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[敷衍搪塞] give someone the runaround
别拿话儿搪塞我们。我们只想知道你到底是同意还是不同意。
Don’t give us the runaround. We’d just like to know whether you agree or not.
“拿话儿搪塞”或“敷衍搪塞”的说法可用give someone the runaround的句式来表示。give someone the runaround实际上指“使某人到处乱转”，即在“找借口”或“托辞”。这也就相当于“搪塞”所要表达的意思了。请看下述例句：
Sample Sentences
1、不要拿话搪塞我，告诉我你到底想不想和我结婚！
Don’t give me the runaround. Just tell me if you would marry me or not.
2、我跟他借钱，他只是拿话搪塞却分文未借。
I asked him to lend me some money, but I got nothing except the runaround.
3、希望这次你能给我个确切的答复，别再拿话搪塞我了。
I’ve come to know the definite answer this time, not the runaround again.
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[哭穷] to poor-mouth
别跟我哭穷了，我还不知道你的底细？
Don’t poor-mouth to me . I have your number.
汉语中“哭穷”的说法实际上是指一种“掩盖钱财实力”，“装寒酸”的掩饰行为，可用俚语poor-mouth来表示。例如：每当我要跟他借钱的时候他就跟我哭穷。He would poor-mouth to me whenever I come to borrow money. 此语是个多义词，有时也可用来表示“说话留有余地”的意思。另外，在特定场合，poor-mouth几乎还与bad- mouth（说坏话）同义。
Dialogue
Mark: I can’t understand why you should believe her story and lent her the money.
Jack: She seemed to be in great need of the money . That’s why I ……
Mark: Well, you were fooled by her. Each time she borrows money, she will poor-mouth to her target.
Jack: But what would you do if you were in place?
Mark: If were in your place, I wouldn’t lend a single cent to her.
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[白吃白喝] a freeloader
我可不愿意白吃白喝别人。我不是那种爱占便宜的人。
I wouldn’t freeload. I’m not a freeloader.
有人把“白吃白喝”说成：eat and drink without paying, 这种说法很不准确。To eat without paying岂不成了强盗？“白吃白喝”不是不pay，而是自己不用pay，让别人去pay。表达这一概念可以用to freeload, 其意思是：利用别人之慷慨而占便宜。另外，to make use of 、to take advantage of 在某些场合也可用来表示这种概念。
Dialogue
Tom: I feel like having a ball after the exam was over. What about eating out?
Sue: Eating out?
Tom: Yes.
Sue: Well, forget. I’m broke.
Tom: No worries. Everything is on this time. I’ll pick up the tab and treat you .
Sue: No, thanks. But I’m not a freeloader.
Tom: Well, you can treat ME when you are in the chips again.
Sue: I prefer going Dutch.
Tom: All right. I’ll follow yours.
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[牵线搭桥] pull the strings
听说你公司有个空位，我很想去试一试。但你能先为我牵线搭桥吗？
I hear there’s an opening in your company and I would like to fill it. But will you pull some strings for me ?
英语的pull the strings所表示的意思几乎完全等于汉语中“牵线搭桥”的意思。有时，人们为了得到某种职位或建立某种联系，常常会求助于别人，让人先给搭搭桥。在这种情况下，人们便会说：Will you pull some strings for me ?例如：我不认识你们的老板，你能先为我拉拉线搭个桥吗？Your boss doesn’t know me. Would you pull some strings for me ? 请看下列对话：
Dialogue
John: Are you still hunting for a job. Mark?
Mark: Yes. I’m still pounding the pavements.
John: Listen. There is a job opening in my company. It would suit you to a T.
Mark: Thank you for the information. Could you pull some strings to get me hired?
John: I wish I could , but my hands are tied.
Mark: Do you know anyone who could throw his weight around for me ?
John: Let me see…well… you can turn to Joe . He’s a big hot. Maybe he could put in his two cents worth.
Mark: Asking him for help? I’ll be wasting my breath.
John: How come?
Mark: I asked him once, but he only gave me lip service.
John: Don’t worry. I’ll see what I can do.
注：I throw one’s weight around for …的意思相当于汉语“为某人使劲儿”的说法。2、put in one’s two cents worth的意思是“发表意见”，但在这里的意思是“请某人说句话”。
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［甩掉］palm off
他让你赶紧把手中的次品都甩掉。
He urged you to palm off all the shoddy goods immediately.
汉语中的“甩掉”有很多用法，其英语表示法也各不相同。先请看下述例句：
Sample Sentences
1、 他们终于把跟踪的警察给甩掉了。
They had finally managed to get rid of the following police.
2、 当他发现很难甩掉尾巴时，就干脆坐在树下了，看到底会怎么样。
When realizing it difficult to throw off the pursuers, he sat down under a tree, waiting to see what would happen.
