第一篇：美国英语俚语
A a babe in arms 涉世未深的人 a big letdown 大失所望的人 a big shot 重要的人 a blind alley 死胡同 a busy signal 电话忙音
a close game 势均力敌的比赛 a heap of 一大堆
a heavy course load 繁重的课程负担 a bed of rose 安乐窝，称心如意的环境 a big dog 看门狗/保镖
a big fish in a small pond 小地方的大人物 a big line 吹牛皮
a blue woman 有学问的妇女 a cut-up 胡闹者 a dog in a blanket a dog in the manager a fly in the ointment 扰人之事
a fool and his money are soon parted 容易所骗的人 a gad about 四海为家的人 a long shot 大胆的推测
a picture of health 健康的样子 a shoulder to cry on 可以依赖的人 a silken tongue 三寸不烂之舌 a stand-in 临时代替者 a stand-out 杰出人才 a stone's throw 很接近
a watched pot never boil 不要心急 a yellow dog 卑鄙小人
abandon oneself to despair 悲观失望 a blue-eyed boy 所宠爱的孩子 above all things 第一是
above ground 在地上，比喻或者未死 above measure 非常，过分，无可估量 above oneself 自命不凡 above price 无价 above the rest 特别 above-board 光明正大的 absolute refusal 断然拒绝
accommodate oneself to circumstances 遂于而安 ace in the hole 最后的王牌 act of God 天灾 act out 实行
act of fool 装傻
after a storm comes a calm 暴风雨过后的平静 after is said and done 终归
after hour 规定时间后（办公时间等）aim high 志向远大
air oneself 到户外呼吸新鲜空气 alibi 借口 ask alibi 找借口 alive with 洋溢，拥抱
all aboard 各位请上车/船
all bark and no bite 光说不做 all burn up 怒火如焚
all gone 希望等的消逝，物品等的丢失 all in the day's work平凡的事情，不稀奇 all is still 万籁俱静
all lined up, all wind up, all set 一切准备好了 all manner of 各色各样 all skin and bones 皮包骨 all steam go 一切就绪，万事俱备 all the better 更好了
all the father 尽...所有/所能 all the go 非常流行 all the worse 反而更坏
all there 头脑清醒的
all things to all men 八面玲珑 all tire out 太疲惫 all to the good 幸好 all too often 太平常 all too 太
all turned out 如愿以偿 all washed up 全完蛋了 all wet 完全搞错了 all you have to do 你最好 allow for考虑，体谅 allow oneself in 沉溺 alongside of 与...并排 an uphill battle 艰难的战斗 and all that 诸如此类 and so forth 等等 and then 然后 any yet 但是
angel's visit 难得的客人，难得遇见的事物 animated talk 畅谈
another matter 另一回事
another thing coming(to have)注定要到倒霉 another time 下次
answer back 回嘴
answer for 负责，保证 any man alive 无论谁 any old thing 什么都
anything under the sun 任何事情 appeal to arms 诉诸武力 anywhere near 根本
are you telling me 用你来告诉我吗/要你来发好施令吗 arrest one's eye 引人注目 art and part 策划和参与 as a general rule 一般说来 as best one can 尽最大能力 as best one may 尽力想方设法 as broad as it is long 半斤八两
as clay in the hand of the potter 得心应手 as clear as crystal 十分清楚 as clear as day 明若观火
as clear as mud 不清晰，混乱 as close as a clam 一毛不拔 as cross as two sticks 非常生气 as dry as bone 口渴
as easy as ABC 很简单
as faithful as dog 十分忠实 as far as that goes 实际上 as firm as rock 坚如磐石 as gentle as a lamb 性情温顺的 as good as a play 非常有趣 as good as one's promise 受约 as good as one's word 受约
as graceful as a swan 姿势优美的 as is 照现在的样子，原样
as like as chalk and cheese 似是而非 as many again as =as much again as两倍于 as matters stand 在现状下，按照目前状况 as of 在...的时候，直到...之前 as per 按照
as plain as the nose on one's face(to be)显而易见 as poor as a church mouse 一贫如洗 as soft as down 柔软如绒毛 as soon 宁愿
as sure as I’m alive 十分确实地 as the case stands 事实上 as the crows flies 笔直地
as the saying goes 正如俗语所说的
as the world goes 照习惯说
as things are 按照目前状况 as thought 好像
as who should say 可谓，可以这样说 as yet 至今还/尚/还 as you please 随你意思 as you were 复原 ask no odds 不求照顾 ask the way 问路
assume a new aspect 面貌一新 at a blow 立即 at a dash 一气呵成
at a full jump 全速的
at a /one stroke 立即/一举 at all event 总之 at anchor 停泊/抛锚 at bay 陷入绝境
at best 最好不过/充其量 at call 随叫/随要
at close hand 在近处/不远将来 at cross purpose 目的相反 at ease 自由自在
at fault 出毛病/出故障 at fewest 至少
at first blush 乍看/一看 at full blast 全速地/大规模地 at heart 从内心上，本质上 at home in/with擅长 at issue 争论
at one heels 紧跟着
at one word 马上
at one's fingertips 了如指掌 at one's own charge 自费
at one's service 听候某人吩咐 at random 随机 at sight 一见就 at table 在吃饭
at the back of one's mind 在心里
at the bottom of fortune’s wheel 倒霉透顶 at the end of one's rope 忍无可忍 at the first face 乍一看
at the longest 之多 at the peak 最高价
at the point of the sword 敌意/剑拔弩张
at the point of 临近...的时刻
at the tip of one's tongue 话说到嘴边了 at the top of one's lung 大声说话 at will 随意
at worst 在最坏的情况下 at your disposal 由你支配 at your earliest convenience away with it 停止/挪开
B B.T.O.big time operator 浪费时间 back in the saddle 重整旗鼓 bash 大型派对
beat him on the spot 当场把他打败
beat one's head against the wall 白费力气 beat one's brain(out)做事困难，伤透脑筋 beat sb to the draw 抢先某人一步 beat someone by miles 远远强于某人 beautiful but dumb 木美人 before you know it 很快 behind the scenes 幕后人物 bend over backwards 竭尽全力 bet on it 有把握
bet your life 你绝对错了
between a rack and a hard place 进退维谷 between ourselves 秘密地说 big headed 傲慢/自大 big style 大派头
biggie 大人物/很重要的事物 bite one's tongue 保持沉默 blast 欢乐时光
blow it big time 严重的错误 blow one's lines 忘记台词 bologna 乱讲
boot-legging 卖私酒者 bootlick 拍马屁 bossy 专制的 bound to 必定
break out in a cold sweat to 突然全身冒冷汗 bric-a-brac 小摆设
bring them back alive 将他们活捉回来 broomstick 瘦如竹扫把 bud/buffed朋友
buffed 肌肉发达的
build castle in the air 空中楼阁 bull session 长谈 bummed 失望的
burn bridge 过河拆桥
burn one's finger 遇到挫折
burn one's boats/bridges 破釜沉舟,自断后路 bury one's head in the sand 逃避 butter and egg man 有势力的人 buy into something 接受某事物 buy your story 相信你的鬼话 by and large 大体上
C call in sick 打电话请病假 can manage 有办法
can't be better 最好不过
cant't get away with it 法网难逃 got canned 被炒了
card up in one's sleeve 锦囊妙计 carefree 无忧无虑
cast sheep's eye 暗送秋波 castle in Spain 白日做梦 sleepy head 爱睡觉的人 catch one's eye 引起注意
chicken hearted 胆小的人
cleaned out(储备品，钱)用完，（商品）售完 clunker 老爷车/破旧的汽车 cocky/sassy 神气活现
cold day in hell 绝对不可能 come and get it 试一下来拿吧 come off it 少废话，别瞎扯 come to a head 到了紧要关头 come to think of it 想起来了
come up and see me sometime 常来看我 comfy舒服的
common as an old shoe 不摆架子，平易近人 cook up a story 捏造 cool your lips 冷静下来
country pumpkin 土头头脑
cover someone 掩护某人，用枪瞄准某人 crane one's neck to see 伸长脖子看什么东西 crook 骗子
cry wolf 发假警报
cuff someone 给某人上手铐
curtain lecture 枕边劝戒，妻子私下对丈夫的训话 cut class 旷课
cut it 能够做某事，成功作做某事
D dapper 花花公子
days are numbered 来日无多 dead serious 非常认真的 Dear John letter 绝交信 devil's luck 特别好运气 die in shoes 暴死街头
dirty work 讨厌的工作，卑鄙的工作 do all the talking 言之滔滔的人 do it all right 做的不错
do it in your stuff 拿出本领来 do one's endeavor 尽力为之 dog sleep 不时惊醒的睡眠 dog watch 夜班
dog 丑八怪
break one's neck 致命伤
don't go off the deep end 不要心灰意冷 don't hold your breathe 不要指望
don't stick your nose in 不要牵涉在内 down something 喝某东西 drop the ball 失职
drown one's sorrows 借酒消愁
E easy as pie/cake 容易 easy money 易赚的钱
either make or break 破釜沉舟
enough is as good as a feast 知足常乐
enough to get by 够应付的
everything is coming up roses 自己经历的每一件事情都 eyes bigger than one's stomach 眼馋肚饱 eye to eye 看法一致
F fair, fat and forty 中年妇女 far and away 毋庸置疑 fast worker 闪电恋爱
feel oneself 觉得身心舒畅的
feeling low 悲观
field day 快乐时光，自我放纵 fight it out 奋斗
fight tooth and nail 爪牙并用，拼命抵抗 figure head 无权力的人
fine feathers make fine bird 人要金装
fish for a compliment for someone 讨某人的恭维 fake 不可信任的人 flapper 爱打扮的女人 flat taste 味道平平flat tire 无精打采；爆胎 flats平底鞋 footfall 客流量 for a song 很便宜
for better or for worse 不计成败 for good 永远/一劳永逸 for on thing 但是
for real 表里如一/可靠的 forget that noise 不可能
framed 被陷害/遭栽赃
freeloader 利用别人的善良或者好客而占人家便宜的人 fresh out of sth 耗尽某物，用完某物/新近离开 frisk 搜身
from the word go 立刻，马上
G gal/dame 女人
get a black eye 被打青了眼睛 get a clue to 当心，警惕
get a hold of oneself 控制情绪 get a load of 试试 get a move on 赶快
get down to 使得自己不受拘束，放纵自己 get even 报复
get it all together 不慌不忙，沉着冷静 get off it 别胡扯/换话题
get up enough nerve to do something 鼓足勇气去做某事 get someone down 令某人不愉快 get rusty 生手 gigolo 护花使者
give an ear to 听一听
give someone a black eye 打得某人鼻青脸肿 give him a buzz 打电话给他
give him a dirty look 给他憎恨的眼色
give him a dirty work 给他难为的工作 give him a free hand 由他去干吧 give him a lift 送他一程
give him some dope 给他一些内幕消息 give him the wood 打他几下 give him the work 给他点本领看看 give it to him 给他一试
give someone an inch, he/she will take a mile 得寸进尺 go about 怎么办 go easy 俭省些
go off on someone 对某人大喊大叫 go off the deep end 勃然大怒 go to one's head 冲昏头脑 go to town 竭尽全力去做某事 go together 谈恋爱
go under th knife 接受外科手术 go west 死
good God 上帝啊 good gracious 天啊 good taste 合胃口 got the punch 有力的 great promiser 食言者 green horn 新手
H hail fellow 久仰
hang in the balance平分秋色 hang in there 耐心等候/忍耐一下
hang on by the eyelids 事情位在旦夕 hanky panky 鬼马
hard boiled egg 难相处的人
hard nut to crack 难于驾驭的女人 hard up 经济拮据
hard-headed businessman 斤斤计较的商人
haul 赶快
have a good head on one's shoulder 有见识，明白事理 have a weakness for something 酷爱某事物
have it bad for 狂恋某物
have one's name on sth 某物完全适合某人/为某人度身定做 have roses on one's face 脸色红润 have the face 厚颜无耻 he girl 男性化的女孩 to be soft 容易相处
he man/big boy 壮硕的男人
bark and no bite 动口不动手 heart of stone 铁石心肠 hell of the time 时光难熬 hen-pecked 惧内者 hey you 你
country jack 乡下佬
high and brow 上等的，名贵的 his right man 他的得力助手 hit it hard 努力做事
hit the nail right on the head 完全正确，正中要害 hit upon 偶然想出 hold it down 保持安静 hold on'e own 独当一面 hold someone up 抢劫某人
hold your horse 慢一点
hold up in broad daylight 光天化日之下抢劫 hop in 上车 horn 电话
how you come out 怎么发生的
I get yoy my word 我认真答应你
I hear ya 我同意
I’ll say 我同意，当然 I’ll see to it 我来处理它
