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,給人類造成死亡或傷害的動物,像人一樣,也要受到起訴和審訊。有記載說,1595年在荷蘭西部城市Leyden,有個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 一語可能由此而來?,F(xiàn)多用來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:你去法庭旁聽了嗎?
B:去了。他被繩之以法了。
A:這可真是個好消息。
B:是呀。當(dāng)他帶著愧疚的神態(tài)出現(xiàn)在法庭時,所有在場的人都激動地站了起來。
2. hard cash價高而穩(wěn)定的貨幣
注解:此語指notes and coins only(紙幣和硬幣),一般指可換黃金等價高而穩(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,抵押品價值約為8500英鎊。)cash down 為動詞短語,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,歡迎來參觀。
B:謝謝。你是用現(xiàn)金買房的嗎?
A:是的。
B:你從哪搞來的錢?
A:這是個秘密。
3. hard science硬科學(xué)
注解:此語與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”。與之相對的是soft science“軟科學(xué)”,指政治學(xué)、經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)、社會學(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:喬叟(1340?~1400)在1033年所寫的《特羅勒斯和克麗西德》中用過這條習(xí)語,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個劇本中也都用過這條習(xí)語。
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)錢嗎?
B:我已經(jīng)告訴過你,我自己也身無分文。你別總是老調(diào)重彈。
A:你可真是個吝嗇鬼。
5. have up ones sleeve留有一招、錦囊妙計
注解:此語最早形式為have a card/an ace up ones sleeve,表示“玩牌作弊,先把好牌藏起來”,比喻指“留后手”。也可寫作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他說了些什么。
B:誰干的這種無聊事?
A: 誰知道?但你必須明白的確有這種人存在。
6. have a bone to pick with對……有意見
注解:出自動物爭奪獵物的習(xí)性。例如:兩只狗為爭搶一根骨頭而相互撕咬。此語始見16世紀(jì)中期,現(xiàn)一般喻指“與某人有爭端;對某人不滿”。
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:我對你有點(diǎn)意見。
B:好吧,讓我們來消除誤會。你指的是什么事呢?
A:你總是容易動怒。
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,指“野外演習(xí)日”,以后喻指“有重大事或重要活動的日子”“特別愉快的時刻”等。因此have a field day 表示“玩得分外開心”,通常用于口語。
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:好長時間沒見你,去哪了?
B:我到韓國玩了一圈。
A:真好!我想你肯定玩得十分高興。
B:就是,你說對了。風(fēng)景真是漂亮。
A:要是有機(jī)會我一定要去轉(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”,亦偶見音譯作“攀”“排”。此語多用作“多管閑事”或“干涉他人事務(wù)”之義。此語亦可作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:你還有多少沒做?
B:手頭的事太多了,我簡直都無力招架。
A:別急。什么時候是上交的最后期限?
B:下星期一。
A:我來幫你做點(diǎn)吧。那樣你就能早點(diǎn)完成工作了。
9. have a grudge against 對……懷恨在心
注解:此語中的動詞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 (對某人懷有積怨)。grudge 一詞作為動詞時,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:有些雇主似乎對女性有偏見。
B:你哪兒看出來的?
A:他們不愿意雇用女性。
B:但有時她們也被雇用啊。
A:即使如此,工資待遇也相對比較低。
B:那真的不公平。