形形色色的人
1.一根筋儿 one track-minded.
别跟他较劲了。他一根筋，你还不知道？
Stop reasoning with him. Don’t you know he is one track-minded?
2.出众的人 a lulu
要说漂亮，我们公司新来的秘书可算是个相貌出众的女孩子了。
Talking about being pretty, our company’s new secretary is indeed a lulu.
3.两面派 two-faced
我知道怎样对付两面派，而且一眼就能看出谁是一贯两面讨好的人。I know how to handle two-faced people and can even tell at the first glance who are in the habit of running with the hare and hunting with the hounds.(注：run with the hare and hunt with the hounds指人两面讨好，不得罪任何一方的做法。)
4．傻大个儿 a lummox
听说那个傻大个儿把他们公司的买卖搞得一团糟。
It is said that the lummox has loused up their company’s whole business.
5.收破烂儿的人 a rag man
那些收破烂儿的人走街串户，有时也能挣不少钱。
Those rag men going from door to door sometimes may also earn quite a handsome sum of money.
6.乡巴佬 a hayseed
她说她决不会嫁给一个乡巴佬，不管他多有钱。
She insisted that she would not marry herself off to a hayseed, no matter how rich he was.
7.不三不四的人riff-raffs
老张的家里总来些不三不四的人，可想而知老张不是什么好东西。
There are always riff-raffs hanging around in LaoZhang’s home, which gives you the feeling that Lao Zhang is not a good guy.
8.受气包儿 doormat
她天生就是个受气包儿，什么事都不敢说个不字
She’s born doormat ,afraid of going against anything.
9.面无表情的人 a deadpan
和那些面无表情的人在一起工作真让人憋气。
You feel choked to work with those deadpans.
10.扫帚星 a jinx
有人说那个女人是个扫帚星，谁跟她结婚谁倒霉。
She’s said to be a jinx, who would bring bad luck to whoever she marries.
第二篇 能力与智慧
1.海量 have a hollow leg
你像灌醉他？他可是海量，从来没有醉过。
Want to drink him under the table? Well…you can never do. He got a hollow leg, you know.
2.略胜一筹 be a notch above
论油画，张先生比刘先生画得好。但是，谈到水彩画，刘先生可就比张先生略胜一筹了。
In oil painting, Mr.Zhang paints better than Mr.Li.But when it comes to water colors,Mr.Liu appears to be a notch above Mr.Zhang.
3.有头脑 be a brain
他可是个有头脑德人，决不会相信你的那一套。
He’s a brain, who wouldn’t be fooled into believing your babbling.
4.很能干 to have a lot on the ball
我知道李明很能干，但我怀疑他是否真的愿意到我们这儿来工作。
I know Li Ming has a lot on the ball. But I’m not sure if he likes to work here.
5.有名无实 a poor apology
你刚才提到的那个作家不过是个有名无实的人。他的作品太没意思了。
The man you’ve just mentioned is but a poor apology for a writer. His writings are tedious.
6.绞尽脑汁 to rack one’s brain
他已经绞尽脑汁了，可是仍未找到问题的答案。
He had racked his brain, but hadn’t been able to work out the answer to the problem.
7.没骨气 have no guts.
真没想到小高那么没骨气，竟然嫁给了坑害过她父亲的人。
I’m surprised to learn that XiaoGao had married the man who had once done her father in. She rally has no guts.
8.真了不起really something
他真了不起，竟然一个人对付了那么多的对手。
He overwhelmed so many of his opponents alone. He’s really something.
9.昙花一现 a flash in the pan
那个歌星也只是昙花一现，出了几张唱片就销声匿迹了。
That singer was only a flash in the pan. He disappeared into the air after having made one or two records.
10.寡不敌众 be outnumbered
她很勇敢，但终因寡不敌众，被那帮人打晕过去
The girl was brave enough, but as being outnumbered, she was finally knocked into the middle of next week by the gang.
11.单熗匹马 play a lone hand
在投资时，他总喜欢单熗匹马的去干
When investing in a business, he always likes to play a lone hand.
12.出师不利 get off one the wrong foot
他的主意不错，可一开始就出师不利。
His idea was good, but he got off on the wrong foot when he started doing it.
13.口才 the gift of gab
我几乎没见过像莉莉这样有口才的女孩子。
Seldom have I met a girl who’s had such a gift of gab like Lee Lee’s.
14.还嫩点儿 still wet behind the ears
想陷害我？你还嫩点儿
Attempt to do me in? You are still wet behind the ears.
(be wet behind the ears 的字面意思是“像刚生下来的婴儿一样，耳朵后的根毛还是湿的那)
15.糊涂虫 a nitwit
你真是个糊涂虫，怎么能当他的面讲他女朋友的坏话那？
You’re a real nitwit. Why should you badmouth his girlfriend in his face?
16.饭量小 eat like a bird
她的饭量特别小，有一小块面包就足够了。
She eats like a bird. A small piece of bread will be enough for her.
17.痛失良机 Let something slip through one’s fingers
你真蠢！这样一个发大财的机会千载难逢，你怎能眼睁睁的让他跑掉那？
You can’t be more stupid! How could you let such a golden opportunity to make big money slip through your fingers? It was an opportunity that comes once in a blue moon.
18.抓住机会 jump at the chance
这样的好机会，你应该抓住
You should have jump at such a good chance.
19.嘴硬 never say uncle
那个孩子的嘴特别硬，打死他都不肯认错
That boy never says uncle. He wouldn’t admit he’s wrong for the life of him.
20.有门道 have the means of
在挣钱方面，张先生可有门道了
Mr.Zhang has always had the means of making money.
21.找到窍门get the hang of
我已经找到学习英语动词的窍门了。
I’ve now got the hang of learning English verbs.
22.占上风 gain the upper hand
比赛一开始，我们队占上风。可到最后却失利了
At the beginning of the game our team gained the upper hand. But by and by, we lost our strength.
23.有资格 be in a position.
你没有资格对他那样讲话，他是那儿的老板
You’re not in a position to talk to him like that; He’s the boss there.
24.恭维话 blarney
只有傻瓜才会相信你的花言巧语。
Only a fool will believe your blarney.
25.上圈套 rise to a bait
赵先生又上了那帮人的圈套了
Mr.Zhao again rose to the bait set by the guys.
26.头脑有点不正常 have a few buttons missing
能说那种话的人头脑肯定有点不正常。
Anyone who says that must have a few buttons missing.
27.见机行事 play to the score
到那儿，你要见机行事，千万不要由性子来。
When you are there with them, play to the score. Never act on impulse.
28唆使 put somebody up to
肯定有人唆使他去干那件事
There must be someone who had put him up to that.
29.心有余而力不足 The spirit is willing, but the flesh is week.
不是他不愿意帮你，而是他心有余而力不足
30.轰动全世界set the world on fire
他吹嘘果找到这个问题的答案，其成果就会轰动全世界
He boasted that if he could find the solution to the problem, the result of it would set the world on fire.
31.盲从 follow like sheep
她们根本不知道什么是时尚，只不过是在盲从而已
They actually know nothing about what fashion is. They’re only following others like sheep.
32.听其自然 let things slide
事到如今，我们也只好听其自然了
With things as such, we’ll have to let things slide.
第三篇 脾气和性格
1.偷懒耍滑头 goof-off
小王总是偷懒耍滑头。上班时不是去打电话就是跑到医务室去看病。
XiaoWang’s always goofing-off----either making phone calls or going to the clinic to see doctors during office hours.
2.大动肝火 be up in arms
由于公司最近几个月销售业绩不佳，老板正在大动肝火
The boss is up in arms about the company’s poor sales record in the past few months.
3.保持冷静keep cool
即使在十分气愤的情况下她也能保持冷静
She can keep cool even under heavy pressure of anger.
4.说话兜圈子 beat about the bush
5.心怀叵测 have an ax to grind
她总是心怀叵测，对她说的话你得多留神 。
She always has an ax to grind. You should take whatever she says with a pinch of salt.
6.心数不正 not have one’s heart in the right place
他的心数不正，动不动就在别人的背后捅刀子。
He doesn’t have his heart in the right place. He would find every opportunity to stab in the back of others.
7.背后捅刀子 stab in the back
我万万没想到张某会在背后捅我一刀。我过去太信任她了。
I was taken aback and didn’t think Zhang would stab me in the back. I placed too much trust in her.
8.说某人的坏话 badmouth somebody
我从来没说过任何人的坏话。
I’ve never badmouthed anyone.
