《英语语汇源趣》求取 ⇩

英语字母溯源1

AI(美ANo.1,A number one)(第一流的、天字第一号的等)3

A baker's dozen(十三)4

A blue streak(闪电般的东西；风驰电掣般地)6

A bull in a china shop(鲁莽闯祸，容易坏事的人)8

Academy(学院，研究院，学术协会等)10

According to Cocker(按照科克尔那样；〈喻〉正确并且靠得住)11

Accurate(准确，精确)12

Achilles'heel(或：the heel of Achilles)(致命弱点，弱点)13

Acid(酸)15

Adam's apple(喉结，喉核)16

Advance(前进，提高，提倡等)17

A feather in one's cap(bonnet)(荣誉)19

A freedom of Pan(消遥自在)21

After us/me the deluge(人生几何，及时行乐)22

Ain't(be not,have not等的缩写形式)23

Aladdin's lamp(阿拉丁的神灯；能实现一切愿望的法宝)24

Alcohol(酒精)25

Algol(英仙座β，魔鬼大陵王)26

All thumbs(笨拙)27

Almanac(年鉴)29

Althaea's brand(风云难测)30

Ambitious as Phaeton(自命不凡，骄傲自大)32

America(美洲，美国)33

Ammonia(氨)34

Amphibious(两栖的)35

Amuse(给……娱乐，觉得有趣)36

An/the albatross round/about sb's neck/hang(提醒某人不要再犯错误的警物)37

An ass in a lion's skin(冒充智慧的愚人；色厉内荏莅之人)38

Angle(角)39

Annie Oakley(优待券，免费入场券)40

Antibody(抗体)41

Apple(苹果)42

Apple of discord(争斗的原因，不和的种子)43

Arrle pie order(有条不紊，井然有序)45

Apple polishing(亦作polish〈the〉apple)(拍马屁)46

April(四月)48

Ariadne's thread(在困惑中得到指点)48

Armedto the teeth(武装到牙齿，全副武装)50

Artery(动脉)51

Assin(暗杀者，刺客)52

As shy as Daphne(羞羞答答)53

Atmosphere (大气)54

Atom(原子)55

At sixes and sevens(乱七八糟)56

Attic salt(妙语，警语)57

Audience(观众，听众)58

Bank(河岸，银行)59

Bark/bay at the moon(亦作bay the moon)(枉费心机)61

Bark up the wrong tree(看错目标)62

Barmecide(n.口惠而不实的人；a.欺骗的)62

Barnstorm(各地巡回演出，四处游说)63

Be a Diana(抱独身主义的女子；小姑独处)64

Be a Jason(薄情王子，负心儿郎)66

Bear a Bellerophon letter(找死，自寻死路)67

Belittle(轻视，变小，贬低)68

Benzene(苯)70

Big Bang(大爆炸)71

Bile(胆汁)72

Binary digit或Bit(二进制数字)73

Bite (on)the bullet(忍辱负重，忍气吞声)74

Black(黑色)及其它75

Black dog(沮丧)76

Black Friday(黑色星期五)77

Blackmail(敲诈，讹诈，勒索)78

Black ox(恶运当头，年纪衰老)79

Black sheep(害群之马，败家子)80

Black swan(凤毛麟角)80

Blow hot and cold(拿不定主意)81

Blue law(殖民地时期新英格兰的清教法规；禁止星期日饮酒、娱乐等的法规)82

Bluestocking(女学者，女才子)83

Bogus(伪造的，假的，冒牌的)84

Bonanza(好运气)85

Bone to pick(〈对某人〉有不满之处；〈与某人〉有需要解决的争端)86

Box and Cox(轮流的，交替的)87

Boycott(联合抵制；联合起来不跟……交往)89

Break the ice(采取初步措施，打破僵局)90

Bromine(溴)90

Bell the cat(采取冒险行动)90

Buff(爱好者，入迷者)92

Buffalo(被弄得昏头转向，吓唬=to bulldoze)94

Bunk(废话；骗人的鬼话)95

Burn one's boats(破釜沉舟)97

Bury the hatchet/tomahawk(休战，讲和)98

By the grapevine(小道消息)99

