Lesson 8 IDIOMS?英文釋義

as a rule

→?usually; typically

Example:?As a rule, I stop eating two hours before I exercise.

Rules are meant to be broken

→?a saying that means you should not always worry about following rules or habits strictly

Example: "You know our teacher doesn't allow eating in the classroom!" - "I know, but?rules are meant to be broken. I haven't eaten anything all day."

(to) mull something over

→?to think about something

Example: "Are you going to take the new job you were offered?" - "I don't know. I'm still?mulling it over."

food for thought

→?something to think about

Example: Al Gore's movie, An Inconvenient Truth, provided a lot of?food for thought?on the problem of global warming.

(to) eat like a bird

→?to not eat much; to have a small appetite

Example: That's all you're having for dinner - an apple and a slice of bread? You?eat like a bird!

(to) drink like a fish

→?to drink a lot of alcohol

Example: Frank drank two bottles of wine at the dinner party. He?drinks like a fish.

(to) have one too many

→?to drink more alcohol than one should; to get drunk

Example: We can't let Becky drive home. She's?had one too many.

(to) catch up on

→?to discuss (said when you haven't talked to the other person in a while)

Example: Come over to my house early on Saturday. We've got losts to?catch up on.

(to) hit the hay

→?to go to sleep

Example: You look tired. It's time for you to?hit the hay!

(to) stay over

→?to sleep somewhere; to spend the night

Example: You'd better?stay over?at my house tonight. It's snowing too hard for you to drive home.

Note:?When someone asks you to "stay over," it is sometimes, but not always, meant as a sexual invitation.

Suit yourself

→?Do what you want

Example: You don't want to go to Melissa and Brian's wedding??Suit yourself. I'll go without you!

party pooper

→?someone who doesn't want to have fun; someone who ruins the fun of others

Example: We just got to the party half an hour ago, and you want to leave already? What a?party pooper!

off the top of my head

→?from memory

Example: I can't remember the name of Al's company?off the top of my head, but when I'm back in my office I'll email it to you.

(to) give someone the runaround

→?to lead someone along without giving them what they want; to make it difficult for someone to do something

Example: I'm trying to get more money for my studies, but the financial aid office keeps?giving me the runaround.

(to) ring a bell

→?to sound familiar

Example: "Your name?rings a bell. Have we met before?" - "Yes, we were introduced at Joe's party last week."