你曾经因为一字之差而闹笑话吗？有哪些字是你刻骨铭心的惨痛经验？你觉得有哪些关键字汇让你顿足捶胸，或茅塞顿开？
当考路的考官说“pull over”时，你是否会不知所措？有人邀请你参加“Potluck Party”时，你会不会空手赴宴？在速食店里，店员问“for here or to go?”你是否会丈二金刚摸不着头脑，莫名其妙？“Give me a ring!”可不是用来求婚的。“Drop me a line!”更非要你排队站好。老美说“Hi! What';s up!”你可别说“I am fine!”你曾经闹过这些笑话吗？让我们来看看，这些字，你怎麽说？
Potluck Party：一种聚餐方式，主人准备场地和餐具，参加的人必须带一道菜或准备饮料，最好事先问问主人的意思。
Pull over！把车子开到旁边。
Drop me a line！写封信给我。
Give me a ring. = Call me！来个电话吧！
For here or to go？堂食或外卖。
Cool：That';s cool!等於台湾年轻人常用的囗语“酷！”，表示不赖嘛！用于人或事均可。
What';s up? = What';s happening? = What';s new?见面时随囗问候的话“最近在忙什么？有什么新鲜事吗？”一般的回答是“Nothing much!”或“Nothing new!”
Cut it out! = Knock it out！= Stop it!少来这一套！同学之间开玩笑的话。
Don';t give me a hard time!别跟我过不去好不好！
Get yourself together!振作点行不行！
Do you have "the" time?现在几点钟？可别误以为人家要约你出去。
Hang in there. = Don';t give up. = Keep trying.再撑一下。
Give me a break!你饶了我吧！(开玩笑的话)
Hang on.请稍候。
Blow it. = Screw up.搞砸了。
What a big hassle.真是个麻烦事。
What a crummy day.多倒霉的一天。
Go for it.加油
You bet. = Of course.当然；看我的！
Wishful thinking.一厢情愿的想法。
Don';t be so fussy!别那么挑剔好不好。
It';s a long story.唉！说来话长。
How have you been? = How are you doing?你过得如何？近来可好？
Take things for granted.自以为理所当然。
Don';t put on airs.别摆架子。
Give me a lift! = Give me a ride!送我一程吧！
Have a crush on someone.迷恋某人。
What';s the catch?有什么内幕？
Party animal.开Party狂的人(喜欢参加舞会的人)。
Pain in the neck. =Pain in the ass.眼中钉，肉中刺。
Skeleton in the closet.家丑
Don';t get on my nerve!别把我惹毛了！
A fat chance. =A poor chance.机会很小。
I am racking my brains.我正在绞尽脑。
She';s a real drag.她真有点碍手碍脚。
Spacingout = daydreaming.做白日梦。
I am so fed up.我受够了！
It doesn';t go with your dress.跟你的衣服不配。
What';s the point? = What are you trying to say?你的重点是什么？
By all means = Definitely.一定是。
Let';s get a bite. = Let';s go eat.去吃点东西吧！
I';ll buy you a lunch (a drink; a dinner). = It';s on me. = My treat.我请客
Let';s go Dutch.各付各的
My stomach is upset.我的胃不舒服
diarrhea [dair';i ]拉肚子
吃牛排时，waiter会问“How would you like it ?”就是问“要几分熟？”的意思，可以选择rare，medium或well-done。
I am under the weather. =I am not feeling well.我不太舒服!
May I take a rain check?可不可改到下次？(例如有人请你吃饭，你不能赴约，只好请他改到下一次。)
I am not myself today.我今天什么都不对劲!
Let';s get it straight.咱们把事情弄清楚!
What';s the rush!急什么!
Such a fruitcake!神经病！
I';ll swing by later. =I';ll stop by later.待会儿，我会来转一下。
I got the tip straight from the horse';s mouth.这个消息是千真万确的(tip指消息)!
easy as pie = very easy = piece of cake很容易。
flunk out被当掉。
take French leave不告而别。
I don';t get the picture. =I don';t understand.我不明白。
You should give him a piece of your mind.你应该向他表达你的不满。
hit the road = take off = get on one';s way离开。
Now he is in the driver';s seat =He is in control now.
Keep a low profile (or low key).采取低姿态。
Kinky =bizarre =wacky =weird古怪的。
klutz (=clutz) =idiot白痴、笨蛋。
know one';s way around识途老马。
lion';s share大部份。
tailgate尾随(尤其跟车跟得太近)。
take a back seat.让步。
take a hike =leave me alone =get lost滚开。
hit the hay =go to bed睡觉。
Can you give me a lift? =Can you give me a ride?载我一程好吗？
green hand生手、没有经验的人。
moonshine = mountain dew指私酿的烈酒(威士忌)或走私的酒。胡说八道也可用moonshine。His story is plain moonshine.
chill out =calm down =relax(来自黑人英语)
rip off =steal：I was ripped off.我被偷了；rip off也常被用为“剥夺”My right was ripped off.权利被剥夺(来自黑人英语)。
我们称美国大兵为G.I. (Government Issue) or GI Joe,德国兵或德国佬为Fritzor Kraut，称英国佬为John Bull，日本人为Jap.或Nip，犹太人为Jew都是很不礼貌的称呼。
mess around (with)瞎混；Get to work. Don';t mess around.赶快工作，别瞎搅和。
snob势利眼。
sneak in, sneak out偷偷溜进去，溜出来。sneakers运动鞋。
She is such a brown-nose.她是个马屁精。
This is in way over my head.对我而言这实在太难了。
I am an exam jitter and I always get a cramp in my stomach.我是个考试紧张大师，一考试胃就抽筋。
Keep your study (work) on track.请按进度读书(工作)。
Did you come up with any ideas?有没有想到什麽新的意见？
Don';t get uptight! Take it easy.别紧张，慢慢来！
Cheese! It tastes like cardboard.天哪，吃起来味如嚼腊！
Get one';s feet wet.与中文里的“涉足”或“下海”，寓意相同，表示初尝某事。I am going to try dancing for the very first time. Just to get my feet wet.
美国总统到底是比尔·克林顿还是威廉·克林顿？吉米·卡特和詹姆斯·卡特是否同一人？根据语言学家William Safire的分析，美国多数政客都喜欢使用昵名代替他们原来的名字，如Bill就是William的昵称，Jimmy等于James等。
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发表于 2006-8-25 15:43
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