腿”

show leg 逃跑

leg and leg 平分秋色

as fast as one's legs could carry one 以最快速度,以全速

be on one's last legs 濒于死亡,即将崩溃或破产

be run off one's legs 破产,筋疲力尽

fall on/upon one's legs 逢凶化吉

feel one's legs 开始意识到自己的力量,变得自信

give sb. a leg up 助人一臂之力

hang a leg 犹豫不决

shake a leg 跳舞,赶紧,开始

show a leg 起床

stretch one's legs 散步,进行必要锻炼

talk the hind legs off a donkey/dog/horse 滔滔不绝

knee slapper (令人拍腿大笑的)非常滑稽的笑话

on one's knees 跪着,哀求,筋疲力尽,接近垮台

on the knees of the gods (未来的事)尚未可知的

knee-jerk 膝跳反射的,人做出自动反应的

funny bone 麻骨,指神经

bone up on 温习,死记硬背

bred in the bone 与生俱来的,改不掉的

cast a bone between 离间

close to the bone 缺乏的,贫困的

feel in one's bones 确信

have a bone in one's leg/throat 难于行走 /难以启齿

lay one's bones 埋葬,死

will not make old bones 活不长久

bone-headed 固执的,愚蠢的

bone shaker 老爷车

bone yard 墓地

devil's bones 骰子

raw head and bloody bones 骷髅头和交叉骨(死亡的象征),用来吓唬小孩儿的妖怪

be only skin and bone 瘦得皮包骨

skin game 骗局

skin flick 色情电影

skin flint 吝啬鬼

skin tight 紧身衣

by the skin of one's teeth 勉强,刚好

change one's skin 改变本性

give sb. some skin 与某人握手

in a bad skin 心情不好

in a whole skin 安然无恙的

skin alive 严厉斥责,决定地击败

wet to the skin 全身湿透的

the skin off your nose 干杯(祝酒语)

be in sb.'s skin 处于某人的立场

pound offlesh 合法但不合理的事情

cross my heart (hope to die) 我答应,我保证

heart of gold 道德高尚的人

eat one's heart out 因忧患而消瘦,忧伤过度

lose heart 沮丧

take heart 鼓起勇气

heavy heart 沉重的心情

open heart 坦率

after sb.'s (own) heart 完全符合自己的心意

have a heart 发发慈悲,做好事

heart and hand 热心地

in heart 情绪高昂的

in good heart 土地肥沃,情绪高昂的

out of heart 贫瘠的,垂头丧气的

near to sb.'s heart 为某人所爱的,被某人认为重要的

my heart stood still 因害怕而心脏似乎停止跳动

put your best foot forward 给人留下好印象

at sb.'s feet 在某人的脚下 /门下 /支配下

get off on the wrong foot 一开始就把事情弄糟了,一开始就没给人留下好印象

land on your feet 逢凶化吉

fall on one's feet 安然脱离危险

find one's feet 适应新的环境,能独立行动,开始建立信心

get a foot in the door 获得机会成功

have a foot in both camps 脚踩两只船

have a foot in the dish 获得立足点,占一份

have a foot in the grave 风烛残年,离死不远

kiss the hare's foot 迟到

put one's foot in one's mouth 无意中说错话伤害了别人

change foot 换步

set foot 行走

cold feet 临时上场感到胆怯

jump in and get your feet wet 到实践中去学习

lead foot 喜欢开快车

hand and foot 手脚一起;尽力

the heel of Achilles 唯一致命的弱点

hand over heels 倒栽葱

toe and heel 跳舞

head over heel 颠倒,完全地,深深地

cop a heel 逃跑,越狱

kick/cool one's heels 久等,空等

kick up one's heels 松快,欢快,死

out at the heels 褴褛的

a skeleton at the feast 扫兴的人或事

a skeleton in the cupboard/closet 家丑,隐情

skeleton key 万能钥匙

第四节 植物plants

go/run to seed 退化衰老,变得不修边幅

raise up seed 繁殖子孙后代

the seed of Abraham 希伯来人,犹太人

seedbed 温床

seedtime 播种期,准备期,发展期

pull down roots 扎根

strike at the root of 摧毁

root stock 根源,初始状态

root and branch 彻底地

branch off 分叉,分支

branch out 扩大活动范围,扩充业务等

take a leaf out of sb.'s book 学某人的样子

the fall of the leaf 秋天

as welcome as flowers in May 极受欢迎的,盼望已久的,极合时宜的

in.full.flower 在鼎盛时期

past one's bloom 青春已逝

take the bloom off 把…弄得不再美观清新,使陈旧

in (the) bud 发芽,未成熟

nip in the bud 防…于未然

a budding writer 初露头角的作家

bear fruit 奏效,取得成果

the fruit of sb.'s loins 某人的子女 /后代

the fruit of the womb 子女,后代

rotten to the core 坏透了

morning glory 牵牛花

touch-me-not 凤仙花,含羞草

forget-me-not 勿忘我(一种花)

as fresh as a daisy 精神焕发,精力充沛

push up (the) daisies 葬在地下

daisy chain (有内在联系的)一系列

blue dahlia 不可能有的东西,稀罕物

rosebud 豆蔻年华的少女,初入社交界的少女

rose water 温和的言行

the rose of the party 晚会上最引人瞩目的女孩

have roses in one's cheeks 面色红润

Life is not all roses. 人生不是十全十美。

bed of roses 称心如意的境遇,安乐窝

a path strewn with roses 安乐的生活

come out smelling of roses 保持清白,出淤泥而不染

come up roses 结果良好

gather (life's) roses 寻欢作乐

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may. 有花堪折直须折。

look to one's laurels 小心翼翼地保持荣誉

rest on one's laurels 满足于既得荣誉,吃老本

gild/paint the lily 画蛇添足

lilies and roses 花容月貌

lily-livered 胆小的,懦弱的

lily white 洁白无瑕的,种族隔离的

lotus position 莲花座(姿)

primrose path 享乐之路,最易走但又最危险的路

shrinking violet 羞怯的人,腼腆的人

a thorn in sb.'s flesh/side 经常令某人苦恼的人或事

be/sit on thorns 如坐针毡

bark up the wrong tree 搞错目标

grow on trees (好像长在树上似的)伸手就可得到,极易得到

in the dry tree 年老力衰时,在逆境中

in the green tree 在青春旺盛时,在无忧无虑的环境中

up a tree 进退两难

tree of Buddha 菩提树

a heart of oak 顽强勇敢地人,果断的人

sport one's oak 闭门谢客

olive oil 再会

Ivy League 美国高校联盟

bear the palm 得胜,获胜

yield the palm to sb. 输给某人

beat around the bush 讲话兜圈子

at grass 闲着(如失业或放假等)

