—Learning Western Culture Bit by Bit
（通过语境学习原汁原味的美国英语成语）
人也好，事也吧，都有要风得风，要雨得雨，一帆风顺的时候，但遇到“屋漏更遭连夜雨，行船便遇打头风”等事与愿违、时运不佳的时刻，也在所难免。Harry Collis收录的14个原汁原味的美国英语成语，反应的正是生活中诸如此类的“背时倒霉”时刻。请看：
1.Iemon(＝something defective) 有缺陷的东西
Have you seen Joanne's new car yet?
Yeah. It looks good, but she's had nothing but problems with it.
That's too bad. It sounds like she got a real lemon.
She sure did ! No sooner did she drive it home from the dealer's than it proved defective and started breaking down.
你看到乔安妮的新车了吗？
看到了， 车看起来不错，但带给她的只有麻烦。
太糟糕了。她似乎真的买到Y货了。
千真万确！她刚从经销商那里把车开回家，就发现车有缺陷，开始抛锚。
2.out of the woods(＝out of danger) 脱离危险
Although Eric was well on his way to recovering from his bout with pneumonia, he was still not out of the woods. The doctors told him that he would have to take it easy and avoid exposure to cold, since he was not out of danger and difficulty yet.
虽然埃里克正在从肺炎中恢复过来，但他仍然没有脱离危险。医生告诉他，由于他尚未完全脱离危险和困难，他必须保持轻松，避免接触感冒。
3.get up on the wrong side of the bed(＝wake up in a bad mood)心情不好，情绪不佳
What's the matter with Bernard today? He started shouting from the moment he stepped into the office.
I don't know. He usually doesn't act that way at all. I guess he got up on the wrong side of the bed.
Just because he woke up in a bad mood is no reason for him to be so cross and to go around shouting at everybody.
Hopefully he'll relax as the day goes on.
Amen!
伯纳德今天怎么了？他一走进办公室就开始大喊大叫。
我不知道。他通常根本不是那样的。我猜他是情绪不佳。
仅仅因为他心情不好也沒有理由到处对人大喊大叫。
希望随着时间的推移，他能放松下来。
阿门！
4.out on a Ⅰimb(＝in a risky position) 处于危险境地
The members of the committee realized that their position against expanding the student aid program was an unpopular one, and that they were going out on a limb by voting against the program. Nevertheless,their position was justified to a certain extent. Although they knew that they were placing themselves in a risky position, they felt that other budgetary considerations were of greater urgency.
委员会成员意识到他们反对扩大学生援助计划的立场不受欢迎，他们投票反对该计划是在冒险。然而，他们的主张在一定程度上是合理的。尽管他们知道这样做会将他们自己置于危险境地，但他们认为其他预算考虑更为紧迫。
5.eating someone(＝bothering or worrying someone) 打扰或担心某人
Hey, Alice. What's been eating you lately? Don't you realize how rude and irritable you've become?
I know. I'm really sorry for the way I've been acting.
Well, why don't you tell me what has been bothering and upsetting you and maybe we can work your problem out together.
I'll admit that it would help to talk to someone about it.
嘿，爱丽丝。你最近怎么了？你难道没有意识到你变得多么粗鲁和易怒吗？
我知道。我真的为我的行为感到抱歉。
那你为什么不告诉我是什么让你感到困扰和不安，也许我们可以一起解决你的问题。
我承认和别人谈谈会有帮助的。
6.get the ax(＝be dismissed, fired) 被解雇
I feel sorry for Richard. He was feeling quite depressed when I ran into him.
Did he tell you what was bothering him?
Among other things, he informed me that he got the ax at work.
That's strange. He's always been a conscientious worker. I wonder why they dismissed him from his job?
Evidently he had a disagreement on company policies with one of the top executives.
我为理查德感到难过。我碰到他时，他感到很沮丧。
他有没有告诉你是什么困扰着他？
除其他方面外，他告诉我他在工作中被解雇了。
真奇怪。他工作一直尽职尽责。我想知道他们为什么解雇他？
显然，他与一位高管在公司政策上存在分歧。
7.in the hoⅠe(＝in debt) 负债
Unfortunately, Peter had to sell his neighborhood hardware store. Because of competition from the bigger stores in the shopping center, he was going in the hole every month. His store was small and did not generate enough income to meet expenses. As a consequence, he was rapidly losing money and going into debt.
不幸的是，彼得不得不卖掉他附近的五金店。因为来自购物中心的大公司的竞争，
他每个月都入不敷出。他的商店很小，收入不足以抵消开支。结果，他很快就亏了钱，债台高筑。
8.bite the buIIet（＝endure in a diffiult situation)硬着头皮做，咬紧牙关应付
We really had a frightening experience when we went hunting last month.
