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跟李笑来学美式俚语（Most Common American Idioms）: Part 38

article 2024/11/29 11:27:09

Most Common American Idioms: Part 38

前言

本文是学习李笑来的Most Common American Idioms这本书的学习笔记，自用。

Github仓库链接：https://github.com/xiaolai/most-common-american-idioms

使用方法: 直接下载下来（或者clone到本地），使用浏览器打开Most_Common_American_Idioms.html文件即可，可以听到例句发音，学习效果很好，推荐给想学习美式俚语的同学。

741. Lay down the law

lay down：制定；规定

“发布命令” 或 “严格规定”。这个表达用来描述某人以强硬和严格的方式来规定规则或要求人们遵守。

这个短语的起源可以追溯到法律的起草和执行者，当他们制定和实施法律时通常会以一板一眼、毫不妥协的方式进行。在现代用法中，“Lay down the law” 被用来形容任何采取强硬态度规定规则或实施纪律的人。

This phrase originates from the actions of lawmakers and enforcers who would draft and enforce laws in a strict and unwavering manner. In modern usage, “Lay down the law” is used to describe anyone who sets rules or enforces discipline in a firm and authoritative manner.

The new coach came in and immediately laid down the law with the players.新教练一来就立即对球员们发布了严格的要求。
Parents often have to lay down the law when it comes to bedtime for their children.父母们通常必须在孩子睡觉时间上立下规矩。
The boss had to lay down the law after too many employees started arriving late.由于太多员工开始迟到，老板不得不严格规定迟到时间。

742. Lead someone around by the nose

“牵着某人的鼻子走” 或 “被人牵着走”。

这个短语的起源可以追溯到古代，当时训练动物，尤其是牛时，训练者会用环穿过动物的鼻子然后牵引它们，使它们顺从地跟随。在现代，这个成语比喻被人彻底控制或操纵，毫无自主权地接受别人的指挥。

This idiom originates from ancient practices where animals, particularly bulls, were controlled by rings through their noses, making them compliant to their handler’s direction. In modern usage, the phrase metaphorically describes someone being completely controlled or manipulated by another person, having no autonomy.

She lets her boyfriend lead her around by the nose.她让她的男朋友牵着她的鼻子走。
Don’t let your boss lead you around by the nose; stand up for yourself.不要让你的老板牵着你的鼻子走；要为自己争取。
It’s clear that he’s leading you around by the nose. You need to make your own decisions.很明显他在牵着你的鼻子走。你需要自己做决定。

743. Learn by rote

rote：美 [roʊt] 机械记忆；死记硬背；生搬硬套

“死记硬背” 或 “机械记忆”。

这个短语起源于古英语中的 “rote”，意思是用重复和机械的方法来学习某些东西。虽然这种方法能够在短时间内记住大量信息，但通常缺乏理解和应用能力。在现代教育中，这种学习方法常常被视为低效和不灵活。

This phrase originates from Old English “rote,” meaning to learn something through repetition and mechanical methods. While this method allows memorizing significant amounts of information in a short time, it often lacks comprehension and application skills. In modern education, this learning method is generally viewed as inefficient and inflexible.

He learned the poem by rote, but didn’t really understand its meaning.他靠死记硬背记住了这首诗，但并没有真正理解其含义。
Students often learn mathematical formulas by rote without understanding the concepts.学生们往往通过死记硬背来学习数学公式，但并没有理解其中的概念。
Learning by rote can be useful for short-term exams, but not for long-term retention.死记硬背对短期考试可能有用，但对长期记忆没有帮助。

744. Learn the ropes

“摸清门道” 或 “熟悉基本情况”。

这个短语起源于航海，船员需要学习如何正确地使用绳索来操纵船帆和其他设备。随着时间的推移，该短语被广泛应用于各种领域，表示对于某项新任务或工作的基本程序和技巧的熟悉和掌握。

This phrase originates from sailing, where sailors needed to learn how to properly handle ropes to manipulate the sails and other equipment. Over time, the phrase has been widely applied in various contexts to mean becoming familiar with the basic procedures and techniques of a new task or job.

It will take a few weeks for the new intern to learn the ropes.新实习生需要几周时间来摸清门道。
Once you learn the ropes, the job becomes much easier.一旦你摸清门道，工作就会变得容易得多。
She’s finally learning the ropes after being in the job for a month.在这份工作上了一个月后，她终于摸清了门道。

745. Learned my lesson

“记住教训” 或 “吸取教训”。

这个短语来源于生活中的经历或错误决定，我们通过这些经历或错误学到了宝贵的教训，并且在未来不会再重复相同的错误。当人们意识到自己的错误并且从中学到经验时，就会使用这个表达。

This phrase originates from life experiences or wrong decisions where we learn valuable lessons that prevent us from making the same mistakes again in the future. It is used when people recognize their mistakes and gain wisdom from them.

