1. Bolt from the blue
1. 晴天霹雳 (用来形容事情发生得如此突然,让人感到惊讶和措手不及。)
I had only recently seen Steve in a restaurant. The news of his death came as a bolt from the blue.
我不久前才在一间餐馆里见过史蒂夫,他的死讯来得犹如晴天霹雳。
2. To have a face like thunder
2. 火冒三丈 (形容一个人非常生气,达到怒不可遏的程度。)
He had a face like thunder when he came out of the manager's office this morning.
他今天早上从经理办公室出来的时候满脸怒气。
3. To take a rain check
3. 改天吧,以后再说 (表示当下不能做什么事情,但是不排除日后的可能。)
Do you mind if I take a rain check on that lunch invitation? I'm going to be away all week.
你介意不介意我改日再去赴约吃午饭?我这周都不在。
4. It never rains but it pours!
4. 祸不单行 (糟糕的事情一个接一个发生。)
Poor Sarah, she lost her job and now she has a car accident. It never rains but it pours!
可怜的萨拉,她刚丢了工作,现在又出了车祸,真是祸不单行啊。
5. A storm in a teacup
5. 小题大做 (本来是小事一桩,可是经过渲染,变成了大问题。)
Lucy was calling the police when her cat disappeared, it all sounds like a storm in a teacup.
露西发现她的猫不见了就去报警,我看这未必有点儿小题大做。
6. On cloud nine
6. 非常高兴,心情十分舒畅 (形容一个人的心情好的不能再好了。)
When the boss announced my promotion, I was on cloud nine.
当老板宣布我获得晋升时,我非常高兴。
7. To chase the rainbows
7. 追逐彩虹,痴人说梦 (形容一个人尽是想好事,而且是不太可能的事。)
You have only started two months ago, you are already thinking about promotion. Well, I think you're just chasing rainbows.
你才来了两个月就想着升职的事情了,我看啊,你是净想好事儿呢。
8. Once in a blue moon
8. 千载难逢地,百年不遇 (形容非常罕见。)
Brian has very little contact with his sister. They see each other once in a blue moon.
布莱恩和他姐姐没有什么联系。他们很少见面。
9. Every cloud has a silver lining
9. 黑暗中总有一线光明 (鼓励人们即使在最困难的时刻也不要失去信心或放弃希望。)
Don't worry too much about your dropping out of university, every cloud has a silver lining.
大学辍学这事儿你也别太担忧,塞翁失马,焉知非福。
10. A fair-weather friend
10. 可共安乐不能共患难的朋友 (这和同甘共苦意思相反,指那些关键时刻靠不住的朋友。)
I thought I could count on Sue, but I've discovered she's just a fair-weather friend.
我以为我能依赖苏这个人呢,不过,我发现她只不过是个只能同甘不能共苦的朋友。