1、英语习语汇总一1.as soft as down柔软如绒毛例如：I lay fast asleep on the couch, which was as soft as down, and did not wake until late in the morning.我在软如绒毛般的长沙发椅上睡着了，一直睡到早晨很晚才醒来。2.be for the birds荒唐可笑的；毫无价值的例如：Their opinions on art are simply for the birds.他们对艺术的见解真是荒唐可笑。3.as clear as mud 不清晰，混乱例如：Your explanation
2、 is as clear as mud.你的解释一点都不清晰。4.a stones throw一箭之遥例如：He lives only a stones throw from here.他住的地方离这儿只有一箭之遥。5.a big fish in a small pond小地方的大人物例如：In her hometown, she was a big fish in a small pond，but after she moved to New York, she was just only one among many millions.在她家乡，她很了不起。可是搬到纽约后，她就不过是芸芸众
3、生之一了。6.too (clever) by half 可太聪明啦（贬义）；聪明过了头例如：A：He thought he could get Mr. Greens money in his pocket but he lost all, he was too clever by half.B：The fact is he never realizes that. He always starts out tricking others and ends up being tricked.A：Thats the point. He once lost his briefcase by aski
4、ng a blind man to take care of it for him.A：他以为自己能把格林先生的钱据为己有，但却一分也没得到，他可是聪明过头了。B：事实是他从没有认识到这一点。他总是开始时骗别人，到最后却被别人骗。A：对啦，这才是要害。他曾丢过一个公文包，原因是让一个“盲人”帮他看包。7.thin air 子虚乌有A：Jim, can you write a report for me?B：Yes, I can, but youll have to give me all the data. I cant create something out of thin air, yo
5、u know.A：No, problem.A：吉姆，你能为我写份报告吗？B：可以，但你必须给我提供所有的数据，你知道，我不能凭空捏造。A：没问题。8.well up in 精通；擅长A：Its said youre well up in literature.B：Youre partial. I just like it.A：Can you show me how to learn literature?B：Thats a hard question. Ive been reading and trying to write out my ideas.A：据说你很擅长文学。B：你说的不完全对，
6、我只不过是爱好文学。A：你能告诉我怎样学习文学吗？B：这个问题很难回答。我一直在读书，并努力写出自己的感想。9.poor apology for something 有名无实A：Did you have a good time during your holidays.B：Generally speaking yes. The restaurant I stayed in has a nice atmosphere, but they serve a poor apology for a meal.A：How long did you stay there?B：10 days.A：假期过的好吗
7、？B：总的来说还可以。我住的酒店氛围还不错，只是饭菜有名无实。A：你在那儿住了多久？B：10天10.have an itching palm 贪财A：Dont trust Ben.B：Why?A：He has an itching palm and is sure to cheat you out of your share of the profits.B：Then I must be careful about him.A：别信任本。B：为什么？A：他很贪财，肯定会从你身上骗得好处。B：那我必须小心了。二1.have a sweet tooth 喜爱甜食例如：A：Alana is gett
8、ing fatter and fatter. Why doesnt she try to lose some weight?A：阿兰娜越来越胖了，她为什么不试着减肥呢？B：She has a sweet tooth and loves meat more than anything else.B：她偏好甜食而且最喜欢吃肉。A：No wonder shes getting weight so fast.A：怪不得她胖的这么快。B：But now shes come to realize the consequences and decided to cut down on candies and
9、 desserts.B：但现在她已渐渐意识到后果严重了，并决心少吃糖果和甜点。2.in ones heart of hearts 在心里例如：A：Are you really dating with Tom?A：你真的在和汤姆约会吗？B：Yeah. But in my heart of hearts, I find hes not very to my liking.B：是的，可是，我并不是从心眼里喜欢他。A：Then why not keep away from him?A：那你干吗不离开他呢？B：The problem is that I just have no one to turn
10、right now.B：问题是我还没有找到更好的人。A：Thats stupid.A：这样做真愚蠢。3.have head like a sieve 健忘Sieve:“漏勺，筛”的意思，have head like a sieve意思是“健忘”就不难理解了。例如：A：Whats that mans name?A：那位先生叫什么来着？B：I thought youd been introduced to him twice.B：我想已经给你介绍了两次了。A：Yeah. But I still cannot remember his name. Ive got a head like a siev
