a big fish in a small pond 小地方的大人物
例句：In her hometown, she was a big fish in a small pond，but after she moved to New York, she was just only one among many millions.
在她家乡，她很了不起。可是搬到纽约后，她就不过是芸芸众生之一了。
a stone's throw 一箭之遥
例句： He lives only a stone's throw from here.
他住的地方离这儿只有一箭之遥。
all gone 希望等的"消逝"， 物品等的"丢失"。
例句：My goodness! My bag is all gone.
天呀！我的包不见了。
Our hopes were all gone.
我们的希望成泡影了。
all for it 对别人的看法或意见"完全同意"，"完全赞成"
例句： Go ahead with your plan. I'm all for it.
进行你的计划吧， 我完全赞成。
all in all 常用的片语，表示"总的来说"，"总而言之"，
例句： He has his faults, but all in all, he is a good guy.
as clear as mud 不清晰，混乱
例句：Your explanation is as clear as mud.
你的解释一点都不清晰。
as soft as down 柔软如绒毛
例句：I lay fast asleep on the couch, which was as soft as down, and did not wake until late in the morning.
我在软如绒毛般的长沙发椅上睡着了，一直睡到早晨很晚才醒来。
at full blast 全速地；大规模地
例句：When we visited the place, work on the construction site was at full blast and all the workers seemed to be working very hard.
当我们去参观时，建筑工地的工作已经全面展开，而且所有的人都在忙碌着。
B
be above board 光明正大的
be crazy about 爱的发狂
例句： I am really crazy about Michael Jackson's rock'n'roll.
我对麦克杰克逊的摇滚爱的发狂。
be for the birds 荒唐可笑的；毫无价值的
例句：Their opinions on art are simply for the birds.
他们对艺术的见解真是荒唐可笑。
beat it 叫人"走开"的口语，和"Be off!差不多，不过比后者更流行。
例句：He kept on bothering me, so I told him to beat it.
他不停地烦我，因此我叫他走开。
beat ones brains (out) 指做事困难，"伤透了脑筋"
例句：I beat my brains (out) to get a job.
为了找寻工作，我伤透了脑筋。
beat sb to the draw 抢先某人行动
例句： Mary wanted to buy that painting by Picasso, but another millionaire beat her to the draw.
玛丽想买毕加索的那幅画，不过另一个百万富翁捷足先登了。
beat someone by miles 远强于某人
例句：When it comes to fishing, I beat him by miles.
讲到钓鱼，我比他棒得多。
beef 口语上常用来指"抱怨"或"发牢骚"；作动词时后面跟about.
例句：Tell me what's your beef?
你抱怨什么？
before you know it 口语为"很快"。
例句：I come back before you know it.
我很快就会回来。
behave yourself 劝人要有礼貌和行为检点，意思相同的口语还有"Watch you manner.""Watch your P's and Q's".和"Don't get fresh."
例句：Please behave yourself before the guests.
在宾客之前你检点一些。
behind bars 坐牢
例句：The judge will put him behind bars for at least two years. 法官最低限度也会判他坐两年牢。
behind the scenes（behind the curtain） 幕后
例句：He is the man behind the scenes.
他是幕后人物。
between ourselves 秘密地说
例句： Between ourselves, there are no secrets.
咱们私下说说，没什么秘密。
beyond the seas 在国外，在海外
例句： He had a good time when he was beyond the seas.
他在国外时曾过得很快活。
butt in 插手，介入
例句： Pardon me for butting in on your conversation, but this is important.
请原谅我打断了你们的谈话，不过这件事非常重要。
by and large 大体上，总的看来
例句： I cannot totally take your point，but by and large I think yours is reasonable.
我不能完全同意你的观点，但大体上你的观点是有道理的。
C
call the shots 做决断
例句： To be a leader, you should know how to call the shots.
作为领导，你应该知道怎么做决断。
card up one's sleeve 锦囊妙计
例句：Bill always has a card up one's sleeve, so whenever faced up with a puzzle, he could find a way.
比尔总有锦囊妙计，所以任何时候遇到难题，他总能找到方法解决。
clown around 胡闹
例句： That boy is seldom serious about anything. He's always clowning around.
这个男孩对任何事情都不认真，他总是胡闹。
cook up 虚构
例句：I have to cook up an excuse for being late for class.
我必须为上课迟到编个借口。
crocodile tears 鳄鱼的眼泪，假慈悲
例句： Don't shed crocodile tears over his misfortune, I
know you hate him.
不要假惺惺的为他的厄运假慈悲了， 我知道你恨他。
cry over spilled milk 为打翻的牛奶流泪, 做无益的后悔
例句： I know that you have lost your purse, but since it had happened, let it go, please don't cry over spilled milk.
我知道你丢了钱夹，不过既然这件事已经发生了，就让它去，不要做无益的后悔。
D
down and out 穷困潦倒，孤苦无助
例句： People should lend him a helpful hand；he's really down and out.
