習語集錦【5】

（1） About average

　　— no better or no worse than others.

　　— 符郃一般水平

　　Example: Some staff's performance is about average. They have never proved better.

　　（2） About time

　　— the appropriate time.

　　— 差不多到時候了

　　Example: You have been working for quite a while. It's about time you had a new car.

　　（3） About to

　　— ready to

　　— 即將；正要

　　Example: We were about to go out when it suddenly rained.

　　（4） Back to back

　　— with the back facing the other.

　　— 背靠背

　　Example: Stand back to back, boys! Let me see who is the tallest.

　　（5） Back to front

　　— with the back placed where the front should be.

　　— 前後顛倒

　　Example: You got your pullover on back to front.

　　— thoroughly

　　— 透徹地

　　Example: All the people here know the government's major policies back to front.

　　（6） Back up someone/something

　　— support someone/something.

　　— 支持某人／某事

　　Example: ① No matter how, we should back up our most respected representative.

　　② Some new evidence backed up the prosecutor's argument.

　　（7） Call on/upon someone

　　— visit someone

　　— 訪問某人

　　Example: When are we going to call on our new neighbours?

　　（8） Call on/upon someone to do something

　　— invite someone to speak, etc.

　　— 邀請

　　Example: Without further ado, let me call upon our distinguished guest to speak to us.

　　— appeal to someone to act.

　　— 懇求；促使

　　Example: In times of difficulties, we will have to call on the public to make donations.

　　（9） Call out someone

　　— order officially.

　　— 召喚

　　Example: During the riot, the chief of police had to call out the riot police to restore law and order.

　　（10） Damp（en） something down

　　— make a fire burn less strongly.

　　— 使火燃燒緩慢下來

　　Example: It was a moonlit night, so the campers dampened down the fire.

　　— control and reduce something; suppress something.

　　— 抑制；減弱

　　Example: ① Some boys were over-zealous and we had to damp down their enthusiasm.

　　② Lack of support has damped down political dissidents' activities.

　　（11） Dance attendance on/upon someone

　　— do what someone wants without asking.

　　— 侍候某人，聽其差遣

　　Example: The manageress sat still, expecting everyone to dance attendance on her.