??1． 一根筋儿 one track-minded. 别跟他较劲了。他一根筋，你还不晓得？ Stop reasoning with him. Don’t you know he is one track-minded? 2.优良的人 a lulu 要说秀丽，咱们公司新来的秘书可算是个容颜优良的女孩子了。 Talking about being pretty, our company’s new secretary is indeed a lulu. 3.双面派 two-faced 我晓得怎样抵挡双面派，而且一眼就能看出谁是一贯双面凑趣的人。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指人双面凑趣，不开罪任何一方的做法。) 4．傻大个儿 a lummox 传闻那个傻大个儿把他们公司的生意搞得一团糟。 It is said that the lummox has loused up their company’s whole business. 5.收褴褛儿的人 a rag man 那些收褴褛儿的人走街串户，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.不伦不类的人riff-raffs 老张的家里总来些不伦不类的人，可想而知老张不是啥好东西。 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 她天然生成就是个受气包儿，啥事都不敢说个不字 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同作业真让人憋气。 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，谁跟她成婚谁倒运。 She’s said to be a jinx, who would bring bad luck to whoever she marries. 第二篇 才能与才智 1． 海量 have a hollow leg 你像灌醉他？他可是海量，历来没有醉过。 Want to drink him under the table? Well…you can never do. He got a hollow leg, you know. 2.技高一筹 be a notch above 论油画，张先生比刘先生画得好。可是，谈到水彩画，刘先生可就比张先生技高一筹了。 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.有脑筋 be a brain 他可是个有脑筋德人，决不会信赖你的那一套。 He’s a brain, who wouldn’t be fooled into believing your babbling. 4.很精干 to have a lot on the ball 我晓得李明很精干，但我置疑他是不是真的情愿到咱们这儿来作业。 I know Li Ming has a lot on the ball. But I’m not sure if he likes to work here. 5.名不副实 a poor apology 你方才说到的那个作家不过是个名不副实的人。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.费尽心机 to rack one’s brain 他现已费尽心机了，可是仍未找到疑问的答案。 He had racked his brain, but hadn’t been able to work out the answer to the problem. 7.没节气 have no guts. 真没想到小高那么没节气，竟然嫁给了诈骗过她父亲的人。 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，竟然一自个抵挡了那么多的对手。 He overwhelmed so many of his opponents alone. He’s really something. 9.少纵即逝 a flash in the pan 那个歌星已暇少纵即逝，出了几张唱片就隐姓埋名了。 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 她很英勇，但终因寡不敌众，被那帮人打晕曩昔 The girl was brave enough, but as being outnumbered, she was finally knocked into the middle of next week by the gang. 11.孤军独战 play a lone hand 在出资时，他总喜爱孤军独战的去干 When investing in a business, he always likes to play a lone hand. 12.凯旅晦气 get off one the wrong foot 他的主见不错，可一初步就凯旅晦气。 His idea was good, but he got off on the wrong foot when he started doing it. 13.谈锋 the gift of gab 我几乎没见过像莉莉这样有谈锋的女孩子。 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 想栽赃我？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“像刚生下来的婴儿相同，耳朵后的根毛仍是湿的那) 15.迷糊虫 a nitwit 你真是个迷糊虫，怎么能当他的面讲他女兄弟的坏话那？ 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，有一小块面包就满足了。 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缘千载一时，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.捉住机缘 jump at the chance 这样的好机缘，你大约捉住 You should have jump at such a good chance. 19.嘴硬 never say uncle 那个孩子的嘴特别硬，打死他都不愿认错 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.找到诀窍get the hang of 我现已找到学习英语动词的诀窍了。 I’ve now got the hang of learning English verbs. 22.占优势 gain the upper hand 竞赛一初步，咱们队占优势。可到最终却失利了 At the beginning of the game our team gained the upper hand. But by and by, we lost our strength. 23.有资历 be in a position. 你没有资历对他那样说话，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 只需傻瓜才会信赖你的甜言甘言。 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.脑筋有点不正常 have a few buttons missing 能说那种话的人脑筋必定有点不正常。 Anyone who says that must have a few buttons missing. 27.看风使舵 play to the score 到那儿，你要看风使舵，千万不要由性质来。 When you are there with them, play to the score. Never act on impulse. 28教唆 put somebody up to 必定有人教唆他去干那件事 There must be someone who had put him up to that. 29.心有余而力缺乏 The spirit is willing, but the flesh is week. 