加拿大华人论坛 加拿大生活信息与穿着相关的习惯用语
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你有没有留意过和穿着相关的英语表达?让我们看看是否可以即席(off the cuff)说出一些,即席的意思是不预先做任何准备,cuff原意是“袖口”。人们穿着短裤以遮掩身体下部。我们有时形容紧张不安的人说“裤裆里有蚂蚁(ants in their pants)”。例如:I have ants in my pants for the coming exam on Tuesday.想到周二就要考试,我真是坐立不安。有的时候你在做某件事的时候没有明确的指导,也缺乏足够的知识,只能靠直觉,这时就可以说fly by the seat of one's pants,例如:When Jones started up business in the town, he didn't know anybody, so he had to fly by the seat of his pants.当琼斯在这个镇子开始做生意时,他一个人都不认识,所以只好全靠自己摸索。有时,人们可能会被caught with their pants down,按字面解释就是一个人在裤子掉下来的时候被人抓到,那样的情景,该是多么的尴尬啊。作为习语,它的意思就是“当一个人正在做坏事、做可耻的事情的时候被人发现了”。例如:A famous singer was caught with his pants down when he was having sex with a prostitute in the back of his car last night.昨天晚上,一个著名歌手跟妓女在汽车后座发生性关系时被人当场抓住。此外,每一个家庭都有当家人。有时妻子会吩咐丈夫怎么做,我们就说,她在这个家里当家做主(wears the pants in the family)。例如:It's obvious that it is your wife who wears the pants in your family.看得出来,你们家你老婆当家。裤子通常都有装东西的口袋,形容一个人花钱如流水可以说“就像口袋上烧了个洞(burn a hole in your pocket)”。在汉语中,我们也常用诸如“有点钱就烧得难受”、“烧包”来形容这样的人,看来英语跟中文是有很多异曲同工之处的。例如:I am sure he'll spend his wages in a few days because the money is burning a hole in his pocket.我肯定不出几天他就会将工资全部花光,因为他是个有钱留不住的人。如果你一发工资就花掉了一大部分,那接下来的日子你就不得不勒紧腰带(tighten your belt)过日子了。我总是羡慕那些节省、不大手大脚的人,我真的take my hat off to them(佩服他们)。然而,当涉及到自己的钱,我总是立马(at the drop of a hat)花个精光。靴子是一种沉重结实的鞋。自负的人(People who are too big for their boots)把自己想得比实际重要。例如:Since he was made team captain, he's been ordering us all around and generally getting much too big for his boots.自从他当了队长,就对我们指手画脚,完全是自命不凡,不知道轻重。其实真正重要的人是难以替代的,你很难fill their shoes(取代他们)。我叔叔就是这样一个人,他经营一家大公司。他总是衣着考究,西装革履。不了解他的人认为他太古板严厉。他们认为他爱摆架子(a real stuffed shirt)。但我知道他十分直爽坦率(wears his heart on his sleeve),他会直接表明他的感受。而且,他知道如何keep his shirt on(保持冷静),从不生气或兴奋过头。My boss is a stuffed shirt: all he talks about is how important his ancestors are, how he was number one in his class at his university, and the wonderful things he thinks he's done for our company.我的老板老是爱摆架子,吹嘘自己。他一开口就是说他的祖先的地位有多么重要,他在大学念书时又如何成为他们班里的第一名,还自称对我们公司作出了多大的贡献等等。此外,我叔叔在生意场上从未失手过(lost his shirt),他说这是因为他总是rolls up his sleeves(卷起袖子做好大干一场的准备)。他常常对问题有特殊的方案或解决方法,在需要时用得上。他像个魔术师。我们说他有制胜法宝(a card up his sleeve)。关于上面短语的用法,再来看几个例子吧!Did you hear what happened to Joe? He's lost his shirt, the poor guy -- invested all his money in a fancy restaurant and it just went out of business.你有没有听到关于乔的事?这回,他可真是丢掉了一切,真可怜。他把所有的钱都投资在一家豪华的餐馆里。而这家餐馆不久前倒闭了。Well, I'm ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work on these reports.嗯,我已经准备好开始写这些报告了。Although the situation seemed unfavourable to him, he looked perfectly self-assured. He must have a card up his sleeve.虽然形势看来对他不利,但他看上去胸有成竹。他手中一定有王牌。
