Idioms
Lecture 9
At sixes and sevens
On
the day before wedding, the whole
house was at sixes and sevens.
At the eleventh hour
The
child was saved from the kidnappers
at the eleventh hour.
Bark up the wrong tree
认错目标，错怪了人
They
were looking for a tall thin man, but
were barking up the wrong tree; the thief
was short and fat.
Be on the carpet
挨骂，受申斥
His
boss had had him on the carpet for
arriving late at work.
Beat about the bush
旁敲侧击，拐弯抹角
If
you’d got bad news, don’t beat about
the bush; come straight to the point.
Behind the eight ball
受挫，处境不妙
Not
having a car puts Bill behind the eight
ball; he cannot get to work.
Between the devil and the deep blue sea
进退两难
I
was between the devil and the deep
blue sea and didn’t know what to do next.
Bite (on) the bullet
咬紧牙关，顶住
Bite
on the bullet, old man, and don’t let
them think you are afraid.
Blow hot and cold
摇摆不定，反复无常
He
blows hot and cold on the plan so that
I don’t know whether he will eventually
help us or not.
Can not hold a candle to someone
远不如某人
Marina
can’t hold a candle to her mother
as far as cooking is concerned.
Carry/take coals to Newcastle
多此一举
Taking
her flowers is taking coals to
Newcastle.
Cook someone’s goose
挫败某人的计划
He
knew his goose was cooked when he
read the story.
Cool one’s heels
久等
I
had to kick my heels for nearly two hours
before I could see the boss.
The die is cast
事已定局，木已成舟
I’m
not sure that I want to leave the job
after all but the die is cast – I’ve handed
in my resignation.
Draw/pull in one’s horns
退缩，节制
He
said he could beat any man there
single-handed, but he pulled in his horns
when Tom came forward.
Eat humble pie
忍辱含垢，认错道歉
I
proved that he had cheated me and
made him eat humble pie.
Face the music
面对麻烦，接受处罚
Mary
broke a dining-room window and
had to face the music when her father
got home.
Follow one’s nose
凭直觉行事
Oh,
I don’t know just where I want to go.
I’ll just follow my nose and see what
happens.
Get cold feet
畏缩，害怕
After
weeks of preparations he suddenly
got cold feet on the day of departure.
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