现代英语成语习语俚语500例

1——60 • One’s brain child某人的主意，某人想出来的 等同于one’s original idea one’ brain children（复数） The new ways of teaching which have been proved very effective are brain children of all teaching staff of our department. • Have a chip on one’s shoulder叫阵，叫板 He is not popular among his peers. He always seems to have a chip on his shoulder. 此外该语还有“不满”，“对抗”的意思 Mary has got a chip on her shoulder about not having obtained the scholarship. • Clam up守口如瓶，拒不开口，沉默不语 I don’t understand why my students are quite talkative during the break but all clam up in class. • Take someone to the cleaners使人囊中如洗，一贫如洗 Don’t ask me to play in a crap game. I don’t want to be the cleaners. • A cliff-hanger扣人心玄的事情 Peter was nearly involved in a car accident. He called it a narrow escape. But it was really a cliff-hanger. • Fight the clock争分夺秒，与时间赛跑 等同于work against the clock If you don’t fight the clock to enrich yourself, you will surely be lagged behind soon. • A clotheshorse讲究穿戴的人 Princess Diana was a real clotheshorse. It’s hard to imagine how much she had spent on clothes. • Get hot under the collar发怒，怒气冲天 Make someone hot under the collar He got hot under the collar when he found his bicycle was missing. • Come through with flying colors干得出色，大获成功 In the 13th Asian Games, Chinese athletic team came through with flying colors • Show (reveal) one’s true colors原形毕露 He always appears polite and gentle. But his quarrelling with others in dirty words show his true colors. • Come up with找出，想出，弄出，提出 等同于to produce, to find out, to think out After three days’of deep thinking, the manager came up with an idea of promoting the products. • Jump to conclusions仓促的下结论 Being a teacher, he shouldn’t jump to conclusions that a student is not worth teaching simply because he fails one exam. • To one’s heart’s content心满意足 Today is weekend. The lights won’t go off after 11 o’clock. We can chat to our heart’s content. 此外该语还有“随心所欲”的意思 Mary loves keeping diary. She can express her emotion to her heart’s content. • Lose one’s cool沉不住气 反义词keep one’s cool In the boxing match. Tyson lost his cool and bit Hollyfield’s ear. • Play it cool不露声色，沉着冷静 Sampras, the No. 1 tennis player in the world, always plays it cool when he wins in the match. • be rotten to the core坏透了、烂透了 Keep away from that boy. He is rotten to the core. • cut corners偷工减料、走捷径、图省事、节约 Student is a serious thing. You can't expect to cut corners. cut corners并不是都是贬义的，还示节约，节省 With only $100 left, he had to cut corners to make his journey back home. • have a crush on someone迷恋某人 Some teenager girls got a crush on the film star • be a far cry from...与……相差甚远（一般用来表示水平或程度等的差距） Though Dick has tried hard, it is still a far cry from what his father expects of him. • chew the cud好好琢磨琢磨 I don't want to jump to conclusions, I have to chew the cud on it for a few days. • be cut out for...天生适合于……（用于否定句中） Thank you for your kindness, but I can't accept it. You know, I'm not cut for a manager. • be completely in the dark一无所知，仍蒙在鼓里 keep someone in the dark; be left (kept) in the dark He is a dictator. Though I'm the production manager, I'm completely in the dark as what to do next. • a blind date相亲 James was too excited to have dinner. He was having a blind date with Sue in the evening. • have seen better days今非昔比 Look at our dean, He has seen better days. • be out of one's depth力所不及 Liu was extremely happy to have been admitted to Oxford, but soon he found he was out of his depth in his major. • give someone a dose of his own medicine以其人之道还制其人之身 On April Fool's Day, my classmates made me an April Fool. Next year, I'll give him a dose of his own medicine. • a drop in the bucket沧海一粟 He has suffered a lot in his life. Losing his job this time was only a drop in the bucket. • play dumb with someone装聋作哑 It's no use playing dumb with teachers. They know very well their students. • be down in dumps垂头丧气，深情沮丧 I burned midnight oil yesterday. So I feel down in the dumps today. • make the dust fly干得很起劲 Many volunteers are helping in the Olympic Games. They are making the dust fly without getting pay. • go easy on...酌情处理……；节约使用……；对……手下留情 I hope the teacher will go easy on me. Otherwise, I'll have no chance to pass the exam. 当介词on的后面跟得是something的时候，此语用来是“节约使用”或“小心对待” Go easy on salt. We have to save some for the next meal. • egg someone on to do something怂恿，鼓动某人干某事 Haven't you seen him through? He can help you nothing but egg you on to do illegal things. • rub elbows with someone和某人没有很深的交情 I suppose Jack doesn't know me well. We have only rubbed elbows with other for several times. • be at the end of one's tether山穷水尽 Mark feels worried because he can't write any new books. He is afraid that he is at the end of his tether. • be at one's wits' end不知如何是好 My boy is such a mischief-maker. I am at my wits' end with him. • be at loose ends心里没有着落 Many old people feel at loose ends after their retirement. • make both ends meet收支平衡 The newly-wed couple found it hard to make both ends meet. • be green with envy羡慕极了 Don't be green with envy. He deserves the prize, since he has spent a whole month on that paper. • be of the essence绝对不可少，关键的 As for study, diligence is of the essence. • a poor apology for...