美國生活俗語一點通

高素菊

1. walking encyclopedia活百科全書，萬事通

Definition: person who knows a lot of information

Scene

A: You can ask Jenny questions about anything in history and she can give you the correct answer.

B: She must be a walking encyclopedia. I studied history in school but I dont remember everything we read in the textbooks.

Analysis

若一個人的學識很廣，可以把他比作“行走著的大百科全書”，類似的表達還有walking dictionary, 活字典。walking 用作定語的例子還有：walking corpse行尸走肉；walking microscope洞察力很強的人。

2. What a man (woman)!好樣的！(好厲害！)

Definition: exclamation describing a person of considerable skill or beauty

Scene

A: Did you see the model in the advertisement?

B: What a woman! It would be easy for me to fall in love with

someone so beautiful.

A: I agree she looks attractive but I think she is too young. A pretty girl, not a woman.

Analysis

常用于異性之間的贊賞，往往意味著男性的陽剛之美或女性的嫻靜優雅。

3. You asked for it. 你自找的，自討苦吃。

Definition: Do something that results in a punishment or other negative result.

Scene

A: I told you not to play with Moms dishes.

B: I was very careful until I dropped her favorite plate. Now its in a

dozen pieces; what do I do?

A: You asked for it when you took the dishes to your room. Unless

you can fix it before she gets home or you will be in a lot of

trouble.

Analysis

多指做了違法的事或明知會導致不良后果的事。在ask for it 中，代詞it指事情的不良后果，相當于ask for trouble。

4. thousand and one ways 一千零一個辦法

Definition: in every imaginable way or manner

Scene

A: You are unable to find an answer to that homework problem that

youve been working on. Have you tried everything that you can

think of?

B: Ive tried a thousand and one ways to solve it. I cant think of

anything else to try.

Analysis

“一千零一個”是一個固定說法，用來形容數量之多。“一個”意味著“外加的嘗試也做了（還掛著零頭）”，用以強調使用了各種方式，舉不勝舉。

5. step on ones toes 使某人丟面子

Definition: to insult someone or to cause another person to lose face

Scene

A: Morgan thinks he is more important than he really is. He often

makes people mad because he tries to do things that arent his

responsibility.

B: Some people might think he was being helpful.

A: When you work with a group of people and try to tell them how

to work because you think you are the boss, I call it steppingon peoples toes.

Analysis

這種“傷害”是很輕微的。同時，這里被評論的人不一定是有意使壞。

6. sour grapes 酸葡萄

Definition: unfounded criticism or animosity

Scene

A: Neville complains a lot, especially about not being promoted.

B: He is upset because Lucy was promoted and he wasnt even though he works harder than she does.

A: I suppose Nevilles complaints are just sour grapes.

Analysis

相當于漢語講的“醋意”，英文中將這種妒意比作酸溜溜的葡萄，吃到嘴里很不是滋味。

7. in an awful mess 手忙腳亂，不知所措

Definition: going through an unpleasant experience

Scene

A: Jack, what happened to you?

B: My mother told me to stay at home because the weather is bad

but I went outside to buy a newspaper and now Im locked out of

my house.

A: Im sorry you are locked out but how did you hurt your arm?

B: I tried to push open the window when I accidentally broke it and

cut my arm. Now Im in an awful mess because I cant get inside;

there is broken glass on the floor and my arm is hurt.

Analysis

通常指由某一個或多個問題引起的被動局面。

8. live it up盡情享受一番

Definition: enjoy life

Scene

A: I have never stayed in a five star hotel. Everything is so beautiful, but also so expensive.

B: Dont worry about the cost. You have the chance to live it up. Enjoy the nice hotel room, the swimming pool and the gourmet restaurants. Its your vacation.

Analysis

相當于漢語中“過把癮”，指人們可以在優裕、舒適的生活條件下痛痛快快的享享福。舊時的說法是：live like a lord 像君主一樣生活。