tongue in cheek, 其实就是我们常说的“一本正经说瞎话”，例如 “The book is full of hilarious tongue-in-cheek remarks and thoughtful reflections". 可以活用这个词组: He always has his tongue firmly planted in his cheek. 他一向说话不正经。半开玩笑还可以说 facetious remarks
楼梯口才，就是事情过去后才想起来诙谐对答（funny rejoinders)，英语中常用这个法语表达，"l'esprit d'escalier" (wit of the staircase).
有人问各个职能部门 "扯皮“怎么说，有一个完全对应的词组，就是buck passing,或passing the buck。例如Buck passing is a familiar feature of politics and organizational life. Bureaucrats like to shirk responsibilities. 如果说立刻动手处理, 那就是The buck stops here! 让某人在不同机构之间徒劳奔波，就是give sb. the runaround.
我们发帖子提问时喜欢说万能网友，英语里就是Hive mind, hive wisdom, 所谓集体智慧，当代英语喜欢说成"蜂巢思维"，例如：This may be a good question for the hive mind.
今天写了个邮件，玩笑中用到一个词组lie in wait, 打埋伏伺机出击的意思。如: 我没想到他们又给我挖了个坑: I didn't know that yet another trap was lying in wait forme. 也可以比较中性地表示等候观望的意思: Don't broach the topic now. Just lie in wait for a better time.
恰逢英国脱欧，新词Brexit引人瞩目: British+exit=Brexit. 这项始于路易斯·卡罗尔的拼接造词法(portmanteau words, word mashups)已经产生了一些常用词。比如snark, 对某人出言不逊“snark at me", "his words are full of snark"，是snide remark的合成词。 还有webcast, blogebrity(网红), mimsy(脆弱悲苦, miserable+flimsy)，netizen等。受了委屈：I feel trampled on, I feel like a doormat. 我感觉被践踏，就像门口的垫子。 I feel used, slightly resentful, mistreated, injured/wounded也都比较到位。如果说“委屈你了”，那么就是 I know this is unfair to you... |
