我們?cè)谝话闱闆r下都不太會(huì)注意我們的腳，除非你感到腳痛或有什么其他毛病?？墒?，腳這個(gè)字，也就是英文里的 foot 卻不時(shí)出現(xiàn)在美國(guó)成語(yǔ)或俗語(yǔ)里。今天，讓我們來(lái)看看和foot有關(guān)的12個(gè)習(xí)慣用語(yǔ)，是不是很過(guò)癮！
1 to put your best foot forward
你正在找工作，和某個(gè)公司約好了去面談，或者你第要去和一位異性會(huì)面，這個(gè)時(shí)候你就想要給他們一個(gè)好印象。這在英文里就是 to put your best foot forward.為了給人造成一個(gè)好印象，也就是說(shuō) to put your best foot forward，你在去面談前肯定會(huì)盡量把衣服穿得體面一些，在和人面談的過(guò)程中臉上還老是笑容可掬。
下面這個(gè)例子就是某人在給別人出主意，如何設(shè)法給招工的單位留一個(gè)好印象：
Better get a haircut before you go to that job interview tomorrow. You want to put your best foot forward because there are twenty other people after the same job.
你明天去那個(gè)公司面談前好去理一下發(fā)。你得給他們一個(gè)好印象才行，因?yàn)橛卸鄠€(gè)人都在爭(zhēng)奪這個(gè)工作。
又如：I finally got a date with that girl I've been trying to go out with so long. So I'm putting my best foot forward and sending her a dozen roses and a box of chocolates before I pick her up tomorrow.
我總算和那個(gè)女孩約好了明天一起出去玩，這是我長(zhǎng)久以來(lái)所夢(mèng)寐以求的。所以，我在明天去接她前先送她一打玫瑰花和一盒巧克力，這樣好給她一個(gè)好印象。
2 to get off on the wrong foot
那么，有的人一開(kāi)始就給人一個(gè)壞印象是怎么說(shuō)的呢？To get off on the wrong foot，這是指某人一開(kāi)始就沒(méi)給人一個(gè)好印象，或一開(kāi)始由于某種行為而把事情弄糟了。
例如：When Joe went to his new job, he got off on the wrong foot——on the first morning he upset his new boss by arriving at the store two hours late. And right now he's out looking for a job again.
喬找到了一份新的工作，可是他剛開(kāi)始到那家店里去上班時(shí)就給人一個(gè)壞印象。第一天上班他就晚到兩個(gè)小時(shí)，讓他的老板好不高興?，F(xiàn)在他又在找工作了。
To get off on the wrong foot 這個(gè)俗語(yǔ)實(shí)際上可以適用于任何情況。下面一個(gè)例子是一個(gè)男學(xué)生在說(shuō)他交女朋友的情況：
I finally got a date with that new girl in class but I sure got off on the wrong foot with her: I had car trouble and got to her place almost two hours late.
那天我終于和班上新來(lái)的那個(gè)女同學(xué)約好了出去玩?？墒?，當(dāng)天我的車(chē)出了問(wèn)題，晚了兩個(gè)小時(shí)才去接她，所以我一開(kāi)頭就把事弄糟了?！?BR> 3 to land on your feet
你難免有的時(shí)候會(huì)在生活中或工作中碰到一些麻煩和困難，可是，要是你很聰敏或者很幸運(yùn)的話，這些麻煩和困難就都能得到解決。美國(guó)有一個(gè)俗語(yǔ)就是形容這種情況的，這就是 to land on your feet.To land on your feet 的字面意思是：你的腳站在地上。確切含義是：你在經(jīng)歷了一些困難后后又回到一個(gè)穩(wěn)定的狀態(tài)，也可以說(shuō)是逢兇化吉了。那么，這個(gè)俗語(yǔ)的出處是什么呢？有的語(yǔ)言專(zhuān)家認(rèn)為，這個(gè)俗語(yǔ)可能來(lái)自對(duì)貓的觀察。你也許注意到，當(dāng)一只貓從樹(shù)上掉下來(lái)的時(shí)候，它表現(xiàn)出一種特殊的技能：它能在空中還沒(méi)有落地之前調(diào)整自己身體的姿勢(shì)，從而使自己平安地落地。
例如：My brother Joe got fired for never coming to work on time, but he landed on his feet and found another job that paid twice as much money.
我的弟弟因老是不準(zhǔn)時(shí)上班而被公司解雇了?？墒?，他倒是逢兇化吉又找到了一份工作，而且工資還加了一倍。
又如：Mr. Green is one of these people who's not afraid to put his money into some very risky investments. Sometimes he'll lose out, but somehow he usually manages to land on his feet and find money to put into something else that makes a profit.
