美國生活俗語一點通

高素菊

1. walking encyclopedia活百科全書，萬事通

Definition: person who knows a lot of information

Scene

A: You can ask Jenny questions about anything in history and she can give you the correct answer.

B: She must be a walking encyclopedia. I studied history in school but I dont remember everything we read in the textbooks.

Analysis

若一個人的學識很廣，可以把他比作“行走著的大百科全書”，類似的表達還有walking dictionary, 活字典。walking 用作定語的例子還有：walking corpse行尸走肉；walking microscope洞察力很強的人。

2. What a man (woman)!好樣的！(好厲害！)

Definition: exclamation describing a person of considerable skill or beauty

Scene

A: Did you see the model in the advertisement?

B: What a woman! It would be easy for me to fall in love with

someone so beautiful.

A: I agree she looks attractive but I think she is too young. A pretty girl, not a woman.

Analysis

常用于異性之間的贊賞，往往意味著男性的陽剛之美或女性的嫻靜優(yōu)雅。

3. You asked for it. 你自找的，自討苦吃。

Definition: Do something that results in a punishment or other negative result.

Scene

A: I told you not to play with Moms dishes.

B: I was very careful until I dropped her favorite plate. Now its in a

dozen pieces; what do I do?

A: You asked for it when you took the dishes to your room. Unless

you can fix it before she gets home or you will be in a lot of

trouble.

Analysis

多指做了違法的事或明知會導致不良后果的事。在ask for it 中，代詞it指事情的不良后果，相當于ask for trouble。

4. thousand and one ways 一千零一個辦法

Definition: in every imaginable way or manner

Scene

A: You are unable to find an answer to that homework problem that

youve been working on. Have you tried everything that you can

think of?

B: Ive tried a thousand and one ways to solve it. I cant think of

anything else to try.

Analysis

“一千零一個”是一個固定說法，用來形容數(shù)量之多。“一個”意味著“外加的嘗試也做了（還掛著零頭）”，用以強調使用了各種方式，舉不勝舉。

5. step on ones toes 使某人丟面子

Definition: to insult someone or to cause another person to lose face

Scene

A: Morgan thinks he is more important than he really is. He often

makes people mad because he tries to do things that arent his

responsibility.

B: Some people might think he was being helpful.

A: When you work with a group of people and try to tell them how

to work because you think you are the boss, I call it steppingon peoples toes.

Analysis

這種“傷害”是很輕微的。同時，這里被評論的人不一定是有意使壞。

6. sour grapes 酸葡萄

Definition: unfounded criticism or animosity

Scene

A: Neville complains a lot, especially about not being promoted.

B: He is upset because Lucy was promoted and he wasnt even though he works harder than she does.

A: I suppose Nevilles complaints are just sour grapes.

Analysis

相當于漢語講的“醋意”，英文中將這種妒意比作酸溜溜的葡萄，吃到嘴里很不是滋味。

7. in an awful mess 手忙腳亂，不知所措

Definition: going through an unpleasant experience

Scene

A: Jack, what happened to you?

B: My mother told me to stay at home because the weather is bad

but I went outside to buy a newspaper and now Im locked out of

my house.

A: Im sorry you are locked out but how did you hurt your arm?

B: I tried to push open the window when I accidentally broke it and

cut my arm. Now Im in an awful mess because I cant get inside;

there is broken glass on the floor and my arm is hurt.

Analysis

通常指由某一個或多個問題引起的被動局面。

8. live it up盡情享受一番

Definition: enjoy life

Scene

A: I have never stayed in a five star hotel. Everything is so beautiful, but also so expensive.

B: Dont worry about the cost. You have the chance to live it up. Enjoy the nice hotel room, the swimming pool and the gourmet restaurants. Its your vacation.

Analysis

相當于漢語中“過把癮”，指人們可以在優(yōu)裕、舒適的生活條件下痛痛快快的享享福。舊時的說法是：live like a lord 像君主一樣生活。