English Idioms.doc

Chapter Four English Idioms4.1 IntroductionIdioms, broadly defined, which include allusions, maxims, metaphorical phrases, slang, colloquialisms, Siamese twins and proverbs sayings, etc., are inalienable important component of languages. They are the quintessence in the languages, human crystallization of intelligence to spread concise languages. They are certain regular statements (expressions) that take shapes in the course of using with special meanings which are different from the meanings of the individual words that form them. So they are often hard to understand and hard to use. Their proper use in a language marks ones command of the language. Idioms also contain abundant cultural and historical information, which reflects national economic life and prospects national culture psychology, modes of thinking. So rendering idioms of one language into another is always complex.4.2 OriginIdioms are long standing and well established. They are mainly from six aspects: (1) from folks (Dont put all ones eggs in one basket.); (2) from works, such as the Bible (to wash ones hands of, Judas kiss), Shakespeares works (Coward die many times before their death. Hamlet, paint the lily, green-eyed monster), Arabian Nights Entertainments (open sesame) and other famous works; (3) from Aesops Fables (lions share, sour grapes, to bell the cat, to kill the goose to get the eggs. God help those who help themselves); (4) from mythology or legend (Promethean fire, Pandoras box, the touch of Midas, an apple of discord, Achilles heel); (5) from historical events (the fifth column, meet ones Waterloo); and even (6) from other countries (Love me, love my dog. No one can call back yesterday.), etc.1. Strike while the iron is hot. 趁热打铁2. Many hands make light work. 人多好办事3. Haste makes waste. More haste, less speed. 欲速则不达4. Out of sight, out of mind. 眼不见，心不烦5. Birds of a feather flock together. 物以类聚，人以群分6. Look before you leap. 三思而后行7. Two heads are better than one. 一人不及两人智8. To carry coals to Newcastle 运煤到纽卡索 多此一举9. Jack of all trades and master of none 杂而不精的人 Jack of all trades10. Know something of everything and everything of something. 专一长而通百艺 一专多能11. If you run after two hares, you will catch neither. 脚踏两头船，必定落空 To run after two hares 12. Its no use crying over spilt milk 作无益的后悔 To cry over spilt milk13. When the cats away, the mice will play. 猫儿不在，鼠儿成精 When the cats away 14. A stitch in time saves nine. 及时缝一针，可以省掉九针 The stitch in time15. Where theres smoke, theres fire. 无风不起浪 There is no smoke without fire.16. Where theres will theres a way. 有志者事竟成17. Give a person a dose of his own medicine. 以其人之道还治其人之身18. All good things must come to an end. 天下没有不散的宴席19. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. 越是不见越想见20. An apple a day keeps the doctor away. 常吃苹果少得病21. You cant have your cake and eat it too. 两者不可兼得22. Let sleeping dogs lie. 莫惹事非23. You cant teach an old dog new tricks. 年过花甲不堪教24. It took two to make a quarrel. 一个巴掌拍不响25. A miss is as good as a mile.错一点点和错一英里都是错/错无大小，其错一也 26. Gilding the lily 画蛇添足27. Life begins at forty. 人到四十五，正如出山虎28. Better late than never 迟做比不做好29. Whats done cannot be undone. Whats done is done. 覆水难收30. Make hay while the sun shines. 太阳好，晒稻草31. A soft answer turns away wrath. 婉言释怒32. Spare the rod and spoil the child. 舍不得棍子，惯坏了孩子33. Cowards die many times before their death. 懦夫一生死多回34. Dont count your chickens before they are hatched.鸡蛋未孵出，先别数小鸡35. Love me, love my dog. 爱屋及乌 爱吾及犬36. Dead dogs bite not. 死狗不咬人37. No one can call back yesterday. 昨日之日不可追38. He who has not tasted bitter knows not what sweet is. 未尝苦味，不知甘甜39. Life is short and time is swift. 生命短暂，光阴飞逝40. Life is long if it is full. 生活充实，生命就长41. All is not gold that glitters (glisters) 闪光的东西不一定都是金子.42. A tree is known by its fruit. 见果知树/树因果得名43. History repeats itself. 历史常常重演44. The truth is always green 真理之树常青45. The truth will out. 真相终将大白46. All roads lead to Rome. 条条道路通罗马47. Rome wasnt built in a day. 罗马不是一天建成的48. As you sow, so shall you reap. 种瓜得瓜，种豆得豆49. Dont put the cart before the horse. 不要本末倒置50. Every dog has his (its) day. 凡人皆有得意之日51. Necessity is the mother of invention. 需要乃发明之母52. He laughs best who laughs last. 最后笑的, 笑得最好53. Nothing in the world is difficult for one who sets his mind to it.世上无难事，只怕有心人54. Lost time is never found again. 光阴一去不复返55. Now for it! 现在就干56. Now or never! 机不可失，失不再来57. Time and tide wait for no man. 岁月不待人58. There is no time like the present. 大好时机在眼前59. Time cures all things. 时间能治愈一切60. Time flies 光阴似箭61. Better to ask the way than go astray. 问路总比迷路好62. Better to do well than to say well. 