格林先生就是那種不怕冒很大危險(xiǎn)去投資的人。有時(shí)，他也確實(shí)會(huì)虧本，但是他總是會(huì)逢兇化吉，找到錢(qián)去投資生財(cái)?shù)摹?BR> 4 to put your foot in your mouth
有意無(wú)意做錯(cuò)事、說(shuō)錯(cuò)話的情況是很經(jīng)常的。下面我們要講的一個(gè)俗語(yǔ)就是無(wú)意中說(shuō)錯(cuò)了話而傷害了別人，或者叫自己很不好意思。這個(gè)俗語(yǔ)就是：to put your foot in your mouth.
例如：When Sally told that silly joke about the sailor with one leg she really put her foot in her mouth. She didn't know the man across the dinner table had a brother at home in a wheelchair.
沙莉吃晚飯時(shí)說(shuō)了一個(gè)笑話，拿一個(gè)只有一條腿的水手開(kāi)玩笑。她可不知道坐在飯桌對(duì)面那個(gè)人的哥哥就是個(gè)殘廢，行動(dòng)都得靠輪椅。Sally如果事后了解情況的話，她肯定會(huì)說(shuō):"Well, I certainly have put my foot in my mouth."
又如：I certainly put my foot in my mouth at the party last night when I asked Mister Brown to say hello to his wife for me. Somehow I'd forgotten that his wife died six months ago.
我昨晚在那個(gè)聚會(huì)上無(wú)意中說(shuō)錯(cuò)了話。我讓布朗先生替我向他的太太問(wèn)好。不知怎么回事，我忘了他太太已經(jīng)在半年前去世了。
5 cold feet
一個(gè)人在充滿信心的時(shí)候往往就會(huì)無(wú)所畏懼，勇往直前。但是，當(dāng)一個(gè)人對(duì)某件事感到膽怯的時(shí)候，他就會(huì)畏縮不前。我們經(jīng)?？梢钥吹揭环N情況：有的人對(duì)一件事開(kāi)始的時(shí)候很有信心，很有把握。可是，事到臨頭就變得沒(méi)有勇氣了。在英文里有一個(gè)俗語(yǔ)是用來(lái)形容類(lèi)似情況的，那就是 cold feet.Cold 是冷的意思，feet 就是兩只腳。Cold feet 并不是在雪地里走而使你的腳很冷。Cold feet 是指臨時(shí)上場(chǎng)感到膽怯。
例如：Peter told his wife that this time he was really going to walk in and demand a pay raise from the boss. But when he arrived at the office, he got cold feet.
皮特對(duì)自己的妻子說(shuō)，這次他可一定要到他老板的辦公室去要求增加工資了。可是，他一到了辦公室就感到膽怯，不敢去見(jiàn)他的老板。
這種臨陣脫逃的現(xiàn)象是很常見(jiàn)的。下面我們要舉的例子恐怕會(huì)引起許多聽(tīng)眾的共鳴：
I really need to get my teeth fixed, but every time I start to phone the dentist, I think about the sound of that drill and right away I get cold feet.
我實(shí)在應(yīng)該去牙大夫那兒看牙了。但是，每當(dāng)我拿起電話想和大夫預(yù)約的時(shí)候，我就好像聽(tīng)到那鉆牙的聲音，一下子，我就害怕起來(lái)了。
6 Jump in and get your feet wet
事到臨頭打退堂鼓，出現(xiàn)cold feet 的現(xiàn)象也許是一個(gè)弱點(diǎn)，但是在美國(guó)成語(yǔ)里，把腳弄濕倒是一件好事。比如說(shuō)，好些聽(tīng)眾都在學(xué)英語(yǔ)。許多初學(xué)的人都怕難為情而不敢用英語(yǔ)來(lái)對(duì)話?？墒牵蠋熀芸赡芫蜁?huì)勸這些學(xué)生: Jump in and get your feet wet.Jump in and get your feet wet 這個(gè)俗語(yǔ)的意思是：到實(shí)踐中去學(xué)，也可以說(shuō)是跳到游泳池里學(xué)游泳。
例如：I know most of you are afraid to embarrass yourselves by trying to speak English after these first few lessons. But that's the best way to learn: when you meet an American, try a few words——jump in and get your feet wet.
我知道你們大多數(shù)人感到剛上了幾課英語(yǔ)，就用英語(yǔ)來(lái)說(shuō)話很不好意思。不過(guò)，當(dāng)你見(jiàn)到美國(guó)人時(shí)，你不妨試著說(shuō)一點(diǎn)。到實(shí)踐中去學(xué)是好的辦法。
又如：I want to get into politics so I'm volunteering to put up signs for one of the people running for mayor. I don't get paid for it but it's a chance to jump in and get my feet wet.