go to grass 休假,被击倒

put/send/turn out sb. to grass 使闲居,解雇

between grass and hey 处于未成年与成年之间,接近成年

cut the grass from under one's feet 挫败某人

keep off the grass 不得无礼

let the grass grow under one's feet 浪费光阴,坐失良机

grasshopper 警察,高密的人

grass roots 基层,基层群众,基础,草根

grass widow 离了婚或分居的女子,与丈夫暂时分离的女子

grass widower 离了婚或分居的男子,与妻子暂时分离的男子

grow like weeds 生长迅速

widow's weeds 女式丧服

Ill grasses grow apace. 恶习易染。

be/live in clover (live like pigs in clover) 生活优裕,养尊处优

第五节 食物food

Big Apple 纽约

apple-pie 极好的,完美的,美国传统价值观念的

apple-pie order 整齐,完好状态

apple sauce 假话,胡说

apple of discord 不和,争端,祸根

apple-knocker 乡下人,庄稼汉

golden apple (导致希腊三女神争夺的 )金苹果,西红柿,番茄

as like as an apple to an oyster 毫无相同之处

bad/rotten apple (美俚)坏家伙

polish the apple 拍马屁,讨好

apple polisher 马屁精

throw away the apple because of the core 因噎废食

upset someone's apple cart 破坏某人的计划

wise apple 指粗鲁无礼的,傲慢的年轻人

apple of love 爱情之果,比喻爱情信物

a big apple 重要人物

berry 一元钱

top banana 大人物

banana oil 花言巧语

banana skin 引起麻烦或使人出洋相的事件

cherry-pick (从好的一类中)挑选,选择

two bites at a cherry 婆婆妈妈,两次机会

The grapes are sour. 吃不到葡萄说葡萄酸。

grape vine 谣言,传闻,小道消息,消息的秘密来源

lemon 不中用的东西,次品,不动人的姑娘,讨厌的家伙

a squeezed/sucked orange 已经被充分利用过的东西

squeeze/suck the orange 榨干精华,吸取脂膏

pear-shaped (声音)圆润的,无鼻音的

peach 受人喜欢的人或物,极好的东西,漂亮女子

peaches and cream (肤色)细腻且白里透红

pineapple 炸弹,手榴弹

plum 最好的东西,佳品,令人垂涎的东西(尤指待遇好的职位),意外收益

vegetable 生活呆板不活动的人

vegetable sponge 丝瓜络

carrot 骗人的引诱,不能兑现的承诺

carrot top 红头发的人

carrot and stick 胡萝卜加大棒的,软硬兼施的

as cool as a cucumber 泰然自若,极为冷静

spring up like mushrooms 如雨后春笋般涌现

potato 钱,袜子上的破洞

the (clean) potato 正确的事物,正派的人

big potato 大人物

small potato 小人物

couch potato 电视迷

hot potato 烫手的山芋

jacket potato 连皮烘的土豆

knows one's onions 精明能干,精通本行

off one's onions 神智失常

pumpkin 脑袋,乡间

some pumpkins 重要人物或事情

tomato 头,脸,美貌女子

full of beans 精力充沛的

give sb. beans 严惩某人

know howmanybeans make five 精明,不易上当

not have a bean 身无分文

old bean 老兄

spill the beans 泄露秘密

bean counter 专管数量因素的人,会计,小里小气的人

bean curd 豆腐

bean sprouts 豆芽

bean feast 欢庆,盛宴

beanpole 瘦高个儿

I don't know beans about that. 我对此一无所知。

as like as two peas in a pot 一模一样

pea-brained 非常笨的

a hard nut to crack 一个棘手的问题,难对付的人

do one's nut 大发雷霆

pignut 落花生

off one's nut 发呆的,发狂的

pull sb's chestnutsout of fire 火中取栗

nutcase 狂人,疯子

nut house 疯人院,精神病院

nuts and bolts 工作部件,微小但基本的组成部分,具体细节,实际操作

peanuts 小数额,无甚价值之物

peanut gallery (票价较低的)剧场最后排楼座,乌合之众,不值得重视的小人物

corn 陈腐或伤感的东西,钱

acknowledge the corn 接受指责,认错,认输

eat one's corn in the blade 寅吃卯粮

measure other's corn by one's own bushel 拿自己做标准来衡量别人

cornball 猥琐的,陈腐的,伤感的

cornpone 有乡下人特点的,质朴的

corn silk 玉米穗

cornstalk 瘦长男子

against the/sb.'s grain 格格不入,违反意愿

a grain of mustard seed 有极大发展前途的小东西

in grain 彻底的,真正的,根深蒂固的

with a grain of salt 半信半疑

bread

bread upon the waters 有风险的资源,不图回报的慈善行动

eat the bread of affliction 遭受痛苦的折磨

eat the bread of idleness 游手好闲

out of bread 失业

shortbread 酥饼

sweetbread 胰脏

take the bread out of sb.'s mouth 抢某人的饭碗

bread and circuses (为缓和不满情绪而抛出的)安抚区

breadbasket

breadwinner 养家糊口的人,谋生的手艺

I live on bread and water at school. 我在学校时过着粗茶淡饭的生活。

quarrel with one's bread and butter 做对自己饭碗不利的蠢事,与自己作对

know which side one's bread is buttered on 知道自己的利益所在

bread and butter 年轻的,不成熟的,关于生计的,日常的,靠得住的,表示感谢的

butter 奉承,甜言蜜语

look as if butter would not melt in one's mouth 装得一本正经,装得老实

butter and egg man 有钱有势的人

egg 鼓动,怂恿

egg on one's face 羞辱

lay an egg (演出、讲笑话等)完全失败

walk/tread on eggs 如履薄冰

eggbeater 直升机

egghead 知识分子,自以为有大学问的人

eggshell 薄而易碎的东西,较粗糙的纸

dough 钱,现钞

doughboy (油炸)面团,汤团,美国步兵

big cheese 重要人物

as alike as chalk to cheese 外貌相似而实质完全不同

say cheese (摄影时用语)笑一笑,茄子

cheeseparing 吝啬的,小气的,不值钱的东西,吝啬

cheese cake (照片、广告等中的)性感女子的半裸像

a piece of cake 轻松或容易的事

cake and ale 欢乐,物质享受

go/sell like hot cakes 销售得很快

the land of cakes 苏格兰(因苏格兰人多吃燕麦饼而得名)

cake-eater 花花公子

cakehole

fruitcake 蠢人,怪人,疯子

You cannot eat your cake and have it. 两者不可得兼。

cakewalk 力量悬殊的竞争,轻而易举的事

a sandwich of good and bad 好坏加在一起的东西

sandwich course 工读交替式课程

sandwich generation 上有老下有小的一代

sandwich man (身前身后挂着广告牌的)三明治式广告宣传员

chicken sandwich 两男一女

pie 收益,贪污,受贿

eat humble pie 忍辱含垢

pie in the sky 死后的幸福,渺茫的希望,空头支票

as easy as pie 易如反掌

meat 爱好,特长

meat and drink 无穷的乐趣

be meat for sb.'s master 对某人来说未免太好

make meat of sb. 杀死某人

cry roast meat 自吹自擂

meat and potatoes 最基本的部分,最有趣的部分

meat hooks (尤指强壮人的)手,拳头

save one's bacon 脱离险境或困境

bring home the bacon 养家糊口,谋生,成功,得胜

pork 政治恩惠(联邦政府用以笼络地方民心的拨款等)

pork barrel 政治恩惠拨款

Where is the beef after all? 实质问题究竟在哪儿?

beefcake (尤指供展示的)男子强壮肌肉,男子健美展示,供展示的具有强壮体格的男子们

beefeater 伦敦塔看守

beef tea 牛肉汁

Well, Ihave otherfish tofry. 好吧,我还有别的事要干。

dead as mutton 气绝已久的

eat mutton cold 受人白眼,遭到冷遇

eat sb.'s mutton 与某人一起进餐

mutton dressed (up) as lamb 打扮一新的旧东西或旧思想

return to one's muttons 回到本题,言归正传

muttonhead 笨蛋

ham actor 拙劣的演员

to be in hot water/in deep water 陷入困境

water over the dam 木已成舟,既成事实

to hold water (理论、计划等)证明合理,说得通

above water 脱离困境的

back water 退缩;死气沉沉的状态;文化落后的地方

in low water 缺钱,经济拮据

in rough / troubled water 灾难深重

in smooth water 处于顺境中;日子好过

written in water (名声、成就)转眼即逝的,昙花一现的

limn on water 瞬刻即逝,徒劳无益

oil on troubled waters 调停纠纷,息事宁人

Waterfinds its (own) level. 水往低处流。

waters of forgetfulness 忘川 (俗传阴间有条河 , 饮其水则忘掉生前的一切 );忘记

get/wring waterfrom a flint 缘木求鱼

water under the bridge 逝者如斯夫

soup 浓雾

from soup to nuts 从头至尾,一应俱全

in the soup 处在困难中,有麻烦

soup and fish (男子)晚礼服

pea soup 无用的人

soup kitchen 施粥所,流动厨房

It's another cup of tea. 那是另一回事儿。

for all the tea in China 无论如何(都)

You are not my cup of tea. 你不是我的菜。 /你不是我喜欢的类型。

tea and sympathy 对不幸者的安慰和同情

teaed up 中大麻毒的,迷幻的,喝醉的

tea party 闹哄哄的争吵,骚动

tea service (一套)茶具

coffee morning (为筹款等而举行的)咖啡早茶会

coffee shop 小吃部

step on the juice 加快,促进

stew in one's own juice 自作自受

juiced 喝醉的

juicer 酒鬼,(舞台或摄影室)灯光师

juice joint 果汁摊,酒吧

milk and honey 丰饶

milk for babies 简易读物,粗浅的东西

the milk of human kindness 人类的恻隐之心或善良的天性

milk-and-water 无味的,缺乏生气的,软弱无力的

be in wine 喝醉

wine and dine 吃喝

take wine with… 与…相互祝酒

new wine in old bottles 旧瓶装新酒

beer skittles 吃喝玩乐,享受

beer belly/beer gut 大腹便便的人,大肚子

jam tomorrow 许而不与的好东西

real/pure jam 好东西,轻松活儿

money for jam/old rope 不用费力得来的利益,容易赚的钱

the pudding house 胃,肚子

pudding face 大胖脸

pudding-head 傻瓜

take a candy from a baby 抢娃娃的糖,指贪得无厌或轻而易举

candy ass 胆小鬼

candyfloss 棉花糖,华而不实的东西

candy striper 志愿当护士助手的小姑娘

sugar and honey

sugar candy 甜蜜的东西,令人愉快的事物

sugar report (尤指寄给士兵的)甜蜜情书

burn the midnight oil 开夜车,熬夜工作

break the ice 打破沉默

第六节 衣物配饰clothes

as black as one's hat 墨黑的

at the drop of a hat 立刻

bet one's hat 把自己的一切拿来赌

hang up one's hat (in another's house) (在别人家里)就留不去,长期居住

hat/cap in hand 卑躬屈膝的,十分恭敬的

knock into a cocked hat 把…打得不成样子,把…驳得体无完肤

out of hat 随意地,随便的

pass (round) the hat 募捐

raise/take off one's hat to… 向…脱帽致敬

talk through one's hat 吹牛,胡说八道

under one's hat 秘密地,不许对外人说地

old hat 过时的,陈腐的思想

all hat, no cattle 光说不练

hood 暴徒,大手,无赖,恶棍

a cap of maintenance 象征官职或地位的帽子

cap and bells (小丑的)系铃帽

fuddle one's cap 喝醉

put on one's thinking cap 动动脑筋

set one's cap for/at (女子)向(男子)挑逗,追求(男子)

The.cap.fits.. 言之有理。

to cap it all 更有甚者

capstone 顶点

cut one's coat according to one's cloth 随机应变,量入为出

dust sb.'s coat 殴打某人

trail one's coat 故意争吵,寻衅滋事

turn one's coat 叛变,变节

wear the king's/queen's coat 当兵

coattail (得人心的运动或候选人的)影响力,吸引力

pea coat/jacket 水手短外套

Pull down your jacket! 请镇定,别激动。

send in one's jacket 辞职

under the cloak of 在…的覆盖下

cloak-and-dagger 间谍的,描写间谍密探的

cloakroom 衣帽间,行李存放处,厕所

wear the gown 做律师,当教师

birthday suit 裸体

get sb.'s shirt off 惹怒某人

keep one's shirt on 保持冷静

give sb. a wet shirt 使某人累得汗流浃背

loose one's shirt 丧失全部财产

Near in my shirt, nearer in my skin. 完事总得首先考虑自己。

stripped to the shirt 只剩下最低限度的需要

a stuffed shirt 爱摆架子,显得神气十足的人

shirty 心情坏的

shirttail (报刊的)社论栏,(报纸文章后的)附注

ride sb.'s coattails 利用成功人士的关系达到目的,获得成功

a big girl's blouse 像女孩子一样胆小软弱的男人

be dressed up and nowhere to go 打扮得花枝招展却无处可去

dress circle (戏院等的)第一层楼厅的前排座位

dress parade 时装表演

give sb. a dressing down 狠狠训斥 /揍某人一顿

dressed to the nines 打扮得极其华丽,穿着很讲究

dressed to kill 打扮得漂亮入时令人倾倒,一般指穿着极其炫目的衣服吸引男士注意

shirtsleeve 直接的,非正式的,朴素的,不做作的

against the collar 顶着困难地,死劲地

hot under the collar 发怒的

slip the collar (狗)挣脱项圈,逃脱

collarbone 锁骨

hit the ties 沿铁路徒步旅行

play/shoot/run off a tie 平局后再赛以决胜负

tie breaker 决胜局,评分决赛

tie-in 搭配销售的,搭卖的

tie-up 捆住,牛棚,交通阻塞

tie one on 喝醉

black tie 黑领结,男子半正式的礼服

a card up in one's sleeve 袖子里的一张王牌,锦囊妙计,绝招

wear one's heart on one's sleeves 心直,十分坦率,感情容易激动

hang on sb.'s sleeve 完全依赖某人

have/keep sth. up (in) one's sleeve 暗中已有应急打算

laugh up one's sleeve 暗暗发笑,窃笑

roll up one's sleeves 准备行动或打架

sleeveless 徒然的,无益的

put it on the cuff 赊账

off the cuff 即兴而为

handle with kid gloves 小心对待,灵活处理

fitlikea glove (大小、形状)完全合适

an iron fist in a velvet glove 外柔内刚,口蜜腹剑

hand in glove 串通,勾结

throw down the gauntlet 提出挑战(中世纪骑士间挑战下战书的方式)