if worse comes to worst 到了万不得已的的时候 if you snooze, you lose 如果你不注意，就错过良机了 in a sweet 心烦
in black and white 立下字据 in heat 愤怒地
in high(low)spirit 精神愉快，消沉 in smooth water 进入顺境 in the dog house 陷入困境
in the good old day 幸福的日子 in the throes of death 受痛苦而死 innocent kid 无辜的人 it's a steal 真是便宜 it's in God's hands 听天由命
J jack of all trade 什么都懂 joint 大麻，地方 jolly guy 快活的人 jump on me 向我发脾气 junky 衣不称身
just what the doctor ordered 对症下药
K keep a good house 收拾房子
keep body and soul together 温饱
keep some posted 使得某人不断得到最新消息 keep track 留意
kick in the pants 踢屁股 kid gloves 小心谨慎 kiddies 小孩
know sth like the palm of one’s hands 了如指掌
L ladies man 女人喜欢的男人 lardo 胖子 lashes 睫毛
lay down the law 立下规矩 lay stress on 重视
lead a cat and dog life 过着不和谐的生活 lead a dog's life 非人生活 lean meat 瘦肉
leave it to me 让我干吧 let down 放弃
let someone have it 严厉训斥某人
life in not all roses 人生不是十全十美 life a finger 不出一点力 like a lamb 逆来顺受
like a parrot 毫无知识
like a rolling stone 行踪不定 live up to your words 言必信 living encyclopedia 活的百科全书 living like a lord 过着贵族的生活 living soul 人
lose one's cool 发脾气 lose track of 失去联系 lots of dough 很多钱
love handles 游泳圈/胖的腰围
M make it snappy 提起精神
make the gorge rise 令人讨厌 make whoopee 欢呼作乐 mind your eye 当心 miser 守财奴
mish-mash 混杂物、大杂烩
miss the bus 错过机会
miss the boat 错过机会 /好东西等 money talky 财可以通神 monkey 五百美金
moonlight 兼职
my ass 才怪（强烈质疑）my shoes bite 鞋子小，穿着疼脚
N nail sth down 敲定某事使得万无一失 nail the brakes 急刹车 nip sth in the bud 防患于未然 no fun 没有意思
no laughing matter 非同小可
not to wear your heart on your sleeve 不要太情绪化 nothing but skin and bones 很瘦 now you're talking 你说得有道理
O old dog 上年纪的人
old hand 老手
old man 老爸，男朋友，老公 old timer 老手，老资格 on a good note 欢尽而散 on a horse 快马加鞭
on pins and needles 坐立不安 on the edge of my seat 专心地听和看 on the rock 处境困难
one way or the other 千方百计 out and out 完全地
out of one's hold 脱手 out of form 不合时，不合身 out of it 精神恍惚 get canned 失业 out of sort 发脾气 out of spirit 心神不安 over and over 多次地，重复地 over grown 孩子气 own boss 自己当老板
P pass the back 让人做吧 past all hope 无可救药
pat him on the back 联络感情 prayer(没有)成功的可能性 pull devil, pull baker 加油 pull sth 干坏事
pull the dirty trick 有意愚弄 pull the purse string 吝啬
punch your light out 打得你两眼发黑 put a finishing touch 最后修饰 put a good show 好好干吧 put on air 宣传
put one's shoulder to the wheel 全力以赴 put some heart on 施加压力
put sb up 为某人提供膳食
put sth on the back corner 推迟做某事 put one's feet on the ground 脚踏实地 put your heart at rest 放下心来
R raid the fridge 吃光冰箱里的食物 raise hell 大发牢骚
read sb the riot act 训诫某人 ritzy 豪华的
rosy prospect 美好前景 rosy view 乐观看法 rosy 美满
round way 圆滑一点
round-table conference 圆桌会议 rubber check 空头支票 rubbish 胡说
S sad news（令人悲伤的消息）账单 same old stuff 一样的东西 sandals 凉鞋
save one's neck 免受苦难 sawing wood 鼾声如锯木 scallker 黄牛党
scare the devil out of sb 吓死人 secret sorrow 难言之隐
set the world on fire 一些震撼世界的杰出成就 shadow/tail 跟踪
shake and make up 握手言和 bloody shame 可耻
shop till one drops 购物直到累死
show down 决胜者
show sb the back door 下逐客令 make a hit 出风头 show up 到达 side money 横财
sissy 娘娘腔的，基佬
sit on the top of the world 自大 japs/Skeepie 日本人
sleep a wink(没有)合眼 slightest idea 一点意思也没有 slop 劣质食品
smart guy 手段漂亮的人 snobbish 有绅士架子的人 soak 要价太高 soft soap 滑头
sonny boy 可爱的孩子
sore spot 致命伤
speak the same language 志同道合 spell out of town 驱逐处境 spic and span 非常整洁 spineless 没有骨气
spitting image of someone 于某人一模一样 spoil the show 煞风景 spring for 请客
square one's words with one's conduct 言行一致 squeeze 扒钱
stand no more nonsense 不准儿戏
stand one's ground 坚持己见，原地踏步 start from square one 重头开始
stay up till all the hours of the night 彻夜未眠 step it up 采取行动
step on one's big toe 激怒某人 stick-up 抢劫
sticky business 让人左右为难的事情 stool pigeon 内鬼
stop on a dime 突然停止 stowaway 偷渡的人
strong meat 难以理解的问题 suck one's brain 投机取巧 sugar coated 口蜜腹剑
sweat like a pig 汗流浃背 sweet water 饮用水
swell/regular guy 好人 swell head 自大
swing for the fence 全垒打
T take a dump 大便 take a spin 兜风
take him for a ride/ bump him 杀掉他 take order from 听命于人 take sb in 将某人交给警方处理 take sth in stride 从容处理 take sth lying down 甘心忍受某事
teach your grandmother to suck eggs 班门弄斧头 teacher's pet 老师最爱的学生 that does it 我受够了
the finishing touch 最后修饰 the general effect 总结果 the green years 青春年华 the way-side rose 路边的玫瑰 through a/the wringer 受尽苦难 through and through 完全地 throw in the towel 认输 ticked off 生气
tick-tock 滴答声 tight wad 守财奴 tip-top 最佳的
to be a jelly-fish 做事无头脑 to be all eyes 注视，惊奇的看 to be down at heels 不修边幅 to be eyesore 眼中钉
to be hot-headed 容易发怒
to be as like as two peas 十分近似 to be shabby 脏脏的 to be smart 整洁的
to be well groomed 容光焕发
to bring down the house 博得满堂喝彩 to do/play one's part 尽自己职责 to go smash 破产
to have eyes bigger than the belly 贪婪 to have face as long as a fiddle 拉长脸 to hold one's course 坚定不移 to hold one's tongue 谈话含蓄
to live a fool's paradise 愚人自欺
to make things ship shape 使得一切井井有条 to one's liking 合胃口的
to pitch into anyone 大人或者重罚某人
to see through the rose-colored glasses 太乐观了 to speak for itself 事实之言
to speak in parables 说话装腔作势 to speak one fair 使人信服 to speak volume 中肯之言 toe the line 循规蹈矩 toe-to-toe 竞争 top banana 主管人员 topsy-turvy 颠倒是非
trash sb 严厉批评某人，破坏某物 turn in 睡觉
turn over a new leaf 改过自新 turn the cold shoulder on 冷淡对待 turtle on one's back 自身难保 two-faced 两面派
U uncrown mayor 无冕之王 under the rose 秘密进行 up to this minute 摩登的 ups and downs 盛衰 upstart 爆富
V vanish to thin air 消失的无影无踪 walk on air 高兴地飘飘然
wash it down 吞下，正餐后喝点东西 wash out 洗手不干
what gives 出了什么事
what is cooking 酝酿着
what is in your mind 你心意如何 what the hell 有什么稀奇
what's with you 什么事情让你烦恼
what's her face 她叫什么来着，我忘记了她的名字 when it rains, it pours 事情一发生便接踵而至 whiz/pick-pocket 小偷 whoa 哇 whoopee 哇
win your heart 赢得你的心 within limits 适可而止
Y yanks 美国人
yesman 应声虫
you're all wet 你完全错了
you don't know half of it 你什么都不懂 you rat 鼠辈
第二篇：英语俚语
跟老外学习9种最地道的英语告白
to have a crush on(someone)； to feel an instant magnetism；
to catch one's eyes； to hit it off；to have the hots for(someone)；
to be attracted to each other.这些片语，都是描写男女间互相倾慕，两情相悦，有吸引力或一见锺情。
例如：* He(she)has a crush on her(him)(他对她十分爱慕)。
* He felt an instant magnetism when their eyes met.（他们见面时，他立即感到磁性般的吸住）。意指女的外表吸引;如果是 she felt …… 那么就是指男的外表吸引。
* A nice-looking girl caught his eye.（漂亮的妞儿吸住）。注意：不用eyes。
* He was introduced to a pretty woman and they seem to hit it off immediately.（他被介绍给一位漂亮女子後，他们似乎就一见锺情）。或
* They were attracted to each other the moment their eyes met.* When he met her, he had the hots for her.（当他见到她，他就对她爱慕不已。）(多半指 sexual attraction。)
例如说，女对男的没有兴趣，那么也可以说：
* She did not feel any attraction toward him.（她对他毫无兴趣);或* He is the man for whom she feels no attraction, catch or no catch.（不管他的条件好或坏，她对他就是没有兴趣）。这里的 catch，可指财富、地位、名望和外表。
这些都是指男人英俊潇洒，作风奔放，野性旺盛，喜欢在「女人窝」里。例如：
* Mr.Lin has been considered a prince on a white horse.（林先生被认为是白马王子。）这是中古时代女子对男人的梦中理想
现在也有老外认为美男子应该是：全身盔甲灿烂光辉的王子。
* He is a prince in a shining armour.（动词时态：shine, shone 或shined。）
* Many people think that Mr.Clinton is a real lady„s man.（或 a real womanizer）(许多人认为柯林顿先生喜欢在女人窝里。）
*As a casanova, he has many girl friends.（由於他是美男子，他有许多女友。）
（Casanova 是意大利人，据说是顶尖的美男子，他的全名是：Casanova deseingalt Giovanni Giacomo 在此 casanova 被当做普通名词，故 c不必大写。
如果形容男人外表魅惑力大，能使女人「如饥似渴」般崇拜他，也可以说：
* He has melted her down and made her knees buckle.（他把她溶化了，使她拜倒他的西装裤下）。这句话老外通常不用在男人身上，也许因为男子应该比较坚强些吧！
* So many women swarmed him like bees to the honey.（许多女人看到他，就像一群蜜蜂见到蜜那样蜂拥而至。）
倘若说：…… like flies to the garbage指像一群苍蝇喜欢垃圾那样，当然就不是恭维了。to be a beauty queen;to be a dream boat;to be a cutie;to be a babe;
to be a fox.这些都是形容女人漂亮，曲线玲珑，身材曼妙，挥身性感或散发一种性感的野性。例如：* She is a beauty queen.（= very beautiful）
* She is a cutie.（= pretty and attractive）（漂亮迷人）
* She is a dream boat.（= ideal type of woman）（理想女人）
* She is a babe.（= very beautiful and attractive）
* She is a fox.（= She is a foxy lady = She is sexy.）（她很性感）。
注意：如果说： She is as sneaky（或 cunning）as a fox.又是指她像狐狸一样的狡猾。
假如女人能使男人拜倒她的石榴裙下或神魂颠倒那么就能说：
* Her beauty（attraction）has caused his knees to shake.（或 to quiver）（她的漂亮迷人使他膝部发抖）。或* She made him feel up there in the clouds.（= on clouds nine = on the top of the world）（她使他神魂颠倒，飘飘然如仙。）
其实，所谓「情人眼里出西施」（Beauty is in the eyes of beholder），世上的美或丑，只是主观的看法而已。
to fall in love with（someone）；to fall head over heels in love;to love（someone）from head to toe.都是指男欢女爱，沉溺情海，或是爱得晕头转向。
例如：* They have fallen in love with each other for years.（他们相爱多年）。
（动词时态：fall, fell, fallen）
* He fell head over heels in love with her.（= He fell for her head over heels = He is head over-heels in love withher.）（他与她沉溺情海，爱得晕头转向。）多半指很快落入情海。
* He loves her from head to toe.（他从头到脚地爱她）。多指经过较长时间後才热恋, 或* He falls madly in love with her.至於男女热恋时「目中无人」或「形影不离」，也可以说:
* They are two peas in a pod.（他们像豆荚里的两粒豆子--即形影不离。）
* They only have eyes for each other（and forget the entire world.）（世界上似乎只有他们两个人。）如何学说一口地道的美式口语
Potluck Party: 一种聚餐方式，主人准备场地和餐具，参加的人必须带一道菜或准备饮料，最好事先问问主人的意思。
Pull over!把车子开到旁边。Drop me a line!写封信给我。
Give me a ring.= Call me!来个电话吧！For here or to go? 堂食或外卖。
cool;That's cool!等於台湾年轻人常用的囗语“酷！”，表示不赖嘛！用于人或事均可。What's up? = What's happening? = What's new?
