《英语成语典故》求取 ⇩

目录一、源自希腊罗马神话传说的成语典故1

1．An Apple of Discord争斗之源；不和之因；祸根3

2．The Heel of Achilles亦作The Achilles Heel　唯一弱点；薄弱环节；要害4

3．Helen of Troy　红颜祸水；尤物倾城；艳如西施6

4．The Trojan Horse　木马计；暗藏的危险；奸细8

5．Greek Gift（s）阴谋害人的礼物；黄鼠狼拜年，不安好心9

6．A Penelope s Web亦作The Web of Penelope故意拖延的策略；永远做不完的工作11

7．Swan Song　最后杰作；绝笔12

8．Win/Gain Laurels　获得荣誉；赢得声望14

Look to One s Laurels　爱惜名声；保持记录14

Rest on One s Laurele　坐享清福；光吃老本14

9．Under the Rose　秘密地；私下里；暗中17

10．The Augean Stable（s）肮脏的地方；藏垢纳秽之所；积弊19

11．A Procrustean Bed　削足适履；强求一律21

12．A Gordian Knot　难解的结；难题；难点22

13．Cut the Gordian Knot采取断然措施；快刀斩乱麻24

二、源自圣经文学的成语典故26

14．Bone of the Bone and Flesh of the Flesh骨肉相连；血肉相关27

15．Adam s Apple 喉结；喉核28

16．Sell One s Birthright for a Mess ofPottage　因小失大；见利弃义30

17．The Apple of One s Eye　掌上明珠；心肝宝贝31

18．The Writing/Finger on the Wall不祥之兆；大祸临头32

19．The Salt of the Earth社会中坚；民族精华；优秀分子35

20．Not an Iota of　没有一点点；丝毫也不36

21．Cast Pearls before Swine　对牛弹琴；白费好意37

22．A Wolf in Sheep s Clothing披着羊皮的狼；貌善心恶的人38

23．Separate the Sheep from the Goats区别好坏；分清良莠40

24．A Dog in the Manger　占着茅坑不拉屎的人42

三、源自欧洲寓言名著的成语典故42

25．Bell the Cat　自告奋勇去冒险；老虎头上拍苍蝇44

26．Cry Wolf　虚发警报；谎传险情；危言耸听45

27．Fish in Troubled Waters浑水摸鱼；趁火打劫；陷于混乱46

28．Sour Grapes　酸葡萄；可望而不可及之物48

29．Cat s Paw　被他人利用的人；受人愚弄者50

30．Pull the Chestnuts out of the Fire火中取栗；替别人冒险51

四、出典欧美名家名篇的格言隽语53

31．Attic Salt　优雅的俏皮话；妙语；雅谑53

32．Knowledge Is Power　知识就是力量55

33．A Horse of Another/a Different Colour另一回事；迥然不同58

34．One s Pound of Flesh　残酷榨取；割肉还债59

35．John Bull（s）　约翰牛；英国佬60

36．Grin like a Cheshire Cat咧嘴傻笑；露齿嘻笑62

37．A Storm in a Teacup杯水风波；小题大作；大惊小怪64

38．A Tower of Ivory亦作An lvory Tower象牙之塔；世外桃源65

39．Time Is Money　一刻千金；一寸光阴一寸金67

40．Have an Axe to Grind别有用心；另有企图；怀有私心68

五、源自世界历史事件的成语典故71

41．A/The Sword of Damocles　临头的危险；一发千钧71

42．A Pyrrhic Victory　皮洛士的胜利；得不偿失73

43．Cross/Pass the Rubicon迈过关键的一步；义无反顾74

44．The Die Is Cast/Thrown木已成舟，无法翻悔；事已决定76

45．Burn One s Boats/Bridges破釜沉舟；自断后路78

46．Not/Hardly Worth One s Salt不称其职；不胜其任；尸位素餐80

47．Neither Fish nor Fowl/Flesh不伦不类；不三不四；非驴非马83

48．Armed to the Teeth　全副武装；全套装备85

49．Sail under False Colours冒充；欺世盗名；匿名隐姓86

50．One s John Hancock　亲笔签名；签署87