tighten one's belt 省吃俭用,忍饥挨饿

belt-tightening 紧缩开支

under one's belt 拥有,经历过

belt up 保持安静

below the belt 不公平

beltway 华盛顿特区,华府(常喻指其偏狭僵化)

belt and braces 双重保险

catch sb. with his trousers down 乘某人不备,使某人出乎意料

wear the trousers/pants (妇女)掌权当家

all talk and no trousers 只说大话空话,不去实践完成

bore the pants off sb. 使某人厌烦透顶

in long pants 成年的,成熟的

in short pants 未成年的,未成熟的

by the seat of one's pants 凭感觉,凭本能,凭经验

piss/shit one's pants 吓得屁滚尿流

scare/frighten the pants off sb. 把某人吓得魂不附体

with one's pants down 处于尴尬境地,处于不备情况

smarty pants 自作聪明的人

skirt around the issue 敲边鼓,没有切入正题

pull one's socks up 鼓起劲儿来,加紧努力

blow your socks off 喜出望外,太好了

bless one's little cotton socks 因某人的善行而表示感谢

sock away 储存(钱)

sock in (恶劣天气)使停飞,关闭(机场等)

put a sock in it 住嘴

sock it to sb. (用言语或行动)狠狠打击某人,给某人深刻的印象

in one's stockings 不穿鞋只穿袜的

stocking filler 圣诞礼物(尤指可塞入圣诞袜中的小礼物)

die in shoes (die with one's shoes/boots on) 暴死,横死

another pair of shoes 另一回事

fill/stepinto dead men’s shoes 继承死者的遗产或地位

fill one's shoes 就位

If the shoe fits, wearit. 如果批评的对,就接受吧。

in sb.'s shoes 处于某人的地位或境遇

lick sb.'s shoes/boots 巴结某人,向某人摇尾乞怜

put the shoe on the right foot 表扬该表扬者,责备该责备者

shake in one's shoes 怕得发抖

stand in the shoes of sb. 处在某人的境遇,取得某人的位置

step into sb.'s shoes 接替某人的职位,步某人后尘

The shoe is on the other foot. 位置完全颠倒。

wait for the dead man's shoes 等待别人死去以后继承遗产

where the shoe pinches 症结所在,困难或痛苦之处

only the wearer knows where the shoe pinches 当事者才知道其中的辛苦

shoestring 小额资本

have one's heart in one's boots (因害怕而)沮丧,绝望

jackboot 长筒靴,军事压迫,高压政策

be too big for one's boots 自高自大,妄自尊大

be your boots 有把握,必定

get the boots 被解雇

give sb. the boots 解雇某人

go to bed in one's boots 酩酊大醉

put the boot on the wrong leg 错爱,错怪

wipe one's boots on sb. 侮辱某人

boot camp 青少年劳役营

bootleg 走私

boots and all 尽一切努力(的),无所不用其极(的)

tough as old boots 顽固,强硬

get your skates on 快一点

live on a shoestring 日子过得紧巴巴的,过极节俭的生活

burn a hole in one's pocket 花钱如流水

in one's pocket 受人控制

line one's pocket 中饱私囊

live in each other's pockets 形影不离

tied to one's apron string 受某人支配,控制

as bright a a button 机灵活泼

wear sackcloth and ashes 有点负荆请罪的意思,公开表示忏悔

get the sack 被解雇

give somebody the bag 解雇某人

第七节 数字numbers

A-one 优秀的,头等的

one-horse town 乡村小镇,极小的,简陋的,次要的

number one 自己

to look after number one 自私,追求自己的利益

one good turn deserves another 善应有善报

at one 一致

in one 合为一体

one too many 多余的,不需要的

taking one with another 总的看来

one in a thousand 优秀的人(或事物)

first water 极端

the first degree 入狱

one-two 拳击中连击两次

two-time 对人不忠

in two twos 立刻

two-edged sword 双刃剑

Two of a trade never agree. 同行相轻。

when two Fridays come together 永远不

be in two minds about sth. 犹豫做某事

put two and two together 根据情况推测

lesser of the two evils 两害相权取其轻

that makes two of us 我同意

two's company (three's a crowd) 两人成伴,三人不欢

two sandwiches short of a picnic 不聪明

it takes two to tango 一个巴掌拍不响

two-way 双向的

two-to-two shop 当铺

not for a second 决不

three sheets in the wind 酩酊大醉

three-score 六十

three score and ten 古稀之年

three-bottle man 大酒徒

third dimension 真实感

the third degree 逼供,逮捕

third time lucky 第三次运气变好

four o'clock 紫茉莉或食蜜鸟

four hundred 名流,上层

four-letter words 粗俗的下流话

four-letter man 专喜使用粗俗的下流话的人

four-sale 廉价的啤酒,每品脱原来只卖四便士的啤酒

on all fours 四肢着地

foursquare 直率的;坦白的

in fours 每组四个

the four corners of the earth 世界各地

the Fourth 七月四号,即“美国独立纪念日”

fourth estate 报界,新闻界

five-finger 贼,类似汉语的“三只手”

five-star 很出色;第一流的;五星级的

five and ten 便宜的

bunchof fives 拳头

givesomebody five 击掌庆祝

the five wits 常识、想象、幻想、估量和记忆这五种功能,泛指人的智能

a fifth wheel 多余的人,备用轮

take the fifth 拒绝回答

the six-foot way 铁路(两条铁轨之间的距离为 six-foot)

six feet under 死亡

knock...for six 彻底打败……;完全打碎

the six Conties “北爱尔兰 ”的别名

the seven year itch 七年之痒

at seven-league 大踏步地

at sixes and sevens 乱七八糟

the sixth-four dollar question 最后的最困难的问题

be in seventh heaven 快乐无比

the seventh son of a seventh son 非常重要的后代

have one over the eight 稍醉

chasing eight and quarters 追逐名利

nine to five 周九晚五

a nine days' wonder 昙花一现

possession is nine points of the law 拥有者在诉讼中通常占上风

have nine lives 大难不死

on cloud nine 万分高兴

in the nine holes 处于困境

to the nines 完美

nine yards 竭尽全力

to the tens 打扮得极为华丽

ten out of ten 百分之百

ten a penny 很便宜

take ten 小憩

ten to one/nine times out of ten 很可能,十有八九

talk nineteen to the dozen 滔滔不绝

six of one and half a dozen of other 半斤八两差不多,两者都有错

baker's dozen 面包师的一打,指“十三个”,并不是平常说的“十二”

strike twelve 达到最高目标;获得最大成功

twenty times 很多次

twenty-twenty 视力正常的

have forty winks 白天打盹

forty to the dozen 急忙地;滔滔不绝地

Let's go fifty-fifty. AA制。

like sixty 很有力地,很快地

seventy times seven 很大的数目

ninety-nine times out of hundred 十之八九

hundred and hundred 长寿

feel like a million dollars 感觉非常好

never in a million years 绝对未有

the million 群众,老百姓

the billion 无边无际

have one's number 有某人的把柄

one's number comes up 交好运(如比赛中)

there's safety in numbers 人多比较安全(人多势众,人多力量大)

a cushy number 简单的工作;舒适的环境

public enemy number one 头号公敌

第八节 人名names

not to know someone from Adam 与某人素不相识

as dead as Queen Anne 早听腻了

big Bertha 肥胖的女人

Bob is your uncle. 不要紧,放心好了。

Charley horse 腿抽筋

to make a Charlie of someone 愚弄某人

private Dick 私家侦探

queer as Dick’s headband 奇怪的,不合时宜的

Don Juan 唐璜式的风流浪子

Fanny 屁股

By George! 天啊!用于惊叹

Let George do it. 把自己的任务推给别人

Mr. Grinch 扫兴的人

to have Hobson's choice 无选择余地

Homer sometimes nods 人非圣贤 ,孰能无过

dine with Duke Humphrey 没有饭吃,饿肚皮

Jack-of-all-trades 多面手,万事通

Jack of all trades and master of none 万事皆通而一无所长的人,三脚猫

every man Jack 每人,人人

Jack on/of both sides 模棱两可,两面派,骑墙派

Jack at a pinch 临时拉来帮忙 /凑数的人

ball the jack 孤注一掷

play the jack with sb. 欺骗(某人),开(某人)玩笑

before one can say Jack Robinson 马上 , 突然,一会儿

Jack among the maids 向女人献殷勤的男子

Jack in the water 码头打杂工

cheep Jack 卖廉价货物的小贩

Jack in office. 自命不凡的小官吏,官僚

Jack is as good as his master. 伙计不比老板差。

Yellow Jack 指医学上的“黄热病”

the Union Jack 英国国旗

Jack of straw 稻草人

Jacks 英镑

Jack the lad (青少年帮派中的)头号人物

Jack pot (彩票等的)头奖;意外的成功;(在冒险的事情中获得的)最大成功

make one's Jack 发财

jack 千斤顶

lumberjack 伐木工人

Jack-a-dandy 花花公子

John-a-dreamer 好做白日梦的家伙

jack-in-the-box 玩偶匣(揭盖即有玩偶跳起)

jack-o'-lantern 磷火,杰克灯笼

I'm all right, Jack. 老兄,我挺好的。

Jack someone around 误导某人

Jack loves a fight. 当水手的爱打架。

on one's Jack/on one's Jack Jones 独自,自个儿

Jack out of doors 无家可归的流浪汉

Every Jack has his Jill. 人各有偶。

A good Jack makes a good Jill. 夫善则妻贤。

Jack and Jill 少男少女

plain Jane 泛指其貌不扬的少女

John 厕所,洗手间

big John 新兵

honest John 诚实的人

square John 诚实可靠的人,奉公守法的人

Dear John letter 绝交信,绝情信

John Bull 约翰牛,英国佬

John Bullism 英国精神,英国习气或英国人的典型性格

John Bullist 常指英国迷

John Citizen/John Q. public 普通人,普通公民

John Doe 普通人

John Hancock 亲笔签名

a Johnny-on-the-spot 机灵的人

Johnny in the middle 看问题比当事人清楚的旁观者

Johnny Raw 生手;新兵

Johnny one note 五音不全的人,也指思想狭隘看问题片面的人

Brother Jonathan 乔纳森大哥,指美国、美国政府或典型的美国人

Joe 典型,代表

a cup of Joe 一杯咖啡

an average Joe 平常人

Joe Miller 陈腐的笑话,老掉牙的笑话

No way, Jose. 绝对不!没门!