我希望將來(lái)能夠到政界去工作，所以我現(xiàn)在在幫一個(gè)競(jìng)選市長(zhǎng)的候選人張貼宣傳標(biāo)語(yǔ)。我?guī)退鲞@些事是完全義務(wù)的，沒(méi)有工資的。但是，這是到實(shí)踐中去得到一些經(jīng)驗(yàn)的好機(jī)會(huì)。
7 to get a foot in the door
美國(guó)的商品推銷(xiāo)員在不很久以前還是挨家挨戶地去推銷(xiāo)商品，例如吸塵機(jī)、廚房用品、百科全書(shū)和圣經(jīng)等。當(dāng)一位家庭主婦聽(tīng)到敲門(mén)聲，把門(mén)打開(kāi)的時(shí)候，精明能干的推銷(xiāo)員就會(huì)把一只腳先伸到門(mén)里邊，這樣可以避免在他還沒(méi)有機(jī)會(huì)介紹他的商品之前女主人就把門(mén)關(guān)上了。這種挨家挨戶訪問(wèn)的推銷(xiāo)員現(xiàn)在幾乎已經(jīng)消聲匿跡了，大多數(shù)推銷(xiāo)員現(xiàn)在都靠電話來(lái)招攬生意?？墒?，把一只腳先伸到門(mén)里邊這個(gè)說(shuō)法卻成了一個(gè)人們經(jīng)常用的俗語(yǔ)了，在英文里就是：to get a foot in the door.To get a foot in the door 的意思就是：為了達(dá)到一個(gè)目的邁出了第一步，盡管你可能離達(dá)到目的的距離還很遠(yuǎn)。
例如：You know that beautiful girl who sits ahead of me in English class? She keeps turning me down for dates, but I finally got a foot in the door today: she met me for coffee after class.
你知道英語(yǔ)課坐在我前面那個(gè)很漂亮的女孩子嗎？我請(qǐng)她出去玩，她老是拒絕我?？墒牵裉煳宜闶沁~出了第一步。她答應(yīng)下了課和我一起去喝咖啡。
又如：Getting into politics is tough. But Martin got his foot in the door when he volunteered to go around town putting up posters for the Republican candidate for Congress.
要進(jìn)入政界是很難的?？墒?，馬丁曾經(jīng)在當(dāng)?shù)亓x務(wù)地幫助那些共和黨競(jìng)選國(guó)會(huì)議員的候選人張貼標(biāo)語(yǔ)，這樣他為能夠進(jìn)入政界邁出了第一步。
8 to be dead on one's feet
一整天在電線桿上貼標(biāo)語(yǔ)或招貼畫(huà)確實(shí)是很累的。馬丁回到家的時(shí)候可能會(huì)感到兩只腳累得連站都站不動(dòng)了。也有一個(gè)俗語(yǔ)來(lái)形容這種情景：to be dead on one's feet.美國(guó)雖然是先進(jìn)的國(guó)家之一，但仍然有好多職業(yè)需要工作人員站著做的，售貨員就是其中之一。站了一天，到了下班的時(shí)候，他們必然會(huì)感到兩只腳很累。
例如：Honey, I've got to sit down and rest before I take you out to dinner. I'm really dead on my feet tonight: we had the big year-end sale on and I was so busy I didn't even have time for lunch.
親愛(ài)的，我得坐下歇一會(huì)兒再和你一起出去吃晚飯。我今天晚上兩只腳實(shí)在累死了。我們正在舉行年底大減價(jià)，我忙的連午飯都沒(méi)有時(shí)間吃。
又如：My parents took me to Constitution Avenue to see the parade. After standing there for a whole day, my mom was so dead on her feet that she could not even cook dinner for us by the time we got home.
我爸爸媽媽帶我到憲法大街去看*。我們?cè)谀莾赫玖艘惶欤氐郊业臅r(shí)候，我媽媽的腳累得要死，連做晚飯也做不動(dòng)了。
9 to stand on one's own two feet
To stand on one's own two feet 的意思恐怕不難猜到。一個(gè)人如果能站穩(wěn)腳跟的話，他就一定能獨(dú)立自主，靠自己的力量來(lái)辦事。我們下面要舉的一個(gè)例子是一位父親擔(dān)心他的兒子吸毒或酗酒，所以在勸告他的兒子：
Son, somebody may try to get you to smoke marijuana or drink, just to fit in with the crowd. But I hope you can stand on your own two feet and say no.
