01. hell has no fury like a woman scorned
定义: [谚语]被无情抛弃的女人怒火比地狱之火还可怕.
例句: He should have known better than to leave his wife for that young girl. Hell has no fury like a woman scorned. (他当初就该知道他不应该为了那名年轻女子而离开自己的妻子. 被无情抛弃的女人怒火比地狱之火还可怕)
02. honesty is the best policy
定义: [谚语]诚实为上策.
例句: Secrets like that will always find their way to the surface, so honesty is definitely the best policy. (这样的秘密迟早会浮出水面, 所以诚实绝对是上策)
03. he who pays the piper calls the tune
定义: [谚语]谁出钱, 谁说了算.
例句: He who pays the piper calls the tune. It's important our customers have a real say on the balance between demands for improved services and increasing charges. (谁出钱, 谁说了算. 重要的是, 我们的客户在要求改善服务和增加收费之间的平衡上有真正的发言权)
04. finders keepers(, losers weepers)
定义: [谚语]谁捡到, 就归谁; 谁丢掉, 谁难过.
例句: Jack yelled "finders keepers" as he dashed toward the house with the sparkling ring he had discovered. (杰克一边拿着他找到的闪闪发光戒指冲向房子, 一边大喊, "谁找到, 就归谁")
05. he who sups with the devil should have a long spoon
定义: [谚语]跟危险人物打交道要保持距离, 以防伤害.
例句: If you're going to hang out with that disreputable bunch of people, keep in mind that he who sups with the devil should have a long spoon. (如果你要和那群声名狼藉的人们厮混, 请记住,跟危险人物打交道要保持距离, 以防伤害)
06. if you fly with the crows, you get shot with the crows
定义: [谚语]近墨者黑, 与恶者一起作恶, 终究会受惩.
例句: I worry about my brother hanging out with all those troublemakers. If you fly with the crows, you get shot with the crows. (我很不放心我弟弟和那些不良份子厮混在一起. 与恶者一起作恶, 终究会受惩)
07. if you lie down with dogs, you will get up with fleas
定义: [谚语]近朱者赤, 近墨者黑.
例句: "It's not fair. I'm getting a bad reputation because I'm friends with Suzy and she has a bad reputation." "It's only natural, if you lie down with dogs, you will get up with fleas." ( "真不公平. 我的名声不好是由于我是苏西的朋友, 因为她的名声不好." "这是很自然的, 近朱者赤, 近墨者黑.")
08. a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
定义: [谚语]千里之行始于足下.
例句: I know you have a lot of planning to do, but just take it one thing at a time. Remember: a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. (我知道你有很多计划要做, 但一次只做一件事即可. 记住: 千里之行始于足下)
09. idle hands are the devil's workshop
定义: [谚语]游手好闲者终究会出乱子.
例句: Idle hands are the devil's workshop, so we try to keep our kids busy with various jobs and activities during their summer break. (游手好闲者终会出乱子, 所以我们尽量让孩子们在暑假期间忙于各种工作和活动. 注: 许多美国青少年一到暑假就会去找临时工作, 一面赚零花钱, 一面提早体验社会)
10. the devil finds work for idle hands
定义: [谚语]游手好闲者终究会出乱子.
例句: The devil finds work for idle hands, so is it any surprise they started causing mischief after being left to their own devices for so long. (游手好闲者终究会出乱子, 所以在被放任自由, 毫不受干涉这么久之后, 他们开始为非作歹, 惹事生非也就不足为奇了)
11. better late than never(, but better never late)
定义: [谚语]迟做总比不做好, 但不迟最好; 迟到总比不来好, 但不迟最好.
例句: I'm sorry my gift came late, but better late than never, right? (很抱歉我的礼物来晚了, 但迟到总比不来好, 对吧?)
12. murder will out
定义: [谚语]罪行和暴行终将纸包不住火, 总有真相大白的一天.
例句: Though the suspect has eluded us so far, murder will out, and we will see the perpetrator of these heinous crimes behind bars eventually. (尽管嫌疑人到目前为止还没有被抓到, 但暴行终将有真相大白的一天, 我们最终会看到这些令人发指罪行的行凶者被关进监狱)
13. every dog has its day
定义: [谚语]虽然低微的人也有成功/自豪/得意的一天.
例句: I know you're shocked that that dopey kid got a better grade than you, but hey, every dog has its day. (我知道你很震惊那个傻孩子的成绩比你好, 但是, 虽然低微的人也有自豪的一天)
14. necessity is the mother of invention
定义: [谚语]需要是发明之母.
例句: Necessity is the mother of invention. When the fan belt on Linda's car broke in the middle of the desert, Linda used her stockings as a replacement. (需要是发明之母. 当琳达车上的风扇皮带在沙漠途中断裂时, 琳达用她的长袜作为替代品)
15. camel through the eye of a needle
定义: [谚语]表示某事是不可能或极难完成的. (注: 出自新约圣经)
例句: You'd have an easier time getting a camel through the eye of a needle than getting them to agree on the issue. (让他们在这个争议上达成一致意见根本不可能)
16. it's (always) darkest (just) before the dawn
定义: [谚语]黎明之前总是最黑暗的; 接近成功时总是最艰苦的.
例句: The economy is in tatters. People want everything to improve right away, but it's always darkest just before the dawn, so things will get worse before they get better. (经济现在一团糟. 民众希望一切立即好转, 但黎明之前总是最黑暗的, 所以事情在好转之前总会变得更糟)
17. brevity is the soul of wit
定义: [谚语]简洁乃是机智的精髓. (注: 此句话乃是出自莎士比亚名言)
例句: Every young comic should be told that brevity is the soul of wit. (每个年轻的喜剧演员都应该知道, 简洁是机智的精髓)
18. catch of the day, the
定义: [餐厅用语]今天餐厅的特价海鲜.
例句: Cod is the catch of the day, huh? All right, that's what I'll have. (鳕鱼是今天的特价海鲜, 是吧? 好, 我就点这道菜)
19. coffee or tea?
[餐厅用语]你要咖啡还是茶?
"Would you like coffee or tea, ma'am?" "Yes, a cup of tea with a piece of coconut cake, please." ("女士, 您要咖啡还是茶?" "是的, 请你给我一杯茶和一片椰子蛋糕.")
一片椰子蛋糕
20. for here or to go?
定义: [餐馆用语]你要在这吃还是要带走?
例句: "For here or to go, sir?" "For here. May I have a cheeseburger combo meal, please?" ("你要在这吃还是要带走?" "在这里吃. 请给我一份芝士汉堡套餐好吗?")
芝士汉堡套餐