English idioms英语习语

English Idioms
Idioms about animals
Cat
A cat has nine lives 猫有九条命(吉人天相)
Cats hide their claws. 知人知面不知心
A gloved cat catches no mice 不愿吃苦的人成不了大事业
The cat shuts its eyes when stealing cream 掩耳盗铃
A cat may look at a king. 小人物也应有些权利
It rains cats and dogs. 下倾盆大雨, 大雨滂沱
Let the cat out of the bag 说走了嘴
see how the cat jumps 看风使舵, 随机应变
The scalded cat fears cold water. 一朝被蛇咬, 三年怕井绳
When the cat's away, the mice will play. 大王外出, 小鬼跳粱
Dog
A staff is quickly found to beat a dog with. 欲加之罪，何患无词
Every dog has his day 人人皆有得意时
Let sleeping dogs lie 勿惹事生非
All are not thieves that dogs bark at. 不要以貌取人
Give a dog an ill name 人言可畏
Fight dog, fight bear. 一决雌雄
An old dog will learn no new tricks 老年人很难适应新事物
To help a lame dog over a stile. 雪中送炭
Better a living dog than a dead lion. 好死不如歹活
Fish
Never offer to teach fish to swim. 切勿班门弄斧。

Go to the sea, if you would fish well. 不入虎穴，焉得虎子
It is a silly fish that is caught twice with the same bait. 智者不上第二次当
If water is noisy, there are no fish in it .夸夸其谈者无真才实学
There's as good fish in the sea as ever came out of it. 海里的好鱼多的是.(强中更有强中手.) Fish begins to stink at the head.上梁不正下梁歪
Bird
It’s an ill bird that fouls its own nest.家丑不可外扬
Fine feathers make fine birds. 人要衣装，马要鞍
Birds of a feather flock together. 物以类聚，人以群分
A bird is known by its note, and a man by his talk. 听音识鸟，闻言识人
Each bird loves to hear himself sing. 鸟儿都爱听自己唱。

