英語單詞多種用途

在美國英語裏，有許多常用俚語是由身體部位字眼構成。

Session I: The Body Has Many Uses(身體的多種用途）

　1. Get in Someone's Hair = bother someone

可以用 get in someone's hair來表達麻煩某人意思，就象鑽到某人的頭髮裏，讓人厭煩一樣。

範例對話:

A: Children! Would you please stop making so much noise! And for heaven's sake, pick up your clothes and toys! It's hard enough trying to keep this house clean without your throwing your things all over the place!

B: Clara, I know that the children get in your hair, but you should try not to let it upset you so much.

A: Listen, Jim. I can't help it. The children bother me and make me very angry when they're so noisy and messy.

　2. Tongue-In-Cheek = not serious

舌頭沒有放正，表示某人不是認真的。

範例對話:

A: Why were you teasing Sonia about her new hairdo? She really took offense at what you said.

B: I didn't mean to offend her. I was simply making a tongue-in-cheek remark when I said that it was too elaborate for a girl of her young, tender age.

A: Well, she thought you were serious. She had no idea that you were just saying that as a joke.

B: I'm really sorry. I suppose I owe her an apology.

　3. Pull Someone's Leg = fool someone

完全沒有中文抱大腿、溜鬚拍馬或扯後腿的意思，本短語在美語裏是愚弄某人的意思。

範例對話:

A: Hey, Al.I was invited to be a judge for the Miss America Beauty Pageant!

B: Oh, really? Come on, you're pulling my leg!

A: No, honestly. Do you really think that I'm trying to fool you with a ridiculous story?

B: Well, you've told me foolish stories before.

A: I can assure you that this one is for real.

　　4. Stick Out One's Neck = take a risk

把脖子伸出去，在美語中是去冒險的意思。

範例對話:

A: How come they're asking me to act as their guide through the jungle?

B: Evidently they think you're the only one who can lead them to the lost temple.

A: That jungle has danger lurking around every corner. Why should I stick my neck out for them? They didn't pay me for my services.

B: They know that you would be taking a great risk and could possibly get hurt, but you're the only one with enough knowledge to take them to their destination. I'm sure you'll be amply rewarded.

　5. Get Off Someone's Back = stop bothering someone

從某人的背上下來，表示停止麻煩某人。

範例對話:

A: Hey, John. I'm bored. Come on, let's go out and do something.

B: Sorry, I'm right in the middle of studying for a physics exam. I won't be able to make it tonight.

A: You've been studying for a long time. Why don't you take a break? Come on! Let's go! Forget studying for a while!

B: Look! Get off my back!I can't go anywhere!

A: OK. I'll stop bothering you only if you promise to let me know the minute you're finished.

人靠衣裝

SessionII : Clothes Make the Man(and Women)(人靠衣裝）

　　1. Dress to Kill = wear one's finest clothing

衣服漂亮得電死人。

範例短文:

The reception for the new Swedish ambassador at the Jennison's was quite lavish. Naturally, everybody was dressed to kill. Since it was a formal occasion, everyone was dressed in their finiest, most elegant clothes.

　2. Knock Someone's Socks Off = enthuse and excite

讓人興奮得連襪子都掉了。

範例對話:

A:Hi, John. What's new?

B: Oh, nothing too much with me, but you ought to see Alfredo's new car. It'll knock your socks off!

A: So, he finally got that Italian sports car he's been dreaming about.

B: He sure did! When you see all the custom features that it has, you'll get so enthused and excited you won't know what to do!

A: Boy, I can hardly wait to go for a ride in it!

　3. Lose One's Shirt = lose a great deal of money

連襯衫都輸掉了，表示輸了很多錢。

範例對話:

A: I happened to bump into Doug at lunch yesterday afternoon.

B: What's new with Doug these days?

A: He wasn't doing so well. For one thing, he told me he lost his shirt at the races.

B: Doug has always liked to bet on the horses. I'm not surprised that he lost a great deal of money.