兒子呀，有的人為了要你合群也許會(huì)勸你喝酒或吸毒。但是我希望你能夠獨(dú)立自主，拒絕他們的引誘。
又如：Bill Brown has managed to stay in Congress now for twenty years. The voters don't always agree with him but they really like the way he stands on his own feet and makes his own decisions on which way to vote, regardless of pressures from all the lobbyists.
比爾·布朗在國(guó)會(huì)當(dāng)議員已經(jīng)二十年了。選民們不一定都同意他的觀點(diǎn)，但是他們倒很欣賞他在對(duì)各種提案投票時(shí)的那種獨(dú)立自主精神。不管那些游說(shuō)者給他施加多大壓力，他都按自己的決定投票。
10 to throw oneself at someone's feet
To throw oneself at someone's feet 這個(gè)俗語(yǔ)可以解釋為：公開(kāi)對(duì)某人表示愛(ài)慕。
比如說(shuō)，一個(gè)男子在幻想自己未來(lái)的婚事，他對(duì)他的朋友說(shuō)：
I'm still looking for the right girl to marry. And when I find her, I'll throw myself at her feet and ask her to spend the rest of her life with me.
我現(xiàn)在還在物色一個(gè)我認(rèn)為合適的女孩作為我的妻子。一旦我找到了，我就要拜倒在她的石榴裙下，懇求她作為我的終身伴侶。
To throw oneself at someone's feet 還可以解釋為：為了得到一些好處而溜須拍馬，或拜倒在某人腳下。
下面的例子是說(shuō)一個(gè)被判了罪的犯人：
The prisoner who has been convicted as a traitor threw himself at the feet of the judge and beg for mercy.
那個(gè)被定罪為叛徒的犯人拜倒在法官的面前，求他發(fā)發(fā)慈悲。
11 to be swept off one's feet
我們講過(guò)to throw oneself at someone's feet，這是公開(kāi)表示對(duì)某人的愛(ài)慕之情，或是拍馬奉承、百般討好某人。可是，被愛(ài)慕或討好的對(duì)象往往會(huì)突然感到非常興奮而不由自主地變得飄飄然起來(lái)。這種情景在英文里是這么說(shuō)的：to be swept off one's feet，就是指一個(gè)人由于一件使他興奮的事而感到不由自主。
下面我們要舉的一個(gè)例子就可以看出一個(gè)人在 throwing himself at someone's feet 以后所可能產(chǎn)生的后果：
Dick was so crazy about Jane that he threw himself at her feet. Jane was swept off her feet and they're getting married next Tuesday.
迪克實(shí)在是愛(ài)簡(jiǎn)，他完全拜倒在她的石榴裙下。這一下使得簡(jiǎn)感到飄飄然，不由自主了。他們竟然決定下星期二就結(jié)婚。
這種閃電式的結(jié)婚確實(shí)有點(diǎn)過(guò)于匆忙。下面一個(gè)例子就是一個(gè)人在勸他的朋友不要草率從事。這也說(shuō)明 to be swept off one's feet 這個(gè)俗語(yǔ)不一定完全適用于被愛(ài)慕的人，也可以用在其他場(chǎng)合：
Hal, I know how anxious you are to get married and start a family. But don't let yourself get swept off your feet by a pretty face: think about what you are doing before you get caught.
海爾，我知道你是非常急于結(jié)婚成家。但是，你不要被一張漂亮的臉弄得昏昏然的。在問(wèn)題還沒(méi)有發(fā)生前，你得腦子清楚一些，明白自己到底在干什么。
12 Don't let the grass grow under one's feet
像結(jié)婚這樣的事確實(shí)應(yīng)該慎重考慮，不能操之過(guò)急。但是有的時(shí)候，我們處理事情也不能拖拖拉拉，浪費(fèi)時(shí)間。這在英文里就是：Don't let the grass grow under one's feet.從字面上來(lái)解釋?zhuān)@句話的意思是：不要讓草在你腳底下長(zhǎng)出來(lái)，實(shí)際上也就是說(shuō)，你不要什么事也不干，浪費(fèi)時(shí)間。
例如：Right now the house is a real bargain. Don't let the grass grow under your feet——sign the agreement today before somebody grabs it.
這是一個(gè)房產(chǎn)經(jīng)紀(jì)人在對(duì)一個(gè)買(mǎi)主說(shuō)話。他說(shuō)：“現(xiàn)在房產(chǎn)價(jià)格實(shí)在是非常便宜。你不要浪費(fèi)時(shí)間，好今天就簽合同，免得給別人把這棟房子搶走?！?BR> Don't let the grass grow under your feet 是推銷(xiāo)產(chǎn)品的人經(jīng)常說(shuō)的話。例如：
I tell you, don't let the grass grow under you feet——this is the last day of this sale and the price on this model goes up a thousand dollars tomorrow!