（自我欣赏)
You cannot catch old birds with chaff.有经验的人难骗
Idioms about other animals
The fox may grow grey, but never good.江山易改本性难移
The fox preys farthest from his hole. 江山易改本性难移
To beard the lion in his den. 太岁头上动土
To put the cart before the horse. 本末倒置
To run after two hares. 脚踏两只船
Man is to man a wolf 尔虞我诈
Don’t ride the high horse勿摆架子
Hair by hair you will pull out the horse’s tail. 水滴石穿
It is a poor mouse that has only one hole. 狡兔三窟
May as well as be hanged for a sheep as a lamb.一不做，二不休
Pigs love that lie together.臭味相投
What can you expect from a pig but a grunt? 狗嘴里吐不出象牙
Idioms about weather
1. a face like thunder = to look very angry: 满面怒容
eg."What's up with him today? He has a face like thunder!"
2.a fair-weather friend = a friend who doesn't support you in bad times:酒肉朋友
eg."I'm a bit disappointed in John and David. It turned out they were only fair-weather friends." 3.a snowball's chance = very little chance (as much chance as a snowball has in hell): 微乎其微的机会，一线生机
eg."We don't have a snowball's chance of winning that contract!”
4. on cloud nine = very happy because something wonderful has happened.极其快乐，乐不可支;极快乐
eg."When the boss announced my promotion, I was on cloud nine!"
5.a storm in a teacup = a lot of fuss over something small: 小事引起的轩然大波; 小题大做; 大惊小怪
eg."Don't worry about those two arguing. it's just a storm in a teacup."
6.be a breeze = to be easy: be a breeze易如反掌（be easy as pie小菜一碟）
eg." She has musical talent so learning to play the piano is a breeze for her. ”
7.be full of hot air = talking a lot but never doing what one says:夸夸其谈
eg. “That politician is full of hot air. He makes a lot of promises but never keeps them.”
8.be snowed under = to be very busy:工作多得忙不过来
eg."We're snowed under at work."
9.blow hot and cold = to keep changing your attitude: 飘忽不定,犹豫不决，三心二意，摇摆不定eg."They're blowing hot and cold over this issue. It's impossible to know what they want!"
10. brass-monkey weather = very cold weather: 极冷的，冻的
eg. "It's brass-monkey weather today. You'd better wrap up warm!”
11.chasing rainbows = try to get something they will never obtain.想入非非
eg. "She's trying to get into Harvard but I think she's chasing rainbows."
e rain or shine = whatever happens: 风雨无阻，不管发生什么情况
eg. "He's always working in his garden –come rain or shine."
13.in the eye of the storm = deeply involved in a situation which is difficult or controversial and affects a lot of people.处于风口浪尖，暴风中心
eg."The minister was often in the eye of the storm during the debate on the war in Iraq."
14. reach for the moon = very ambitious and try to achieve something even if it's difficult.想得到得不到的东西
eg."Jenny is talented and ambitious; she always tends to reach for the moon."
15. save up for a rainy day = put money aside for when you might need it later: 以防不时之需eg."I don't want to spend this extra money. I'll save it up for a rainy day.”
16.see which way the wind blows = to analyze a situation before doing something:见风使舵；随风转舵
eg."I'm going to see which way the wind blows before asking her about a raise.”
17.steal someone's thunder = do what someone else was going to do and get all the praise: 抢风头eg."You'll steal her thunder if you wear that dress tonight!"
18.take a rain check = postpone something: 下次吧，以后再说
eg. "I don't really want to go the cinema tonight. Can we take a rain-check on it?"
19.make hay while the sun shines = used as an encouragement to take advantage of a good situation which may not last.趁热打铁，抓紧时机; 抓紧时机行事;
eg.Successful sportsmen are advised to make hay while the sun shines.
20.the lull before the storm = a quiet time before a busy or difficult time:风暴前的寂静
eg."It's going to get very busy on Thursday.Today and tomorrow are just the lull before the storm."
21.under the weather = not feel very well,sick: 身体不舒服，心情不好
eg."I'm feeling a bit under the weather at the moment."
22.weather the storm = to survive a difficult situation: 渡过恶劣气候; 渡过难关
eg."This recession is quite serious and it's becoming difficult to weather the storm.“
Other interesting idioms
One:
one too many 多余的，不需要的
one in a thousand 优秀的人（或事物）
One boy is a boy, two boys half a boy, three boys no boy.
一个和尚挑水喝，两个和尚抬水喝，三个和尚没水喝。

One eyewitness is better than ten hearsays (传闻、谣言).百闻不如一见。

One good turn deserves another.行善积德。

One man‘s fault is other man‘s lesson.前车之鉴。

One swallow does not make a summer.一燕不成夏。

Better master one than engage with ten. 会十事不如精一事。

When one will not, two cannot quarrel. 一个巴掌拍不响。

Two
in twos 两个两个地
two-way 双向的
in two twos 立刻；一转眼
put two and two together 根据所见、所闻等推测出真相
e.g. He is rather inclined to put two and two together and make five. 他一推测就出圈儿。

Four eyes see more than two. 集思广益。

If you run after two hares, you will catch neither. 脚踏两条船，必定落空。

Kill two birds with one stone. 一箭双雕。

One can not be in two places at once. 一心不可二用。

One hour today is worth two tomorrow. 争分夺秒效率高。

Two heads are better than one. 三个臭皮匠顶一个诸葛亮。

Three :
by twos and threes 三三两两
three-bottle man 大酒徒
It takes three generations to make a gentleman. 十年树木，百年树人。

Four
four square 直率的；坦白的
on all fours 爬着
four-lettered words 下流话
At sixes and sevens 为习语，意为：乱七八糟，七上八下，杂乱无章，一片混乱
e.g. The boy made the room at sixes and sevens. 这男孩把房间弄得乱七八糟的。

I haven’t had time to arrange everything so I’m all at sixes and sevens.
我没来得及把每件事都安排好，因此心里七上八下的。

They held a party last night and everything was at sixes and sevens when the guests left.
昨晚他们开了一个家庭聚会。

