词汇典故—衣冠楚楚

词汇典故—衣冠楚楚

Now, the VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.

这里是美国之音慢速英语词汇典故。

Last week, I explained some English expressions about clothes. Everything I told you was true. I did not talk through my hat or say something without knowing the facts.

上周我们讲解了有关衣服的一些英语表达，我告诉大家的都是真的，没有胡说八道(talk through my hat)，说些自己根本不明白的东西。

Everyone knows there are many English expressions about clothes. There is no need to keep it a secret, or keep it under your hat. In fact, if I keep talking, soon enough you will start to think I am an old hat about this -- a real expert. Do not be fooled, though. My friends sometimes call me a wolf in sheep's clothing. This is someone who acts like a good person, but is really a bad person.

大家知道英语中有很多有关衣服的表达，没有必要保密(keep it under your hat)。事实上，如果我一直谈论，你很快就会认为我是这方面的老手(keep it under your hat)，是个真正的专家。但是不要被愚弄了，我朋友有时说我是披着羊皮的狼(a wolf in sheep's clothing)，这个词是说有的人看起来像个好人，其实是个坏家伙。

I'm not really a bad person. But I do love clothes. It is always fun to get dressed up. I look great in my best clothes. When I put them on, I feel decked¹ out. You might say when I wear my best clothes, I am dressed to the nines or dressed to the teeth. In fact, my husband says I look dressed to kill. Of course, I would never kill anyone. But, there is something special about putting on clothes that are pleasing to the eye.

我真的不是坏蛋，但我确实喜欢衣服，穿衣打扮其实很有趣，穿上最好的衣服我整个人看起来很棒。穿着它们我感到自己光彩照人(decked out)。你可能会说我穿上最好的衣服时衣冠楚楚(dressed to the nines)，事实上，我丈夫说我看起来迷死人了(dressed to kill)。当然，我根本不会杀人的，这是一些有关穿上衣服让人悦目的表达。

My best clothes are not modern or fashionable². Maybe someday they will come into fashion. But I really do not care. They certainly look better on me than my birthday suit. Did you know that everyone has a birthday suit? You wear it when you are wearing no clothes at all. Babies are born wearing their birthday suits.

我最好的衣服既不摩登也不时尚，可能有一天会入时的，但我并不在乎。穿上它们总比一丝不挂(my birthday suit)好多了，你知道每个人都有这样的生日礼物(birthday suit)吗？就是你没穿衣服的时候，婴儿出生时穿的就是这个。

I am very careful with my clothes. I handle them with kid gloves. I try not to get them dirty or torn. Most of my clothes fit like a glove. They fit perfectly³. But when I eat too much, I feel like my clothes might burst⁴ at the seams⁵. My clothes feel too restrictive and tight⁶.

我对衣服很小心，戴着手套来整理衣服，不让衣服弄脏或撕裂。我大多数衣服都很合身(fit like a glove)，穿上非常适合我。但当我吃得太多的时候，我感到衣服会裂开(burst at the seams)，太紧了。

Some of the clothes I like best are hand-me-downs. My older sister gave them to me when she no longer wanted them. Hand-me-downs are great because clothes often cost too much money. I live on a shoestring⁷. I have a very small budget and little money to spend on clothes. However, my sister has a lot of money to spend on clothes. Maybe someday the shoe will be on the other foot. The opposite will be true. I will have a lot of money to buy clothes and my sister will get hand-me-downs from me.

我喜欢的一些衣服是旧衣服(hand-me-downs)，姐姐不需要时就给我，旧衣服不错，因为买衣服很花钱，我生活很节俭(live on a shoestring)，我的预算很少，花在衣服上的钱不多。不过，我姐姐在衣服上花钱很多，或许有一天情况会相反(the shoe will be on the other foot)，我会花很多钱买衣服，而姐姐开始要我的旧衣服。

I admit I dream of being rich. I dream that someday I will be able to live like a rich person. I will know what it is like to walk in another person's shoes. Some of my friends got rich by riding someone else's coat tails. They are successful today as a result of someone else being successful. But, I believe you should never criticize⁸ others for something you would do yourself. What is said about someone else can also be said about you. Remember, if the shoe fits, wear it.

我承认自己渴望富有，梦想有一天能像富人一样生活，我就会知道设身处地(walk in another person’s shoes)是什么感觉。我的一些朋友通过借助成功者致富(riding someone else’s coat tails)。不过我认为不应该批评他人，你有一天也会这么做的。你批评别人的总有一天也适用于你，记住，如果觉得正确，就去做吧(if the shoe fits, wear it)。

Jill Moss⁹ wrote this VOA Special English program Words and Their Stories.

这里是美国之音慢速英语词汇典故，作者吉尔·莫斯，

 

I'm Faith Lapidus.

我是Faith Lapidus。

1 decked   

adj.装了甲板的；装饰的；铺面的；分层的

参考例句：

• A lot of supporters were decked out in the team's colours. 很多支持者穿着和这个队的队服颜色一样的衣服。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The streets are decked with a sea of red flags. 街道上是红旗的海洋。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 fashionable   

adj.时髦的，上流社会的，流行的

参考例句：

• She is moving in fashionable circles in New York.她活动于纽约上流社会之中。
• We lunched in a fashionable restaurant.我们在一家上等的饭店吃午餐。

3 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

4 burst   

vi.（burst，burst）爆炸；爆破；爆裂；爆发；vt.使…破裂；使…炸破；n.突然破裂；爆发

参考例句：

• We all held our breath till the bomb burst.我们屏住呼吸直到炸弹爆炸。
• She suddenly burst into song.她突然唱起歌来。

5 seams   

缝( seam的名词复数 )； （合在一起的两块木板等之间的）接缝； 层； 接口

参考例句：

• The seams of the boat must be filled in if they leak. 如果船板接缝漏水就一定要填补好。
• His coat has split open at the seams. 他的外套在接缝处裂开。

6 tight   

adj.紧的；难解的；紧密的

参考例句：

• Time is going to be tight,so you'd better hurry.时间很紧，你最好抓紧一点。
• The box is so tight that I can't open it.这个盒子太紧，我打不开。

7 shoestring   

n.小额资本；adj.小本经营的

参考例句：

• In the early years,the business was run on a shoestring.早年，这家店铺曾是小本经营。
• How can I take the best possible digital pictures on a shoestring budget?怎样用很小投资拍摄最好的数码照片？

8 criticize   

vt.批评；批判，指责；评论，评价

参考例句：

• Whenever you criticize him,he always has an excuse.你批评他，他总有说头儿。
• You are free to criticize my work.你可以随意批评我的工作。

9 moss   

n.苔，藓，地衣

参考例句：

• Moss grows on a rock.苔藓生在石头上。
• He was found asleep on a pillow of leaves and moss.有人看见他枕着树叶和苔藓睡着了。