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[FONT=楷体_GB2312]删除昨天的烦恼、选择今天的快乐、设置明天的幸福、存储永远的爱心[/FONT][FONT=楷体_GB2312]取消无谓的烦恼、粘贴美丽的心情、复制醉人的风景、记录精彩的人生[/FONT] 赏 反馈:bluewhite 2011-09-02#2 18,729 $0.00 回复: 与穿着相关的习惯用语我们讲述了一些关于服装的英语表达。我所讲的都是事实,我可没有胡说八道(talk through my hat),换句话说,我可没有谈一些自己不知道的东西。例如:Anybody who says we can balance the budget without raising taxes is just talking through his hat.谁要是说我们能够在不提高税收的情况下让预算平衡的话,那真是胡说八道。大家都知道有许多关于服装的英语表达。这没有必要保密(keep it under your hat)。事实上,如果我继续谈论这些,很快你就会以为我是这方面的老手(old hat)--真正的专家。例如:Greg leaked information about his company to a competitor for getting more pay. Although he tried to keep it under his hat, finally, his boss found out and called the police.格雷格为了牟利,把他们公司的信息泄露给竞争者,虽然他极力隐瞒,但最后他的老板还是发现了并报了警。有的人喜欢通过穿着来伪装自己,但是我们一定要警惕那些“披着羊皮的狼(wolf in sheep's clothing)”。这指的是某人扮得像个好人,但其实是个坏蛋。例如:He is a wolf in sheep's clothing, outwardly kind but inwardly vicious!他是个披着羊皮的狼,外貌仁慈,内心狠毒!我喜欢衣服,喜欢穿戴打扮。每当我穿上漂亮的衣服,我就感觉自己光彩照人(decked out)。你可能会说,当我穿上我最好的衣服,我打扮得漂亮到极点(dressed to the nines),或全身盛装打扮(dressed to the teeth)。事实上,我丈夫说我打扮得简直迷死人(dressed to kill)。当然,我决不会杀死任何人,这是指一些关于衣服穿着让人赏心悦目的特殊表达。The girls were dressed up to the nines and went to the party.姑娘们个个盛装打扮,前去赴宴。我最好的衣服既不现代也不时髦(fashionable),也许有一天会流行起来(come into fashion),但我真的不在乎。他们真的比我一丝不挂(wear my birthday suit)看起来好多了。你知道每个人都有一套生日礼服吗?这指的就是你完全没穿衣服。婴儿出生时就身穿生日礼服。我很爱护我的衣服。我小心翼翼(handle them with kid gloves),尽量不让它们弄脏或撕裂。我的多数衣服都刚好合身(fit like a glove)。但是,当我吃得太多,我感觉我的衣服可能会胀破(burst at the seams),它们太紧绷身体了。She is very sensitive about the subject. You will have to handle her with kid gloves.她对那个问题很敏感,你对她一定要谨慎。When I eat too much, I feel like my clothes might burst at the seams. My clothes feel too restrictive and tight.当我吃得太多时,我感觉我的衣服可能会胀破,它们太紧了。一些我最喜欢的衣服是旧衣服,我的姐姐不穿了就给我。旧衣服(Hand-me-downs)很不错,因为现在衣服实在太贵了。我过着极节俭的生活(live on a shoestring)。我预算很少,能花在衣服上的钱不多。不过,我妹妹有很多钱可以买衣服。也许有一天情况会调过来(the shoe will be on the other foot)。我将有很多钱可以买衣服,而我妹妹穿我的旧衣服。我承认我做着发财梦。我梦想有一天我将能够像富人一样生活。我就会知道当我设身处地(walk in another person's shoes)过富人的生活时是什么感觉。我的一些朋友借助成功人士的关系(riding someone else's coat tails)发了财。他们今天的成功是他人成功的结果。不过,我觉得你不应该批评这种人,因为如果换作你,你可能也会这么做。请记住,如果觉得是对的,那就做吧(If the shoe fits, wear it.)。
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[FONT=楷体_GB2312]删除昨天的烦恼、选择今天的快乐、设置明天的幸福、存储永远的爱心[/FONT][FONT=楷体_GB2312]取消无谓的烦恼、粘贴美丽的心情、复制醉人的风景、记录精彩的人生[/FONT]回复: 与穿着相关的习惯用语衣装应该是一个永远都不会过时的话题。无论何时何地,跟什么人在一起,衣着的话题总是能够引起共鸣。今天我们也来说说有关衣装的一些常用表达吧。1. What will you wear for the party? 晚会上你穿什么?2. I'll wear my blue dress.我会穿我的蓝色裙子。3. Don't you think it's too formal?你不觉得太正式了吗?4. I like your new dress. Where did you get it?我喜欢你这件新衣服。在哪儿买的啊?5. It's not new. I bought it two years ago. 不是新买的,我两年前就买了。6. You should have your suit cleaned and ironed.你应该把你的套装拿去洗烫一下。7. You'd better put on your jacket. It's cold outside.你最好穿上夹克,外面冷。8. The blouse no longer fits me.这件衬衣现在不合身了。9. My son has outgrown these trousers.这条裤子我儿子已经穿不进去了。10. The shoes are worn-out.这鞋已经不能穿了。11. I don't like wearing the uniform.我不喜欢穿制服。12. The color matches you quite well.这颜色跟你很相配。13. Your shoe lace is loose.你的鞋带松了。14. You forgot to fasten the collar buttons.你忘了扣领纽了。15. Take off your hat. It doesn't fit.别戴帽子。不适合这个场合。
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