a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
一鸟在手,胜似二鸟在林
a blank slate
干净的黑板(新的一页,新的开始)
a bone to pick
可挑剔的骨头(争端,不满)
a cat nap
打个盹儿
a chip off the old block
大木头上砍下来的小木片(子肖其父)
a chip on one’s shouder
肩头的木片(自卑感,因为自卑而爱找别人麻烦)
a chip on one’s shouder
肩膀上的木片(喜欢向人挑衅)
a couch potato
躺椅上的马铃薯(懒鬼)
a cake walk
走去吃糕(易事)
a headache
头痛(麻烦事)
a knock out
击倒(美得让人倾倒)
a load off my mind
心头大石落地
a nut
傻子,疯子
a Paln in the neck
脖子疼(苦事)
a piece Of cake
一块蛋糕(小菜一碟,易事一件)
a Pig
猪猡
a shot in the dark
盲目射击(瞎猜)
a short fuse
引线短(脾气火爆)
a sinking shop
正在下沉的船
a slam dunk
灌篮(轻而易举的事)
a slap in the face
脸上挨了一耳光(公然受辱)
a smoke screen
烟幕
a socal butterfly
社交蝴蝶(善于交际,会应酬的人)
a stick in the mud
烂泥中的树枝
a thick skin
厚脸皮
a thorn in some’s side
腰上的荆棘(芒刺在背)
a turn coat
反穿皮祆的人(叛徒)
an uphill battle
上坡作战(在逆境中求胜)
a weigh off my shoulder
放下肩头重担
ace
得满分(得到完美的结果)
all ears
全是耳朵(洗耳恭听)
all thUmbs
满手都是大拇指(笨手笨脚)
an ace Up mp sleeve
袖里的王牌
an open and shut case
明显的事件
ants In one's pants
裤裆里有蚂蚁(坐立不安)
back in the saddle
重上马鞍(重整旗鼓)
back on track
重上轨道(改过自新)
backfire
逆火(弄巧成拙,适得其反)
ball and chain
铁球铁链,甜蜜的枷(老婆)
beat a dead horse
鞭打死马令其奔驰(徒劳)
beaten by the Ugly stick
被丑杖打过(生得难看)
beggars Can’t be choosers
讨饭的谈不上挑三拣四
bet on it
下这一注稳赢(有把握.无疑)
bet your life
把命赌上(绝对错不了)
better half
我的另一半
between a rock and a hard place
进退维谷(前有狼后有虎)
big headed
大脑袋(傲慢,自大)
bigger fish to fry
有更大的鱼要炸(有更重要的事要办)
bite off more than one can chew
贪多嚼不烂
bite the bullet
咬子弹(强忍痛苦)
birds of a feather flock together
羽毛相同的鸟总飞成一群(物以类聚)
blow up In your face
在眼前爆炸(事情完全弄砸了)
bologna
胡说,瞎话
break a leg
折断一条腿(表演真实,演出成功)
break the ice
破冰(打破僵局)
bright
聪明,灵光
brown nose
讨好,诌媚
bug somebody
使人讨厌
ball in a China shop
瓷器店里的蛮牛(笨拙的人,动辄弄坏东西的人)
bump into
撞上(巧遇)
burn bridges
烧桥(过河拆桥)
burst your bubble
扎破泡泡(打破人的幻想,煞风景)
bury one’s head in the sand
把头埋在沙里(自欺欺人)
butterfinger
奶油手指(抓不稳东西的人)
butterflies in my stomach
肚里有只蝴蝶(心里紧张,七上八下)
bye the farm
买下农场(归道山,死了)
call it a night
一日事毕,可以睡觉了
can't teach an old dog new tricks
老狗学不会新把戏
cash in my chips
兑换筹码(睡觉,就寝)
chicken
鸡(胆小鬼)
circle the wagons
把篷车围成一圈(严阵以待)
clean up one's act
自我检点,自我改进
come down in buckets
倾盆大雨
come down in sheets
整片整片地下(倾盆大雨)
coll your jets
冷静下来
cost some an arm and a leg
要花上一条胳膊一条腿(代价昂贵)
count on something/doing something
这事靠得住
count your chickens before they hatch
蛋还没孵化,先数小鸡
crock
