in hot water: 指某人或某些人出境困難,遇到非常麻煩的問題了
Example:\"John is really in hot water now -- his girlfriend just found out he\'s seeing another woman.\"
John現在可是難辦了,因為他的女朋友最近發現他另外還有一個女朋友。
to throw cold water on something 潑冷水
example:\"Everybody else in the office thought John\'s idea was great, but the boss threw cold water on it.\"
辦公室里所有的人都認為John的主意很好,就是我們的老闆給John潑冷水
to hold water 指某一個人找的藉口、提出的理由、或說的話是確實的,站得住腳的。美國人經常說:\"That excuse simply doesn\'t hold water.\"意思是:那個藉口根本站不住腳。
example:\"John claimed that he\'d been in another city the night of the murder. But his story didn\'t hold water after three different witnesses testified in court that they had seen him running from the scene of the crime.\" John說,發生謀殺案的那天晚上他出門去了,不在當地。但是,有三個不同的證人都出庭作證說,他們看見他從作案的地點逃跑。因此,他說出事那天他不在當地的說法根本是靠不住的。”
water off a duck\'s back 鴨子身上的毛就像雨衣一樣,水在上面呆不住,一下全滑掉了。因此,water off a duck\'s back 是指毫無作用。
example:\"John keeps telling his friend it\'s foolish to gamble all of his money, but it\'s like water off of a duck\'s back.\" 這是說:“John一直告訴John的朋友,不要那麼傻,把所有的工資都用在賭博上。可是,John的話對他全然不起作用。”
it makes my mouth water 水對人的身體來說是非常重要的。可是,在英語裡,這些和water有關的成語都含貶意好像有點奇怪。不過,至少有一個和water有關的習慣用語是讓人高興的。那就是:to make my mouth water 顧名思義,這個說法的意思是“讓我流口水”。
example:\"The roast duck that restaurant serves is John\'s favorite dish. Every time I think about it, it makes my mouth water.\" John最喜歡吃那個飯館的烤鴨。每當我想起它我就會流口水。
上一篇:英語習語:foot the bill/blow out/lock, stock and barre
下一篇:英語習語:blow |