英语词汇趣谈.docx

1、英语词汇趣谈英语词汇趣谈 I am all ears 洗耳恭听One day, we hired a carpenter to repair our house. I dwelt on (详细讲述）all the details that needed repairing to him. then I asked him, Are you clear? Can you remember all that? Yes! the carpenter replied. I am all ears! I felt puzzled and did not know what he meant. Later

2、 my eldest son explained to me that he meant, I am listening attentively!. I am broke 我没钱了 One day when I was walking in the school corridor, Anna ran over to me and said, Im broke. May I .? I thought she might have fallen somewhere and was injured, so I hurriedly supported her with my hands and ask

3、ed her, Are you OK? Do you want me to send you to the clinic? She felt a little puzzled, but then she said , Im ok. Im broke. May I borrow some money?I assumed that she wanted to borrow money to go to hospital to see a doctor, so I responded quickly, Let me help you to call an ambulance to the hospi

4、tal.Not until then did she realize that I had not understood what she meant. She told me that Im broke meant, Im penniless. I suddenly saw the light too.Have an affair with.与.有暧昧关系 The president was forced to resign, for his having an affair with a film star was like a time-bomb that would sooner or

5、 later ruin his fame. It was reported that President Clinton had an affair with a girl called Monica. 五官与英语习语 eye The eyes are extremely precious to us. That is why we say“Mind your eye (当心)!”when we reminding someone to be careful. Not only human beings and animals have eyes, many things also have“

6、eyes”- the eyes of a ship, the eye of a needle, the eye of a typhoon, and so on. ear The ear is the organ of hearing. A piece of light music is easy on the ear. (悦耳动听). We are usually all ears (专心聆听) for bit news. When they think somebody is overhearing, English people use either of the two proverbs

7、: Walls have ears (隔墙有耳) and Pitchers have ears (壶罐有耳). They also think that little pitchers have big ears(小孩子耳朵尖). Nice boys and girls respect other people. They will not secretly listen to others private conversations. nose The English phrase face to face (面对面) and its Chinese counterpart(对应)are e

8、xactly the same. But English people, to express the same idea, can say nose to nose instead. There is no such substitute in Chinese. The word nose appears in many idioms. Here are two which are quite similar to their Chinese equivalents: lead somebody by the nose (牵着某人的鼻子走) and turn up ones nose at

9、somebody or something (对某人或某物嗤之一鼻). lipWe have two lips: the upper lip and the lower lip. If ones two lips are closed, one cannot speak. So it goes without saying that dont open your lips (不要开口) means dont speak. His lips are sealed. Are his lips really stuck together by wax or glue? No, his lips ar

10、e sealed when asked about something that he must keep secret. Sometimes a top secret is betrayed because it has escaped someones lips (脱口而出). Then the incident may become a piece of news that is on everybodys lips (众口相传). tongue We all know we cannot speak without the tongue. So the tongue is closel

11、y related to speech. To hold ones tongue (保持沉默) means to keep silent. A person who has too much tongue (太多嘴) is disliked by all, for he is too talkative. Mother tongue is not the tongue of a mother: it is a persons native language. Dont you have a moth below your nose (你鼻子底下不是有张嘴吗)? The Chinese say

12、so to blame a person who did not say what he should have said. But this not the right way to express the idea in English. English people would say, You have a tongue in your head, havent you? 与动物有关的谚语 羊sheep，羊,绵羊,也用来表示羞答答的人，及作“胆小鬼”、“信徒”之意。as well be hanged for a sheep as for a lamb一不做二不休(偷大羊或偷小羊反正都得

13、挨绞刑。)One scabbed sheep infects the whole flock.一只羊生疮整群羊遭殃。There is a black sheep in every flock.到处都有害群之马。sheep that have no shepherd乌合之众aim high 胸怀大志Frank aimed high, but achieved littleDialogue:Sue: You seem to be worried about something these daysBob: Yeah. Im running around in circles (忙得团团转）with

14、out achieving anything.Sue: Running in circles? Maybe you aim too high and youve taken more than you can chew.Bob: Maybe. but I cant tolerate doing nothing.Sue: You may take a break before buckling down on (开始认真地干）your targets. 猫cat,猫、猫科的动物；也用来指坏心眼的女人；(爱用指甲)抓人的孩子。The cat shuts its eyes when stealing

15、 cream.掩耳盗铃:猫偷吃奶油的时候,总是闭着眼睛。(观察一下)The scalded cat fears cold water. 一朝被蛇咬,三年怕井绳。(被烫过的猫,连冷水也怕) When the cats away, the mice will play. 猫儿不在,老鼠成精(大王外出,小鬼跳粱)。go ape 神魂颠倒的，发疯He went ape as soon as he learned that he got the first prize. DialogueMary: Jack went ape. Whats happened?Lora: He made a bomb (赚

16、大钱）in his business.Mary: How come? He told me that his business had almost landed on the rocks （没有前途，没指望了）only a couple of days ago! Besides, he doesnt seem to be cut out for （天生适合干.)doing business.Lora: Fools may have a fortune. And this is why he went ape when he make bundles(发大财）.狗dog,狗；雄狗；(狐、狼等的