9.傻笑 grin like a Cheshire cat
她真是个傻帽，时常无缘无故的就傻笑起来。
She’s a real nitwit. She would now and then burst out grinning like a Cheshire car for no reason at all.(Cheshire是英国的郡名：柴郡。据说此地有一种猫，常常会无缘无故地咧开嘴对主人笑。后来人们便以此来形容傻笑地的人
10．厚着脸皮去干 have the gall to do
你怎么能厚着脸皮去抱怨说别人不勤快？
How can you have the gall to complaint about other people’s being lazy?
11.大献殷勤dance attendance
小李在老板面前可会献殷勤了。
Xiao li is so good at dancing attendance on her boss.
12.血口喷人 smite with the tongue
千万别得罪她，她经常血口喷人。
Take care not to offend her. She always smites with the tongue.
13.假惺惺的说speak with one’s tongue in one’s cheek
我特别讨厌她。她说话总是假惺惺地。
I feel sick of her. She always speaks with her tongue in her cheek.
14.这山望着那山高 The grass is always greener on the other hill.
人都是这山望着那山高，对自己的状况没有满意的时候。
Almost all people see that the grass is greener on the other hill. They never feel satisfied with what they’ve already got.
15.上瘾get into one’s blood
说来也怪，很多不好的事往往会使人上瘾。
It’s astoundingly funny that many harmful things usually get into our blood.
16.特别爱生气 be quick to take offense
17.发牢骚 beef
他坐在那里什么事也不干，总是发牢骚，真烦死人。
I’m really bored stiff with his sitting there doing nothing but beefing.
18.等不及了 champ at the bit
咱们快点吧，孩子们都等不及了。
Let’s shake the leg. The kids are champing at the bit.
19.点头哈腰bow and scrape
从她在老板前点头哈腰地那个模样，你就知道她是个什么人了。
From the way she’s bowing and scraping in front of the boss, you’ll know what sort of person she is.
20.疯疯癫癫go gaga
对他的话不要太在意了，他总是疯疯癫癫的。
Don’t take what he says so seriously. He’s always going gaga.
21.说话不算数go back on one’s words
他那个人说话从不算数,我们可不能依靠他。
We cannot account on him. He always goes back on his words.
22.废话连篇beat one’s gums
谁喜欢坐在那里听你的废话连篇？
Who would enjoy sitting there listening to your beating your gums?
23.恩将仇报 bite the hand that feeds one
你难道不知道她是个恩将仇报的人？
Don’t you know she’s the one that would bite the hand that feeds her?
24.不忍心not have the heart to do
如果我是你，我可不忍心把孩子们就在家里没人照看
If I were you, I wouldn’t have the heart tot leave the kids at home uncared for.
25.勤快an eager beaver
他特别勤快，从来没有闲着的时候。
He’s an eager beaver, never staying idle.
26.太不象话了The idea of somebody’s doing
你太不象话了，竟然骂自己的母亲
The idea of your calling your mum damned!
27.懒透了be bone-idle
她懒透的了，连自己的袜子都不洗。
She’s bone-idle. She’s even tired of washing her own socks.
28.好客 keep open house
我们的邻居特别好客
Our neighbor keeps open house.
29.待客周到keep a good house.
She keeps a good house and always makes her guests feel content and satisfied.
30.正直be on the up and up
她是个正直的姑娘，因此我相信她不会干出那种事。
She’s always been on the up and up and I don’t think she would have done such a thing.
31.偷鸡摸狗be on the sly
我们这儿的人都知道他是个爱偷鸡摸狗的人
Everyone around here knows that he’s a man on the sly.
32. 与……不合be at odds with
不要把他们两个分在一个组里，他俩不合
Don’t put them in the same group. The two of them are at odds with each other.
33.巴结buddy up
她可会巴结当官的了。
She’s so good at budding up to shoes in authorities
34.装傻 play possum
我知道你当时只不过是装傻而已
I know you were only playing possum.
35.省吃俭用 pinch and scrape
她一向省吃俭用，从未浪费过一分钱
She’s always been pinching and scraping without ever wasting a single cent.
36. 花言巧语do a snow job
他花言巧语的哄骗那个女孩，说自己是某个部长的儿子。
He did a snow job on the girl by saying that he is the son of a minister .
37. 哪壶不开提哪壶 touch the tender spot
你真是哪壶不开提哪壶。她就怕别人提起第三者插足的话题
You were plain touching the tender spot. She was most sensitive to the topic of “ the third person”, who cut in between a couple.
38.脚踩两条船 serve two masters
我可不想脚踩两条船，也不乐意两面讨好。
I don’t want to serve two masers at the same time nor do I like to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds.
39.吃醋 be jealous
40.不当一回事 as soon do …as look at …
他根本就不把得罪人当回事
He would just as soon offend other people as look at them.
41.说到做到 be the equal of one’s words
他说到做到，从不食言
He’s the equal of his words, never going back on them.
42.不依不饶 take off the gloves to
你不必对他如此的不依不饶
You don’t need to take off your gloves to him like that.
43.贪吃 gluttonous
我从来没有见过像他那样贪吃的人
I’ve never met a man as gluttonous as him.
44.很乖 as good as gold
他的小女儿很乖，从不像别的孩子那样不听话。
His little daughter is as good as gold. She’s never been as rebellious as other children.
45.十分嫉妒 be green with envy
王先生的成功使得周围很多人都嫉妒
Mr. Wang’s success has made many people around him green with envy.
46.满口脏话 swear like a trooper
那个家伙的嘴特别脏，整天满口脏话骂骂咧咧的。
That guy has a foul mouth. He always swears like a trooper.
47.神经过敏thin-skinned
我看这些人都有点神经过敏
In my eyes they’re all sort of thin-skinned.
48.性子过急be too quick on the trigger
要不是因为你的性子过急，你也不至于失去那笔买卖
If you were not too quick on the trigger you wouldn’t have lost the deal.
49.撒娇 play the woman
她可会在男人面前撒娇了。
She ‘s so good at playing the woman before men.
50.占人便宜 load the dice against
你最好别和她打交道，她总爱占别人的便宜
You’d better not to get involved with her. she always loads the dice against others.
51.为自己捞油水 be on the take
近几年来，很多官员都在为自己捞油水。有谁会把国家的利益当回事哪？
In recent years many officials are readily on the take .Who would give much heed to the interest of the country?
第四篇 情感和态度
1.犹豫不定be of two minds
我打算买辆汽车，可心里一直犹豫不定，不知道买那个牌子的好。
I’m thinking of buying a car, but I’m still of two minds .I can hardly decide as to which brand I should take.
2.心事重重 some thing weighs heavily on one’s mind
老板这几天沉默寡言，看起来好像是心事重重的
The boss is quite down these days. He seems to have something weighing heavily on his mind.
3.埋头苦干 keep one’s nose to the grindstone
这年头，只会埋头苦干的人是挣不了大钱的
These years those who’re keeping their nose to the grindstone can’t make bundles.
4.心凉了半截 cool one’s ardor
莉莉深深爱上了公司的老板并打算嫁给他，但是当她听说他玩弄过几个女孩子之后，她的心都凉了半截。
Lily was head over heels in love with their company’s boss and was thinking of marrying him, but the news that he had taken several girls for a ride cooled her ardor.
5.使人大为激动make one’s spine tingle
小李答应与他结婚使他大为激动
XiaoLi’s promise to marry him made his spine tingle.
6.怀恨在心 bear somebody a grudge
千万别得罪他，他会对你怀恨在心的
Take care not to offend him, or he’ll bear you a grudge.
7.感到四肢无力 feel wobbly and rough.
8.受冷落feel left out
在这样的场合上，谁愿意受到冷落那？
Who would like to feel left out at such a function?
9.不容易 no cinch.
我是挣了钱，但这钱挣得太不容易了
I know I’ve made some money, but it was no cinch to get it.
10．为难 be in a pickle
我真的很为难，我本应该给他买件皮衣，可我没有那么多的钱
I’m really in a pickle. I’m supposed to buy him a fur coat, but I don’t have enough money for such an item.(pickle作“困境”解)
11．苦苦哀求 press one’s suit
她苦苦哀求丈夫再给她一次机会
She pressed her suit and asked her husband to give her another chance.
(苦苦哀求：press one’s suit. suit 指“乞求或恳求”)
12. 闲得无聊twiddle one’s thumbs
这些娘们儿都闲得无聊,不是坐在那里说长道短，就是三五成群的谈论别人家的“丑闻”
These “old girls”network are twiddling their thumbs , sitting there either gossiping or forming into groups talking about other families’ “skeletons”
13.推卸责任 pass the buck
当老板问起是谁把消息说出去的时候，他们两个人相互推卸责任。
When the boss was asking who had disclosed the news ,the two of them began to pass the buck to each other.
14.承担后果 face the music
这件事是他们三个人一起干的，可是现在谁也不愿意承担后果
It was done by the three of them. But none of them want to face the music now.