Caesarean birth(剖腹产)101

Cain(凶手，恶魔)102

Caffeine(咖啡因)，Coffee(咖啡)103

Calcium(钙)104

Calculus(微积分学)105

Calendar(历法)106

Candidate(候选人，投考者)107

Canoe(独木舟)108

Cardigan(羊毛衫，羊毛背心，开襟绒线衫)109

Carry(运载，传送，攻占等)110

Cat 有关的习语几个111

Catalysis(催化)114

Catch-22(第二十二条军规；进退维谷的局面)114

Cat's paw(被别人利用为工具的人)115

Caucus(议会党团会议，秘密会议等)116

Champion(冠军)118

Change like Proteus(变化万千)119

Chip有关的习语120

Chill(冷飕飕的，凉的)122

Chlorine(氯)123

Cholesterol(胆固醇)124

Class(类，范畴，班级，阶级)125

Cobalt(钴)126

Cockney(伦敦东区人，伦敦佬)127

Cold shoulder(冷遇，冷待)128

College(学院)129

Colour(颜色)130

Comet(彗星)131

Continent(大陆)132

Cordelia's gift(考狄利娅的礼物；女人温柔的声音)133

Corn-clichés-bromides(俗不可耐的“陈词滥调”)134

Cosmology(宇宙学)136

Creations of Cadmus(互相攻击，同室操戈)137

Crocodile tears(鳄鱼眼泪；假慈悲)138

Cross the Rubicon(下决心，断然处置)139

Cupid(丘比特)141

Curious as Lot's wife(过份好奇)142

Cut the Gordian knot(快刀斩乱麻)143

Cybernetics(控制论)144

Damon and Pythias(患难与共之友，生死之交)145

Dangerous(危险的)147

Dark horse(出人预料之外的获胜者)148

Dead(死)有关的英语合成词149

December(十二月)151

Delta(三角洲)152

(the)Die is cast(事已定局，不容翻悔)153

Derrick(人字形起重机；井架等)153

Dirt(脏东西)155

Disc jockey(唱片音乐节目主持人)156

Dog phrases(与狗有关的习语)157

$(dollar)(美元)159

Don Juan(唐·璜；风流浪子)160

Drawing-room(起居室)161

Eat crow(被迫认错)162

Ecology(生态学)164

Ecstasy(狂喜，出神，入迷)165

Electron(电子)166

Engine(发动机，引擎)167

England(英国，英格兰)168

Equator(赤道)169

Eye(眼睛)有关的习语170

Face the music(面对困难，承担责任)174

Family(家庭)175

February(二月)176

Fellow(同伴，伙计，特别研究生)177

Ferment(酵素)178

Filibuster(用冗长演说扼杀提案〈之人〉)179

Fish不表示“鱼”时181

Fish in troubled waters(浑水摸鱼，趁火打劫)182

Fix(固定)183

Flowers(花)的比喻义和象征义185

Forty，four(四十，四)189

Fossil(化石)190

Fraction(分数)191

Frankenstein monster(弗兰肯斯坦的魔鬼)192

Freshman,Sophomore(大学一年级学生，大学二年级学生)193

Gazette(报刊)194

Gerrymander(不公正地划分选区)195

Get the drop on someone(先发制人)196

Get the sack(被解雇)198

Get down to(the)brass tacks(触及本质)200

Give somebody the axe(解雇某人，开除某人)202

Gobbledegook(装腔作势的罗嗦文章)203

Go Dutch(或：A Dutch treat)(各自付帐；各自付帐的聚餐)204

Go haywire(发疯、发狂，变得疯颠)206

Goldbrick(偷尖耍滑的人，冒牌货)207

Good Samaritan(慈善的好心人；心地善良乐于助人者)209

Goodbye(再见)209

Goose(鹅)的引申义210

Gossip(闲聊；饶舌者=gossiper)211

Go through fire and water(赴汤蹈火)212

Go to Bath/Jericho(滚开!见鬼去!)213

Go west(上西天，死亡，完蛋)214

Grammar(语法)216

Granite(花岗石)218

