241On a cloud是很高興的意思I've been on a cloud all day long - I heard this morning that I got an A on my final biochemistry exam.

 

242 under a cloud。任何人under a cloud是絕對不會高興的,因為他不是丟盡了面子,就是被懷疑做了什麼壞事。The judge had to let him go because there wasn't enough evidence against him. But he's going around under a cloud because most people think he's guilty.

 

243 Basket case經常被用來形容那些很窮的國家,它們的人民饑寒交迫,毫無希望。有的時候,basket case也是指那些老是虧錢,即將倒閉的企業。

244 I'm really worried - our company is losing so much money these days that if things don't get better in the next two months we'll be a basket case and have to go out of business.

 

245 all washed up。大家都知道,wash就是洗東西的。但是,all washed up的意思是徹底完蛋,和乾淨不乾淨毫無關係Did you hear that Gloria's marriage is all washed up?

246做事要看輕重緩急,有的時候不得不把正在做的事或計畫要做的事先擱置一邊。美國人把這叫做:to put on the back burner I know you're working on the Anderson contract, but let's put it on the back burner for now.

 

247好多人在做一些事的時候會表現出拖拖拉拉,很不願意的樣子。美國人把這種現象稱為:to drag one's feetBilly and Sally always drag their feet when I tell them it's bedtime.

248 to turn one's back on someone從字面上解釋,這是把自己的背對著某人。可是,實際上這是指根本不理會某人,或不肯給那個有困難的人任何幫助。I won't ever forgive my older brother--he turned his back on me and refused to lend me any money when I lost my job.

 

249 To get on someone's back是指對某人嘮嘮叨叨沒完。: I really don't like to get on Henry's back all the time.

250 Nag這個字的意思就是沒完沒了地嘮叨,讓人聽起來很煩燥。I like my boss except for one thing - he's always nagging me about getting to work on time

251要是有人老是對你嘮叨個沒完,你總有一天會感到無法忍耐,你可能會說: "Hey, get off my back, will you!"這就是說:“喂,你別跟我嘮叨了,行不行!” I'm telling you, if that guy doesn't stop nagging me about working faster, I'm going to tell him to get off my back or I'll walk right off the job and let him see how hard it is to find a good mechanic these days.

這個

252 To get one's back up就是生氣的意思。One thing really gets my back up -- the way my husband leaves his clothes on the bed or on the floor so I have to pick them up all the time."

 

253 to scratch one's back是指某人幫了一下忙,幫忙的人也期待對方下回幫他的忙。 "In my business it's important to scratch each other's back.

 

254 brainchild這兩個字合在一起的意思就是:腦子裏產生的一個想法。The electric light bulb is the brainchild of Thomas Edison, the telephone is the brainchild of Alexander Graham Bell, two 19th-century American inventors."

 

255 To pick one's brain就是向別人瞭解情況,或是徵求精通某個問題的專家的意見。

256"I don't understand all this scientific language. I'd better go see Doctor Rogers at the medical school and pick his brain; maybe he can make it clear to me."

 

257 To give up the ghost的意思也就是:

258 My poor old aunt was in bed with cancer for six months before she finally gave up the ghost."

 

259 Ghost town就是一些被遺棄的城鎮。

260 These old ghost towns can give you a scary feeling, with the buildings falling apart and the only sound is the moaning of the wind blowing through the deserted streets."

 

261 Ghost writer替有名望的人寫講稿或寫自傳,因為大多數有名望的人沒有寫作的才能,也沒有時間來寫。Writers like to see their names on books. But ghost writers have to be invisible like real ghosts.

262 spooky這個字解釋為害怕的時候,這種害怕往往是由於怕鬼而引起的。I get this spooky feeling every time I walk by this old, deserted house at night where that woman was chopped to death 30 years ago."

 

263 Brainstorm是一個字,意思就是:群策群力。I'm sorry to tell you our client has turned down the ads we did for him. Let's meet at 2 o'clock and brainstorm ideas."

 

26 egghead 知識分子I have to tell you that since he went off to college, Bill has turned into a real egghead. He'd rather read a book on physics than see a movie or a good football game on TV."

 

 

265To grab a bite要翻成口語很明顯就是:先吃點什麼We need to hurry if we want to see the 7:30 movie. Let's just stop off and grab a bite to eat at that hamburger joint near the theater."

 

266grubstake這個字已經演變成為開創新的企業所提供的資金或貸款。Grub這個字可以解釋為食品My husband and I have worked hard to make our new restaurant a success, but most of all I thank my father for giving us the grubstake to open it."

267Munch這個字的意思是吃零食。One of the real pleasure of life for me is to sit and munch on hot buttered popcorn while I watch a good movie."

 

268Hors d'oeuvre在法文裏的意思是:主菜以外的食品。with business so bad, we only had a stand-up reception with a few hors d'oeuvres like cheese on crackers and some cheap wine."

 

269To call the shots也就是作最後決定、下命令。To call the shots的原來意思是:軍官下令部隊開槍。old Mister Johns, is the one who calls the shots and tells us what to do."

 

270To call one's bluff就是揭露某人虛張聲勢的做法。"Sometimes you can scare the other players out of the game with a bluff and 'steal' the pot with a worthless hand. But it can be very expensive if another player calls your bluff."

他說:“有時候你可以虛張聲勢把其他牌友嚇住了,這樣你就偷偷地用一手壞牌贏了錢。可是,要是另一個打牌的人不相信你,向你挑戰,那你就可能會輸不少錢。”

 

271 To call up的最普通的意思是給某人打電話。但是,to call up也可以解釋為:引起一個人的記憶。"Every time I look at that black and gold lacquer box on my desk, it calls up memories of our trip to Bangkok last year."

 

272 To call it a day的意思是你工作了一天,到晚上你停止工作回家休息,但是準備第二天再回去繼續完成昨天沒做完的事。說簡單一點也就是:結束一天的工作。"I worked on my term paper until about ten o'clock last night, but got so sleepy I decided to call it a day.

273 to rub elbows的意思是出去和別人接觸和交際。"I like Mister Lewis. He's one of the richest, most powerful men in New York, but he's not stuck-up at all. In fact he really enjoys getting out and rubbing elbows with all us ordinary people."

這句話的中文意思是:“我很喜歡路易斯先生。他是紐約最有錢有勢的人之一,但是他卻一點架子都沒有。事實上,他還很喜歡和我們這些普通人交往。”

274 Elbow room的最普通解釋就是:某人能施展的地方或空間。"My husband and I are looking for a bigger house to move into. We have six children and a seventh on the way, and we need a lot more elbow room than we have now."

 

275 shrimp這個字首先是用來指那些個子矮小的人。後來人們才把蝦稱為shrimpMugsy is a real shrimp--only 1.6 meters tall.

276美國人把那些性格暴燥,脾氣很壞的人叫做crabShe's such an old crab, always scolding us for making noise, chewing gum, not doing our homework."

 

277 To smell fishy的意思是在某一件事情上你感到不太對頭,似乎有人在進行欺騙It appeared to be a real bargain, but I smelled something fishy because the man was in such a hurry to sell it.

278 To fish for compliments就是用一種巧妙的方法來讓別人恭維你、讚揚你。I hope you don't think I'm fishing for a compliment, but have you had a chance to read my new book?

279 turkey,那就等於說那個人無能、很笨。She's such a turkey with that boring personality and stupid grin."

 

280 Cold turkey作為俗語的意思是指一些人突然終止某種已經成隱的習慣,如非法吸毒、酗酒或抽煙等。I decided to go cold turkey and never light up another cigarette. It was tough, but it was the smartest thing I ever did in my life.

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