have your cake and eat it too
如果您喜欢我们的内容,请点击上方蓝色的“商务印书馆英语编辑室”关注我们。每周至少两次精彩内容,第一时间呈现给您。欢迎留言和转发。
十个美式英语习语
bury the hatchet
to forgive someone and become friends again
捐弃前嫌(重归于好)
It's time to bury the hatchet and start working together.
是捐弃前嫌,开始携手工作的时候了。
cost/pay an arm and a leg
to cost/pay a large amount of money
花费(或支付)一大笔钱
I had to pay an arm and a leg for these plane tickets.
我不得不花一大笔钱买这些机票。
have your cake and eat it too
to enjoy the advantages of something without its disadvantages; to have both things that are available
得其利而无其弊;两者兼得
Rick thinks he can stay out late every night and still get good grades - he wants to have his cake and eat it too.
里克以为他既可以每晚在外面逍遥到很晚,又可以得高分——他想鱼与熊掌兼得。
jump the gun
to do something or start something too soon
过早行动;抢跑
Don't jump the gun on this—make sure you get permission first.
这件事不要操之过急,一定要先得到许可。
no-brainer
a project, problem, question, etc. that is very easy to finish or solve
无需动脑的事;轻而易举的事;容易解决的问题
The issue of whether to build a new stadium is a real no-brainer for most fans.
对于大多数球迷来说,是否建新体育馆这个问题无需费脑筋。
off the record
if you tell someone something off the record, it is not yet official and you do not want it to be repeated publicly
(某人的话)非正式的,不得公开的
She told me off the record that the school was going to be close.
她私下里告诉我说那家学校要倒闭了。
peter out
to finish or come to an end gradually
逐渐结束;慢慢消失
The flow of water slowed down and finally petered out.
水流的速度减慢了,最后停止了。
take a rain check (on sth)
to refuse an invitation or offer, but say that you might accept it later
(婉拒邀请或提议)改日再说,下次吧
“Are you coming for dinner?”
“Can I take a rain check? I have to get this finished tonight.”
“你来吃晚饭吗?”
“下次吧,我今晚得把这事做完。”
by the skin of my teeth
(to show that someone almost failed to do something) only just
(表示差点没做成)勉强,刚好,正好
It was a real struggle, but we got through it by the skin of our teeth.
这确实是一件费力的事,不过我们勉强把它完成了。
take the cake
to be the most surprising, annoying, etc. thing that has happened or that someone has done
极其惊人;甚为讨厌
He's made some silly mistakes in the past, but this one really takes the cake.
他过去曾犯过些愚蠢的错误,但是这次最甚。
图源 how-i-met-your-mother.wikia.com
以上内容选自《牛津美式英语词典》,图片来自网络。
《牛津美式英语词典》好像一部关于美国的百科全书。它帮助人们在学习语言的同时进一步了解美国。
语言的演变与其使用环境紧密相关。美国人远离英国,面对新生活、新事物,创造新表达方式势在必然。他们通过多种途径,如旧词新用,创造新词,或借用其他语言的词语,达到交流目的。
——常耀信
收录42000单词、短语、释义;
35000示例,展示地道用法;
300用法说明框,深入解说语言文化知识;
36页研习专页,讲解不规则动词、标点符号等语言知识。
如果您喜欢这本词典,可以点击文末的“阅读原文”购买。
延伸阅读
商务印书馆英语编辑室
微信号:CP-English
点击“阅读原文”购买本书
长按二维码关注