15.真烦人a pill
她真烦人，整天唠唠叨叨的
She’s really a pill, spending whole day harping and complaining.
16.饶不了某人not put anything past somebody
如果他胆敢给我使坏，我就饶不了他。
If he dare hit me below the belt, I won’t put anything past him.
17.一门心思have one’s heart set on
他的女儿一门心思想嫁给一个日本人
His daughter has had her heart set on marrying a Japanese man.
18.心烦意乱 nerves on edge
这几天不知是什么事把我搞得心烦意乱的
I don’t know what has set my nerves on edge these days.
19.那可不行nothing doing
又要用我的车？那可不行！
Want to use my car again? Nothing doing.
20.容易极了Nothing to it
你能说服我爸爸么？ Can you convince my father?
说服你爸爸？那太容易了 Convince your dad? Nothing to it!
21.到了极点one for the books
他的表演简直棒极了
His performance was really one for the books.
22.觉得可疑了smell a rat
当他们同意把那批货以那样的价格卖给你的时候，你难道没有感到有些可疑么?
Didn’t you smell a rat when they agreed to sell you the goods at such a price?
23.敬而远之give a wide berth to
对他那号人，你还是敬而远之为好
You’d better give a wide berth to a guy of his sort.
24.稍微……就行了give ……a once－over
车子不很脏，稍微擦擦就行了
The car’s not very dirty, a once-over will do.
25.无聊 be for the birds
他特别无聊，不是讲下流笑话，就是谈论别人的婚姻。
He’ s plain for the birds. He would either crack a blue joke or talk about other people’s marriages.
26.合口味to one’s taste
这种音乐很符合他的口味
This sort of music is quite to his taste.
27.心里特别难受 be sick at heart
看到她受到那般伤害我心里特别难受
I felt sick at heart when I saw how much she was hurt.
28.别往心里去not take …to heart
不要往心里去，她不是有意要伤害你的
Don’t take it too much to heart. She didn’t mean to hurt you.
29.死也不同意 over one’s dead body
她说她死也不会跟你结婚的
She said that she would marry you over her dead body.
30.头痛得快炸了a splitting headache
我的头痛得快炸了
I have a splitting headache.
31.受到良心的谴责get one’s conscience smitten
如果你抛弃你的妻子和孩子，你迟早会受到良心的谴责的
You’ll get your conscience smitten sooner or later if you have the heart to abandon your wife and children.
32.忐忑不安 have (a case of )the jitters
自从那家人搬到我们这儿，我们就感到忐忑不安
33.垂头丧气 sing the blues
我不知道为什么这几天她总是垂头丧气的
I don’t know why she’s singing the blues these days.
34. 吓得直打哆嗦tremble like a leaf
听到那个消息，他吓得直打哆嗦
He was trembling like a leaf at the news.
35.不再登某人家的门not darken the door of
你放心把，我今后决不会再登你家的门了
You can be assured that I will never darken your door again.
36.美颠颠的walk on air
当他听说那个女孩子喜欢他时，他乐得美颠颠得
37．疼得难忍be killing
我的牙疼得够戗，我真受不了了。
My tooth is killing me. I can’t stand it.
38.热情得让人受不了 kill someone with kingness
她那热情简直让人受不了
She’d kill people with kindness.
39.乐意take kindly to
看来她不乐意接受我们的建议
She didn’t seem to take kindly to our suggestions.
40.顶牛be at loggerheads
他们俩经常为某些事顶牛儿。
The two of them are always at loggerheads.
(此语源于中世纪得“泼柏油战法”。据说loggerhead是中世纪人们用来熔解柏油的用具。在海战中，敌对的两只船相互用loggerhead泼柏油)
41.无论怎么样也不 not do …for love or money
无论怎么样我也不能和她那号人合作
I wouldn’t do things together with her sort for love or money.
42.感到心里不好受 get a lump in one’s throat
我一看悲剧电影就不好受
I get a lump in my throat whenever I see a tragic movie.
43.感到不舒服feel under the weather
别去打扰她。她这几天感到身体有点不舒服
Don’t disturb her. She’s feeling under the weather these days.
44.放下不管leave someone in the lurch
你怎么能忍心放下两个孩子不管自己去旅游那？
How could you have the heart to leave the kids in the lurch and went out traveling yourself?
45.临走时说的一句气话 a parting shot
他说了一句气话就冲出了屋子。
With a parting shot he stormed out of the house.
(一个人和别人发生争吵后，常会在临走时说一句发泄愤怒的话，叫a parting shot)
46让过去的事过去吧let bygones be bygones
别再提它了，让过去的事过去吧
Don’t mention it. Let bygones be bygones.
47.烦透了be sick and tired of …
她没完没了的抱怨真把我给烦透了
I got sick and tired of her endless complaints.
48.欣然的with a good grace
他欣然的接受了这项工作
He accepted the job with a good grace.
49.你……好不好？I’ll thank you to …
闭上你的臭嘴好不好？
I’ll thank you to shut up your foul mouth?
50.忙得脱不开身be tied up with
我们经理忙得脱不开身 ，您还是明天再来吧。
Our manager’s tied up now. Will you come tomorrow?
51.不要求特殊照顾ask no odds
即使在特别困难得情况下，他也从未要求过特殊照顾。
52．感情不好be on the outs
自从她从美国会来以后，她和丈夫的关系就一直不好。
She’s been on the outs with her husband since she came back from the US.
53.满不在乎 like water off a duck’s back
老板在会上严厉的批评了他，可他却满不在乎
The boss criticized him at the meeting, but it was just like water off a duck’s back.
54.站在某人一边side with someone
但我和爸爸发生争执时，姐姐总是站在爸爸那一边。
My sister always sides with my father against me in my argument with him.
55.不要声张be hush-hush
这件事可不要声张，千万别向任何人吐露一个字。
This business is hush-hush. Never breathe a word to anyone about it.
56.置若罔闻turn a deaf ear to
他对老板的话置若罔闻，根本不把它当回事
He turns a deaf ear to what the boss says, never taking it seriously.
第五篇 工作、机会和运气
1.前途远大 have the world before one
你们的前途都很远大，但仍需努力工作
You all have the world before you .But you’ll still need to work hard.
2.好险 a narrow squeak
昨晚好险哪。老板同一个女职员在办公室里动手动脚的，差点让他的妻子给撞上了。
The boss had a narrow squeak last night in his office: his spooning with a girl clerk was almost found our by his wife.
3.手气好 have the Midas touch
王先生的手气特别好，干什么都挣钱。
Mr. Wang has the Midas touch: everything he does turns to gold.
(此语源自希腊神话。据说神给一个叫Midas的人一种特殊的力量，任何东西只要被他的手一碰就会变成黄金.后来，Midas touch便用来喻指“有发财的运气或技能”了)
4.走运be on the gravy train
这几年他一直很走运
He’s been on the gravy train these years.
5让人给骗了be ripped off
我又被那个家伙给骗了
I was ripped off again by that guy.
6．不入虎穴焉得虎子 Nothing venture ,nothing have.
7.白费力气plough the air.
你再劝他也只是白费力气
Any attempt tot let him change will only be ploughing the air.
8.命好lead a charmed life
他的命真好。爸爸是政府高级官员，妈妈是公司的总经理，自己通过了托福考试并获得美国一所大学的奖学金。
His father is a senior government official, his mother is the general manager of a large company and he himself had passed the TOFEL test and got a scholarship from an American university. He must have been leading a charmful life!
9.倒霉get in the neck
在家里，如果孩子们打架被父母发现了，倒霉的总是年龄大的孩子。
In the family, if the kicks-up are found out by the parents , it’s always the oldest of the children who’ll get in the neck.
10.背黑锅hold the bag
在任何的情况下，我从没有让任何人为我背黑锅
Under no circumstances have I made anyone hold the bag for me.
11. 有利可图的事an angle
无利可图的事，那家伙是从来不会干的
That guy never does anything unless there’s an angle in it.
12.吃苦头burn one’s fingers
以前，我为了帮那个家伙吃了一些苦头
I burned my fingers in helping that guy before.
13.被开除be sacked
他因为玩忽职守被开除了
He got sacked for falling asleep at the switch.
14.因祸得福a blessing in disguise
他遭遇车祸反而因祸得福了：住院时和一个漂亮的护士相爱了
He had an accident and it turned out to be a blessing in disguise: a pretty nurse fell in lover with him during his stay in the hospital.
15.一举成名be vaulted to fame
老张就是个一夜成功，一举成名的典型例证
Lao Zhang was vaulted to fame, a classic example of overnight success.
16.千载难逢 once in a blue moon
这可是个千载难逢的好机会阿
This is a chance once in a blue moon.
17.十拿九稳it’s dollar to buttons
他肯定能通过这次的考试，这是十拿九稳的了
I bet he will pass the exam. Its dollars to buttons.
