英语巴士网

牛年学“牛”词(二)

分类: 实用英语 

hit a bull’s eye:命中靶心,达到预定目标,取得成功.

In target shooting: a score made by hitting the center of the target

He hit a bull’s eye in their argument with that witty retort.

他以机智的反驳赢得了辩论胜利。

bull-headed:固执的,任性的,一根筋

someone who is bull-headed is determined to do exactly what they want to do, and does not think about what other people want.

He's completely bull-headed. I asked him not to throw out that old table, but he did it anyway.

他太固执了。我告诉他不要扔了那个旧桌子,但他到底还是扔了。

a cock-and-bull story荒诞的故事,无稽之谈

a story or explanation which is obviously not true.

She told me some cock-and-bull story about her car breaking down.

她给我讲的车如何坏掉的事情非常荒诞。

John Bull约翰牛,英国佬

a character who represents a typical English man or the English people.

“约翰牛”是英国人的绰号。19世纪的著名作家狄更斯就曾引用过。随着时间的推移,“约翰牛”的形象发生了耐人寻味的变化,由最初那个身强力壮、满脸横肉的中年船长想象,变成了一个年过半百、五短身材的矮胖子。于是漫画上出现的“约翰牛”,是个头戴宽边礼帽,足蹬翻口皮鞋,身穿茄克衫的绅士摸样。当年那种杀气腾腾的气概收敛不少,其原来的贬义似乎变成了褒义。“约翰牛”逐渐变成了一位饱经事故的实干家形象,他的行为成了英国的人的标准行为。这样一来,John bull这个成语就成了英国人或者英国的代名词了;而与之相关的John Bullism就指“英国精神”“英国习气”或“英国人的典型性格”,John Bullist则常指“英国迷”。

In the cartoon, John Bull appears as a short, stocky figure wearing a waistcoat with the British flag on.

在漫画中,“约翰牛”常以矮小健壮的形象出现,身穿印有英国国旗的背心。

Take the bull by the horns:遇到困难情形果断做出决定,当机立断

We'll have to take the bull by the horns and tackle the Medicare question.

我们必须当机立断,想办法解决医疗保险问题。

shoot the bull:惬意轻松聊天,随聊

We sat out on the porch until late, just shooting the bull.

我们在走廊外坐到很晚,随便聊了聊。

bull session: 漫谈,自由讨论

Some students of the economics department had a bull session last Sunday.

上星期天,经济系的一些学生聚集在一起漫谈。

Till the cows come home:很久,无限期

从前乳牛未经人工改造,每年都有不产奶时期。在产奶时期,它们乳房充盈,不挤奶会很不舒服,自然会主动回家给人挤奶;但是,在不产奶时期,要它们主动回家,真不知要等多久了。所以,till the cows come home有“很久”、“无限期”的意思。

:He is very long-winded and will keep on talking till the cows come home

他是个话篓子,会说个不停的。

holy cow: 对某事表示惊讶, 惊奇, 愤怒等.


"A friend of mine is in Hollywood filming a movie this month." "Holy cow, that must be so cool."

“我的一个朋友这个月正在好莱坞拍电影。”“天哪,这太酷了!”

as awkward as a cow on roller skates:非常笨拙,笨手笨脚.

The little girl was as awkward as a cow on roller skates when she first began riding her bicycle.

这个小女孩刚骑自行车的时候笨手笨脚

milk the bull: 做徒劳无功的事,缘木求鱼

Susan tried everything to train her daughter into a lady, but it seems that she is milking the bull.

苏姗千方百计想把她女儿训练成个淑女,可这些似乎都是徒劳。

as dumb as an ox沉默不语

He was as dumb as an ox in the meeting. 开会时他沉默不语。

play the giddy ox:胡闹,干蠢事

Don’t you play the giddy ox with me!你们别跟我耍赖撒疯!

throw /shoot the bull:吹牛,夸张

He likes to throw the bull. 他喜欢吹牛

猜你喜欢

推荐栏目