A
a big fish in a small pond　 小地方的大人物
例句：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。
a stone's throw　一箭之遥
例句： He lives only a stone's throw from here.
　　　　　他住的地方离这儿只有一箭之遥。
all gone　 希望等的"消逝"， 物品等的"丢失"。
例句：My goodness! My bag is all gone.
天呀！我的包不见了。
Our hopes were all gone.
我们的希望成泡影了。
all for it 　对别人的看法或意见"完全同意"，"完全赞成"
例句： Go ahead with your plan. I'm all for it.
进行你的计划吧， 我完全赞成。
all in all 　常用的片语，表示"总的来说"，"总而言之"，
例句： He has his faults, but all in all, he is a good guy.
as clear as mud 　不清晰，混乱
例句：Your explanation is as clear as mud.
　　　 你的解释一点都不清晰。
as soft as down 　柔软如绒毛
例句：I lay fast asleep on the couch, which was as soft as down, and did not wake until late in the morning.
我在软如绒毛般的长沙发椅上睡着了，一直睡到早晨很晚才醒来。
at full blast　全速地；大规模地
例句：When we visited the place, work on the construction site was at full blast and all the workers seemed to be working very hard.
当我们去参观时，建筑工地的工作已经全面展开，而且所有的人都在忙碌着。

B
be above board　 光明正大的
be crazy about 　爱的发狂
例句： I am really crazy about Michael Jackson's rock'n'roll.
　　　　　我对麦克杰克逊的摇滚爱的发狂。
be for the birds　 荒唐可笑的；毫无价值的
例句：Their opinions on art are simply for the birds.
他们对艺术的见解真是荒唐可笑。
beat it　 叫人"走开"的口语，和"Be off!差不多，不过比后者更流行。
例句：He kept on bothering me, so I told him to beat it.
他不停地烦我，因此我叫他走开。
beat ones brains (out) 　指做事困难，"伤透了脑筋"
例句：I beat my brains (out) to get a job.
为了找寻工作，我伤透了脑筋。
beat sb to the draw 　抢先某人行动
例句： Mary wanted to buy that painting by Picasso, but another millionaire beat her to the draw.
玛丽想买毕加索的那幅画，不过另一个百万富翁捷足先登了。
beat someone by miles 　远强于某人
例句：When it comes to fishing, I beat him by miles.
讲到钓鱼，我比他棒得多。
beef 　口语上常用来指"抱怨"或"发牢骚"；作动词时后面跟about.
例句：Tell me what's your beef?
你抱怨什么？
before you know it　 口语为"很快"。
例句：I come back before you know it.
我很快就会回来。
behave yourself　劝人要有礼貌和行为检点，意思相同的口语还有"Watch you manner.""Watch your P's and Q's".和"Don't get fresh."
例句：Please behave yourself before the guests.
在宾客之前你检点一些。
behind bars 　坐牢
例句：The judge will put him behind bars for at least two years. 法官最低限度也会判他坐两年牢。
behind the scenes（behind the curtain）　 幕后
例句：He is the man behind the scenes.
他是幕后人物。
between ourselves　 秘密地说
例句： Between ourselves, there are no secrets.
　　　　　咱们私下说说，没什么秘密。
beyond the seas　 在国外，在海外
例句： He had a good time when he was beyond the seas.
　　　　　他在国外时曾过得很快活。
butt in 　插手，介入
例句： Pardon me for butting in on your conversation, but this is important.
　　　　　请原谅我打断了你们的谈话，不过这件事非常重要。
by and large 　大体上，总的看来
例句： I cannot totally take your point，but by and large I think yours is reasonable.
我不能完全同意你的观点，但大体上你的观点是有道理的。

C
call the shots 　做决断
例句： To be a leader, you should know how to call the shots.
　　　　　作为领导，你应该知道怎么做决断。
card up one's sleeve　 锦囊妙计
例句：Bill always has a card up one's sleeve, so whenever faced up with a puzzle, he could find a way.
比尔总有锦囊妙计，所以任何时候遇到难题，他总能找到方法解决。
clown around 　胡闹
例句： That boy is seldom serious about anything. He's always clowning around.
　　　　　这个男孩对任何事情都不认真，他总是胡闹。
cook up　 虚构
例句：I have to cook up an excuse for being late for class.
　　　　　我必须为上课迟到编个借口。
crocodile tears　 鳄鱼的眼泪，假慈悲
例句： Don't shed crocodile tears over his misfortune, I
　　　　know you hate him.
　　　　　不要假惺惺的为他的厄运假慈悲了， 我知道你恨他。　　
cry over spilled milk　 为打翻的牛奶流泪, 做无益的后悔
例句： I know that you have lost your purse, but since it had happened, let it go, please don't cry over spilled milk.
　　　我知道你丢了钱夹，不过既然这件事已经发生了，就让它去，不要做无益的后悔。

D
down and out　 穷困潦倒，孤苦无助
例句： People should lend him a helpful hand；he's really down and out.
人们应该助他一臂之力，他已经穷困潦倒了。
E

eat like a bird　 胃口小，吃的少
例句： Lily is very slim because she eats like a bird.
　　　　　百合十分苗条，因为她吃的少。

F

far and away　 毋庸置疑
例句： Tom is far and away the best lecturer in our department.
毋庸置疑，这是你们系最好的演讲者。
for good 　永远
例句： smoke less everyday, then you might be able to quit smoking for good.
　　　　　每天少吸烟一点， 你就可能会永远戒掉烟。
G
get fired　 炒鱿鱼
例句： The anchorman of the BBC network's evening news got fired.
　　　　　我听说CBC电视网的晚间新闻主播被炒鱿鱼。
get it (all) together 　不慌不忙；沉着冷静
例句：I hope he gets it all together soon. His life is a mess.
我希望他尽快地安定下来。他的生活一团糟。
get one's goat 　使人发怒或厌恶
例句： It really got Mr. Brown's goat when he had to wait two hours to get his plane tickets.
　　　　　不得不等上两个小时才拿到飞机票实在是让布朗先生生气。
get out of the bed on the wrong side　指平时脾气好的人突然变得很暴躁，难以相处
例句：What's the matter with you today? Have you got out of the bed on the wrong side.
你今天怎么啦？为什么乱发脾气？

give an ear to　听一听
例句： The owner of the factory gave an ear to the complaints
　　　　of the workers.
　　　　　工厂老板倾听了工人们的抱怨。

grasp at a straw 　抓救命稻草
例句： The criminal tried to grasp at a straw by feigning mental disorder.
　　　罪犯装疯，企图抓住一根救命稻草。
guts 　勇气
美国人习惯用的口语，英国人则多用courage。
H
hang in the balance 　未见分晓
例句： After the surgery, the patient became very sick and her life hung in the balance for nearly a week.
手术后，那个病人非常虚弱，将近一个星期他的生命在垂危中。
hang-up　 （情感上的）障碍, 大难题
例句： Mary has a real hang-up about cats and doesn't like to be in the same room with them.
玛丽对猫有一种摆脱不掉的厌烦，因此不愿意和猫在同一个房间。
high and dry 　被抛弃的，处于痛苦之中的
例句： George took all the money away and left his companions high and dry，with nothing to buy the tickets.
乔治带走了所有的钱，把他的同事抛弃了，连买车票的钱也没有。
high and low 　到处
例句： I looked high and low for my pen，but I couldn't find it anywhere.
我到处找我的钢笔，但我怎么也找不到它。
hit upon　 偶然想出
例句： He crouched there for a long time before he hit upon a plan to defeat his antagonist.
　　　　　他蹲在那里很长一段时间后，突然想出了一个挫败他对手的计划。