A: Yeah. At this rate he'll never have a penny to his name!

　4. Wet Blanket = dull or boring person who spoils the happiness of others

蓋濕毯子當然不舒服，象濕毯子一樣的人，一定是令人厭煩、倒人胃口的人。

範例短文:

James was not invited to go on the outing with the rest of the group because he's such a web blanket. On many previous occasions he has kept others from enjoying themselves by his pessimism and lack of enthusiasm. It's understandable that no one wants him around.

　5. Dress to the Teeth = dressed elegantly

跟中國成語武裝到牙齒有異曲同工之妙，表示某人費盡心機着裝打扮。

範例對話:

A: Did you see Hilda at the party last night?

B: Yes, I did. She was really dressed to the teeth!

A: Well, she had on her finest, most elegant clothing because she was out to make a good impression on Bill.

人會做很奇怪的事

Session III: People Do the Strangest Things(人會做很奇怪的事）

　1. Shoot the Breeze = chat informally

美國人把無目的的.閒聊比作是向微風射擊，打風。

範例對話:

A: What are you going to be doing this afternoon?

B: Oh, I don't have anything in particular in mind.

A: Why don't you come over to my place? We can listen to some records and shoot the breeze.

B: That sounds OK to me. I'd like to relax listening to music and visit and chat informally until my folks get back from shopping.

2. Bite the Dust = go down in defeat

美國人把輸了比作是頭朝下啃泥土。

範例短文:

Andy did exceptionally well in all of the track events, but bit the dust in the high jump competition. Much to the disappointment of his fans, he went down in defeat, losing to a competitor from the visiting team.

　3. Bend Over Backward = try very hard

美國人認為向後傾是要花很大力氣才能做到的事。Bend over backward 表示非常努力去做某事。

範例短文:

When Joan first started teaching she was afraid that she would have a lot of trouble getting used to the kids and to the faculty. Her fears turned out to be unfounded. Since everybody bent over backwards to help her. Everyone tried very hard to help her feel comfortable and adjust to the school.

　4. Scratch Someone's Back = return a favor

美國人認為幫別人撓背就是還禮，對別人恩惠地交換。

範例對話:

A: Hey, Bea. I need some help stacking these boxes. Would you please give me a hand?

B: OK. And I need some help tidying up the house. How about your helping me out after that?

A: OK. If you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours.

B: I know you don't like doing housework, but I'll help you with the boxes if you promise to return the favor.

A: No problem. I'll even do the windows.

　5. Turn Someone Off = disgust someone

turn off 表示把電源斷掉。Turn someone off 表示讓別人一下子沒了興趣。

範例對話:

A: How was your date with Marty last night?

B: Well, it started off OK, but he really turned me off when we went for a snack after the movies.

A: Did he say or do something to annoy you?

B: Frankly, he disgusted me when he tried to talk with his mouth full.

A: I don't blame you. That would have really bothered me too.

　　6. Kick the Bucket = die

死蹺蹺了。

範例短文:

It's been said that the old man knew of a buried treasure, but he kicked the bucketbefore telling anyone where it was. If the treasure exists, the old man unfortunately took the secret of its location with him when he died.

真不夠哥們

來看看美國人認為做哪些事是不地道的，令人生厭的。

　Session V: That's Not Nice(真不夠哥們）

　1. Drive Someone Up a Wall = annoy someone greatly

可以用 drive someone up a wall 來表達惹惱某人，就象把某人趕上牆一樣。

範例對話:

A: Wow! What a great set of drums!

B: Yeah, they're great, but I can't play on them when my folks are at home. They say I drive them up a wall with all the loud banging.

A: I get the same thing at home. My folks tell me that I annoy them and get them really angry whenever I turn up the volume on my stereo.

　2. String Someone Along = lead someone on dishonestly

帶欺騙性質地引誘某人，就像用繩釣魚一樣。。

範例短文:

Liz had high hopes of marrying Dean. When he ran off with another woman, she realized that he was just string her along. She had felt very strongly about him and was really hurt to see that he was deceiving her and had no intentions of ever marrying her.

