once in a blue moon: 偶爾、千載難逢
I don't usually hang out here, just once in a blue moon.
kill some time:消磨時間
Where shall I go to kill some time?
at the drop of a hat:動輒
He was ready to quarrel at the drop of a hat.
burn the midnight oil:熬夜
You shouldn't burn the midnight oil, actually you should sleep
early.
nick of time:緊要關頭
His generous endowment of the laboratory came just in the nick of time.
around the corner: 快到來了
The exam is just around the corner, I really need to cram for it.
spur of the moment:一時衝動
He bought the car on the spur of the moment.
days are numbered:氣數已盡、日子屈指可數
The old man' s days are numbered.
Down to the wire:最後時刻、接近最後期限
I think the election will got right down to the wire.
Eleventh hour:最後時刻
He turned in the report at the eleventh hour.
From the word go: 一開始
He's been against the plan from the word go.
In the long run:長期
The product can help you to save money in the long run.
Jump the gun:草率行事、操之過急
Don't jump the gun. We have to be patient for a while.
put something On hold:稍等
The decision was put on hold until a meeting of the party's central committee.
Shake a leg:趕快
Shake a leg! The bus won't wait.
quick off the mark:馬上行動
Be quick off the mark if you hear of something promising.
Step on it:加速
If he didn't drive faster, we were going to be late, so I told him to step on it.
Time on one’s hands:有空餘的時間
I've got extra time on my hands.
Under the wire:在截止日期前, the last minute
He applied the college just under the wire.
Until the cows come home:一直的、很晚很晚
This wine's delicious! I could drink it until the cows come home.
be caught with your hand in the cookie jar /當場逮到
你是否會因為多吃了罐子裏的餅乾而滿懷愧疚?如果是,那這個詞彙就太符合你了!這個短語比喻“某人因為做錯事或調皮而被逮個正着”。<>
as pie /易如反掌
這個短語指“很容易完成或處理的事情”,根據《牛津英語大辭典》(OED)的記錄,在20世紀初期開始出現。看來吃一小塊夾心餅確實是小菜一碟。
icing on the cake /錦上添花
與“cheery on top”短語意思相近,這個短語指“在已經很好的事物上添加額外好處”。如果以諷刺性的方式使用,還可以表示相反的意思。有蛋糕本來就已經很好了,如能再有糖霜或櫻桃豈不是更好。
take the biscuit /出類拔萃
英式英語中使用該短語指“同類中最為出眾的那件東西”,其具有諷刺性的用法指“愚蠢的或令人生厭的東西”。北美英語中使用“to take the cake”表示相近意思。
have a finger in every pie /什麼都插手
該詞組意思為“參與過多的事情”,一般都會有消極的,做了太多的事情卻什麼都沒有做好——這是一個全球流行的概念,在其他語言中也有類似成語。如意大語中avere le mani in pasta,意為“在麪糰中插手”。
ie cutter /甜餅切割器(千人一面;公式化)
這是美式英語中的一個一般性短語,以烘培的操作來比喻“量產而缺乏特色的某物”。該詞多數用在與建築相關的短語中,如“cookie-cutter apartments”或“cookie-cutter complexes”。
have your cake and eat it too /魚與熊掌不可兼得
你不能兼顧擁有兩件渴望中的、絕無僅有的事物,正如孔子這句名言所表達的。這個習語因為出現在1562年版John Heywood的Proverbs, Epigrams, and Miscellanies(《格言、警句和雜記》)一書中,因而第一次收錄在《牛津英語大辭典》中。
American as apple pie /就如同蘋果派一樣的美國化
蘋果派被認為是標準的美國食物,因此這個習語表示“體現傳統價值觀,尤其是美國的理想”。而在澳大利亞,你更有可能聽到的是“as Australian as meat pie”(就像肉派一樣的澳大利亞式的)。
hole /嘴
填蛋糕的洞?該詞是口語化的用法,表示“嘴”,最常出現的句子就是“Shut your cake hole!”(閉上你的臭嘴!)。這個用法的起源不言自明。蛋糕自然是要用嘴來吃的,漸漸地也就演變成“嘴”的意思。
sell like hotcakes /熱銷
這個習語指“迅速而大量售出的某物”。那到底hotcake是什麼呢?在北美,hotcake指代任何一種用煎鍋烤制的蛋糕,也包括煎餅。
’s the way the cookie crumbles /生活就是這樣
這句話是一種非正式的用法,尤其在北美地區,表示實際情況如此,雖不盡如人意也只能接受,正如“生活就是這樣;命中註定了”。這一習語最早出現在20世紀,在美式英語中,也有類似的表述,即“that’s the way the ball bounces”。
English Slang collection:
break up
[釋] to come to an end;
[例] If it's possible, I'd rather break up with you and remain your friend.;
break up
[釋] to separate into pieces;
[例] She broke up a chocolate bar.
break up
[釋] to scatter;
[例] The crowd broke up after the game.
break bread
[釋] to eat together;
[例] It's been a long time since the last time we broke bread.;
break cover
[釋] to emerge from a protected location or hiding place;
[例] The witness finally broke cover to help the police to identify the killer.
break even
[釋] to gain an amount equal to that invested;
[例] It took our restaurant about a year to break even.;
break ground
[釋] to start a new construction project;
[例] We're breaking ground on a new project since the last one achieved success.
1、have a passion for 熱愛
2、pass something up 放棄某事物
3、way back 很久以前
4、screw up 弄錯
5、have it bad for 狂戀,非常喜歡
6、freebie 贈品
7、in the market for 想買,積極物色
8、turn over a new leaf 洗心革命,改過自新