见面时随口问候的话“最近在忙什么？有什么新鲜事吗？”一般的回答是“Nothing much!”或“Nothing new!”
Cut it out!= Knock it out!= Stop it!少来这一套！同学之间开玩笑的话。
Don't give me a hard time!别跟我过不去好不好！Get yourself together!振作点行不行！Do you have “the” time? 现在几点钟？可别误以为人家要约你出去。
Hang in there.= Don't give up.= Keep trying.再撑一下。
Give me a break!你饶了我吧！(开玩笑的话)Hang on.请稍候。Blow it.= Screw up.搞砸了。What a big hassle.真是个麻烦事。What a crummy day.多倒霉的一天。Go for it.加油 You bet.= Of course.当然；看我的！Wishful thinking.一厢情愿的想法。
Don't be so fussy!别那么挑剔好不好。It's a long story.唉！说来话长。
How have you been? = How are you doing? 你过得如何？近来可好？
Take things for granted.自以为理所当然。Don't put on airs.别摆架子。
Give me a lift!= Give me a ride!送我一程吧！Have a crush on someone.迷恋某人。
What's the catch? 有什么内幕？Party animal.开Party狂的人(喜欢参加舞会的人)。
Pain in the neck.=Pain in the ass.讨厌的东西、人或事。Skeleton in the closet.家丑
Don't get on my nerve!别把我惹毛了！Afat chance.=A poor chance.机会很小。
I am racking my brains.我正在绞尽脑。She's a real drag.她真有点碍手碍脚。
Spacingout.=daydreaming.做白日梦。I am so fed up.我受够了！
It doesn't go with your dress.跟你的衣服不配。
What's the point? = What are you trying to say? 你的重点是什么？
By all means.=Definitely.一定是。Let's get a bite.= Let's go eat.去吃点东西吧！
I'll buy you a lunch(a drink;a dinner).= It's on me.= My treat.我请客
Let's go dutch.各付各的My stomach is upset.我的胃不舒服diarrhea [dai r'i ] 拉肚子
吃牛排时，waitor 会问“How would you like it ?” 就是问“要几分熟？”的意思，可以选择 rare，medium 或 well-done。I am under the weather.=I am not feeling well.我不太舒服！
May I take a rain check? 可不可改到下次？(例如有人请你吃饭，你不能赴约，只好请他改到下一次。)I am not myself today.我今天什么都不对劲！Let's get it straight.咱们把事情弄清楚！What's the rush!急什么！Such a fruitcake!神经病！
I'll swing by later.=I'll stop by later.待会儿，我会来转一下。
I got the tip straight from the horse's mouth.这个消息是千真万确的(tip指消息)！
easy as pie = very easy = piece of cake 很容易。flunk out 被当掉。take french leave 不告而别。I don't get the picture.=I don't understand.我不明白。You should give him a piece of your mind.你应该向他表达你的不满。hit the road = take off = get on one's way 离开。
Now he is in the driver's seat =He is in control now。Keep a low profile(or low key).采取低姿态。Kinky =bizarre =wacky =weird 古怪的。klutz(=clutz)=idiot 白痴、笨蛋。
know one's way around 识途老马。lion's share 大部份。tailgate 尾随(尤其跟车跟得太近)。take a back seat.让步。take a hike =leave me alone =get lost 滚开。hit the hay =go to bed 睡觉。Can you give me a lift? =Can you give me a ride? 载我一程好吗？
green hand 生手、没有经验的人。moonshine = mountain dew 指私酿的烈酒(威士忌)或走私的酒。胡说八道也可用moonshine。His story is plain moonshine。
chill out =calm down =relax(来自黑人英语)
rip off =steal;I was ripped off.我被偷了；rip off 也常被用为“剥夺”My right was ripped off.权利被剥夺(来自黑人英语)。我们称美国大兵为G.I.(Government Issue)or GI Joe, 德国兵或德国佬为 Fritzor Kraut，称英国佬为John Bull，日本人为Jap。或Nip，犹太人为Jew都是很不礼貌的称呼。mess around(with)瞎混；Get to work.Don't mess around.赶快工作，别瞎搅和。snob 势利眼。sneak in,sneak out 偷偷溜进去，溜出来。sneakers 运动鞋。
She is such a brown-noser.她是个马屁精。This is in way over my head.对我而言这实在太难了。I am an exam jitter and I always get a cramp in my stomach.我是个考试紧张大师，一考试胃就抽筋。Keep your study(work)on track.请按进度读书(工作)。
Did you come up with any ideas? 有没有想到什麽新的意见？
Don't get uptight!Take it easy.别紧张，慢慢来！
Cheese!It tastes like cardboard.Cheese吃起来味如嚼腊！
Get one's feet wet.与中文里的“涉足”或“下海”，寓意相同，表示初尝某事。I am going to try dancing for the very first time.Just to get my feet wet。
与衣服相关的5句地道英语表达1.Dress to Kill = wear one‟s finest clothing
衣服漂亮得电死人。
The reception for the new ambassador was quite lavish.Naturally, everybody was dressed to kill.Since it was a formal occasion, everyone was dressed in their finiest, most elegant clothes.欢迎新大使的招待会很豪华。自然，每个人的衣服都漂亮得电死人。因为这是个正式场合，大家都穿着最好最体面的衣服。
2.Knock Someone„s Socks Off = enthuse and excite
让人兴奋得连袜子都掉了。
A:Hi, John.What„s new?嗨,约翰, 怎么样?
B: Oh, nothing too much with me, but you ought to see Nick„s new car.It„ll knock your socks off!哦, 还那样.不过你真该看看尼克的新车.那车真带劲!
3.Lose One„s Shirt = lose a great deal of money连衬衫都输掉了，表示输了很多钱。B: What„s new with Doug these days?他怎么样?
A: He wasn„t doing so well.For one thing, he told me he lost his shirt at the races.不太好.有件事,他告诉我马赛上输了很多钱.B: Doug has always liked to bet on the horses.I„m not surprised that he lost a great deal of money.他喜欢赌马.说他输了大钱我一点都不奇怪.4.Wet Blanket = dull or boring person who spoils the happiness of others
盖湿毯子当然不舒服，象湿毯子一样的人，一定是令人厌烦、倒人胃口的人。
James was not invited to go on the outing with the rest of the group because he„s such a wet blanket.詹姆士没被同组的人邀请出游,因为他是个倒人胃口的人.5.Dress to the Teeth = dressed elegantly
跟中国成语武装到牙齿有异曲同工之妙，表示某人费尽心机着装打扮。
A: Did you see Hilda at the party last night? 昨天的晚会上看见希尔达了吗?
B: Yes, I did.She was really dressed to the teeth!看见了.精心打扮得都到牙齿了
美剧中最常见的口语表达
kick ass 了不起
A: Wow, you fixed my computer in less than 10 minutes.You're good.B: Yep.I just kick ass.“kick ass” 除了字面上的「踢屁股」外, 还有「厉害、打败」的意思。当「踢屁股」时, 比如某人放你鸽子, 你很气, 就可以说:“I'm going to kick his ass.”（我得踢他的屁股）。当「厉害」用时, 就像上面例句一样用。“kick ass”还可作「打败某人的意思」。比如某人一向在某方面比你强, 终于有一天你比他厉害了, 你就可以说:“Hahaha……I kicked yourass.”.觉得 “ass” 太难听的人, 就用 “butt” 吧!
2.XYZ 检查你的拉链
Hey, man.XYZ.“XYZ” 是 “Check your zipper.” 的意思。在美国, 填表选项时多用打「X」来表示（台湾则用打勾表示）。这个选项的动作就叫“Check”, 也就是这里的XYZ 的 X所代表的。Y 是 Your, Z 就是 Zipper 啰!
3.Hit the road.上路了
A: Do you want to come in for some tea?