我告訴你，今天是這次減價(jià)的后一天。這種型號(hào)的車(chē)子，明天就要上漲一千美元。所以你不要猶豫不決，浪費(fèi)時(shí)間。
1 to put your best foot forward
你正在找工作，和某個(gè)公司約好了去面談，或者你第要去和一位異性會(huì)面，這個(gè)時(shí)候你就想要給他們一個(gè)好印象。這在英文里就是 to put your best foot forward.為了給人造成一個(gè)好印象，也就是說(shuō) to put your best foot forward，你在去面談前肯定會(huì)盡量把衣服穿得體面一些，在和人面談的過(guò)程中臉上還老是笑容可掬。
下面這個(gè)例子就是某人在給別人出主意，如何設(shè)法給招工的單位留一個(gè)好印象：
Better get a haircut before you go to that job interview tomorrow. You want to put your best foot forward because there are twenty other people after the same job.
你明天去那個(gè)公司面談前好去理一下發(fā)。你得給他們一個(gè)好印象才行，因?yàn)橛卸鄠€(gè)人都在爭(zhēng)奪這個(gè)工作。
又如：I finally got a date with that girl I've been trying to go out with so long. So I'm putting my best foot forward and sending her a dozen roses and a box of chocolates before I pick her up tomorrow.
我總算和那個(gè)女孩約好了明天一起出去玩，這是我長(zhǎng)久以來(lái)所夢(mèng)寐以求的。所以，我在明天去接她前先送她一打玫瑰花和一盒巧克力，這樣好給她一個(gè)好印象。
2 to get off on the wrong foot
那么，有的人一開(kāi)始就給人一個(gè)壞印象是怎么說(shuō)的呢？To get off on the wrong foot，這是指某人一開(kāi)始就沒(méi)給人一個(gè)好印象，或一開(kāi)始由于某種行為而把事情弄糟了。
例如：When Joe went to his new job, he got off on the wrong foot——on the first morning he upset his new boss by arriving at the store two hours late. And right now he's out looking for a job again.
喬找到了一份新的工作，可是他剛開(kāi)始到那家店里去上班時(shí)就給人一個(gè)壞印象。第一天上班他就晚到兩個(gè)小時(shí)，讓他的老板好不高興?，F(xiàn)在他又在找工作了。
To get off on the wrong foot 這個(gè)俗語(yǔ)實(shí)際上可以適用于任何情況。下面一個(gè)例子是一個(gè)男學(xué)生在說(shuō)他交女朋友的情況：
I finally got a date with that new girl in class but I sure got off on the wrong foot with her: I had car trouble and got to her place almost two hours late.
那天我終于和班上新來(lái)的那個(gè)女同學(xué)約好了出去玩?？墒?，當(dāng)天我的車(chē)出了問(wèn)題，晚了兩個(gè)小時(shí)才去接她，所以我一開(kāi)頭就把事弄糟了?！?BR> 3 to land on your feet
你難免有的時(shí)候會(huì)在生活中或工作中碰到一些麻煩和困難，可是，要是你很聰敏或者很幸運(yùn)的話，這些麻煩和困難就都能得到解決。美國(guó)有一個(gè)俗語(yǔ)就是形容這種情況的，這就是 to land on your feet.To land on your feet 的字面意思是：你的腳站在地上。確切含義是：你在經(jīng)歷了一些困難后后又回到一個(gè)穩(wěn)定的狀態(tài)，也可以說(shuō)是逢兇化吉了。那么，這個(gè)俗語(yǔ)的出處是什么呢？有的語(yǔ)言專(zhuān)家認(rèn)為，這個(gè)俗語(yǔ)可能來(lái)自對(duì)貓的觀察。你也許注意到，當(dāng)一只貓從樹(shù)上掉下來(lái)的時(shí)候，它表現(xiàn)出一種特殊的技能：它能在空中還沒(méi)有落地之前調(diào)整自己身體的姿勢(shì)，從而使自己平安地落地。
例如：My brother Joe got fired for never coming to work on time, but he landed on his feet and found another job that paid twice as much money.
我的弟弟因老是不準(zhǔn)時(shí)上班而被公司解雇了?？墒?，他倒是逢兇化吉又找到了一份工作，而且工資還加了一倍。
又如：Mr. Green is one of these people who's not afraid to put his money into some very risky investments. Sometimes he'll lose out, but somehow he usually manages to land on his feet and find money to put into something else that makes a profit.
