bbc短语2

To soldier on 顽强地坚持下去
当你做事情碰到困难但仍然顽强地坚持下去，这样的态度就可以被形容为to soldier on.
例句
He picked up a nasty injury but had to soldier on till the end of the football match because the coach had used up all of the substitutes.
Jane felt terrible but soldiered on till the end of the day.
The company was facing bankruptcy but the workers soldiered on till the bitter end.
请注意
短语in the wars 意思是形容某人最近身体受了不少伤，遍体鳞伤。

Dave cut his throat shaving because his broke n leg made him lose his balance. He’s really been in the wars recently.
Stare in the face 就在眼前
当某人或某事stares you in the face 的时候，这个形容比喻什么事情很明显，就在眼前。

例句
The detective realised soon that he had been staring the solution to the crime in the face all along: the murderer was the butler!
If we calm down in a crisis we might find out that the way out of it is staring us in the face.
请注意
另一个短语stare someone down 的意思是施加压力，让他人让步或投降。

I'm a very persistent person and no amount of staring down will make me give up on joining the posh country club!
Norway's Lofoten islands are famous for their jaw-dropping views of the Midnight Sun and Northern Lights.
Some pictures by old masters reach jaw-dropping prices at auction.
When the rate of inflation was published earlier this week, even the most resilient corporations were concerned about the jaw-dropping data.
请注意
另一个词（美式英语）a jawbreaker 是绕口令。

不过绕口令在英式英语里叫tongue twister. Speech therapists use jawbreakers like 'the rain in Spain falls mainly in the plain' as an exercise to make people speak more clearly.
Kick up your heels 好好享受
如果你要kick up your heels 那就表示你要无拘无束地好好享受一下。

例句
It’s Friday night and I’m looking forward to going out and kicking up my heels.
We w on the big contract so we’re all going out to kick up our heels.
After the exams we kicked up our heels and had a really good party.
请注意
另一个短语kicking your heels 表示等待。

He was supposed to meet me at eight o’clock but I was left kicking my heels for half an hour.
Touch wood 但愿走好运
英国人也迷信，比如touch wood 就是但愿走好运的意思。

例句
I've done all of the preparation for the exam, so nothing can go wrong now – touch wood!
I've never broken any bones, touch wood!
The train is currently on time so we shouldn’t miss our flight, tou ch wood.
请注意
如果形容一种状态为touch-and-go, 那就是说形式或状态很不稳定。

My grandfather had an operation last week. It was touch-and-go at one point, but he's fully recovered now.
On your bike 快点走开！
短语on your bike 是一个非常口语化的表达，告诉别人快走开，不要来烦你了。

因为这不是一个礼貌表达，所以使用时要注意。

例句
You want twenty pounds to clean my windows? On your bike!
Hey, on your bike – ball games are not allowed on the village green!
I told you, I don’t want to go out with you any more – on your bike!
请注意
另一个不表达让别人走开的非正式用语是get lost, 去你的！
This is private property, you are trespassing! Get lost!
Between a rock and a hard place 左右为难
当你身处于岩石与硬壁之间between a rock and a hard place, 那么你面对棘手问题，让你左右为难或进退两难。

例句
Bill couldn't make up his mind what to do. He was caught between a rock and a hard place.
The interview candidates were all so good that Jenny was caught between a rock and a hard place over who to hire.
The government is stuck between a rock and a hard place over how it will make significant cuts to the budget.
请注意
短语steady as a rock 意思是非常稳定，不可动摇，坚如磐石
The pressure was immense, but he was steady as a rock when he took the last throw of the game. To wax lyrical –滔滔不绝
如果一个人wax lyrical 那就是说他开始对某事滔滔不绝地谈起来。

类似汉语里我们常说的高谈阔论或滔滔不绝。

例句
Sarah’s been waxing lyrical about her new job, she really loves it.
Don’t get him started about his children –he’ll wax lyrical about them for hours.
Our girls’ night out was so boring because Kerry waxed lyrical about her boyfriend the whole time.请注意
英语动词boast 意思是吹嘘，吹捧，自大自夸。

John gets on my nerves – he was boasting about his new car all day.
Something fishy 有点可疑
如果说something fishy 意思就是一件事情让人觉得可疑。