不是他不愿意帮你，而是他心有余而力缺乏 30.颤动全世界set the world on fire 他揄扬果找到这个疑问的答案，其作用就会颤动全世界 He boasted that if he could find the solution to the problem, the result of it would set the world on fire. 31.依从 follow like sheep 她们根柢不晓得啥是时髦，只不过是在依从而已 They actually know nothing about what fashion is. They’re only following others like sheep. 32.听其天然 let things slide 事到如今，咱们也只好听其天然了 With things as such, we’ll have to let things slide. 第三篇 脾气和性格 1． 偷闲耍滑头 goof-off 小王老是偷闲耍滑头。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.大动怒火 be up in arms 因为公司迩来几个月出售成果欠安，老板正在大动怒火 The boss is up in arms about the company’s poor sales record in the past few months. 3.坚持镇定keep cool 即便在非常愤慨的情况下她也能坚持镇定 She can keep cool even under heavy pressure of anger. 4.说话兜圈子 beat about the bush 5.胸怀叵测 have an ax to grind 她老是胸怀叵测，对她说的话你得多留心 。 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，动不动就在别人的不和捅刀子。 He doesn’t have his heart in the right place. He would find every opportunity to stab in the back of others. 7.不和捅刀子 stab in the back 我万万没想到张某会在不和捅我一刀。我曩昔太信赖她了。 I was taken aback and didn’t think Zhang would stab me in the back. I placed too much trust in her. 8.说或人的坏话 badmouth somebody 我历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，常常平白无故的就傻笑起来。 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。传闻此地有一种猫，常常会平白无故地咧开嘴对主人笑。后来我们便以此来描述傻笑地的人 10．厚着脸皮去干 have the gall to do 你怎么能厚着脸皮去诉苦说别人不勤快？ How can you have the gall to complaint about other people’s being lazy? 11.大献周到dance attendance 小李在老板面前可会献周到了。 Xiao li is so good at dancing attendance on her boss. 12.血口喷人 smite with the tongue 千万别开罪她，她常常血口喷人。 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 我特别厌烦她。她说话老是假惺惺地。 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，对自个的情况没有满足的时分。 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，许多不好的事一般会使人上瘾。 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.发怨言 beef 他坐在那里啥事也不干，老是发怨言，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.答应哈腰bow and scrape 从她在老板前答应哈腰地那个容貌，你就晓得她是个啥人了。 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 对他的话不要太介意了，他老是疯疯癫癫的。 Don’t take what he says so seriously. He’s always going gaga. 21.说话不管用go back on one’s words 他那自个说话从不管用,咱们可不能依托他。 We cannot account on him. He always goes back on his words. 22.言之无谓beat one’s gums 谁喜爱坐在那里听你的言之无谓？ Who would enjoy sitting there listening to your beating your gums? 23.以怨报德 bite the hand that feeds one 你莫非不晓得她是个以怨报德的人？ Don’t you know she’s the one that would bite the hand that feeds her? 24.不狠心not have the heart to do 假定我是你，我可不狠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，历来没有闲着的时分。 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，竟然骂自个的母亲 The idea of your calling your mum damned! 27.懒透了be bone-idle 她懒透的了，连自个的袜子都不洗。 She’s bone-idle. She’s even tired of washing her own socks. 28.好客 keep open house 咱们的邻居特别好客 Our neighbor keeps open house. 29.待客周全keep a good house. She keeps a good house and always makes her guests feel content and satisfied. 30.耿直be on the up and up 她是个耿直的姑娘，因而我信赖她不会干出那种事。 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 咱们这儿的人都晓得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.凑趣buddy up 她可会凑趣当官的了。 She’s so good at budding up to shoes in authorities 34.装傻 play possum 我晓得你其时只不过是装傻而已 I know you were only playing possum. 35.节衣缩食 pinch and scrape 她一贯节衣缩食，从未浪费过一分钱 She’s always been pinching and scraping without ever wasting a single cent. 36. 甜言甘言do a snow job 他甜言甘言的欺诈那个女孩，说自个是某个部长的儿子。 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论题 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，也不愿意双面凑趣。 