B: No.I'm running late.I really need to hit the road.“running late” 是快迟到了的意思。
“Hit the road” 的 “hit” 有「去」的意思。好比某人每周去健身房三次, 你就可以说 “He hits the gym three times a week.”.“I really need to hit the road.” 还可以用说成“I really need to get going.”.4.hang out 和朋友在一起
A: I don't know what is going on lately.Jack seems to curse a lot these days.B: Well, that's just what you get from hanging out with the wrong crowd.“hang out” 是和朋友一起做一些事。看电影、逛街、聊天都算。也不限指异性朋友。
5.click（两人）合得来
I really like talking to her.I think we two really click.click the mouse（点击鼠标），不过 click 不一定只用在异性之间。朋友之间的频率相同也可以用。
第三篇：英语口语资料_美国俚语
美国俚语大全
http://www.xiexiebang.completely wrong · all-nighter · I almost fell asleep during the test after an all-nighter.· MEANING: after studying all night.· ammo · The gun was useless after the killer ran out of ammo.· MEANING: ammunition · antifreeze · I really need some antifreeze in me on cold days like this.· MEANING: liquor · armpit · This town is really an armpit.· MEANING: undesirable place · awesome · What an awesome sunset.· MEANING: great · bad · Wow, that was really a bad movie.· MEANING: intense · barf · He barfed all over the seat of the airplane.· MEANING: vomitted · bashed · The boat was bashed beyond recognition.· MEANING: crushed · beat · After working all day I am really beat.· MEANING: exhausted · beemer · He just bought a new beemer to drive to work in.· MEANING: B.M.W.car · bench · He was benched during the basketball playoffs.· MEANING: taken out of the game · bent · It's OK.Don't get so bent.· MEANING: angry · bent out of shape · Don't get so bent out of shape.· MEANING: become upset · big gun · The president brought two big guns to the meeting.· MEANING: powerful people · big mouth · Shut up!You really have a big mouth.· MEANING: talk too much · big stink · The citizens made a big stink about the new nuclear power station.· MEANING: big issue · blade · He carried a ten inch blade with him.· MEANING: knife · blimp · I always seem to have a blimp sitting next to me when I travel.· MEANING: very fat person · blow · I'm going to blow out of here now.· MEANING: leave · blow · He blew all his money gambling.· MEANING: lost · blow a fuse · Hey, don't blow a fuse.· MEANING: lose your temper.· blow one's cool · Calm down.Don't blow your cool.· MEANING: become angry · blown away · I was blown away by his donation of a million dollars.· MEANING: greatly impressed · bomb · The movie was a bomb.· MEANING: bad · bombed
· The driver of the car was bombed.· MEANING: intoxicated · bonkers · I think I am going bonkers.· MEANING: crazy · boo-boo · If you make another boo-boo like that, you won't have a job.· MEANING: mistake · booze · I promised to bring two bottles of booze to the party.· MEANING: alcohol · bread · I need some bread to pay for my car.· MEANING: money · break · A lucky break helped him get the job.· MEANING: opportunity · break it up · Break it up, or I will call the police.· MEANING: stop · bring-down · The news of the airplane crash was a bring-down.· MEANING: depressing · buck · Do you have a buck I can borrow? · MEANING: dollar · bummed · I was really bummed after I heard the news.· MEANING: depressed · bummer · My trip to New York was a bummer.· MEANING: bad experience · bust · The whole idea was a bust.· MEANING: failure · buy it · If you don't slow down, you're going to buy it in a car accident.· MEANING: die · call · The weatherman made a good call about when the storm would come.· MEANING: prediction · can · Do you know where the can is? · MEANING: bathroom · carb · My motorcycle's carb is out of adjustment.· MEANING: carburetor · catch some rays · I'm going to lie on the beach and catch some rays.· MEANING: get some sunshine.· catch some Z's · I need to catch some Z's before I go on my trip.· MEANING: get some sleep · cheesy · That is really a cheesy looking outfit.· MEANING: cheap · chicken · Don't be a chicken.· MEANING: coward · chintzy · That really was a chintzy present you got him.· MEANING: cheap · chow down · I need to find a place to chow down.· MEANING: eat a lot · clip · Watch out or they will clip you at that bar.· MEANING: cheat · clunker · I can't go on a date in that clunker.· MEANING: old car · cold fish · My date for the dance was a cold fish.· MEANING: dull · collar · I knew they would collar the robber sooner or later.· MEANING: arrest · come up for air · He has to come up for air or he will die from exhaustion.· MEANING: take a break · con · Don't try to con me.· MEANING: deceive · cool · This is a really cool place to work.· MEANING: good · cool down · Things should cool down in a day or two.· MEANING: calm down · cop · How did you get the road sign? I copped it.· MEANING: robbed · cop · The cop showed me his badge.· MEANING: policeman · couch potato · He is a couch potato.· MEANING: lazy person · crack open a bottle · Let's crack open a bottle for his birthday.· MEANING: open · cram · I need more time to cram for the test.· MEANING: study hard · cream · Our team creamed them badly.· MEANING: beat · croak · I feel like I am going to croak.· MEANING: die · cruise · The skier was cruising down the hill · MEANING: going very fast · cuffs · He put the cuffs on the killer.· MEANING: handcuffs · cushy · He has a really cushy job.· MEANING: easy · cut · Could you cut my whiskey with a little water? · MEANING: dilute · cut out · It is late.I have to cut out.· MEANING: leave · damage · Lets get the bill and find out the damage.· MEANING: cost · dead · This disco is really dead tonight.· MEANING: quiet · deck · He was decked in the fight.· MEANING: knocked down · deep pockets · Her boyfriend has deep pockets.· MEANING: is a good source of money · dicey · Since the weather is a little dicey, I won't go today.· MEANING: chancy · dirty · I hear that it's a dirty movie.· MEANING: an obscene · ditch · I'll ditch my younger brother with my grandmother.· MEANING: leave · do a snow job on · Don't try to do a snow job on me.· MEANING: deceive · dope · He is such a dope.· MEANING: stupid person · dope · There are a lot of dope dealers around here.· MEANING: drug · dork · He is such a dork.· MEANING: strange person · dough · I need some dough before I can go Christmas shopping.· MEANING: money · down · Let's go to a bar and down a few beers.· MEANING: drink quickly · drag · Doing homework on the weekend is a drag.· MEANING: boring · dynamite · This drink is really dynamite.· MEANING: powerful;great · earful · My grandmother gave me an earful about the neighborhood.· MEANING: a lot of gossip · easy mark · The Japanese are an easy mark because they usually carry cash.· MEANING: likely victims · eat · The problem is really eating away at me.· MEANING: bothering · excellent · That's excellent man.· MEANING: fine · face-off · The two sides were headed for a nasty face-off.· MEANING: confrontation · far-out · This music is really far-out.· MEANING: great · fix · The addict needs another fix.· MEANING: dose of drugs · flaky · He is too flaky to do the work.· MEANING: unreliable · flashback · At the wedding he had a flashback of his old girlfriend.· MEANING: remembered · flick · I haven't seen a flick in a long time.· MEANING: movie · flip out · He flipped out when he heard that his mother had been killed.· MEANING: lost control · flip side · What kind of music do you have on the flip side of the tape? · MEANING: other side · fox · His older sister is a fox.· MEANING: very attractive · foxy · She is a foxy lady.· MEANING: sexy · freebie · The pillow was a freebie · MEANING: free · get into something · I got into gardening in high school.· MEANING: became seriously interested in · get it · I listened to the joke twice, but I still don't get it.· MEANING: understand · get with it · If you don't get with it, we will never finish this work.· MEANING: hurry up · gig · I have a gig on Saturday night from 7:00 to 10:00.· MEANING: job · glitch · This computer program has a glitch.· MEANING: defect · glitzy · This is a pretty glitzy hotel to be staying in.· MEANING: fashionable · go · Let me have a go at solving the problem.· MEANING: try · go bananas · I am going to go bananas if I don't have a vacation soon.