1.This sort of music is quite to my taste.
这种音乐很符合我的口味。
汉语“合口味”与英语的to one's taste几乎形似意合。此语一般作表语。
如:Try this song. It's beautiful. This sort of music is quite to my taste.
听听看这首歌。很好听。这种音乐很符合我的口味。
2.He's for the birds.
他特别无聊。
“无聊”可以用短语be for the birds来表达。此语常用作表语,意指“毫无意义”以及“荒唐可笑”和“无聊”。
如:I can't understand why you should like to talk with Jack.He's for the birds.
我不明白你怎么愿意跟杰克说话还。他特别无聊。
3.His handwriting is plain one for the books.
他的字写得漂亮极了。
汉语中“棒极了”、“漂亮极了”以及“糟糕透了”、“丑极了”之类表示“到了极点”的语气均可用短语one for the books来表达。其字面意思是“可以写进书里面去”,相当于汉语口语中“创纪录了”的含义。
如:Yeah, but he wrote me a letter. His handwriting is plain one for the books.
但是他写了封信给我,他的字写得漂亮极了。
4.Nothing to it.
容易极了!
Nothing to it一般用于回答“你干得了吗?”、“你行吗?”等问题。
如:Nothing to it, of course.
当然,容易极了。
5.Nothing doing!
那可不行!
在拒绝别人的提议的时候我们常会说“那可不行”,在英语中近似的说法就是Nothing doing!
如:Going out in office hour? Nothing doing!
上班时间外出?那可不行!
6.I won't put anything past him.
我饶不了他。
值得注意的是,当表示“饶了某人”的时候,一般应该用let somebody go的形式,而不能用put something past somebody。
如:I'm just checking. If he has really done, I won't put anything past him.
我正在查。如果他真这么做了,我饶不了他。
7.She is really a pill, spending whole day harping and complaining.
她真烦人,整天唠唠叨叨的。
pill本意是指“药丸”,在此喻指“讨厌的家伙”,因此也就有了“烦人”之义。
如:I can't stand Jane anymore!She is really a pill, spending whole day harping and complaining.
我受不了珍了!她真烦人,整天唠唠叨叨的。
8.I know you were only playing possum.
我知道你只是在装傻。
此语中的possum是“负鼠”,据说这种动物在遇到危险时会装死,play possum 就是“像负鼠那样装死”,与汉语的“装傻”可谓形合意切。
如:I know you were only playing possum. After all, it's unwise to anger the moniter. You've done right.
我知道你只是在装傻。不管怎么说,得罪班长也很不明智。你做的对。
9.I don't enjoy seeing you twiddling your thumbs.
我不想看你闲得无聊。
细心的人会发现,人闲着没事干的时候往往会坐在一旁玩弄自己的大拇指,这个习语就是表达了这个意思。
如:What did you do all this morning? I don't enjoy seeing you twiddling your thumbs.
你今天一早上都干嘛了!我不想看你闲得无聊。
10. But none of you dare to face the music.
但是你们谁都不敢承担后果。
此语中的music意指“法律制裁”或“惩处”,face是“面对”,因此此语的字面意思是“面对法律制裁”,也就相当于“承担后果”。
如:
A:But it was not us who made you hold the bag.
但是不是我们让你背黑锅的啊。
B:But none of you dare to face the music.
但是你们谁都不敢承担后果啊。