What happened?
We got lost in the wilderness and had to bite the bullet until help arrived.
Did you manage OK?
Barely. We weren't prepared for the cold weather and we couldn't find any shelter. We had to endure in a very trying situation. We almost froze by the time they found us.
上个月我们去打猎时，确实有过一次可怕的经历。
发生了什么事？
我们在荒野中迷路了，在救援到来之前，我们必须咬紧牙关应付。
你们处理得还好吗？
几乎沒挺过来。我们没有为寒冷的天气做好准备，也找不到任何栖身之处。我们不得不忍受极度艰难的条件。他们发现我们时，我们几乎冻僵了。
9.face the music(＝accept the consequences) 直面现实，承担后果
It's no wonder you have a stomachache. I told you not to eat so many green apples. You don't listen, and now you're going to have to face the music.
The trouble with me is that I can't stop with just one or two, especially when they're so tart. I'll admit that I tend to forget that eventually I'm going to have to accept the consequences for what I've done.I sure hope it was worth it!
难怪你胃痛。我告诉过你不要吃那么多青苹果。你不听，现在你必须直面现实。
我有个毛病，吃一两个水果根本停不下来，尤其是果酸味浓烈的水果。我承认，我几乎忘了自己必须为自己的的行为承担一切后果。当然，我希望这是值得的！
10.bIow it(＝fail at something) 失败
How did you do on the history exam?
I think I blew it! There was a section on the Civil War,and that's the chapter in the book that I studied the least.
Well, at this point you can't really be sure that you completely failed the examination. You must have done okay on the rest of the test.
Perhaps I didn't fail the entire exam, but I'm sure that I didn't do well.
你历史考试考得怎么样？
我想我考砸了！书中有一节是关于内战的，这是我复习得最少的一章。
嗯，此时此刻你真的没法肯定所有考试你都考砸了。剩下的考试你也许考得不错。
整个考试也许不会都不及格，但可以肯定的是我考得不好。
11.at the end of one's rope(＝at the limit of one's ability to cope) 日暮途穷，束手无策
The Jones's housekeeper was completely useless! Poor Mrs. Jones felt that she was at the end of her rope when she walked into the house and saw the children crying and unfed, dirty dishes in the sink, and clothes strewn all over the place. She had had to leave the house and children in someone else's care while she was off on business. Now that she came back to all of this disorder and disarray, she felt that she had reached the limit of her ability to cope with the situation.
琼斯家的管家完全没用！可怜的琼斯太太走进房子，看见孩子们哭哭啼啼，饿着肚子，水槽里堆满脏盘，衣服到处乱扔，她觉得自己已经束手无策了。当她出差时，她不得不把房子和孩子交给别人照顾。现在回家看到一切都乱成一团，她觉得自己已经快崩溃了。
12.on one's last legs(＝sick and failing) 病倒
Poor Mike. He was one of the greatest musicians I've ever known, but when I saw him the other day he looked like he was on his last legs.
Yеаh. Нe hаrdlу рlау аnу mоrе.
What made him give up his music?
Apparently he lost confidence in himself at some point in his career, and he's been sick and failing ever since.
可怜的迈克。他是我所认识的最伟大的音乐家之一，但当我前几天看到他时，他看起来像是病得不轻。
他几乎没有演奏音乐了，是什么让他放弃了音乐？
显然，在职业生涯的某个阶段，他对自己失去了信心，从那以后，他一直生病，一蹶不振。
13.hot under the coIIar( ＝extremely angry)勃然大怒
Did you see how Bill came in to work this morning?
Did I ever ! Boy, was he hot under the collar!
What brought that on?
He said that he was extremely angry because he got stuck in slow-moving traffic and arrived late for an important business meeting.
你看到比尔今天早上是怎么进来工作的吗？
咋没看见！天哪，他看上去简直火冒三丈！
这是怎么回事？
他说，他非常生气，因为他被堵住了，交通缓慢，结果在一次重要的商务会议上迟到了。
14.on the Iine(＝in danger of being lost) 面临失业的危险
Lately Tom's been more conscientious about the accuracy and quality of his work with the company. He was warned that his job was on the line because of his lack of concern for his duties. When Tom was alerted that he was in danger of losing his job, he began to take his obligations with the company more seriously.
汤姆最近对他在公司工作的准确性和质量更加认真。他被警告说，由于失职，他的工作岌岌可危。当汤姆得知自己有失业的危险时，他开始更加注重自己在公司的职责。
声明：本文根据Harry CoIⅠis 著《101个美国英语成语》相关章节编译。如有侵权，联系删除。欢迎阅读！感谢关注！持续推送中。
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