《英文成语的奥秘》

1.有关娱乐的成语2

a）打扑克牌2

aceup one's sleeve2

bad deal （hand） good（fair） deal （hand）3

follow suit5

force one's hand5

hold（get）all the cards be in the cards without a card to play6

lay（put） one's cards on the table8

playone's cards close to the vest（chest）9

shuffle reshuffle10

trump card11

b）OtherEntertainment（其他娱乐）13

jump on the bandwago13

merry-go-round14

musical chairs15

orchestrate15

party is over16

play second fiddle17

pull out all the stops18

pull the strings19

run the show19

set the stage20

strings attached21

2.有关动物的成语24

makesheep's eyes24

bone of contention24

cat-and-mouse game25

clip one’s wings26

cool one’s heels27

hornets’ nest28

lame duck29

lick one’s wounds30

lion’s share31

maverick32

pecking order33

pussyfoot33

flog（beat）a dead horse34

rat race35

rub～the wrong way36

sitting duck37

3．有关建筑物、家俱的成语39

gothrough the ceiling39

go through the floor39

in a〔tight〕corner40

lobby41

pull the rug 〔out〕from under42

roll out the red carpet43

take a back seat44

under the table above board45

4．有关衣着的成语48

bigwig48

comeapart at the seams48

fill someone’s shoes49

fringe50

hat51

roll up one’s sleeves in one’s shirt sleeves52

shoestring53

skirt54

tighten one’s belt54

5．有关自己动手做的成语57

goagainst the grain57

hit the nail on the head58

paint oneself into a corner59

paper over60

patch up patch together paste together61

tighten the screws62

6.有关农场的成语65

beefup65

brand66

drop in the bucket67

have （put） all one’s eggs in one basket68

mend one’s fences69

prime the pump70

pump～into71

pump up71

run into a brick wall stonewall72

sit on （ straddle） the fence73

chicken scratches74

7.有关食物、烹饪的成语77

biteoff more than one can chew77

bread and butter78

brew79

cold shoulder80

food for thought81

hot potato81

put （keep） on the back burner82

simmer 〔down〕83

sugar-coat85

warm over86

8.有关健康、医药的成语89

boostershot shot in the arm medicine pill89

come to a head fester sore90

suffer wounds bind up （ heal） the wounds aggravate the wounds add salt to the wounds91

9.有关人体的成语94

a）手臂和手94

get（ have）theupper hand94

keep at arm’s length95

knuckle under95

rule of thumb96

tight-fisted97

turn thumbs down98

twist one’s arm99

b）脸101

closeshave razor thin by a whisker101

hardnosed102

pay lip service103

raise one’s eyebrows104

tight-lipped105

tongue-lashing105

c）脚108

digone’s heels in108

drag one’s feet109

in step out of step sidestep110

put one’s foot down111

put one’s foot in one’s mouth112

d）头和身体114

bowout114

do an about-face114

head above water up to one’s neck over one’ s head （depth）115

take a low profile117

when one’s back is turned118

10.有关自然现象的成语120

a）地面和天空120

avalanche120

bonanza120

bridgethe gap121

in the dark122

moonlight123

volcano124

rain check125

whirlwind126

b）冷热129

breakthe ice129

damp down（dampen） throw（dash）cold water on fizzle130

fan the fire smoulder flare up131

in hot water lukewarm133

in the cold134

play it cool135

snowball135

tip of an iceberg136

c）科学139

acidtest litmus test139

fallout140

pick up steam let off steam run out of steam141

put （keep） the lid on blow （take） the lid off143

tarnish （polish） the image144

11.有关植物的成语147

hard（tough） nut to crack147

in a nutshell148

mushroom149

nip in the bud150

out of the woods150

out on a limb151

slim pickings152

weed out153

12．有关运动的成语155

across-the-board155

beataround the bush156

call the shots157

down to the wire157

field 〔the〕 questions158

game isn't over yet159

in the bag160

no holds barred161

on one's （own） home turf162

pull one's punches163

score （rack up） points164

start from scratch165

dark horse166

13.有关时间和金钱的成语169

aroundthe clock169

time is running out eleventh hour170

wheeling and dealing171

14.有关交通的成语174

a）陆地方面174

greenlight174

light at the end of the tunnel175

on the track off the track sidetrack177

pave the way179

steer clear180

b）海上方面182

evenkeel182

in the wake of183

keep afloat184

lower the boom184

rock the boat185

shipshape186

sink or swim187

smooth sailing rough sailing188

15.有关武器、防御的成语191

comeunder fire191

fuse defuse short-fused192

go off half-cocked193

last-ditch194

loophole195

on target wide of the mark196

stab～in the back197

take a shot at198

top brass199

16.出自圣经的成语201

newwine in old bottles201

gird up ones loins201

babel202

be a law unto oneself203

break bread204

by（with）the skin of one’s teeth204

cast pearls before swine205

clear as crystal206

eat one’s heart out207

hide one’s light under a bushel208

live on （off） the fat of the land209

parting of the ways210

promised land210

put one’s hand to the plough211

raise Cain212

set one’s teeth on edge213

wash one’s hands of214

索引216