走後門;打通關節;幕後牽線

英文:pull a few strings (v.); pull some strings (v.)

說明:這成語的基本型態為 to pull strings,但慣用的說法是 to pull a few strings 或 to pull some strings。

例句:

  • Cindy’s father pulled a few strings for her to get a job in that state-owned enterprise. (辛蒂的父親走後門,為她在那家國營企業謀得一職)
  • I know more than a few politicians, so if you have any trouble, I can pull some strings for you. (我認識不少政界人士,所以如果你有任何麻煩的事情,我可以幫你打通關節)

腳踏兩條船

英譯:
have/keep a foot in both camps

例句:

  • Many big corporations have a foot in both camps by donating to both KMT and DPP at the same time. (許多大公司腳踏兩條船,同時捐款給國民黨和民進黨)
  • The developers, who favor more construction, and the environmentalists, who oppose it, are always two competing interests. Yet the mayor has managed to give each of them something they want. He always keeps a foot in both camps. (主張多蓋房子的開發商和反對多蓋房子的環保人士,永遠是兩個對抗的利益團體。但市長讓兩派力量都得到了一些好處,兩邊都不得罪)

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have a bone to pick (with somebody)

跟 (某人) 有爭端;對…不滿。

  • Paul always has a bone to pick. (保羅老是有意見)
  • I have a bone to pick with you. Did you eat that piece of chocolate cake I was saving for my tea? (我有事要跟你算帳。你是不是把我留下來要配茶吃的那塊巧克力蛋糕吃掉了?)

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馬耳東風;左耳進右耳出

英譯:
go in one ear and out the other

例句:

  • Everything I say to you seems to go in one ear and out the other. Why don’t you pay attention? (我對你說的每件事似乎都是馬耳東風。你為什麼都心不在焉呢?)
  • Things my wife says to me just go in one ear and out the other. (我太太對我說的事情都是左耳進右耳出)

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close, but no cigar

離正確或成功只差一步。

註:這成語及其後來衍生的變體 (variant) “nice try, but no cigar” 皆起源於 20 世紀中期的美國,當時遊樂場或市集的攤位設置遊戲讓顧客玩並以雪茄做為獎品,如類似現今的套圈圈,當顧客差點套中時,攤位老闆或服務人員往往會說 “close, but no cigar” (差一點,但還拿不到雪茄)。日常生活中讓別人猜某個數字或某件事,當他們猜得很接近時,也可用這成語,相當實用也很傳神。

Close, but no cigar 於 1935 年才首次出現在出版品,但自大約 1949 年起,美國報紙即廣泛使用這成語,包括用它來表示「千鈞一髮」(close call) 的意思。

  • A: Guess who I took for dinner last night. (猜猜我昨晚帶誰共進晚餐)
    B: My sister? (我妹?)
    A: Close, but no cigar. (很接近了)
    B: Who then? (到底是誰?)
    A: Your wife. (你太太)
  • Amy: How did you do in the contest? (你的比賽怎麼樣?)
    Paul: Close, but no cigar. I got second place. (差一點就是冠軍。我得到第二名)

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唯命是從;聽候差遣;任憑使喚

英譯:
at someone’s beck and call

例句:

  • Why am I at your beck and call? You’re not my boss. (為什麼我要對你唯命是從呢?你又不是我老闆)
  • Paul was tired of being at his wife’s beck and call all day long. (保羅已厭倦整天受他太太的使喚)

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kill the fatted calf

設宴款待某人。

例句:

  • When John left the army, his parents killed the fatted calf and threw a great party. (當約翰退伍時,他的父母盛宴款待並舉辦一場盛大的派對)
  • Sorry this meal isn’t much, Mary. We didn’t have time to kill the fatted calf. (瑪麗,抱歉,這一餐並不豐盛。我們沒有時間設宴款待妳)

註:這成語源自聖經中浪子回頭的故事。浪子回家時,父親不但原諒他還盛宴款待:「把那頭小肥牛牽來宰了」。

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take the liberty of (doing something)

冒昧地 (做某事);擅自 (做某事)。

註:這成語通常用過去式且大多用於正式場合,如常見於書信中。

  • I took the liberty of telling Mary that her husband had borrowed five thousand dollars from me. (我冒昧地告訴瑪麗她先生向我借五千塊的事)
  • I took the liberty of asking an old friend of mine to join us for dinner. (我擅自邀請了一位老朋友和我們共進晚餐)

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更上一層樓

英譯:
take it up a notch

例句:

  • This project is already quite amazing, but let’s take it up a notch and make it perfect. (這項企畫案已經很棒了,但我們可以更上一層樓,使它更完美)
  • Ava was enjoying her carefree single life but decided to “take it up a notch” and hire a person to help with any heavy housework. (艾娃喜歡無憂無慮的單身生活,但她決定「更上一層樓」,雇人來幫忙做粗重的家事)

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the plot thickens

事情 (或情節) 變得更曲折離奇。

  • The police assumed that the woman was murdered by her ex-husband, but he has an alibi. The plot thickens. (警方認為該女子是被她前夫所殺,但他有不在場證明。案情變得更加曲折離奇了)
  • Jack is supposed to be going out with Cindy, but I saw him last night with Amy. The plot thickens. (傑克應該跟辛蒂約會才對,但我昨晚看見他跟艾美在一起。事情變得更有趣了)

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