keep up with the Joneses 与左邻右舍斗富

Joseph's coat 多色外衣

jeez Louise 表示惊讶,啊呀

lazy as Ludlam's dog 极其懒惰

the real McCoy 真货

have the Midas touch 有生财的技能或运气

Saint Nicholas/Nick 圣诞老人

Blue Peter 出航旗

rob Peter to pay Paul 借东还西,拆东墙补西墙

in a Pickwickian sense 表面上侮辱而实际上是无伤大雅的玩笑,隐晦的含义

like a Rip van Winkle 跟不上时代的人

Robin Hood policies 劫富济贫的政策

Roger (空军中通话完毕后都要喊一声)收到

Uncle Sam 山姆大叔,指美国

a Simon Legree 冷酷无情的老板、上司、老师等

gunsmith 军械工人

black smith 铁匠

silversmith 银匠

white smith 锡匠

even Steven 平均的史蒂芬,指双方势均力敌,平分秋色

lazy Susan 指圆形的旋转盘,中国餐厅圆桌中间的圆形的旋转盘

peeping Tom 偷窥者

blind Tom 捉迷藏

Tom fool 大傻瓜

old Tom 烈性杜松子酒

Uncle Tom 逆来顺受的人

Uncle Tom Cobbleigh and all 所有的人

Tom, Dick and Harry 张三李四,泛指每一个人

第九节 国家地方countries & places

American beauty 月季

American cloth 彩色防水布

American Dream 人人自由,机会均等

American plan 食宿一费制

Chinaberry 楝树

Chinese cabbage 大白菜

Chinese checkers 跳棋

Chinese copy 与原物一模一样的复制品,高仿

Chinese dragon 麒麟

China ink 墨汁

China grass 苎麻

Chinese puzzle 难解之谜,棘手的事情

China/Chinese rose 月季花

Chinese red 朱红色,橘红色

Chinese wall = the Great Wall 长城;不可逾越的障碍

from China to Peru 从中国到秘鲁,从世界的这一边到世界的那一边,远隔重洋

Dutch act 自杀

Dutch bargain 不公平交易

Dutch courage 酒后之勇,逞一时之勇

Dutch uncle 唠唠叨叨,动辄就要训斥人的一类人

Dutch door 杂志中的散页广告

Dutch wife 竹、藤睡具

go Dutch/Dutch treat/Dutch date 各人自己付钱,AA制 (Acting Appointment/all apart)

double Dutch 莫名其妙的话

spoil the Egyptians 夺取敌人的财物

English horn 法国双簧管

English disease 软骨病

take French leave 不告而别

French letter 避孕套

French fries 炸薯条

French kiss 法式香吻

French window (有浪漫复古气息的)落地窗

French grey 浅灰色

Pardon/Excuse my French 别怪我骂人 /讲粗话,别怪我这样做

German measles 风疹

Greek meets Greek 棋逢对手,两雄相遇

When Greek meets Greek, then comes the tug of war. 两雄相争,其斗必烈。

the two eyes of Greece 希腊古代的两座城市 “雅典 ”和 “斯巴达 ”

Italian iron 圆筒形熨斗

Indian meal 玉米粉

Indian shot 美人蕉

India paper 印刷纸

Indian rubble 橡胶

Indian summer 小阳春,秋老虎,兴旺时期(尤指一生中较晚时期)

Indian weed 烟草

Irish bull 自相矛盾的说法

Irish potato 马铃薯

Jordan almond 杏仁

Mexican bean beetle 瓢虫

Perucian bark 金鸡纳树皮

to fiddle while Rome burns. 事情都火烧眉头了,还抓些无关痛痒的细枝末节

Do in Rome as Romans do. 入乡随俗。

Russian blue 淡蓝

Russian boot 长筒靴

Russia dressing 蛋黄酱

Russian olive 沙枣

It's all Greek to me. 一窍不通,全然不懂。

castles in Spain 空中楼阁,想入非非的计划

Scotch broth 牛肉蔬菜汤

Scotch collops 洋葱肉片

Scotch cousin 远亲

Scotch marriage 私奔的婚姻

Spanish-athlete 胡说的人

Swiss roll 面包卷

Swiss cheese 一种硬干酪

Turkish bath 蒸汽浴

Turkish delight 橡皮糖,软糖

Turkish paste 拌砂软糖

to meet Waterloo 倒霉,受毁灭性打击,灭顶之灾

set the Thames on fire 对某事只是夸下海口,而不是真正想去做

carry coals to Newcastle 多此一举

come Yorkshire over sb. 欺瞒某人,以计欺人

grin like a Cheshire cat 咧着嘴笑

send sb. to Conventry 被切断与外界的联系,被排挤

talk Billing's gate/ billingsgate 满口污言秽语

true as Ripon steel 货真价实,质量可靠

第十节 运动sports

against the ropes 濒于失败,濒于被击败,濒临精疲力竭

a long-shot 那些不太可能的事,毫无根据的猜测,想克服很大的困难等

ballpark figure 估计数

be a hit 取悦某人,受他人欢迎的成功

be out for the count 被打败,酣睡,筋疲力尽

behind the eight-ball 危险的境地

bench 撤下某人,中断某人的参与

bowl somebody over 令人惊讶或使人极为兴奋

break loose 摆脱

break the record 打破纪录

break through 突破

catch as catch can 不择手段地,没有限制地

cut no ice 不起作用,没有影响

corner ball / corner 角球

dark horse 黑马,出人意料地偶然获胜的人

disqualification 取消比赛资格

doping test 药检

down and out 失败,筋疲力尽,贫困潦倒,落魄

down to the wire 在最后时刻完成某事

draw 平局

draw / sortition 抽签

eighth-final 八分之一决赛

elimination match 淘汰赛

end run 避开正常的程序和当局

extra time 加时赛

fall guy 容易上当的人,替罪羊,替死鬼

final match 决赛

football widow 指一个妻子由于丈夫只顾看球赛而感到好像没有丈夫一样

full court press 全面出击,巨大的压力或努力

give and take plate 公平交换,互谅互让

half-time interval 中场休息

hat trick 绝技,巧妙一招,足球等比赛中的帽子戏法

high five 举手击掌,表示胜利的手势

hit/be below the belt 暗箭伤人

horse around 浪费时间,粗枝大叶

horses for courses 某个工作只有某种技能的人做才能做好

huddle 聚集一起商议

injury time 伤停补时

in the long run 长远来看,最终地,终极地

jump the gun 过早行动,提前行动,抢先

keep the ball rolling 使活动、说话等不中断

kick-off 开球

kick-out 踢出界

knock the spots off something/someone 远远胜过某物或某人

match ban 禁赛命令

Monday-morning quarterback 事后诸葛亮

neck and neck 比赛双方齐头并进,不分上下

on a sticky wicket 处境不利或处于不利地位

one up on someone 胜人一筹,占上风

on the ball 有见识的,有能力的,留心的

on one's toes 警觉的,准备行动的

one-sided game 一边倒的比赛

off base 不现实,不确切,错误的

offside 越位

out of leftfield 不相关,出乎意料

penalty area 禁区(罚球区)

play ball 与某人合作

play for safety 稳扎稳打

preliminary match 预赛

pull his punches 有意不尽力地打,故意不猛烈批评,谨慎地行动,委婉地讲话

pull one's punches 不猛烈批评

quarterfinal 四分之一决赛

ranking 排名(名次)

red card 红牌

round robin 循环赛

saved by the bell 指在最后关头得以幸免、解围

second to none 第一

set a wall 筑人墙

semi-final 半决赛

send a player off 判罚出场

slam dunk 有眼力,做事果断,做事干练

sporting chance 相当大的可能性

step up to the plate 采取行动,承担责任

stick one's chin out 冒风险,招麻烦

straight from the shoulder 直截了当的,不客气的

strike out 失败

take something on the chin 挨揍,勇敢地接受惩罚或痛苦

technical foul 技术犯规

the ball is in someone's court 某人得做出反应或采取行动

the way the ball bounces 命里注定,不可避免性,命运

throw in the towel 撒手不干,放弃

throw a curve ball 戏弄或使人惊讶;提及出人意料的事

throw in/up the sponge/towel 承认失败或放弃

throw/toss one's hat in the ring 宣布加入战斗或竞选或竞赛

underdog 一个没有什么希望获胜的选手

whole new ball game 完全不同的情况

win hands down 轻易获胜,毫不费力地赢

yellow card 黄牌

Ⅲ真题举隅

(对外经济贸易大学 2007年硕士研究生入学考试:基础英语)

Section One

In this section, there are 10 sentences with idiomatic usages. Fill in the gap of each sentence with an appropriate word. The first letter of the word is given as a hint. (10 points)

1. There is no (l) lost between Tom and Mary—they still dislike each other.

2. Lots of companies got (h) on the idea of contracting out. They feel enthusiastic about letting outside personnel and organizations do part of their routine work.