· MEANING: go crazy · go down · What is going down? · MEANING: happening · goof · I am really a goof at times.· MEANING: fool · goof up · I really goofed up when I painted my room green.· MEANING: made a serious mistake · goofy · You are always acting goofy these days.· MEANING: silly · gourd · Use your gourd to figure out what is happening.· MEANING: head · grand · His salary is twenty grand.· MEANING: thousand dollars · grass · Lots of students smoke grass in the dormitory.· MEANING: marijuana · gravy · This job is pure gravy.· MEANING: easy money · groovy · This music is groovy.· MEANING: pleasant · gross · Picking your nose is really a gross habit.· MEANING: disgusting · gross-out · The party was a gross-out.· MEANING: digusting time · grub · Where is the best place to get some grub around here? · MEANING: food · grubby · Those clothes are too grubby to wear to the party.· MEANING: unclean and untidy · grungy · That is a really grungy jacket.· MEANING: dirty · gut · He got shot in the gut.· MEANING: stomach.· gut · The gut issue is about what we are going to do now.· MEANING: basic · guts · It takes a lot of guts to give the boss your true opinion.· MEANING: courage · hairy · That was a hairy plane trip.I am glad the storm is over.· MEANING: dangerous · hammer · Put the hammer to the floor or we will be late for the wedding.· MEANING: accelerator · hang it up · I have decided to hang up my teaching job.· MEANING: quit · hang loose · Just hang loose for another few days.· MEANING: relax · hang tough · We need to hang tough on our decision.· MEANING: stick with · hardware · The police were surprised by all the hardware the gang members had.· MEANING: weapons · have a buzz on · I had a buzz on after the third martini.· MEANING: was slightly intoxicated · have good vibes · I have good vibes about our new secretary.· MEANING: feel good about · have it all together · Recently I don't have it all together.· MEANING: feel mentally all there.· heave · I heaved up on the floor.· MEANING: vomited · high · The teenagers look high to me.· MEANING: intoxicated on drugs or alcohol · hip-shooter · He is such a hip-shooter.· MEANING: always talking without thinking · history · I don't have any idea where my old boyfriend is.He's history.· MEANING: something in the past · hit · Your proposal was a hit with the boss.· MEANING: successful · hole up · I had to hole up for three days because the police were looking for me.· MEANING: hide · honcho · The honcho says that we are going to have to give up two days of our vacation.· MEANING: boss · hooker · Her clothes make her look like a hooker.· MEANING: prostitute · hot · The police stopped them because they though the car was hot.· MEANING: stolen · huffy · I will do it soon so please don't get huffy.· MEANING: angry · hungry · If you are not hungry, you won't get ahead in the business.· MEANING: eager to make money · hustle · If you don't hustle, we will be late again.· MEANING: hurry up · hyped · The fans were all hyped up for the football game.· MEANING: excited · hyper · Don't get hyper about what she told you.You know it isn't true.· MEANING: over excited · I.D.· Can you show me some I.D.please? · MEANING: identification · in · The tie you are wearing is really in.· MEANING: fashionable · in deep · They are really in deep with each other.· MEANING: deeply involved · in the bag · Everything is in the bag.There is nothing to worry about.· MEANING: settled · intense · This is a very intense situation we are discussing.· MEANING: serious · jam · I am glad you got yourself out of that jam.· MEANING: trouble · jerk someone around · Recently it seems like everyone is jerking me around.· MEANING: wasting my time and causing me trouble · jock · My roommate is a jock for the basketball team.· MEANING: an athlete · john · The john really smells.· MEANING: bathroom · joint · Where is the closest joint to here.· MEANING: cheap bar · joint · He is good at rolling joints.· MEANING: marijuana cigarettes · junkie · Sam is a junkie.· MEANING: rug addict · just off the boat · He acts like he is just off the boat.· MEANING: naive · keep one's cool · He kept his cool when his house burned down.· MEANING: remained calm · kegger · I hear there is a kegger at John's house tonight.· MEANING: beer party · kick · I get a kick out of watching him paint.· MEANING: enjoy · klutz · He is a real klutz.· MEANING: stupid and clumsy person · knock · Don't knock it if you can't do it any better.· MEANING: criticize · knocked up · My dog gets knocked up once a year.· MEANING: pregnant · knockout · Who was that knockout I saw you with last Friday? · MEANING: stunning person · knuckle sandwich · Shut up or I'll give you a knuckle sandwich.· MEANING: punch in the mouth · kook · Watch out for all the kooks in this neighborhood.· MEANING: strange people · laid-back · You need to be more laid-back.· MEANING: calm and relaxed · lame · That is really a lame excuse.· MEANING: an inadequate · line · I have heard that line a million times.· MEANING: story · loser · John is a loser.· MEANING: annoying and useless · love handles · I exercise every day, but I can't get rid of these love handles.· MEANING: rolls of fat around my stomach · make waves · Try not to make waves around the office.· MEANING: cause trouble · maxed out · I am maxed out at my work and need to rest.· MEANING: exhausted · mean · He plays a mean violin.· MEANING: performs well on · mega · I have mega amounts of tomatoes in my garden this summer.· MEANING: large · megabucks · He made megabucks when he sold his company.· MEANING: a lot of money · knock · Don't knock it if you can't do it any better.· MEANING: criticize · mellow · You need to mellow out and enjoy life.· MEANING: calm down and relax · meltdown · There has been a meltdown in the relationship between my parents and I.· MEANING: total collapse · mickey mouse · The homework the teacher gave us was mickey mouse.· MEANING: nonsense and a waste of time · move on someone · I am going to try to move on Sarah next Saturday.· MEANING: pick up and seduce · mush · That is total mush and you know it.· MEANING: nonesense · nark · Watch out for the narks in the airport.· MEANING: drug police · neat · That was a neat idea that you had.· MEANING: good · negative · There are too many negatives about the company merger.· MEANING: bad things · nick · The police nicked the shoplifter as he was leaving the store.· MEANING: arrested · nip · He took a nip out of the bottle.· MEANING: a quick drink · no sweat · It's no sweat to have the report in to you by Monday.· MEANING: no problem · nuke · I'll nuke our dinner in a few minutes.· MEANING: heat up in the microwave · nuke · Does that attack plane have any nukes? · MEANING: nuclear weapons · nut · I think that he is a nut.· MEANING: crazy person · nuts · You are completely nuts if you think I will go with you.· MEANING: crazy · pad · Have you found a pad yet? · MEANING: a place to live · pain in the neck · My wife's best friend is a pain in the neck.· MEANING: annoying · paper-pusher · My office is filled with paper-pushers.· MEANING: bureaucratic office workers · party animal · You're too old to be a party animal.· MEANING: love parties · party-hearty · We need to party-hearty because we just got a raise in salary.· MEANING: celebrate · paw · Get your paws off of my body.· MEANING: hands · peanuts · I am not going to work for peanuts.· MEANING: practically no money · pickled · He gets pickled after only one beer.· MEANING: intoxicated · piece of cake · Working on a computer for me is a piece of cake.· MEANING: easy to do · pig · He is a pig at parties.· MEANING: eats too much · pig out · Let's go to the restaurant and pig out.· MEANING: eat a lot or overeat · pit stop · Let's make a pit stop at the next rest area.· MEANING: stop and go to the bathroom · plastered · He drinks too much and is always plastered on the weekend.· MEANING: intoxicated · pooped out · He pooped out after we started to do the hard work.· MEANING: quit · pop · Shut up or I will pop you.· MEANING: hit · pop for something · It is my turn to pop for the doughnuts.