Language Café

Leave one hanging 悬着 吊胃口Tell me the end of the story. Don't leave me hangingThe TV series "Walking Dead" always leaves me hanging at the end of each episodeDefinition: To suspend dealing with someone or something; to leave someone or something waiting to be finished or continued.Etymology: To keep someone or something suspended in midair.******悬着 吊胃口I know that he came in to resign and you told me that you knew why! So why don't you tell me and don't leave me hanging? 他过来辞职,你告诉我你知道为什么,那为什么不告诉我,快别吊我胃口了.I hate watching TV dramas because they always leave me hanging and I might watch it non-stop deep into the night, which affects my normal pace of life and work. 不喜欢看电视剧,因为剧情悬着,会连续看到深夜,这样影响正常工作和生活节奏.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxA leg upIt is commonly believed that being born into a White Anglo-Saxon Protestant Home in America gives one a leg up.Since Derrick was naturally flexible he was given a leg up in the Cirque De Soleil.Being born into a bilingual household gave Kate a leg up in job hunting.Definition: A position of advantage.Etymology: How you are further up on the staircase.******优势He has a great voice and this gives him a leg up in voice-related professions! 他声音好,在声音相关的职业中有优势.She is not obviously more beautiful than other girls but her good personality gives her a leg up in making friends and attracting the opposite sex. 她并不比别的女孩漂亮,但性格好是她的优势,善于交朋友,吸引异性.

U-turn 180度大转弯 掉头I think the British government is making a U-turn on their Brexit stance.Cathryn made a U-turn on courting George, after playing "Hard to get" was going nowhere.Alabama made a U-turn on their strict stance against Mexican immigrants, when they realized that prisoners made poor substitutes to Mexicans when it came to picking fruits and chasing chickens.Definition: A complete change from one opinion or plan to an opposite one.Etymology: From making U-turns on roads.******180度大转弯 掉头People who make u-turns on controversial issues are either very liberal minded or extremely pragmatic. 在有争议问题上掉头的人,不是思想非常开放,就是特别务实.It's a blessing to all family members when the formidable father has made a u-turn in his attitude towards his children. Instead of being rigid and stern, now he is amicable, loving and ready for a chat any time. 威严的父亲对孩子们的态度有了180度的大转弯,他现在和蔼,慈爱,随时可以和孩子们聊天,家人感觉特别开心.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxPull stringsHis prominent grandfather was able to pull some strings to get him into the Ivy League university.My powerful father-in-law was able to pull some strings to bail me out of jail.Sharon bragged that she only needed to pull some strings to get front row seats to the concert.Definition: To use influence to get something done.Etymology: This alludes to manipulating a marionette doll.******搞关系 走后门In a non-legal society, people pull strings to survive! 在非法治社会,人们搞关系求生存.He is such an upright and honest local grass root official that he refuses to pull strings even in times of difficulty. Though he lost many chances for promotion, he has won the hearts and minds of the people he serves. 他是一名基层干部,困难时也拒绝走后门,虽失去不少晋升机会,但却赢得了大家的热爱.

Quiver in one's boots 害怕The boss said she wanted to see me after I made a gaffe, now I am quivering in my boots.I was quivering in my boots as I walked through the dark forest.Jenny was quivering in her boots when she heard glass break in her house.Definition: ScaredEtymology: Refers to how people who are scared would tremble and shake.***害怕I found myself quivering in my boots whenever I heard some unusual sounds outside of the window. 每次窗外有异常的声响,我都会害怕.The very strict mother's sheer silence and glare made the son quiver in his boots. 妈妈的沉默和直视使儿子感到害怕.XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIn or out of the loopThe boss always left Sarah out of the loop because she was an incompetent worker who only got into the company through connections.Evan wanted to be kept in the loop for the new project.Zoe did not keep Oliver in the loop since he was going to retire soon.Definition: In the group of persons communicating regularly about a specific plan or project.Etymology: This expression uses loop in the sense of "a circle of individuals among whom information or responsibility circulates." The antonym out of the loop, meaning "left out of such a circle," dates from the same period.***圈内/外 局内/外Whenever people talk about sports and stock markets I feel like being out of the loop in my circle of friends. 与朋友一起时,一旦他们开始谈体育或股市我就有局外人的感觉.All these years, they have been inviting me to various events but until today I am still not in the loop. 这么多年他们一直在不同场合邀请我,但直到今天我还不是他们圈内的人.