蹩脚货，名不副实 That travel agency was first-class, but it offered a poor apology for its service • make an exhibition of oneself出洋相 如果表示总出洋相可以在exhibition一词前加上形容词， regular She is a bit insane. She always makes a regular exhibition of herself by raging at almost everybody. • keep an eye open密切注视 Keep an eye open for anyone who arouses your suspicion. • see eye to eye with...与……意见一致 Though they are twins, they never see eye to eye with each other on anything. • turn a blind eye on装做没看见 It is not right for teachers to turn a blind eye to those who cheat in the exam. • feast one's eyes on...观赏……，一饱眼福 Yesterday we went to a fashion show. We really feasted our eyes on beauties and fancy clothes. • have a face would stop a clock奇丑无比 The old lady has a face that would stop a clock, but she is the helpful person I have ever met. • keep a straight face板着脸 He likes telling jokes . But always keeps a straight face when others are shaking their sides with laughter. • be fed up with...对……烦透了 My roommates are too noisy. I'm really fed up with them. • fall for...迷恋上…… She fell for that guy simply because he behaved quite differently from others. • be riding for a fall自讨苦吃 That big country is riding for a fall if it keeps interfering with others'' internal affairs. • play fast and loose with...敷衍了事，不正经干 You are not clever enough to play fast and loose with Susan. • play favorites with...对……有偏心眼 The girl isn't on good terms with her parents. They play favorites with her little brother. • put out a feeler to do...试探……的反应 The chairman put out a feeler to see people's reactions to his election speech. • be dead on one's feet筋疲力尽 Our boss regards us his slaves. Everyday after work. • land on one's feet安全摆脱困境 With the loan from the bank, the company landed on its feet. • stand on one's feet自食其力 The Chinese Communist Party decided to stand on their feet during the Liberation Campaign. People in Naniwan were called upon to develop agriculture. • sit on the fence保持中立 Who would you vote for? You bet I won't vote for him. He likes sitting on the fence on important issues. • play the field不正经干 He is really a playboy, He likes to play the field and is never serious with any one girl. • burn one's fingers因管闲事而吃苦头 I always tell you to keep away from the scoundrels. Now you are burning your fingers. • have sticky fingers手不老实。有小偷小摸的陋习 The old lady fired the maid because she had sticky fingers. 61——121 · keep one's fingers crossed祈求成功 The leader was guilty of a serious dereliction of duty. He kept his fingers crossed that he could escape severe punishment. · let something slip through one's fingers眼睁睁地看着……跑掉 The lawyer studied the case very carefully. He wouldn't let something slip through his fingers. · build a fire under someone紧催促某人…… That guy is a slowpoke. I wish there were some way to build a fire under him. put a fire under someone其主语一般是物，而不是人。 · have other fish to fry有其他要紧事要做 Come on out! Forget about the exam, You're got other fish to fry. · a flash in the pan昙花一现 He used to be called a young entrepreneur. But soon he was forgotten by the public. He was a flash in the pan. · a fly in the ointment美中不足 Mobile phone are quite popular nowadays, but they ring at any time in the public areas. It is a fly in the ointment. · be nobody's fool不傻，精明 You can not easily take him in. It is obvious that he is nobody's fool. · get off on the right foot开门红 Everything will go smoothly if we get off on the right foot. · put one's foot down气愤的表示反对 The boy wanted to quit school, but his father put his foot down. · play footsy with...与……调情 Jack was so in love with Mary that he couldn't help playing footsies with her while having dinner. · marry a fortune嫁给了有钱人 Scariet was in trouble, She wanted to marry a fortune and save the whole family. · as sly as a fox非常狡猾 Though the suspect was as sly as fox, he had to admit his crime in front of solid evidence. · a dime a dozen数不清，很多 Pagers were rare ten years ago. Now they are a dime a dozen. · make free with...擅自使用…… Do you think I'm a millionaire? Don't make free with my things. · a freeloader白吃白喝，爱占便宜的人 In America, even if you live with your relative, you can't be a freeloader. · a fair-weather friend不能同患难的朋友 I have searched my conscience, and believe I have never mistreated you. But you turned out to be a fair-weather friend. · get stage fright怯场，紧张 The student got stage fright when he stepped into exam room. · add fuel to the flames火上浇油 The boy refused to make an apology to his father, which added fuel to the flames. · have a barrel of fun极开心 Children had a barrel of fun in the masquerade. · make fun of someone取笑某人 It is not right to make fun of the disabled. · play to the gallery哗众取宠，收买人心 He's so good at playing to the gallery, especially in front of girls. · gang up on someone结伙对付某人 The local ruffians ganged up on the policemen. · be in high gear全力进行，快速进行 Construction on the subway is in high gear. · get away with...