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1
Be in the air
将要发生的事情
The
feeling or idea that something new is about to
happen or is going to change.
Example:
From the arguments going on at the
meeting, it seems that a change in policy is in
the
air.
2
Clear the air
消除误会
To settle a
dispute and restore good relations
Example:
We had a
meeting with the workers, and I think we’ve
cleared the air now.
3
Cost an arm and
a leg
极其昂贵
To be
very expensive
Example:
I love that fur coat. However, I don’t
think I’m going to buy it because it costs an arm
and a leg.
4
A bad egg
缺乏道德的人
Somebody
who has no moral principles and should be avoided
Example:
You
mustn’t
lend
Tim
money,
he’s
a
bad
egg.
You’ll
never
see
him
or
your
money
again!
5
In the Bag
稳操胜券
Said of an
achievement which is secure
Example
: We have the deal in
the bag. The client came in this morning to sign
the agreement.
6
In the balance
未知的
,
不可预测的
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Said when the outcome of a
situation is unknown or unpredictable
Example:
His career as a
pilot is in the balance, as his eyesight does not
seem good enough.
7
Drive a hard
bargain
极力讨价还价
To
have the negotiating strength and skills to get
the most advantageous price and conditions
Example:
Amanda is
negotiating the best price from the suppliers. She
drives a hard bargain.
8
Ring a bell
看上去或听起来非常熟悉
To
look, sound or seem familiar
Example:
That face rings a bell, where have I
seen him before?
9
Tighten one’s
belt
节衣缩食
To cut
down on spending because there is less income than
before
Example:
Now
you
are
out
of
work,
you’ll
have
to
tighten
your
belt
and
give
up
buying
new
clothes and going out so
often.
10
Kill two birds with one stone
一石二鸟
To complete
two tasks together, with less effort than doing
them separately
Example:
Since I’d gone to the store to buy some
bread, I thought of killing two
birds
with one
stone and invited Mr. Biggs to
the party.
11
Be in a black mood
情绪极差
To be so
negative about everything that it is impossible
for anyone to reason with him/her
Example:
My father has been
in a black mood for days, we dare not say anything
to him.
12
New blood
新成员
New people brought into an organization
to introduce different and original ideas
Example:
It was decided to
bring new blood into the school by employing
teachers with the latest
training.
13
Feeling blue
感到无精打采
Feeling
sad or depressed
Example:
She’s feeling blue, because the man she
loves is far away.
14
Get to the
bottom of something
弄清真相
To find out the truth about something
Example:
I’m trying to get
to the bottom of why David left without saying
goodbye.
15 A
piece of cake
轻松的事
Something which is very easy to do
Example:
Here…let
me put the batteries in for you. It’s a piece of
cake.
16
Pay a call
拜访
To visit
somebody
Example:
As we’re
in this neighborhood, we might as well pay the
Jacksons a call, we haven’t
seen them
for ages.
17
By chance
偶然
,
意外的
Unexpectedly;
with no prior planning
Example:
By chance, I bumped
into my wife in the shopping mall
18
Round the clock
夜以继日的
To do
something continuously, without a break or pause
Example:
The ambulance
services worked round the clock hauling people
trapped in the building
to safety.
19
Keep one’s cool
保持冷静
To stay calm
in a difficult situation
Example:
If the traffic is
jamed, the only thing to do is keep your cool, or
get out of the car and
walk!
20
In a tight corner
处于困境
In an
extremely difficult situation
Example:
Whenever I get into a tight corner, I
try to rely on quick thinking to get out of it.
21
Keep in the dark
隐瞒
To keep
something secret
Example:
We
know my brother has a new girlfriend, but he's
keeping her name in the dark.
22
Fall on deaf ears
不加理睬的
,
不听取
Not to take
any notice of what is said
Example:
The city council’s order that garbage
should be put in the bins fell on
deaf
ears; the
sidewalks are still littered
with trash!
23
Take things
easy
放轻松
To relax
Example:
It's better for our
health to take things easy than to worry about
problems all the time.
24
Eat like a
horse
吃得很多
To eat
a lot; to have a very big appetite
Example:
Fred eats like a
horse. When I was a growing lad like him, I used
to eat a lot, too.
25
Catch one’s
eye
吸引某人注意
To
attract somebody’s attention
Example:
A movement behind
the curtain caught my eye
–
I thought it was a burglar and rushed
out of the room!
26
Have an eye for something
对某
事
(
某物体
)
了解得非常清楚
To be very good at
doing something, or have a great understanding of
something.
Example:
As a
botanist, he has to describe and draw plants
accurately, so he must have an eye for
detail.
27
Turn a blind
eye
熟视无睹
To
ignore an action, even though one should do
something about it
Example:
Parents will spoil their children if
they constantly turn a blind eye to their bad
behavior.
28
Keep an eye on
照看
,
密切注视
To watch
carefully; to look after
Example:
Keep an eye on my purse
–
I'm just going to the
bathroom.
29
Lose face
丢脸
To
have one's reputation spoiled; to be embarrassed
Example:
The
large
drug
houses
have
lost
face,
because
smaller
companies
are
selling
similar
products at a cheaper price!
30
Lead the field
处于领头地位
To be the
most successful person or group in an activity
Example:
For decades, the
House of Dior led the field in elegant fashion
design.