跟莎士比亞學口語—莎翁創造的短語(3)
想要學好英語,深入理解英國文化的底蘊,莎士比亞可謂是不可不讀。當然啦,術業有專攻,爲了讓大家更便捷地瞭解相關知識,英語君特意爲大家總結了一些由莎士比亞發明,實用性比較強的短語,並在後面進行了註釋,趕快來學習,用起來吧。
my heart on my sleeve
感情外露
英文解釋:Display your feelings openly, for all to see.
出自:Othello 《奧賽羅》
For when my outward action doth demonstrate
The native act and figure of my heart
In compliment extern, 'tis not long after
But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve
For daws to peck at: I am not what I am.
E.g. He wears his heart on his sleeve and often gets hurt.
他是個感情外露的人,常常受傷。
a pickle
處於困境,遇到麻煩
英文解釋:In a difficult situation; in a mess
出自:The Tempest 《暴風雨》
And Trinculo is reeling ripe: where should they
Find this grand liquor that hath gilded 'em?
How camest thou in this pickle?
註釋:使用中,可以加上一些形容詞進行強調:in a real/le
E.g. Things are in a real pickle at the moment, I’m afraid. My assistant’s left and I’m completely lost without him!
現在我真是處境窘迫,我的助手離開了,沒有他我簡直不知道從何下手。
milk of human kindness
人的善良天性
英文解釋:Care and compassion for others;kind feelings
出自:Macbeth 《麥克白》
"Yet doe I feare thy Nature, It is too full o' th' Milke of humane kindnesse."
E.g. There’s not much of the milk of human kindness in him. I’ve never known such a hard man.
他沒有什麼惻隱之心,我從來沒見過這麼冷酷的人。
4.A night owl
夜貓子
英文解釋:A person who is active late at night
出自:The Rape of Lucrece 《魯克麗絲受辱記》
E.g. She’s a night owl and has always done her best work.after midnight.
她是個夜貓子,往往在午夜過後工作效率最高。
d of flesh
合法但不合理的要求;(勒令償還的)全部債務;(不顧一切討回的)所欠的東西
英文解釋:Something which is owed that is ruthlessly required to be paid back, even if this will cause them trouble or suffering.
註釋:在使用中,我們可以用動詞take,demand來搭配。
E.g. They want their pound of flesh; they want every penny we owe them by next Monday.
他們一點不講情面,要我們在下週一之前歸還欠他們的每一分錢。
I didn't realize working hear was going to be such hard work. They really demand their pound of flesh, don’t they?
我不知道在這裏工作這麼辛苦。他們簡直不顧別人死活,是不是?
change
大轉變;鉅變
英文解釋:a strong and noticeable change in a situation
出自:The Tempest 《暴風雨》
Those are pearls that were his eyes:
Nothing of him that doth fade
But doth suffer a sea-change
Into something rich and strange.
Sea-nymphs hourly ring his knell
E.g. A sea change has been taken place in young people’s attitudes to their parents.
年輕人對待父母的態度已經發生了三百六十度轉變。
your teeth on edge
使人牙根發酸;使感到不舒服(惱怒,煩躁,緊張... ...)
英文解釋:Literally, to cause an unpleasant tingling of the teeth. More generally, the expression is used to describe any feeling of unpleasant distaste.
出自:Henry IV 《亨利四世》
E.g. That noise is really setting my teeth on edge! Can you stop?
那噪聲讓我很不舒服!你能不能停下來?
It sets my teeth on edge when I hear him talking to his mother so rudely.
聽到他跟自己的母親說話這麼無禮,我很惱火。