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 … 他根柢就不把开罪人当回事 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 我历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，从不像另外孩子那样不听话。 His little daughter is as good as gold. She’s never been as rebellious as other children. 45.非常吃醋 be green with envy 王先生的成功使得周围许多人都吃醋 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.性质过急be too quick on the trigger 要不是因为你的性质过急，你也不至于失掉那笔生意 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.占人廉价 load the dice against 你最佳别和她打交道，她总爱占别人的廉价 You’d better not to get involved with her. she always loads the dice against others. 51.为自个捞油水 be on the take 近几年来，许多官员都在为自个捞油水。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 情感和情绪 1． 犹疑不定be of two minds 我方案买辆轿车，可心里一向犹疑不定，不晓得买那个牌子的好。 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.心思重重 some thing weighs heavily on one’s mind 老板这几天默不做声，看起来如同是心思重重的 The boss is quite down these days. He seems to have something weighing heavily on his mind. 3.静心苦干 keep one’s nose to the grindstone 这年头，只会静心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方案嫁给他，可是当她传闻他捉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 小李容许与他成婚使他大为激动 XiaoLi’s promise to marry him made his spine tingle. 6.记恨在心 bear somebody a grudge 千万别开罪他，他会对你记恨在心的 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.受萧瑟feel left out 在这样的场合上，谁情愿遭到萧瑟那？ Who would like to feel left out at such a function? 9.不简略 no cinch. 我是挣了钱，但这钱挣得太不简略了 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，我本大约给他买件皮衣，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“窘境”解) 11．苦苦恳求 press one’s suit 她苦苦恳求丈夫再给她一次机缘 She pressed her suit and asked her husband to give her another chance. (苦苦恳求：press one’s suit. suit 指“恳求或央求”) 12. 闲得无聊twiddle one’s thumbs 这些娘们儿都闲得无聊,不是坐在那里评头论足，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.推脱责任 pass the buck 当老板问起是谁把消息说出去的时分，他们两自个彼此推脱责任。 When the boss was asking who had disclosed the news ,the two of them began to pass the buck to each other. 14.承担成果 face the music 这件事是他们三自个一同干的，可是如今谁也不愿意承担成果 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，整天唠烦琐叨的 She’s really a pill, spending whole day harping and complaining. 16.饶不了或人not put anything past somebody 假定他竟敢给我使坏，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 他的女儿一门心思维嫁给一个日自己 His daughter has had her heart set on marrying a Japanese man. 18.心慌意乱 nerves on edge 这几天不知是啥事把我搞得心慌意乱的 I don’t know what has set my nerves on edge these days. 19.那可不可nothing doing 又要用我的车？那可不可！ Want to use my car again? Nothing doing. 20.简略极了Nothing to it 你能说服我父亲么？ Can you convince my father? 说服你父亲？那太简略了 Convince your dad? Nothing to it! 21.到了极点one for the books 他的扮演几乎棒极了 His performance was really one for the books. 22.觉得可疑了smell a rat 当他们附和把那批货以那样的价格卖给你的时分，你莫非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，你仍是敬而远之为好 You’d better give a wide berth to a guy of his sort. 24.略微……就行了give ……a once－over 车子不很脏，略微擦擦就行了 The car’s not very dirty, a once-over will do. 25.无聊 be for the birds 他特别无聊，不是讲下贱笑话，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 这种音乐很契合他的口味 This sort of music is quite to his taste. 27.心里特别难过 be sick at heart 看到她遭到那般损伤我心里特别难过 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，她不是有意要损伤你的 Don’t take it too much to heart. She didn’t mean to hurt you. 29.死也不附和 over one’s dead body 她说她死也不会跟你成婚的 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.遭到良知的呵斥get one’s conscience smitten 假定你扔掉你的老婆和孩子，你迟早会遭到良知的呵斥的 You’ll get your conscience smitten sooner or later if you have the heart to abandon your wife and children. 32.坐卧不安 have (a case of )the jitters 自从那家人搬到咱们这儿，咱们就感到坐卧不安 33.垂头悲观 sing the blues 我不晓得为啥这几天她老是垂头悲观的 I don’t know why she’s singing the blues these days. 34. 