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在英语中，有些习语的真正含义与其字面意思貌合神离，大相径庭，使用时稍不注意就会出错，我们在学习和使用时应特别注意，切忌望文生义。现就常见的略举数例如下：
1. black sheep
误：黑羊 正：害群之马，败家子
My brother is a lawyer and my sister is a doctor. They say I am the black sheep of the family because I decided to be an actor. 我哥哥是律师，我姐姐是医生。他们说我是这一家的不肖之子，因为我决意要当一名演员。
2. black and blue
误：黑与蓝 正：（被打得）遍体鳞伤
My whole body was black and blue after I had fallen down the stairs. 我从楼梯上跌下，遍体鳞伤。
3. call sb. names
误：叫某人的名字 正：骂某人
He lost his temper and began calling me names. 他发了火，并开始骂起我来。
4. eat one’s words
误：食言 正：收回前言，承认说错
He said that no one could beat him at tennis， but he had to eat his words after losing several games. 他说网球谁也打不赢他，但是他失了好几场以后，就不得不收回前言。
5. face the music
误：面对音乐
正：勇敢地面对困难；勇于承担责任；毅然接受批评或指责
There is no need for you to worry； if anything goes wrong it is I who will have to face the music. 你不用担心，假如出了差错，后果由我来承担。
6. break the ice
误：打碎冰块
正：打破沉默（拘束）的局面；使气氛活跃
The hostess broke the ice by introducing the strangers to each other. 女主人将生客彼此介绍以后，气氛活跃了起来。
7. go and see one’s aunt
误：去看阿姨 正：上厕所
Wait a minute. I’ll go and see my aunt. 等一會儿，我要上厕所。
8. a cold fish
误：冷鱼
正：冷冰冰的人；缺乏热情的人；古怪的人
No one knows the new doctor； he is a cold fish. 没有人了解那位新来的医生，他是个古怪的家伙。
9. hot air
误：热空气 正：空话；废话
He spoke for almost twenty minutes， but most of what he said was just hot air. 他讲了将近二十分钟，但大多是空话。
10. paint the town red
误：把城镇漆成红色 正：痛饮作乐，狂欢；胡闹
With so much money， we can really paint the town red. 有这么多钱，我们就能大肆狂欢了。
They heard this morning that they’ve passed the examinations， so they’ve gone out to paint the town red. 今天早晨他们听说他们考试已通过，所以出去狂欢了。
11. best seller
误：最佳销售者 正：畅销书
His new novel is one of the season’s best sellers. 他的新小说是这一季度的畅销书之一。
12. hold water
误：盛得住水
正：（论点，意见等）经得起推敲，站得住脚
I think these documents will hold water. 我想这些文件是站得住脚的。
13. another pair of shoes
误：另一双鞋子 正：另外一码事；另当别论
If you say he’s your Godfather， that’s another pair of shoes. I suppose you can rely on him to help you. 如果你说他是你的教父，那就要另当别论了。我想你可以靠他给你帮忙。
14. turn a blind eye （to）
误：睁一只眼闭一只眼
正：视而不见，不当一回事，因而不理睬
You also have a strong sense of justice and can’t turn a blind eye to someone introuble. 你有很强的正义感，绝不会对别人的麻烦视而不见
15. one’s hair stand on end 误：怒发冲冠 正：令人毛骨悚然
The sight of the dead man made his hair stand on end. 看到死人吓得他毛骨悚然。
16. white elephant
误：白象 正：累赘、大而无用的东西
I’ll never buy a car， for it’s only a white elephant to me. 我决不买汽车，因为它对我只会是一个累赘。
17. green hand
误：绿色的手 正：新手，没有经验的人
He is a green hand in business management. 在业务管理方面，他是个新手。
18. I wish you break a leg.
误：我祝你摔断一条腿
正：祝你好运
I hope you break a leg in your performance tonight！我希望你今晚表演成功！
19. rain cats and dogs
误：下猫下狗 正：下倾盆大雨
In the middle of the picnic it started to rain cats and dogs， and we all got soaked. 正野餐時开始下起了倾盆大雨，大家全身都湿透了
20. be red-handed
误：红手的 正：当场的
The pickpocket was caught red-handed.那个扒手被当场抓住了。
21. pull someone’s leg
误：拖某人的后腿 正：嘲弄、戏弄某人
You’re pulling my leg！Do you really expect me to believe such nonsense？ 你在戏弄我！你真以为我会相信这样的胡说八道？
