Lesson 24 IDIOMS?英文釋義

• (to) make a splash:?to make a big impact; to get a lot of attention
• EXAMPLE: Careerbuilder.com?made a splash?with its funny TV commercials starring chimpanzees.
• (the) hard sell:?an aggressive way of selling
• EXAMPLE: Car salesmen are famous for using the?hard sell?on their customers.
• NOTE: The opposite of "the hard sell" is "the soft sell," which is a sales technique using little or no pressure.
• (to) break one's budget:?to cost much more than one wants to pay; to cost more than one can afford
• EXAMPLE: The advertising expenses you proposed are too high. We don't want to?break our budget.
• more bang for the buck:?more value for one's money; a higher return on investment
• EXAMPLE: We should add some more features to our products. Customers are starting to demand?more bang for the buck.
• NOTE: A "buck" is slang for a "dollar."
• no-brainer:?an easy decision; an obvious choice
• EXAMPLE: Most of our clients are based in Korea, so it's a?no-brainer?to open an office there.
• (to) throw in something:?to include something (usually for free, as part of the sale)
• EXAMPLE: Order our new exercise equipment today, and we'll?throw in?a free how-to video.
• at no extra charge:??for free; for no additional money
• EXAMPLE: If you buy a ticket to the museum, you can visit the special Van Gogh exhibit?at no extra charge.
• no can do:?I can't do that; I'm unable to satisfy your request
• EXAMPLE: "We'd like you to work on Thanksgiving Day this year."??- "Sorry,?no can do. I've already got plans."
• (to be) on a tight budget:??to not have much money to spend; to have a limited amount to spend
• EXAMPLE: Can you give us a better price on the printing job? We're?on a tight budget.
• off the record:?just between us; unofficial; not to be repeated to others
• EXAMPLE: This is?off the record, but I wouldn't trust Todd to do the financial analysis. He's careless and often makes mistakes.
• happy medium:?a compromise
• EXAMPLE: Lee wants to spend $100,000 re-designing our entire website, while Nicole suggests just adding a few new links. We need to find a?happy medium.
• (to) nickel-and-dime:?to negotiate over very small sums; to try to get a better financial deal, in a negative way
• EXAMPLE: We don't want to?nickel-and-dime?you, but we'd really appreciate it if you would lower your estimate by another $250.
• ORIGIN: After the penny, nickels and dimes are the smallest units of U.S. currency. Pennies, nickels, and dimes are common words in American English idioms related to money, finances, and value. Other examples of these expressions include:

1. pretty penny - see Lesson 9
2. dime a dozen - very common and of no special value
3. pinch pennies - to be careful with money
4. a penny saved is a penny earned — you will save money by being careful about how much you spend; it's wise to save your money?

• (to) stand firm:??to remain at; to not offer more than; to resist; to refuse to yield to
• EXAMPLE: Pemco Industries put a lot of pressure on Peggy to resign, but she?stood firm?and refused to leave her job voluntarily.
• it's a deal:?I agree (to a proposal or offer)
• EXAMPLE: "If you let me leave at noon on Friday, I'll stay here late on Thursday." — "Okay,?it's a deal."