英文慣用語30句 第一集(English Idioms Episode I)
慣用語往往短小精悍，富於哲理，具有較高的概括性和表達性，眾多學者、語言學家和文字工作者對其推崇備至。慣用語無處不在，其形式和意義的約定俗成和文字的風趣幽默大大增強了語言的生命力和表現力。
─摘自《英漢成語異同比較》作者 肖芬(Xiao Fen)老師，中國，中南財經政法大學外語學院副教授。
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Content of English Idioms Episode I(30 Items)
01. A big mouth.
02. A bag of bones.
03. A dog’s life.
04. A fat cat.
05. All bark and no bite.
06. As clean as a whistle.
07. As cool as a cucumber.
08. Blow your own trumpet.
09. Cash cow.
10. Cat got your tongue.
11. Climb the wall.
12. Clock-and-dagger.
13. Cold feet.
14. Cold turkey.
15. Come apart at the seams.
16. Cool it.
17. Cost an arm and a leg.
18. Head in the clouds(做白日夢)＝Flights of fancy(想入非非).
19. Keep the straight face.
20. Monkey business.
21. Spill the beans＝Let
the cat out of the bag(洩漏機密).
22. Stick your head in the sand.
23. Talk to a brick wall.
24. The black sheep.
25. The apple of my eye.
26. Turn a deaf ear.
27. Two peas in a pod.
28. Wear heart on sleeve.
29. When chips are down.(關鍵時刻)
30. Wolf in sheep’s clothing.
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請對慣用語(Idioms)有興趣的網友們多看多記，當在English conversation時會更流暢而且更傳神！
先實力小測驗一番：是不是如此圖標題所言：最美麗的慣用語，在下不知道？有些在與老外交談的經驗或電影對白中聽到過到是真的。
圖1. 10項最美麗的慣用語。
答案請容許在下於英文慣用語30句第II集時揭曉或自行查閱會更有收獲！
1. As cool as a cucumber ( 泰然自若; 穩若泰山)
Roslyn
was as cool as a cucumber when she got
the award from the President of the United States.
John felt nervous but acted as cool as a cucumber during
the interview.
He kept as cool as a cucumber as the newspaper
reporters shouted questions at him at once.
在報社記者七嘴八舌地高聲向他提問時，他始終表現得鎮定自若。
It's not
everybody who can keep as cool as a cucumber in an emergency.
並不是人人都能在危急時刻保持鎮定自若的。
The entire restaurant
staff were nervous about the food critic's visit, but the head chef was as cool as a cucumber.
餐廳上下對食評家到訪大為緊張，然而總廚卻非常冷靜。
餐廳上下對食評家到訪大為緊張，然而總廚卻非常冷靜。
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圖2. As cool as a cucumber ( 泰然自若; 穩若泰山)
2. As clean as a whistle (乾乾淨淨)
The science lab is as clean as a whistle.
The dog jump
through the hoop as clean as a whistle.
狗靈巧地跳過鑽圈。
The police
searched the flat thoroughly for stolen goods but could find nothing it was as clean as a whistle.
員警在那套房裡徹底搜查贓物，但什麼也沒發現—沒有任何值得懷疑的地方。
3. All Bark and No
Bite(只動口不動手的人，光說不練的人)
Don't listen to
my friend when he gets angry; he's all
bark and no bite.
He's all bark and no bite. 他虛張聲勢。
4. A Big Mouth(多嘴多舌的人)
Helen's got
such a big mouth - the news will be
all over the town by tonight.
He has a big mouth , but he means well. 他說話冒失，但出於善意。
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He is a big
mouth and never misses a chance to boast
他好吹牛皮，從不放過自誇的機會。
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IBM (International Big Mouth)
BMW (Big Mouth Woman)
5. A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing(批著羊皮的狼；面善心惡的人)
5. A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing(批著羊皮的狼；面善心惡的人)
Don't you fall
for the kindness and innocence, he is a
wolf in a sheep's
clothing.
Don’t trust him , he is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
別相信他，他是一隻披著羊皮的狼。
6. A bag of Bones(骨瘦如柴的人)
6. A bag of Bones(骨瘦如柴的人)
Someone help
her out of her depression, she has turned into a bag of bones.