3. I'm not (h) some secret grudge against my boss.

4. The fact that people find change difficult is taken as (g).

5. The future of the company (h) in the balance, no one can predict with certainty what will happen.

6. The show has been playing to (p) audiences since it opened.

7. After the boat's motor failed, they were at the (m) of the weather.

8. It's only a trifle, but he's trying to make a mountain out of a (m).

9. The old man has no children of his own, so his property will, be left to his next of (k).

10. The team needs some encouragement to win the game, so the captain gave the players a (p) talk.

解析:解答此题需要日积月累,考生可以在平时多注意积累谚语、俗语和固定词组的用法。

1. loathe 根据后半句“still dislike”和前半句“lost”可以判断,这里应填入一个和“dislike”意思相同的名词,所以填“loathe”。

2. hooked 本句意思是“许多公司一心想把工程外包”。“get hooked”意思是“迷上(某事物); 完全陷于(某事物)之中”例如:She's completely hooked on the idea of a camping holiday.(她一心想着来个野营度假。)与下句中 “feel enthusiastic about”同义。

3. harboring “harbor a grudge against sb.”意为“对某人心怀怨恨”。

4. granted “take sth. for granted”意思是“想当然,认为是理所当然”。

5. hangs “hang in the balance”意为“悬而未决,无法确定”。

6. please “please the audience”意为“让观众满意,取悦观众”。

7. mercy “at the mercy of”意为“任凭…摆布”。

8. molehill “make a mountain out of a molehill”意为“小题大做”。

9. kin “next of kin”意为“近亲”。

10. prompting “a prompting talk”意为“激励性的谈话”。

Section Two

In this section, you will read 10 sentences with idiomatic expressions underlined. Explain in your own words what these expressions mean. (10 points)

1. The father of the house is killing the fatted calf in anticipation of his son.

2. This old man is wearing sackcloth and ashes after the sad event.

3. There has been a sea change in people's attitude towards sex over the last decade.

4. His hat has seen better days but he won't buy a new one.

5. The fragile man seems to be a ghost of his former self .

6. Further economic decline set in during the 1930s.

7. I don't think the plan is as cut and dried as people think.

8. The dilapidated factory is an eyesore amid the new villas for the wealthy.

9. This young man is too puffed up with his clout.

10. Chris' success is all down to his wife, at least she thinks so.

解析:此题若想取得高分,考生平时学习时应注意积累同一单词、词组的不同含义以及根据上下文猜词义的能力,同时,要锻炼用尽量简短的语言清楚地表达词组的含义。

1. is very pleased/excited (joyfully celebrate sb's return or arrival)

【译文】父亲兴奋地期待着儿子的归来。

2. regretfully low-spirited

【译文】那件不幸的事情发生后,这位老人情绪一直都很低落。

3. a complete transformation

【译文】在过去的十年里人们对于性的看法发生了翻天覆地的变化。

4. is worn and out of fashion

【译文】他的帽子又破又旧,但他还是不肯买新的。

5. more fragile than before

【译文】这个男人越发虚弱了。

6. started

【译文】20世纪 30年代,经济危机进一步加剧。

7. completely decided/ prearranged /settled

【译文】人们以为这计划已经万事俱备了,可我不这么看。

8. ugly sight

【译文】这破旧的工厂在为富人的新建别墅群中显得格外刺眼。

9. self-important/arrogant

【译文】这个年轻人对于自己的力量过分自信了,甚至于变得傲慢了。

10. attributed to

【译文】克里斯的成功全是他妻子的功劳。至少他妻子是这么想的。

(对外经济贸易大学 2008年硕士研究生入学考试:基础英语)

Section One (10 points, 1 point each)

In this section, there are 10 sentences with idiomatic usages. Fill in the gap of each sentence with an appropriate word. The first letter of the word is given as a hint.

1. To h______ around is to spend time somewhere doing nothing.

2. To hide your light under a b______ is not to tell anyone that you are good at something.

3. To leave no s______ unturned is to do everything you can in order to find something or to solve a problem.

4. “There is no t______” means there is no way to know what will happen in a certain situation.

5. To have a heart of g______ means to have a very kind character.

6. When you accept criticism or punishment for something you have done, you can say “to face the m______ .”

7. Nigel always won h______ down in any competition. (very easily)

8. If someone raises his/her e______ , he/she is very much surprised or shows disapproval.

9. To be hard upon someone's h______ is to follow him/her closely.

10. If someone is ill at e______ , they are nervous, uncomfortable or embarrassed.

解析:解答此题需要日积月累,考生可以在平时多注意积累谚语、俗语和固定词组的用法。

1. hang “to hang around”闲荡,悠闲地消磨时间。

2. bushel “hide one's light under a bushel”不露锋芒,低调谦虚。

3. stone “to leave no stone turned”千方百计,想尽办法。

4. telling “There is no telling”无法预料,难以知道。

5. gold “a heart of gold”道德高尚的人。

6. music “face the music”勇于承担后果。

7. hands “hands down”非常容易地,轻而易举地。

8. eyebrow “to raise one's eyebrow”瞠目结舌,吃惊的。

9. heels “upon/on/at sb's heels”紧紧跟在某人后面。

10. ease “be ill at ease”感到不安,不自在。

Section Two (10 points, 1 point each)

In this section, you will read 10 sentences with idiomatic expressions underlined. Explain in your own words what these expressions mean.

1. For a moment, I was completely taken aback by her request.

2. It seems that the deal was made behind closed doors .

3. A little more glue should do the job .

4. Jack was kicked upstairs when he refused to carry out the orders from his higher-ups.

5. His resignation left a lot of work hanging in the air .

6. He always wanted to be the top dog , so he offended many people.

7. None of her books lends itself to being made into a film.

8. We humans came by our hungry brains in a long process of evolution.

9. Listening to ghost stories made my flesh creep .

10. This teacher likes to blow his own trumpet in class.

解析:此题若想取得高分,考生平时学习时应注意积累同一单词、词组的不同含义以及根据上下文猜词义的能力,同时,要锻炼用尽量简短的语言清楚地表达词组的含义。

1. surprised/shocked

【译文】她的请求一度让我震惊。

2. secretly

【译文】这笔买卖似乎是暗地里进行的。

3. work

【译文】胶水再多点就行了。

4. promoted to a higher yet less desirable position

【译文】因为杰克拒绝执行上司的命令,所以并没有得到期望的升迁。

5. undecided

【译文】他一退休,留下一堆悬而未决的工作。

6. the most powerful person

【译文】他一直想当一把手,因此冒犯了很多人。

7. is suitable for

【译文】她的书没一本适合做剧本拍电影。

8. had obtained by effort

【译文】在漫长的进化过程中,我们人类在不断努力获得知识补充大脑。

9. made us feel afraid and disgusted

【译文】听鬼故事让我毛骨悚然。

10. to boast about himself

【译文】这位老师喜欢在课堂上吹牛。

Ⅳ高分练习

1. You demoralize ______ (女性) by warbling your sentimental love and constancy under all sorts of vile treatment. (The Mill on the Floss by Eliot , George)

2. We were told ______ (确定无疑地) that we were not welcome at their house.

3. This is ______ (毫无疑问的) the best film I have seen all year.

4. The restaurant has constantly kept ______ (与时俱进 ) and caters for the most up-to-date tastes in art.

5. The mall has sports and shoe and clothing stores and, 5. The mall has sports and shoe and clothing stores and, (最后一个但绝不是不重要的一个 ),plenty of terrific places to eat.

6. The wicked shrew was determined to get rid of the girl, ______ ( 不择手段地 ) and kept saying to

her father:‘Send her away, old man; send her away— anywhere so that my eyes shan't be plagued any longer by the sight of her, or my ears tormented by the sound of her voice.' (The Yellow Fairy Book by Lang, Andrew)

7. Small things would make her happy; one harsh word would send her into ______ .(绝望的深渊 )

8. She has a couple of thousand pounds kept aside which she's ______ .(以备不测 )

9. Really good experienced singers are ______ (物有所值的) to the choir.

10.On my first day, I earned $190, and I was ______ . (兴高采烈)

11. The fact that she needed the money for her children is ______ (无关紧要)—it's still stealing.

12. Jones endured ______ (艰难困苦 ) of being a single mother.

13. I have paid little attention to Edison for years, I have to confess to myself, and I had been ______ . (有眼不识泰山 )

14.After floods and a drought, what else can ______ (大自然) do to us?

15. A new minister, and moreover a minister with a wife, was a lawful object of curiosity in a quiet little country settlement where sensations were ______ (稀缺的) (Anne of Green Gables by Montgom- ery, Lucy Maud)

16. Gerry hit Ross. Then Ross hit Gerry, and it was ______ .(针尖对麦芒)

17.He finally ______ (开始) on their plans to build a new house.

18. Captain Oates made ______ (生命代价) in a bid to save his colleagues.

19. Although he works very hard in his small business he has been unable to ______ (使成功) it and may soon go out of business.

20. Also, he explained that there were many accidents in the mills, and that the company's policy was to fight ______ (拼到底) all consequent damage suits. (The Iron Heel by London, Jack)

21. Don't talk that way, ______ (改过自新,重新开始) and begin again, Teddy, my son. (Little Women by Alcott, Louisa May)

22. She was put in charge ______ (高龄).

23. Be it a race must rise or fall, succeed or fail, and ______ (归根到底) mere sentiment counts for little. (Up From Slavery by Washington, Booker T.)

24. By a very strange instance of ______ (命运的捉弄), it was on Twala's own couch, and wrapped in Twala's own particular karross, that Sir Henry, the man who had slain him, slept that night. (King Solomon's Mines by Haggard, Rider H.)

25. That was a remarkably dramatic scene, because ______ (期待的痛苦) was prolonged forever while Magua struggled to get his footing and hang onto that crummy little twig.

26. Government is making ______ (慢但有把握) success in generating jobs, providing homes.

Ⅴ 典故 allusions

接下来,我们专门就来源于《圣经》和古希腊罗马神话中的一些典故进行总结。

第一节 《圣经》the Holy Bible

Aaron's rod/serpent

亚伦的手杖 /蛇;制服一切的权力

in Abraham's bosom

同死去的祖先一道安息,死

Absalom's hair

押沙龙的头发;特长反带来致命伤

Adam's ribs

亚当的肋骨;女人

Adam's Apple

喉结

since Adam was a boy

老早,自古

as old as Adam

很久以前

the old Adam

人类犯罪的本性

Adam's profession

园艺业,农业

alpha and omega

首尾;始终;全部;主要成分

angel Gabriel

天使加百利,报喜天使

the apple of one's eye

掌上明珠,心爱之物

apple of Sodom/Dead Sea apple

金玉其外败絮其中,虚有其表的事物

tower of Babel

空中楼阁,空想

Benjamin's mess

最大的份额

bitter cup

苦杯,苦难,痛苦的命运

Bone ofthe bone and fleshof the flesh.

骨中之骨,肉中之肉。喻血缘上的亲属关系或思想上的团结一致

brand from the burning

从火中抽出的一根柴,因忏悔而得救的人,劫后余生

break bread

共餐

breath of life

生命,活气,须臾不可离的东西

A broken spirit dries the bones.

忧能伤人。

a broken reed

不可靠的人

build on sand

基础不牢

the mark of Cain

玷污的名声

Care killed a cat.

忧虑伤身。

cast pearls before the swine

对牛弹琴,向驴说经,一番好意给狗吃,狗咬吕洞宾,不识好人心,白费好意

corn in Egypt

大量的食物,格外丰饶,(意料不到的)多

crown of thorns

麒麟花,荆棘王冠,巨大的难以承受的痛苦

from Dan to Beersheba

从(国家的)这一端到那一端,天南海北

a daughter of Eve

女人

A donkey does not bray when it has grass.