破瓦片(无用之物,废话)
cross the line
跨过线(做得太过分了)
cross that bridge when we come to it
到了桥头就过桥(船到桥头自然直)
cry over spilled milk
为泼了牛奶而哭(为过去的失败而懊丧)
cushion the blow
给垫着点儿(说话绵软一点,以免打击太重)
cut to the line
抄捷径去追猎物(不绕圈子,开门见山,单刀直入)
daily grind
例行苦事,每天得干的苦工
days are numbered
来日无多
dead center
正当中
dead-end street
死路,死巷子
dog
狗(五八怪)
domino effect
骨牌效应
don’t hold your breath
别憋着呼吸(别期望太高)
don’t look a gift horse in the mouth
赠马不看牙(收人礼物别嫌好道歹)
down to the wire
最后关头
down under
南边(常指南半球的澳洲)
downhill from here
从此都是下坡路(自此每况愈下)
drop the ball
掉了球(失职)
empty nest
空巢(儿女长大离家)
every cloud has a silver lining
乌云也有银边(祸兮福所倚.塞翁失马)
fall into place
落实,就绪
fender bender
撞弯保险杠的车祸(小车祸)
fight tooth and nail
爪牙并施,拼命抵抗
fine line
细线(微妙的差别)
fish out of water
如鱼离水
flash in the pan
淘金盆里的反光(空欢喜一场,好景不长)
fork in the road
岔路
fox
狐狸(并无贬意)
framed
被陷害,遭栽赃
full throttle
加足马力
get a foot in the door
一脚已经进了门里(获得立足点,占一份)
get hitched
拴起来(结婚)
get Off on the wrong foot
起步便错(第一印象不佳)
get the ball rolling
让球滚起来(动起手来)
get/give the green light
绿灯亮了(获准行动)
get up on the wrong side of the bed
起床下错边
give the shirt off one’s back
连衬衫都肯脱给人(慷慨成性)
go one step tOO far
多走了一步(做得太过分了)
go out on a limp
爬高枝(担风险)
go overboard
过火
go to hell in a hand basket
坐着吊篮下地狱(一坏不可收拾)
go to one'S head
上头上脸,冲昏头脑
go under
沉没(破产)
goose bumps
鸡皮疙瘩
grasp for straw
抓稻草(绝望中的挣扎,快要淹死的人连漂浮的稻草也抓)
guts
胆子
hot
惹火
have one’s cake and eat it too
既想留着蛋糕,又想吃(既要鱼,又要熊掌)
hindsight is 20/20
事后的先见之明。
hit stride
脚步走顺了
hit the books
撞书(用功)
hit the hay
倒在稻草上(睡觉,就寝)
hit the jackpot
中了头彩
hit the road
上路
hold a candle to
给他拿蜡烛都不配(远不能相比)
hold the key to my heart
掌管我心灵的钥匙
hold your horses
勒住你的马(慢来)
hang somebody out to dry
把……晾起来了(把……坑苦了)
in one's back pocket
在某人裤子后口袋里(是某人的囊中之物)
in the dark
在黑暗中(茫然,什么也不知道)
in the lime light
站在聚光灯圈里(出风头)
in the sportlight
站在聚光灯圈里(出风头)
it’s Greek to me
希腊文(天书)
in the middle of nowhere
周围什么也没有(前不见村,后不着店)
joined at the hip
连体婴(死党,从不分开的两个人)
jump the gun
枪未响先偷跑(抢先)
just what the doctor ordered
正是大夫说的(对症下药)
keep an ear to the ground
一耳贴地(注意新动向)
keep one's fingers crossed/cross one's fingers
把手指交叉成十字架(暗祈上苍保佑)
kick the bucket
踢水桶(翘辫子)
kill two birds with one stone
一箭双雕,一举两得
kiss up to
讨好
kitty corner
小猫的角落(斜对角)
knuckle sandwich
指节骨三明治(饱以老拳)
landslide
山崩(压倒性的胜利)
last straw
最后一根稻草
left a bitter taste in one’s mouth
留下满嘴苦味(留下不愉快的回忆)
