【参与有奖】每天5分钟，两个惯用语

minori1979jp

2009/11/3
new boy = new employee新雇员
Can you please tell me where the accounts department is; I’m a new boy here.
请您告诉我帐房在哪里，我是这里的一名新雇员。

one of the boys = accepted member of a group玩友之一
You can always trust Arthur-he’s one of the boys.
你可以始终相信阿瑟-他是我们一伙的。

minori1979jp

2009/11/4
brace
brace oneself = be prepared for unpleasantness振作精神
Brace yourself and I’ll tell you how much the repair will cost you.
振作起精神，让我把修理费用告诉你。

brain
brainchild = one’s own idea<口>脑力劳动的产物（如思想、作品、发明、发现等）
It was my brainchild and I’d like to see the job through to the end.
这是我的设想，因而我想看到任务完成。

minori1979jp

2009/11/5
brain drain = drift of graduates(particularly scientists/technicians)人才流失
Angela got her degree in computer science and decided to join the brain drain and go and work in California.
安杰拉获得了计算机学科的学位，她决定加入人才外流的行列，到加利福尼亚去工作。

brains trust = discussion group of experts<主英>（优质政府部门的）智囊团
We’ve decided to form a brains trust of all the section chiefs so that we can discuss each other’s problems.
我们决定成立一个由各部门负责人组成的智囊团，这样就可以讨论彼此的问题了。

minori1979jp

2009/11/6
have a brainstorm = have an uncontrolled emotional outburst<口>脑卒病
The news of his son’s death caused him to have a brainstorm.
他儿子的死讯使得他得了脑猝病。

have a brainwave = have a sudden inspiration突然想到的妙计
I’ve had a brainwave. Why don't we move the table under the window, out of the way?
我突然想到了一个好办法。我们为什么不把桌子一到窗口下面呢，那样就不是不挡道了吗？

minori1979jp

2009/11/7
have something on the brain = be obsessed/preoccupied with something 热衷于某事，迷恋某事
His only interest is football – he’s got football on the brain.
他只对足球感兴趣-他念念不忘足球。

hare-brained (scheme) = impractical/stupid (plan)粗率的计划；愚蠢的计划
Julian came up with another of his hare-brained schemes for raising money.
朱利安又提出了一个愚蠢的筹款计划。

minori1979jp

2009/11/08
make one’s brain hurt/reel = be very difficult to grasp (mentally), or be incredible难以理解，难以置信
The details of quantum physics make my brain hurt.
错综复杂的量子物理学是我头疼。

pick somebody’s brains = seek particular information from somebody with the necessary knowledge<俚>吸取某人的意见[知识]为己所用
I hope you don't mind my picking your brains, but can you please explain how to propagate strawberries?
我希望您不在意我吸取您的意见为己所用，但是请您能否解释一下草莓是如何繁殖的？

minori1979jp

2009/11/9
rack one’s brains = try very hard to remember /think of something冥思苦想，苦苦动脑筋
I’ve racked my brains all day and I still can’t remember who was Prime Minister in 1952.
我冥思苦想了整整一天，但我仍然想不起1952年谁任首相。

scatter brain = somebody who is careless/disorganized in thinking注意力不集中的人
He’s a scatter brain in the office; he often forgets to post the letters, and when he does he usually forgets to put stamps on them.
他办事时经常丢三拉四，不是经常忘记寄信，就是寄信时又常常忘记贴上邮票。

minori1979jp

2009/11/10
turn one’s brain = make one go mad使某人发疯
The atrocities he saw during the war eventually turned his brain.
战争时期他目睹的种种暴行终于使他精神错乱了。

branch
branch out = develop into/become independent of扩充（业务等）；（话等）横生枝节
I’m tired of working for other people and so I’ve decided to branch out on my own.
我厌烦为他人工作，因此决定开始独立经营。

minori1979jp

2009/11/11
offer/hold out an olive branch = want to make peace伸出橄榄枝，建议讲和
We’ve disagreed violently for months, but I’ve held out an olive branch and it's now up to him to respond.
我们激烈争执已有数月，不过我已伸出了橄榄枝，该由他作出反应了。

brass
brass hat = high-ranking officer/official高级将领，高级官员
Decisions about policy are made by the brass hats.
政策是由高级官员们决定的。

minori1979jp

2009/11/12
bold as brass = shamelessly self-assured极为唐突放肆，极为粗鲁无礼
He walked in, bold as brass, wearing nothing but his underpants.
他走了进来，只穿了一条内裤，极为粗鲁无礼。

get down to brass tacks = reduce an argument/discussion to the fundamental issues讨论实质性问题
Never mind the side-issues; let’s get down to brass tacks and thrash out a basic agreement.
别管枝节问题，让我们讨论问题的实质，以求得基本的一致。

minori1979jp

2009/11/13
have the brass neck to (do something) = be hold/shameless enough to (do something)厚着脸皮（做某事），厚颜无耻
I lent him his bus fare and then he had the brass neck to ask me for a lift home.
我借给了他乘公共汽车的车票钱，然而他却厚着脸皮要搭我的车回家。

top brass = senior management / officers上级，高级官员
We’d  better get the place tidied up, the top brass are coming tomorrow.
我们最好把这个地方收拾一下，上级明天要来。

minori1979jp

2009/11/14
put on a brave face = pretend that the situation is better than it really is虚张声势
The strikers got none of their demands and all they could do was to put on a brave face and return to work.
罢工者没有一个要求得到满足，他们所能做的只是装作无事并且复工。

breach
fill/step into the breach = deputise for somebody/substitute for something填补空缺，代行职务
The leading man got laryngitis but his understudy stepped into the breach and gave an excellent performance.
演主角的男演员得了喉炎，不过他的替角代替了他，而且表演的极为出色。

minori1979jp

2009/11/15
heal the breach = end a serious disagreement弥合裂痕
I’ve at last been able to heal the breach between my father and me.
我终于能弥合了父亲与我之间的裂痕。

bread
best thing since sliced bread = something (new) that is very well liked<口>最好的东西
My mother thinks that her new dishwasher is the best thing since sliced bread.
我母亲以为她新买的洗碟机是最好的东西。

minori1979jp

2009/11/16
bread and butter = living, basic daily work生活来源；谋生之道
Routine office work is my bread and butter.
日常的办公室工作是我的谋生之道。

breadwinner = wage-earner for a family养家糊口的人
After Frank’s father died he became the breadwinner for his mother and young sisters.
弗兰克的父亲去世后，她成了洋货母亲和妹妹们的人。

daadai

师傅~~~~~
11.16
Acting is an actor‘s bread and butter.
演戏是演员的饭碗。
My father is the breadwinner in my family.
爸爸是家里的经济支柱。