有草驴不叫,有冤才鸣,不平则鸣

Egyptian darkness

完全黑暗

spoil Egyptians

掠夺埃及,迫使敌人提供自己所需要的东西

at the eleventh hour

在最后时刻刚刚赶上,尚来得及的最后时刻

exodus

大批的离去

ewe lamb

最珍爱的东西

feet of clay

泥足,致命的弱点

fall from grace

失去天恩,堕落

father of lies

撒谎之父,恶魔

fig leaf

遮羞布

filthy lucre

不义之财,臭钱

fingerofGod

神力,神工

gall and wormwood

菌陈和苦胆;令人憎恶的东西

gifts of Magi

最珍贵的礼物

Golgotha

(地名 )各各他,基督被钉死之地(位于耶路撒冷附近),受难的场所,墓地

Goliath

庞大的人或物

out-heroded Herod

比希律王更残暴,残暴

hole and corner

偷偷摸摸

not an iota of

没有一点点,丝毫也不

the new Jerusalem

新耶路撒冷,理想的境地

the patience of Job

极大的忍耐性

as poor as Job

穷得和约伯一样,一贫如洗

Job's comforter

增加对方痛苦的安慰者

Job's news

噩耗

Job's post

传噩耗的人

Jonah

扫把星

Juda's kiss

犹大之吻,口蜜腹剑

keep the good wine till now

把好酒留置今日,晚年幸福

kill the fatted calf

热情款待

Land of Nod

睡梦之乡

land of promise/promised land/land of covenant

乐土;希望之乡

lie with one's fathers

lost sheep

迷途的羔羊

as proud as Lucifer

目空一切,狂妄自大

curious as Lot's wife

过分好奇

lounge

休息室,闲逛,躺椅,酒吧间,懒洋洋地躺卧,虚度光阴

man out of blood/bloody man

杀人成性的人

a man of sorrows

忧患之子(指耶稣)

make bricks without straw

巧妇难为无米之炊 , 干劳而无功的事

narrow gate/ way

窄门,正路,正直

not one jot or tittle

根本没有,一点也不

olive branch

橄榄枝,和平的象征,小孩

one flesh

一体,一心一德

one's cup runs over

幸福极了

for Pete's sake

哎呀,天哪,看在上帝面上;千万;务必

plough with another's heifer

用他人的母牛犁地;走内线或通过不正当途径获利

potter'sfield

出卖了耶稣的加略人犹大的埋葬之地,贫民 (或无亲人者 )的墓地,公共墓地,陶人之田

prodigal son

回头浪子,悔改的罪人

put one's hand to the plough

唾手可得

quenchthe smoking flax

吹灭将残的灯火,中断本来有希望的事

return to one's vomit

重犯错误,故态复萌

rise from the ashes

从灰烬中升起;东山再起

the salt of the Earth

社会中坚,民族精华,优秀分子

good Samaritan

慈善的撒马利亚人,对苦难者给予同情帮助的好心人,心地善良乐于助人的人

sell one's birthright for a mess of pottages

为了一碗红豆汤而出卖了长子继承权,因小失大,见利弃义

separate the sheep from the goats

区别好坏,分清良莠

by the skin of one's teeth

刚好,仅,勉强

Sodom and Gomorrah

罪大恶极,罪恶根源

as wise as Solomon

极有智慧

doubting Thomas

生性好疑的人

under one's own vine and fig-tree

安于故土

vinegar upon nitre

碱上倒醋,伤口上撒盐

wear the willow

痛悼,哀悼

white sepulcher

伪君子

a widow's cruse

聚宝盆,貌似有限但取之不竭的财源

a wolf in sheep's clothing

披着羊皮的狼;貌善心恶的人

the writing/ (Babylonian) finger on the.wall.

灾祸将临的预兆,不祥的预兆

第二节 古希腊罗马神话mythology

under the aegis of

在…庇护或保护之下,由…主办或发起

Achilles' heel

阿基里斯的脚踵,唯一弱点,薄弱环节,要害

Achilles' spear

能伤人又能救人的事物

adonis flower

红玫瑰

Amalthea's horn / horn of plenty

丰饶角,丰饶的象征

music of Amphion

安菲翁的音乐,声动顽石的音乐

anemone

银莲花

strength of Anteaus

安泰的力气,安泰的力量,体力恢复,精神饱满

an apple of discord

争斗之源;不和之因;祸根

be an Artemis/Diana

终身独处,终身不嫁

atlas

地图集,身负重担的人

the Augean stable(s)

奥吉亚斯的牛圈,肮脏 (的地方 ),藏垢纳秽之所,腐败 (的地方 ),积弊

cleanse the Augean stable(s)

打扫奥吉亚斯的牛棚,清除污垢,彻底清除积弊

Cadmean victory

付出惨重代价的胜利

between cup and lip

在将成未成之际

the sword of Damocles/ hang by a hair (thread)

达摩克利斯之剑,大祸临头,千钧一发,岌岌可危,摇摇欲坠

Damon and Pythias

莫逆之交,刎颈之交,生死朋友

cask of Danaides

无底洞

Daphne

月桂树

cut a dido

恶作剧;胡闹

sow dragon's teeth

播下不和或毁灭的种子

echo

回声,反响,重复

Electra complex

与 Oedipus complex相对,恋父情结

the Golden Fleece

金羊毛,稀世珍宝,财富,冒险和不屈不挠的意志,理想和对幸福的追求

Greek Gift(s)

希腊人的礼物,阴谋害人的礼物;黄鼠狼拜年,不安好心

Greek kalends/calends

永远不

the Gordian knot

难以解决的问题

cut the Gordian knot

切断戈尔迪之结,断然地解决棘手的问题,快刀斩乱麻,大刀阔斧,果断处置

halcyon days

太平岁月,美好时光

Harmonia's necklace

不祥之物,祸根

Helen of Troy

特洛伊的海伦,倾国倾城,红颜祸水

Hercules' choice

赫拉克勒斯的选择,宁可吃苦,不愿享乐,永存,不朽

Herculean labour / task (a herculean task)

异常艰巨的任务

Hermes'fire

赫尔墨斯的火光,商船的桅头电光

Hero and Leander

万古情痴

high flyer

抱负极高的人;自命不凡的人

Homeric laughter

纵情大笑,哄堂大笑

Ilium

伊利昂,是特洛伊 Troy的曾用名

Ixion's wheel

永久的惩罚,无尽的折磨

rest/sit on one's laurels

故步自封,吃老本

win/gain/reap (one's) Laurels

获得荣誉,赢得声望

lotus eater

安逸度日者

lotus land

安逸乡,安逸

Medusa

美杜莎,长有蛇发、眼睛石化人的女妖

swift as Mercury

快如墨丘利,神速

Mercury fig

墨丘利的无花果,处女作

Midas touch

赚大钱的本领,事事处处能赚钱的本领

in the arms of Morpheus

在梦乡,在酣睡

narcissus

水仙花,自恋

Nessus' Shirt

使人致命的礼物

Odysseus

奥德修斯 (在特洛伊战中献木马计 )

odyssey

漫长而又艰难的浪游历险

Oedipus complex

俄狄浦斯情结,恋母情结

Pandora's Box

潘多拉的盒子,万恶之源,造成极大混乱

heap/ pile Pelion on Ossa

难上加难,高了又高

Penelope

贞妇

web of Penelope

珀涅罗珀的织物,故意拖延的策略;永远做不完的工作

with a Penelope faith

坚贞不渝

Philemon and Baucis

恩爱夫妻,生死与共的夫妇

Pierian spring

比埃里亚泉水,产生诗歌灵感的源泉,知识的源泉

Procrustean bed

削足适履,截趾穿鞋,使穿小鞋,逼人就范之物,讲求一致的制度或政策等

Promethean fire

普罗米修斯之火,为崇高目的而斗争的精神,永不熄灭的创造热情,生命之火

the Pygmalion Effect

当对某件事怀着强烈的期望时,期望的事情就能够实现

requisition from Semele

塞墨勒的要求,过分苛求

under the rose

在玫瑰花底下,私下的,秘密的

Sarpedon's age

长寿

between Scylla and Charybdis

在两个同样危险的事物之间,腹背受敌,进退两难

seven against Thebe

七雄攻忒拜,激烈的战斗 , 惊心动魄的战争

Sisyphus stone /labour of Sisyphus

西西弗斯的苦役,永无休止的苦工

Siren song

塞壬的歌声,迷人的甜言蜜语,迷魂汤

Sphinx's riddle

斯芬克斯之谜,难解之谜

voice of Stentor

斯腾托尔的嗓子,大嗓门

cross the Styx

死亡

suspicion of Procris

普洛克里斯的猜疑,无谓的猜疑

Swan Song

天鹅之歌,作家 /作曲家临终前的一部杰作,或者是某个演员 /歌唱家的最后一次表演

syrinx

潘神箫,排箫

with the ambition of Theseus

提修斯的抱负,雄心壮志

Trojan War

特洛伊战争

like a Trojan

勤奋地,勇敢地

the Trojan horse

特洛伊木马,木马计,暗藏的危险,奸细,(潜藏内部的)颠覆分子

true as Troilus

像特洛伊罗斯一样忠诚

true-lover's knots

恋人之结

the web of life

命运,错综复杂的人生

wheel of fortune

命运,人生的变迁

Ⅵ谚语proverbs

以下部分是一些脍炙人口的谚语,希望能对同学们的学习有所帮助。

Absence makes the heart grow founder.

久别情深。

Action speaks louder than words.

事实胜于雄辩。

Accidents will happen in the best regulated families.

家规再严,事端难免。

After a storm comes a calm.

风暴之后是宁静。

After rain comes fair weather.

雨过天晴。 /否极泰来。

All good things must come to an end.

天下没有不散的筵席。 /好景不长。

All his geese are swans.

他老是言过其实。

All's his fish that comes to his net.

来者不拒。

All shall be well, and Jack shall have Jill.

有情人终成眷属。

All's well that ends well.

结果好就是一切好。

All that glitters is not gold. / All is not gold that glitters.

发光的东西不一定总是金子。

All things are difficult before they are easy.

万事开头难。

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

只工作不玩耍,聪明孩子也变傻。

All your swans are geese.

牛皮吹破。 / 希望成为泡影。

Always prepare for a rainy day.

未雨绸缪。

Amongthe blind the one-eyed man is King.