17、)雄兽；【口】家伙。Scornful (Hungry) dogs will eat dirty puddings.急不暇择,饥不择食。love me, love my dog.爱屋及乌。Give a dog a bad (an ill) name (and hang him).人言可畏。Every dog has his day.凡人皆有得意日。Beware of a silent dog and still water.提防不吠的狗,小心静止的水。A staff stick is quickly soon found to beat a dog with.欲加之罪,何患无辞。Barking

18、dogs seldom bite.爱叫的狗不咬人。(咬人的狗不露齿。)Every dog is a lion at home. 狗是百步王,只在门前凶。世界各国及城市雅称集锦 Athens (雅典)the city of jasmines (茉莉花城) Berne (伯尔尼)the city of clocks and watches (钟表城) Brazil (巴西)the country of coffee (咖啡国) Canada (加拿大)the country of maple leaves (枫叶国) Ecuador (厄瓜多尔)the equatorial country (赤道

19、国) Ethiopia (埃塞俄比亚)the barefoot country (赤足国) Egypt (埃及)the country of the pyramids (金字塔国) Ghana (加纳)the country of cocoa(可可国) Guba (古巴)the country of sugarcane (甘蔗国) Japan (日本)the country of Cherries(樱花国)Jerusalem (耶路撒冷)the holy city (圣城) Lusaka (卢莎卡)the city of copper (铜城) Lima (利马)the city of dro

20、ught (干旱城) London (伦敦)the city of fog (雾都)Malaysia (马来西亚)the rubber country (橡胶国) Mexico (墨西哥)the cactus country (仙人掌国) Mexico City (墨西哥城)the city of frescoes (壁画城) New York (纽约)Big Apple (大苹果城) Panama (巴拿马)the butterfly country(蝴蝶国) Singapore (新加坡)the country of gardens(花园国) Tunisia (突尼斯)the olive

21、country (橄榄国) Venice (威尼斯)the city of water (水城) Washington(华盛顿)the city of snow (雪城) Wellington (惠灵顿)the city of wind (风城)argue someone down 驳倒某人 He has a glib tongue. Few people can argue him down.他有三寸不烂之舌。几乎没人能把他驳倒。Frank argued the manager down, though he could hardly be convinced by any other pe

22、ople.Most people present at the meeting argued against the measures to be taken by the local government in dealing with traffic jams.Jack was punished, but most of his colleagues argued fro his actions.I am the one wearing pants in the house 我当家 One day we invited our American friends, a couple, to

23、our home. We had a pleasant chat. During the chat, I asked them who was in control of their familys finance. My friends wife answered, I am the one wearing pants in the house. Both my wife and I were very confused. We were wondering why she told me that only she wore trousers in her house when I ask

24、ed who was in charge of the money I their family. A few pointers (指点，暗示）from my friend made us suddenly see the light. It turned out that what she meant was I am in charge.Its up in the air 尚未确定 Once I met an old friend of mine at the schools celebration meeting. Hence it was quite natural that we h

25、ad a talk.I am going to be transferred to another school, said my friend.When? I asked.Its up in the air, she answered.I felt rather confused and wondered why she said it was up in the air.Finding I looked puzzled, my friend knew that I did not understand what she meant. So she explained to me with

26、the help of gestures.Finally I got the point that Its up in the air meant It is uncertain. cost an arm and a leg 付出过高的代价 Eating in the restaurants in this street will cost you an arm and a leg. Buying an apartment in Beijing will cost you an arm and a leg DialogueSandra: I say, Frank. Have you thoug

27、ht about changing the bed sets(床上用品）？Frank: Well, Ive actually been thinking of discarding them.Sandra: And have you thought about where we should go for the new sets?Frank: Well, I need to shop around a bit before I can decide.Sandra: How about the Johns in the Fifth Street?Frank: The Johns? They w

28、ill cost you an arm and a leg. You have to pay through the nose（为买.付出过高的代价；被敲竹杠）， you know?Sandra: But their quality is first rate.Frank: I know. And their price is first rate, too.keep someone at arms length与某人保持距离She said that she couldnt put her finger on why everyone in the company should keep h

29、er at arms length. 她说他搞不清楚为何公司里的人都不愿已接近他。 If youve kept her at arms length, she wouldnt be able to et hold of your weakness and take advantage of you.touch someone on the raw.触及某人的痛处The question asked by the Japanese lady seemed to have touched the president on the raw, and it had almost driven him

30、on the wall.那位日本妇女向总统提出个问题，这一问就好像触及了总统的痛处，并把他逼上了绝境。When with friends, people always try to avoid the topics that would possibly touch them on the raw.Your acid comment made him lose face and the question you raised had touched him on the raw.You should avoid offending him by touching him on the raw.

31、Childlike and childish 天真和幼稚 I had been to America for only a few years, as I did not understand the actual meanings of the two words childlike and childish. A minor misunderstanding was the result, and I nearly offended my supervising professor. One day I had a chat with some professors and postgraduates in the office. the subject came to the character of my supervisor. She was a senior professor who was always very cheerfu