Pie in the sky 画饼充饥 天上的(掉)馅饼 想得美Don't hold out for pie in the sky, try to earn the money for a condo in the next 10 years.Turning the war torn poor country into a country capable of hosting the Olympics is pie in the sky.Rick's plan to set up his own company is pie in the skyDefinition: Refers to a hope for a special reward that is oftentimes unrealistic.Etymology: This expression was first recorded in 1911 in a rallying song of a union, the International Workers of the World (or "Wobblies"): "Work and pray, live on hay, you'll get pie in the sky when you die."***画饼充饥 天上的(掉)馅饼 想得美She blames others for all her troubles and is expecting some pie in the sky to change her life. 她所有的问题都怪别人,指望天上掉馅饼来改变生活.When the husband discovered that his wife was a good cook he thought himself lucky. This is pie in the sky for him. He calls this a bonus! 丈夫发现职业女性的妻子做菜非常好吃,他觉得自己太幸运了.他觉得自己得奖金了,天上掉馅饼了.XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXOpen Pandora's BoxDon't talk about Aunt Emma's dead husband. You will open Pandora's box.The company worried about every decision since they did not want to open Pandora's box.The Nation's President did not realize he opened Pandora's box when he legalized gambling.Definition: Refers to an action that may seem small or innocent, but that turns out to have severely detrimental and far-reaching consequences, similar to opening a can of worms.Etymology: The "box" was actually a large jar given to Pandora which contained all the evils of the world. She hastened to close the container, but the whole contents had escaped except for one thing that lay at the bottom – Elpis, usually translated "hope".***潘多拉盒子 捅马蜂窝 灾难之源Please don't ask people what their salaries are. If you do, you open a Pandora's box in the office. 千万别打听别人的工资,如果你问,你就捅了马蜂窝了.Mom blamed dad for opening Pandora's box by discussing political issues at the dinner table. The family party has become an oral battlefield. 妈妈埋怨爸爸谈政治,就像打开了潘多拉盒子,家庭聚会变成了口水仗.

Smoking gun 线索 People who don't believe Americans landed on the moon in 1969, point to the American flag waving on the moon as the smoking gun.After people could not figure out why the small plane crashed, an eye witness account that the plane looked heavy before take-off was the smoking gun.Fingerprints left on the only knife on the Island mansion were the smoking gun for the murder.Definition: It is a reference to an object or fact that serves as conclusive evidence of a crime or similar act, just short of being caught. Its meaning has evolved in uses completely unrelated to criminal activity: for example, scientific evidence that is highly suggestive in favor of a particular hypothesis is sometimes called smoking gun evidence.Etymlogy: The phrase originated in the Sherlock Holmes story, The Adventure of the Gloria Scott (1893). Its name originally came from the idea of finding a smoking (very recently fired) gun on the person of a suspect wanted for shooting someone, which in that situation would be nearly unshakable proof of having committed the crime.线索 He was the only living person in that building when the murdered woman was discovered. This has been used as a smoking gun to convict him. 遇害女子被发现时,楼里只有他一人,这就是判他有罪的线索.The shaving cream is the smoking gun the husband found in the bathroom which forced the wife to admit her adultery. 丈夫发现了浴室里的剃须霜,这一线索使妻子不得不承认有外遇.XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXMixed companySome suggest that there must always be at least one woman on a spaceship. Because men are more mature in mixed company.Hey, David, Don't talk about sex. We are in mixed company.Both men and women talk about the opposite sex when they are not in mixed company.Definition: a group of people in which there are both males and females Etymology:***男女搭配 混搭There is a Chinese saying which goes: A mixed company team will make the job easier and the people more efficient and happier. 男女搭配干活不累!At the beginning, she was not used to working in a mixed company environment since she graduated from an all girls school. 一开始她不适应在男女混搭的环境中工作,因为她是女校毕业的.

