不以词小而不为

写在前面:

《葛传椝英语写作》可以被视为是葛老英文学习的笔记, 认真，较真的学习态度。例如他写到“foot”这个词的复数形式其实是有三种: feet, foot(foot-soldiers), foots(dregs), 而且用于测量的时候foot比feet更为常见。

这个小点让我想起了这篇旧文，一些关于“小词”的使用和积累。之后也会把之前的“小词”系列重新整理出来分享给你。

一个简单的foot，如果我们去查字典就可以学到: put your foot in your mouth; start/get off on the wrong foot; get/have/keep a foot in the door; cold feet; be/back on your feet; foot 还做动词 foot the bill -- 都是非常常见的，地道的表达。

所以，小词很重要。小词才是我们应该经常查经常用的词。

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[The Economist] A regulator in China criticized Alibaba for allowing fake goods to be sold on its websites. Alibaba’s response broke with the usual tradition in China for kowtowing to the state, when it said the report contained “selective omissions and malicious actions”.

选词"kowtow"与报道内容(有关中国)非常”应景”.

The superlatives came fast to describe Apple’s earnings for the last three months of 2014.

“赞誉纷沓而至”的一种表达: 形容词的最高级

[The Economist] McDonald’s announced that its chief executive was stepping down after less than three years in the job. Sales have slumped during Don Thompson’s tenure, with net profit down last year by 15%, as fast food rivals such as Chipotle Mexican Grill eat into business by offering fresher menus.

eat into: to use or take away a large part of something valuable, such as money or time; “蚕食”“逐渐消耗““慢慢的弄死你的节奏”

例如:

The river had eaten into the bridge, and part of it had collapsed.

The high cost of living in NYC is eating into my savings.

简单总结下eat的用法.

eat out: 下馆子

eat something up:都吃掉

这个用法很灵活, 使用其比喻义

例如:

These mosquitoes are eating me up!

The guy is a devil! He just eats people up!

eat up也可以指: to consume something rapidly

例如: The car really eats up gas.

eat away at somebody 也有差不多的用法. If a memory or bad feeling eats away at someone, it makes them feel more and more unhappy.

例如:

You could see that jealousy was eathing away at her.

eat away at something: to gradually damage or destroy something.

例如: The sun and wind eat away at the ice.

be eaten up with/by jealousy/anger/curiosity etc: to be very jealous, angry etc, so that you cannot think about anything else.

"被消耗”“被控制”“被干扰”

Men are either eaten up with arrogance or stupidity. -Pride & Prejudice

eat one's gun: 🔫 👄

eat one’s hat: 如果… 我就“把帽子吃了", 表示“信誓旦旦的预测".

从这个例句感受一下:

He said he would eat his hat if more than ten people came. He'd better fetch a knife and fork!

eat one’s words: 食言

记得生活大爆炸第一季Sheldon说过"renege on your promise”也是差不多的意思。

eat one’s heart out: to have sorrow or longing dominate one’s emotions; grieve inconsolably;

悲伤逆流成河的感觉.

The children are eating their hearts out over their lost dog.

这个俚语还可以用来开玩笑,或者故意得瑟

“哈哈你嫉妒去吧!”

“你自个偷着哭去吧!"

和你分享这个不是想告诉你怎么用 “eat”这个词, 而是 “在从平时的阅读学习中要注意这些小词”. 小词往往有大用, small is beautiful. 随着不断的积累, 我们在使用英文的时候才能 “不拘一格” — 语言就是这样的灵活，琐碎，有趣，莫名其妙，没完没了－愿我们天天学习，管它向不向上。

微博: 比尔盖茨比