18.没门！No way!
19.好日子不多了one’s days are numbered
他意识到自己好日子没几天了，不禁感到一阵凄凉和恐慌。
He felt a rush of chilled feeling of anxiety when he realized that his days were numbered.
20.有点玄乎 a bit iffy
依我看，他们的成功有点玄乎
As far as I can see, their success is a bit iffy.
21.走上坡路be on the up grade
走上坡路比走下坡路要难得多
It’s much more difficult to be on the up grade than on the down grade.
22.受某人恩宠be in somebody’s grace
他们家的孩子都很受人恩宠
Every child in his family is in good graces of other people.
23.开门红get off to a flying start
我们公司一成立就来了个开门红：在开业后的第一周就得到了三笔大宗订单
Our company got off to a flying start when it opened to business: we got three big orders during the first week of opening.
24.跟白给的一样便宜 be a steal/be for a song
这部车他只花了300美元，跟白拣的一样。
He spent only 300 dollars in the car, which was simply a steal.
25.坐失良机miss the boat
他说他为错过那样好的机会而感到非常遗憾
He said that he was very much regretted about having missed the boat.
26.一帆风顺pan out
你不能期望事情总是一帆风顺的呀！
You can’t always expect things to pan out each time, can you?
27.碰钉子get the cheese
他没想到在那个公司会碰钉子
He didn’t expect to get the cheese in that company.
28.在火葬场工作work as a funeral furnisher
老李已经在火葬场工作了二十多年了
Lao Li’s been working as a funeral furnisher for more than 20 years.
29.吊儿郎当play around
我可不喜欢让我的孩子整天吊儿郎当的，一点正经事都不干。
I don’t want my children to play around all day and do nothing useful.
30.棘手的问题a ticklish question
面对那些棘手的问题他也显得束手无策了。
He seemed to be at his wits end before those ticklish questions.
31.难办的事sticky business
他发现这件事特别难办，同意不好，不同意也不好
He found it a sticky business: he could neither agree nor disagree.
32.稳扎稳打play for safety
在这种情况下，我们应该稳扎稳打，切勿操之过急
Under such circumstances we should play for safety against making haste.
33.干苦差事hold the baby
为什么把这个苦差事留给我一个人干？
Why should I be left holding the baby alone?
34.饭碗儿one’s bread and butter
我不能放弃教书，那是我的饭碗
I can’t give up teaching, for it’s my bread and butter.
35.忙得不可开交 have one’s hands full
王燕白天上班，下班后还要照顾家里，简直是忙得不可开交。
Wang Yan has her hands full with working full time during the day and taking care of the family the rest of the time.
36.没那回事 nothing of the sort!
别听他们胡说八道，根本就没那回事。
Don’t be fooled by their babbling. Nothing of the sort!
第六篇 赞同与反对
1.大吵大闹 yell bloody murder
如果我的妻子知道我为他们花了多少钱，她一定会大吵大闹的。
My wife will certainly yell boldly murder when she learns how much I have spent for them.
2. 很像 the spitting image of
小李真象他的爸爸，在老婆面前象条虫似的。
Xiao Li is plain the spitting image of his father, who behaves just like a lamb in front of his wife.
3. 绝交信Dear John
贝克收到他女朋友的绝交信的那天简直都气疯了。
Beck went plain crazy with anger on the day when he received his Dear John from his exgirlfriend.
4.不能轻信take something with a grain of salt
他说的话你可不能全信，他是个说谎不带脸红的人。
You must always take what he says with a grain of salt. He’s a born liar.
5. 告发，检举 blow the whistle
据说检举这件事的政府官员也被调职了。
It’s said that those government officials who had blown the whistle also got transferred.
6. 指控 charge somebody with
他被指控犯有强奸罪而被逮捕了
He was charged with raping and got arrested.
7.刮目相看sit up and take notice
他最近出了几本十分畅销的书，这使得很多人对他刮目相看
He has published a number of books and they all become best-sellers, the fact of which makes many people sit up and take notice.
8.挺不错的 be hunky-dory
他的女朋友挺不错的，跟谁都合得来。
His girlfriend is hunky-dory, getting on nicely with almost everyone.
9.已经……了 be over
电影已经完了 The film is over.
10.断断续续be off and on
我断断续续学了12年的英语了。
I have been learning English off and on for 12 years.
11.亏你说得出来 I like that!
你是说男人应该娶几个老婆？亏你说得出来！
Did you say that a man should have several wives? I like that!
12.闭上嘴 button one’s lip/zip ones lips
闭上嘴！难道你看不出来人家不爱听么？
Zip your lips. Can’t you see they’re annoyed?
13.真的阿 you don’t say
我已经和丽玲结婚了。 Li ling and I are married.
真的阿！你真幸运 。 You don’t say! You are lucky.
14.再合适不过了 suit somebody to a T
这个颜色对你再合适不过了。
This color suits you to a T.
15.让人看不下去an eye-sore
看那两个年轻人在那里又搂又吻的真让人看不下去。
The two young guys’ caressing and spooning there are plain an eye-sore.
16.不能用了 be done for
这件大衣不能穿了。买件新的吧。
Buy yourself a new coat. This one is already done for.
17. 不理不睬not even give a tumble
小李三番五次的说他喜欢小刘，可是小刘对他不理不睬
Xiao Li says that he likes Xiao Liu but she doesn’t even give him tumble.
18.拒绝某人的求婚give somebody the mitten
她说她的求婚被拒绝了。
She said that she had been given the mitten.
19.为……说句好话put in a good word for
你可以去找老王，让他在老板面前为你说句好话。
You may go to Lao Wang and ask him to put in a good word for you in front of the boss.
20.怎么也不…… can’t for the life of one.
我怎么也想不起他的电话号码了
I can’t for the life of me remember his telephone number.
21.绝对没有I’d eat my hat if I had…
我绝对没有把那个消息告诉她。
I’d eat my hat if I had disclosed the news to her.
22.算了吧call it quits
算了吧。他既然已有新欢，我也就不打算和他复婚了
I’d call it quits, and I would not remarry him for that he’s already had his new woman.
23.合格be up to grade
他们的新产品基本上都是合格的。
Their new products are near up to grade.
24.我同意I’ll drink to it.
你是说我们今晚到饭馆去吃么？这个我同意
Did you say we’d eat out tonight? I’ll drink to that.
25. 严加训斥give somebody a dressing down
老板听到那个消息后严厉训斥了参与此事的职员。
On hearing the news, the boss gave a dressing down to all those clerks that were involved in the business.
26.一个字也不说not breathe a word
她的嘴很紧，直到现在对那件事她也没有吐露一个字。
She ‘s tight-mouthed .So far she has not breathed a word about that.
第七篇 金钱、爱情、婚姻、家庭
跟别人要钱 mooch off someone
我最讨厌跟别人要钱得人了。
I feel sick of those who mooch off others.
钱挣海了 coin money
这几年老张的钱挣海了。谁也没料到他会发这么大的财。
Lao Zhang is coining money these few years. Who can ever expect he would be able to make bundles like this!
钱多得花不完 have money to burn
老李的钱多得花不完，要不他敢这么挥霍？
Lao Li has money to burn. Otherwise, how could he splash his money about like anything?
钱能生钱 money begets money
钱能生钱。没本钱又怎能挣大钱那？
Money begets money. Without money in hand, how can you make bundles?
没钱 be broke
我手头没钱了，咱们别到外面去吃了
I don’t want to eat out today. I’m broke.
钱来之不易 money doesn’t grow on trees
你不应该如此挥霍。钱来之不易阿！
You should not splash your money about like this. Money doesn’t grow on trees.
敲竹杠 a clip joint
那可是一家漫天要价，大敲竹杠的商店阿
That shop is plain a clip joint!
生活很富裕be well fixed
自从中国对外开放以后，有些农民也成了企业家，而且大部分农民的生活都富裕起来了。
Since China opened to the outside world, some farmers have become entrepreneurs and many are well-fixed, living a much more comfortable life.
吃了上顿没下顿 not know where the next meal comes
虽然很多人都已经富裕起来了，可是人有些人吃了上顿没下顿
In spite the fact that many have now become well-fixed, some people still remain in a state that they do not know where the next meal comes.
发财 rake it in
它在海南挣了很多钱，真没想到他会发财
He made bundles in Hai Nan. He was unexpectedly raking it in.
太宰人了 cost an arm and a leg
这个饭馆太宰人了，一个白菜豆腐汤也得要上几十元。
Eating in this restaurant will cost you an arm and a leg. You’ ll have to pay tens of yuan for even a soup of cabbage and beancurd
跟别人比阔 keep up with the Joneses
我可不像你，老是和别人比阔
I’m not your sort who like to keep up with the Joneses.
