雅思考试写作素材：英语习语

　　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 because 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。

　　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。

　　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。

　　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

　　K

　　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。

　　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

　　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

　　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

　　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。

　　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。

　　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。

　　1. Abandon oneself to something 　 - allow onself to be completely controlled by something, especially passions or impulses. 　 - 完全屈服于……；陷入…… 　 Example: Tom tried and tried but failed again and again. Finally, he abandoned himself to despair.

　　2. Abase oneself 　 - make oneself humble. 　 - 降低自己的身分 　 Example: In ancient times, people of low social status often abased themselves in the presence of an influential or powerful person.

　　3. Abide by something 　 - observe or follow something. 　 - 遵守某事 　 Example: When you play a game, you must abide by the rules and regulations concerned.

　　4. Back a/the wrong horse 　 - put one's faith in someone who later loses or something which fails. 　 - 下错了赌注；支持输家 　 Example: The manager backed a wrong horse by giving the much-coveted job to Jack, who turned out to have a criminal record.

　　5. Back away (from doing something) 　 - move away (from doing something) because of dislike or fear. 　 - 因害怕或厌恶而后退 　 Examples: 1. The cat backed away as the stranger raised his hand to hit it. 2. In the face of strong opposition, the government has backed away from increasing taxes.

　　6. Call forth/out something 　 - cause something to be seen or used. 　 - 使某事物出现；引出某事物 　 Examples: 1. Lily's outward appearance was so attractive that it called forth admiration from every man in the office. 2. Difficulties in life may call out a person's good qualities not easily seen in good life.

　　7. Call in someone/something 　 - ask someone to come. 　 - 请某人来 　 Example: Please call in my family doctor. 　 - request the return of something. 　 - 下令收回某物 　 Examples: 1. The banks have called in all the old one-dollar notes. 2. A Japanese car maker has called in some cars with engine faults.

　　8. Dab hand at (doing) something, a 　 - clever at (doing) something. 　 - (做)某事的能手 　 Example: As Susan is a dab hand at interior design, let her decorate the new apartment for you.

　　9. Dabble in something 　 - play with water by moving one's hands and feet about. 　 - 涉水 　 Example: The children enjoyed dabbling in the river water after the rain. 　 - do things in a half-serious manner. 　 - 涉猎；浅尝辄止 　 Example: Sean does not like stamp-collection but only dabbles in it at his leisure.

　　10. Had better - it would be wise to. 　- 最好 Example: You had better go home before rain comes.

　　11. Haggle over/about something 　 - argue in an attempt to fix a price on something. 　 - 讨价还价 　 Examples: 1.Mrs Li haggled with the storekeeper over the goods she was buying. 2. I seldom haggled about the food price when I found it reasonable.