我們今天要講的幾個習(xí)慣用語都帶有同一個詞: nose。各位早就知道nose是鼻子。它在我們的臉上占了引人注目的中心位置,難怪人們會圍繞nose這個詞組成了不少習(xí)慣用語。今天要講的第一個是: pay through the nose. Pay解釋"付錢。" 讓我們通過一個例子來琢磨習(xí)慣用語pay through the nose含義是什么。
例句-1:Bob was so desperate for cash to pay six months overdue rent that he borrowed money at the interest rate of 5% a week. And now he's paying through the nose: every week he's late he has to pay an extra 5%.
Bob由于拖欠了六個月的房租而不得不借了一筆利率很高的款子:每星期得付百分之五的利息,如果有一個星期逾期未付他還得額外再多交百分之五。
這種每星期百分之五的利率是大大高于一般利率的。所以說he's paying through the nose, 意思是他在付過高的代價。
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我們再學(xué)個習(xí)慣用語: cut off one's nose to spite one's face。 Spite意思是故意傷害,cut off one's nose to spite one's face聽起來就覺得這樣做的人很可悲,想象一下割下了自己的鼻子,傷害的不正是自己的臉嗎? 好,我們聽一段例子來體會它的含義。這段話說的是Mary一時沖動的舉止給自己造成了什么后果。
例句-2:Mary got so mad at her boss she shouted at him in front of the whole staff. But she really cut off her nose to spite her face -- after that he blocked every chance she had for promotion.
他說:Mary對老板大為生氣,因此當(dāng)眾把老板大罵一通來泄恨,但是她的一時沖動反而傷害了自己,老板從此封閉了Mary所有的晉升機會。
Mary當(dāng)著全體雇員的面對老板大吼大叫。她原意是想讓老板當(dāng)眾出丑,但是后果是老板利用職權(quán)封殺了她的一切升遷機會,受害的反而是Mary自己。這樣看來習(xí)慣用語cut off one's nose to spite one's face含義是一時沖動做了損害自己的事。
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我們接著學(xué)下一個習(xí)慣用語: plain as the nose on your face。 Plain在這兒的意思是顯而易見、一清二楚的,鼻子豎在臉蛋兒的中央,當(dāng)然是顯而易見的。這就產(chǎn)生了這個作比喻用的習(xí)慣用語。我們來聽個例子:
例句-3:It's plain as the nose on your face that Mark is better educated and more intelligent than most other people. His trouble is, he doesn't try to hide this and scares away bosses who aren't as smart.
他說:Mark學(xué)歷才智都相當(dāng)出眾。這是一清二楚、顯而易見的,但是他的問題在于鋒芒畢露,以至把那些能力平庸的老板都嚇跑了。
所以plain as the nose on your face意思是"一清二楚、""顯而易見的。"
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最后再學(xué)一個習(xí)慣用語: keep one's nose clean。這是個相當(dāng)常用的習(xí)慣用語。我們聽個例子來體會它的含義。這是個怒氣沖沖爸爸在對兒子發(fā)火,因為他剛?cè)ゾ炀职牙详J禍的兒子保了回來。
例句-4:Young man, this is the last time I'm going to bail you out of trouble! From now on, keep your nose clean or I'll just stand back and let you get fined and maybe get sent to jail.
他說:這可是我最后一次保你了。從今以后你別再惹麻煩,我再也不會出面幫你;我就讓你付罰款,或者去坐牢。
顯然這里習(xí)慣用語keep your nose clean意思是不招惹麻煩。