Grass(草)218

Great Cham of Literature(文坛泰斗)219

Greek不表示“希腊”时想到的221

Grin/smile like a Cheshire cat(咧嘴傻笑)223

Guinea pigs(豚鼠；受试者)225

Guy(古怪的家伙；任何人)226

Hair of the dog(以毒攻毒)227

Hallmark(品质证明；标志)228

Ham actor(蹩脚演员)228

Hamlet without the Prince of Denmark(没有王子的《王子复仇记》，没有主角的戏，没有中心人物的活动)230

Hand(手)有关的部分习语231

Handkerchief(手绢)232

Handwriting on the wall(完蛋，气数已尽)233

Have an axe to grind(有个人打算；不满意)234

Havegot out of bed on the wrong side(心情不快，情绪不佳)235

Have nine lives like a cat(猫有九命；富于生命力之人)等236

Have somebody over a barrel(完全支配某人)238

Heart(心)239

Heart and Brain(心脏与头脑)240

Hector(吓唬；威吓者)241

Helen(of Troy)(绝代佳人，美人祸水)243

Hello(喂!)244

Herculean task(或：Hercules'labours)(千难万险，十分困难)246

Hero and Leander(万古痴情)248

Heuristic(启发式的)249

Hi(嗨!)250

Hide/have/bury one's head in the sand(采取鸵鸟政策；顽固拒绝承认事实)251

Hitchhike(搭车)252

Hobson's choice(霍布森的选择；没有选择的余地)253

Hold the bag(替他人受惩罚；受害)254

Honeymoon(蜜月；甜蜜时光)256

Horse of another colour(另一码事)258

Hormone(激素)258

语气词Huh,Uh-uh and Um(嗬，呃呃和呣)260

Humble-pie(低贱)261

Humour(幽默)262

从humour一词看一词多义264

Hurricane(飓风)及其它265

Idiot(白痴)267

Indian(印第安人)268

Indian Summer(印第安之夏)270

Smoke out(侦察出；用烟熏蛇、鼠等出洞)271

Sodom and Gomorrah(罪恶根源，罪大恶极)272

In dog days(三伏天)272

Infinite(无限的)273

Insect(昆虫)274

Iodine(碘)275

Island(岛)276

(An)Ivory tower(或：a tower of ivory)(象牙之塔；世外桃源)277

与J字母起首的人名有关的习语小集278

Jawboning(动嘴)281

Jekyll and Hyde(双重人格者)282

Jet lag(飞机时差反应)283

John Bull(美国)及其它285

Jungle(丛林，树林)286

Kangaroo(袋鼠)287

Kangaroo court(袋鼠法庭，非正式法庭)288

Keep the wolf from the door(免于饥饿，勉强度日)289

Keep up with the Joneses(与别人比阔绰)290

Kick the bucket(一命呜呼)292

Kid(小孩子)293

Kidney(肾)293

Kill the fatted calf(热情款待)294

Knowledge is power(知识就是力量)295

Lady(夫人，太太)297

Lame duck(即将去职的官员，可怜虫)297

Lamp(灯)299

Laser(激光)300

Land of promise(乐土，福地，希望之乡)300

Lawrencium(铹)等元素的命名由来301

Lay an egg(完全失败)302

Left(左)304

Lemur(狐猴)305

Like(象……一样，正如；喜欢)306

Like(or As)an Apollo(风度翩翩)307

Limerick(五行打油诗)308

Lion's share(最大的份额；独揽一切)309

List(名单，〈买货〉清单)309

Little(小)311

Log(圆木头，计程仪)到loggerhead(笨蛋)312

Logistic(a.逻辑的；n.数理逻辑)313

Logroll(v.互相捧场)314

Look a gift horse in the mouth(对礼物吹毛求疵；评礼物的好坏)315

Lotus-eater(或lotos-eater)(贪图安逸的人)316

Love apple(西红柿，蕃茄)317