After forgetting my ID, I learned my lesson and always double-check my bag before leaving.在忘记带身份证之后，我吸取了教训，每次出门前都会仔细检查我的包。
She learned her lesson the hard way when she missed her flight because she didn’t set an alarm.她因为没有设闹钟而错过了航班，因此深刻地吸取了教训。
I learned my lesson after getting sunburned and now always use sunscreen.在被晒伤之后，我吸取了教训，现在总是使用防晒霜。

746. Leave me alone

“别烦我” 或 “让我一个人待着”。

这个短语通常用于表达一种希望独处或不想被打扰的情绪。起源于日常的社交情境中，当人们需要时间冷静或者想要独享空间时，会使用这句话，表明他们不希望与他人互动或者被他人打扰。

This phrase is commonly used to express a desire to be alone or not to be disturbed. It originates from everyday social interactions when people need time to calm down or want to enjoy personal space. It indicates they do not want to interact with others or be interrupted.

I need some time to think, so please leave me alone.我需要一些时间思考，所以请别烦我。
She asked everyone to leave her alone after the meeting.会议结束后，她让大家都不要打扰她。
Sometimes, you just want people to leave you alone.有时候，你只是想要别人别烦你。

747. Leave no stone unturned

“竭尽全力”，或 “不遗余力”。

这个短语来源于古希腊的一个传说，据说在一次战役后，一位将军被告知如果他想找到隐藏的宝藏，必须翻遍每一块石头。自此以后，“Leave no stone unturned” 成为了一种表达到达目标时，会用尽一切手段的说法。

This phrase originates from an ancient Greek legend in which a general was advised to turn over every stone to find a hidden treasure after a battle. Since then, “leave no stone unturned” has become an expression used to denote making every possible effort to achieve a goal.

The detectives promised to leave no stone unturned in their search for the missing girl.侦探们承诺在寻找失踪女孩时会竭尽全力，不遗余力。
We will leave no stone unturned to ensure the project’s success.我们将竭尽全力，确保项目的成功。
Our coach told us to leave no stone unturned in our preparations for the championship game.教练告诉我们在冠军赛前要竭尽全力地准备。

748. Leave someone high and dry

“抛弃某人” 或 “让某人陷入困境”。

这个短语起源于航海文化，指的是船舶在涨潮时搁浅，随后退潮使船只困在高处，无法动弹。从这个比喻中延伸出了现在的含义，指在关键时刻弃某人于不顾或让其陷入不得善终的困境。

This phrase originates from nautical culture, where it refers to ships that get stranded as the tide rolls out, leaving the vessel “high and dry” and unable to move. From this metaphor, it evolved to mean abandoning someone in a difficult situation without any help.

He promised to help, but then he left me high and dry.他答应帮忙，但却抛弃了我，让我陷入困境。
They were left high and dry when the company went bankrupt.公司破产后，他们被抛在一旁，陷入了困境。
I can’t believe you would leave your best friend high and dry like that.我简直不敢相信你会这样抛弃你最好的朋友，让他陷入困境。

749. Leave well enough alone

“维持现状” 或 “不要多此一举”。

这个短语起源于法国谚语 “Let well alone”，意思是当某事物已经不错的时候，最好不要进行不必要的干涉或改动，以免弄巧成拙。这句话常用来提醒人们不要试图改善已经足够好的事物，避免不必要的麻烦和风险。

The phrase originates from the French proverb “Let well alone,” meaning it is better not to interfere with something that is already satisfactory to avoid the risk of making things worse. This saying is often used to remind people not to try to improve something that is already good enough to avoid unnecessary complications or mishaps.

The project is going smoothly, so let’s just leave well enough alone.项目进展顺利，所以我们还是维持现状吧。
You should leave well enough alone; any more changes might ruin everything.你应该维持现状，再做任何改动可能会毁了所有东西。
He wanted to tweak the design, but I told him to leave well enough alone.他想调整设计，但我告诉他维持现状。

tweak：英 [twiːk] 调整；微调（机器、系统等） 注意发音

750. Left me in the lurch

lurch：突然前倾（或向一侧倾斜）；蹒跚；突然的转变

“把我扔在困境中” 或 “把我孤零零地留下，不管不顾”。

这个短语最早出自于一种古老的桌上游戏 “lurch”，类似于现代的背靠背游戏。在游戏中，如果一方抛弃了其伙伴或未完成其责任，则会 “left in the lurch”，也就是处于一种糟糕的或者无助的位置。因此这个短语在现代英语中用来形容被人抛弃或不顾而留下困难的境地。

This phrase originally comes from an old table game called “lurch,” similar to modern backgammon. In the game, if one player leaves their partner or fails to fulfill their responsibility, they are said to be “left in the lurch,” meaning in a bad or helpless situation. Today, the idiom is used to describe being abandoned or left in a difficult position by someone.