· MEANING: buy · pro · He is really a pro at his work.· MEANING: professional · prod · Can you give me a gentle prod next week so I won't forget? · MEANING: reminder · psyched up · The players are really psyched up for the game on Friday.· MEANING: mentally ready · psycho · She is a psycho.She should be in a hospital.· MEANING: mentally ill · puke · I feel like I am going to puke.· MEANING: vomit · push off · I am going to push off now.· MEANING: leave · put the moves on · You should give up trying to put the moves on her.She is married.· MEANING: seduce · put-on · It was an elaborate put-on which I almost believed.· MEANING: deception · quarterback · Who is going to quarterback the meeting? · MEANING: lead · quick buck · I need to make a quick buck.· MEANING: some easy money · rack · I have to hit the rack by ten or I'll be tired in the morning.· MEANING: bed · rack out · I am going to rack out for two hours.· MEANING: sleep · racket · There sure was a lot of racket outside last night.· MEANING: noise · rag · I can't believe we still get this same old rag.· MEANING: newspaper · rap · We need to sit down and rap about a few things.· MEANING: talk about · rathole · When are you going to be able to move out of that rathole.· MEANING: run down place · raw · The raw office workers were not getting much done.· MEANING: new · ream someone out · The boss really reamed him out for his bad report.· MEANING: got angry with him · red hot · Your idea is really red hot.· MEANING: important · repo · Hey, don't repo my car.I will pay next week.· MEANING: repossess · rinky-dink · The circus was really rinky-dink.· MEANING: inferior · riot · The comedy program was a real riot.· MEANING: funny · road hog · That driver is a road hog.· MEANING: takes up too much of the road · rocks · Would you like your whiskey on the rocks? · MEANING: with ice · rough time · We have had a rough time this winter.· MEANING: hard time · rug · Is that a rug on his head? · MEANING: wig · rug rat · My sister has three rug rats.· MEANING: children · rule · My wife rules the house.· MEANING: dominates · run off at the mouth · He is always running off at the mouth.· MEANING: talking too much · run out of gas · The politician ran out of gas during the campaign.· MEANING: lost interest or momentum · sack · When did you hit the sack last night? · MEANING: go to bed · scam · Don't lose your money in some kind of scam.· MEANING: swindle · scarf · Since he hadn't eaten in a week, he scarfed down everything on his plate.· MEANING: ate quickly · schmuck · What a stupid schmuck.· MEANING: jerk · screw around · If you screw around all day at this work, you will have to come back again.· MEANING: waste time · screw up · If you screw up one more time, I will fire you.· MEANING: make a mistake · sharp · He is very sharp with numbers · MEANING: intelligent · shot · I'll give the puzzle another shot.· MEANING: try · shot down · Everyone shot down my idea at first, but later agreed that it was a good idea.· MEANING: · disagreed with · slammer · The police threw them both in the slammer.· MEANING: jail · smashed · Try not to get smashed at the beer party.· MEANING: intoxicated · smoke eater · My father is a smoke eater.· MEANING: fireman · split · It is time to split and go see the movie.· MEANING: leave · spook · The cows were spooked by the howling of the wolves.· MEANING: frightened · spud · Do you want rice or spuds for dinner? · MEANING: potatoes · square · My father looks square in his jacket.· MEANING: old-fashioned · steamed up · Don't get so steamed up over the issue.· MEANING: angry · stink · This whole operation stinks.· MEANING: is repulsive · straight · I want you to give me a straight answer.· MEANING: honest · stressed · I am really stressed by all the recent world events.· MEANING: upset · sucker · Don't be a sucker.· MEANING: be deceived · take a hike · I am tired of all your complaining.Take a hike.· MEANING: · leave · taken · He was taken for all his money at the casino.· MEANING: · cheated out of · taking care of business · I have been taking care of business.· MEANING: doing what I have to do · threads · Those look like expensive threads he is wearing.· MEANING: clothes · tool around · I don't want to tool around all night.It is time to go home.· MEANING: drive around · totaled · My car was totaled in the accident with the garbage truck.· MEANING: completely wrecked · up · He has been up ever since he met his new girlfriend.· MEANING: happy and cheerful · up for grabs · This is a sale.Everything is up for grabs.· MEANING: available.· veg out · I want to veg out in front of the television this evening.· MEANING: relax and do nothing · vibes · He really gives off good vibes.· MEANING: feelings · wad · You don't want to carry a wad like that with you in the big city.· MEANING: bundle of money · waste · After you waste him, throw the body in the river.· MEANING: kill · wheels · If you let me borrow your wheels, I'll go out and buy a pizza.· MEANING: car · whiz · He is a whiz at the computer.· MEANING: talented person · wired · I am really wired after drinking five cups of coffee.· MEANING: alert · wussy · Don't be such a wussy all the time.Say what you are thinking.· MEANING: weak person · yukky · This food tastes yukky · MEANING: bad · zapped · I am too zapped to help you right now.· MEANING: exhausted · zip · He knew zip about running the company.· MEANING: Nothing
第四篇：super英语俚语故事
唠嗑: Chew the fat 北方话把“闲聊”称作“唠嗑”，chew the fat是个俗语，和“唠嗑”的意思很相近。不过，也有人对此产生异议：chew the fat明明是“细嚼肥肉”，似乎和“聊天、唠嗑”八杆子打不着！呵呵，寻答案还得细查辞源。
Fat在短语中指“咸腌肉”，所以，谈到“chew the fat”往往会让人想到这样一幅画面：几个朋友，几瓶啤酒，几个家常小菜（牛肉干，豆腐干，烟熏肉），于是乎，大家伙酒劲儿足，话头儿兴，喝酒、吃菜、谈天说地几不误……而从辞源上讲，短语“chew the fat”确实由此而来。所以，若邀朋友到家中唠嗑您可这么说：“Hey, John, why not come over and chew the fat？”
另外，chew（咀嚼）在英语中常用来比喻“沉思，抱怨，闲谈”等一些行为，如短语chew the cud（深思）；chew the rag（聊天，争论，发牢骚）。
恶有恶报
“善有善报,恶有恶报,不是不报,时候未到。”一看到这句话，就想起武侠剧里一位面无表情、修行颇深的方丈在开导某位施主。那么，这个“恶有恶报”该怎么用英语表达呢？那就是：“chickens come home to roost”。
进退两难
郑中基在《左右为难》里唱道：“我的决定，会有怎样的伤害？面对着爱人和朋友，那一个我该放开？一边是友情，一边是爱情，左右都不是，为难了自己。”相信很多人都遇到过左右为难、进退两难的情境吧。那么，英语中如何表达呢？请看：“between a rock and a hard place”。做个“得力助手”
一个朋友，刚进一家公司没多久，就成了上司的得力助手。有一次他胃疼，上司都特地打电话来慰问。我们赶紧套他的秘诀，结果他说：其他人都懒，我比较勤快而已。哪个上司不喜欢能干活的员工呀。看来，我们要向他学习了，做上司的“man Friday”。坚持！
一直很佩服一个大学同学，那是一个非常有个性的人。当时，大家上选修课都是能不选就不选，腾出时间玩。而人家却不管别人怎么做怎么说，把课排得满满的，一直坚持到毕业。这样的人用英语说就是：“stick to his guns”。留个好印象！
还记得小品《英雄母亲的一天》里一个很搞笑的镜头：电视台的记者来给老太太录象，让她从门外走进来。结果，老太太一紧张，不知道该迈哪只脚，就一直把右脚放前面，像螃蟹一样横着就进来了。显然，老太太知道要把最好的那只脚放前面（put your best foot forward）。你是不是我那杯茶？
网络上流行着一部小说，名字叫《你是不是我那杯茶》，讲的是一个漂在上海的女子寻找爱情的故事。从名字可以看出，她在寻找的那杯茶就是她理想的意中人。其实，这个浪漫的名字是来自英语中的“my cup of tea”。“摇钱树”！
小时候，自从看了神笔马良，就梦想着自己也有一支神笔，画一棵摇钱树。想吃零食、买玩具的时候就摇一下，钱就掉手里了。那么，摇钱树用英语怎么说呢？请看：“cash cow”。事实胜于雄辩
俗语有云：是骡子是马，拉出来溜溜。这句话告戒我们，就算有人口若悬河，跟你吹得天花乱坠，我们还是要擦亮双眼，看看他有没有真本事。英语中也有个类似的俗语，叫“the proof of the pudding is in the eating”。
样样精通，样样稀松？
记得巩汉林和赵丽蓉曾经演过一个讲功夫的小品。巩汉林吹牛说自己“十八般武艺样样精通”，结果被“老妈”赵丽蓉揭穿，是“样样稀松”。英语中有一个俚语说的就是他这种什么都懂一点，但是什么都不精通的人：“Jack of all trades, and master of none”。请不要“推卸责任”
俗话说，林子大了什么鸟都有。有一种人就是很喜欢推卸责任。明明事情搞砸了，错在他（她），可他（她）偏偏就是不承认，还把责任推到别人身上。这种行为用英语说就是“pass the buck”。趣说“晴天下雨”
小时候，每当遇到晴天下雨，小伙伴们都会边跑着躲雨，边喊：“晴天下雨浇王八”。跑得不够快，来不及躲雨的小伙伴就被大家笑称“王八”。在英语中，晴天下雨有个很有意思的说法，叫“monkey's wedding”（猴子的婚礼）。
我们的“纪念日” 大喜的日子
每个人都有对于自己来说特别的、值得纪念的日子，比如，收到大学录取通知书的日子、第一次发工资的日子、走进婚姻殿堂的日子、宝宝出生的日子，等等。这个特殊的日子在英语中叫“red-letter day”。祝你“前途无量”
刚刚走出校园、参加工作的毕业生们听的最多的祝福莫过于前途了吧。家长们、师长们、学弟学妹们会真心地祝愿你前程似锦、前途无量、大展宏图……那么，“前途无量”用英语怎么说呢？请看：sky's the limit。
弥天大谎
找借口编谎话也需要一套本领。没有“翔实”的细节，言语过于简单不行；但细节若过于“翔实”，编得天花乱坠也不行。对于后种情况，“故事”一旦炫得过了火候，等于告诉别人你在瞎掰。
英语中，浓墨重彩的“鬼话”可用“cock and bull story”来形容，很应了鬼话“连篇”的内质。打个比方，“我车胎爆了”是借口，但如果，“比尔·盖茨的车胎爆了，我顺便把他送到机场，他又邀我飞往纽约，并在派拉蒙酒店共进午餐……”，就是弥天大谎了。
据记载，“cock and bull”最早可追溯到1620年，当时指英国一家设在路边的酒馆，酒馆的名字叫“The Cock and Bull”。疲倦的旅客在此过夜时，常聚在一起侃大山，讲他们所经历的奇闻逸事。当然，这些经历不要求真实，怎么奇特就怎么来。久而久之，“cock and bull story”就成了“鬼话连篇”的代名词。
看个例句：She couldn't pay her debt;instead she told me a cock and bull story about having been robbed.她还不了债，遂编了个弥天大谎骗我说她遭劫了。
俚语: AA制
关于中国的“AA制”，其渊源众说纷纭，据维基记载，“AA”非舶来品，大概是中华的独创。“AA制”在国外，英美人习惯上叫“Dutch treat”。看来，源于17世纪那场“英荷战争”，荷兰人真的要永留英国“史册”了。
17世纪的“Anglo-Dutch Wars”（英荷战争），不仅让荷兰人丢掉了“海上马车夫”的殊荣，而且，一系列非褒义性“Dutch”用语由此融入英国词汇。由于英国人的偏见，荷兰人似乎是“抠门”的代名词，外出就餐如果“各付己帐”就可以说成是“It's a Dutch treat”（直译为“荷兰人请客”，treat在此指“招待、请客”）。