吓得直打颤抖tremble like a leaf 听到那个消息，他吓得直打颤抖 He was trembling like a leaf at the news. 35.不再登或人家的门not darken the door of 你定心把，我往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 当他传闻那个女孩子喜爱他时，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.热心得让人受不了 kill someone with kingness 她那热心几乎让人受不了 She’d kill people with kindness. 39.愿意take kindly to 看来她不愿意承受咱们的主张 She didn’t seem to take kindly to our suggestions. 40.顶牛be at loggerheads 他们俩常常为某些事顶牛儿。 The two of them are always at loggerheads. (此语源于中世纪得“泼柏油战法”。传闻loggerhead是中世纪我们用来熔解柏油的用具。在海战中，仇视的两只船彼此用loggerhead泼柏油) 41.不管怎么样也不 not do …for love or money 不管怎么样我也不能和她那号人协作 I wouldn’t do things together with her sort for love or money. 42.感到心里不舒畅 get a lump in one’s throat 我一看凄惨剧影片就不舒畅 I get a lump in my throat whenever I see a tragic movie. 43.感到不舒畅feel under the weather 别去打扰她。她这几天感到身体有点不舒畅 Don’t disturb her. She’s feeling under the weather these days. 44.放下不管leave someone in the lurch 你怎么能狠心放下两个孩子不管自个去旅行那？ 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. (一自个和别人发生争持后，常会在临走时说一句发泄愤恨的话，叫a parting shot) 46让曩昔的事曩昔吧let bygones be bygones 别再提它了，让曩昔的事曩昔吧 Don’t mention it. Let bygones be bygones. 47.烦透了be sick and tired of … 她没完没了的诉苦真把我给烦透了 I got sick and tired of her endless complaints. 48.怅然的with a good grace 他怅然的承受了这项作业 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 咱们司理忙得脱不开身 ，您仍是明日再来吧。 Our manager’s tied up now. Will you come tomorrow? 51.不需求特别照看ask no odds 即便在特别困可贵情况下，他也从未需求过特别照看。 52．豪情不好be on the outs 自从她从美国会来今后，她和丈夫的联络就一向不好。 She’s been on the outs with her husband since she came back from the US. 53.毫不在意 like water off a duck’s back 老板在会上严肃的批判了他，可他却毫不在意 The boss criticized him at the meeting, but it was just like water off a duck’s back. 54.站在或人一边side with someone 但我和父亲发生争论时，姐姐老是站在父亲那一边。 My sister always sides with my father against me in my argument with him. 55.不要张扬be hush-hush 这件事可不要张扬，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.置之不理turn a deaf ear to 他对老板的话置之不理，根柢不把它当回事 He turns a deaf ear to what the boss says, never taking it seriously. 第五篇 作业，机缘和命运 1． 出路远大 have the world before one 你们的出路都很远大，但仍需尽力作业 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。老板同一个女职工在单位里着手动脚的，差点让他的老婆给撞上了。 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，干啥都挣钱。 Mr. Wang has the Midas touch: everything he does turns to gold. (此语源自希腊神话。传闻神给一个叫Midas的人一种特别的力气，任何东西只需被他的手一碰就会变成黄金.后来，Midas touch便用来喻指“有发财的命运或技能”了) 4.走运be on the gravy train 这几年他一向很走运 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.白吃力气plough the air. 你再?严峻前壮粤ζ? Any attempt tot let him change will only be ploughing the air. 8.命好lead a charmed life 他的命真好。父亲是政府高档官员，母亲是公司的总司理，自个经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.倒运get in the neck 在家里，假定孩子们打架被父母发现了，倒运的老是年纪大的孩子。 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，那家伙是历来不会干的 That guy never does anything unless there’s an angle in it. 12.喫苦头burn one’s fingers 早年，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 他遭受事端反而因祸得福了：住院时和一个秀丽的护士相爱了 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. 15.一鸣惊人be vaulted to fame 老张就是个一夜成功，一鸣惊人的典型例子 Lao Zhang was vaulted to fame, a classic example of overnight success. 16.千载一时 once in a blue moon 这可是个千载一时的好机缘阿 This is a chance once in a blue moon. 17.满有掌控it’s dollar to buttons 他必定能经过这次的考试，这是满有掌控的了 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 他知道到自个好日子没几天了，不由感到一阵苍凉和惊惧。 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可贵多 It’s much more difficult to be on the up grade than on the down grade. 22.受或人恩宠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 咱们公司一树立就来了个开门红：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.