美國人平時所用的許多短語，看似普通，但有的會有特別意義，究竟是俚語、口語或俗語，沒有絕對的定義。其實名稱不重要，最重要的是懂得意義和用法，不是嗎?

1. to have(many) irons in the fire： to have a lot of activities going on at the same time(同時有許多事，想馬上全部做完，但又不知從何開始，似乎忙得不可開交)

Dont bother him because he has many irons in the fire. (別打擾他，他事情太多，忙得很!)

Some people even like to have many irons in the fire. (有些人喜歡有很多事忙忙碌碌。)

2. to talk over (ones) head(s)： to use large or big words so that audience will not understand exact meaning(指所談論的內容過于專業或高深，非一般人可以理解;也指有人為了表現自己才學非凡，故意談些高深理論或用些難字，嚇唬別人)

Dr. Lees lecture was so specialized that he almost talked over our heads. (李博士的演講太專業了，幾乎使我們無法理解。)

In order to show his profound knowledge he talks over my head. (為了表現他的學問高深，他故弄玄虛。)

3. to put (something) back into (in) its cage： to put something under control (可以控制某件事情，多半指政治、健康等)

We are trying to put inflation back into its cage and our economy is on the mend. (我們正在設法控制通貨膨脹，同時改善我們得經濟。)

Diplomats and politicians need to put aggression and hostility back into its cage. (外交官和政客應該收斂攻擊和敵對的行為。)

4. to keep (ones) fingers crossed： to hope something good will happen (祝福某人好運或一切順利。把食指與中指交叉，祈求好運，是老外的迷信，但在寫信或正式場合，多半是用 I wish you best (good) luck!或 Good (best) luck to you!)

He keeps his fingers crossed hoping his father will send him more money. (他盼望有好運，老爸能多寄點錢給他。)

Many people have been keeping their fingers crossed that we can live in a peaceful world. (許多人都在祈求好運，盼能在和平的世界里生活。)

5. to stretch (ones) legs： to relax or to take a short break (久坐后，把腿舒展一下，或稍微休息一下)

Lets take ten minutes to stretch our legs. (讓我們先休息十分鐘。)

May I take a break so that I can stretch my legs? (我可以休息一會兒伸伸腿嗎?)

During the a long flight from the US to Taiwan， I normally stretch my legs every two hours. (在從美國到臺灣的長途飛行中，我通常每兩個小時起身走走。)

6. to read between the lines：to interpret the hidden meaning or a hidden message; to discern the true fact (從字里行間體會隱含的意義;領會言外之意或能了解其中的真正意義)

As you look at this poem， be sure to read between the lines. (讀這首詩的時候，要從字里行間去體會它的含義。)

After he re-read the love letter between the lines， he realized that he was dumped by his sweetheart. (重讀情書之后，他終于明白他已經被情人拋棄了。)

7. to let off steam：to give vent to ones anger (發泄、出氣，像放掉蒸汽以減少壓力似的。這與to fly off the handle意思相近，但比to lose temper委婉客氣些 )

What will you do if your wife lets off steam?(假如你太太大發脾氣的話，你該怎么辦呢?) (因為談論的對象使對方的太太，所以語氣要委婉客氣些)。

但是談到第三者，就可不必太委婉，可用 lose temper：

What will you do if one of your staff lose temper? (如果你的同事沖你發脾氣你該怎么辦呢?)

Occasionally we should be given a chance to let off steam.(我們應該不時的發泄一下情緒。)

8. to pay through the nose： to pay too much for something or excessively expensive (花費太多，代價過高，與 to cost an arm and a leg 意義相近)

Dont pay through the nose when you buy the furniture. (不要花太多的錢買家具。)

Some women paid through the noses for their jewelry. (有些女人花大把的錢購買珠寶首飾。)

9. to take center stage：to be in the spotlight (引人注目的中心人物;以某人為公眾矚目的對象)

Mrs. Lin always takes center stage at a party. (林太太總能成為宴會上的焦點。)

President Bush takes center stage wherever he goes. (布什總統不論走到哪里，都是公眾矚目的焦點。)

His constant taking center stage could deprive him of his privacy. (他好出風頭的毛病讓他毫無隱私可言。)

