在我国口语中,常把坏人称为“坏蛋”,把考试成绩得零分称为“鸭蛋”。无独有偶,英语中也有与之相对应的表达法:
a bad egg——坏人,坏人;失败的计划;
duck’s egg 或 duck’s-egg——鸭蛋,零分。
除此之外,英语中还有五花八门的“蛋”:
good egg——好人,好东西(俚);
Good egg !——真好!妙极了!
golden eggs——大利益(来自希腊杀鹅取卵的故事);
goose eggs——零分(俚),(被打而产生的)青肿块;
dumb1 egg——傻瓜(美俚);
curate’s egg——好坏参半的东西(英);
old egg——老朋友,老兄(俚);
hard-boiled egg——无情的人,吝啬鬼(俚);
roc’s egg——镜花水月,虚幻的事物;
Easter egg——复活节彩蛋;
nest egg或nest-egg——(转义)储备金。
英语中由egg构成的习语也很多:
1、 as sure as eggs is are eggs——千真万确,无疑地
As sure as eggs is eggs he will come tonight (今晚他肯定来)。
2、 break the egg(s) in sb’s pocket (或 in the pocket of sb.)——打破某人的计划
We have broken the eggs in the enemy’s pocket (我们已打破敌人的计划)。
3、 as full as an egg is of meat 或 as full of meat as an egg——塞满的,最好的,饱学的
He is as full of meat as an egg where the law is concerned (在法律方面,他是学识渊博的)。
4、 bring one’s eggs to a bad market——失败,失算
It is a pity that he would have brought his eggs to a bad market (他的计划竟然失败了,真遗憾)。
5、 have egg on one’s face——显得愚蠢
The government has egg on its face over the failure of its prices and incomes plan (政府因物价和收入计划的失败而显得愚蠢)。
6、 have eggs on the spit——手头有事,很忙
He said he had eggs on the spit(他说他很忙)。
7、 lay an egg——(演出等)失败
He laid an egg as the romantic hero(他演一个浪漫的主角而大大失败)。
8、 have / put all ( one’s ) eggs in one basket——孤注一掷After he failed twice , he decided2 to have all his eggs in on basket (连次失败后,他决定孤注一掷)。
9、 teach one’s grandmother ( how ) to suck eggs——教训长辈,班门弄斧
Don’t try to teach your grandmother ( how ) to suck eggs (不要班门弄斧)。
10、 have an egg from the oof bird——(口)得到一笔遗产
Ralph will have a good seized egg from the oof bird when his uncle dies (等他叔叔死了,拉尔夫就可以获得一大笔遗产)。
11、 tread3 / walk ( as ) on / upon eggs——小心翼翼地行动,如履薄冰
That old man always walks on eggs (那老头做事总是小心翼翼)
此外,还有以下这些习惯用语:
( as ) full as an egg——(俚)烂醉
rush in the egg——防患于未然
from the egg to the apple——自始至终(罗马人的正餐开头吃蛋,最后吃水果,故有此语)
in the egg——在初期
go lay an egg ( s ) ——(美)别管闲事,滚开
like / as two eggs——完全一样
with eggs on one’s face——(美)受屈辱
在英语中用egg构成的谚语也为数不少,以下列出几条:
Better an egg today than a hen tomorrow (今天一个蛋,胜过明天一只鸡)。
He that would have eggs must endure4 the cackling of hens (要吃鸡就不要讨厌母鸡咯咯叫——要享受就要吃点苦)。
It is very hard to shave an egg (给鸡蛋刮脸是很困难的;缘木求鱼)。
Never cackle till your egg is laid (事未完成莫先夸耀)。