7. A Dog's Life(過著非人的生活)
7. A Dog's Life(過著非人的生活)
在英文中，有些有關dog所構成的慣用語，沒有正面的意思，如：
1. not have a dog's chance (極渺茫的機會)
They do not even have a dog's chance of buying
a house this year because the bank has refused to lend them any money.
他們今年沒機會買房子因為銀行已拒絕給他們提供貸款。
2. a dog's life (悲慘的生活)
I've been working so hard. I'm
tired of living a dog's life.
3. die like a dog(死得悲慘)
4. fight
like cat and dog (激烈地爭鬥、吵架)
5. in the doghouse(失寵或遭受困難)（out of favor or to be in trouble）。
As he likes to stir things up, he has been in the doghouse.
As he likes to stir things up, he has been in the doghouse.
由於他喜歡搗亂，所以受到冷落。
After he got married, he was in the doghouse many times.
After he got married, he was in the doghouse many times.
他結婚後，多次遭到困難。
China is trying to keep Taiwan in the international doghouse.
China is trying to keep Taiwan in the international doghouse.
中國設法把台灣排斥在國際社會之外。
6. It’s
dog eat dog (殘酷無情的競爭)
Advertising is a dog-eat-dog
business. (廣告業的競爭十分殘酷。)
7. dog in the manger (狗佔馬槽，佔著毛坑不拉屎)
Let me the
skates. You don't know how to skate. Don't a dog in the manger.
把冰鞋給我吧，你不會滑冰，不要占著茅坑不拉屎。
8. An old dog will learn no new tricks.
(老狗學不了新把戲; 老年人很難適應新事物)
You cannot teach old dogs new tricks
9. Hungry dogs will eat dirty puddings.(急不暇擇, 饑不擇食)
＝The ass that is hungry will eat any kind of litter. 餓驢不嫌草枯。
10. let sleeping dogs lie(不要製造麻煩)
但是也有不少有關Dog之正面的慣用語如下：
但是也有不少有關Dog之正面的慣用語如下：
1. A jolly dog（快活人）
2. Love me, love my dog（愛屋及烏）
3. as faithful as a dog（忠心不二）
4. every dog has his day(風水輪流轉)
Don’t worry, you’ll get chosen for the volleyball team. Every dog has
its day. 別擔心，你會獲選加入排球隊。風水輪流轉。
You may become famous someday. Every
dog has his day.
有朝一日你可能會出名。風水輪流轉。
5. out of the doghouse (又受寵愛)
His wife let him out of the
doghouse. 他太座又再寵愛他了。
6. A living dog is better than a dead lion.(死獅不如活狗)
7. Beware of a silent dog and still water.(明槍易躲 暗箭難防；警惕無聲之狗會咬人，平靜之水會覆舟)
8. Barking dogs seldom bite.(愛叫的狗不咬人)
If someone is threatening you and warning you that they will do
something bad for you
– you must not take it seriously as barking
dogs seldom bite or never bite.
My boss is always threatening to fire be but I'm not worried. Barking
dogs seldom bite.
8. Apple of My Eye(珍愛的人或物)
apple of one's
eye 這一詞最早出現於聖經裡：詩篇17:8：Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the
shadow of thy wings;《申命記》三十三章的第十節：In a desert land
he found him, in a barren and howling waste. He shielded him and cared for him;
he guarded him as the apple of his eye。跟東方一樣，在西方，人們也一直都把蘋果視為一種吉祥的水果。所以apple of one's
eye也就常被引申為「珍愛的人或物」。
Her loving ways
made her the apple of her teacher's eye.
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圖3. Apple of My Eye(珍愛的人或物)
9. A Fat Cat(通常指大富翁)
因為吃得好的貓一般都比較肥，所以就把特別有錢的人稱為fat cat,但後來也引喻為那些管理績效不張又坐領高薪的企業董監及經營高層！
If I win the Lottery , I will become a fat cat.
If I win the Lottery , I will become a fat cat.
如果我中了樂透，我就可以變成有錢人了。
Ever been to
the races? The place is swarming with fat
cats.