10. to drag(ones)feet：to procrastinate or postpone(慢慢的拖延，行動遲緩，拖拖拉拉)

It is not a good idea to drag your feet when the work needs to be done. (拖延工作是不好的。)

No employers like for their employees to drag their feet on any project. (工作拖拖拉拉的員工總是不受歡迎的。)

11. to paint(someone or oneself)into a corner：to trap oneself or someone; to be in trouble(使自己或某人陷入困境， 應該注意的是即使主語是復數形式，corner 仍然用單數)

Dont try to paint yourself into a corner. (不要讓自己身陷困境，無法脫身。)

After a heated debate with his boss， Mr. Chen has painted himself into a corner. (和老板激烈的爭辯之后，陳先生處境十分不妙。)

12. to ask (someone) for (ones) hand： to ask girls parents for marriage approval(指男人請求女方家長應允將女兒嫁給他， 這里的someone是指女方的家長，one則是指要求婚的對象，hand 只能用單數形式)

Mr. Su asked me for my daughters hand. (蘇先生到我家來向我女兒提親。)

He has asked her parents for their daughters hand. (他請求她的父母應允他們的婚事。)

13. to move onward and upward：to be promoted; from good to better situation(情況得以改善，或往更好的情況發展)

He hopes to move onward and upward with his current company. (他希望能在現在就職的公司里順利發展，步步高升。)

Many young couples try to move onward and upward during their marriage. (許多年輕夫婦都希望能夠婚姻美滿幸福。)

14. to call a spade a spade： to be honest， blunt or frank(直言不諱，有啥說啥)

My wife always calls a spade a spade about her work situation. (我妻子對別人談起她的工作時，總是直言不諱。)

Calling a spade a spade on foreign affairs sometimes seems difficult for diplomats. (外交官在處理外交事務的時候很難做到直言不諱。)

15. to play cat and mouse：to play games with aggressive and passive attitude(玩貓戲老鼠的把戲，欲擒故縱)

In business negotiations， there are always cat-and-mouse games. (在商業談判中，常會有一些貓戲老鼠的把戲。)

The police have played cat and mouse with the murderer. (警察對兇犯采用的是欲擒故縱的策略。)

美國人平時所用的許多短語，看似普通，但有的會有特別意義，究竟是俚語、口語或俗語，沒有絕對的定義。其實名稱不重要，最重要的是懂得意義和用法，不是嗎?

1. to have(many) irons in the fire： to have a lot of activities going on at the same time(同時有許多事，想馬上全部做完，但又不知從何開始，似乎忙得不可開交)

Dont bother him because he has many irons in the fire. (別打擾他，他事情太多，忙得很!)

Some people even like to have many irons in the fire. (有些人喜歡有很多事忙忙碌碌。)

2. to talk over (ones) head(s)： to use large or big words so that audience will not understand exact meaning(指所談論的內容過于專業或高深，非一般人可以理解;也指有人為了表現自己才學非凡，故意談些高深理論或用些難字，嚇唬別人)

Dr. Lees lecture was so specialized that he almost talked over our heads. (李博士的演講太專業了，幾乎使我們無法理解。)

In order to show his profound knowledge he talks over my head. (為了表現他的學問高深，他故弄玄虛。)

3. to put (something) back into (in) its cage： to put something under control (可以控制某件事情，多半指政治、健康等)

We are trying to put inflation back into its cage and our economy is on the mend. (我們正在設法控制通貨膨脹，同時改善我們得經濟。)

Diplomats and politicians need to put aggression and hostility back into its cage. (外交官和政客應該收斂攻擊和敵對的行為。)

4. to keep (ones) fingers crossed： to hope something good will happen (祝福某人好運或一切順利。把食指與中指交叉，祈求好運，是老外的迷信，但在寫信或正式場合，多半是用 I wish you best (good) luck!或 Good (best) luck to you!)

He keeps his fingers crossed hoping his father will send him more money. (他盼望有好運，老爸能多寄點錢給他。)

Many people have been keeping their fingers crossed that we can live in a peaceful world. (許多人都在祈求好運，盼能在和平的世界里生活。)

5. to stretch (ones) legs： to relax or to take a short break (久坐后，把腿舒展一下，或稍微休息一下)

Lets take ten minutes to stretch our legs. (讓我們先休息十分鐘。)

May I take a break so that I can stretch my legs? (我可以休息一會兒伸伸腿嗎?)