left hanging
被晾起来了(被挂起来,悬而不决)
let sleeping dog lie
别惊动睡着的狗(别无事生非,过去的事不要再提)
let the cat out of the hag
放出袋中猫(泄密,说漏嘴)
light a fire under your butt
在屁股下点一种火(促其行动)
light at the end of the tunnel
隧道末端的光(一线希望)
lit hot cakes
象刚出炉的蛋糕(很受欢迎的东西,抢手货)
like looking for a needle in a haystack
如同在稻草堆里找一根针(大海捞针)
like pulling hen’s teeth
跟拔母鸡的牙一样(艰苦不堪)
like shooting fish in a barrel
桶里射鱼(瓮中捉鳖)
like stealing candy from a baby
娃娃手里骗糖(易事)
long winded
长舌碎嘴
loose cannon
松动的大炮(一触即发的脾气)
loose one’s marbles
疯了,神智不清
low blow
不正当的攻击,下流手段
make a mount out of a molehill
把小土堆说成大山(小题大作)
make him and break the mold
上帝造了他以后就把模型砸了(再没有跟他一样的人了)
Monday morning quarterback
星期一早晨的四分卫(马后炮)
monky business
猢狲把戏(胡闹)
monky on one’s back
背上的猴子(难以摆脱的负担)
more than you can shake a finger at
屈指难数
more than one way to skin a cat
剥猫皮各有巧妙不同(另有办法)
music to one's ears
爱听的话
my old man
我的老头(我父亲)
nail in the coffin
棺材钉子(致命的一击,决定成败的最重要因素)
neck and neck
马脖子靠着马脖了(齐头并进,不分轩轻)
no sweat
不出汗(没什么大不了)
not deaing with a full deck
脑子里少了几张牌(头脑不正常)
nothing will leave these walls
话不传出这四堵墙之外(言不入六耳)
Off the charts
好得没治了
off the deep end
暴跳如雷
off the top of one’s head
临时一想,随口一说
on a good note
尽欢而散
on a roll
做得很顺,势如破竹
on cloud nine
九霄云上
on fire
着火了(红火,手气旺)
on my nerves
惹我心烦
on pins and needles
如坐针毡,坐立不安
on tap
桶装啤酒(现成的,预备好的)
on the back burner
搁在靠后的炉子上(靠边站)
On the ball
看球看得准(做事有准备,有把握)
on the edge of my seat
坐在椅子前沿(专心地看和听)
on the rocks
触礁,搁浅;加冰块
on the same page
在同一页上(进度相同)
on the tip of my tongue
话到舌尖,呼之欲出
once in a bule moon
出蓝月亮的时候(稀罕,少见)
one foot in in the grave
一脚已经人了坟(入土三尺)
one of a kind
独一无二
one step ahead of you
领先你一步
out of the pan and into the fire
跳出锅里,掉进火里(每况愈下)
out of the picture
不在画面里
out of this world
人世所无,只应天上有
pale in comparison
相形失色
Peas in a pod
一荚之豆(好哥儿们)
pieces come together
拼图游戏凑成图案(诸事顺利,达成完美结果)
play it by ear
不用看话(随机应变)
plenty Of other fish in the pin
海里的鱼多得很(天涯何处无芳草)
poker face
扑克面孔(喜怒不形于色)
pop the question
提出大问题(求婚)
pot calling the kettle black
锅嫌壶黑(五十步笑百步)
pull onesel up by one’s bootstraps
拎着鞋带把自己提起来(凭自己的力量重新振作起来)
pull the rug out from underneath someone
地毯从脚下被抽去(事出意外)
punch your lights out
摸得你两眼发黑
put all of one’s eggs in one basket
鸡蛋都放在一个篮子里(孤注一掷)
put one's foot in one's mouth
把脚丫放进嘴里(说错话了)
put one’s nose to the grindstone
鼻子冲着磨刀石(专心工作)
put the cart before the horse