逃脱惩罚 Law offenders can't get away with their offence. · have the gimmies患伸手病（来自小孩子give me的说法，后来就说成gimmies） Don't you know you have grown up? How shameful of you7 to have the gimmes. · give as good as one gets不服输，不示弱 He is a small boy, but he gives as good as he gets in chess match. · fit like a glove恰倒好处，非常适合 A: How do you like the frame? B: It fits like a glove. It well matches with the room decoration. · handle...with kid gloves小心，谨慎对待…… The antique is very precious. You'd better handle it with kid gloves. · get someone's goat使人恼怒，惹人生气 The way he boasted that he was an authority got my goat. · for good永远地 I hope war will disappear for good in the world. · be too good to be true好的令人难以置信 Yesterday Joe received a letter saying that the company decides to offer her a job with a salary which was too good to be true. · have the goods on someone有某人犯罪的证据 Fred was sure that he would win the case. He had the goods on the culprit. · goof off偷懒耍滑 Williams has been goofing off at school and his report card shows it. · through the grapevine道听途说，小道消息 I hear through the grapevine that Jim has been dismissed from his post. · The grass is always greener on the other hill这山望着那山高 He wrote to his brother, persuading him to keep his mind on his work and not to think the grass is always greener on the other hill. · use elbow grease费很大的劲头 How long haven't you cleaned your kitchen? It'll use elbow grease to get it shine again. elbow-grease常指“费劲儿的体力活儿” You have to use a bit of elbow-grease to clean all windows. · get the green light得到批准 We're got the green light from our dean that we can have some changes on teaching curriculum. give the green light给予批准，准许某人干…… The employees can have a day off. The director has given them the green light. · grin and bear it一笑忍之，相当于汉语的“逆来顺受” You have had enough insults from your boss. How can you grin and bear it? · catch someone off guard乘虚而入 Within three days, the run-away was exhausted. He fell asleep in a basement. The police caught him off guard. · hate somebody's guts恨之入骨 He dismissed my for no reason at all. I hate his guts. · kick the habit戒除恶习 You are doomed to be broke one day if you don't kick the drug habit. · get in somebody's hair苦恼某人 Every day, salesmen come to my door. I can't concentrate on studied. They do get in my hair. · let one's hair down无拘无束 Our supervisor is a stone-faced young lady. In front of her, you can't let your hair down and do what you desire. · without turning a hair保持冷静的态度，不动声色 The president talked about the international situation without turning a hair. · a half-wit弱智者 Do you think it is a good idea to send a half-wit to a normal school? · bite the hand that feeds one恩将仇报 Sorry, I can tell you nothing about my master. Otherwise, I will be biting the hand that feeds me. · gain the upper hand占上风 In strength, their team gain the upper hand; but in skill, we can have a chip on our shoulder. · have someone eating out of one's hand使人完全服从某人的摆布 Money can let him eating out of your hand. · live from hand to mouth勉强糊口 With three children to support, the window had to live from hand to mouth. · overplay one's hand做的过火了，做得过头了 We may have overplayed our hand by urging him to give us an early reply. · tip one's hand无意中亮底 Our rival was drunk. He tipped his hand by murmuring that his company will cut down the price of its products. · try one's hand at...试着干…… Michael Jordan is a great basketball player, and he has ever tried his hand at baseball. · fly off the handle大发雷霆 It's no use flying off the handle. You can reason with us. · play into someone's hand正中某人下怀 Think it over. If we reduce the price, I'm sure we're playing into his hand. · wash one's hands off something洗手不干某事 Mr. Butcher, with a long family history of gambling, decided to wash his hand off gambling. · get the hang of something掌握某事的窍门 I've got the hang of the new computer system pretty soon. · go haywire乱了套 The computer opposes me. Everything goes haywire when I use it. · bury one's head in the sand逃避现实 The environmental pollution is getting worse and worse. We can't bury our head in the sand, or the nature will punish us. · make neither head nor tail of...对……摸不着头脑 Tim scribbled a note to me during the lecture. But I couldn't make head or tail of it. · have one's head in the clouds满脑子幻想 I know you have been dreaming of becoming a professor. But you shouldn't have you head in the clouds all the time. Settle down and do something. · turn one's head使某人满意 Sara is a successful woman, but she never allows her achievements to turn her head. 122——181 · have one's heart set on...