Ivory tower 象牙塔Although Obama says that his cabinet is filled with everyday people, most of them come from Ivory Towers.The gangster brother told his wealthy brother to come out of his ivory tower.Will Hunting said that studying in an ivory tower was a waste of money since he could read those books for free in a library.Definition: It has been used to designate a world or atmosphere where intellectuals engage in pursuits that are disconnected from the practical concerns of everyday life. Etymology: The term ivory tower originates in the Biblical Song of Solomon.***象牙塔To a certain degree, parents all want their children to live in an ivory tower in fear that their children are too young to cope with the harshness of the society. 某种程度上,因为担心孩子无法面对社会上的不良风气,父母都愿意孩子生活在象牙塔里.Literature and art have been the ivory tower she lives in! 文学和艺术是她的象牙塔.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxGet a gripRJ told the overly politically-correct person to get a grip on how the world works."Super China" documentary will help Korean viewers get a grip on China.The nation must get a grip on its drug cartel problem.Definition: To understand how to deal with something.Etymology: It used literally to get a grip on a ladder. Therefore, to get a grip on reality is just means to get a grip on something abstract like emotions.***面对现实 了解现实 控制情绪 The big boss of the giant company finally got a grip on the situation and realized he was being sacked by his rivals. 老板终于面对现实,意识到他被他的对手们炒鱿鱼了.Get a grip, girl! You should not be crying while recording the show. 控制一下情绪,录节目时不能哭.

gloss over 美化 掩饰 搪塞 Lana glossed over how her sister knew secrets she only revealed to her diary.Marcus CV glossed over how he was a difficult person to work with.The report praised the hydro-electric dam that brought energy to millions, but glossed over the damage caused to the habitat of fish.Definition: To cover up, minimize, or play down something bad, or deliberately ignore.Etymology: It originated in 1530-40. It comes from the Dutch term for "glowing".***美化 掩饰 搪塞Mary glossed over her family's awkward financial situation by claiming that she gave up Oxford's offer because she didn't want to leave her mom to study overseas. 玛丽掩饰家里尴尬的经济状况,说她放弃牛津大学是因为不想离开母亲.He glossed over his obsession with seeing his idol in person by saying that someone has given him the concert ticket for free. 他明明追星,却搪塞说,因为有人送票,他才来听这个演唱会的.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxcherry pickAdam cherry-picked all his girlfriend's best qualities, while ignoring her many faults.The politician cherry-picked his accomplishments while ignoring the calls from African Americans that he had done little for them.The scientist cherry-picked the data that emphasizing that radiation from Fukushima was affecting tuna in American waters, even though the radiation was in tiny trace amounts.Definition: It is the act of pointing to individual cases or data that seem to confirm a particular position, while ignoring a significant related case or data that may contradict that position.Etymology: The term is based on the perceived process of harvesting fruit, such as cherries. The picker would be expected to only select the ripest and healthiest fruits. An observer who only sees the selected fruit may thus wrongly conclude that most, or even all, of the fruit is in such good condition.***特意挑选 专挑The right-wing British politician cherry-picked all the benefits of leaving the EU, while completely ignoring all the drawbacks! 右翼政客专挑脱欧的好处,完全忽视所有的不良后果.When the future son-in-law came to visit for the first time,the mother cherry-picked the worst aspects of him to get rid of him. 未来女婿首次亮相,妈妈专挑他的缺点,希望女儿与他分手.

Window dressing 装样子 糊弄 BP only did some window dressing to deal with the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill.In World War 2, Britain's attack on Finland was just window dressing, to appease the Soviets.When Gloria told her son to clean his room, Brian just did some window dressing, by hiding all his clothes and toys under his blanket.Definition: To pretend to be dealing with a problem, rather than actually dealing with it.Etymology: The art of trimming the display windows of a store.***装样子 糊弄 When people heard the big boss coming, they did some window dressing to impress him. That day everybody seemed to be very busy, working really hard. 大老板要来,大家开始装样子,好像特别忙,工作很努力.Before the Gaokao, she was sick and tired of the repetitive review. So she decided to relax and listen to some music, but whenever her mom came to her room, she had to do some window dressing to cheat her. 高考前,她厌烦复习,决定放松一下,听听音乐,但每次妈妈来她房间,她就糊弄妈妈,假装在学习.XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXUnder the tableGareth was paid for the side-job under the table, in order to avoid taxes.In order to build a new dirty power plant, the corrupt mayor got a few bucks under the table.The perks that the employees got at the golf club were strictly an under the table.Definition: Something that is secret.Etymology: This term alludes to money being passed under a table in some shady transaction, such as a bribe. ***私下 见不得阳光The corrupt official got all his money under the table. But since he could not deposit it in the bank, he bought a big house to store it. 贪官的钱都(是私下得的)见不得阳光,不能存银行,只好买大房子存钱.My friend's jade business has gone bankrupt because it relied on corrupt businessmen doing deals under the table. 因为依赖见不得阳光的交易,我朋友的玉石生意倒闭了.