跟白给的相同廉价 be a steal/be for a song 这部车他只花了300美元，跟白拣的相同。 He spent only 300 dollars in the car, which was simply a steal. 25.坐失机宜miss the boat 他说他为错失那样好的机缘而感到非常怅惘 He said that he was very much regretted about having missed the boat. 26.一往无前pan out 你不能期望作业老是一往无前的呀！ 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.在火葬场作业work as a funeral furnisher 老李现已在火葬场作业了二十多年了 Lao Li’s been working as a funeral furnisher for more than 20 years. 29.不务正业play around 我可不喜爱让我的孩子整天不务正业的，一点正派事都不干。 I don’t want my children to play around all day and do nothing useful. 30.扎手的疑问a ticklish question 面临那些扎手的疑问他也显得束手无策了。 He seemed to be at his wits end before those ticklish questions. 31.扎手的事sticky business 他发现这件事特别扎手，附和不好，不附和也不好 He found it a sticky business: he could neither agree nor disagree. 32.步步为营play for safety 在这种情况下，咱们大约步步为营，切勿急于求成 Under such circumstances we should play for safety against making haste. 33.干苦差事hold the baby 为啥把这个苦差事留给我一自个干？ Why should I be left holding the baby alone? 34.饭碗儿one’s bread and butter 我不能扔掉教育，那是我的饭碗 I can’t give up teaching, for it’s my bread and butter. 35.忙得不可以开交 have one’s hands full 王燕白日上班，下班后还要照看家里，几乎是忙得不可以开交。 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8道，根柢就没那回事。 Don’t be fooled by their babbling. Nothing of the sort! 第六篇 附和与对立 1． 大吵大闹 yell bloody murder 假定我的老婆晓得我为他们花了多少钱，她必定会大吵大闹的。 My wife will certainly yell boldly murder when she learns how much I have spent for them. 2. 很像 the spitting image of 小李真象他的父亲，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 贝克收到他女兄弟的绝交信的那天几乎都气疯了。 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，他是个扯谎不带脸红的人。 You must always take what he says with a grain of salt. He’s a born liar. 5. 揭露，检举 blow the whistle 传闻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 他迩来出了几本非常热销的书，这使得许多人对他刮目相看 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 他的女兄弟挺不错的，跟谁都合得来。 His girlfriend is hunky-dory, getting on nicely with almost everyone. 9.现已……了 be over 影片现已完了 The film is over. 10.时断时续be off and on 我时断时续学了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! 你是说男人大约娶几个老婆？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！莫非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 我现已和丽玲成婚了。 Li ling and I are married. 真的阿！你真走运 。 You don’t say! You are lucky. 14.再适合不过了 suit somebody to a T 这个颜色对你再适合不过了。 This color suits you to a T. 15.让人看不下去an eye-sore 看那两个年青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. 不睬不睬not even give a tumble 小李三番五次的说他喜爱小刘，可是小刘对他不睬不睬 Xiao Li says that he likes Xiao Liu but she doesn’t even give him tumble. 18.回绝或人的求婚give somebody the mitten 她说她的求婚被回绝了。 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.必定没有I’d eat my hat if I had… 我必定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。他已然已有新欢，我也就不方案和他复婚了 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 他们的新产品根柢上都是合格的。 Their new products are near up to grade. 24.我附和I’ll drink to it. 你是说咱们今晚到饭馆去吃么？这个我附和 Did you say we’d eat out tonight? I’ll drink to that. 25. 严加怒斥give somebody a dressing down 老板听到那个消息后严肃怒斥了参加此事的职工。 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，直到如今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，恋爱，婚姻，家庭 1. 跟别人要钱 mooch off someone 我最厌烦跟别人要钱得人了。 I feel sick of those who mooch off others. 2. 钱挣海了 coin money 这几年迈张的钱挣海了。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! 3. 钱多得花不完 have money to burn 老李的钱多得花不完，要不他敢这么浪费？ Lao Li has money to burn. Otherwise, how could he splash his money about like anything? 4. 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? 5. 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. 6. 钱来之不易 money doesn’t grow on trees 你不大约如此浪费。钱来之不易阿！