Day: December 29, 2011

绝望的主妇 第一季第13集中Lynette对Tom说的非常绝妙的一句话: I guess i just got so upset because —- oh, whatever, let’s not beat a dead horse, it’s over, Im sorry, good night. ( 想那事让我这么心烦就是因为—-哦，随他去吧，事已至此，也别白费口舌了，这件事到此为止，我很抱歉。晚安。)

zausiu’s blog http://ykyi.net

这句话中的beat a dead horse 这个表达非常形象，这里的beat也可用flog替换。大家想象一下，用鞋子抽打死马让它驰骋，就是再大的力也没有用。因此这个表达用来表示”徒劳，作无用功”或是指”对已摒 弃或认可的活动信念徒费精力”。英语中还有很多跟dead用关的用法。

老友记中Earl先生想自杀的原因之一就是他觉得自己从事一个dead-end job (没有前途的工作)。

dead-end 是美国俚语，意思是死胡同，与中文里穷途末路相似。

美国作家Sidney Kingsley于1935年创作现实主义作品Dead End<死巷>。小说反映美国纽约大城市贫民窟中青少年的生活，1937年被编成电影Dead End Kids《死巷小子》。之后dead-end kid就是“穷孩子，浑小子或没有出息的男人”的意思。

The City Hall is more often a dead end than a stepping-stone for improving one’s political careers. 在市政大厅里工作，对于一个需要政治前途的人来说，与其说是一块垫脚石，还不如说是一个死胡同。

zausiu’s blog: http://ykyi.net

再介绍一下dead in the water的意思。

Dead in the water 出自航海用语，原来是指在航行中船中发生故障而无法启动。失去动力的船 只只能随波逐流，就像死鱼漂浮在水面上。此语可以形容经济发展的停滞不前或不景气(stagnation)。比如:

The Swiss Bank’s plan to launder money skimmed from casinos was dead in the water. 瑞士银行企图为赌场得来的钱洗钱的计划泡了汤。

Dead Sea Scrools是什么意思呢？

Dead Sea Scrolls 也称Qumran Scrolls，直译为”死海古卷”，其常用的比喻意思是”千古之谜”。考古学家在西南亚希比特库姆兰等地的旷野洞察和犹太遗址中发现古代文献的与低沙草纸。据考证，这些古卷系犹太教艾逊尼派的藏书。但有部分古卷学者们仍然未能破解。于是人们常用死海古卷来表示人类文化历史上的谜团或至今尚未破译的秘密。

Dead-cat bounce是什么意思呢?

Dead-cat bounce是金融证券术语，比喻短暂的经济复苏，也可以比喻股票大幅下挫后的短线反弹。因为弹出的死猫没有活力，此语形象地描述了经济衰退和股票下跌产生的短暂抬头现象。

The dead-cat bounce has a domino effect on suppliers, factories, wholesalers and finally the consumers. 死猫反弹所产生的多米诺效应影响到供应商，工厂和批发商，最后还影响到消费者。

zausiu’s blog: http://ykyi.net

# in/out someone’s hair (不)给添乱，烦扰。
She was constantly in my hair, overseeing everything I did.

# Flip-flop 突然改变立场
Bree, could this flip-flop have something to do with the fact that Danielle is dating Mattew?

# Fresh as paint 容光焕发
You have been as fresh as paint over the last six months.
容易与fresh paint(油漆未干混淆)

# put an end to something

# The last straw 最后一根稻草

# Dead meat
If u keep slamming the door like this, u’re dead meat.

# There are rats in the basement that are hangingthemselves,couldn’t get any worse.

# Take it outside 出去单挑
Ross: Let’s, let’s take this outside? Who talks like that?
Big Bully: The guy that’s about to kick your ass talks like that.

# It never hurt to have a friend at court.
朝中有人好办事。

# Word is out all over town that … …已经满城风雨，全城尽知。
Word is out all over town that Bush may have affair with her.

# No one would say a word. 没人会反对。

# Church mouse
I’m well aware of your church mouse status.

# As busy as a bee; as true as a steel; as blind as a bat; as easy as a pie;
as graceful as a swan; as cool as a cucumber; as tamed as a hare; as mild as a dove; as bold as brass; as strong as a horse;

# bum out 气恼，抑郁
This blows my mind and i’m extremely bummed out. 中学生用语 and i’m extremely bummed out. 中学生用语

# what is done cannot be undone. 木已成舟。

# The goose is cooked 错误已造成.

# To err is man 人非圣贤，孰能无过。

# done deal 既成事实
It seems that it is a done deal already, rather than on conditional terms.
目前两方似乎已就此事达成协议，而不是在商议之中。

# nip in the bud 防患于未然，消灭于萌芽状态。

# path up 本意为修补，平息，拼揍。现在表示平息争吵，与break up意思相反。
Are you going to patch things up? 也可说成can’t u make up? make up还有个意思是化妆。

# put up with differences and peace will prevail.

# smoke the peace pipe 讲和
为什么smoke the peace pipe 是讲和的意思呢。因为以前北美的印第安人讲和的意思就在一起抽烟。
其它表示和好，讲和的短语还有。bury the hatchet(短柄小斧); hold out the olive branch伸出橄榄枝；cease hostilites 结束敌对；patch up a quarrel; forgive and forget; let bygones be bygones; beat swords into plowshares;

# The coast is clear. 平安无事了。
为什么The coast is clear表示平安无事呢？据说来自于海盗和偷渡客用语，你明白了吧！

# hit rock bottom 糟糕透顶
The economy has hit rock bottom.

# An octopus in Germany called Paul who has shot to stardom for his spot-on world cup predictions.

# Pull their hair out in frustration. 抓破头皮的郁闷呀。

# a yes-man 应声虫

# cut the apron string 剪断围裙带，摆脱依赖。
Hey, we all gotta cut the apron strings at some point.
到了这个份上，我们每个人都会剪断围裙带子的。
中文中的妻管严在英文里也是说成be tied to the apron strings of one’s wife.
Are you tied to the apron strings of your wife?

# An erect penis doesn’t have a conscious. 哈哈哈.译成色令智昏.
Even limp ones aren’t all that ethical. 不色智也昏.

# And then he got his zen look on his face and said. 一副参禅高僧样，意为要教训人。

# catch on (to something) 意识到，发觉，明白。
Jack’s always the last to catch on my joke.
You catch on fast. 聪明，一说就懂！

# dog days 三伏天

# put on weight 体重增加

# water under the bridge. 往事如烟。 绝望的主妇第二季第十二集中，Detective应约到饭店与Bree共进晚餐。席间，侦探先生委婉地为自己先前的行为道歉,Bree一笑而过，说道“That is all water under the bridge now”于是前嫌尽弃。