当客人散尽之后，一切物品都挪了位置。

Card
A leading card 榜样、先例
To count on one’s cards 预盼成功
To have a card up one’s sleeve 心中有打算
To have the cards in one’s hand 有成功的把握
On the cards 可能的
To play one’s best card 拿出绝招
To play one’s card well 办事精明、有心计
Play one’s triumph card 打出王牌
To stack the card 暗中布局、舞弊
1.pull one’s leg 开玩笑（不是“拉后腿”）
2.in one's birthday suit 赤身裸体（不是“穿着生日礼服”）
3.eat one's words 收回前言（不是“吃话”）
4.an apple of love 西红柿（不是“爱情之果”）
5.handwriting on the wall 不祥之兆（不是“大字报”）
6.bring down the house 博得全场喝彩（不是“推倒房子”）
7.have a fit 勃然大怒（不是“试穿”）
8.make one's hair stand on end 令人毛骨悚然—恐惧（不是“令人发指-气愤”）
10.think a great deal of oneself 高看或看重自己（不是“为自己想得很多”）
11.pull up one's socks 鼓起勇气（不是“提上袜子”）
12.have the heart to do （用于否定句）忍心做……不是“有心做”或“有意做”
Wash your dirty linen at home. 家丑不可外扬。

Put the cart before the horse. 本末倒置。

Deal with a man as he deals with you. 以其人之道还治其人之身。

Do as the Romans do. 入乡随俗。

One man's meat is another man's poison. 萝卜青菜，各有所爱。

No weal without woe. 福兮祸所伏, 祸兮福所倚。

Actions speak louder than words. 事实胜于雄辩。

A fox may grow gray, but never good. 江山易改，本性难移。

A good conscience is a soft pillow. 做亏心事，不怕鬼叫门。

Put the cart before the horse. 本末倒置。

Deal with a man as he deals with you. 以其人之道还治其人之身。

Do as the Romans do. 入乡随俗。

One man's meat is another man's poison. 萝卜青菜，各有所爱。

No weal without woe. 福兮祸所伏, 祸兮福所倚。

Actions speak louder than words. 事实胜于雄辩。

A fox may grow gray, but never good. 江山易改，本性难移。

A good conscience is a soft pillow. 做亏心事，不怕鬼叫门。

A hedge between keeps friendship green. 君子之交淡如水。

A little body often harbors a great soul .浓缩的都是精品。

All good things come to an end. 天下没有不散的筵席。

A miss is as good as a mile. 失之毫厘，差之千里。

As a man sows, so he shall reap. 种瓜得瓜，种豆得豆。

A straight foot is not afraid of a crooked shoe. 身正不怕影子斜。

A wise head makes a close mouth. 真人不露相，露相非真人。

A young idler, an old beggar. 少壮不努力，老大徒伤悲。

Bad news has wings .好事不出门，坏事传千里。

Birds of a feather flock together. 物以类聚，人以群分。

Blood will have blood. 血债血偿。

Cannot see the wood for the trees. 一叶障目，不见泰山。

Constant dripping wears away a stone. 水滴石穿，绳锯木断。

Do as you would be done by. 己所不欲，勿施于人。

Fools grow without watering. 朽木不可雕。

Great minds think alike. 英雄所见略同。

Habit cures habit . 心病还需心药医。

It never rains but it pours. 不鸣则已，一鸣惊人。

1.to sail under false colors 冒充的,披着伪装骗人的
2.to blue one's money 乱花钱,挥霍的意思
3.the black sheep of the family 败家子,害群之马
4.to ride a tiger 处于危险的境地，骑虎难下
5.to have the gall to do 厚颜无耻的做某事（gall胆汁,苦的）
6.to put on an act 装腔作势,装模作样
7.It's a poor workman who quarrels with his tools蹩脚工匠总嫌自己工具差
8.hoist with his own petard 搬起石头砸自己的脚
9.to go Dutch AA制
10.pidgin English pidgin English都指的是英汉夹杂语：
混杂英语，洋泾滨英语：以英语为基础的几种混杂语，现主要在太平洋岛屿和西非的人讲。