cold fish可不是冷冰冰的鱼,它用来形容态度冷冰冰的人;冷漠的人。今天来学习和fish相关的习语。
1. be a big fish in a small pond
英语释义:to have a lot of influence only over a small area
它的字面意思就是是小池中的大鱼,也就是说仅在小范围内很有影响。
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。
2. be like a fish out of water
英语释义:to feel awkward because you are in a situation that you have not experienced before or because you are very different from the people around you
你想想鱼离开了水意味着什么呢?这个习语就用来比喻因处于新的环境而感到不适。
She feels like a fish out of water among the celebrities.
在那些达官贵人中,她感到十分不自在。
I felt like a fish out of water at the party because I knew no one.
在这个聚会上我感到浑身不自在,因为我一个人也不认识。
3. be neither fish nor fowl
英语释义:like one thing in some ways and like another thing in other ways
fish是鱼,fowl指家禽,尤指鸭,鹅,火鸡之类的,既不是鱼又不是家禽,它的意思就是不伦不类。
From the perspective of practicability, the facilities are neither fish nor fowl.
从实用的角度看,这样的设备有些不伦不类。
4. have bigger/other fish to fry
英语释义:to have something more important to do
fry是“油煎;油炸”的意思,但是“炸大鱼”跟烹饪做饭倒没什么关系,它的意思是有更重要的事情要做。
I haven't time to play with the children; I have other fish to fry.
我没空和孩子们玩,我还有要事要做。
5. there are plenty more fish in the sea
别人分手你给予安慰的时候就可以用到这个习语。当你跟别人说海里的鱼有的是,也就是在劝他or她还有很多合适的人。
用我们熟悉的话说就是,“天涯何处无芳草”。
Don't cry over Pierre - there are plenty more fish in the sea!
别为皮埃尔哭了,天下的好男人多的是!
6. drink like a fish
英语释义:to drink too much alcohol
drink不仅仅是“喝,饮”,还有“喝酒,嗜酒,酗酒”的意思。
所以drink like a fish的意思不是像鱼一样喝水,人家的意思是喝酒 ,而且还是喝多了!
Jaff really drank like a fish at the party on Saturday.
Jaff在周六的party上喝得太多了。
7. a fishing expedition
英语释义:an attempt to discover the facts about something by collecting a lot of information, often secretly
fish作动词不仅仅是钓鱼,也形容在困难的情况下寻找。expedition是远征;探险队,这个习语指的是为了调查揭示真相,秘密地收罗信息、资料。
The investigators' request for the company's accounts is simply a fishing expedition - they have no real evidence of wrongdoing.
调查员要求查公司的账只是一个收集信息的手段——他们没有违规操作的真实证据。
8. fish in troubled waters
英语释义:to try to win an advantage from a difficult situation or from someone else's problems
troubled waters翻译为混乱状态;波涛汹涌的水,在这样的水里钓鱼,不就是浑水摸鱼吗?
They were clearly seeking to fish in troubled waters.
显然他们意图混水摸鱼。
9. fish or cut bait
英语释义:used to tell someone to take action or to stop saying that they will
这个词语的意思是要么全力以赴,要么索性放弃;下定决心就别再动摇。
He's been promising voters that he'll support gun control, now it's time to fish or cut bait.
他一直向选民许诺他会支持枪支管制,现在是下定决心的时候了。