格林先生就是那種不怕冒很大危險(xiǎn)去投資的人。有時(shí)，他也確實(shí)會(huì)虧本，但是他總是會(huì)逢兇化吉，找到錢(qián)去投資生財(cái)?shù)摹?BR> 4 to put your foot in your mouth
有意無(wú)意做錯(cuò)事、說(shuō)錯(cuò)話的情況是很經(jīng)常的。下面我們要講的一個(gè)俗語(yǔ)就是無(wú)意中說(shuō)錯(cuò)了話而傷害了別人，或者叫自己很不好意思。這個(gè)俗語(yǔ)就是：to put your foot in your mouth.
例如：When Sally told that silly joke about the sailor with one leg she really put her foot in her mouth. She didn't know the man across the dinner table had a brother at home in a wheelchair.
沙莉吃晚飯時(shí)說(shuō)了一個(gè)笑話，拿一個(gè)只有一條腿的水手開(kāi)玩笑。她可不知道坐在飯桌對(duì)面那個(gè)人的哥哥就是個(gè)殘廢，行動(dòng)都得靠輪椅。Sally如果事后了解情況的話，她肯定會(huì)說(shuō):"Well, I certainly have put my foot in my mouth."
又如：I certainly put my foot in my mouth at the party last night when I asked Mister Brown to say hello to his wife for me. Somehow I'd forgotten that his wife died six months ago.
我昨晚在那個(gè)聚會(huì)上無(wú)意中說(shuō)錯(cuò)了話。我讓布朗先生替我向他的太太問(wèn)好。不知怎么回事，我忘了他太太已經(jīng)在半年前去世了。
5 cold feet
一個(gè)人在充滿信心的時(shí)候往往就會(huì)無(wú)所畏懼，勇往直前。但是，當(dāng)一個(gè)人對(duì)某件事感到膽怯的時(shí)候，他就會(huì)畏縮不前。我們經(jīng)?？梢钥吹揭环N情況：有的人對(duì)一件事開(kāi)始的時(shí)候很有信心，很有把握。可是，事到臨頭就變得沒(méi)有勇氣了。在英文里有一個(gè)俗語(yǔ)是用來(lái)形容類(lèi)似情況的，那就是 cold feet.Cold 是冷的意思，feet 就是兩只腳。Cold feet 并不是在雪地里走而使你的腳很冷。Cold feet 是指臨時(shí)上場(chǎng)感到膽怯。
例如：Peter told his wife that this time he was really going to walk in and demand a pay raise from the boss. But when he arrived at the office, he got cold feet.
皮特對(duì)自己的妻子說(shuō)，這次他可一定要到他老板的辦公室去要求增加工資了。可是，他一到了辦公室就感到膽怯，不敢去見(jiàn)他的老板。
這種臨陣脫逃的現(xiàn)象是很常見(jiàn)的。下面我們要舉的例子恐怕會(huì)引起許多聽(tīng)眾的共鳴：
I really need to get my teeth fixed, but every time I start to phone the dentist, I think about the sound of that drill and right away I get cold feet.
我實(shí)在應(yīng)該去牙大夫那兒看牙了。但是，每當(dāng)我拿起電話想和大夫預(yù)約的時(shí)候，我就好像聽(tīng)到那鉆牙的聲音，一下子，我就害怕起來(lái)了。
6 Jump in and get your feet wet
事到臨頭打退堂鼓，出現(xiàn)cold feet 的現(xiàn)象也許是一個(gè)弱點(diǎn)，但是在美國(guó)成語(yǔ)里，把腳弄濕倒是一件好事。比如說(shuō)，好些聽(tīng)眾都在學(xué)英語(yǔ)。許多初學(xué)的人都怕難為情而不敢用英語(yǔ)來(lái)對(duì)話?？墒牵蠋熀芸赡芫蜁?huì)勸這些學(xué)生: Jump in and get your feet wet.Jump in and get your feet wet 這個(gè)俗語(yǔ)的意思是：到實(shí)踐中去學(xué)，也可以說(shuō)是跳到游泳池里學(xué)游泳。
例如：I know most of you are afraid to embarrass yourselves by trying to speak English after these first few lessons. But that's the best way to learn: when you meet an American, try a few words——jump in and get your feet wet.
我知道你們大多數(shù)人感到剛上了幾課英語(yǔ)，就用英語(yǔ)來(lái)說(shuō)話很不好意思。不過(guò)，當(dāng)你見(jiàn)到美國(guó)人時(shí)，你不妨試著說(shuō)一點(diǎn)。到實(shí)踐中去學(xué)是好的辦法。
又如：I want to get into politics so I'm volunteering to put up signs for one of the people running for mayor. I don't get paid for it but it's a chance to jump in and get my feet wet.
