Lesson 15 IDIOMS?英文釋義

• (to) shell out:?to pay (often more than one would like)
• EXAMPLE: The fast food chain had to?shell out?$ 10 million in a lawsuit after several people got sick from eating their hamburgers.
• (to) talk someone into something:?to convince someone to do something, often something that one later regrets
• EXAMPLE: Our president doesn't want to give us Christmas Eve off as a holiday. We're hoping our office manager can?talk him into it.
• I can't believe my ears!:?I’m very surprised!
• EXAMPLE: Chris got fired??I can't believe my ears!?He was one of our top salespeople!
• (to) cover oneself:??to try to avoid being blamed for something; to protect oneself from blame
• EXAMPLE: Nina knew her company was producing a defective product. She?covered herself?by keeping records of all of her letters and e-mails to her boss about the issue.
• NOTE: You may hear the more vulgar form of this expression: cover your ass, or the shortened version "CYA." Since "ass" is a vulgar word, some people use more polite variations of this expression, such as "cover your behind" and "cover your butt."
• fall guy：?the person who gets blamed for a mistake, sometimes unfairly
• EXAMPLE: The company's entire management team wanted to enter the market in China. When the business failed there, they made Fred the?fall guy?and fired him.
• for the record:??let me make my opinion clear
• EXAMPLE: I know that everybody else likes the idea of using a bear for a mascot, but, just?for the record, I think it's a lousy idea.
• (to) go on about:??to talk too long about; to talk for a long time about (always said as a criticism); to brag
• EXAMPLE: Bill is always?going on about?what a great salesman he is.
• (to) strike gold:?to make a very profitable deal; to discover something valuable
• EXAMPLE: Christie?struck gold?with the idea of selling videos at discount prices on eBay.
• (to) pass the buck:?to shift the blame; to blame somebody else
• EXAMPLE: It's your fault. Don't try to?pass the buck!
• ORIGIN: This expression comes from the world of poker. In the nineteenth century, a knife with a buckhorn handle (the "buck") was passed to the next dealer when it was his turn to give out the cards.
• (to) step up to the plate:??to take action; to do one's best; to volunteer
• EXAMPLE: We need somebody to be in charge of organizing the company holiday party. Who'd like to?step up to the plate?and start working on this project?
• NOTE: This expression comes from baseball. You step up to the plate (a plastic mat on the ground) when it's your turn to hit the ball.
• (to) wash one's hands of:?to remove any association with; to stop being part of something; to refuse to take responsibility for
• EXAMPLE: When Molly realized her business partners were selling stolen goods, she decided to?wash her hands of?the whole business.
• ORIGIN: This expression comes from the Bible. Pontius Pilate, a Roman official, announced before a crowd that he wouldn't save Jesus from execution. Then he washed his hands in front of the crowd, symbolically washing away the responsibility.
• Dream on!:?That's what you'd like, but it's not realistic.
• EXAMPLE: You want to retire in five years, and you've only got $5,000 in the bank??Dream on!
• (to) point fingers at each other / (to) point the finger at someone:??to blame
• EXAMPLE: Don't?point the finger at me! You need to take the blame for this mistake.
• (to) track something down:?to find, usually with difficulty
• EXAMPLE: Sheila left an important file in a taxi, and now she's going to have to?track it down.