老外最常用的21個英語習語
away
存錢
You should sock away a certain amount each month.
你每個月都應該存一筆錢。
from hand to mouth
收入勉強餬口
Bob had a little money socked away, so he didn't have to live from hand to mouth.
鮑勃存下來了一點錢，所以日子還算過得去。
off the fat of the land
靠土地產出的食品來過活
How hard can it be to strike out on your own and live off the fat of the land?
你是得多艱苦才靠地吃飯啊？
hay while the sun is shining
一有機會就掙錢或把錢存下來
While he had been successful at his job, he had made plenty of hay while the sun was shining.
他的工作乾得很成功，也就存了不少錢。
the twinkling of an eye
一剎那，眨眼的功夫。
Things could go terribly wrong in the twinkling of an eye.
眨眼的功夫事情就變得一團糟。
free as a bird
無拘無束
I found the reasons for his decision to throw in the towel and become free as a bird compelling.
我發現了他認輸的理由後，就再也無拘無束了。
one's ducks in a row
爲了完成某事而做好充分的準備。
Bob was very careful not to let on what he was thinking to anyone until he got all his ducks in a row.
鮑勃非常小心，他沒有告訴任何人自己的想法，直到做好充分的準備。
of the earth
社會中堅
Bill was salt of the earth.
比爾是一名社會精英。
the spur of the moment
一時衝動
He knew that such a decision couldn't be made on the spur of a moment.
他知道，不能一時衝動就作出決定。
the seat of one's pants
憑本事，憑直覺
He did wonder if things might be a bit more interesting if he gave living by the seat of his pants a go.
他想知道，如果當初他憑本事謀生的話，會不會比現在有意思點。
y to burn
花不完的錢
Sure, he never had money to burn, but he managed to get by.
當然，他從來沒有花不完的錢，但他還是成功了。
powers that be
指代掌權者
Certainly, he never questioned the powers that be.
當然，他從來沒有質疑過那些掌權者。
along
尾隨他人
Bill repeatedly told Bob that tagging along with everyone else would eventually get boring.
比爾一次次地告訴過鮑勃，尾隨他人是件很無聊的事。
w in the towel
放棄
I found the reasons for his decision to throw in the towel and become free as a bird compelling.
我發現了他認輸的理由後，就再也沒有任何顧慮了。
-of-all-trades
身兼多職的人
Bill made his living as a jack-of-all-trades.
比爾爲了謀生身兼多職。
able to see the forest for the trees
|太執着於細節，導致忽視了更加重要的部分。
The more he pondered the idea the more he came to realize that he wasn't able to see the forest for the trees.
他越想越覺得自己因爲執着細節，忽視了真正重要的部分。
at windmills
同假想的敵人或威脅作戰
He still felt he was tilting at windmills.
他仍覺得自己在同假想的敵人作戰。
a new lease on life
對生活持一個新的態度
These memories of Bill came flooding back as Bob began to to prepare to get a new lease on life.
當鮑勃決定重新開始生活時，那些關於比爾的記憶又奔涌而來。
prime of life
生命全盛期
However, Bob was in the the prime of life and he was ready for adventure.
但是，鮑勃此時年富力強，他準備好了迎接冒險。
w something down the drain
浪費
How can you throw all you've worked for down the drain?
你怎麼可以浪費自己的勞動成果呢？
one's marbles
陷入瘋狂
He's lost his marbles.
他真是瘋了。
練習
•He's a smart man because he has ____________ a lot of money for his retirement.
•I'm sure you'l feel _________________ once you graduate from college.
•Ever since I got the new job, I feel like I've gotten _________________.
•You'll be surprised how quickly your child will grow up. It sometimes seems that it happened ____________.
•My grandfather was a ______________________. He did everything!
•Too many people around the world have to ____________________. It's horrible!
•Of course, ___________________ do nothing to help the truly needy.
•Sometimes it seems like I'm ________________ by trying to start a new business.
答案
•socked away
•as free as a bird
•a new lease on life
•in the twinkling of an eye
•jack-of-all-trades
•live from hand to mouth
•the powers that be
•tilting at windmills