Wear something like a badge of honor  将计就计 反败为胜The White community of Hong Kong has worn the offensive term "Gweilo" (which is the Cantonese term for ghost) like a badge of honor. Hong Kong-Briton writer Martin Booth famously titled his autobiography, Gweilo.Obama and his supporters have turned the offensive term for the Affordable Care Act, Obamacare, into a badge of honor.When Queen Cersei got slapped by King Robert Baratheon, she said that she would wear the bruise like a badge of honor. King Robert told her "Wear it in silence. Or I will honor you again."Definition: To reinterpret something said to be negative about oneself into something positive, thereby negating the harm the word does.Etymology: The earliest use was in the 16th century to describe a medal.***将计就计(turn sb's trick to one's own use) 反败为胜 化悲痛为力量If she has been working on making me step down or leave, I would simply wear it like a badge of honor and join another company that I have been secretly working in for years. 她让我下走人,那我就将计就计,到那家我一直在帮忙的公司去.She has been dumped by many men. But now she has been wearing her unpopularity to the opposite sex like a badge of honor, telling people that she is married herself for a good cause and has no time for men. 她情场不顺,但反败为胜 化悲痛为力量,说她把自己嫁给了事业,没时间和男人打交道.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxRide on one's coattailsIt seems that Sean Lennon has done nothing besides riding on his famous father's coattails.It is better for people not to ride on their parents coattails; otherwise they will end up like Jaycee Chan.Sometimes riding on someone's coattails is positive. Bruce Lee was able to become a child star because his father was already a famous actor in Hong Kong.Definition: To use your connection with someone successful to achieve success yourself.Etymology: Riding on someone's coattails comes from the fashion of a tail on a man's coat. Children could easily grab the coattail and ride along. ***沾光Like it or not, he realized that he had been riding on his father's coattails all his life and whenever he thinks about this he feels so depressed. 他意识到自己一直在沾父亲的光.每次想到这些,他感觉非常沮丧.The later generations of the family have been riding on their forefathers' coattails since they were the pioneers who went to America during the gold rush and accumulated wealth. 这个家族的后代一直在沾先辈的光,他们的祖辈去美国淘金,积累了财富.

get schooled 得到教训 Jason got schooled when computer hackers guessed his password that shared the same name as his pet cat.Nathan got schooled when his little brother answered the science questions his mom was asking him.Cameron got schooled by his mom in bowling.Definition: Taught a lesson (the hard way), to be humiliated.Etymology:***得到教训 I got schooled again and again by trying to reach out to people who don't like me because I believe in the power of communication. 因为相信沟通的力量,我试图接触不喜欢我的人,因此不断得到教训.She got schooled when being driven by curiosity and eating in a strange restaurant. That was the most despicable meal she ever had in her entire life. 她得到了教训.因为好奇,她走进了一家陌生饭店,吃了一顿有生以来最难吃的饭.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxclip wings 束缚 限制(自由)Dana never had children, because she thought they would clip her wings in the workplace.Ronald disagreed with Ellie on being too protective of their children, saying that she was clipping their wings.After Troy crashed the family car, they clipped his wings and banned him from driving.Definition: To restrain someone; to reduce or put an end to someone's privileges.Etymology: It is the process of trimming a bird's primary flight feathers ("primaries") so that it can no longer fly.***束缚 限制(自由)Parents should avoid clipping the wings of their children. Too many restrictions or disciplines will stop children from reaching for the stars. 父母的清规戒律会束缚孩子的成长.She took the company's request of being punctual as clipping her wings and finally decided to quit the job. 她认为准时上下班是束缚,最后决定辞职.