Love game(败方得零分的比赛)318

Mad as a hatter(疯里疯气；狂怒)319

Mail(邮件，邮政)320

Malapropos［'m？l'？pr？p？u］(不适当〈地〉；不合时宜〈地〉；不适合的东西)321

Mammal(哺乳动物)322

Man and wife(夫妇，夫妻)323

Man Friday(忠实的仆人)324

Manner(方式、方法)325

Martinet(历行严格纪律的人)327

Mathematics(数学)328

Mausoleum(陵墓；壮丽之墓)329

Maverick(到处飘泊的人，自行其是的人)330

Melampus' herb(灵丹妙药)331

Melanin(黑色素)333

Meridian(子午线)334

Metal(金属)335

Metre(或meter〈美〉)(米)336

Million(百万)337

Mid one's P's/p's and Q's/q's(循规蹈矩；谨言慎行)338

Minute(分)340

Moonlighting(同时兼两个职业的人)342

Mrs Warren(华伦夫人；喻表面高贵实为贫寒的人)343

Ms.(女士〈不分婚否〉)344

Muckraker(专揭丑事的人)345

Mugwump(独立公子)347

Naked truth(事实真相)348

Nature(自然)348

Neither fish nor fowl/flesh(不伦不类)350

Nerve Gas(神经毒气)352

News(新闻)353

Nice(美好的、合适的)354

Nickel(镍；〈美〉五分镍币)355

Nicotine(尼古丁)356

Nightmare(梦魔，恶梦)357

Nitrogen(氮)358

Normal school(师范学校)360

Not an iota(of)(毫不，一点也没有)361

(Not/Hardly)worth one's salt(〈不〉称职)362

Oil(油，石油)364

Okay,OK(行啊，好，对)365

Once in a blue moon(千载难逢)367

One'cup of tea(〈口〉某人合胃口的东西或所喜欢的人或物；〈英口〉注定的命运)368

One's John Hancock(亲笔签名)370

One's pound of flesh(分文不能短少的债务)371

(The)Oscar(奥斯卡金像奖)372

Ossa on Palion(盘根错节；困难重重)373

Ostrich policy(鸵鸟政策；自欺自慰的政策)375

Oxygen(氧)376

Pain in the neck(令人讨厌的人或物)377

Pandora's box(潘多拉的盒子；一切灾难的来源)379

Pan out well(poorly)(结果〈不〉好，〈不〉成功)380

Panic(惊慌；没有理由的)381

Parallel(平行线)382

Pass(经过，通过)383

Pass the buck(推卸责任)384

Pay through the nose(付出惊人巨款)385

Peeping Tom(偷看者)387

Penicillin(青霉素)388

Philadelphia lawyer((美国〉非常精明的律师；很聪明机智的人)389

Pi(π)(圆周率)391

Pick up the gauntlet(应战)391

Pidgin/Pigeon English(洋泾浜英语，英汉夹杂的英语，蹩脚英语)393

Pie(烤饼，馅饼)394

Pin-money(妇女的零用钱)396

Play possum(〈口〉装死/睡；装糊涂/傻)396

Police(警察)398

Poll(投票选举，民意调查)399

Powwow(北美印第安人的会议；政治或其他集会)400

Procrustean bed(强求一律；死板的标准)402

Project Apollo(阿波罗计划)404

Protein(蛋白质)405

Proton(质子)406

Psychology(心理学)407

Pull a boner(〈俚〉犯愚蠢可笑的错误，出丑)408

Pull the chestnuts out of the fire(替别人冒险)409

Pure as Psyche(西子无瑕)411

Pyramus(冒失鬼)412

Pyrrhic victory(皮洛士的胜利；得不偿失的胜利)414

Quark(夸克)415

Quarter(四分之一；一刻钟等)416

Radar(雷达)418

Rain cats and dogs(倾盆大雨)419

(the)Real McCoy(真货色，货真价实的人或物)420

Red(红色〈的〉)422

Requisition from Semele(过分苛求)423

Restless like Ulysess(劳顿不休，身世坎坷)425

Rich as Croesus(非常富有)426

Ride the/one's high horse(趾高气扬，目空一切，盛气凌人)427