人们应该助他一臂之力，他已经穷困潦倒了。
E
eat like a bird 胃口小，吃的少
例句： Lily is very slim bacause she eats like a bird.
百合十分苗条，因为她吃的少。
F
far and away 毋庸置疑
例句： Tom is far and away the best lecturer in our department.
毋庸置疑，这是你们系最好的演讲者。
fall behind 落后
例句： Students who are falling behind their peers at middle school may not necessarily lag behind them at college.
在中学落后于同班同学的学生到了大学就不一定比其他同学差。
for good 永远
例句： smoke less everyday, then you might be able to quit smoking for good.
每天少吸烟一点， 你就可能会永远戒掉烟。
from the bottom of one's heart 内心深处
例句： Though he is being rude at times, he respects you from the bottom of his heart.
虽然他有时对你有些不礼貌，但在内心深处他还是尊敬你的。
G
get fired 炒鱿鱼
例句： The anchorman of the BBC network's evening news got fired.
我听说CBC电视网的晚间新闻主播被炒鱿鱼。
get it (all) together 不慌不忙；沉着冷静
例句：I hope he gets it all together soon. His life is a mess.
我希望他尽快地安定下来。他的生活一团糟。
get one's goat 使人发怒或厌恶
例句： It really got Mr. Brown's goat when he had to wait two hours to get his plane tickets.
不得不等上两个小时才拿到飞机票实在是让布朗先生生气。
get out of the bed on the wrong side 指平时脾气好的人突然变得很暴躁，难以相处
例句：What's the matter with you today? Have you got out of the bed on the wrong side.
你今天怎么啦？为什么乱发脾气？
give an ear to 听一听
例句： The owner of the factory gave an ear to the complaints
of the workers.
工厂老板倾听了工人们的抱怨。
grasp at a straw 抓救命稻草
例句： The criminal tried to grasp at a straw by feigning mental disorder.
罪犯装疯，企图抓住一根救命稻草。
guts 勇气
美国人习惯用的口语，英国人则多用courage。
H
hang in the balance 未见分晓
例句： After the surgery, the patient became very sick and her life hung in the balance for nearly a week.
手术后，那个病人非常虚弱，将近一个星期他的生命在垂危中。
hang-up （情感上的）障碍, 大难题
例句： Mary has a real hang-up about cats and doesn't like to be in the same room with them.
玛丽对猫有一种摆脱不掉的厌烦，因此不愿意和猫在同一个房间。
high and dry 被抛弃的，处于痛苦之中的
例句： George took all the money away and left his companions high and dry，with nothing to buy the tickets.
乔治带走了所有的钱，把他的同事抛弃了，连买车票的钱也没有。
high and low 到处
例句： I looked high and low for my pen，but I couldn't find it anywhere.
我到处找我的钢笔，但我怎么也找不到它。
hit upon 偶然想出
例句： He crouched there for a long time before he hit upon a plan to defeat his antagonist.
他蹲在那里很长一段时间后，突然想出了一个挫败他对手的计划。
hit parade 流行歌曲排名
例句：Tom was overjoyed when his new song was named on the hit parade
on the local radio station.
当汤姆得知他的新歌被列入当地电台的流行歌曲榜时，他欣喜万分。
I
in a bind 窘迫
例句： when he asked me to marry him, I felt in a bind.
当他向我求婚时， 我感到很窘迫。
in the dog house 窘迫，陷入困境
例句： The whole team was in the doghouse because they lost the game.
由于输掉了比赛，整队都陷入困境。
in luck 幸运
例句： Mary dropped her glasses and they did not break, so she was in luck.
玛丽的眼镜掉在地上而没有摔坏，所以她是幸运的。
ins and outs 错综复杂事物的因果
例句： After careful investigation, he got to know the ins and outs of the accident.
经过仔细的调查，他终于弄清了事件的前因后果。
It's in God's hands 听天由命
例句： It's in God's hands and we have prepared for the worst.
听天由命吧， 我们已经做最坏的准备了。
J
jump out of one's skin 欣喜若狂，大吃一惊
例句：when i knew i just being hired,i jumped out of my skin.
当我被录用时，我简单欣喜若狂。
K
know one's beans 熟悉（精通）自己的业务
例句：Though she is very clumsy at doing housework, she knows her beans in orking.
虽然她在做家务方面笨手笨脚的，在工作方面却很精通。
L
Lay stress on / upon 着重，重视
例句： In his speech Mr. Brown laid stress on the sagacity of cats.
布朗先生在他的讲座里强调了猫的灵性。
let sleeping dogs lie 莫惹是非
例句： Don't tell the teacher what you have done. Let
sleeping dogs lie.
不要告诉老师你做了什么。莫惹是非。
lose one's temper 发脾气
例句： he lost his temper when he broke the key in the lock.
他把钥匙弄断在锁里了，就发起了脾气。
M
make ends meet 使收支平衡
例句： I have to take two part-time jobs at the same time to make ends meet.
