有动物的惯用语(二)
我们之前曾举出了17个有动物的
惯用语。这个星期再继续举出些例子,供大家参考。
(1) Top dog:处支配地位者
In the present world, why should a country, often a super power, sometimes act as top dog over other countries?
(2) Go to the dogs:堕落;(经济)衰退
No matter a business or a country, if it is not properly managed, it is sure to go to the dogs one day.
(3) Do the
donkey work:呆板的例常工作
Jack is not a person to work with. He will just sit back and let you do the
donkey work.
(4) A sitting duck:容易被打击的对象
Out in the open, the hunter is a sitting duck for
unseen wild animals.
(5) A cold fish:冷漠无情的人
Among the guests at the same table was Dr Wee's wife, who looked unfeeling and was a real cold fish to me .
(6) A fish out of water:如鱼离水;不适应
Qi never likes to go to a party, without friends, as he will feel like a fish out of water there.
(7) Have other fish to fry:另有更重要的事要干
As I had other fish to fry yesterday, I was forced to decline David's invitation to a dinner.
(8) There are plenty more fish in the sea:可供选择的人或事还很多
Since Andrew had gone off with another girl friend, Laura couldn't care less, knowing that there were plenty more fish in the sea.
(9) Cannot say boo to goose:羞怯
When foreign students first came here, they could not say boo to a goose, but there is now no
shortage of
eloquent speakers and outspoken thinkers.
(10) A wild-goose chase:徒劳的搜索
To look for a pin in the sea? Isn't it tantamount to a wild-goose chase?
(11) A
guinea pig:被当实验的人或物
Whenever there is a research or something innovative, someone or something will be used as a
guinea pig.
(12) Back the wrong horse:支持失败的一方
Many spectators backed the wrong horse by favouring the British team, which lost to the German team.
(13) A dark horse:实力难测的竞争者
No one expected Jimmy to win, but he did win. He was a dark horse.
(14) Change horses in mid-stream:半途改变主张,或支持另一方
If you support a person, do so from the beginning to the end; don't change horses in mid-stream.
(15) The lion's share of...:最大最好的部分
When the old man died, the
eldest son took the lion's share of the inheritance.
(16) The rat race:激烈的竞争
In the rat race of today's world, only the fittest survives.
(17) A snake in the grass:潜伏的敌人
There has often been something
suspicious about William's behaviour and he has really turned out to be a snake in the grass.
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