容易望文生义的短语例析2

1. through thick and thin：甘苦与共，共同分担艰难困苦 (go through all  adversity)

例如：She feels like a fool for sticking with her husband through thick and thin.

(她觉得和丈夫一起吃苦受罪太傻了)

       He has walked through thick and thin during the past five years.

（过去的五年中，他历尽辛酸)

 

2. cry wolf：'狼来了'的假警报。(false alarm; call attention for something which is not true or not serious)

例如：Don't cry wolf unless you really need help.

（除非你真的需要帮助，不然不要发'狼来了'的假警报)

 Crying wolf is not a responsible behavior.

（发假警报是不负责任的行为）

Parents should teach their children not to cry wolf.

（父母应该教育孩子不要喊'狼来了'的假警报）

 

 3. banner year：意思是特别得意或特别好的一年（如升官、加薪、赢得奖励等等）(a  wonderful or fantastic year)

 例如：This has been a banner year for Mrs. Lin.（这是林太太最得意的一年）

       With a promotion and marriage, he really had a banner year in 1998.

（1998 年他又升职又结婚，真是非常的得意）

有时老外也用 banner month，但不用 banner day。

例如：Mr. A had a banner month at his car dealership.

    （A先生这个月的车子卖的很好）

 

4. shell company：这是指假冒或有名无实的公司行号，也就是所谓「皮包」公司。(fake company; just make it up)

例如：They used fake receipts from shell companies with no staff or premises. (他们的假公司没有员工和经营场址，却开出了假收据)

      Shell companies are illegal in the U.S. (在美国开皮包公司是犯法的)

     (company 的复数是 companies）

 

5. no dice：意思是不可能发生的事情，不会改变的，徒劳的，无用的；也就是'不行'。（something not going to happen; not going to change; absolutely not）（dice本意是骰子，单复数相同）

例如：No dice, I will not change my position on this matter. (不行，我不会对这件事改变立场)

      There was no dice he would be able to get this job.

       (他不可能得到这份工作) (no dice = no way)

      He asked her for more money, but she said no dice to him.

（他要她多给些钱，但她说不行）

       I tried to contact Mr. Wang, but no dice.（设法与王先生联络，但是徒劳无功）

 

6. dislocated worker：指失业或正在找工作的人（refers to a person who lost a job or still looking for a job) (老外为了礼貌含蓄，才有此说法)

 例如：There are 200 dislocated workers in our community when the company closed its door.

 (公司倒闭后，我们社区里有两百人失业了)

     To avoid being a dislocated worker, one needs a good education with skills.

（为了不失业，个人需要接受一些良好技能的教育）

 

7. stick-in-the-mud：这是指一些落伍保守，墨守成规者；或是思想落后，毫无进取心的人，就像陷入泥淖一样。（old fashioned or unprogressive person）（多作名词用)

 例如：He is a boring stick-in-the-mud. (他是一个循规蹈矩的人)

      Being a stick-in-the-mud, people don't value his opinions.

（他是呆头呆脑的，大家都不重视他的意见）

      （注：如果是专指'老顽固'，通常是用 old fogy 或 old foggy；不过stick-in-the-mud 既可指年轻人又可指老人）

 

8. Take chances：意思是冒险，也就是 take a risk 或 take a chance。反之，take no chances 就是不冒险，很小心 (to be cautious; careful)的意思。I take no chances =I take no risk (我很小心) 而take (one's) chances 则是'准备冒险'的意思。

例如： The soldier must take his chances in the battle.

      (士兵必须时刻准备在战场上冒生命的危险。)

       Some people are more prone to take chances than others.

       (有些人比其他人更倾向于冒险。)

 

9. Dog's life：意思是生活中的困境或痛苦的日子 (hard and oppressive time or difficult time in life)

例如：Over the past years she led a dog's life with her alcoholic husband.

 (在过去的岁月里，她同酒鬼丈夫在一起过着痛苦的生活。)

 Many new immigrants in the U.S. initially endure a dog's life.

(许多初次到美国的新移民开始都要熬过一段艰苦的日子)

 

10. En masse：这是法文，意思是全体人员，一同，一起 (As a whole; a large group of people) ， 按照字面意义看，就是 in mass的意思。

例如：The audience applauded en masse upon the completion of his speech.

 (他的演讲博得了全场观众的热烈掌声。)

     Employees marched en masse to the company headquarters for pay raise.

(全体员工到公司总部要求加薪。)

 

11. Con-man：是指骗子或坏蛋 (crook)，专门设法取得他人信任后再行骗的人。(someone who tries to gain your confidence, but later betray you)

 

 例如：Be careful of con-men; they may try to rip you off.

    (小心那些骗子，他们会骗取你的钱财。)

   Beware of telephone con-men who may solicit for a fake charity.

(注意那些在利用电话假装慈善乐捐的骗子。)

 (不过通常不用 con-woman，也不用 con-person 或 con-people。)

 

12. Walking dead man：就是身体健康很差的人。

例如：Due to severe illness, he now becomes a walking dead man.

(由于他生了一场大病，所以身体很差。)

 注意： 这个词只用于第三人称，所以不要说：'You are a walking dead man'，这样是很不礼貌的。 而且不用来形容女人，所以不能说：She is a walking dead woman. 此外，也不说：They are walking dead persons (或 people) 。

 

13. Take heart：意思是'鼓起勇气，振作起来，不要悲观 (cheer up; don't worry; don't let something get you down; be cheerful; don't be discouraged)

例如：Take heart, Mr. Chen, things will get better.

      (陈先生，不要烦恼，情形会好转的。)

      We have taken heart from the news of victory.

      (胜利的消息让我们为之一振。)

 

14. Happy-go-lucky：意思是无忧无虑的，乐天派的 (not worry about anything; care free)

例如：He has been happy-go-lucky all his life.

      (他一生都是无忧无虑的乐天派。)

      It is always better being happy-go-lucky versus being depressed. (乐观总比闷闷不乐好。)