现代英语口语表示法500例（15）

· be in full swing达到高潮，全面展开
China has opened its door to the outside world for twenty years. Reforms in every walks of life are in full swing.

· be asleep at the switch玩忽职守
The goal-keeper was asleep at the switch and let the rival team goal at the last minute.

· suit...to a T对……再适合不过了
This new job suits me to a T.

· turn the tables扭转局势
Don"t worry, your husband knows how to turn the tables and crack down on those guys.

· drink someone under the table把某人灌醉
He has a hollow leg. He can drink all of us here under the table.

· keep tabs on something/someone掌握情况,密切关注

He has subscribed¹ ten newspapers in order to keep tabs on the new developments in market management.

· keep someone down a notch²挫某人的傲气

The monitor likes to order us around. He needs to be kept down a notch.

286——300

· Take it out on someone拿别人出气
The boy was reprimanded by his father. He took it out on his ball.

· An old wives’ tale无稽之谈
Do you think the existence of life on Mars³ is an old wives’tale?

· Be the talk of the town满城风雨
The death of the Princess Diana has been the talk of the town.

· Leave a bad taste in someone’s mouth给人留下坏印象
Once I went to a famous university. But the untidy campus left a bad taste in my mouth.

· Crocodile tears假惺惺的眼泪
Some of my business partners came to comfort me when I lost almost everything in one bad deal.

· Lose one’s temper发脾气
You don’t have to lose your temper about trifle⁴ things.

· Through thick and thin有甘也有苦
The couple have gone through thick and thin for many years.

· Have another think coming大错特错
If you think I’m easily taken in, you are having another think coming.

· Thin-skinned神经过敏
She is so thin-skinned that, whenever we talk about something in a low voice, she will think we are referring to her.

· Jump down someone’s throat严厉训斥某人
The boy saved a girl from the river and went back home. Seeing him all through, his mother jumped down his throat.

· Stick out like a sore thumb特别扎眼
I hate my big nose. It sticks out like a sore thumb.

· Be all thumbs笨手笨脚
I just learned to type. I was all thumbs.

· Turn thumbs down on…不赞成……，反对……
The boss turned thumbs down on the new on promotion⁵ scheme.

· Twiddle one’s thumbs无所事事
Why do we have to work overtime⁶ while people in PR department are twiddling their thumbs?

· Beat someone’s time with someone勾引别人的女朋友
He is strange. He doesn"t go steady with any girl, but enjoys beating others’ time with their girlfriend.