11、e.A：不错。但我还是没有记住 他的名字，我很健忘。4.harp on 责骂；批评；申斥A：My mother always harps on me.A：我妈总是责骂我。B：So does my mother. Theyre just like that, Im already used to it.B：我妈也是。她们就是那样。我已经习惯了。A：But I cant bear it.A：但我不能忍受了。B：What they do is just for our good.B：她们那样做也是为我们好。5.have it over 比.好些；胜过A：Its pity that I havent
12、been to many countries.A：真遗憾很多国家我都没去过。B：But I think you have it over me. Ive never been out of China.B：但我想你总比我要好。我从来都没出过中国。A：Never?A：从来都没出去过？B：Never. I am not joking.B：从来都没有。我没有开玩笑。6.have it in one 有能力（做某事）A：Harry was elected monitor at the class meeting yesterday.A：昨天哈里在班会上被选为班长。B：Do you think he h
13、as it in him to be a good monitor?B：你认为他有能力成为一名好班长吗？A：Hes a good student as far as his achievement is concerned. But I really cant tell whether hell make a good monitor.A：就他的成绩来说他是一名好学生。但他是不是能当个好班长，我也说不好。7.search me (非正式)不知道A：Wheres Annie?A：安妮呢？B：In the house.B：在屋里。A：In the house? Where is she?A：在屋里
14、？在哪儿呢？B：Search me, I dont know where she is now.B：不知道，我也搞不清。8.rat race 激烈的竞争A：America is a rich country. Many people are dreaming of going there but you came back.A：美国是个富裕的国读。很多人都梦想去那儿，但你却回来了。B：To tell you the truth, Im very happy with my modest job here and the peaceful life.B：坦白地说，我很满意自己在这里的普通工作和平
15、静生活。A：New York is exciting, isnt it?A：纽约很令人兴奋，不是吗？B：Yes, but I have no desire to take part in the rat race there.B：是的。但我却无心卷入那种你死我活的竞争。9.school of hard knocks 艰苦的磨练A：My boss is such a shrewd businessman everyone admires him.A：我的老板是个非常精明的生意人，每个人都很欣赏他。B：Which university did he graduate from?B：他是从哪所大学毕
16、业的？A：He never went to high school. He was educated in the school of hard knocks.A：连高中都没上过。他是受了艰苦的磨练而成长起来的。B：Thats incredible.B：真是难以置信。10.the benefit of the doubt (在证据不足情况下)假定某人无辜A：Who did it?A：这是谁干的？B：Dont be so angry, Henry?B：亨利，别发那么大的火好不好？A：It must be Robert.A：准是罗伯特干的。B：Maybe Robert did it, maybe
17、he didnt. If I were you, I would give him the benefit of the doubt. Its not so important anyway.B：也许是罗伯特干的，也许不是。如果我是你，我就先假定不是他干的。不管怎么说这件事也没什么大不了的。三1.make a clean breast of忏悔A：Youre restless. Are you in trouble?A：你老是不安？有麻烦吗？B：Ive done something I shouldntB：我做了件不该做的事。A：Then make a clean breast of it,
18、you will feel released.A：那就彻底忏悔一下吧。你会感觉轻松一些的。B：Ive not decided yet.B：我还没决定呢。2.the last straw 忍无可忍A：That was the last straw!A：真是让人忍无可忍！B：Why did you say that? Did your girlfriend do anything wrong?B：你为什么这么说？你女朋友做什么错事了吗？A：She refused to see me. She must have fallen in love with another guy.A：她拒绝见我，她一定
19、是爱上别人了。B：I dont believe it. Talk with her, will you? There must be some misunderstanding between you.B：我不相信。和她谈谈，好吗？你们之间一定是发生什么误会了。3.a storm in a teacup 风波；小事引起的轩然大波；小题大做A：The husband cant understand why his wife got angry so easily.A：丈夫不明白他妻子为什么那么容易生气。B：Hes too careless maybe.B：可能他太粗心了。A：No, its no
20、t that. Actually its a storm in a teacup. I also thought its the women who is to blame.A：不是，不是因为这个。实际上她是小题大做，我也觉得是他妻子不对。B：Anyway the man has to consider his wifes feelings.B：不管怎么说男人应该考虑作妻子的情绪。4.have seen better days 有过好日子A：Look, Mrs. Thomas is such a beauty in her early eyes.B：But Mr. Thomas is shor
21、t, skinny and ugly.A：Why do you think Mrs. Thomas married him?B：Hes certainly very poor now, but I think hes seen better days.A：看，托马斯夫人年轻时这么漂亮。B：可托马斯先生又矮、又瘦、又丑。A：你猜他为什么要嫁给他？B：他现在固然很穷，可我想他有过好日子。5.mark time 原地踏步；停顿A：Why did we stop?A：我们为什么停下来？B：No, we didnt really stop. We just marked time.B：不，我们并没有真的