车在马前(本末倒置)
put up the white flag
竖白旗(投降,放弃)
rain on your parade
游行时下雨(扫兴,浇冷水)
rain cats and dog
天上下猫,天上下狗(倾盆大雨)
raise the bar
提高横竿(更上一层楼)
read some like a book
对这个人一目了然
red handed
趁着手上的血还没洗净时候抓住,在犯罪现场被逮
red tape
(扎公文的)红带子,官样文章(繁文缛节)
right down my alley
恰是我的路(正对我的胃口)
rob the cradle
劫摇篮(老牛吃嫩草)
rock the boat
晃船(无事生非,制造不安定)
rumple the feathers
逆拂羽毛(逆批龙鳞)
seamless
天衣无缝
secret weapon
秘密武器
see right through someone
一眼看穿,洞烛其奸
shoot for the stars
射星星(立志要高)
sick and tired
厌烦
sit shotgun
坐在前座
six one way,half a doze the other
一边六个,一边半打(半斤八两)
skate on thin ice
在薄冰上滑冰(如履薄冰,身历险境)
skeleton in one’s closet
壁橱里的骷髅(不可告人的事)
skin and bones
皮包骨
sleep on it
睡在上面(考虑一晚上)
small talk
寒喧,闲聊
smooth sailing
一帆风顺
snowball
滚雪球,越滚越大
snowball’s chance in hell
雪球进了地狱(希望不大)
spark
火星(来电)
spinless
没脊梁(没有骨气)
split hairs
细分头发(吹毛求疵)
stab in the back
背后插刀(遭人暗算)
stallion
千里驹(貌美体健的男人)
stand someone up
对方失约,让人空等
stick a fork in him, he’s done
用叉子激他一下看看,他烤熟了吧
stop and smell the roses
停下来闻玫瑰花(享受生活)
straw that broke the camel's back
压断骆驼脊梁的稻草(最后致命的一击)
Straight from the horse’s mouth
听马说的(根据最可靠的消息来源)
strike out
三振出局
stud
种马(貌美体健的男人)
swing for the fence
打全垒打
take a hike
走路(滚蛋)
take a rain check
因雨停赛时送给观众下次免费来看的票(另一次机会)
tabe off
动身
take one for the team
为了全队挨一下(为了集体利益,牺牲个人利益)
take the words right out of someone’s mouth
替我说了(你所说的正是我想要说的)
the ball is in someone's court
球在你那边(该你行动了)
the walls have ears
墙有耳朵(隔墙有耳)
the whole nine yards
整整九码(一举成功,美式足球的攻方一次需推进十码)
throw in the towel
扔毛巾(认输,放弃)
tie the knot
打结(结婚)
toe the line
循规蹈矩,沿着线走
tongue in cheek
闲磕牙(挖苦地)
too many cooks in the kitchen
厨房里厨子太多(筑室道谋,三个和尚没水喝)
twinkle in your mother'eye
母亲眼中的一闪灵光(未出娘胎〕
twisted
脾气拧,别扭
two left feet
有两只左脚(笨手笨脚)
under my skin
钻到我的皮下(让我极不舒服)
under the weather
受了风寒
until the cows comes back
等到牛回家(空等,白等)
until you are blue in the face
干到脸发青(也是白干)
unwind
放松发条(轻松下来)
up for grabs
大家有份
up in the air
挂在空中(悬而未决)
walk in someone's shoes
穿他的鞋走走看(设身处地,经历相同)
walk on air
(高兴得)脚不点地,飘飘然
washed up
像是洗过的(筋疲力尽,力气都放完了)
water off a duck’s back
鸭背的水珠(马耳东风)
water under the bridge
桥下的水(逝水,覆水)
when hell freezes over
地狱结冰(绝不可能的事)
weed out
除去杂草(淘汰)
well rounded
全能,全才
when pigs fly
猪飞的时候(绝不可能)
not lift a finger
连手指都不动一动(袖手旁观)
wound up
上足发条(紧张,兴奋)
wrapped around his/her little finger
化为绕指柔(玩弄于股掌之间)
wring his neck
扭断他的脖子