我希望將來(lái)能夠到政界去工作，所以我現(xiàn)在在幫一個(gè)競(jìng)選市長(zhǎng)的候選人張貼宣傳標(biāo)語(yǔ)。我?guī)退鲞@些事是完全義務(wù)的，沒(méi)有工資的。但是，這是到實(shí)踐中去得到一些經(jīng)驗(yàn)的好機(jī)會(huì)。
7 to get a foot in the door
美國(guó)的商品推銷(xiāo)員在不很久以前還是挨家挨戶地去推銷(xiāo)商品，例如吸塵機(jī)、廚房用品、百科全書(shū)和圣經(jīng)等。當(dāng)一位家庭主婦聽(tīng)到敲門(mén)聲，把門(mén)打開(kāi)的時(shí)候，精明能干的推銷(xiāo)員就會(huì)把一只腳先伸到門(mén)里邊，這樣可以避免在他還沒(méi)有機(jī)會(huì)介紹他的商品之前女主人就把門(mén)關(guān)上了。這種挨家挨戶訪問(wèn)的推銷(xiāo)員現(xiàn)在幾乎已經(jīng)消聲匿跡了，大多數(shù)推銷(xiāo)員現(xiàn)在都靠電話來(lái)招攬生意?？墒?，把一只腳先伸到門(mén)里邊這個(gè)說(shuō)法卻成了一個(gè)人們經(jīng)常用的俗語(yǔ)了，在英文里就是：to get a foot in the door.To get a foot in the door 的意思就是：為了達(dá)到一個(gè)目的邁出了第一步，盡管你可能離達(dá)到目的的距離還很遠(yuǎn)。
例如：You know that beautiful girl who sits ahead of me in English class? She keeps turning me down for dates, but I finally got a foot in the door today: she met me for coffee after class.
你知道英語(yǔ)課坐在我前面那個(gè)很漂亮的女孩子嗎？我請(qǐng)她出去玩，她老是拒絕我?？墒牵裉煳宜闶沁~出了第一步。她答應(yīng)下了課和我一起去喝咖啡。
又如：Getting into politics is tough. But Martin got his foot in the door when he volunteered to go around town putting up posters for the Republican candidate for Congress.
要進(jìn)入政界是很難的?？墒?，馬丁曾經(jīng)在當(dāng)?shù)亓x務(wù)地幫助那些共和黨競(jìng)選國(guó)會(huì)議員的候選人張貼標(biāo)語(yǔ)，這樣他為能夠進(jìn)入政界邁出了第一步。
8 to be dead on one's feet
一整天在電線桿上貼標(biāo)語(yǔ)或招貼畫(huà)確實(shí)是很累的。馬丁回到家的時(shí)候可能會(huì)感到兩只腳累得連站都站不動(dòng)了。也有一個(gè)俗語(yǔ)來(lái)形容這種情景：to be dead on one's feet.美國(guó)雖然是先進(jìn)的國(guó)家之一，但仍然有好多職業(yè)需要工作人員站著做的，售貨員就是其中之一。站了一天，到了下班的時(shí)候，他們必然會(huì)感到兩只腳很累。
例如：Honey, I've got to sit down and rest before I take you out to dinner. I'm really dead on my feet tonight: we had the big year-end sale on and I was so busy I didn't even have time for lunch.
親愛(ài)的，我得坐下歇一會(huì)兒再和你一起出去吃晚飯。我今天晚上兩只腳實(shí)在累死了。我們正在舉行年底大減價(jià)，我忙的連午飯都沒(méi)有時(shí)間吃。
又如：My parents took me to Constitution Avenue to see the parade. After standing there for a whole day, my mom was so dead on her feet that she could not even cook dinner for us by the time we got home.
我爸爸媽媽帶我到憲法大街去看*。我們?cè)谀莾赫玖艘惶欤氐郊业臅r(shí)候，我媽媽的腳累得要死，連做晚飯也做不動(dòng)了。
9 to stand on one's own two feet
To stand on one's own two feet 的意思恐怕不難猜到。一個(gè)人如果能站穩(wěn)腳跟的話，他就一定能獨(dú)立自主，靠自己的力量來(lái)辦事。我們下面要舉的一個(gè)例子是一位父親擔(dān)心他的兒子吸毒或酗酒，所以在勸告他的兒子：
Son, somebody may try to get you to smoke marijuana or drink, just to fit in with the crowd. But I hope you can stand on your own two feet and say no.
兒子呀，有的人為了要你合群也許會(huì)勸你喝酒或吸毒。但是我希望你能夠獨(dú)立自主，拒絕他們的引誘。
又如：Bill Brown has managed to stay in Congress now for twenty years. The voters don't always agree with him but they really like the way he stands on his own feet and makes his own decisions on which way to vote, regardless of pressures from all the lobbyists.