3、 你为什么不赶紧甩掉手中的存货？
Why don’t you palm off the stocked goods now?
从上述例句中可以看出，“甩掉”可以用get fid of ,也可用throw off 或者abandon等词来表示。但在“甩掉”手中的物品时，英美人则习惯用paim of .
Dialogue
John: It seems to me that you believe whatever that guy told you.
Mark: I couldn’t see through him. He set me up by telling me a sob story.
John: Did you buy the whole kit and caboodle from him?
Mark: Yes, I did. He said I could have it for peanuts.
John: And he palmed off all his shoddy goods on a fool like you.
Mark: I didn’t realize it until the trap was sprung.
John: Don’t be so down. Wit once bought is worth twice taught. You can try and palm them off on another guy.
Mark: But I don’t want to cheat somebody else.
John: Then you will have to hold the bag.
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[得罪某人] get in Dutch with someone
张明得罪了他的上司，几个月后就被开除了。
Zhang Ming got in Dutch with his boss and in a few months he was sacked.
“得罪某人”的说法一般可用offend someone 的片语来表示。但是在口语中，还是用 get in Dutch with…的句型更合适。例如：很少有人敢得罪他。There are few people who dare to get in Dutch with him.
Dialogue
Lucy: Why does Sally want to switch to another job ?
Lisa: She doesn’t want that, actually.
Lucy: But why did she told me that she wanted to work in another place?
Lisa: That’s because she got in Dutch with her boss. She no longer feels it proper to go on working there.
Lucy: I now get it . But she doesn’t have to leave just because of that.
Lisa: I can understand her. I would do the same if I were in the same situation.
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[说别人的闲话] dish the dirt about…
她特别喜欢说别人的闲话，是我们这儿出了名的长舌妇。
She is a notorious gossiper here, who is very fond of dishing the dirt about others.
“说别人的闲话”可以用gossip about的片语来表示。但是作口语，英美人更喜欢用dish the dirt abort.此语中的dish是动词，意思是“把做好的菜盛到盘子里”；the dirt的意思是“泥土”，合在一起的字面意思是“把泥土盛到盘子里”，意指“说玷污他人的话”。
Sample Sentences
1、 我可不愿意和那些爱说别人闲话的人在一起聊天。
I hate to talk with those who are so fond of dishing the dirt about other pepole.
2、 你不相信她的话，她那个人就喜欢说人家的闲话。
Don’t believe her. She is the sort who is very fond of dishing the dirt about other people.
3、我经常看到她和其他的女人在一起东家长，西家短地说人家的闲话。
I often see her talking with other women and dishing the dirt about someone.
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[挂个电话] give a buzz
在来之前请先给我挂个电话，以免让你扑空。
Give me a buzz before coming so that you won’t come to a locked door.
打电话的表示法大家很熟悉，一般都会用give me a call 或 phone me的片语来表示。但很少人知道give a buzz是嗡嗡的声音，而give sb . a buzz就是给某人挂个电话的意思了。请看下述对话。
Dialogue
Sam: I Just feel like having a talk with you one of these days.
Sue: I’d love it , too. We haven’t had a good chat for a long time.
Sam: What about your former classmates? Are you keeping in touch with them?
Sue: Some are in touch, and some are not.
Sam: Why don’t you ask some of them to come over and have a talk together?
Sue: That’s a good idea. But I’ll to phone them and make a arrangement.
Sam: When you have made it , give me a buzz.
Sue: Sure. I’ll let you know as soon as we have made it .
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[写封信] drop me a line
有空了给我写封信。
Drop me a line when you have time.
同“挂个电话”一样，口语中“写封信”是用drop me a line来取代write me a letter的。请看下面的对话：
Dialogue
Lucy: I feel sick at the thought that we’ll soon part.
Lisa: Me, too. But we must be in touch with each other.
Lucy: Surely I will . When I miss you, I will call you and talk with you on the phone.
Lisa: You can also drop me a line when you have any news.
Lucy: Yeah. I like writing letters and I will certainly often write you .
Lisa: I’ll do the same. I think that’s best way to keep in touch.
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[榨干血汗] bleed one white
他们是在设法榨干你身上所有的钱。
They are trying to bleed you white.
汉语“榨干血汗”指“耗尽某人的钱财”。这一概念在英语中有个很好的表示方法：bleed someone white.此语中的bleed 是个动词，意思是“使流血”，与someone white合在一起的字面意思是“让某人的血流光”，相当于我们所说的“榨干血汗”。
Dialogue
Jack: You have been hooked by the guys
Mark: What do you mean?
Jack: I mean the other guys are ganging up on you. And you must stop.
Mark: But I've already lost 3,000 dollars.
Jack: And they are trying to bleed you white, you know?
Mark: Bleed me white? How can that be true?
Jack: You'll soon have it coming on you if you don't listen to me and stop. |
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发表于 2008-1-18 10:06:07