Just when I needed help most, he left me in the lurch.就在我最需要帮助的时候，他把我扔在了困境中。
Her sudden resignation left us in the lurch right before the project deadline.她突然辞职，在项目截止日期前把我们都扔在了困境中。
I can’t believe they left us in the lurch without any explanation.我不敢相信他们在没任何解释的情况下把我们扔在困境中。

751. Left out in the cold

“被冷落” 或 “被排除在外”。

这个短语起源于一个直观的比喻：在外面寒冷的天气中被拒之门外。冷象征着没有温暖和关怀，因此被形容为在寒冷中，就像一个人被排除在温暖和接纳之外。在现代使用中，这一表达常用于描述某人被忽视、排除或不被考虑的重要事物或关系。

This phrase originates from a literal metaphor of being left outside in cold weather. Cold symbolizes a lack of warmth and care, so being left out in the cold is akin to being excluded from warmth and acceptance. In modern usage, it is commonly used to describe someone who is ignored, excluded, or not considered in important matters or relationships.

During the meeting, she felt completely left out in the cold.在会议期间，她感到完全被冷落了。
When the team decided to go ahead without him, he was left out in the cold.当团队决定不带他一起前进时，他被冷落了。
She didn’t get an invitation and felt left out in the cold.她没有收到邀请，感到被排除在外。

752. Left someone behind

“落下某人” 或 “把某人抛在后面”。

这个短语表示在某个情况下，某人被其他人或群体不再关注或者被远离的情形。这通常适用于描述在团队活动中有人被遗忘或忽略，或者在进步或发展中有人未能跟上队伍的步伐。

This phrase indicates a situation where someone is no longer paid attention to or is left further back by others or a group. It is commonly used to describe instances where someone is forgotten or ignored in team activities or unable to keep pace with the group’s progress or development.

When they promoted the other employees, they left Mark behind.当他们提升其他员工时，他们把 Mark 抛在后面了。
She felt left behind when all her friends went to college.当所有朋友都去上大学时，她感到被落下了。
Don’t leave anyone behind as we move forward with this project.在我们推进这个项目时，不要落下任何人。

753. Lend me your ear

“请听我说” 或 “借我片刻倾听”。

这个短语源自莎士比亚的戏剧《凯撒大帝》中的一句话，Mark Antony 在给人们演讲时说 “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears”，意思是请求他们注意听他说话。在今天，这个短语广泛用于请求别人的注意和倾听。

This phrase originates from Shakespeare’s play “Julius Caesar”, where Mark Antony says “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears” while addressing the people, meaning he is asking them to listen attentively. Nowadays, this phrase is widely used to ask for someone’s attention and listening.

Could you lend me your ear for a moment? I need to talk about something important.你能听我说一会儿吗？我有些重要的事情要讲。
I always lend him my ear when he’s feeling down.每当他情绪低落时，我都会愿意听他说话。
If you lend me your ear, I promise it won’t take long.如果你愿意听我说，我保证不会花很长时间。

754. Lend someone a hand

“帮某人一个忙” 或 “帮助某人”。

这个短语起源于借用自己的手去帮助别人的工作或任务。在日常生活中，这个表达用来指某人愿意帮助另一个人完成某项任务或提供某种形式的支持。

This phrase originates from the literal sense of lending one’s hand to help with someone’s work or task. In everyday life, this expression is used to indicate that someone is willing to help another person complete a task or provide support.

Could you lend me a hand with these groceries?你能帮我拿这些杂货吗？
She always lends a hand when we need help at the office.当我们在办公室需要帮助时，她总是伸手相助。
I’m happy to lend you a hand with your move this weekend.我很乐意这个周末帮你搬家。

755. Let bygones be bygones

bygones：美 [ˈbaɪgɔnz] 往事；（begone的复数）

“既往不咎” 或 “过去的事就让它过去吧”。

这个短语源自古英语，意为 “让过去的事成为过去”。它旨在表达一个人决定放下过去的矛盾或问题，不再追究已经发生的事情，而是着眼于未来。它通常用于希望化解过去的矛盾或不愉快的经历，倡导宽恕和前行。

This phrase originates from Old English, meaning “let the past be the past.” It is meant to express a person’s decision to let go of past conflicts or issues and not to dwell on things that have already happened, but to focus on the future. It is typically used when someone wants to resolve past conflicts or unpleasant experiences, encouraging forgiveness and moving forward.

