课堂里学不到的英语

2007/01/27 08:34 ..by zhanghongbiao

lose one's shirt
这句习语的意思是指“（尤指因赌马而）输了一大笔钱”。往往指输得很惨，一败涂地等。

A: Why, Mike, you look a little depressed. What's the matter?
B: Nothing much. Just I lost my shirt on yesterday's race.
A: Oh, that's terrible.
B: What if I had taken my wife's advice.
A: Don't be discouraged, Mike. You will win next time.
B: I hope so.

love handles
这是英语俚语里的一种说法，指腰部不好看淖溉狻?br />
A: Come here, sweetheart, see how I look in my new dress.
B: Oh, dear. You've got love handoes, but I love you anyway.
A: I'm thinking about losing weight, and I should have started my plan earlier.

main squeeze
是英语俚语，是头头、要人、首恶、元凶的意思。
在下面的对话中即是指最主要的boyfriend, girlfriend, lover.

A: Last week I saw Ted with a pretty girl downtown, and yesterday he was walking closely with another beauty!
B: No wonder nobody knows who is his main squeeze.
A: No doubt he is a charming young lad.
B: A lady-killer, really.

man in the street
这个习语所指的人，是平平凡凡没有什么特别知识或技能的人。

A: Hi, guess what I'm going to tell you?
B: Come on. Don't keep me waiting.
A: Jenny is about to marry!
B: No kidding! Mary whom?
A: Aman in the street.
B: Oh, I can't believe it. Jenny used to be so proud and particular.

meat and poison
这条习语的意思是“人各有所好”的意思，即为“萝卜青菜，各有所爱”。

A: You know what Julie said about the new maths teacher?
B: No, I am not familiar with her.
A: She said the teacher knew nothing about how to teach students at all.
B: Why did she say so?
A: I don't know. Maybe one man's meat is another man's poison.
B: This remark is very much to the point.

miss the boat
错失良机。
A: Hi, you are so depressed. What's the matter?
B: Last night, I was going to invite Clara to a pop concert.
A: Did you? Pop music is her favorite, so she must be very excited.
B: But I missed the boat.
A: Why? You have been expecting such a day for so long!
B: That's true, but someting urgent happened and I didn't go to her home.
A: What a pity!

Mr. Right
“白马王子”的习惯说法是prince charming,在对话中一般指的是梦中情人；而Mr. Right 则有与之共同生活的意思，包含了更成熟的含义在里面。

A: I met Louisa in the pub yesterday.
B: I heard that she was about to get married.
A: She ought to have, but her Mr. Right left her and finally kissed another girl.
B: Poor Louisa. What should she do then?
A: Maybe just wait for her prince charming to come.

mystery meat

* Definition
Animal flesh that has been cooked so long and so badly that it cannot be identified; an unappealing food item of unknown origin.

* Example
Oh, no... It looks like mystery meat is on the menu again.

* Etymology
A 'mystery' is something that cannot be explained or known. This phrase refers to mysterious dishes that are typically served to defenseless students in dining halls.

"mystery meat"是英语中的俚语。常指不知道到底是什么菜。

A: Chivese cooking is really marvelous.
B: Yes, we call it art of cooking.
A: Every time I dine in a Chinese restaurant, the waiter will suggest that I try some mystery meat.
B: Chinese cooks are good at making some ordinary ingredients into delicious dishes.

Not on your life!
这是口语中常用的表示强烈的否定，"absolutely not".

A: Someone said you cheated on the test, did you?
B: Not on your life!
A: I think I can trust you.
B: Thanks. You are my true friend.

Now you are talking.
其含义是“你说的话正合我心意”、“你说了算”。英语中还有一种说法是：You are taken the words right out of my mouth.

A: Mary, how about going to the seaside this weekend?
B: Now you are talking.
A: Really? Take Tom, and I will ask John to go together.
B: OK. When will we set off?
A: I think we'd better set off earlier. I hope you won't oversleep.

out of question/out of the question
一个定冠词使两者意思截然相反。\"out of quetion"表示肯定，毫无疑问，而\"out of the quetion"是“不可能”，表示拒绝考虑。

A: I didn't see you at yesterday's meeting, where did go?
B: I was busy at the hospital.
A: Hospital? What happened to you?
B: Not to me, but my mother. She had got a heart attack.
A: Is it serious?
B: Not so serious now, but I wonder if you could do me a favor.
A: It's out of question.

over
I'm over with you.意思是“我要跟你断交”，而如果想表达“在你之上”则可以寻找其他话语。

A: I did so badly in the exam. How about you?
B: I get a better score than you, but it's just I'm lucky this time.
A: I'd better catch up. Can I have a look at your paper and see how you tackle some of those problems?
B: Sure, here you are.

pass the hat
这个说法很形象，就好象是将一顶帽子在众人中传来传去，传到谁的面前，谁就向里面放钱。这个短语的意思即：大家一起来出钱。

A: That's nearly 1000 bucks, a big sum. We can't let him pay it all. Let's pass the hat.
B: I think so too. It's unfair to ask him to handle all this.
A: All right. Let's do it righ now.

payday
除了可以表示发薪日之外，还有一层意思，就是死亡之日和寿终之日。也许因为人的死亡有Pay the debt of nature等说法。因此一些会起误会的词应免说。

A: Today is a very important day for me, you know why?
B: Sure. It's the end of the month, and you will get your pay day.
A: Not only that. I just went to the Dean's office, and I got a promotion.
B: Congratulations!

peeping Tom
“peeping Tom”源自一个著名的英语传说。一千多年前一位伯爵夫人为了惩罚丈夫，决定赤身裸体骑马绕小镇一周，于是伯爵下令镇上所有的人紧闭门窗，可是惟独一个叫 Tom的人躲在窗后偷窥到了伯爵夫人。从此以后人们就用peeping Tom 来形容那些偷窥别人的人。

A: I saw you comforting your girlfriend yesterday. What's the matter?
B: My girlfriend had a problem with a peeping Tom at her apartment.
A: I have a good plan to solve this problem.
B: Good, I really need your help.