During the a long flight from the US to Taiwan， I normally stretch my legs every two hours. (在從美國到臺灣的長途飛行中，我通常每兩個小時起身走走。)

6. to read between the lines：to interpret the hidden meaning or a hidden message; to discern the true fact (從字里行間體會隱含的意義;領會言外之意或能了解其中的真正意義)

As you look at this poem， be sure to read between the lines. (讀這首詩的時候，要從字里行間去體會它的含義。)

After he re-read the love letter between the lines， he realized that he was dumped by his sweetheart. (重讀情書之后，他終于明白他已經被情人拋棄了。)

7. to let off steam：to give vent to ones anger (發泄、出氣，像放掉蒸汽以減少壓力似的。這與to fly off the handle意思相近，但比to lose temper委婉客氣些 )

What will you do if your wife lets off steam?(假如你太太大發脾氣的話，你該怎么辦呢?) (因為談論的對象使對方的太太，所以語氣要委婉客氣些)。

但是談到第三者，就可不必太委婉，可用 lose temper：

What will you do if one of your staff lose temper? (如果你的同事沖你發脾氣你該怎么辦呢?)

Occasionally we should be given a chance to let off steam.(我們應該不時的發泄一下情緒。)

8. to pay through the nose： to pay too much for something or excessively expensive (花費太多，代價過高，與 to cost an arm and a leg 意義相近)

Dont pay through the nose when you buy the furniture. (不要花太多的錢買家具。)

Some women paid through the noses for their jewelry. (有些女人花大把的錢購買珠寶首飾。)

9. to take center stage：to be in the spotlight (引人注目的中心人物;以某人為公眾矚目的對象)

Mrs. Lin always takes center stage at a party. (林太太總能成為宴會上的焦點。)

President Bush takes center stage wherever he goes. (布什總統不論走到哪里，都是公眾矚目的焦點。)

His constant taking center stage could deprive him of his privacy. (他好出風頭的毛病讓他毫無隱私可言。)

10. to drag(ones)feet：to procrastinate or postpone(慢慢的拖延，行動遲緩，拖拖拉拉)

It is not a good idea to drag your feet when the work needs to be done. (拖延工作是不好的。)

No employers like for their employees to drag their feet on any project. (工作拖拖拉拉的員工總是不受歡迎的。)

11. to paint(someone or oneself)into a corner：to trap oneself or someone; to be in trouble(使自己或某人陷入困境， 應該注意的是即使主語是復數形式，corner 仍然用單數)

Dont try to paint yourself into a corner. (不要讓自己身陷困境，無法脫身。)

After a heated debate with his boss， Mr. Chen has painted himself into a corner. (和老板激烈的爭辯之后，陳先生處境十分不妙。)

12. to ask (someone) for (ones) hand： to ask girls parents for marriage approval(指男人請求女方家長應允將女兒嫁給他， 這里的someone是指女方的家長，one則是指要求婚的對象，hand 只能用單數形式)

Mr. Su asked me for my daughters hand. (蘇先生到我家來向我女兒提親。)

He has asked her parents for their daughters hand. (他請求她的父母應允他們的婚事。)

13. to move onward and upward：to be promoted; from good to better situation(情況得以改善，或往更好的情況發展)

He hopes to move onward and upward with his current company. (他希望能在現在就職的公司里順利發展，步步高升。)

Many young couples try to move onward and upward during their marriage. (許多年輕夫婦都希望能夠婚姻美滿幸福。)

14. to call a spade a spade： to be honest， blunt or frank(直言不諱，有啥說啥)

My wife always calls a spade a spade about her work situation. (我妻子對別人談起她的工作時，總是直言不諱。)

Calling a spade a spade on foreign affairs sometimes seems difficult for diplomats. (外交官在處理外交事務的時候很難做到直言不諱。)

15. to play cat and mouse：to play games with aggressive and passive attitude(玩貓戲老鼠的把戲，欲擒故縱)

In business negotiations， there are always cat-and-mouse games. (在商業談判中，常會有一些貓戲老鼠的把戲。)

The police have played cat and mouse with the murderer. (警察對兇犯采用的是欲擒故縱的策略。)