You haven’t made any mistakes—he’s just pulling your leg.你没有出什么错，他是在跟你开玩笑。
22. to keep body and soul together
误：让身体和灵魂在一起
正：维持生存
I was earning just enough to keep body and soul together. 我赚的钱仅够糊口。
23. be dead to the world
误：对全世界来说死了
正：熟睡；对世事不闻不问
When they got home， the children were already dead to the world. 他们到家时，孩子们早已睡熟了。
He is dead to the world. 他对世事不闻不问。
24. under the weather
误：在这种天气下 正：身体不舒服，心情不好
What’s wrong with you？ You look a little under the weather. 你怎么了？看起来心情有些不好。
25. Teach fish how to swim.
误：教鱼游泳 正：班门弄斧
Never offer to teach fish to swim. 不要班门弄斧。
You want to teach him English？ You’re just offering to teach fish to swim. 你想给他教英语？你这是班门弄斧。
26. to make one’s blood boil
误：让某人热血沸腾 正：让某人大发雷霆
It makes my blood boil to see how people are ruining the countryside. 看到人们正在破坏田园乡村令我大为恼火。
1. black sheep
误：黑羊 正：害群之马，败家子
My brother is a lawyer and my sister is a doctor. They say I am the black sheep of the family because I decided to be an actor. 我哥哥是律师，我姐姐是医生。他们说我是这一家的不肖之子，因为我决意要当一名演员。
2. black and blue
误：黑与蓝 正：（被打得）遍体鳞伤
My whole body was black and blue after I had fallen down the stairs. 我从楼梯上跌下，遍体鳞伤。
3. call sb. names
误：叫某人的名字 正：骂某人
He lost his temper and began calling me names. 他发了火，并开始骂起我来。
4. eat one’s words
误：食言 正：收回前言，承认说错
He said that no one could beat him at tennis， but he had to eat his words after losing several games. 他说网球谁也打不赢他，但是他失了好几场以后，就不得不收回前言。
5. face the music
误：面对音乐
正：勇敢地面对困难；勇于承担责任；毅然接受批评或指责
There is no need for you to worry； if anything goes wrong it is I who will have to face the music. 你不用担心，假如出了差错，后果由我来承担。
6. break the ice
误：打碎冰块
正：打破沉默（拘束）的局面；使气氛活跃
The hostess broke the ice by introducing the strangers to each other. 女主人将生客彼此介绍以后，气氛活跃了起来。
7. go and see one’s aunt
误：去看阿姨 正：上厕所
Wait a minute. I’ll go and see my aunt. 等一會儿，我要上厕所。
8. a cold fish
误：冷鱼
正：冷冰冰的人；缺乏热情的人；古怪的人
No one knows the new doctor； he is a cold fish. 没有人了解那位新来的医生，他是个古怪的家伙。
9. hot air
误：热空气 正：空话；废话
He spoke for almost twenty minutes， but most of what he said was just hot air. 他讲了将近二十分钟，但大多是空话。
10. paint the town red
误：把城镇漆成红色 正：痛饮作乐，狂欢；胡闹
With so much money， we can really paint the town red. 有这么多钱，我们就能大肆狂欢了。
They heard this morning that they’ve passed the examinations， so they’ve gone out to paint the town red. 今天早晨他们听说他们考试已通过，所以出去狂欢了。
11. best seller
误：最佳销售者 正：畅销书
His new novel is one of the season’s best sellers. 他的新小说是这一季度的畅销书之一。
12. hold water
误：盛得住水
正：（论点，意见等）经得起推敲，站得住脚
I think these documents will hold water. 我想这些文件是站得住脚的。
13. another pair of shoes
误：另一双鞋子 正：另外一码事；另当别论
If you say he’s your Godfather， that’s another pair of shoes. I suppose you can rely on him to help you. 如果你说他是你的教父，那就要另当别论了。我想你可以靠他给你帮忙。
14. turn a blind eye （to）
误：睁一只眼闭一只眼
正：视而不见，不当一回事，因而不理睬
You also have a strong sense of justice and can’t turn a blind eye to someone introuble. 你有很强的正义感，绝不会对别人的麻烦视而不见
15. one’s hair stand on end 误：怒发冲冠 正：令人毛骨悚然
The sight of the dead man made his hair stand on end. 看到死人吓得他毛骨悚然。
16. white elephant
误：白象 正：累赘、大而无用的东西
I’ll never buy a car， for it’s only a white elephant to me. 我决不买汽车，因为它对我只会是一个累赘。
17. green hand
误：绿色的手 正：新手，没有经验的人
He is a green hand in business management. 在业务管理方面，他是个新手。
18. I wish you break a leg.
误：我祝你摔断一条腿
正：祝你好运
I hope you break a leg in your performance tonight！我希望你今晚表演成功！
19. rain cats and dogs
误：下猫下狗 正：下倾盆大雨
In the middle of the picnic it started to rain cats and dogs， and we all got soaked. 正野餐時开始下起了倾盆大雨，大家全身都湿透了
20. be red-handed
误：红手的 正：当场的
The pickpocket was caught red-handed.那个扒手被当场抓住了。
21. pull someone’s leg
误：拖某人的后腿 正：嘲弄、戏弄某人
You’re pulling my leg！Do you really expect me to believe such nonsense？ 你在戏弄我！你真以为我会相信这样的胡说八道？
You haven’t made any mistakes—he’s just pulling your leg.你没有出什么错，他是在跟你开玩笑。
22. to keep body and soul together
误：让身体和灵魂在一起
正：维持生存
I was earning just enough to keep body and soul together. 我赚的钱仅够糊口。
23. be dead to the world
误：对全世界来说死了
正：熟睡；对世事不闻不问
When they got home， the children were already dead to the world. 他们到家时，孩子们早已睡熟了。
He is dead to the world. 他对世事不闻不问。
24. under the weather
误：在这种天气下 正：身体不舒服，心情不好
What’s wrong with you？ You look a little under the weather. 你怎么了？看起来心情有些不好。
25. Teach fish how to swim.
误：教鱼游泳 正：班门弄斧
Never offer to teach fish to swim. 不要班门弄斧。
You want to teach him English？ You’re just offering to teach fish to swim. 你想给他教英语？你这是班门弄斧。
26. to make one’s blood boil
误：让某人热血沸腾 正：让某人大发雷霆
It makes my blood boil to see how people are ruining the countryside. 看到人们正在破坏田园乡村令我大为恼火。