After their argument, they decided to let bygones be bygones and move on.争吵之后，他们决定既往不咎，继续前行。
It’s better for our peace of mind to let bygones be bygones.为了我们的内心平静，最好让过去的事就这么过去。
Let’s let bygones be bygones and start fresh.让我们既往不咎，从头开始吧。

756. Let sleeping dogs lie

lie：躺；平卧；

“不要惹事生非” 或 “不要打扰沉睡的狗”。

这个短语源自中世纪欧洲，当时的狗经常被用作看守和保护。因此，打扰一只沉睡的狗可能会导致它发动攻击或吠叫，从而引发不必要的麻烦。在现代英语中，这个短语用来表示避免触及已经平息的问题或不必要地挑起争端。

This phrase originates from medieval Europe when dogs were often used for guarding and protection. Disturbing a sleeping dog could lead to it attacking or barking, thereby causing unnecessary trouble. In contemporary English, this idiom is used to advise avoiding stirring up settled issues or provoking disputes without need.

Let’s not bring up that old argument again; it’s better to just let sleeping dogs lie.不要再提那次旧争论了，最好不要惹事生非。
I thought about asking him about his ex, but I decided to let sleeping dogs lie.我本来想问他关于他前任的事，但最后决定还是不要打扰沉睡的狗。
Sometimes it’s wiser to let sleeping dogs lie rather than risk causing unnecessary problems.有时候宁可不要惹事生非，以免引起不必要的问题。

757. Let someone off the hook

“让某人摆脱困境” 或 “让某人脱身责罚”。

这个短语源自钓鱼，当鱼被钩住时，只有放开鱼钩，鱼才能重新自由。因此，这个习语常用于表示给予某人宽恕或使其不再承担其行为的后果、责任或处罚。

This phrase originates from fishing, where a fish is freed when it’s let off the hook. Thus, this idiom is commonly used to mean forgiving someone or relieving them from the consequences, responsibility, or punishment of their actions.

The teacher let him off the hook despite missing his homework.尽管他没交作业，老师还是让他摆脱了困境。
She promised not to let me off the hook if I forgot our anniversary again.她承诺如果我再忘记我们的纪念日，就不会让我脱身责罚。
I felt relieved when the boss let me off the hook for the mistake.当老板放我一马，原谅了我的错误时，我感到松了一口气。

758. Let the cat out of the bag

“露陷儿” 或 “泄密”。

这个短语起源于中世纪的集市，当时有人用袋子装猪崽卖，但有时会用猫来欺骗买家。买家发现了猫而不是猪崽时，骗局便暴露了。如今，这个短语用来形容某人无意或有意地泄露了原本应该保密的信息。

This phrase originated in medieval markets where piglets were sold in bags. Sometimes, unscrupulous sellers would substitute a cat for a piglet. When the cat was let out of the bag, it revealed the fraud. Today, the idiom is used to describe someone accidentally or intentionally revealing a secret.

Oops, I think I just let the cat out of the bag about her surprise party.哎呀，我想我刚刚泄露了她惊喜派对的秘密。
He let the cat out of the bag when he mentioned their engagement in front of everyone.他在大家面前提到他们订婚的事，结果露陷儿了。
They were trying to keep their plans for a new product hidden, but someone let the cat out of the bag.他们试图保密新产品的计划，但有人泄密了。

759. Let the dust settle

“让尘埃落定” 或 “让情况稳定下来”。

这个短语的起源可以追溯到尘土飞扬的场景，尤其是在战斗或骚乱之后。当尘埃落定时，环境变得更加清晰和明确。因此，这个短语指的是在纷争或激烈的事件之后，等待局势稳定、明朗后再采取行动。

This phrase originates from scenes where dust is stirred up, especially after battles or disturbances. When the dust settles, the environment becomes clearer and more discernable. Therefore, this idiom means to wait for a situation to calm down and become clear before taking further action.

Let’s just wait for a while and let the dust settle before making any big decisions.让我们先等一段时间，让尘埃落定之后再做重大决定。
After the argument, they needed some time to let the dust settle before discussing things again.争吵之后，他们需要一些时间让尘埃落定，然后再讨论事情。
The company should let the dust settle from the recent changes before implementing new policies.公司应该等最近的变动尘埃落定之后再实施新的政策。

760. Let your hair down

“放松一下” 或 “不拘束”。

这个短语起源于过去的一些社交场合，特别是女性本该把头发盘起来以显得端庄，而这个过程中放下头发则表示进入一种更加放松和非正式的状态。在现代社会，它常用来建议或描述人在某个时候需要放松一下，享受片刻自由。

This phrase originates from past social settings where women typically had their hair up in formal styles. Letting their hair down was seen as moving into a more relaxed and informal state. Nowadays, it’s commonly used to suggest or describe taking a break and enjoying some freedom.

After a long week of work, it’s important to just let your hair down on the weekend.经过一周的辛勤工作，周末时一定要放松一下。
She finally let her hair down and danced the night away at the party.她终于放松下来，在派对上跳了一整晚。
You should let your hair down and have some fun; you deserve it!你应该放轻松玩一玩，你应得的！