15个有趣的英语惯用口语表达

 　　1. a worm’s eye view

　　1. 只了解极少一部分

　　Many have heard the expression a bird’s eye view, but have you ever heard of a worm’s eye view? If you have a worm’s eye view of something, you only understand or know a little bit about it - and, unfortunately, it is usually the worst or least important part!

　　很多人听到过鸟瞰这个词，但是你有听说过“虫视”吗?这个习语的意思是你只了解或懂得一件事的很小一部分，而且不幸的是，你了解的是最不重要的部分!

　　Example: What does he know about prepositions? He only has a worm’s eye view of English grammar!

　　例：他哪里懂介词了?他对英语语法的了解少得可怜!

　　2. a party pooper

　　2. 扫兴的人

　　A party pooper is someone who (always) ruins the fun.

　　这个习语指的是总是在派对上扫人兴的人。

　　Example: Frieda said that she can’t come to our ?80’s Rock Star? party. She has to stay home and wash her hair - what a party pooper!

　　例：弗莉达说她不能来我们的“80年代摇滚明星”主题派对了。她要在家洗头——真扫兴!

　　3. everyone and his brother

　　3. 一大群人

　　The English expression everyone and his brother refers to a very large number of people.

　　这个习语泛指的是一大群人。

　　Example: Everyone and his brother was at the stamp collectors’ convention¹ last weekend. I had never seen so many people in my life!

　　例：上周的集邮者大会爆棚了。我这辈子从来没见过这么多人!

　　4. The world is your oyster².

　　4. 从心所欲

　　If the world is your oyster, you have the ability to do anything you want or set you mind to do.

　　如果有人用这样的习语描述你，那说明只要你想做、下定决心做一件事，你就一定能做成。

　　Example: The young people of today have so many advantages. The world is their oyster.

　　例：现在的年轻人有太多有利条件了。他们想干什么都能干成。

　　5. The worm has turned.

　　5. (地位低下的人)反抗、转变

　　Here is another worm idiom. The English idiom the worm has turned is used to say that someone who was always weak and did what he was told has now become strong and confident.

　　这又是一个和“虫”有关的习语。指的是一个一直很弱势、总是听别人差遣的人现在变得坚强并且自信了。

　　Example: It looks like Rinaldo isn’t listening to you anymore. The worm has turned.

　　例：看来里纳尔多不会再听你的了。他已经变得自信起来了。

　　6. to knock your socks off

　　6. 震惊

　　When someone or something knocks your socks off, he, she or it amazes or impresses you.

　　这个习语的意思是一个人让你震惊、惊讶、印象深刻。

　　Example: Abrar’s version of the Canadian national anthem³ really knocked our socks off!

　　例：阿巴拉翻唱的加拿大国歌真的惊艳到我们了!

　　7. top banana

　　7. 头头、大老板

　　Similar to head honcho, big cheese or big enchilada, the term top banana refers to the leader of a group or organization.

　　和head honcho(大腕)、big cheese(大人物)和big enchilada(大亨)类似，这个词组的意思是一个团体或组织的领导。

　　Example: Our principal, Mr. Williams, is the top banana at our school.

　　例：我们的校长威廉姆斯先生是我们学校的头头。

　　8. the lights are on, but nobody's home

　　8. 慢热

　　Used when describing a person struggles to fit into normal society, and subsequently⁴ rejected and described to people as a bit slow.

　　用来描述一个人努力想要融入社会但无法融入进去，还有点慢热的人。

　　Example: Don't ask Dudley if he knows it, because… well, you know, the lights are on but nobody is home.

　　例：用不着问达德利他知不知道。唔…你知道的，这人有点慢热。

　　9. when pigs fly

　　9. 完全不可能

　　The phrase "when pigs fly" is a response equal to "it will never happen", or "I will never do it".

　　这个习语的意思是“这件事是永远不可能的”，或是“我永远都不会这样做”。

　　Example: The things you want to create is can only be complete when pigs fly.