山中无老虎,猴子称霸王。

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

苹果落地,离树不远。 / 有其父必有其子。

As the tree, so the fruit.

什么树结什么果。

As you sow, so shall you reap. / As a man sows, so he shall reap.

种瓜得瓜,种豆得豆。

A bad workman always blames his tool.

劣工咎器。 / 拙匠常怪工具差。

Beauty is but skin-deep.

外表美是肤浅短暂的。

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

观者觉得美就是美。 / 情人眼里出西施。

Beggars can't be choosers.

饥不择食。

A beggar's purse is bottomless.

乞丐的口袋填不满。

The best fish are/swim nearthe bottom.

好鱼居水底。 /有价值的东西不能轻易得到。

The best fish smellwhen they are three days old.

久住招人嫌。

Better be the head of an ass than the tail of a horse.

宁为鸡首,不为牛后。

Better late than never.

迟做总比不做好。

Better safe than sorry.

采取预防措施以免倒大霉。 / 预防胜于后悔。

Better to light one little candle than to curse the darkness.

与其诅咒黑暗不如点上蜡烛。

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

双鸟在林不如一鸟在手。

Birds of a featherflock together.

物以类聚,人以群分。

Bitter pills may have wholesome effects.

良药苦口。

Blood is thicker than water.

血浓于水。

Brevity is the soul of wit.

言贵简洁。

Aburnt child fears/dreadsthe fire.

一朝被蛇咬,十年怕井绳。

Butter to butter is no relish.

千篇一律令人生厌。

By their fruits shall ye know them.

看树看果实,看人看作为。

Carry coals to Newcastle.

(向煤区运煤 )多此一举,徒劳无功。

A cat has nine lives.

猫有九命。

Acat may look atthe King.

猫也有权看国王。 / 小人物也该有些权利。

A/The chain is no stronger than its weakest link.

一着不慎,满盘皆输。

Charity begins at home.

施舍先及亲友。

The child is father of/to the man.

三岁看到老。

Claw me and I'll claw thee.

你帮我,我帮你。 / 投之以桃报之以李。

Aclosemouth catches noflies.

口紧不招祸。

The cobbler should stick to his last.

各守各业,各安本分。

Coming events cast their shadows before.

未来之事先有征兆。

Curiosity killed a/the cat.

好奇害死猫。

The darkest hour is nearest the dawn. / The darkest hour is that before the dawn.

黎明之前最黑暗。 / 接近成功时最艰苦。

The darkest place is under the candlestick.

灯台照人不照己。 /当局者迷。

The devil can cite the Scripture for his own purpose.

魔鬼也会援引《圣经》为自己辩护。

Discretion is the better part of valor.

谨慎即大勇。

Do not halloo until you are out of the woods.

未出险境,先别高兴。

Don't bite off more than you can chew.

贪多嚼不烂。 / 别自不量力。

Don't change horses in midstream.

行到河中不换马。 / 紧要关头不做大的变动。

Don't/Never cross a bridge till/until you come to it.

船到桥头自然直。

Don't count your chickens before they are hatched.

不要指望得过早。

Don't kill the goose that laid the golden eggs.

切莫杀鸡取卵。

Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

切莫孤注一掷。

Don't take any wooden nickels.

(告别时用语 )多加小心,别上当受骗。

Don't try to run before you can walk.

在学会走路前别试图奔跑。

Don't waitforarainyto fix the roof.

不要等到下雨天才去修补屋顶。

Drops of water outwear the stone.

水滴石穿。

The early bird catches the worm.

早起的鸟儿有虫吃。

Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.

早睡早起使你健康、富有、聪明。

Easier said than done.

说起来容易做起来难。

Easy come, easy go.

(钱财等 )来得容易去得也快。

The end justifies/sanctifies the means.

只要目的正当,可以不择手段。

Enough is as good as a feast.

知足常乐。

Enough is enough.

适可而止。

Every bean has its black.

凡人各有其短处。

Every cloud has a silver lining.

塞翁失马,焉知非福。

Every dog has its day.

凡人皆有得意日。

Every Jack has his Jill.

人各有偶。

Every little makes.

积少成多。 / 聚沙成塔。

Every man has a fool in his sleeve.

聪明一世糊涂一时。

Every man has his price.

人各有其价。

Everyone to whom much is given, of whom will much be required.

凡得到多者,须多多付出。

Every why has its wherefore.

凡事均有因。

Example is better than precept.

身教重于言传。

Experience is the best teacher.

经验是最好的老师。

Experience is the mother of wisdom.

经验乃智慧之母。

Experience keeps a dear school, but fools learn no other.

吃亏学乖代价高,笨汉非此不学好。

Experience teaches.

经验给人教诲。

Extremes meet.

两极相通。 / 人会从一个极端走向另一个极端。

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

以眼还眼,以牙还牙。

Facts are facts.

事实不容否认。

Familiarity breeds contempt.

亲不敬,熟生蔑。

Faults are thick where love is thin.

一朝情意淡,样样不顺眼。

Feed a cold and starve a fever.

感冒时宜吃,发热时宜饿。

Fine words butter no parsnips.

花言巧语是不中用的。

Fire and water may be good servants, but bad masters.

水火是忠仆,用之不慎成灾主。

First catch your hare (then cook him).

勿谋之过早。

Fish begins to stink at the head. / Fish begins to rot from the head.

上梁不正下梁歪。

A fool and his money are soon parted.

傻瓜的钱存不住。

Fool's haste is no speed.

瞎忙不会快。

Fortune favors the brave.

勇者事成。

A friend in need is a friend indeed.

患难见真情。

From the sublime to the ridiculous is but a step.

从伟大到荒谬仅一步之遥。

The game is not worth the candle.

做这事得不偿失。

Give a dog a bad/an ill name and hang him.

人言可畏。

Give me liberty or give me death.

无自由,毋宁死。

God helps those who help themselves.

自助者天助。

Good fences make good neighbors.

一篱间隔,友谊长青。

Good health is above wealth.

健康比财富更重要。

Good news goes on crutches.

好事不出门。

Good wine needs no bush.

酒香不怕巷子深。

Grasp all, loose all.

贪多必失。

The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence/hill.

这山望着那山高。

Great oaks from little acorns grow.

合抱之木生于毫末。

Great talkers are little doers.

多言者必少行。

Habit is second nature.

习惯成自然。

Half a loaf is better than none.

聊胜于无。

Handsome is as handsome does.

行为漂亮才漂亮。

Harm set, harm get. / Harm watch, harm catch.

害人害己。

Haste makes waste.

欲速则不达。

He laughs best who laughs last.

谁笑到最后谁笑得最好。

He that is ill to himself will be good to nobody.

不能自爱焉能爱人。

He that will thrive must rise at five.

五更起床百事兴旺。

He who does not work, neither should he eat.

不劳动者不得食。

He whohas a mind tobeathis dog will easily find a stick.

欲加之罪,何患无辞。

He who makes no mistakes makes nothing.

什么事情也不干,错误当然不会犯。 / 不做不错。

He who pays the piper calls the tune.

谁出钱,谁点戏。

His bark is worse than his bite.

他说话严厉,但并无恶意。 / 刀子嘴豆腐心。

Homer sometimes nods.

智者千虑必有一失。

Honesty is the best policy.

诚实总是上策。

An hour in the morning is worth two in the evening.

一日之计在于晨。

Hunger is the best sauce.

饥者口中尽佳肴。

If a thing is worth doing, it's worth doing well.

凡是值得做的事都值得做好。

If at first you don't succeed, try, try, try again.

如果开始不成功,一试二试再试。

If the mountain won't come to Mohammed, Mohammed must go to the mountain.

事不迁就人,人就得迁就事。

If the sky falls, we shall catch larks.

何必杞人忧天。

If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.

愿望不能代替事实。

If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.

承受不了繁忙紧张的工作,就退出让给别人。

If you want peace, prepare for war. / If you wish for peace, be prepared for war.

欲求和平必先备战。

Ill-gotten wealth never thrives.

不义之财发不了家。

Ill news comes apace.

坏事传千里。

Imitation isthe sincerest formof flattery.

奉承莫如仿效。

In unity there is strength.

团结就是力量。

I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.

我唯一感到遗憾的是,我只有一次生命可以献给祖国。

It is always darkest just before the dawn.

黎明之前最黑暗。

It is more blessed to give than to receive.

施比受更有福。

It is too late to lock/shut the stable door when/after the horse is stolen.

亡羊补牢为时已晚。

It never rains but it pours.

(坏事 )不来则已,一来便接踵而至。

It's an ill bird that fouls its own nest.

家丑不可外扬。

It's an ill wind that blows no good.

害于此者利于彼。

It's never too late to mend.

改过迁善从不嫌晚。

It takes all sorts (to make a world).

世上的人无奇不有。

It takes two to tango.

有关双方都有责任。

Jack of all trades and master of none.

万事皆通事事不精。

Judge not according to the appearance.

不要以貌取人。

Judge not, that ye be not judged.

勿对人非议以免受非议。

Justice has long arms.

天网恢恢疏而不漏。

Kings have long arms/hands.

王权及四海,勿与帝王争。

Laugh and grow fat.

常笑发福。

Laugh and the world laughs with you; weep, and you weep alone.

笑时众人附和,哭时独自垂泪。

Least said, soonest mended.

多说反而坏事。

A leopard can't change its spots.

江山易改本性难移。

Let every tub stand on its own bottom.

人贵自助。

Light come, light go. / Lightly come, lightly go.

不义之财理无久享。

Lightning never strikes twice in the same place.

同一灾祸不会在同一场所重复发生。

Like attracts/draws like.

同声相应,同气相求。

The lionis not so fierce as he is painted.

传闻往往言过其实。

A little learning/knowledge is a dangerous thing.

一知半解很危险。

Little pitchers have big ears.

人小耳朵灵。(常会无意中听到事情)

Little pot is soon hot.

壶小易热。 / 量小易怒。

Little strokes fell great oaks.

水滴石穿。

Live and learn.

活到老学到老。

Look before you leap.

三思而后行。

Love is blind.

爱情是盲目的。 / 情人眼里出西施。

Love lives in cottages as well as in courts.

爱情不分贫贱与富贵。

Love me, love my dog.

爱屋及乌。

Love makes the world go round.

爱使世界更美好。

Make hay while the sun shines.

晒草要趁太阳好。 / 抓紧时机。 / 勿失良机。

Man does not live by bread alone.

