1. to let off steam：to give vent¹ to one's anger(发泄、出气，像放掉蒸汽以减少压力似的。这与“to fly off the handle”意思相近，但比“to lose temper”委婉客气些)

　　What will you do if your wife lets off steam？(假如你太太大发脾气的话，你该怎么办呢？) (因为谈论的对象使对方的太太，所以语气要委婉客气些)。

　　但是谈到第三者，就可不必太委婉，可用lose temper：What will you do if one of your staff lose temper？(如果你的同事冲你发脾气你该怎么办呢？)

　　Occasionally we should be given a chance to let off steam.(我们应该不时的发泄一下情绪。)

　　2. to pay through the nose： to pay too much for something or excessively expensive(花费太多，代价过高，与“ to cost an arm and a leg”意义相近)

　　Don't pay through the nose when you buy the furniture. (不要花太多的钱买家具。)

　　Some women paid through the noses for their jewelry². (有些女人花大把的钱购买珠宝首饰。)

　　3. to take center stage：to be in the spotlight³ (引人注目的中心人物；以某人为公众瞩目的对象)

　　Mrs. Lin always takes center stage at a party. (林太太总能成为宴会上的焦点。)

　　President Bush takes center stage wherever he goes. (布什总统不论走到哪里，都是公众瞩目的焦点。)

　　His constant taking center stage could deprive him of his privacy. (他好出风头的毛病让他毫无隐私可言。)

　　4. to drag(one's)feet：to procrastinate⁴ or postpone(慢慢的拖延，行动迟缓，拖拖拉拉)

　　It is not a good idea to drag your feet when the work needs to be done. (拖延工作是不好的。)

　　No employers like for their employees to drag their feet on any project. (工作拖拖拉拉的员工总是不受欢迎的。)

　　5. to paint(someone or oneself)into a corner：to trap oneself or someone； to be in trouble(使自己或某人陷入困境，应该注意的是即使主语是复数形式，corner仍然用单数)

　　Don't try to paint yourself into a corner. (不要让自己身陷困境，无法脱身。)

　　After a heated debate with his boss， Mr. Chen has painted himself into a corner. (和老板激烈的争辩之后，陈先生处境十分不妙。)

　　6. to ask (someone) for (one's) hand： to ask girl's parents for marriage approval(指男人请求女方家长应允将女儿嫁给他，这里的“someone”是指女方的家长，“one”则是指要求婚的对象，hand只能用单数形式)

　　Mr. Su asked me for my daughter's hand. (苏先生到我家来向我女儿提亲。)

　　He has asked her parents for their daughter's hand. (他请求她的父母应允他们的婚事。)