为了收支平衡， 我不得不同时作两份兼职。
make use of 使用，利用
例句： He will make use of all the odds and ends.
他会利用所有这一切零碎东西。
make a case for 提出充分的理由
例句：You need to make a case for your suggestions before you can get them pproved.
在你的建议得到批准之前，你必须提出充分的理由。
monkey business 胡闹
例句： he told the boys to quit their monkey business, or he
would call a teacher.
他告诉那些男孩子不要再胡闹，不然他就叫老师。
N
never say die 别灰心，别气馁
例句： Never say die. Try again and you'll probably succeed.
别灰心，再试一次，你会成功的。
O
on and off 间断地
例句： It rained on and off all day long。
今天断断续续地下着小雨。
on the up and up 坦率，诚实
例句：How can we know whether a person is on the up and up by his appearance!
从一个人的外表我们怎么能知道他是坦率的呢！
out and about 户外活动
例句： Mr Smith recovers quickly，and he'll be out and about very soon.
史密斯先生复原得很好，很快他就能到户外活动了。
out and out 完全地，彻底地
例句：What I said is an out and out truth.
我说的全都是事实。
out of sorts 发脾气的
例句： Don't talk to him, he is out of sorts.
别跟他说话，他在发脾气。
out of temper 发怒的，发脾气
例句： The children were frightened to find him out of temper.
孩子们一见他发脾气，都吓坏了。
over and over 多次地，重复地
例句：The foreigner repeated what he said over and over，but I still couldn't understand him.
外国朋友一遍一遍地重复，但我仍然没有听懂他说什么。
P
play it by ear 随机应变
例句：Facing his enemy, he had to play it by ear.
面对敌人，他只有随机应变了。
pull one's leg 愚弄
例句： If you remain stuck-up, they will often try to pull your leg.
假如你还是目中无人的话，他们会常常想愚弄你的。
put away 把…收起来
例句： Put away the heavy clothes. The weather is becoming much warmer.
把厚衣服收起来吧， 天气越来越暖和了。
Q
R
rack one's brain 绞尽脑汁，努力思索
例句：Mr. Brown racked his brain trying to remember where he left the wallet.
布朗先生拼命思索，想记起他把钱包放在什么地方了。
rain cats and dogs 倾盆大雨
例句：It's raining cats and dogs, so we can't go out to play right now.
外面正下着倾盆大雨，所以现在我们不能出去玩儿。
Rob Peter to pay Paul 借东还西；拆东墙补西墙
例句：Trying to study a lesson for one class during another class is like
robbing Peter to pay Paul.
在一节课中读另一节课的功课等于是拆东墙补西墙。
S
set the world on fire 做显赫的事情
例句： People do not count him as a hero for he has not set the world on fire.
人们并不把他看作民族英雄，因为他并未做出惊天动地的事情。
silly as a goose 像鹅一样蠢
例句：Since he is as silly as a goose, he will not get a promotion.
既然他如此的不开窍，他肯定得不到提升的。
slip of the tongue 说溜了嘴
例句： The mayor really made a slip of the tongue!
市长可真是说溜了嘴了！
so long as 只要
例句： Any man will be equal to the task, so long as he is careful.
任何人都会胜任这个工作，只要他细心。
stand one's ground 坚持己见；坚守阵地
例句：
John's friends said he was mistaken, but he stood his ground.
约翰的朋友都说他错了，可是他仍然坚持己见。
sweep something under the carpet 掩盖某事；无视某事
例句： I would put it above the table instead of shoving my objection under the carpet.
我愿意把我的反对意见摆在桌面上来而不愿意把它压在心里。
T
take a chance 冒险
例句： e will take a chance on the weather and have the party outdoors.
我们将冒天气的险在室外聚会。
through and through 完全地，充分地
例句：You can trust him，for he's honest through and through.
你可以信任他，他是真正诚实的。
turn the cold shoulder on 冷淡
例句：He will not turn the cold shoulder on me when I am in trouble.
他不会在我困难时疏远我。
the apple of one's eye 某人的掌上明珠
例句：Mary, as the youngest daughter, is the apple of her parents' eye.
作为家中最小的孩子，玛丽是她父母的掌上明珠。
U
up and about 病愈
例句： I'm much better now，I've been up and about for almost a week.
我现在感觉好多了，我已经病愈差不多一个星期了。
ups and downs 盛衰，浮沉
例句： Life is hard．There are a lot of ups and downs in one's life.
生活是艰辛的，生活中充满了大多的盛衰的浮沉。
V
W
waste one's breath 白费唇舌
例句： it's no use talking to him, you'll only waste your breath.
和他谈话没有一点用处，你只是在白费唇舌。
X
Y
You can't beat it. 这是第一流的，比不上的。
You can't beat me. 表示自己了不起。
例句：When it comes to playing football, you can't beat Billy.
论踢足球，没有人比得上比利。