一心想要…… Once he had his heart set on something, he'll accept no turning-back. · one's heart in one's mouth吓得要命 My heart was in my mouth when I heart someone tapping on my window one raining night. have one's heart in one's mouth; with one's heart in one's mouth · not have the heart to do something不忍心去做 How can you have the heart to kill my pet? · take something to heart往心里去/认真接受意见等 Tom decided to take his father's words to heart and wash his hands off smoking. · be in the seventh heaven高心极了 Mary was in seventh heaven when she finally came to Paris, the center of fashion. · move heaven and earth想尽一切办法 Believe me. I promise to move heaven and earth to help you. · cool one's heels等的双脚发凉，久等 Let's meet at the gallery at 7 o'clock. Come at 7 sharp. Don't make me cool my heels. · take to one's heels逃走 The naughty boy took to his heels after he should 'trick-or-treat'. · shoot from the hip信口开河 Don't take Jay's words to heart. He shouldn't have shot from the hip. · by hook or by crook千方百计得，不择手段得 He rose to that position by hook or by crook. · blow hot and cold出尔反尔，喜怒无常 Do you think he'll support you? He is the type who blows hot and cold. · make it hot for...刁难某人 Out section manager is a woman. Our general manager always looks down upon her and makes everything hot for her. · have the lots for someone迷恋某人 You have to stop her. She has the lots for a married man. · bring down the house博得满堂喝彩 The first-prize winner of the speech contest has brought down the house for several times. · be over the hump已度过难关 The Asian financial crises has almost paralyzed Asian economy. But we are over the hump now. · have a hunch that...预感到…… I have a hunch that the bear market will be over soon. · be hunky-dory挺不错的 A: How do you like the food here? B: Hunky-dory. · skate on thin ice如履薄冰，冒风险 We are skating on thin ice if we continue killing wild animals. · toy with the idea of...心里盘算要…… She's toying within the idea of marring a foreigner. · no ifs, ands and buts不要找任何的理由和借口 A: You know I could have done it well, but... B: No ifs, ands and buts. Tell me if you want to save your job. · give someone an inch and he'll take a mile得寸进尺 Give my roommate an inch and he'll take a mile. Last time, I offered him some candies. Today, he asked for an ice-cream. · have many irons in the fire同时有很多要紧的事要做 Although he was out of job, he still wrote to his parents saying he had many irons in the fire. · be in a jam陷入困境 get in a jam You've got to help me. I'm in a jam. May car refused to work on my way to office. · jaywalk横穿马路 It is dangerous to jaywalk. · in a jiffy不大一会儿 =in a moment, right away. at once I'll be with you in a jiffy. · have ( a case of ) the jitters忐忑不安 The new teacher had a case of jitters when he first stood in front of the class. · keep up with the Joneses与别人比阔，与别人攀比 He likes keeping up with the Joneses. · get a kick out of doing something从……得到很大的乐趣 He gets a kick put of racing. · take kindly to something/someone愿意接受 Don't you feel that people in the lab don't take kindly to a nosy reporter? · kill someone with kindness好得让人受不了 The old lady almost killed me with kindness when I lived at her home. · parade one's knowledge买弄学问 He is a well-learned man, bit he never parades his knowledge. · be at large逍遥法外（也可以形容动物不受约束） The murderer was still at large. The victim's parents was determined to find enough evidence to sue him to court. · rest on one's laurels故步自封，吃老本 You are sure to be lagged behind if you rest on your laurels. · turn over a new leaf洗心革面 The juvenile delinquent promised that he would turn over a new leaf if he could be given lenient punishment. · have a hollow leg（喝酒）海量 The best man has a hollow leg. He drinks a lot instead of the bridegroom. · pull someone's leg开某人的玩笑 Never ever pull his leg. He is a man without a sense of humor. He takes everything seriously. · keep someone at arm's length与某人保持距离 My boss is my uncle. In order to avoid unnecessary misunderstanding, I'd better keep him at arm's length in company. · let someone down使某人失望 Joe really let me down by having broken his promises for several times. · can't for the life of one怎么……也不行 I thought I could recite my speech backwards, but when I stood in front of the audience, I couldn't for the life of me remember what to say. · air one's linen in public家丑外扬 The wife was often beaten by her husband, but she never told others. She didn't want to air her linen in public. · keep a stiff upper lip意志坚定，坚强不屈 One failure means nothing. You've got to keep a stiff upper lip. · be at loggerheads with...互不相让 The two parties were at loggerheads with each other over the new tax policy. · a born loser一事无成者 Nobody is a born loser. All you need is perseverance. · louse up something把某事搞得一团糟 He let the cat out of the bag, which loused up the whole deal. · not do...for love or money死也不会…… Stop trying. I won't betray m