一些常用俚語

1.In the nick of time

Meaning： At the last moment， just before something bad happens

意思：正是時候

例句：

（1） The accident victim was near death， but the ambulance arrived in the nick of time and the paramedic saved her.

這個傷者已經奄奄一息了，但是救護車在最后一刻趕到了！護理人員終于救了她。

（2） We ran as fast as we could toward the bus stop and got there just as the bus was pulling to a stop. We got there in the nick of time.

我們以最快速度朝汽車站跑去，當我們到了車站時，汽車正好停了下來，我們到的正是時候。

Tips： ①這個俚語常用在情況非常緊急的時候。

②“nick”與“name”可構成合成詞“nickname”，意思是“綽號”。

2.Take a hike

Meaning：used for rudely telling someone to go away

意思是：哪兒涼快哪兒歇著去吧

例句：

（1） please take a hike while I'm drawing， dont interrupt me！

我畫畫的時候請走開，不要打擾我！

（2） Our teacher told Jack that if he didnt learn to be quiet in class， he could take a hike .

我們老師告訴杰克，如果他不學著在課堂上安靜下來，他就只能出去了。

3. Jack of all trades

Meaning：a person who knows a little about a lot of different subjects or activities， but not a lot about any one of them

意思：雜而不精的人，萬事通。

例句：

（1） Walt is good at so many things： he can fix the plumbing and wiring in his house； he fixed his roof when it leaked； he installed his washer and dryer， and he paints the house when it needs it. Hes really a jack of all trades.

沃爾特擅長做那么多事情：修理家里的管道和電線、修漏水的屋頂。他也會安裝洗衣機和烘干機，甚至他可以自己粉刷新房子，他真是一個萬事通！

（2） The position in the company required someone who knew everything about a very narrow subject. They werent looking for a jack of all trades.

公司里的這個位置需要那種對一個學科有所專研的人，而不是一個雜而不精的人。

Tips：

①trade：本意是“行業”“貿易”。

②Jack：這個人名在這里是虛指某人。其他人名類似用法，還有“Uncle Sam”和美國的縮寫都是US 因此就被用來指“美國政府”；“Jane Doe”指“無名氏（女）”。

4.Break a leg

Meaning：used for wishing sb. good luck

意思是：祝你好運

例句：

（1） I understand you have a job interview tomorrow. Break a leg！

我知道你明天上午有個面試，祝你好運！

（2） Break a leg in your test today.

祝你今天考試順利。

Tips：

①本意為演出成功后，演員行屈膝禮向觀眾致謝時，腿“折疊”起來的動作。

②和五官相關的俚語：

run off at the mouth 信口開河

5.Keyed up

Meaning：Full of nervous anticipation； anxious； tense

意思是：緊張不安的；焦躁的

例句：

（1） Stop pacing the floor. Relax. Why are you so keyed up？

不要來回走了，放松！你為什么如此不安？

（2） Charles was so keyed up waiting for the wedding to begin that when it finally did， he dropped the wedding ring.

Charles在婚禮開始前太激動了，以致在婚禮開始時，他把結婚戒指弄掉了！

6.Dont have a cow.

Meaning： dont make a fuss.

意思是：不要大驚小怪

例句：

（1） Dont have a cow！ its just a small bug.

別大驚小怪的，這只是一個小臭蟲。

（2） Dont have a cow， man. Ill buy you another one later.

別大驚小怪，老兄。我等會買一個還給你就是了。

Tips：

①make a fuss：大驚小怪。 “fuss”是小題大做的意思，既可以做動詞，也可以做名詞使用。

②make a fuss of/over sb：過分的愛護某人。

7.Dutch uncle

Meaning：someone who advises or criticizes a younger person in a severe way

意思是：喋喋不休教訓別人的人

例句：

（1） Stop talking to me like a Dutch uncle about my duty to my family.

在有關我的家庭責任感這個問題上，別老是教訓我。

（2） Dont be a Dutch uncle. Try to become a kind person.

不要做一個吹毛求疵的人，試著做一個善良的人。

8.Take French leave

Meaning：To take time away from your job without asking for permission

意思是：不辭而別

例句：

（1） Everyone who takes French leave can be received punish severely.

任何擅離職守的人都要受到嚴懲。

（2） Im sure I saw you at the party last night， but you were nowhere to be found when I wanted to talk to you. Why did you take French leave？

我肯定昨晚在聚會上看到你的，但后來要找你說話的時候卻不見人了。你怎么不辭而別啊？

Tips：

來源：在18世紀，法國人性格隨便，性情浪漫，在參加宴會等一切社交聚會時，養成了不向主人告別就擅自離去的習慣。

9.an eye for an eye

Meaning：the idea that someone who has harmed another person should be punished by having the same thing done to himself

意思是：以牙還牙

例句：

（1） “An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. ” — Gandhi

“以眼還眼會使全世界都看不見。”——甘地

（2） I hear he has been speaking ill of you. You should make an eye for an eye.

我聽說他一直在講你的壞話，你應該報復他，以眼還眼。

Tips：

這句諺語在《圣經》中多次出現。摩西受上帝之命，成為在埃及做奴隸的以色列人的領袖。他發布法令：

“The punishment is to be a life for a life， an eye for an eye， a tooth for a tooth， a hand for a hand and a foot for a foot.”

“要以命償命，以眼還眼，以牙還牙，以手還手，以腳還腳。”漢語中“以眼還眼”“以牙還牙”即源于此，表示“以其人之道還治其人之身”。

10.Let the cat out of the bag

Meaning：To reveal a secret

意思是：真相大白

例句：

（1） When Rachel decided she was going to quit her job， she told her best friend but she didnt want to let the cat out of the bag. So Rachel told her friend not to tell anyone.

當瑞秋決定辭職的時候，她告訴了她最好的朋友。瑞秋又不想泄露這個秘密，因而她告訴朋友不要告訴任何人這件事情。

（2） The children put their money together to buy their mother a birthday present， but the youngest child became excited and couldnt keep from telling his mother what they had bought. His brothers and sisters told him he shouldnt have let the cat out of the bag.

孩子們把他們的錢湊在一起為媽媽買了一個生日禮物。但是最小的孩子太興奮結果說漏嘴了，他的哥哥姐姐曾經告訴過他不準把這件事說出去。

Tips：

和“cat”有關的俚語：

a cat nap 打個盹兒

fat cat 有錢有勢的人

cat in the pan 叛徒