养家糊口bring home the bacon
一个家里总得有个养家糊口的人
Some one has to bring home the bacon in the family.
与……私通 have an illicit love affair with
据说那个法官与一个电影明星私通。
The judge is said to have an illicit love affair with a film star.
婚外恋 a double life
我们这儿的人都感觉到他有婚外恋
People around here all feel that he’s leading a double life.
深深爱上be head over heels in love with
听说小丽爱上一个比她大三十岁的老头子。爱情这个东西真是难琢磨。
I hear Xiao Li is head over heels in love with an old man who is 30 years older than her. Love is really a mystery.
与门第比自己低的人结婚marry with the left hand
皇太子放弃了王位，与比自己门第低的人结了婚并到国外度蜜月去了
The son of the Emperor gave up his stewardship as King and married with the left hand. He’s now on their honeymoon abroad.
嫁妆marriage portion
离婚时，她要求男方把她结婚时的全部嫁妆还给她。
On the point of their divorce, she demanded on his returning to her all the lot she has brought as her marriage portion.
外快side money
在过去的几年中老张挣了一大笔外快
Lao Zhang has made a huge sum of side money in the past few years.
20．买得便宜 buy something on the cheap
他的那部车买得可真便宜
He bought that car on the cheap.
21.输得精光be taken to the cleaners
那帮人合伙欺负他，结果让他输得精光。
The guys ganged up on him and they took him to the cleaners.
22.调情 make a pass at someone
当一个陌生男子开始向我调情时，我瞪了他一眼就离开了。
When I found that a stranger began to make a pass at me, I gave him a stern look and left.
23.花费 outgoings
他一个月才挣300多块钱，怎么能支付得起家里所有的花费那？
He gets about 300 yuan a month .How could he possibly balance his family’s outgoings with such a small income?
24.重要约会a heavy date
她说她今晚有重要约会，所以不能来了。
She says she is having a heavy date tonight, so she won’t come.
25.向……求婚pop the question to
他向我求婚时说一辈子只爱我一个人。可是现在呢？情况可大不一样了。
When he popped the question to me he said that I was the only one he would love but now, the story is quite different.
26.把……给甩了give somebody the air
最后她还是把他给甩了。
She had as supposed given him the air at last.
27.怀孕了 be heavy with child
你怎么能忍心让一个大肚子的女人干这样重的活呢？
How could you have the heart to let a woman heavy with child to do such a rough job?
28.生在富贵人家born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth
一般说来，生在富贵人家的孩子很少有什么出息，
Generally speaking, very few of those who were born with a silver spoon in their mouths will make the mark.
29.开价 make a price
我看过你的那部车了，现在你开个价吧。
I’ve seen your car and now you can make a price.
30.卖个好价钱 fetch a good price
他的那部车在这次拍卖会上一定能卖个好价钱。
His car is certain to fetch a good price at the auction.
31.搂搂抱抱play kossy-poo
公园里那些年轻人搂搂抱抱的真让人看不下去
It’s plain an eye-sore seeing those youngsters playing kissy-poo in the park.
32.正经人家 a respectable family
他是个正经人家的女孩子，我不相信她会干出这种事。
She’s a respectable girl. I don’t think she could have done this.
33.勾引别人的女朋友beat somebody’s time with someone
据说他经常勾引别人的女朋友
It is said that he often beats other people’s time with their girlfriends.
34.零花钱 pocket money
我不赞同给孩子们很多零花钱
I do not favour the idea of giving children a lot of pocket money.
35.向某人作媚眼 make eyes at
从她向老板作媚眼的那个德行你就知道她是个什么样的人了。
From the way she is making eyes at the boss you’ll certainly know what sort of person she is .
36.一见钟情 take a shine to someone
他和她一见钟情。
She took shine to him on their blind date.
37.家丑 a skeleton in the closet
许多家庭都有不可外扬的家丑
Many families have a skeleton in the closet.
38. 婚姻破裂 marriage on the rocks
据说他们的婚姻已经濒于破裂。
It’s said that their marriage is on the rocks.
39．旧情人an old flame
昨天晚上和你一起吃饭的那个人肯定是你过去的情人
The one you were dinning with last night must be your old flame.
40.装修房子spruce up
这次我们装修房子花了近30，000元。
We spent nearly30, 000 yuan op sprucing up the house.
41.生活优裕 live high off the hog
近几年来，有些小学都没念过的人也过起优裕的生活来了
In recent years, those who even haven’t had primary school education have begun living high off the hog.
42.钱能毁了挣钱的人 money can unmake its makers
有钱能使鬼推磨是真，可是钱能毁了挣钱的人也是真。
It’s true that “money makes the mare go, “and it’s equally true that “Money sometimes unmakes its makers.”
43.有家室的人 a man of family
他可是个有家室的人。你怎么想和他结婚呢？
He’s a man of family. How can you have such a half-baked idea of marrying him?
44.好汉无好妻 marriage goes by contrasts
小陈和她结婚了？真是好汉无好妻
Xiao Chen got married with her? Marriage really goes by contrasts.
45.钱花得值 get one’s money’s worth
虽然你送孩子上学得花一大笔钱，可这钱花得值。
Although you’ll have to spend a large sum on sending the kid to school, you still get your money’s worth.
46.没有儿女拖累 without encumbrance
她是个没有儿女拖累的自由女人。
She is a lady without encumbrance.
第八篇 评价、疑虑和问询
崭新的 brand new.
他买了一台崭新的轿车
He bought a brand new car.
太便宜了 be dirt cheap
这块手表才花了30美元，真是太便宜了。
You bought this watch only for 30 dollars? It’s dirt cheap.
3.费事儿 take a lot of doing
做鱼特别费事儿，我可不愿意洗阿，淹阿，钝阿什么的。
It takes a lot of doing to cook a fish. I wouldn’t like to spend a lot of time washing, salting, stewing and whatnots for the cooking of it.
4.知道底细 have someone’s number
别跟我瞎吹了，我又不是不了解你的底细。
No big talk with me, I have your number.
5.精品 the choicest goods
这家商店卖的手表都是精品，而且种类还特别多。
This shop sells a wide range of watches, all of which are the choicest.
6. 了解一下情况 get the lay of the land
经理说他想让我们先去海南了解一下那里的情况，然后再决定投资的事。
The manager said that he would like us to go to Hai Nan and get the lay of the land there before deciding on the investment.
7.掌上明珠 the apple of someone’s eye
玲玲是她爷爷的掌上明珠
Ling Ling is the apple of her grandpa’s eye.
8.让人恶心turn one’s stomach / make one sick
听她讲话，看她和男人讲话的那股劲头儿真让我恶心。
Listening to her and seeing the way of her talking with men really turns my stomach.
惹麻烦了 be in a jam
小张这次可惹麻烦了，昨天他又让警察给逮着了。
Xiao Zhang’s in a jam now. He was copped out again by the police yesterday.
10．关系很好 be on good terms with
据说老张和那个部长的关系特别好
It’s said that Lao Zhang is on very good terms with the minister.
11.甜头儿 sugar plum
如果不尝到点甜头儿，她是不会干那种事的
She wouldn’t do that if she hadn’t got sort of sugar plum.
12.什么都敢赌 can bet one’s bottom dollar
她绝对不会和他结婚的，这个我什么都敢赌。
I can bet my bottom dollar that she won’t marry him for anything.
13.美中不足a fly in the ointment
我喜欢那套房子，但美中不足的是离上班的地方太远。
I like the house, but there’s a fly in the ointment: I have to commute so far to work.
14．蹩脚货/次品 a lemon
几天以后他才发现他买的车是个蹩脚货。
Not until several days later did he find the car he bought was a lemon.
15.小道消息 through the grapevine
不要听任何小道消息，现在传闲话的人越来越多了。
Don’t believe anything through the grapevine. There are more and more gossipers.
16.其丑无比 have a face that would stop a clock
我真不敢想象象李同这样英俊的小伙子竟然和奇丑无比的孙丽结了婚
You can hardly imagine that a handsome man like Li Tong would get married with a girl like Sun Li who has a face that would stop the clock.
17.体型匀称 be well-proportioned
杰克体型匀称，个头适中，一双大眼睛炯炯有神，成了许多女孩追求的目标。
Lack, with a body well-proportioned, about the middling, a pair of intense big eyes, has become the target of many pretty girls.
18. 做得太过火了 overplay one’s hand
你一定时做得太过火了， 否则她不会对你如此不依不饶的。
You must have overplayed your hand or she wouldn’t have taken off her gloves to you like that!
19.正中下怀 play into someone’s hands
你同意到外地出差正中老板下怀，至于原因，还是留给你自己去思考吧
Your agreeing to take the business trip in another city well played into the hands of the boss. As for the reason, you put it in the pipe and smoke it.
