最新美語流行語手冊-實(shí)用商務(wù)篇(2)1

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24.ask no odds 不要求特殊照顧
    odds作名詞時指的是“奇特的事物,怪人或奇數(shù)”,而短語ask no odds的意思為“不要求特殊照顧”。
    A: Mr. Green, may I have a talk with you? 格林先生,我可以和你談?wù)剢幔?BR>    B: Of course. Wait a minute. Ok, now, what can I do for you, Miss? 當(dāng)然可以了。請稍等。好啦,小姐,有什么我可以為您效勞的嗎?
    A: I ask no odds, I just want you to be fair and square. 我不要求特殊照顧,我只要求您公正。
    B: I think I’m always fair and square. 我覺得我一直都是很公正的。
    A: But not this time. I’ve done the most of the sales but you spilt the profit among all of us. 但這次把不是。我完成了大部分銷售額,而你給我們所有人分配利潤。
    25.at a loose end 無所事事,無所適從
    此語可以追溯到19世紀(jì)中期。一說此語源自航海,原表示“(繩索的)一端末系住”。一說原指“(衣帶)垂下”。該語常有“因沒有事做而感到不滿”的含義。此語亦可作at loose ends。來源:考試大
    A: It seems that he is unhappy. 看起來他不很高興。
    B: You’re right. He has been out of work for a long time. 就是。他已有些日子沒工作了。
    A: Have no any chance to try again? 沒有什么機(jī)會再來一次嗎?
    B: No. So he is in low spirits. Don’t talk about the matter of work with him. OK? 沒有。所以他情緒低落。別和他談?wù)摴ぷ鞯氖拢脝幔?BR>    A: Yeah. I got it. 我明白。
    B: Thank you for caring about him and coming to see him. 謝謝你關(guān)心他,還來看他。
    A: You’re welcome. I know everyone of us will feel discomfortable when we’re at a loose end. 別客氣,我知道一個人無事可干的時候很不舒服。來源:考試大
    26.at one’s wits end 智窮計盡
    wit的意思是“穎悟力,智力,理解力”。該習(xí)語的意思是“處在智力的末端”,意即“智窮計盡”了。例如:I’m at my wit’s end with this problem. 我對這個問題真是束手無策。
    A: I am at my wits’ end. 我已經(jīng)智窮計盡了
    B: What’s the matter? 怎么啦?
    A: If the bank won’t lend us the money, we’ll be stuck. 如果銀行不肯給我們貸款,我們就寸步難行了。
    B: Don’t worry. You can ask Mary for help. 別著急。你可以請瑪麗幫幫忙。
    27.at sixes and sevens 亂七八糟;意見不一
    該習(xí)語一般認(rèn)為源于擲色子,原為賭博行話。據(jù)說在中世紀(jì)時,色子面上的點(diǎn)數(shù)是7,如想求得13點(diǎn),即一個色子6點(diǎn),一個色子7點(diǎn),這談何容易,只有那些心煩意亂或處于思想混亂狀態(tài)下的人才會下此賭注,一試賭贏。該習(xí)語最初表示“漫不經(jīng)心地下賭注”,后來轉(zhuǎn)而表示“心煩意亂”,最后又引申出“亂七八糟”、“意見不一”等意思。喬叟在愛情長詩《特羅勒斯和克麗西德》中使用過該習(xí)語。 來源:考試大
    A: You have loused up the whole business; it’s at sixes and sevens. 整個買賣讓你弄得亂七八糟。
    B: The dice is cast. It’s incurable. 一切都成了定局,沒救了。
    A: I feel so terrible. 糟透了。
    B: Me too. We just went to a lot of trouble for nothing. 我也這么想,一切都白忙了。
    28.back to square one 退回起點(diǎn);從頭再來
    該習(xí)語源自擲色子游戲。當(dāng)擲出某個特定的號碼時要受罰,于是還要重新再擲。該習(xí)語即指“無所進(jìn)展,退回起點(diǎn)”,進(jìn)而“從頭再來”。例如:I’m back to square one with the work.(我的工作又得從頭做起。)
    A: Have you finished designing that office building? 那座辦公樓設(shè)計好了嗎?
    B: We are back to square one now. 我們正在重新設(shè)計。
    A: Back to square one? What’s the matter? 重新設(shè)計? 怎么回事?
    B: We’ve worked out the plan, but it’s been decided that we must use cheaper material. So we have to redesign it. 本來我們都已經(jīng)設(shè)計好了,但現(xiàn)在決定使用便宜點(diǎn)的材料,所以只得從頭再來。 來源:考試大
    29.back to the drawing board 從頭開始,失敗后另起爐灶
    drawing board指“畫板”。該習(xí)語直議為“(退)回到畫板前”,引申為“從頭開始。失敗后另起爐灶”。
    A: How is Jim recently? 吉姆近況如何?
    B: Very well. Since he was back to the drawing board, he’s been very successful. 非常好。自從他失敗以后另起爐灶,就一直很成功。
    A: I know he will get back on his feet sooner or later. 我知道他遲早會東山再起的。