此外，“AA制”还可表达为“Let's go Dutch”或者“Let's split the bill”（此种说法比较直接，欠委婉）。有趣的是，意大利语中的AA制“pagare alla romana”，意思是“象罗马人那样付账”；而在南美洲，一些西班牙人称AA制为“pagar a la americana”，表示“以美国人的方式付账”。看来，哪个民族都不愿说自己“抠门”噢。
口语：“改天吧！”
在美国，棒球用语种类繁多，棒球文化更是融入于美国的社会文化生活之中。继续刚讲过的俚语“有一手 ”，我们再来看个源于棒球的口语“Rain check”（字面意：“雨票”；引申义：“改天再赴约吧！”）
想个语境：朋友邀你看电影或共进晚餐，偏你有事不能赴约，这时就可用婉谢的口吻告诉他：“May I take a rain check（改天可以吗）？” 或者，简单来句：“Rain check？”“Rain check”出现于19世纪80年代，最初指“棒球赛因下雨延期举行时观众得到的„未来‟入场券”。
随着时间的推移，“rain check”的语义范围逐渐扩大，可用来形容不同情况下对未来的许诺，如：“比赛改期举行时的„展期入场券‟”、“缺货商品未来出售时的„不涨价保证‟”或“谢约时的„改天建议‟”。看个例句：
A：How about a cup of coffee?（一起去和咖啡？）B：Rain check.（改天吧。）
俚语：“在行、有一手”
[ 2006-11-07 08:48 ] 棒球有“美国国球”之称。或许，一本“棒球百科全书”比一本简单的字典更能反映美国文化。据《迪 克逊新棒球词典》（Paul Dickson所著）记载，俚语“have on the ball”源于棒球运动，指的是“某人有一手，做某事很在行”。
“Have on the ball”最早出现于20世纪初，用来形容棒球手出手不凡，击球、投球、守球以及跑垒和偷垒样样精通，赛场上能完全控制局势，令对手“望球生畏”。当然，由“have on the ball”，我们还可衍生出一系列短语：have something on the ball（有些能耐）；have nothing on the ball（不中用）；have much on the ball（很有一手，很能干）。
另外，“on the ball”还可和其它动词如stay、keep和be连用，依据具体语境表示“提防”、“机灵”、“勤奋”或“能干”…… 看几个例句：
He will do well in that work because he has a lot on the ball.（他很有一手，肯定能做好这件事。）
As a politician, you must be on the ball in the election.（你是一名政治家，必须在选举中时刻警惕。）
Her typing is on the ball.（她打字顶呱呱。）
“事不过三”
中国有句古话，“事不过三”。在美国，有项法律名为“Three strikes law”（“三振出局法”，力在严惩累犯），与我们的古话大有异曲同工之妙。若再深究“Three strikes law”的得名，你会发现，该法源于美国的棒球运动。
在棒球用语中，有一句名言“Three strikes, and you are out”，意思是，棒球比赛中，击球手若三次都未击中投球手所投的球，必须得出局（“strike”在棒球术语中指“未被击球手击中的球”）。引申至法律，“Three strikes law”规定，因暴力或严重罪行“进宫”两次者，以后每被判一次，无论新罪严重与否，至少得服刑25年甚至是终身监禁。
这下明白了，对有三次犯案的累犯而言，即使在随后的25年里不老死狱中，重见天日时也已白发苍苍了。你说他能不完蛋吗？
“乱穿马路”怎么说？
[ 2006-08-04 09:00 ] 嘿，红灯亮了，别乱穿马路！“乱穿马路”用英语怎么说？
Jaywalk（乱穿马路）常用来形容“行人走路不遵守交通规则擅闯红灯”，它的渊源颇带有歧视性意味，可以说是“城里人对乡下人的一种嘲弄”。
早在16世纪，当城市刚刚在英国发展起来的时候，进城的乡下人常被城镇居民戏称为jay（“一种呆头呆脑、唧唧喳喳叫不停的鸟”，此处可理解为“乡巴佬”）。乡下人说话声音大、不懂交通规则、看到城里“巨大”建筑时惊诧不已——这种少见多怪、缺乏“文明”的举止遭到城里人的耻笑，jay（乡巴佬）几乎成了“呆子、傻子”的代名词。
因为“不懂交通规则”是jay（乡巴佬）的重要标志，到20世纪初，那些“不遵守交通规则擅闯红灯”的行人就被戏称为jaywalker，相应的，“乱闯红灯”则可表达为jaywalking。
俗语：诡计给拆穿了 爱耍小聪明？善于耍诡计？不过，再高明的诡计也有穿帮的时候。所以说，日常会话里，“诡计给拆穿了”实难绝于耳。英语中，其相应的表达为：The jig is up。
如果熟悉爱尔兰民间舞，想必您听说过“Jig”（吉格舞，后发展为宫廷舞，见图），一种快速粗犷、无特定形式限制的民族舞蹈。由于吉格舞“欢快”的民间特性，16世纪，“jig”拥有了“舞蹈”之外的扩展意：玩笑、花招、把戏、恶作剧。
正是基于这层“玩笑”意，“The jig is up”诞生，用来形容“诡计、阴谋在未实现之前破产”，暗含有“因为诡计、阴谋败露，„你‟完蛋了”之意。看例句：The jig is up this time.The police found marijuana in his briefcase.（这回他完蛋了，警察在他的提箱里发现了大麻。）
另外，除The jig is up之外，“诡计给拆穿了”也可表示为：The game is up或The game is over.俗语:“话中有话，别当真！
读讽刺大师的作品，比如读契诃夫、读马克·吐温，若能读出话里玄机实为一种享受，否则，你还真有点找不到北。为什么？话中有话呗！没听说过“厚道的文化人始终少见”，骂你、捉弄你还让你以为他在夸你、恭维你。
英语中，如是文字、如是话语，可用“tongue in cheek”来形容。比如，不得人缘的Mike被John鼓动着，要去竞选学生会主席。明摆着耍人嘛！好心的你这时可告诉Mike：“Don' t be fooled by John's complimentary words.They were all said with tongue in cheek.”（别让他的恭维话给糊弄住，那些话可当不得真.）
“Tongue in cheek”最早出现于19世纪，据说，源于日常生活中人们的“吐舌头”。其实，一直到现在，我们也有这样的“鬼脸” —— 开了玩笑后，别人还没辨出真假的当，你把舌头伸出来，伸左、伸右伸哪个方向都可以，反正伸到了脸上，告诉对方，“逗你玩儿呢，别当真！”
再看个例句：Be careful in reading G.B.Shaw.He often had his tongue in his cheek.（读肖伯纳的作品可得注意，他常常话中有话。）
新鲜出炉“烫口”吃！
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看到“piping hot”，不仅想到新鲜出炉的麦当劳“派”家族。“烫口吃”的代表嘛！—— 呈泡状的酥脆薄片嘶嘶作响，轻轻一咬，齿间是烫口的细腻，随即，水果馅的清香瞬时溢满口中…… 哦，这诱人的“热烫”！形容食品的“烫”，用“hot”当然可以，不过，如果想让语言“形象生动”，不妨在“hot”前加上一个“piping”。“Piping hot”（烫口的）早在14世纪就进入英语词汇，尤用来形容刚烘制的糕点，当然，新沏的热茶，刚出炉的烤鸭或其它烫口食品都可用“piping hot”来形容。
注意了，这里的“piping”可不是指日用的“管道系统”。“Piping”取意于“管乐”，大概人们觉得烘焙糕点的“咝咝”声与笛音颇为相似。
看个例句：There is nothing as good as a cup of piping hot cocoa on a cold winter's evening.（冷冬的夜晚，没有什么能比烫口的可可茶更好的了。）
Over the hill: 走下坡路、风光不再
古诗云：“会当凌绝顶，一览众山小”。此谓人生之理想：顶峰之上，无限风光尽收眼底。只是，登顶之后，终得下山。话虽悲观，却是不可逆转的生理规律。短语“over the hill”很形象地表明：人过了巅峰期，无论智力还是体力都要走下坡路。言外之意：老了。
在美国，人的平均寿命是80岁，所以，有种说法认为，年过40就是“over the hill”（过了巅峰期），人生从此开始走下坡路。当然，这种观点与其消费文化一脉相承，颇遭批评家的质疑。日常生活中，“巅峰期”并无特定年龄界限，过了某个年龄段，若你觉得做起事来力不从心，都可用“over the hill”来形容。
词源上，“over the hill”源于军营俚语“当逃兵的”，罗斯福新政时，该短语还曾一度用来形容“土木工人擅离职守的”。不过，这层“开小差”意早已退出历史舞台。现代意义上的“over the hill”仅用来指“韶光已过、风光不再”。
看句台词：Butch: “I'm over the hill--it can happen to you--every day you get older--that's a law.”（布奇：“咳，我老了——你也会这样的——人每天都在老去——这是不可逆转的规律。”）
“老姑娘”的来历
无独有偶，既然有“单身汉”，自然也有“老姑娘”。“老姑娘”在英语中可用“spinster”来表达。发现没？Spinster（老姑娘，老处女）似乎与spin（纺纱）有那么一点点联系。
早在14世纪，“spinster”确实指“纺纱的人”，不过，当时可不单单限于女性，“男纺纱者”也可用它来形容。
到了17世纪，“spinster”开始变成“未婚女子”的专利。想一想中国古代的“传统美德” —— 女子在出阁之前务必在闺房习练女红 —— spinster这种词义上的变化自然就不难理解了。
又过了100年，大概是在18世纪，“spinster”语义范围进一步缩小，特指“到了一定年龄还未出嫁的老姑娘”，这种用法一直沿用至今。From pillar to post: 四处碰壁
在一些词汇书中，“from pillar to post”常被译作“东奔西跑”，严格上来说，这种解释并不确切。“From pillar to post”指“为某事四处奔波，这种奔波往往得不到回报，被认为是徒劳无功的行为”。
从词源上看下面两种说法，也许您会得到某种启示：“四处碰壁”或“走投无路”更能诠释“from pillar to post”的内涵。
一种观点认为，“from pillar to post”源于美国的“real tennis”[室内网球，又称“纯网球”，现几乎被“lawn tennis”（草地网球）所取代]。室内网球馆的四周林立着墙柱子（见图），网球一旦撞到这些柱子上就会四处弹跳，网球手为捡球自然会在柱子间奔来跑去，由此，“from pillar to post”常用来比喻“一个人为寻找某物四处奔波，但不得其要”。
另一种观点认为：短语中的pillar为讹误，实质上指的是“pillory”（颈手枷）；post则是指“whipping post”（绑缚受鞭打犯人的柱子）。早在15世纪，罪犯要被绑在柱子上、戴上颈手枷游街示众（见图），由此，“from pillar to post”常用来比喻“犯人走投无路时的境状”。
看下面一个例句：She was driven from pillar to post.Each person she spoke to was more unhelpful than the last.（求人帮忙她四处碰壁，有望伸手相助者越来越少。）
Break one's duck: 大逆转
[ 赛场上哪一时刻最激动人心？比赛到最后，一脚反败为胜的射门，一记扭转时局的压哨扣篮……汉语中，这样的赛事常被称为“大逆转”，其相应的英文表达为“break one's duck”（打破失利局面；在最后时刻得分）。
仅凭字面意，“to break one's duck”非但和“胜利”扯不上边，反倒更易让人联想到“残缺不全的鸭子”，这种误解恐怕得归罪于该短语的“残缺表达”。
“To break one's duck”源于英国的绅士运动“板球比赛”，实际上指的是“to break one's duck's eggs”（突破零分）。在板球比赛中，击球手如果在一局中一球不进，记分员就会在他的名字后面画上一个“零”。显然，“duck's egg”是对“零蛋”的戏称，而“break one's duck's eggs”则是指“突破零纪录”。
有趣的是，20年之后，大概是在19世纪80年代，美国人在英式“鸭蛋”（duck's egg）的基础上，创造了美式“鹅蛋”（goose egg）。在美国，“零蛋”常用“goose egg”来表达
“地铁”如何译？
地铁是metro还是subway? 2005年9月3日，南京历史上的第一个地铁线路正式投入运营，南京终于迎来了地铁时代，媒体给予了铺天盖地的关注。在大张旗鼓的宣传报道中，人们注意到一个现象，那就是南京地铁的英文究竟叫什么：是metro还是subway？
9月3日，南京《金陵晚报》推出“地铁全本通”专题报道，压题是“地铁时代”，英文为Metro Time（这里首先要指出，Metro Time表达不妥，因为Time并无“时代”的意思，其作“时代”解释用于一些特定的语境中。这里的“地铁时代”其实完全可以译成Metro Life，意为有了地铁之后的南京人的生活）。可是，9月2日，金陵晚报A26版奥体中心地铁站图片中地铁的英文清晰地写着：Subway Station.显而易见，媒体在对南京地铁报道时使用的英语译文存在着一定程度的混乱。metro 和subway这两个英文单词都是“地铁”的意思。南京市官方采用的“南京地铁”始终用的是Nanjing Metro这样的说法，南京地铁的那朵红色的梅花标记事实上蕴涵了metro的首字母M.但是，与此同时，在相关报道中，subway也时有出现，这就带来了一些不一致，甚至是混乱。那么，我们究竟应该使用metro还是 subway呢？
事实上，英语中表示地铁的单词还有一个，叫tube，乃是英国英语中对“地铁”采用的说法underground的简称。那么，metro，subway，tube这三个单词如何区分？实际上，在英语国家甚至在其他欧美国家，人们对于他们的区别很清楚，metro作为地铁是一种口语化的说法，其完整的表达是metropolitan railway，从字面上看就是城市里的铁路。但是，必须指出的是，它来自于法语chemin de fer métropolitain，而《英汉大词典，P.2076》也清清楚楚地指出，metro这个单词尤其指法国巴黎和加拿大蒙特利尔等地的地铁。在美国英语中，“地铁”有着另外一个单词subway，指的就是市区地下铁道。在英国首都伦敦，地铁通常被称为underground，简称tube.2005年7月伦敦遭遇的两次地铁系列爆炸案，英国媒体无一例外称之为tube blast，从来没有采用过metro和subway这两个单词，这说明他们对其中界线的掌握非常有分寸。这也就是说，在欧美国家，对于“地铁”采用哪个说法，人们还是比较清楚的，比如说在美国，人们无一例外会说subway.当然，这并不是说他们不懂另外两个词的意思。
在此，让人感到颇为不解的是，我们在学习英语的时候都始终在强调以英国英语和美国英语为蓝本，而且，我们使用的英语也确实是以这两种国别英语为基础的，可是，我们在选择“地铁”的英文单词时，却偏偏不用英国英语和美国英语，而是用了一个法语单词！不知道其中的原委究竟何在，同时也不禁为subway和tube感到委屈。当然，metro毕竟已进入英国词汇，因此并不是说我们的地铁就不能用metro，必须用subway，而是觉得我们至少应该尽量一致起来，而不是一会儿metro，一会儿subway，打一个比方，就好比是在使用汉语时一会儿用简体字，一会儿用繁体字。在三个词汇中，subway也许更好一些，其中的理由之一是，从英语构词来说，subway表达“地铁交通道路”的意思最显而易见，因为在这里，sub-乃是一个前缀，意思是“在……下面的”，subway也就是“在……下面的路”。原因之二是，metro在英语里是个多义词，更经常被用来指“大都市”，为英文单词metropolitan的简称。
此外，还有一个不可思议之处是，在南京中山北路与湖南路路口南侧交通银行门前的地下过街通道入口处也标上了一个英文名称，用的就是subway，这里显然又是一个严重错误，乃至于外国人、尤其是美国人看见了之后以为下面必定有地铁。Subway虽然在英国英语里确实有“地下通道”的意思，但是通常指的是“铁路下面的地下通道”。何况，subway有“地铁”的意思，那就更容易产生歧义。也许许多人不知道的，subway在美国还是一个著名快餐连锁店的名称，有人在美国时就曾有过看见subway就四处寻找地铁入口而到头来看到的却是一家快餐店的经历。
“在逃犯”的种种表达
几个人一起聊天，一不小心谈到了“拉登”，由“拉登”又谈到关乎“追捕-逃亡”的好莱坞影片，由“影片”又谈到“在逃犯”的种种表达。
“逃”，最简单的词莫过于“escape”，由此，“escaped convict”可以表达“在逃犯”。不过，报刊杂志中，“逃”似乎更偏向短语，比如“convict at large”、“convict on the run”，前者重在描述在逃犯“逍遥法外”的内质，后者再现了通缉犯“亡命天涯”的状态。
除此之外，“在逃犯”还有一个俚语表达—— convict on the lam。注意啦，千万别把lam（鞭打、潜逃）误认为是lamb（羊羔），后者可是用来解馋的。Lam源于挪威词根lamja（使变残废），16世纪进入英语词汇时表示beat（痛打）。由“打”到“逃”的转变很可能是源于短语beat it（逃走），想一想：人逃命那会儿，一定是“马不停蹄”地玩儿命跑。由此，汉语中的“溜之大吉”就可表达为“to take it on the lam”。
看个“on the lam”表达“在逃”的例句：He's always in some kind of trouble and perpetually on the lam.（他总招惹麻烦，总被人追。）
Cut-and-dried words: 套话
[ “套话”当然不是褒义词，某种程度而言，“套话”即绝对真理、绝对重复、绝对没有新意……在领导讲话、发言人答记者问、或是工作报告中，套话不失为绝好的语言艺术，它虽无实意却很实用。英语中，“套话”可用“cut-and-dried words”来形容。
据说，“cut and dried”（字面意：砍下和风干）源于伐木业。长在林间的树木若要成为商用木材，锯下后必被风干，同时，锯下的木材必得合乎标准长宽。由此，这种“standardized lumber that is cut and dried”（风干后合乎标准的方材）常用来比喻某类言行从不标新立异、某种结果已在预料之中、某类影片成一种套路模式。看下面两个例句：