说得好听不如干得出色63. Facts speak louder than words. 事实胜于雄辩Actions speak louder than words 64. Few words and many deeds. 少说多干65. Self-help is the best help. 自助者天助God helps those who help themselves.66. Like father, like son. 有其父，必有其子67. Like teacher, like pupil. 有其师，必有其徒68. One mans meat is another mans poison. 一人之肉食可为他人之毒物69. Like will draw like. 只有志同道合的人才适宜在一起Great minds think alike. 英雄所见略同70. Homer sometimes nods. 智者千虑，必有一失71. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush (wood). 一鸟在手抵得上二鸟在林72. If winter comes, can spring be far behind? 冬天来了，春天还会远吗？73. Tomorrow is another day. Tomorrow is a new day. 明天又是新的一天74. Dont cross the bridge before (until) you come to it.Dont cross the bridge till you get to it.Dont cross your bridge before you come (get) to it.人未到桥头，莫为过桥愁75. A little learning is a dangerous thing. 一知半解是件危险的事情A little knowledge is dangerous.76. He that travels far knows much. 阅历丰富者对生活体验深77. Knowledge is power. 知识就是力量78. Live and learn. 活到老，学到老79. One is never too old to learn. It is never too late to learn. 志学不嫌年高80. There is no end to learning. 学无止境81. No news, good news. No news is good news. 没有消息就是好消息82. Seeing is believingTo see is to believe. 百闻不如一见83. A good beginning is half done.A good beginning is half the battle.The first step is as good as half over.Well begun is half done (ended). 良好的开端等于成功了一半84. A thousand mile trip begins with one stepThe longest journey starts with a single step. 千里之行，始于足下85. The first step is the only difficulty. 万事唯有天头难86. Diligence is the mother of good luck (fortune). 勤奋为幸运之母87. Diligence is the mother (parent) of success. 勤奋为成功之母88. The early bird catches (gets) the worm. 早飞的鸟儿捉到虫89. A good anvil does not fear hammer. 好砧不怕锤击90. Dont teach your grandmother to suck eggs. 不要教老祖母嘬鸡蛋To teach a fish how to swim 班门弄斧91. Nothing venture, nothing have (gain, win).Nothing ventured, nothing gained .没有风险就没有收获92. A good medicine tastes bitter. 良药苦口93. You can take a horse to the water, but you cannot make him drink. 你可牵马到水边，令马饮水却很难94. One cant please everybody. 一人难满众人意95. Who will bell the cat? 谁去给猫系铃96. The grapes are sour. 吃不到葡萄，就说葡萄酸97. Let bygones be bygones. 过去的事让它过去吧98. Nature will out. 本性难移99. Unity is strength. 团结就是力量100. Diamond cut diamond. 宝石遇到金刚钻 棋逢对手101. Tit for tat 针锋相对 以牙还牙Eye for eye tooth for tooth 以眼还眼 以牙还牙102. One tree does not make a forest. 独木不成林103. Tall trees catch much wind. 树大招风104. To fight to the last man 战斗到最后一个人105. To break the record 打破记录106. Under ones nose 有看到就在自己身边的东西，当的面，在面前107. Armed to the teeth 武装到牙齿108. Packed like sardines 挤得象罐头沙丁鱼109. Sour grapes 酸葡萄110. A die-hard 死硬派111. A gentlemans agreement 君子协定112. An olive branch 橄榄树枝113. The Trojan horse 特洛伊木马114. The heel of Achilles 阿基里斯的脚踵115. The sword of Damocles 悬挂在达摩克里斯头顶上的剑116. The open-door policy 门户开放政策117. The most-favored-nation clause 最惠国条款118. The position-of-strength policy 实力地位政策119. Shuttle diplomacy 穿梭外交120. The cold war 冷战121. The hot war 热战122. A cat has nine lives 猫有九命123. Blood is thicker than water 血浓于水124. Barking dogs do not bite 吠犬不咬人125. A rolling stone gathers no moss 滚石不生苔126. To praise to the skies 捧上天去127. To fish in troubled waters 混水摸鱼128. To add fuel to the fire 火上加油129. To be on thin ice 如履薄冰130. Walls have ears 隔墙有耳131. A drop in the ocean 沧海一粟132. To laugh off ones head 笑掉牙齿133. To shed crocodile tears 猫哭老鼠134. To be out at elbows 捉襟见肘135. To spend money like water 挥金如土136. At sixes and sevens 乱七八糟 七颠八倒137. Six of one and half a dozen of the other 半斤八两138. Tweedledee and tweedledum 半斤八两139. One boy is a boy, two boys half a boy, three boys no boy140. A wet blanket 一个令人扫兴的人141. Like a fish out of water 不自在142. Cats-paws 上了人家的当143. To break the ice 打破沉默144. Born with a silver spoon in ones mouth 生长在富贵之家145. The die is cast 事已决定 木已成舟146. To take French leave 不告而别147. A stony heart 铁石心肠148. At ones fingertips 了如指掌149. To have a hand like a foot 笨手笨脚150. As mute as a fish 噤若寒蝉151. To return good for evil 以德报怨152. To shut ones eyes against 视而不见153. To talk black into white 颠倒黑白154. To turn a deaf ear to 充耳不闻155. Practice makes perfect 熟能生巧156. To face the music 临危不惧157. Plain sailing 一帆风顺158. To be dead drunk 烂醉如泥159. Laugh and grow fat 心宽体胖160. To fly into a rage 勃然大怒161. To look for a needle in a haystack 海底捞针162. A leap in the dark 轻举妄动163. To show ones colours 原形毕露164. To make a noise in the world 名噪一时165. To pick holes in 吹毛求疵166. To mind ones Ps and Qs pint（品脱）， quart（夸脱）谨言慎行167. To be at the end of ones rope 山穷水尽168. To flog a dead horse 徒劳无益169. To turn over a new leaf 改过自新170. To put all ones eggs in one basket 孤注一掷171. as old as the hills 天长地久 172. as timid as a hare 胆小如鼠173.