22、停下来。我们只是原地踏步。A：Marked time?A：原地踏步？B：Yeah, we have to pause until we get approval.B：是的。我们不得不暂时停下待命。6.fat chance（反语）微小的机会；极少的可能A：I think it was Jason who stole my document.A：我觉得是詹森偷了我的文件。B：Fat chance!B：不会的。A：Hes the only one who left here late.A：他是唯一一个走得晚的人。B：I know him. Hell never do that sort of thi
23、ng.B：我了解他，他决不会干这种事儿。7.no point 没理由A：Theres no point in losing temper on me. Its unfair!A：没理由向我发火。这太不公平了！B：What did you do to him?B：你对他怎么了！A：If I did something bad, I wouldnt blame him for getting angry with me. The point is that I did nothing wrong.A：如果我做了坏事，我不会怪他生我的气。可事实是，我没做什么错事呀。B：Maybe he though
24、t you reported him to the manager.B：说不定他以为是你向经理打了小报告。8.con artist 大骗子手A：Is this your first visit to this city?A：这是你第一次游览这个城市吗？B：Yes, why?B：是呀，怎么了？A：Perhaps I should warn you that this city is full of con artists.A：也许我该提醒你这座城市有许多骗子手。B：Thanks for telling. Ill take care.B：谢谢，我会小心的。9.bosom friends 知心朋友A
25、：Is Jack a friend of yours?A：杰克是你的朋友吗？B：Yes. He is one of my bosom friends.B：是，他是我的一个知心朋友。A：Hes a nice guy as far as I knowA：我也知道他是一个好人。B：You can be certain of that.B：这点毫无疑问。10.fat cat 大款A：Wherere those popular actresses in our school time?A：咱们上学时的那些女影星都哪去了？B：Get into marriage.B：结婚了呗！A：Can everyone
26、find a fat cat?A：人人都能找到大款吗？B：Everyone wants to, but not everyone succeeds.B：人人都想，可并不是人人都能找到。四1.a hen-pecked husband 妻管严；怕老婆的男人A：Aunt is scolding uncle again.B：Dont worry. Your uncle wont utter a word back.A：I didnt know my uncle is a hen-pecked husband.B：He isnt. He thinks its not necessary to quarr
27、el with women.A：婶婶又在骂叔叔了。B：别着急，你叔叔不会还口的。A：我还不知道我叔叔是个妻管严。B：他不是。他觉得和女人吵架没必要。2.a hard nut 冥顽不化的人；无知无觉的人A：Bob refused all his classmates invitations.B：I really couldnt understand him.A：Hes surely a hard nut, nobody likes approaching him.B：Wed better also leave him alone.A：鲍勃拒绝了班上所有人的邀请。B：他这个人我真不明白。A：他真是
28、个脑子不开窍的人，没人愿意靠近他。B：我们最好也别惹他。3.a gay dog 快活的人A：Its strange they should get along so well!B：Thats nothing unusual.A：You dont know much about the couple.One likes to be alone, but the other is a bit of a gay dog.A：他们居然能处得这么好，太奇怪了。B：没什么不寻常的。A：你不了解这俩口子，一个喜欢独处，另一个却喜欢热闹。4.a dog in the manger 占着茅坑不拉屎的人,占有有利
29、条件却不会利用的人A：Give the skates to me!B：You shut up!A：If you dont know how to skate, why dont you give the skates to me? Dont be a dog in the manger.A：把冰鞋给我！B：你闭嘴！A：你若不知道怎么滑冰，干吗不把冰鞋给我？别占着茅坑不拉屎了！5.Sorry, it slipped my mind. 对不起，我忘了。A：What are you doing? Dont you remember we have a date tonight?B：Im sorry,
30、 Mary. It slipped my mind. Ill be right over.A：你在干什么？难道你忘了我们今晚有约会吗？B：对不起，玛丽，我忘了。我这就过去。6.I am so flattered. 真是过奖了。A：You are the most beautiful woman Ive ever met.B：Oh, thank you. Im so flattered.A：你是我所见过的最美的女人。B：哦，谢谢。真是过奖了。7.Shes a thorn in his side. 她让他头大。A：Richard has a nagging wife.B：I know. She i
31、s a thorn in his side.A：里查德的老婆很罗嗦。B：我知道。她让他头大。8.Beat it! 走开！A：What do you mean by Beat it!B：It means Go away. But its a very rude way of saying so.A：beat it是什么意思？B：就是“走开”的意思。不过，那是一种非常不礼貌的说法。9.I have butterflies in my stomach. 我好紧张。A：I have a job interview this afternoon.B：Really? Have you butterflies in your
