Lesson 2 IDIOMS?英文釋義

(to) kick oneself

→?to regret something

Example: Sue is?kicking herself?for quitting her job before finding a new one. Now she’s got no money and can’t get any interviews.

on someone’s case

→?bothering or nagging somebody to do something

Example: Ted complained that his mother was always?on his case?about doing his homework.

What’s the big deal?

→?What’s the problem? What are you worried about?

Example: “So Diane’s decided to leave the company.?What’s the big deal?” – “She’s one of our top employees!”

off one’s rocker

→?crazy

Example: When Briney Spears shaved her head, some people thought she was?off her rocker.

(to) have the hots for someone

→?to have romantic feelings for someone

Example: Gary?has the hots for you. Didn’t you see how he was starting at you during the meeting?

(to) open a can of worms

→?to do something that will lead to problems later

Example: We’d like to let you work from home, but it would just?open a can of worms. Everybody would want to work from home.

(to) have a few screws loose

→?to be crazy

Example: Nick met a woman on the Internet, and she showed up in a wedding dress on their first date! He realized she must?have a few screws loose.

control freak

→?a person who wants to control everything

Example: “You moved the chairs around in the conference room without asking me first?” – “Yes, I did. I didn’t realize you were such a?control freak!”

(to) suck it up

→?to deal with something unpleasant; to endure something without complaining

Example: I know you don’t like your roommate, but the school year is almost over.?Suck it up?for another couple of months.

recipe for disaster

→?something which is likely to cause trouble; a bad idea or plan

Example: Emily put the time and place of her next party on Facebook.com for everybody to see? That’s a?recipe for disaster!

(to) get back together

→?to restart a romantic relationship

Example: Ken and Nancy got divorced two years ago, but lately they’ve been talking about?getting back together.

(to) let someone off the hook

→?to free someone from a duty or obligation; to forgive someone for not doing a duty

Example: You’re too busy to walk the dog today? Okay, I’ll do it today, but I’m not?letting you off the hook?for tomorrow.

no-win situation

→?a situation where all options are unpleasant

Example: I’m in a?no-win situation. If I promote Rachel, then Bill will be angry. If I promote Bill, then Rachel will leave the company.

(to) breathe down someone’s neck

→?to watch over someone very closely in a way that makes them uncomfortable or pressures them to do something

Example: I promised my boss I’d finish the report by Friday. Hopefully, he won’t be?breathing down my neck?all week.