20/轻松的工作 a cushy job
他想干个轻松的工作，可又怕挣钱太少了。
He hope to take a cushy job but at the same time, worries about pay he gets from such a job.
21.多的不得了 a jillion
千万别让你的丈夫去那个城市出差，那里的妓女多得不得了
Never allow your husband to take a trip to that city. There are a jillion streetwalkers there.
22.争论的原因 a bone of contention
我想，分利不均才是他们争吵的真正原因。
I think the inequality in splitting the profits is their real bone of contention.
23.仍在……着 be still on
现在已经是深夜12点了，可是他办公室的灯还在亮着。
It’s already 12:00 o’clock midnight, yet, the light in his office is still on.
24.有点生疏 go a bit rusty
A:你能讲法语么？B：过去学过，可几年不用有点生疏了。
Can you speak French? I learned it, but I haven’t used it for a long time so it has got a bit rusty.
25.喝多了 have one too many
看他那个样子肯定是喝多了，你最好把他送回家
He must seem to have had one too many. You’d better walk him home.
26.事情的真相 what’s what
如果你弄清事情的真相，就马上打电话告诉我
Give me a buzz and tell me as soon as you’ve got the what’s what.
27.真惨 a bad scene
这次考试真惨。十道题我只答对了两道，其他的全错了。
This exam was really the bad scene! I miss all the ten questions but two.
28.不能再……了can’t be adjective+er
这个价格不能再低了 The price can’t be any lower.
29.彻头彻尾的 out and out
他是个彻头彻尾的口头革命派。
He’s an out and out armchair revolutionary.
30.打扮得特别漂亮be dressed to the nines
每次去参加舞会，她都打扮得特别漂亮。
Every time she went to a dance, she would always be dressed up to the nines.
31.空头支票 lip-service
他对我们的许诺不过是个空头支票而已。
What he promised us is but a lip-service.
32.害人反害己 harm set, harm get
他吃苦果既是我们常说的“害人反害己”的最好例证
the bitter fruit he has got can be a very good example of what we call “Harm set, harm get.”
33.到底 on earth
你到底想怎么着？ What on earth do you want ?
34.活见鬼 The Deuce!
真见鬼了！你不告诉他他怎么会知道我们俩在做这个买卖那？
The Deuce! How could he possibly know what business we are doing without telling him?
35.你好好琢磨琢磨吧 Put that in your pipe and smoke it.
你好好琢磨琢磨吧。他凭什么对你那样慷慨那？
Why should he be so generous to you like that? Put it in your pipe and smoke it.
36.那有怎样？So what?
我说了，那有怎样？ I said it .So what?
37.完蛋了 the jig is up.
这回他完蛋了，警察在他的提箱里发现了大麻。
The jig is up this time. The police found marijuana in his briefcase.
38.添油加醋 spice up
我没有添油加醋，我说的都是事实。
I didn’t spice up. All I said is true.
39.要命的东西 the kiss of death
千万别得罪他，得罪他可是个要命的事。
Never offend him. That’ll be the kiss of death.
40.逼真 true to life
他的那张画画的真逼真。 This painting of his is true to life.
41．睡得像死猪一样 sleep like a log
那些工人睡得像死猪一样，老板什么时候来的都不知道。
The workers were all sleeping like a log, even without knowing when the boss gad arrived.
42.仅次于 be next only to
从人口数量方面讲，印度仅次于中国。
Talking about the size of population, India is next only to China.
43.幸亏 thank God
当时幸亏警察赶到了，要不他非得被那帮人打死。
Thank God the police had arrived or he might be killed by the gang.
44.喧宾夺主 steal the show
我可不愿意在这些领导面前喧宾夺主。
I wouldn’t like to steal the show before these leading personnels.
45.你这样做人家会怎么说那？ What will Mrs. Grundy say?
你说要像他们一样以那种方式去挣钱。如果你真的那样做，别人又会怎么说呢？
You said that you would go to make money the way as they do. But if you have done the same, what will Mrs. Grundy say?
46.使……逊色 put …in the shade
在任何舞会上，只要她一露面，就显不着其他人了。
She would put everyone else in the shade at whatever party she appears.
47.多么……阿Talk about…!
多么漂亮的女人阿！
Talk about a beautiful woman!
48.今后的麻烦 the devil to pay
你可以把那笔钱要回来，但是考虑到今后的麻烦，我劝你还是不要的好
You can certainly get the money back. But when coming to think of the devil to pay, I advise you to give it up.
49.实在该……了 it’s high time …did…
你实在该考虑你的婚姻问题了。
It’s high time you thought about getting married.
50. 无风不起浪 Where there’s smoke there’s fire.
无风不起浪，我想她肯定做过那种事。
She must have done that sort of thing. Where there’s smoke there’s fire.
51.沉重的包袱 a millstone around one’s neck
他一直打算出国留学，可是年迈的老母亲以及妻子和孩子成了他的沉重包袱。
He’s been thinking of furthering his studies abroad but, his aged mother, his wife and the children all become a millstone around his neck.
52.理亏 be in the wrong
他承认那是他的不是，而且也向你表示了歉意，你为什么还要对他如此的不依不饶呢？
He admitted he was in the wrong and had already expressed his apology. But why should you still come down on him like a ton of bricks?
53.除非太阳打西边出来 till gigs can fly
想让我嫁给他那号人？ 除非太阳打西边出来。
Want me to marry a person of his sort? Till pigs can fly.
54.宽容大度 turn the other cheek
当你得知别人在背后说了你的坏话时，要做到对这个人宽容大度是很难的。
When you know that someone spoke evil of you behind your back, it would be very difficult to turn the other cheek to him.
55.赞扬某人sing someone’s praises.
你为什么老是赞扬那个家伙？我认为他不值得你称赞
Why should you always sing that guy’s praises? I don’t think he deserves all your praise.
56.接受某人的观点take someone’s point
我接受了你的观点，但是这不等于我完全同意你的看法。
I took your point , but it doesn’t mean I totally agree with you.
57.恰到好处 fit like a glove
你对他的批评恰到好处，如果你说得再过点儿头，他也许就接受不了了。
Your criticism of him fitted just like a glove. If you had have made it a bit hotter, he could not have possibly accepted them.
58.完美无缺 nothing left to desire
他的生活已经是完美无缺了
He had nothing left to desire in life.
59.平易近人common touch
他当了部长以后，仍未失去平易近人的作风。
Even after becoming a minister, he still keeps his common touch with people.
60.听天由命 resign to fate
他试了几次都失败了，所以现在也只能听天由命了
He failed all his attempts and now he has to resign to his fate.
61.有失身份beneath one’s dignity
如果你也那样做，那可就有失身份了
I would be beneath your dignity if you’d follow suit and do the same.
62.错过他人 bark up the wrong tree
也可能是我错怪了她，不过她确实经常和一个男人出去。
I may have been barking up the wrong tree, but she does go our a lot with a man.
63.跃跃欲试be itching for a chance to do…
你为什么不给他一次机会呢？他正跃跃欲试，想向你 证实一下他的能力。。
Why don’t you give him a chance? He’s itching for a chance for show you his abilities.
64.胸怀大志 hitch one’s wagon to a star
胸怀大志是件很好的事情，但是光有大志是不够的。
It’s great to hitch your wagon to a star, but that alone is not enough.
65.留一条退路 hedge one’s bets
他没有把全部打算都告诉对方，为的是给自己留一条退路。
In order to hedge his bets he didn’t tell the other party all of his plan.
66.不公平的待遇 a raw deal
我真搞不懂她遭遇不公平待遇却不敢吭声
I can’t understand why she got a raw deal and could not be up in arms.
第九篇 策略、手段、做法
1.敷衍搪塞 give someone the runaround
别拿话儿搪塞我们，我们只是想知道你到底是同意还是不同意。
Don’t give us the runaround. We’d just like to know whether you agree or not.
2.哭穷 to poor-mouth
别跟我哭穷了，我还不知道你的底细？
Don’t poor-mouth to me. I have your number.
3.白吃白喝 a freeloader
我可不愿白吃白喝别人。我不是那种爱占便宜的人。
I wouldn’t freeload .I’m not a freeloader.
4.牵线搭桥 pull the strings
听说你公司有个空位，我很想去试一试。但你能先为我牵线搭桥么？
I hear there’s an opening in your company and I would like to fill it. But will you pull some strings for me?
5.甩掉 palm of f
他让你赶紧把手中的次品都甩掉。
He urged you palm off all the shoddy goods immediately.
6.得罪某人get in Dutch with someone
张名得罪了他的上司，几个月后就被开除了。
Zhang Ming got in Dutch with his boss and in a few months he was sacked.
