習語集錦【6】

（1） Halcyon days

　　— times of undisturbed peace and happiness.

　　— 太平幸福的日子

　　Example: When people grow older, they long for halcyon days more than anything else.

　　（2） Hale and hearty

　　— strong and healthy

　　— 健壯的

　　Example: In spite of old age, Mr Lin is still hale and hearty.

　　（3） Half a loaf is better than no bread

　　— we should be thankful for what we have, even if the amount is not as much as expected.

　　— 少量比完全沒有好

　　Example: Dr Huang applied for a week's leave, but was given three days. Half a loaf is better than no bread.

　　（4） I hate to mention it, but……

　　— May I remind you that……

　　— 讓我提醒你

　　Example: I hate to mention it, but you still haven't given me your annual report.

　　（5） I would be the first/ last person to……

　　— I am very willing/ unwilling to do something.

　　— 我很願意／很不願意做某事

　　Examples: ① If you ask me for assistance, I would be the first person to volunteer.

　　② I assure you I would be the last person to commit a crime.

　　（6） Jealous of someone/something

　　— envious of someone/something

　　— 妒忌某人／某事

　　Examples: ① Why is she so jealous of her successful colleagues?

　　② It is wrong to be jealous of your friends' accomplishments.

　　（7） Jeer at someone

　　— laugh or shout disrespectfully at someone

　　— 嘲笑

　　Example: The spectators jeered at the team for playing dreadfully.

　　（8） Odds are that, the……

　　— the likelihood is that……

　　— 可能

　　Example: Nobody knows what the pay rise will be like, but the odds are that it will be about 5%.

　　（9） Of great/ some/ no account

　　— of great/ some/ no importance.

　　— 很／有些／不重要

　　Examples: ① All political leaders must be persons of great account.

　　② To the manager, the secretary is a staff member of some account.

　　③ Don't worry about that matter; it is of no account.

　　（10） Palm something off on someone/palm someone off with something

　　— get rid of an undesirable thing by giving, selling, etc. it to someone else; get rid of someone by giving, selling him something.

　　— 勸說別人接受自己不喜歡的事物；打發不喜歡的人

　　Examples: ① His 10-year-old car was always breaking down, so he was forced to palm it off on his honest friend.

　　② The shopkeeper was so tired of the talkative woman that he palmed her off with something of poor quality.

　　（11） Raise one's eyebrows （at something）

　　— lift one's eyebrows to show surprise or doubt （of something）.

　　— 表示驚訝或疑惑

　　Examples: ① Some foreigners' bold remarks against the authorities raised everyone's eyebrows.

　　② The people raised their eyebrows at the discontinuity of some excellent staff's teaching contracts.