　3. Sell Someone Down the River = betray someone

出賣某人給警察。

範例對話:

A: I heard that poor Jud Landed up in jaid.

B: Yeah. His so-called girlfriend sold him down the river and claimed the reward on him.

A: I can't understand that. I thought she was devoted to him.

B: She couldn't have been very devoted to him if she betrayed him and informed the police about his hiding place.

A: That just goes to show you what people will do for money.

　4. Leave Someone High and Dry = abandon someone

把某人丟在一邊不管。

範例對話:

A: Say, Jill. I thought that John was going to help you do the dishes tonight.

B: So did I. But he left me high and dry.

A: Where did he go?

B: Well, he got a call from some of his pals at work to go bowling, and he left me alone to do all this work without any help at all!

5. Spill the Beans = reveal a secret

泄密。

範例對話:

A: Did you know that Harry was going to take Kathy on a Caribbean cruise?

B: Yes, I did. He was planning on surprising her with the tickets for their anniversary, but someone spilled the beans.

A: What a shame! That was supposed to have been a surprise.

B: Yes, it's too bad that someone told her about the trip beforehand and ruined Harry's surprise.

A: That's OK. Her enthusiasm was not dampened in the least!

真象個動物園

在美國英語裏，有許多常用俚語是由動物字眼構成的，相當的生動、形象。掌握它們，會你的口語和作文更地道，更生色！

Session IV: It's a Zoo Out There(真象個動物園）

1. Smell a Rat = feel that something is wrong

可以用 I smell a rat 來表達自己感覺什麼事情不正常、奇怪、不對頭的意思，就象聞到死老鼠的味道一樣。

範例對話:

A: How come the front door is open? Didn't you close it before we went shopping?

B: I'm sure I did. I can't understand it.

A: Frankly, I smell a rat.

B: Me, too. I'm convinced that something is definitely wrong here.

A: We'd better call the police.

　2. Fishy = strange and suspicious

同 smell a rat 意思相近，也表示感覺奇怪和懷疑，就象聞到魚的腥臭味一樣。

範例短文:

When the security guard（保安）saw a light in the store after closing hours, it seemed to him that there was something fishy going on. He called the central office and explained to his superior（上級） that he thought something strange and suspicious（令人懷疑的） was occuring.

3. Take the Bull by the Horns = take decisive action in a difficult situation

在困難的條件下作出決定性的動作，或不計安危，勇敢面對，直接面對，就象擒牛從牛角入手的方法。

範例短文:

Julie has always felt that she was missing out on a lot of fun because of her clumsiness（笨拙） on the dance floor. She had been putting off taking lessions, but she finally took the bull by the horns and went to a professional dance studio for help. She was tired of feeling left out and acted decisively to correct the situation.

4. For the Birds = uninteresting， meaningless, boring and silly

無聊、無趣，愚蠢的，只是為鳥兒們準備的。

範例短文:

They went to a poetry reading, but they got bored and restless. As far as they were concerned, it was for the birds! They left during an intermission（中間休息） because they found the reading totally uninteresting and meaningless.

　5. Straight From the Horse's Mouth = from a reliable source

説話者本人的原話，或從可靠、權威人士處得來的信息。美國人在這裏把説話的人比作大馬了。

範例對話:

A: How did you find out that Jill was engaged?

B: I got the information from a very reliable source.

A: You mean Jill told you so herself?

B: That's right. I got it straight from the horse's mouth!

英語俚語中的動物

動物是人類的朋友，它們都和人類共同生活在地球上，所以在人類語言中有很多是動物有關的，請你們看一看這些有趣的句子吧！

1. What a stupid man（驢）!

真是個傻瓜！

2. Kate is busy as a bee（蜜蜂）.

凱特是個大忙人。

3. You dirty rat（老鼠）!

你這卑鄙的小人！

4. I'm hungry as a wolf!

我要餓死了！

5. What a turkey!

真是個草包！