10. Blow Your Own Trumpet/Toot Your Own Horn(自吹自擂)
10. Blow Your Own Trumpet/Toot Your Own Horn(自吹自擂)
John is blowing his own trumpet again, he is
telling everyone he is the best sales manager of our Company.
Don't blow your own horn. If you do something praiseworthy someone will eventually notice.
Don't blow your own horn. If you do something praiseworthy someone will eventually notice.
Sometimes, blowing your own horn is too much of a
good thing.
有的時候，自吹自擂（按喇叭）可不是一件好事。
11. Chips are down (緊要關頭; 關鍵時刻)
Girls, the
chips are down. If we don’t win this game, we’re out of the playoffs.
When the chips are down, you have only yourself to depend on.
此處的chips是指賭博時的籌碼，籌碼已經丟在桌子上，準備攤牌時的心情，就叫做the
chips are down。
12. Climb the walls (因挫折、緊張、焦急而發狂)
The assembly was so dull that all the kids were climbing the walls.
「be climbing the walls」並不是字面意思，而是有「極為緊張、擔心、焦慮」的含意，可能是描述古時攻上城牆的戰士，那種九死一生的心情。
I was practically climbing the walls at her stupidity.（她那顆豬腦袋真是快把我給氣死。）
13. Cloak-and-dagger (有關間諜的秘密行動;神秘的活動)
Dad
reads books on gardening, while Mom loves a good cloak-and-dagger
story (與espionage稍有不同，前者為adj.後者為n).
14. Cold turkey (突然停止某種成癮習慣)
I kicked the TV habit cold turkey. I took five books out of
the library and covered my set with a blanket.
15. Come apart at the seams (失去常態,崩潰)
When
Miriam found out that she wasn't going back to camp this summer, she came apart at
the seams.
The school whole education strategy is coming apart at the seams.
My whole life had come apart at the
seams.
16. Cool it (冷靜一點; 鎮定點; 別激動)
I
told Meryl and Micki to cool it and stop
arguing.
Cool it, cool
it. and this is some very interesting architectural do-dads and hoo-ha's. 小聲些，小聲些。這兒有好些有趣的建築小玩意和小擺設。
Let's cool it until the party kicks
off.
派對還沒開始前我們還是先冷靜一下吧。
17. Cost an arm and a leg (昂貴的代價)
It
cost him an arm and a leg to go to
Hawaii, but Mr. Wong really needed the vacation.
It's really good
quality, but it cost me an arm and a leg.
沒有，是我買的。 材質是很好啦，但可不便宜呢。
It cost me an arm and a leg to get the
house refurnished.
我花了一大筆才把房子翻新。
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for reference：break the bank花大錢；花費很多
The book is not cheap, but it doesn't exactly break the bank.
那本書是不便宜，但也不至於是天價。
break the bank 這種說法本來用在賭博遊戲上，指一個人所贏得的錢超過銀行所能償付的，因此像字面上的意思「讓銀行破產了」，後常被用來形容人「花大錢；花費很多」的意思。
I'm looking for a cheap package
tour--something that won't break the
bank.
我在找一個便宜的套裝行程──那種不會花太多錢的。 |
18. Cat Got Your Tongue(啞口無言，舌頭打結)
Why are you not
saying anything? Has the cat got your
tongue?
19. Cash Cow(搖錢母牛，會下金雞蛋的金雞母)
19. Cash Cow(搖錢母牛，會下金雞蛋的金雞母)
The iPad is a
cash cow for Apple.
Wow! This place is a real cash cow! Look how crowded it is!
The football
team was a cash cow for the university.
這足球隊是這大學的搖錢樹。
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圖4. Cash Cow(搖錢母牛，會下金雞蛋的金雞母)
20. Got cold feet (臨陣退縮; 打退堂鼓)
20. Got cold feet (臨陣退縮; 打退堂鼓)
意指因為某些事情過度緊張，嚇得兩腿發軟，以致於臨陣退縮。
Jerry wanted to
ask Lynette to the dance, but he got cold feet.
She got cold feet before her wedding.
Suddenly I had cold feet and
couldn't sing a note.