比爾·布朗在國(guó)會(huì)當(dāng)議員已經(jīng)二十年了。選民們不一定都同意他的觀點(diǎn)，但是他們倒很欣賞他在對(duì)各種提案投票時(shí)的那種獨(dú)立自主精神。不管那些游說(shuō)者給他施加多大壓力，他都按自己的決定投票。
10 to throw oneself at someone's feet
To throw oneself at someone's feet 這個(gè)俗語(yǔ)可以解釋為：公開(kāi)對(duì)某人表示愛(ài)慕。
比如說(shuō)，一個(gè)男子在幻想自己未來(lái)的婚事，他對(duì)他的朋友說(shuō)：
I'm still looking for the right girl to marry. And when I find her, I'll throw myself at her feet and ask her to spend the rest of her life with me.
我現(xiàn)在還在物色一個(gè)我認(rèn)為合適的女孩作為我的妻子。一旦我找到了，我就要拜倒在她的石榴裙下，懇求她作為我的終身伴侶。
To throw oneself at someone's feet 還可以解釋為：為了得到一些好處而溜須拍馬，或拜倒在某人腳下。
下面的例子是說(shuō)一個(gè)被判了罪的犯人：
The prisoner who has been convicted as a traitor threw himself at the feet of the judge and beg for mercy.
那個(gè)被定罪為叛徒的犯人拜倒在法官的面前，求他發(fā)發(fā)慈悲。
11 to be swept off one's feet
我們講過(guò)to throw oneself at someone's feet，這是公開(kāi)表示對(duì)某人的愛(ài)慕之情，或是拍馬奉承、百般討好某人。可是，被愛(ài)慕或討好的對(duì)象往往會(huì)突然感到非常興奮而不由自主地變得飄飄然起來(lái)。這種情景在英文里是這么說(shuō)的：to be swept off one's feet，就是指一個(gè)人由于一件使他興奮的事而感到不由自主。
下面我們要舉的一個(gè)例子就可以看出一個(gè)人在 throwing himself at someone's feet 以后所可能產(chǎn)生的后果：
Dick was so crazy about Jane that he threw himself at her feet. Jane was swept off her feet and they're getting married next Tuesday.
迪克實(shí)在是愛(ài)簡(jiǎn)，他完全拜倒在她的石榴裙下。這一下使得簡(jiǎn)感到飄飄然，不由自主了。他們竟然決定下星期二就結(jié)婚。
這種閃電式的結(jié)婚確實(shí)有點(diǎn)過(guò)于匆忙。下面一個(gè)例子就是一個(gè)人在勸他的朋友不要草率從事。這也說(shuō)明 to be swept off one's feet 這個(gè)俗語(yǔ)不一定完全適用于被愛(ài)慕的人，也可以用在其他場(chǎng)合：
Hal, I know how anxious you are to get married and start a family. But don't let yourself get swept off your feet by a pretty face: think about what you are doing before you get caught.
海爾，我知道你是非常急于結(jié)婚成家。但是，你不要被一張漂亮的臉弄得昏昏然的。在問(wèn)題還沒(méi)有發(fā)生前，你得腦子清楚一些，明白自己到底在干什么。
12 Don't let the grass grow under one's feet
像結(jié)婚這樣的事確實(shí)應(yīng)該慎重考慮，不能操之過(guò)急。但是有的時(shí)候，我們處理事情也不能拖拖拉拉，浪費(fèi)時(shí)間。這在英文里就是：Don't let the grass grow under one's feet.從字面上來(lái)解釋?zhuān)@句話的意思是：不要讓草在你腳底下長(zhǎng)出來(lái)，實(shí)際上也就是說(shuō)，你不要什么事也不干，浪費(fèi)時(shí)間。
例如：Right now the house is a real bargain. Don't let the grass grow under your feet——sign the agreement today before somebody grabs it.
這是一個(gè)房產(chǎn)經(jīng)紀(jì)人在對(duì)一個(gè)買(mǎi)主說(shuō)話。他說(shuō)：“現(xiàn)在房產(chǎn)價(jià)格實(shí)在是非常便宜。你不要浪費(fèi)時(shí)間，好今天就簽合同，免得給別人把這棟房子搶走?！?BR> Don't let the grass grow under your feet 是推銷(xiāo)產(chǎn)品的人經(jīng)常說(shuō)的話。例如：
I tell you, don't let the grass grow under you feet——this is the last day of this sale and the price on this model goes up a thousand dollars tomorrow!
我告訴你，今天是這次減價(jià)的后一天。這種型號(hào)的車(chē)子，明天就要上漲一千美元。所以你不要猶豫不決，浪費(fèi)時(shí)間。