范琳琳 孫文龍
1. a hangdog look 羞愧的神態(tài);垂頭喪氣的樣子
注解:在中世紀(jì)的歐洲,給人類(lèi)造成死亡或傷害的動(dòng)物,像人一樣,也要受到起訴和審訊。有記載說(shuō),1595年在荷蘭西部城市Leyden,有個(gè)小孩被狗咬傷手指致死,這條狗因此被人們吊死。狗被吊死之事在莎士比亞的劇作中曾提到5次。A hangdog look 一語(yǔ)可能由此而來(lái)。現(xiàn)多用來(lái)喻指拖著尾巴的喪家之犬。
情景例句:
A: Did you appear in the court?
B: Yeah, he has been punished according to the law.
A: Its good news for all of us.
B: Right. When the criminal appeared in the court with a hangdog look, all the people were standing up excitedly.
A:你去法庭旁聽(tīng)了嗎?
B:去了。他被繩之以法了。
A:這可真是個(gè)好消息。
B:是呀。當(dāng)他帶著愧疚的神態(tài)出現(xiàn)在法庭時(shí),所有在場(chǎng)的人都激動(dòng)地站了起來(lái)。
2. hard cash價(jià)高而穩(wěn)定的貨幣
注解:此語(yǔ)指notes and coins only(紙幣和硬幣),一般指可換黃金等價(jià)高而穩(wěn)定的貨幣,如:In terms of hard cash,weve raised over 200 pounds and in pledge about 8500 pounds.(就現(xiàn)金而言,我們已經(jīng)籌集了200多英鎊,抵押品價(jià)值約為8500英鎊。)cash down 為動(dòng)詞短語(yǔ),表示“用現(xiàn)金支付”。
情景例句:
A: I bought a villa with a very beautiful garden.
B: Wow! How comfortable!
A: After we make decorations, welcome to drop in.
B: Thanks. Did you pay it hard cash?
A: Yes.
B: But where the hell did you get the money?
A: Thats a secret.
A:我買(mǎi)了一棟帶漂亮花園的別墅。
B:哇,真舒服??!
A:等裝修好之后,歡迎來(lái)參觀。
B:謝謝。你是用現(xiàn)金買(mǎi)房的嗎?
A:是的。
B:你從哪搞來(lái)的錢(qián)?
A:這是個(gè)秘密。
3. hard science硬科學(xué)
注解:此語(yǔ)與natural science基本同義,指物理學(xué)、化學(xué)、生物學(xué)、地質(zhì)學(xué)等自然科學(xué)。hard scientist則指“自然科學(xué)家”。與之相對(duì)的是soft science“軟科學(xué)”,指政治學(xué)、經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)、社會(huì)學(xué)和心理學(xué)等人文科學(xué)。
情景例句:
A: In my opinion, the development of hard science and soft science is unbalanced at all.
B: Yeah,its true.Most of people just pay attention to the hard science.
A: But the soft science is more important in my eyes. Especially psychology, today, a lot of people live a tense life, feel tired and are easily upset as well.
B: I think we all think we can change everything, desire more than we can obtain.
A:依我看,現(xiàn)在硬科學(xué)和軟科學(xué)的發(fā)展一點(diǎn)也不平衡。
B:就是。很多人只關(guān)心硬科學(xué)。
A:可是在我眼中,軟科學(xué)更為重要,尤其是心理學(xué)?,F(xiàn)在人們大多生活在緊張的生活狀態(tài)中,身體疲憊,內(nèi)心脆弱。
B:我覺(jué)得我們都認(rèn)為自己可以改變一切,我們的欲望比我們能得到的要多得多。
4. harp on the same string/tune老調(diào)重彈
注解:?jiǎn)疼牛?340?~1400)在1033年所寫(xiě)的《特羅勒斯和克麗西德》中用過(guò)這條習(xí)語(yǔ),但與現(xiàn)在的形式稍有出入:keeping on one string or harping on the same song。目前的形式是在喬叟之后兩個(gè)世紀(jì)的李利(1554~1606)首先使用的。莎士比亞在《哈姆雷特》等6個(gè)劇本中也都用過(guò)這條習(xí)語(yǔ)。
情景例句:
A: Are you free now?
B: What?
A: Can you lend me some money?
B: Ive already told you that Im broke myself. I wish youd stop harping on the same string.
A: You miser.
A:你現(xiàn)在有空嗎?
B:有事嗎?
A:能借我點(diǎn)錢(qián)嗎?
