Proverbs and Idiomatic Expressions

1. Proverbs and Idiomatic Expressions Lecture 12

2. Make a long story short • Anyway to cut a long story short, we left at midnight and James left somewhat later.

3. Be at loose ends • 没有事情做 • If you find yourself at a loose end over the weekend, you could always clean out the garden shed.

4. Go under the knife • 动手术 • John had to go under the knife right away.

5. Go (all) round the houses • 兜圈子 • There’s no need to go all round the houses, just tell me straight out what’s wrong.

6. Eat like a horse 吃得多 Now he can eat like a horse.

7. Bring sth home to sb • 使某人清楚认识到某事 • These pictures brought home to us the realities.

8. Put in a good word for sb • I’m applying for a job in your office. Could you put in a good word for me with your boss?

9. Take the long view • If you take the long view, of course, you can regard staff training as an investment for the company.

10. Make sb’s toes curl • Feel extremely embarrassed and ashamed for someone else • The very thought of what she said makes my toes curl.

11. Go up in smoke • (A plan or some work) be spoiled or waste • Then his business went bankrupt and 20 years of hard work went up in smoke.

12. Roll your sleeves up • To prepare for hard work • Our local team need to roll their sleeves up and put a bit more effort into their football.

13. Sell sb/sth short • To not value sb or sth as much as they deserve to be valued • Who’d employ me at my age? • Don’t sell yourself short. You’re intelligent and you’ve got loads of experience.

14. Be nothing to shout about • Not be especially good or exciting • The pay rise wasn’t much to shout about, but I suppose it’s better than nothing.

15. Proverbs • Absence makes the heart grow fonder. 久别情深。 • All good things must come to an end. 好景无常。 • All things are difficult before they are easy.万事开头难。 • All your swans are geese. 希望成为泡影。 • The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. 苹果落地，离树不远。

16. A beggar’s purse is bottomless. 乞丐的口袋填不满。 • Care kills a cat. 忧虑伤身。 • Better be the head of an ass than the tail of a horse. 宁为鸡口，无为牛后。 • A close mouth catches no flies. 口紧不招祸。 • Don’t try to run before you can walk. • Enough is enough. 适可而止。