· be down in the mouth垂头丧气

Sandra was down in the mouth because she didn"t make the appointment.

· keep mum about something对某事保持沉默

The high official kept mum about his scandal.

· face the music承担责任，甘受责备

You are caught stealing. You have to face the music.

· hit the nail on the head说到点子上

I like to discuss with Helen. She always hits the nail on the head.

· call someone names辱骂某人

The neighbors keep dropping litter in front of her door. She couldn"t bear it any more and call them names.

· be neck and neck不分上下

The two workshops are neck and neck in monthly output.

· get up the nerve to...鼓起勇气去……

The patient got up the nerve to ask the doctor how long he could live in the world.

· get on someone"s nerves使某人心烦

There is an airport in the vicinity. The noise gets on my nerves.

· a nobody无名小辈

He is somebody in the small town, but he is a nobody in the capital city.

· lead someone around by the nose牵着别人的鼻子走

All nations should exercise their own judgment¹. They shouldn"t be led around by some big countries.

· poke² one"s nose into something乱打听别人的私事

I hate those journalists who poke their nose into people"s private life.

· be a notch³ above someone略胜一筹

In study, we are neck and neck; but in sports, he is a notch above me.

· sit up and take notice of something/someone对……刮目相看

He used to know nothing about chemistry. Now he talks like a chemist, I have to sit up and take notice of him...

· have someone"s number知道某人的底细

Don"t waste your tongues with him. I"ve got his number. What he is trying to do now is to set a trap and let us jump into it.

· be quick to take offense特别爱生气

I don"t think he is a quality leader. He is too quick to take offense⁴.

· have one too many喝多了

The bridegroom had one too many at the wedding ceremony and was shooting cats.

· be on the outs with someone与……失和

For some reason, the two countries have been on outs for a long time.

· a pain in the neck使人讨厌的事

Working for VIPs was an honor for me, but now it has become a pain in the neck. I don"t know how to balance the relationships.

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