【参与有奖】每天5分钟，两个惯用语

speed_eriko

Sentence-making 1/20
back down
He backed down after I saw his mistake.
I see he has backed down from the position he took last week.

minori1979jp

back-fire = go wrong(resulting in the opposite of what was intended/required)发生意外（产生事与愿违的结果）
Our plans back-fired because of the rail strike and we had to drive all the way to Scotland instead of taking the train.
因为铁路部门罢工，我们的计划发生意外了，我们只好去乘驾车去苏格兰，不能坐火车去了。

back number = out-of-date issue of a newspaper or magazine, or something that is outmoded过期报纸[期刊]；过时的事[人]
I didn’t buy the magazine last month; I must try to get hold of a back number so that I can catch up on the articles I missed.
我没有购买上月的杂志。我必须设法搞到过期的杂志以便能及时补读没读过的文章。

The dress Pat wore to the disco was a real back-number.
帕特穿着去夜总会的礼服实在不合新潮。

speed_eriko

Sentence-making 1/21
back-fire
His scheme to win the girl backfired and she went to another guy.

minori1979jp

back of beyond = remote, inaccessible 穷乡僻壤；天涯海角
He’s bought a ruined cottage at the back of beyond.
他在穷乡僻壤买了一间破小屋。

(at the) back of one’s mind = remaining (but not prominently) in one’s thoughts内心深处
I’ve always had it at the back of my mind to learn to play chess one day.
我内心深处一直在想着有一天去学习下棋。

minori1979jp

back out (of) = withdraw(from an agreement/contract/promise)退出，收回[取消]（协议、合同、诺言等）
I know I said I would come but my husband is ill and I’m afraid I shall have to back out.
我知道我说过我会来的，但是我丈夫病了，因此我很抱歉我将不得不食言了。

back-pedal = withdraw (after having expressed interest in something)反悔
Paul agreed to help but now he’s back-pedaling because he says he’s too busy.
保罗同意帮忙，可是他现在反悔了，因为他说他太忙了。

[ 本帖最后由 minori1979jp 于 2009-1-23 20:04 编辑 ]

minori1979jp

back-room boys = anonymous people who develop/plan a project<口>从事（秘密）研究工作的人
The new model has been a great success but we must not forget the back-room boys who made it possible.
那种新型号大获成功，但是我们不应忘记使其成功的无名英雄们。

back to the drawing-board = return to the beginning (and re-plan)<口>（失败后）重起炉灶，从头再搞
The furniture won’t all fit in that way so I’m afraid it’s back to the drawing-board.
那样摆设的话，这套家具就不能全放进去，因此我想只好重新再来。

minori1979jp

back to the wall = in difficulties with no retreat处于绝境
They made more than ten objections but William overcame them all; he always fights best when his back’s to the wall.
他们提出了10多条反对的理由，但是威廉把它们全都驳倒了。他处于绝境时最能争斗。

back up = support somebody/something支持某人[某事]
Fred told them that I backed up everything he said.
费雷德告诉他们，我支持他说的每一件事情。

minori1979jp

各位春节快乐，给大家拜年了~~
老妖春节快乐

behind one’s back = without one’s knowledge背着某人
They waited until I left the room and then discussed it behind my back.
他们一直等到我离开房间，然后就背着我讨论这件事情。
break the back of = complete the larger part of 完成•••大部分[最艰巨部分]
If we work a couple of extra hours this evening we shall break the back of this job.
要是我们今晚加几个小时的班，我们将完成这一工作的大部分。

minori1979jp

by the back stairs = in an unofficial way, indirectly开后门，不正当的途径
My uncle is a manager at my new place of work and so I was able to get the job by the back stairs.
我叔叔是我新工作单位的经理，因此我通过后门谋取到了那份工作。

get off somebody’s back = stop harassing somebody<口>不再缠磨某人
I wish you would get off his back, he’s not doing you any harm.
我希望你不再找他麻烦，他并没再伤害你。

minori1979jp

get one’s back up = anger/annoy one使某人生气
His constant sniffing gets me my back up.
他不断用鼻子吸气，这使我讨厌。

get/put somebody’s back up = provoke somebody to anger, annoy使某人生气
His condescending attitude really gets my back up.
他那种居高临下的恩赐态度实在使我很生气。

minori1979jp

glad to see the back of somebody/something = be pleased when somebody/something leaves or finishes希望摆脱某人[某事]
My mother has been so demanding while staying with us I shall be glad to see the back of her.
我母亲在我们这儿一直很苛求，我真巴不得她快离开。

We’ll be glad to see the back of our old car, it keeps breaking down.
我真希望我们那辆旧车快报废，它老是出故障。

go back on = change one’s mind, contradict违背（诺言等）；食言
He promised to help and then went back on his word and said he was too busy.
他答应帮忙，但后来又食言说他太忙了。

speed_eriko

You should never go back on your word, if possible.
Never go back on your friends.

minori1979jp

hang back = be reluctant to go forward踌躇不前
Catch up with the others, Jenny; don’t keep hanging back.
詹妮，赶上其他人，别踌躇不前。

have a broad back = be able/willing to accept blame for the errors of others愿意代人受过[宽宏大量]
Don’t worry; tell them I did it, I have a broad back.
不用担心，告诉他们是我干的，我愿意代人受过。

minori1979jp

have no backbone = lacking courage没有骨气[坚毅、毅力、勇气等
It’s no use asking Roger to come water skiing, he hasn’t the backbone for it.
不用叫罗杰来滑水，他没有勇气那么做。

like the back of a bus = ugly丑陋的，难看的
She has a nice figure but she’s got a face like the back of a bus.
她身材很好，但是她的脸很难看。

minori1979jp

like the back of one’s hand = intimately 熟悉
She knows the layout of the back streets like the back of her hand.
她对那些偏僻的街道了如指掌。

make a rod for one’s own back = cause trouble for oneself by one’s actions自讨苦吃
I didn’t know when I volunteered to help with the old people’s club that I was making a rod for my own back – it now takes up nearly all of my free time.
当我自愿去老人俱乐部帮忙时，我并不知道我是在自找麻烦-现在我的空闲时间几乎全被占用了。