Rip off(撕掉；抢劫；欺骗等)429

Rip Van Winkle(落后，守旧的人)431

Rise from the ashes(从废墟中复兴；复活；新生)432

Rob Pettr to pay Paul(拆东墙补西墙)433

Robot(机器人)433

Royal(王室的，皇族的)435

Sacrifice(牺牲)436

Sail under false colours(冒充；打着假招牌骗人)437

Salt of the earth(社会中坚；优秀公民；众人师表)439

Sands are running out(时间不多了)440

Sarpedon's age(南山之寿)441

Scapegoat(替罪羊)442

Schizophrenia(精神分裂症)443

Scholar(学者)444

Science(科学)445

Scientist(科学家)446

Scofflaw(嘲弄法律者)448

Season(季节)449

Sell one's birthright for a mess of pottage(见弃义，因小失大451

Separate the sheep from the goats(区别好坏)452

Sequoia(席夸雅树；红杉和巨杉的总称，属落羽杉科)454

Seven against Thebes(雷霆万钧〈之势〉)455

Shangri-La(香格里拉；〈喻〉世外桃源)457

Shenandoah(谢南多亚河)458

Shilly-shally(犹犹豫豫)等459

Show one cards(公开自己的计划；摊牌)461

Show the white feather(胆怯，示弱)462

Sideburns(连鬓胡子)463

Sinister(不吉祥的，凶兆的；显示恶意的)464

Sincere(真诚的)465

eam up with(〈口〉和……合作，和……配合)466

Sit above(below)the salt(坐上〈下〉席；处于受尊敬的〈无足轻重〉的地位)466

Skeleton in the closet/cupboard(家丑)467

Skin of one's teeth(侥幸；差一点就……)469

omeone's name is mud(d)(dirt)(〈俚〉名声扫地)473

on of Bacchus(酒鬼)475

op to Cerberus(贿赂)476

orry(抱歉的，惋惜的)478

our grapes(酸葡萄)479

poonerism(首音互换，斯本内现象)480

teal one's thunder(窃取他人的发明成果)481

torm in a teacup(小题大作)482

traight from the horse's mouth(可靠的〈消息〉；第一手〈资料〉)484

traw poll/vote(非正式投票；民意测验)485

trephon and Chloe(才子佳人)486

urprise(吃惊)487

wan song(天鹅临死时的哀歌；〈转〉最后杰作，绝笔)488

word of Damocles(迫在眉捷的危险)489

ake French leave(不辞而别)491

alk through one's hat(或talk wet)(〈美俚〉胡说一气，瞎扯；吹牛)492

alk turkey(谈正经事，说正经话)494

elescope(望远镜)497

he alpha and omega(全部；重要因素)498

here's many a slip' twixt(或between)the cup and the lip.(杯到嘴边还会失手；天有不测风云)499

Tide(潮汐)500

Time is money(时间就是金钱；一寸光阴一寸金)501

Tin Pan Alley(流行歌曲；流行歌曲作家和出版商的〈集中地〉)502

Toast(祝酒)504

Turncoat(叛徒，变节者)505

Turn one's(或a)blind eye to(对……熟视无睹，对……假装看不见)506

Ugly Duckling(丑小鸭)507

Uncle Sam(美国人，山姆大叔)508

Under the rose(私下里，秘密地)509

University(大学)511

Vaseline(凡士林)512

Vegetable(蔬菜)513

Wash one's hands(of)(洗手不干，断绝关系)514

Web of Penelope(或〈a〉Penelope's web)(永远做不完的工作；拖延的策略)516

Windfall(意外收获)517

Wolf in sheep's clothing(披着羊皮的狼；伪装友善的人，等)518

Yellow Journalism/Journal/Press(黄色新闻；黄色书刊)520

You have found an elephant in the moon(你这个人真是异想天开!)521

本书编写主要参考书目522