例句
Hang on, my laptop was here a second ago. Something fishy’s going on.
There’s something fishy about that guy. He never looks at you when he speaks.
There’s something very fishy about the explanati on they gave for the cancelled train. I wonder what’s going on.
请注意
另一个短语 a fish out of water 意思是如鱼离水，不得其所。

You should have seen the boss dancing at the office party - real fish out of water!
To turn on its head 完全改变
当我们说to turn (something) on its head, 这个短语的意思就是完全改变什么事情。

另外它也指完全错误的理解了一件事情。

例句
The internet has turned the music industry on its head. Today many people would rather buy their favourite tracks straight from websites rather than a shop.
Picasso turned art on its head.
请注意
当我们看到turn heads 这个短语时，意思就是指某人特别有意思或者很有魅力，以至于其他人的目光不由自主的被他们吸引。

Thelma was used to turning heads. She’s always taken care of her figure and walks around with the best clothes.
Down-to-earth 实在
如果有人说你是down-to-earth 那么意思是说你是一个很实在的人。

例句
I love the fact you're so down-to-earth and have a logical, straightforward approach to problems. Mary thought they were going to make millions with the new company, but Sarah was more
down-to-earth and knew the profits wouldn't be that high.
My ex-boyfriend was so unrealistic about things. I hope I'll meet someone who is more
down-to-earth.
请注意
如果某个人不是down-to-earth, 不实在，那么我们可以形容他为head in the clouds, 意思是和现实脱节或者无法集中注意力。

My son always has his head in the clouds. His teachers say he never concentrates in class!
You must have your head in the clouds if you think they're going to promote you this year. Treading water 踩水
当你在treading water 时，这就是指你处于停滞阶段，没有发展。

例句
I feel like I’m treading water at work. I feel like I’m never going to get a promotion.
I’m not enjoying this degree course any more. I’m just treading water.
请注意
另一个短语tread on someone’s toes 的书面意思是踩到了别人的脚趾头，指干涉别人的事情，得罪别人。

Alan keeps treading on my toes and doing the rota when it’s supposed to be part of my job.
Making a clean sweep 重新开始/压倒性胜利
如果某人在make a clean sweep 意思是他准备彻底的重新开始做事情。

这个短语同时也可以指取得压倒性的胜利，尤其是体育比赛或竞选。

例句
Laura is determined to make a clean sweep of her house this Christmas. She is going to replace all the kitchen appliances and upgrade her home entertainment system.
The Chinese team is hoping to make a clean sweep of the table tennis competition at this year’s Olympic games.
请注意
短语sweep something under the carpet 把东西扫到地毯下是指试图隐藏或者忽视一个问题而不去处理它。

When it comes to the issue of the equality of pay, the management often try to sweep it under the carpet.
Put on the spot 使尴尬
如果说某人puts you on the spot 那就是说他们提出的问题让你感到很为难，很尴尬。

例句
I can't believe he asked me how old I was in front of the whole office. He really put me on the spot. She put me on the spot and asked me to say something in French.
请注意
另一个短语have a soft spot for someone 意思是特别喜欢某人。

No wonder Jane got a promotion. The boss has always had a soft spot for her
Thick-skinned 脸皮厚
如果形容某人is thick-skinned, 就是说这个人后脸皮，不在意别人对自己的看法。

例句
I made it pretty clear that he had outstayed his welcome but he is so thick-skinned he didn't take the hint.
Just be a little gentle with her as she is very sensitive and not thick-skinned at all!
请注意
另一个英语beauty is only skin deep means 一个人的内心比外表更重要。

She may not be a beauty queen but you know what they say, beauty is only skin deep.
A bird's eye view 鸟瞰
鸟瞰 a bird's eye view 意思是俯视，是因为居高临下，一览无余，让你能俯视全景。

例句
From the aeroplane we got a bird's eye view of the spectacular snow capped mountains.
From the top floor of our hotel we had a bird's eye view of the city below.
请注意
短语as free as a bird 形容的是完全没有约束，无忧无虑的感觉，就像一只自由飞翔的小鸟。

Eg: I was as free as a bird when I finished my final school exam.
After quitting my job I felt as free as a bird as I could do exactly what I wanted.。