B:我已經(jīng)告訴過(guò)你,我自己也身無(wú)分文。你別總是老調(diào)重彈。
A:你可真是個(gè)吝嗇鬼。
5. have up ones sleeve留有一招、錦囊妙計(jì)
注解:此語(yǔ)最早形式為have a card/an ace up ones sleeve,表示“玩牌作弊,先把好牌藏起來(lái)”,比喻指“留后手”。也可寫(xiě)作keep...up ones sleeve或have...in ones sleeve。
情景例句:
A: He suspects youre having something nasty up your sleeve for him.
B: What a man he thinks that I would be?
A: Dont be so angry. I think maybe someone says something to him behind you.
B: Who does such a senseless thing?
A: Who knows? But you must know there are really such people.
A: 他懷疑你對(duì)他藏奸。
B:他把我想成什么人了?
A: 別發(fā)火。我想也許有人在你背后對(duì)他說(shuō)了些什么。
B:誰(shuí)干的這種無(wú)聊事?
A: 誰(shuí)知道?但你必須明白的確有這種人存在。
6. have a bone to pick with對(duì)……有意見(jiàn)
注解:出自動(dòng)物爭(zhēng)奪獵物的習(xí)性。例如:兩只狗為爭(zhēng)搶一根骨頭而相互撕咬。此語(yǔ)始見(jiàn)16世紀(jì)中期,現(xiàn)一般喻指“與某人有爭(zhēng)端;對(duì)某人不滿(mǎn)”。
情景例句:
A:I have a bone to pick with you.
B: Okay. Lets clear the air. What are you getting at?
A: You always have a chip on your shoulder.
B: Im sorry. But I dont mean to get your goat.
A:我對(duì)你有點(diǎn)意見(jiàn)。
B:好吧,讓我們來(lái)消除誤會(huì)。你指的是什么事呢?
A:你總是容易動(dòng)怒。
B:我很抱歉,可我并非有意惹你生氣。
7. have a field day玩得分外高興
注解:field day原是軍事用語(yǔ),指“野外演習(xí)日”,以后喻指“有重大事或重要活動(dòng)的日子”“特別愉快的時(shí)刻”等。因此have a field day 表示“玩得分外開(kāi)心”,通常用于口語(yǔ)。
情景例句:
A: I havent seen you for a long time, where have you been?
B: I paid a visit to South Korea.
A: Wonderful! Im sure you have a field day.
B: Yeah, you got it. The scenery was very beautiful.
A: Oh, I think Ill have a travel there when I have such a chance.
A:好長(zhǎng)時(shí)間沒(méi)見(jiàn)你,去哪了?
B:我到韓國(guó)玩了一圈。
A:真好!我想你肯定玩得十分高興。
B:就是,你說(shuō)對(duì)了。風(fēng)景真是漂亮。
A:要是有機(jī)會(huì)我一定要去轉(zhuǎn)上一圈。
8. have a finger in the pie 參與某事
注解:此處的in the pie 是in making the pie 的省略。pie 是一種西式點(diǎn)心,譯作“餡餅”,亦偶見(jiàn)音譯作“攀”“排”。此語(yǔ)多用作“多管閑事”或“干涉他人事務(wù)”之義。此語(yǔ)亦可作have ones finger in the pie.
情景例句:
A: How much have you yet to do?
B: A lot of things are at hand. Im at my wits end with them.
A: Dont worry. What's the deadline for handing all of them?
B: Next Monday.
A: Well, Ill have a finger in the pie and that will help you out.
A:你還有多少?zèng)]做?
B:手頭的事太多了,我簡(jiǎn)直都無(wú)力招架。
A:別急。什么時(shí)候是上交的最后期限?
B:下星期一。
A:我來(lái)幫你做點(diǎn)吧。那樣你就能早點(diǎn)完成工作了。
9. have a grudge against 對(duì)……懷恨在心
注解:此語(yǔ)中的動(dòng)詞have還可由hold ,bear ,harbor ,carry ,nurse 等詞代替。與之相應(yīng)的詞組有bear/own sb. a grudge (對(duì)某人懷有積怨)。grudge 一詞作為動(dòng)詞時(shí),形成詞組grudge doing sth,則表示“勉強(qiáng)地,不情愿地做某事”。
情景例句:
A:Some employers seem to have a grudge against women.
B:Where can you see that?
A:They dont want to employ women.
B:But sometimes they are employed, too.
A:Even if they do, they pay them less.
B:Thats unfair.
A:有些雇主似乎對(duì)女性有偏見(jiàn)。
B:你哪兒看出來(lái)的?
A:他們不愿意雇用女性。
B:但有時(shí)她們也被雇用啊。
A:即使如此,工資待遇也相對(duì)比較低。
B:那真的不公平。