7.说别人的闲话dish the dirt about…
她特别喜欢说别人的闲话，是我们这出了名的长舌妇。
She is a notorious gossiper here, who is very fond of dishing the dirt about others.
8.挂个电话 give a buzz
在来之前请先给我挂个电话，以免让你扑空。
Give me a buzz before coming so that you won’t come to a locked door.
9.写封信 drop me a line
有空了给我写封信
Drop me a line when you have time.
榨干血汗 bleed one white
他们是在设法榨干你身上所有的钱。
They are trying to bleed you white.
结伙对付某人 gang up on somebody
一些较大的贸易公司纠结在一起来对付我们，打算把我们从该行业中排挤出去。
Some fairly large trading companies ganged up on us, trying t force us out of that business.
无言以对 not find one’s tongue
起初他还挺硬，可是当警察出示经他篡改的文件并问他是怎么一回事的时候，他却无言以对了。
He was arrogant at the beginning, but the moment when the police showed the documents he had doctored and asked him what the matter was, he could not find his tongue.
把人逼疯send somebody the loony bin
别再问了！ 你想把你妈妈逼疯么？
Don’t ask her! Do you want to send your mum to the loony bin.
反手一击turn the tables
他们给她来了个反击。
They turned the tables on her.
15.瞧一眼 give someone the once-over
听说那位演员来了，大家都想出去瞧一眼。
Hearing that the actress had arrived everyone went out and gave her the once-over.
对牛弹琴cast pearls before swine
你给他们讲解人体语言在交际中的重要性简直是对牛弹琴。
Trying to explain to them the importance of body language in communication is just like casting pearls before swine
拆了东墙补西墙 rob Peter to pay Paul
你从张家借钱还李家有什么意义？那只是拆了东墙补西墙
what’s the sense in borrowing from Zhang just to pay Li？That’s meant to rob Peter to pay Paul.
我只是私下跟你随便说说。Only between you and me and the gatepost.
我只私下跟你随便说说，听说经理跟那个女孩的关系可不大一般。
It’s only between you and me and the gatepost, I hear that the manager is on very familiar terms with that girl.
参与某事 have a finger in the pie
我可不喜欢你参与那件事，你没有那个能力
I don’t like you to have a finger in the pie, You are no good at such a deal.
顺手牵羊to walk away with…
那天聊完天以后，他就顺手牵羊把我的钢笔和打火机都拿走了。
That day after our chat, he walked away with both my pen and the lighter.
20.把……打发走 to fob off
不用着急，你丈夫知道怎么样把那帮人打发走。
There’s no need to worry, for your husband knows how to fob the gang off.
偷看make a stealthy glance at…
他偷看那个女孩儿一样就装模做样的看起报纸来了
He made a stealthy glance at the girl and put on sort of airs of starting to read.
刁难某人make it hot for someone
我不想刁难你，但如果你不还给我那封信，我就不会告诉你那件事的实情。
I don’t want to make it hot for you. But I won’t tell you the true story of that till you return the letter to me.
横穿马路 jaywalk
在这条街上横穿马路是要被罚款的
Anyone who jaywalks in this street will be fined.
咬紧牙关bite the bullet
董事长让董事会要紧牙关顶住这场危机。
The president asked the board to bite the bullet to the crisis.
吓唬某人 give somebody a bluff
别害怕，我只是吓唬吓唬你而已。
Don’t be scared .I was only giving you a bluff.
解囊相助 give someone the shirt off one’s back
缺钱花时你可以去找老张，他会解囊相助的。
You can turn to Zhang when you are caught short. He would give you the shirt off his back.
拔腿就跑 take to one’s heels
当街头小贩看到警察来了时，他们匆忙卷起摆的摊儿拔腿就跑
As soon as the street peddlers saw the police coming they folded up their stands and took to their heels.
刻苦钻研某科to dig at a subject
她说她一定要刻苦钻研美国文学以应付明年的考试。
She said that she would dig at American literature for her exam next year.
打开天窗说亮话 talk turkey
在这个问题上我们兜了这么长时间的圈子了，现在也该说点真格的了
We have been beating about the bush on the matter for so long and it’s time to talk turkey.
骑到某人脖子上walk all over someone
不要显得低于他，否则他会骑到你脖子上的。
Don’t appear to be in an inferior to him, or he’ll walk over you.
被逼得走投无路 be driven to the wall
他因被债主逼得走投无路而自杀。
The creditor drove him to the wall, which resulted in his suicide.
31.抖露出去 hang out something
如果你对我不公平，我就把你的那些丑事都给抖露出去
If you’re unfair to me, I’ll certainly hang out all your dirty linen.
向……行贿 grease the hand of …
那个司机企图收买警察，却被警察拒绝了。
The driver was trying to grease the hand of the coop, but he was refused.
出卖朋友 sell someone down the river
你说他不好，可他从不会出卖自己的朋友。
You may think he is bad, but he has never sold his friends down the river.
有毛病 have rocks in one’s head
你把我钱借给像他那样的人？你有毛病阿？
Want me to lend the money to guy like him? Have you got rocks in your head?
凑合 fill the bill
我没有新的，你先拿这个去凑合用吧。
I don’t have a new one, but you may take this to fill the bill.
糊弄人 throw someone off the scent
我把实情告诉他了，可是他以为我在糊弄他。
I told him the true story, but he still thought I was throwing him off the scent.
堵住某人的嘴 stop someone’s mouth
他给你那笔钱是为了堵住你的嘴。
He gave you the money in order to stop your mouth.
逃学play hookey
他可不像你，动不动就逃学。
He’s not your sort, who plays hookey at will.
玩儿命 play with one’s life
很多出租汽车司机说他们得玩儿命挣钱。
Many cab drivers say that they must play with their lives to get money.
心里正盘算着 toy with the idea of doing
我心里正盘算着把我女儿嫁给他呢。
I was just toying wit the idea of marrying my daughter off with him.
40.来真格的 for keeps
咱们是随便玩玩呢，还是来真格的？
Shall we play for fun or for keeps?
请示上边儿 ask the top kick
这个我自己决定不了，我得请示上边儿。
I can’t decide on it personally. I have to ask the top kick.
吃老本rest on one’s laurels.
看来我们再也不能靠吃老本过日子了。
It seems that we can no longer afford to rest on our Laurels.
下饭馆儿 to eat out
今天咱们也下次饭馆，算是换个口味吧。
Let’s eat out today, just for a change.
搞得一团糟 louse up something
他因为跟另外一个女人勾搭而把自己的婚姻搞得一团糟。
He loused up his own marriage by getting involved with another woman.
精神寄托 someone’s meat and drink
读书成了我唯一的精神寄托。
Reading has become my only meat and drink.
瞎猜a shot in the dark
你怎么知道那件事的？ How did you know that?
我不知道，是我瞎猜的。 I didn’t know. It was only a shot in the dark.
干掉某人cook somebody’s goose
昨晚他们商量要一起干掉那个家伙。
Last night they talked about their plan to cook the guy’s goose.
有保留的 with a grain of salt
我们有保留的同意了他们的计划。
We agreed to their plan wit ha grain of salt.
说走嘴 make a slip of the tongue
他只是说走嘴了，根本没有想伤害你的意思。
He didn’t mean to hurt you, he only made a slip of the tongue.
兜风go out for a spin
他们开车到外面去兜风了
They drove the car and went out for a spin.
折磨某人 run somebody through the guts
如果你对她这么好又不打算和她结婚，这不等于折磨她么
If you are so good to her without ever wanting to marry her, that will amount to running her through the guts.
十分仓猝的be in a tearing hurry
他们十分仓猝的卷起钱就从后门逃走了。
They rolled up the money and left through the back gate in a tearing hurry.
改邪归正 straighten up and fly right
他说他要改邪归正，并向我保证不再做那种事了
He said he would straighten up and fly right and assured me that he would never involve himself in things of that sort.
抓阄draw straws
咱们抓阄来决定谁先去吧
Let’s decide who should go first by drawing straws.
过夜 shack up
据说在结婚之前他和几个女孩子过过夜。
It’s said that he had shacked up with several girls before getting married.
为自己辩护 shelter oneself
他为自己说那天他太忙了，没来得及关掉烤箱。
He sheltered himself by saying that he was too busy to turn off the oven that day.
庇护take someone under one’s wing
我知道妈妈总是庇护你，可这次我不再让步了。
I know mum’s always taking you under her wing, but I wouldn’t give in again this time.
仓猝购买 buy a pig in a poke
买车时自己试都不试，这不是太仓猝了么
Buying a car without trying it by yourself is just like buying a pig in a poke, isn’t it?
收回自己说过的话 eat one’s words
他即使说了错话，也决不肯回来。
He wouldn’t eat his words even if he knows he said the wrong things.