51．Uncle Sam　山姆大叔；美国人89

52．Someone s Name Is Mud（d）声名狼藉；名誉扫地；惹人厌恶90

53．Go West　死去；归西；完蛋；无望92

六、来自西方风尚习俗的成语释源95

54．Above the Salt　在上席；尊为上宾95

Below the Salt　居下席；屈为末座95

55．Be/Get on One s High Horse目空一切；趾高气扬；生气97

56．A Honey Moon　蜜月；甜蜜时光98

57．A Blue Stocking　女才子；女学究100

58．Have Got out of Bed on the Wrong Side情绪不佳；心情不快101

59．Let the Cat out of the Bag泄漏天机；暴露秘密；露馅103

60．Get the Sack　被解雇；被驱逐104

Give Somebody the Sack　绝交；叫某人滚蛋104

61．Give Somebody the Axe　解雇某人；开除某人106

62．Take French Leave不辞而别；擅自离开；悄悄溜走107

63．Go Dutch亦作A Dutch Treat各自付账；各自付款的聚餐108

64．Polish the Apple亦作Apple Polishing奉承讨好；谄媚阿谀；拍马屁109

七、关于语言文字、生活娱乐等的成语释源112

65．The Alpha and Omega　始终；全部；基本东西112

66．Mind One s P s and Q s谨言慎行；循规蹈矩；注意礼貌114

67．It Is（All）Greek to Me一窍不通；一字不解；毫不理解116

68．Pidgin English　洋泾浜英语；蹩脚的英语118

69．An Apple of Love　番茄；西红柿121

70．The Sands Are Running Out期限将到；命数将尽122

71．Get Someone s Goat惹人生气；触动某人肝火；故意为难某人124

72．No（t） Room to Swing a Cat没有活动余地；地方狭窄126

73．Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth挑剔礼物的好坏；吹毛求疵128

74．Call a Spade a Spade直言不讳；丁是丁，卯是卯129

75．Show One s Cards摊牌；公开意图；最后一决雌雄131

76．In Apple-pie Order　井然有序；整整齐齐132

八、出自行业词语的成语溯源134

77．A Dark Horse　黑马；爆出冷门；异军突起134

78．Straight from the Horse s Mouth可靠的消息；来自第一手资料137

79．A Baker s Dozen　十三个；十三次138

80．A Skeleton in the Closet/Cupboard家丑；不可告人的隐忧140

81．Face the Music面对困境；接受批评；承担后果142

82．Yellow Journalism/Journal/Press黄色新闻；黄色报刊143

83．Straw Poll/Vote　民意调查；民意测验；非正式投票145

84．Pay through the Nose　付出高价；代价过大146

85．Blue Jeans　蓝布工装裤；蓝色牛仔裤148

86．A Lame Duck　倒霉的人；落选的官员；破产者；废旧物149

九、源自某些动物特征的成语典故152

87．Crocodile Tears　鳄鱼的眼泪；假慈悲；假哭152

88．An Ostrich Policy　鸵鸟政策；掩耳盗铃的自欺行径154

89．Bury One s Head in the Sand　逃避现实；拒绝承认事实157

90．Keep the Wolf from the Door　免于饥饿；勉强度日158

91．A Cat Has Nine Lives　猫有九命；富于生命力的人160

92．In Dog Days　三伏天；酷暑期161

93．A Hair of the Dog That Bit One　以毒攻毒；以酒解酒162

94．Talk Turkey　直言不讳；谈论正事163

95．Play Possum　假装糊涂；坚持不动；装聋作哑166

十、其他方面的成语典故169

96．Rain Cats and Dogs　倾盆大雨；大雨滂沱169

97．Guinea Pigs　豚鼠；受试者170

98．The Real McCoy　真货色；出色人物或东西172

99．Keep up with the Joneses　赶上时髦；同别人比阔气173

100．Have Somebody over a Barrel　完全支配某人；使人仰其鼻息175

主要参考书目177

索引179