人不能光靠面包生活。(也需要精神生活,需要信念、信仰、同情。)

A man is as old as he feels.

老不老自己晓。

Man proposes, God disposes.

谋事在人,成事在天。

Many men, many minds.

人多心不齐。

Marry in haste and repent at leisure.

草率结婚后悔多。

A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance.

人逢喜事精神爽。

The mills of God grind slowly.

天网恢恢疏而不漏。

Misery loves company.

同病相怜。

A miss is as good as a mile.

毫末之错仍未错,死里逃生总是生。

Money burns a hole in his pocket.

钱烧口袋漏,一有就不留。

Money is the root of all evil.

钱是万恶之源。

Money makes the mare go.

有钱能使鬼推磨。

Money talks.

钱是万能。

More haste, less speed.

欲速则不达。

More is meant than meets the ear.

意在言外。

The more, the merrier.

人越多越开心。

The mountains have brought forth a mouse.

事倍功半。

Murder will out.

纸包不住火。

Necessity is the mother of invention.

需要是发明之母。

Needs must when the devil drives.

情势所迫致得如此。

Never do things by halves.

做事切勿半途而废。

Neveroff to teach fishto swim.

不要班门弄斧。

Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today. / Never put off till tomorrow what may/should be done today.

今日事今日毕。

Never say never.

永不说“永不”。(不要把话说得太绝对)

Never swap horses while crossing the stream.

行到河中不换马。

Never trouble trouble till trouble troubles you.

麻烦没来找你,别去自找麻烦。

A new broom sweeps clean.

新官上任三把火。

No cross, no crown.

无苦即无乐。

No gain without pain.

不劳则无获。

No mill, no meal.

不劳动不得食。

No news is good news.

没有消息就是好消息。

None so blind as he who will not see.

不愿正视事实的人才是真正的瞎子。

Nothing is impossible to a willing heart.

有志者事竟成。 /世上无难事,只怕有心人。

Nothing seek, nothing find.

没有追求就没有成就。

Nothing succeeds like success.

一事成功百事顺。

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

不入虎穴,焉得虎子。

Oil and water don't mix.

油水不相容。

Old habits die hard.

老习惯不易改。

Once a man and twice a child.

做人一辈子,两次当孩童。

Once bitten/bit, twice shy.

一次被咬,下次胆小。 /一次上当,下次小心。

One cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

朽木雕不成美器。

One cannot put back the clock.

历史的车轮不能倒转。

One good turn deserves another.

以德报德。

One man, no man.

孤掌难鸣。

One man's meat is another man's poison.

对甲有利的未必对乙也有利。 /兴趣爱好因人而异。

One swallow does not make a summer.

一燕不成夏。 /轻率推论必成大错。 /一关渡过并非万事大吉。

The onlooker sees most of the game.

旁观者清。

Opportunity knocks (at the door) but (或 only) once.

机不可失,时不再来。

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

一分预防胜于十分治疗。

Out of sight, out of mind.

不见就忘。 /眼不见,心不想。

Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings come great truths.

幼儿口里出真话。

The outsider sees the best (或 the most) of the game.

旁观者清。

Patience is a plaster for all sores.

忍耐可治万千痛。

The pen is mightier than the sword.

笔的力量大于剑。 /笔伐胜过刀枪。

A penny saved is penny earned.

积少成多,集腋成裘。

People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

自己有弱点,勿揭他人短。

Physician, heal thyself.

郎中医不好自己的病。

Pitchers have ears.

隔墙有耳。

A place for everything and everything in its place.

各有其所,一切妥帖。

The pot calls the kettle black.

五十步笑百步。

Practice makes perfect.

熟能生巧。

Practice what you preach.

躬行己说身体力行。

Praise is not pudding.

恭维不能当饭吃。

Prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

做最坏的准备,怀最好的希望。

Prevention is better than cure.

预防胜于治疗。

Pride goes before a fall. / Pride will have a fall.

骄者必败。

Procrastination is the thief of time.

拖延就是偷走时间。

Promise little, but do much.

少许愿,多做事。

The proof of the pudding is in the eating.

实践是最好的检验。

Rats desert a sinking ship.

船沉鼠先逃。 / 家败亲友疏。

A rising tide lifts all boats.

水涨众船高。

A rolling stone gathers no moss.

滚石不生苔,老换工作不聚财。

Roll my log and I'll roll yours.

你帮我忙,我也帮你忙。

The rotten apple injures its neighbor. / A rotten apple spoils the barrel.

一只老鼠坏一锅汤。

Safe bind, safe find.

捆得牢坏不了。 / 藏得好找得到。

The sauce is betterthanthe fish.

本末倒置。 / 喧宾夺主。

Scratch my back and I'll scratch yours.

你捧我,我就捧你。

Second thoughts are best.

三思而行。

Seeing is believing.

眼见为实。

Sell the bear's skin before one has caught the bear.

过早乐观。

Set a beggar on horseback and he'll ride to the devil.

叫花子发财得意忘形。

Set a thief to catch a thief.

以贼捉贼。 / 以毒攻毒。

The shoe is on the other foot.

情况相反。 / 位置对调。

Silence is golden.

沉默是金。

Silence gives consent.

沉默即同意。

Slow but steady wins the race.

稳扎稳打,无往不胜。

Something is rotten in Denmark.

情况非常糟糕。

A sound mind is a sound body.

有健全的身体才有健全的心智。

Spare the rod and spoil the child.

孩子不打不成器。

Speak of angles and you will hear their wings.

说曹操曹操就到。

Speech is silver, silence is golden.

雄辩是银,沉默是金。

The spirit is willing, butthe fleshis weak.

心有余而力不足。 / 力不从心。

The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

会哭的孩子有奶吃。

Still water runs deep.

静水流深。 / 沉默者深谋。

A stitch in time saves nine.

一针及时省九针。

Stones will cry out.

冤屈深重石鸣不平。

Strain at a gnat and swallow a camel.

捡了芝麻,丢了西瓜。

A straw shows which way the wind blows.

见微知著。

Strike while the iron is hot.

趁热打铁。

Sufficient forthe day is the evilthereof.

(当日的苦恼已够人受)别再为未来担心。

Swift to hear, show to speak.

多听少讲。

The tailor makes the man.

人靠衣装。

Take care of the pence, and the pounds will take care of themselves.

小事谨慎,大事自成。

There are plenty more/plenty of otherfish in the sea.

还有很多其他的机会。 / 其他人有的是。

There is a crook in the lot of every one.

人生总有失意时。

There is no accounting for tastes.

人各有所好。

There is none so blind as those that will not see.

拒而不见者最盲。

There is no smoke without fire.

无风不起浪。

There is no royal road to learning.

书山有路勤为径,学海无涯苦作舟。

There's always room at the top.

上游佳境多,左右可逢源。

There is as good fish in the seaas evercame outof it.

纵然失去一个机会,不愁没有其他机会。

There is many a slip'twist the cup and the lip.

获胜前还是有可能失误。

There's more than one way to skin a cat.

达到目的的方法很多。

They that sow the wind shall reap the whirlwind.

做坏事者必遭加倍报应。

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

忘记过去必定会重蹈覆辙。

Time and tide wait for no man.

时不我待。

Time cures/heals all things. / Time is the best healer.

时间是医治一切创伤的良药。

Time is money.

时间就是金钱。

Time will tell.

日久自明。

To err is human; to forgive, divine.

人非圣贤,孰能无过;宽恕则属超凡。

Tomorrow is another day.

明天还有指望。

Tomorrow never comes.

我生待明日,万事成蹉跎。

Too many cooks spoil the broth.

人多误事。

Too much water drowned the mill.

太多反而有害。

Too thick does not stick.

亲不敬,熟生蔑。

The tree is known by its fruit.

观其行而知其人。

Truth is strangerthan fiction.

现实比虚构更离奇。

Truth lies at the bottom of a well.

真理藏井底。

Two can play at that game.

这一套你会我也会。

Two heads are better than one.

一个好汉三个帮。

Two of a trade never agree.

同行是冤家。

Two's company, three's none.

两人成伴,三人不欢。

Two wrongs do not make a right.

不能利用别人的错误来掩饰自己的错误。

United we stand, divided we fall.

团结则存,分裂则亡。

Variety is the spice of life.

丰富多彩,生活才有乐趣。

Walls have ears.

隔墙有耳。

Waste not, want not.

不浪费,不愁缺。

A watched pot never boils.

心急水不沸。

We know not what is good until we have lost it.

好东西,失去了才明白。

Well begun is half done.

好的开始,是成功的一半。

Well fed, well bred.

吃得饱,懂礼貌。

We never know the worth of water till the well is dry.

井干方知水可贵。

What's bred in thebone will comeout in theflesh.

本性总要暴露。

What's done by night appears by day.

若要人不知,除非己莫为。

What's done cannot be undone.

生米煮成熟饭了。

What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.

适用于甲者也适用于乙。

What you lose on the swings you get back on the roundabouts.

失之东隅,收之桑榆。

When the cat's away, the mice will play.

猫儿不在,鼠儿大玩。 / 大王外出,小鬼跳梁。

Where there is a will, there is a way.

有志者事竟成。

Where there is muck, there is brass.

要致富别怕脏。

Wherethere is smoke, thereis fire.

事出有因。

While there is life, there is hope.

留得青山在,不怕没柴烧。

Who holds the purse rules the house.

有钱就有势。

Wickedness does not go altogether unrequited.

恶有恶报。

With time and patience the leaf of the mulberry becomes satin.

只要功夫深,铁杵磨成针。

Wit once bought is worth twice taught.

付出代价长一智,胜过别人教两次。

Wonders will never cease.

世界真奇妙。

A word spoken is past recalling.

一言既出驷马难追。

Aword tothe wise is sufficient.

智者一言已足。 / 明白人用不着细说。

You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.

好话比尖刻的言语管用。

You cannot judge a tree by its bark.

人不可貌相。

You can't fit a square peg intoa round hole.

圆凿方枘不合适。

You can't make an omelet without breaking eggs.

有失才有得。

You can't make a silk purse out of the sow's ear.

劣才难成器。

You can't teach an old dog new tricks.

你无法使年老守旧的人接受新事物。

You have to crawl before you can walk.

人要学走,先得学爬。

You may go farther and fare worse.

应知足常乐。

You may take a horse to the water, but you cannot make him drink.

强扭的瓜不甜。 HlKKjsjs/zxtDIP53HA9gLvQaOYNlGe8zBXMxJguj0hLZGQUGYYvTZ62UeE7H5aM

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