1.have an
ace1 in your hand (British)
have an ace in the hole(American)
握有王牌,很有把握
When you have the ace in your hand,you have something which you can
use to gain an advantage when you need it.
have an ace in the hole(American)
2.a class act
（在运动或演艺方面）很出色的人
I have been tracking Neil for a year,he is a class act and I have
got a lot respect for his ability.
我已跟踪尼尔一年，他是个出色的家伙，我很崇拜他的能力。
3.break one’s back
努力地工作
When you’re breaking your back to make an enterprise2 work,it’s going
to cut into your time with family.
当你全身心投入工作的时候，回侵占到家庭生活的时间。
4.get someone’s back up (American)
put someone’s back up (British)
激怒某人
What does get my back up is a girlfriend who gets too jealous if
someone else finds me attractive.
5.cap in hand (British)
hat in hand (American)
求助，乞讨
He ended up going hat in hand to the neighbours.
他沦落到向邻居乞讨。
6.in the cards(American)
on the cards(British)
可能发生
He believes an invasion was never in the cards.
他相信入侵永不会发生。
7.a change of heart
态度的改变
8.get no change out of someone
从某人处没有得到任何帮助
You won’t get any change out of him,so don’t expect it .
你不会从他那儿得到任何帮助，别指望了。
9.chapter and verse
所有细节
The instruction gives you chapter and verse
使用说明给出了所有细节。
10.cut to the chase
言归正传
He talked about the need to see all points of view,then he cut to
the chase.
11.cut a dash
（外表）给人留下深刻印象
Tania cut a daring dash with a dress slashed3 almost to the waist .
12.in the dark
一无所知；蒙在鼓里
keep somebody in the dark
不让某人知道
13.out of one’s depth
力所不能及
He felt out of his depth on a diploma course.
14.get one’s just deserts
活该
15.die like a dog
凄苦地死去（古）
16.every dog has its day
风水轮流转
17.It’s a dog’s life
（抱怨生活或工作不如意）
18.in the doghouse
四面楚歌
Insurance companies are already in the doghouse over poor advice on
pensions which has left hundreds of thousands of people worse off.
19.do the donkey work
做乏味的工作
20.do something like a dream
做的很出色
The first stages of installation worked like a dream.
21.all dressed up with nowhere to go
准备充分，但没机会去做
If funding dries up ,the opera houses will be all dressed up ,but
with nowhere to go .
22.do something at the drop of a hat
卤莽行事
23.a drop in the ocean/bucket
微不足道，沧海一粟
The size of the grants have been attacked by groups as merely a drop
in the ocean.
24.be all ears
洗耳恭听
Now you can say ,I am all ears.
25.down to earth
现实，实际
He is blunt,outspoken,practical and down to earth.
26.get egg on one’s face
感到窘迫，羞耻
Steve didn’t expect to win .He just didn’t want to get egg on his
face .
27.a white elephant
（形容新的建筑，计划）是浪费的，无用的
This project is completely a white elephant
28.a big fish
大人物，重要角色
The four who were arrested here last September were described as
really big fish by the U.S.Drug Enforement Agency.
29.drink like a fish
酒量很大
When I was young I could drink like a fish and eat like a pig.
我年轻时酒量和食量都很惊人。
30.a fool and his money are soon parted
（形容花钱不理智）
31.free as the air
自由自在，无拘无束
32.run out of gas
（突然感到）疲倦和厌倦
33.the heat is on
压力大
To perform well when the heat is on ,all you have to do is let it
happen.
要在大的压力下表现出色，你要做的是任之发生。
34. bring someone to heel
使某人臣服，服从
In practice it’s still not clear how the president will use his
power to bring the republics to heel.
实际上，总统将如何使用权利使公众服从还不清楚。
35.cross my heart
发自内心
I promise,cross my heart.
我对天发誓。
36.in seventh heaven
十分高兴
After I was given my first camera,I was in seventh heaven.
37.break a leg
祝演出成功，（注意是祝福语而不是诅咒）
38.live like a king
生活奢华
39.break the ice
打破僵局
I was about to speak when someone broke the ice.
我正要说话，有人打破了僵局。
40.get down to
开始做，处理
The task wasn’t so difficult when I got down to it.
我开始处理这件事的时候，发现并不困难。
41.hold back
抑制，控制
We could not hold ourselves back.
我们没法控制自己。
42.keep one’s word
遵守约定
43.lay aside / set aside
储蓄，积蓄
We must lay something aside for our child’s education.
44.keep an eye on
监视，注视
I don’t know what would happen if I weren’t here to keep an eye on
children.
如果我不在这儿监视孩子们，真不知道会发生什么。
45.pull one’s leg
取笑，看不起人
46.pull through
恢复，克服
The patient is pulling through.
47.stand for
代表，象征
What does your first letter stand for?
48.take in
欺骗
She must have been taken in by a salesman.
49.make a point of
重视
Do you make a point of being on time for work.
50.help out
帮忙，协助。
Jerry hurried to help out zhenzhen
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