行將就木；奄奄一息；生命垂危
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at death's door |
We were very surprised to hear that our favorite teacher was at death's door.
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老調重彈
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harp on one (or the same) string |
I've already told you many times that I have no money to lend you. I wish you'd stop harping on the same string.
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多此一舉；徒勞無益
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carry coals to Newcastle |
To offer him money is to carry coals to Newcastle; he is very wealthy.
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妄自尊大；自以為了不起
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too big for one's boots |
John is too big for his boots; that's his trouble.
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守口如瓶
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keep a quiet/still tongue (in one's head) |
You'll keep a quiet tongue in your head, will you?
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充耳不聞
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stop one's ears; turn a deaf ear |
He stopped his ears to bad news.
The president always turns a deaf ear to people's complaints.
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光陰似箭；歲月易逝
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time flies |
Scientists prove time flies when you're busy.
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先發制人；比...搶先一步
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steal a march on (someone) |
The company plans to steal a march on its competitors by offering the same computer at a lower price.
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夸夸其談；信口開河；信口雌黃
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shoot off one's mouth |
It seems like every senior official in the administration is free to shoot off his mouth on any subjects at any time.
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血濃於水
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blood is thicker than water |
He gave his brother a good job because blood is thicker than water.
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百聞不如一見；眼見為憑
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To see is to believe; Seeing is believing |
To see is to believe? No, eyes can be easily deceived.
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全力以赴
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do one's level best; go all out; go great guns; pull out all the stops; put one's best foot forward |
I did my level best to help him.
I will go great guns for the team.
Don't worry too much about the TOEFL iBT test. Just put your best foot forward and do what you can!
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早起的鳥兒有蟲吃
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the early bird catches the worm |
Remember, it's the early bird catches the worm - you should try to get to it early.
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有志者事竟成
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where there is a will there is a way |
In the writing test, John concluded his essay by writing "where there is a will there is a way."
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有其父必有其子
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like father/mother, like son/daughter |
A good example of "like father, like son" is George Bush and George W. Bush.
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安如磐石；十分平穩
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(as) steady as a rock |
As he aimed the gun, his hand was as steady as a rock.
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安然無恙
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safe and sound |
All his sons returned safe and sound from the war.
附註："safe and sound" 的發音並不是一個字一個字唸，而是將 and 中的 "d" 不發音，並將 "an" 與其前面的子音 (在此為 safe 中的 "f") 連音，所以實際的讀音是 "sa - fan - sound"。英文有不少類似 "safe and sound" 這種使用兩個詞性相同的字、中間用 and 連接起來的固定搭配，它們有些有連字號，有些沒有，但不管有無連字號，它們實際的讀音大多如上述，如 "cloak-and-dagger"、"hard-and-fast"、"ins and outs"、"up and about"、"spick-and-span" 等等；當然啦，如果 "and" 前面那個字的字尾是母音，那麼就不會有這種連音的情況發生。讀者若能把握這原則，並勤加練習，對於聽力的提升也會有所助益的。這種固定搭配在英文中叫做 "binomial"。
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名副其實
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worth (or worthy of) the name |
No policeman worth the name should ever let a criminal escape so easily.
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如坐針氈；坐立不安；焦躁不安；如熱鍋上的螞蟻
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like a cat on hot bricks (英) / like a cat on a hot tin roof (美); on pins and needles |
She was like a cat on hot bricks before her wedding ceremony.
I was on pins and needles all day until she called me.
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如意算盤；痴心妄想；一廂情願
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wishful thinking |
Their hopes of a peace settlement are nothing more than wishful thinking.
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因小失大
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spoil the ship for a ha'porth o'tar |
I'm going to buy some new paint brushes -- all the old ones have gone stiff. I've paid a lot for the paint and I don't want to spoil the ship for a ha'porth o'tar.
附註：這句成語中，ha'porth = halfpennyworth，o'tar = of tar。它原來是寫成 "spoil the sheep for a ha'porth of tar"，即「不願花半便士買焦油醫治羊傷而導致羊死亡」。有些地方將 sheep 的音發成 ship。
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自吹自擂；自我吹噓
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blow one's own trumpet/horn |
She's very good at blowing her own trumpet.
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自取滅亡；自掘墳墓；咎由自取；自食其果
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sign one's own death warrant; dig one's own grave; stew in one's own juice |
You're just digging your own grave if you go on smoking so heavily.
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自作自受； 自食其果；自尋死路；作法自斃
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cut/slit one's (own) throat; have made one's bed and must (or have to) lie in/on it; stew in one's own juice |
You've made your bed and you must lie on it.
I would just be cutting my own throat if I stopped work now.
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自討苦吃；自找麻煩
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make a rod for one's own back |
I've just made a rod for my own back by working for that company, because they always expect one to work many hours without pay.
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自高自大；自命不凡
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be/get/rise above oneself |
Don't be getting far above yourself; you are no more than a secretary.
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自斷後路；破釜沈舟
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burn one's boats/bridges (behind one) |
Now we've burned our bridges behind us and we have no option but to go forward with the project.
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劣幣驅逐良幣
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bad money drives out good |
"Bad money drives out good" is a proverb and also an economic principle. |
发表于 2010-9-25 12:59
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