我突然感到一陣膽怯，於是就一聲也唱不出來。
21. Head In The Clouds(想入非非／做白日夢)
John's head is in the clouds again. He's
talking about winning the lottery.
My
son always has his head in the clouds.
His teachers say he never concentrates in class!
You
must have your head in the clouds if
you think they're going to promote you this year.
get one’s head in the clouds，是指某人在做白日夢，老是脫離現實，想入非非；而Get your head out of the clouds.就是在勸誡人不要再做白日夢了。
22. Keep A Straight Face(緊繃著臉；板著臉孔；忍著不笑，擺出正經八百的樣子)＝try not to laugh
I can never
play jokes on my friends because I can't keep
a straight face.
Every time when you say funny things, I just can’t keep a straight face.
每次你在搞笑的時候,我根本沒辦法板著臉不笑。
23. Monkey Business(胡鬧，惡作劇)
23. Monkey Business(胡鬧，惡作劇)
That's enough monkey business. Now, settle down.
There's been some monkey business going on here! 有人在這裡搞鬼!
His teacher could do nothing about his monkey business in the school.
他的老師對於他在學校的惡作劇完全沒輒。
24. Spill The Beans(洩漏秘密)
24. Spill The Beans(洩漏秘密)
We are doomed,
Paul spilled the beans about the
party.
Play hooky. I
won't spill the beans. 翹課吧，我不會說的。
I bet Polly
you'd spill the beans to that
reporter.
我跟波莉打賭你跟那記者說了一切。
25. Stick Your Head In The Sand(鴕鳥心態)
hide one's head in the sand = take an ostrich posture
逃避現實；駝鳥心態
All Priscilla
wanted to do was bury her head in the
sand and forget everything.
Don't try to bury your head in the sand when faced
with problems.
26. The Black Sheep(敗家子,敗類,害群之馬)
26. The Black Sheep(敗家子,敗類,害群之馬)
牧羊人要的是白羊，因為白色的羊毛可以賣錢。如果生出黑羊就是賠錢貨，因為這種羊毛沒有人會買。
Henry's habit
of drinking and splurging(揮霍) has made him famous as the black sheep of the
family.
There's a black sheep in every
flock. 每個群裡都有害群之馬。
＝Black sheep dwell in every flock.每個團體都有害群之馬。
He was the black sheep of the family after he had got involved in the bank
robbery. 在他被牽累進銀行搶劫案後，就成了全家的敗家子。
27. Talking To A Brick Wall(對牛彈琴)
27. Talking To A Brick Wall(對牛彈琴)
I've tried to
discuss my feelings with her, but it's like talking to a brick wall.
You never listen to me——I might as well talk to a brick wall.
I have learned the art of talking
to brick walls.
Trying to get Paul to agree to spend more money on amenities is like talking to a brick wall.
要想說服保羅在使用便利設施上多花些錢如同對牛彈琴。
28. Turn a Deaf Ear/Fall on Deaf Ears(置若罔聞，聽而不聞)
28. Turn a Deaf Ear/Fall on Deaf Ears(置若罔聞，聽而不聞)
Her pleas for
mercy fell on deaf ears.
The despicable person have
lied so much that people turn a deaf ear
to whatever he say.
那個卑鄙無恥的人撒了那麽多的謊，不管他說什麽都沒人聽。
29. Two Peas in a Pod(一模一樣)
These twins are like two peas in a pod.
We were two peas in a pod - we liked all the
same things, and we did everything together.
30. Wear Heart On Sleeve(十分坦率流露自己的感情，心直口快)
30. Wear Heart On Sleeve(十分坦率流露自己的感情，心直口快)
She could not
pretend; she wore her heart on her
sleeve.
People who wear their heart on
their sleeve do not hold back their emotions, for good or for
bad. It is clear how they feel in each moment.
She is wearing her heart on her sleeve and everyone knows that she is having problems with her boyfriend again.
She is wearing her heart on her sleeve and everyone knows that she is having problems with her boyfriend again.
Your friend may, however, warn you not to wear your heart on your sleeve.
Personally, I prefer his habit of wearing his heart on his sleeve.
Personally, I prefer his habit of wearing his heart on his sleeve.