　　例：你要是能那些事做完，那猪都会飞了。

　　10. to have Van Gogh's ear for music

　　10. 音痴

　　If you have Van Gogh's ear for music, you are a tone⁵ deaf.

　　这样描述你的意思是：你是一个音痴。

　　Example: He has Van Gogh’s ear for music and sings like a rusty⁶ hinge⁷.

　　例：他完全是个音痴，唱起歌来像生锈的门铰一样。

　　11. to pig out

　　11. 像猪一样吃东西

　　This idiom means eating too much of something; to make a pig of oneself.

　　这个习语的说的是吃的太多，吃得像猪一样。

　　Example: Don't you girls pig out on too much candy!

　　例：你们几个不要吃那么多糖，都吃成猪了!

　　12. everything but the kitchen sink

　　12. 什么乱七八糟的都有

　　Almost everything, whether needed or not.

　　几乎所有东西，无论是有用的还是没用的。

　　Example: She must have brought everything but the kitchen sink along on the trip, and how she lifted her suitcase, I do not know.

　　例：她一路上几乎什么都买了，不管是有用的还是没用的。我实在不知道她到底是怎么拎动她的手提箱的。

　　13. to put a sock in it

　　13. 闭嘴、别再说了

　　Asking a noisy person or a group to be quiet or to shut up.

　　让吵吵嚷嚷的单个人或一群人闭嘴。

　　Example: Oh, dry up; put a sock in it.

　　例：噢，你快给我闭嘴!

　　14. to have a cast iron stomach

　　14. 铁打的胃，吃多少喝多少都没问题

　　A person who has a cast iron stomach is someone who has no problems with eating anything or drinking anything.

　　这个习语指的是一个人吃多少喝多少都没问题。

　　Example: I cannot eat this type of food because i don’t have a cast iron stomach.

　　例：我不能吃这个东西，我的胃可不是铁打的。

　　15. use your loaf

　　15. 动动脑子

　　If you tell someone to use their loaf, you are telling them in a slightly angry way that they should think more carefully about what they are doing.

　　你跟别人说这个习语，就是说用有点生气的口吻让别人做事多动动脑子。

　　Example: You haven’t even switched the thing on. Come on, Jamie, use your loaf!

　　例：你连开关都没看。天哪，杰米，长点脑子吧!

1 convention   

n.惯例，习俗，常规，会议，大会

参考例句：

• How many delegates have checked in at the convention?大会已有多少代表报到？
• He sets at naught every convention of society.他轻视所有的社会习俗。

2 oyster   

n.牡蛎；沉默寡言的人

参考例句：

• I enjoy eating oyster; it's really delicious.我喜欢吃牡蛎，它味道真美。
• I find I fairly like eating when he finally persuades me to taste the oyster.当他最后说服我尝尝牡蛎时，我发现我相当喜欢吃。

3 anthem   

n.圣歌，赞美诗，颂歌

参考例句：

• All those present were standing solemnly when the national anthem was played.奏国歌时全场肃立。
• As he stood on the winner's rostrum,he sang the words of the national anthem.他站在冠军领奖台上，唱起了国歌。

4 subsequently   

ad.后来，接着

参考例句：

• The original interview notes were subsequently lost. 采访记录原稿后来丢失了。
• Brooke was arrested and subsequently sentenced to five years' imprisonment. 布鲁克被逮捕，其后被判五年监禁。

5 tone   

n.语气，音调，气度，色调；vt.（up）增强

参考例句：

• There was a tone of mockery in his voice.他说话的语气含有嘲笑的意味。
• Holmes used an informal,chatty tone in his essays.霍姆斯在文章中语气轻松随便。

6 rusty   

adj.生锈的；锈色的；荒废了的

参考例句：

• The lock on the door is rusty and won't open.门上的锁锈住了。
• I haven't practiced my French for months and it's getting rusty.几个月不用，我的法语又荒疏了。

7 hinge   

n.合页，铰链，关键；v.给...安铰链，随...而定

参考例句：

• That door can damage in the hinge very fast.那扇门很快会在合页处损坏。
• Does not success or failure hinge on this?成败之机，其在斯乎？