Most spokespeople are expert vendors of cut and dried answers to reporters' questions.（大多数发言人擅用“套话”来搪塞记者提问。）
Hollywood has long been famous for movie plots so cut and dried.（好莱坞影片常走一种套路是众人皆知的。）
“节假日照常上班”怎么说
“十一”虽然已过，“十一”的话题却还未尽。继续前天的热门表达“„十一‟：不好也不坏 ”，我们再来看如何形容“„十一‟：有名无实的假日”。
顾名思义，“有名无实的假日”肯定是说你在假日期间仍然照常工作和学习，日子和平时没什么两样。在英语中，这样的假日可用“a busman's holiday”来表达。
早在19世纪，英国人出门常常乘坐“公共马车”。据说，马车车主大都疼爱自己的马，常常利用休息日装扮成乘客，偷偷坐在自家的马车上，以确保车夫善待马匹。久而久之，“a busman's holiday”应运而生，用来形容“没有休息的节假日”。看例句：
My father spent a busman's holiday working in his office.（爸爸的假日“有名无实”，整个假期他都呆在办公室。）
Egg in your beer: 得寸进尺！
看过一幅漫画：雇员要求老板加薪，老板随即奉上一杯生啤，不过啤酒里面却放了一个鸡蛋…… 若要破解老板的言外之意，得需要一点文化背景。英语中，Egg in your beer（直译为“啤酒里加鸡蛋”）指的是“得寸进尺”。
“Egg in your beer”的说法最早出现于20世纪初，二战时被美国大兵广泛使用。关于它的起源，一种观点认为，加有生鸡蛋的啤酒会激起人的性欲，对于生活在兵营里的大兵来讲，喝“春药”当然是非分之想了。不过，更有说服力的推测是，战时鸡蛋和啤酒都很紧俏，能得到其中一样就是很不错的享受了，若两者皆想拥有，那就是“得寸进尺”了。
所以说，那幅“鸡蛋加啤酒”的漫画意在说：What else do you want? Egg in you beer? You already have it good.（该有的好处你已经得到了。还想怎么样？得寸进尺吗？）
关于“好坏参半”的表达
“十一”黄金周刚过，公司上班、同学见面，第一句问话往往是“嗨，假期咋样？” 恐怕居半数人的回答是：“还行，不好也不坏”。这“不好也不坏”如何用英语来表达？“Just so so”? 或许，我们还可改用其它说法，比如：“Like the vicar's egg”。
Vicar's egg直译为“助理牧师的鸡蛋”，其渊源确实与助理牧师有关。1895年，“Punch”（《笨拙》）杂志刊登了一幅题为“True Humility”（《真正的谦虚》）的漫画，漫画中，胆小的助理牧师与主教共餐时，虽分得一只坏鸡蛋却不敢要求更换，硬说该蛋也有部分是极好的。当然，“坏了一半的鸡蛋”等于“鸡蛋全坏”，《笨拙》意在讽刺那些畏怯权贵的胆小鬼。不过，随着时间的推移，Vicar's egg竟真的贬义褒用，用来指“好坏参半”的事物。
值得一提的是，较之Vicar's egg，日常生活中人们更常用curate's egg（vicar和curate近义，都指“助理牧师”），看例句：
A: Ah Tom, how was your holiday?（嗨，汤姆，假期过的如何？）
B: Somewhat of a curate's egg, I'm afraid;the hotel was lovely, but it rained a lot.（还凑合，旅馆不错，不过，整个假期一直下雨。）
口语：“嘿！你怎么不说话了？”
曾遇到过这么一位“抬杠先生”，别人只要一开口，他就来劲儿，反驳力还挺强。更让人来气的是，对方都已被驳得哑口无言了，占上风的他竟一旁得意洋洋，“嘿！说话呀，你怎么不说话了？”
英语中，类似语境下，“你怎么不说话了”相应的口语表达是：“Has the cat got your tongue /Cat got your tongue？”这时，被问话者常常在谈话中处于劣势，如挨批的小孩、受挫的辩论者、甚至是受审的犯人……
据说，早在16世纪伊丽莎白时代，隔着网球拍对人吐舌头是一种侮辱性暗示。而在当时，网球拍的弦线由猫的肠子加工提炼而成，于是，善于发挥的人类就发明了颇为怪异的表达“Cat got you tongue”（字面意：猫抓住了你的舌头吗）。不过，词源学家并不认同这种观点，虽然很遗憾，他们自己也说不清这句口语的出处。
“造假帐”怎么说
“Cookbook”什么意思？您一定会做不屑状。“食谱”嘛！谁都知道的！那“Cook the books”呢？犯难了吧？千万别搞错！Cook the books与“食谱”没有半点联系，它指的是“造假帐；篡改财务报表”。
现代意义上的“cook”（烹饪）最早可追溯到14世纪，源于拉丁词汇coquus（由它衍生出concoct，意思是“编造；炮制”）。到了17世纪，cook在俚语中指“篡改、作假”，语言学家认为，这层含义与烹饪意义上的“精心准备”是分不开的。此外，cook the books也可写做“cook the accounts”。如：The accountant was sacked for cooking the books/accounts.（会计师因做假帐而被解雇了。）
也许，cook（烹饪）是人们生活中的重中之重，所以在“烹饪”的基础上，cook拥有了很多俚语意：The band really got cooking after midnight（乐团在午夜以后的演奏棒极了）；What's cooking in town（城里发生了什么事）。
Primrose path: 享乐中沉沦
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primrose（“报春花”，又名“樱草花”）
很难想象，如此雅致的“primrose”（“报春花”，又名“樱草花”）竟与“奢靡、享乐、沉沦、毁灭”等字眼挂钩，可事实却是如此。“Primrose path”（字面意：长满樱草花的小径）常用来比喻这样一种生活状态：贪图享乐，却因此招致毁灭。
词源上，因为这种小黄花总在早春绽放，由此得名primrose（该词源于拉丁词汇“prima rosa”，意为“第一支玫瑰”）。词义上，“primrose path”喻指“奢靡、自毁”，可能来自人类的想象（虽稍显牵强）—— 初春，大地还沉寂在荒芜的枝丫中，若能走在这么一条由娇柔花色铺垫的小径上，一定惬意无比！美景惹人生醉，也能让人沉湎其中，不知归路。
日常生活中，习语“to be led down the primrose path”较为常用，用来比喻“靠欺骗的手法引人误入歧途”。看个例句：He was led down the primrose path by her beauty.（他为她的美色所动，生活逐渐变得放荡、堕落。）
Over the hill: 走下坡路、风光不再
古诗云：“会当凌绝顶，一览众山小”。此谓人生之理想：顶峰之上，无限风光尽收眼底。只是，登顶之后，终得下山。话虽悲观，却是不可逆转的生理规律。短语“over the hill”很形象地表明：人过了巅峰期，无论智力还是体力都要走下坡路。言外之意：老了。
在美国，人的平均寿命是80岁，所以，有种说法认为，年过40就是“over the hill”（过了巅峰期），人生从此开始走下坡路。当然，这种观点与其消费文化一脉相承，颇遭批评家的质疑。日常生活中，“巅峰期”并无特定年龄界限，过了某个年龄段，若你觉得做起事来力不从心，都可用“over the hill”来形容。
词源上，“over the hill”源于军营俚语“当逃兵的”，罗斯福新政时，该短语还曾一度用来形容“土木工人擅离职守的”。不过，这层“开小差”意早已退出历史舞台。现代意义上的“over the hill”仅用来指“韶光已过、风光不再”。看句台词：Butch: “I'm over the hill--it can happen to you--every day you get older--that's a law.”（布奇：“咳，我老了——你也会这样的——人每天都在老去——这是不可逆转的规律。”）
打包儿 use doggy bags to take food home 不可靠:Fly by night Fly by night，“在漆黑夜里飞行”？当然不能这样望文生义。不过，Fly by night（不可靠）倒真的与夜晚行动有关——赖账房客为逃房租，夜晚偷逃出房东家。
19世纪早期，fly by night被用来形容“赖帐的房客”——因为没钱付房租，他们只好在半夜偷偷逃走。很明显，fly在这里表示“逃离，逃跑”。随着时间的推移，fly by night的词义范围有所扩大，可表示任何不光明的行为，特别指那种犯下恶行后逃之夭夭的犯罪分子。
值得一提的是，在19世纪，fly也可指“一种只有两个轮子的轻型（出租）马车”。这种马车最初由一个车夫来驾驶，后来改为由马拉。
今天，我们常用fly-by-night来形容某个商人“不可靠，不可信任”，所以，做生意或搞投资千万别找那些fly-by-night company（无信誉的公司）来做自己的商业伙伴。看下面一个例句：
I want a reputable tour operator, not one of these fly-by-night outfit.（我想找一家信誉好的旅行社，而不是那些靠不住的公司。）
第五篇：美国俚语起源与发展-原创中文版
美国俚语如何进入大众文化
Abstract：American slang originates from the people of lower class, but has been used by people of different states, which makes it into a popular language from the vulgar one.The essay tells the development of American slang from both the aspects of language itself and social culture.We can judge from the essay that people can not only experience the unique characteristic of slang, but also the American culture which is hidden in this language.美国俚语起源于二战期间, 那时的俚语只是某一个人团体所使用的暗语或行话.而这一语言的诞生恰恰是这一团体中类似于吸毒者,流浪汉和罪犯这样的人.比如一些吸毒者就创造了一种俚语,他们用鼻嗅糖,黑色的东西,射击场这样的词来暗指毒品.黑人甚至将俚语看作是本民族文化的一部分.他们使用像廉价酒,阔步舞,霹雳舞,爵士之类的词汇.但是现在,俚语已经成为美国人广泛使用的语言,并在日常生活中起着重要的作用.它已经从一种粗俗的语言形式转变成一种标准语体, 并经常在类似于纽约时报这样的报纸和杂志上出现.据报道,美国俚语的词汇已占到英语总体词汇的十分之一.显然,俚语已成为美国文化的一个重要组成部分.2.文章脉络
20世纪之前,美国上流社会的人们对俚语持有蔑视的态度.评论家托马斯在他1829年发表的<我的理想>一文中评述到: 俚语是傻瓜才会使用的语言.到了1928年,俚语一词在韦伯英语词典里被定义为低级,粗俗而毫无意义的语言.然而, 20世纪时, 美国人民对俚语的态度却发生了戏剧性的转变.新一版的韦伯词典将俚语一词定义为非正式的,非标准性语言.这种语言通常是由一些生搬硬造的词汇组成, 用以体现出一种过激的, 强势的或是滑稽的语言特征.俚语作为一种起源于社会底层的语言,必然有它成为被大众文化所接受的种种原因.这些因素可以分为两类.一种是源于俚语本身,另一种是源于文化氛围.2.1 内在原因
2.1.1俚语的简洁性
俚语的句子简短易懂.我们都知道”flu”这个词是流感的意思，而“cab”是出租车的意思，但是我们很少知道这些语言是来自于俚语，而且它们的原型动词是“influenza”和“motor car”.俚语通过缩写，省略等方式使其比那些常规而难拼的词汇更加简短，在不混淆含义与概念的前提下使冗长的内容变得更简洁明了。最典型的一个例子就是用“prof” 来代替 “professor”, 用“VIP” 来代替“a very important person”，用“tomboy（假小子）”来指代那些喜欢剧烈运动，喜欢参加喧闹活动的小女孩。
2.1.2 情感表达的直观性
另一个俚语盛行的原因是由于它比那些标准化的词汇更能表达人们的真实情感.比如说当一个人出色地完成一项工作时,那些类似于常规的”excellent”(好极了)或是“well done”(干得不错)的词汇则不能表达其赞扬之意。有时人们需要表达的情感远远超出了词汇所能形容的程度，而俚语则恰恰弥补了这个空白。比如，在棒球方面就有很多俚语，它们表达出了“a great job”(做得不错)这样的真实情感，那就是“hit a home run”(全垒打，全胜), “bat one thousand”(非常出色)这样的词汇。
2.1.3生动性
美国俚语运用多种修辞手法使得语言更加生动形象。当人们读到“a curve ball”(曲线球)这个词时，他们的脑海中会浮现出一个棒球手面对曲线球这样的场景，这使得人们立即联想到了“a difficult thing”(某件难事)这个概念。短语“out of ball park”(越出棒球场)也生动描述了某件超出控制的事。许多俚语的诞生是源于语言本身与具体形象的相似性以及相关性。这类的俚语包含简明的结构和新奇的含义，而且有时会产生意想不到的文学效果。试着比较这两个句子：“这一对恋人终于决定长相厮守”和“他已到达迟暮之年”，这样的句子是不是比“他们最终结婚了”以及“他已经老了”这样的词更有文学效果。从这些例子我们可以看出，俚语是某个具体形象的类比，暗喻，转喻 和 延伸。
2.2 外部因素
除了语言本身的原因以外，我们也要注意到美国文化氛围的因素。我们都知道，美国是一个移民国家，其文化氛围十分自由开放。这样的氛围连同俚语本身的语言特征共同为俚语的发展创造了适宜的条件。
与此相似，伦敦腔则是发源于伦敦东部地区工人阶级的语言，但伦敦腔却被认为是低级语言并被歧视。1909年，这种态度甚至通过伦敦议会召开的伦敦小学英语教学会议而愈演愈烈，会议发布的报告中说伦敦音由于它令人不快的鼻音，是一种腐败现象的体现，并且任何人都不应该在这个帝国的首府应用这样的语言。伦敦音不被大众文化接受的根本原因其实不在于发音，而在于英国人当时的强烈的阶级观念。在电影《My Fair Lady》当中，一个贵族立志要将一个在大街上叫卖鲜花的农家女改造成一个举止优雅的上流社会女士，这个农家女孩于是就从改变强调开始训练自己。
2.3 文化内涵性
尽管俚语是一种信息性语言，却成功地狱标准语结合在了一起。作为一种特殊的文化载体，俚语反应了美国人真实的说话风格以及当地美国文化。
2.3.1 新颖性
俚语的基本精神就是不落俗套、追求新奇。富有创新精神的美国人民为很多陈旧的词汇赋予了新的含义。比如词组“have a lot on the ball”就起源于20世纪早期的棒球游戏，指那些总
是给接球员带来许多麻烦的技术型发球员。但是那时，美国人赋予了它另外一层含义，那就是“高超而经验丰富”的含义。
2.3.2 幽默性
俚语通常是幽默风趣的, 这反应了美国人强烈的幽默感.当你想描述一个贪婪的人时,你可以用”swallow”（吞）或是”gulp”（吞咽）这样的词,但这样的词无法表达”吞咽”这个动作以外的信息.但如果你用俚语, 效果就会截然不同.那些类似于“to wolf down”(狼吞虎咽), “to eat like a hog(像猪一样吃东西)” or “to make a pig of oneself(把某人显得像猪一样)”的短语不仅描述出了动作,更充满了幽默感.另一个例子就是北大西洋公约组织，但富于创新美国人已把它发展成另一涵义截然不同的俚语：No Action Talk Only(不要只说不做)．从而成功地讥讽了这一组织的缺陷.2.3.3 包容性
如上所述，自由宽容的文化环境为俚语在美国的传播提供了丰富的条件，俚语的流行可以说是美国文化开放性和自由化的一种反映；另一方面，很多美国俚语不符合传统的语法规范，表现出随心所欲的自由。如他们说the most worst winter而不是the worst winter,他们也用 I seen him walk up来代替I saw him walk up, 还有,他们也认为They haves a house相当于they have a house.有时他们所形容的“好”可以用bad(坏)、evil(邪恶)、wicked(邪恶)等词汇表示，这些词的词义明显已经被延伸,反映出他们在语言方面的基本观念.Conclusion:
The American slang which originated from common culture and jumped out of the limitation of traditional language has represented the free style of speech of the American people.American slang makes communicators become relaxed, interesting, and intimate, which becomes the reason for its popularity.All these characteristics have showed the innovation and humor of Americans.The slang, as a kind of complicated phenomenon has reflected the cultural development.At the same time, American slang has a significant effect on the social culture when reflects the characteristics of the social culture.For example, the development of American literal works, movies and English study all have close relationship with American slang.
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