把某人灌醉 drink someone under the table
我知道他们想把我灌醉了，可是我就是不喝过量的酒。
I knew they wanted to drink me under the table, but I sticked to my limits.
消磨旅途时光 cheat the journey
火车上，旅客们通常以读报纸，打牌或闲聊的方式来消磨旅途时光。
Passengers usually cheat the journey by reading newspapers, playing cards or shooting the breeze in the train.
61．付好处费 pay off
他说我们必须先付给他一笔好处费，他才会带我们去见那位部长。
He said that he wouldn’t take us to see the minister until we had paid him off.
把衣服穿反了 wear…inside out
山中无老虎，猴子称霸王。
老板出差了，他可以指手画脚的指挥别人了。山中无老虎，猴子称霸王嘛。
The boss is away on business so he could finger others around in the office. This is when the cat’s away, the mice will play.
跟某人开个玩笑 give someone a ribbing
我只是跟她开个玩笑，可她却当真了
I only gave her a ribbing, but she took it seriously.
拿别人开心 to rib someone
为什么你总拿别人开心呢？要是别人拿你开心你又会有什么感受？
Why should you always like to rib others? What if others do the same to you?
同甘苦，共患难 share weal and woe
结婚前他发誓说要和我同甘苦，共患难的，可是在我病危之际他却抛弃了我。
Before getting married, he swore that he would share weal and woe with me but now, he abandoned me at a time when my health is threatening my life.
小题大做 stir a storm in a teacup
他说他是在阐述深奥的道理，可我认为他只不过在小题大做，故弄玄虚而已。
He said that he was explaining some abstruse philosophy. But to me he was only trying to stir up a storm in a teacup and mystifying things.
动不动就…… at the drop of a hat
我真不懂你干吗动不动就拿孩子出气呢？
I can’t make it out why should you get it out on the kids at the drop of a hat.
开导某人 talk sense into someone
我那个儿子是鬼迷心窍了，你来开导开导他把
My son’s having a bee in his bonnet. I’d like you to come over and talk sense into him.
69.以其人之道还治其人之身 give someone a taste of his own medicine
这就是我所说的“以其人之道还治其人之身”。
This is what I call “give him a taste of his own medicine”.
70．豁出去了 shoot the works
这次我也豁出去了，到五星级大饭店请你们吃一顿。
I’ll shoot the works this time by giving you a treat in a five-star hotel.
71.那某人当出气筒 take it out on someone
孩子们没招你惹你的，你干吗拿他们当出气筒？
What have the kids done to provoke you? Why should you take it out on them?
72．吸毒成瘾 be on the needle
你最好离这些女孩子远一点儿，她们都吸毒成瘾了。
You’d better steer clear of these girls. They are all on the needle.
第十篇 其他（Miscellaneous）
1.不妙 something is to pay
经理感到事情有点不妙。
The manager had a hunch that something was to pay.
2.眼中钉 a thorn in someone’s flesh.
不知为什么我成了他们的眼中钉了。我可从未错待过他们。
I wonder why I become a thorn in their flesh. I’ve never harmed them.
3.馋得流口水 make someone’s mouth water
桌上的美味佳肴馋得他直流口水。
The delicacies on the table make him mouth water.
4.胡说八道 shooting from the hip
他说我迷恋上了莉莉?这简直是胡说八道。
He thinks I’ve got the hots for lily? It’s shooting from the hip!
5.各奔东西 drift apart
毕业后我们班的同学就各奔东西了。
After graduation my classmates drifted apart.
6.呕吐shoot the cat
他刚吃完饭就吐了. He shoot the cat right after the meal.
7.打嗝 make a belch
孩子打嗝了，让他喝口水吧。
The kid is making a belch. Give him a drink.
8.久等 cool one’s heels
我在你家门外足足等了两个小时。
I was left cooling my heels outside your home for two hours.
9.各有利弊 cut both ways
在国营企业或合资企业工作各有利弊：在国营企业工作比较安定，但工资较少。在合资企业工作挣钱多一些，可是又不稳定。
It cuts both ways to work in a state-run enterprise or a joint venture: the pay from a state-run enterprise is relatively lower but you feel more stable while in a joint venture you feel unassured, through the pay is relatively higher.
10.吃闭门羹 to a locked door
我昨天去他家看他，不想吃了闭门羹。
I went to see him yesterday, but unfortunately I was to a locked door.
11.哪儿都找了 look high and low
我哪都找了，可还是没有找到那把钥匙。
I looked high and low for the key, but I couldn’t find it anywhere.
12.抽筋 have a charley horse
别碰我，我大腿抽筋了。
Don’t touch me; I’ve got a charley horse on the leg.
13.烫伤 to scald
炸丸子时他把手给烫伤了，现在手上全是泡。
He had his hand scalded when frying meatballs and now the scalds come up in blisters all over his hand.
14.被叮get stung by
在割草时，他被黄蜂叮了一下，现在脸都肿了。
He got stung by a wasp while cutting grass and his face is swollen now.
15.不一会儿 in a jiffy
别离开，他们不一会就到了。
Don’t go away. They’ll arrive in jiffy.
16.碰某人一指头 lay a finger on…
如果你再敢碰我妹妹一指头，我就杀了你。
I’ll kill you if you so much as lay a finger on my sister again.
17.让我 …… lemme…
让我试试吧。Lemme have a try.
(lemme 是let me音变形式。)
18.我不骗你 I kid you not
真的， 我不骗你。 他确实是那样说的。
Really. I kid you. He indeed said so.
19.千篇一律 be in a rut
他们的生活只是老一套，不是上班，就是回家做饭或看电视。
Their life is always in a rut. They would either go to work or do cooking and watch TV after work.
20．经常出没于某地 haunt about a place
有人向警方报告说那个嫌疑犯经常和一个戴眼镜的女孩出没于西山角下的大饭店。
Some reported to the police that the suspect often haunted about the grand hotel at the foot of the western hill with a four-eyed girl.
21.拿手 be right up someone’s alley
你可以让老张做那条鱼，那是他的拿手好戏。
You may ask Lao Zhang to cook the fish, it is right up his alley.
22.拜倒某人脚下 worship the ground sb. treads on
他的才华使得很多学者都拜倒在他脚下了
His talents have made many scholars worship the ground that he treads on.
23.例假 that time of the month
医生说女人来例假时不应干过重的活。
The doctor says that women at that time of the month should avoid doing heavy work.
24.坐月子 be in confinement
中国有这样一个说法，女人坐月子时是不能被看望的。
There’s a Chinese saying that goes “a woman in confinement should not be visited。”
25．闲聊 chew the rag
我特别讨厌和他们那帮人在那里山南海北的闲聊。
I got fed up sitting there and chewing the rag with the gang like theirs.
26.从小看大 the child is father of the man
从小看大，他现在不好好学习，将来也不会有什么出息。
The child is father of the man. From the way he loathes studied you know that he’s not the one among those that will make the mark.
27.坐牢 be caged
他因犯强奸罪而做了三年的牢
He had been caged for three years for committing rape.
28.满城风雨 be the talk of the town
那个电影明星和市长订婚弄得满城风雨的。
The film star’s engagement with the mayor became the talk of the town.
29.零零碎碎的东西 odds and ends
请你把桌上那些零零碎碎的东西都收拾起来吧。
Will you please tidy up all the odds and ends on the table.
30.生米做成了熟饭 the die is cast
如今生米做成了熟饭，你再反对又有什么用？
What’s the point of standing against it? The die is already cast.
31.听到风声get wind of something
如果他们听到风声，知道我们在搞什么，我们就很被动了。
If they get wind of what we are doing, we’ll then be in a very passive position.
32.苗头 a straw in the wind
他有被晋升的苗头。
There’s a straw in the wind: he’ll be promoted.
33．卡壳儿get stuck
前面的5道题他都作对了，最后一道题却卡了壳。
He got all the five questions right, but got stuck in the last one.
34．哪里哪里 shucks
你真是太勇敢了。 You were so brave.
哪里哪里，这算不了什么。 Shucks, it wasn’t anything.
35.乱七八糟be at sixes and sevens
她的房间总是乱七八糟的，连个下脚的地方都没有。
Her room is always at sixes and sevens, even without room to swing a cat in.
36.受……支配 be at the mercy of
如果你不想受人家支配，你就必须单干，经营你自己的一摊儿。
If you don’t want to be at the mercy of others m you’ll have to start a business of your own.
37.扭转局势tip the scales
起初，A队配合得不是很好并且连丢6分，只是教练换上了6号球员以后才扭转了局势。
At the beginning, Team A did not have very good teamwork and they lost 6 scores in a run, But the coach tipped the scales by replacing someone with the Number Six player.
