a bird in the hand is worth two the bush 一鸟在手，胜似二鸟在林

a blank slate 干净的黑板(新的一页，新的开始)

a bone to pick 可挑剔的骨头(争端，不满)

a cat nap 打个盹儿

a chip off the old block 大木头上砍下来的小木片(子肖其父)

a chip on one's shoulder 肩头的木片(自卑感，因为自卑而爱找别人麻烦;喜欢向人挑衅)

a ouch potato 躺椅上的马铃薯(懒鬼)

a cake walk 走去吃糕(易事)

a headache 头痛(麻烦事)

a knock out 击倒(美得让人倾倒)

a load off my mind 心头大石落地

a nut 傻子，疯子

a pain in the neck 脖子疼(苦事)

a piece of cake 一块蛋糕(小菜一碟，易事一件)

a pig 猪猡

a shot in the dark 盲目射击(瞎猜)

a short fuse 引线短(脾气火爆)

a sinking ship 正在下沉的船

a slam dunk 灌篮(轻而易举的事)

a slap in the face 脸上挨了一耳光(公然受辱)

a smoke screen 烟幕

a social butterfly 社交蝴蝶(善于交际，会应酬的人)

a stick in the mud 烂泥中的树枝

a thick skin 厚脸皮

a thorn in someone's side 腰上的荆棘(芒刺在背)

a turn coat 反穿皮袄的人(叛徒)

an uphill battle 上坡作战(在逆境中求胜)

a weight off my shoulders 放下肩头重担

ace 得满分(得到完美的结果)

all ears 全是耳朵(洗耳恭听)

all thumbs 满手都是大拇指(笨手笨脚)

an ace up my sleeve 袖里的王牌

an open and shut case明显的事件

ants in one's pants 裤裆里有蚂蚁(坐立不安)

back in the saddle重上马鞍(重整旗鼓)

back on track重上轨道(改过自新)

backfire逆火(弄巧成拙，适得其反)

ball and chain 铁球铁链，甜蜜的枷(老婆)

beat a dead horse 鞭打死马令其奔驰(徒劳)

beaten by the ugly stick 被丑杖打过(生得难看)

beggar can't be choosers 讨饭的谈不上挑三拣四

bet on it 下这一注稳赢(有把握，无疑)

bet your life 把命赌上(绝对错了)

better half 我的另一半

between a rack and a hard place 进退维谷(前有狼后有虎)

big headed 大脑袋(傲慢，自大)

bigger fish to fry 有更大的鱼要炸(有更重要的事要办)

bite off more than one can chew 贪多嚼不烂

bite the bullet 咬子弹(强忍痛苦)

birds of a feather flock together 羽毛相同的鸟总飞成一群(物以类聚)

blow up in you face 在眼前爆炸(事情完全弄砸了)

bologna 胡说，瞎说

break a let 折断一条腿(表演真实，演出成功)

break the ice 破冰(打破僵局)

bright聪明，灵光

brown nose 讨好，谄媚

bug somebody 使人讨厌

bull in a china shop 瓷器店里的蛮牛(笨拙的人，动辄弄坏东西的人)

bump into 撞上(巧遇)

burn brides 烧桥(过河拆桥)

burst your bubble 扎破泡泡(打破人的幻想，煞风景)

bury one's head in the sand把头埋在沙里(自欺欺人)

butterfingers奶油手指(抓不稳东西的人)

butterflies in my stomach肚里有只蝴蝶(心里紧张，七上八下)

buy the farm买下农场(归道山，死了)

call it a night一日事毕，可以睡觉了

can't teach an old dog new tricks老狗学不会新把戏

cash in my chips兑换筹码(睡觉，就寝)

chicken鸡(胆小鬼)

circle the wagons把篷车围成一圈(严阵以待)

clean up one's act自我检点，自我改进

come down in bucket倾盆大雨

come down in sheets整片整片地下(倾盆大雨)

cool your lips冷静下来

cost someone an arm and a leg要花上一条胳膊一条腿(代价昂贵)

count on something /doing something 这事靠得住

count your chickens before they hatch 蛋还没孵化，先数小鸡

crock 破瓦片(无用之物，废话)

cross the line 跨过线(做得太过分了)

cross that bridge when we come to it 到了桥头就过桥(船到桥头自然直)

cry over spilled milk 为泼了牛奶而哭(为过去的失败而懊丧)

cushion the blow 给垫着点儿(说话绵软一点，以免打击太重)

cut to the chase 抄捷径去追猎物(不绕圈子，开门见山，单刀直入)

daily grind 例行苦事，每天得干的苦工

days are numbered 来日无多

dead center 正当中

dead-end street 死路，死巷子

dog 狗(丑八怪)

domino effect 骨牌效应

don't hold your breath 别憋着呼吸(别期望太高)

don't look a gift horse in the mouth 赠马不看牙(收人礼物别嫌好道歹)

down to the wire 最后关头

down under 南边(常指面半球的澳洲)

downhill from here 从此都是下坡路(自此每况愈下)

drop the ball 掉了球(失职)

empty nest 空巢(儿女长大离家)

every cloud has a silver lining 乌云也有银边(祸兮福所倚，塞翁失马)

fall into place 落实，就绪

fender bender 撞弯保险杠的车祸(小车祸)

fight tooth and nail 爪牙并施，拚命抵抗

fine line 细线(微妙的差别)

fish out of water 如鱼离水

flash in the pan 淘金盆里的反光(空欢喜一场，好景不长)

fork in the road 岔路

fox 狐狸(并无贬意)

framed 被陷害，遭栽赃

full throttle 加足马力

get a foot in the door 一脚已经进了门里(获得立足点，占一份)

get hitched 拴起来(结婚)

get off on the wrong foot 起步便错(第一印象不佳)

get the ball rolling 让球滚起来(动起手来)

get/give the green light 绿灯亮了(获准行动)

get up on the wrong side of the bed 起床下错边

give the shirt off one's back 连衬衫都肯脱给人(慷慨成性)

go one step too far 多走了一步(做得太过分了)

go out on a limb 爬高枝(担风险)

go overboard 过火

go to hell in a hand basket 坐着吊篮下地狱(一坏不可收拾)

go to one's head 上头上脸，冲昏头脑

go under 沉没(破产)

goose bumps 鸡皮疙瘩

grasp for straws 抓稻草(绝望中的挣扎，快要淹死的人连漂浮的稻草也抓)

guts 胆子

hot 惹火

have one's cake and eat it too 既想留着蛋糕，又想吃(既要鱼，又要熊掌)

hindsight is 20/20 事后的先见之明

hit stride 脚步走顺了

hit the books 撞书(用功)

hit the hay 倒在稻草上(睡觉、就寝)

hit the jackpot 中了头彩

hit the road 上路

hold a candle to 给他拿蜡烛都不配(元不能相比)

hold the key to my heart 掌管我心灵的钥匙

hold your horses 勒住你的马(慢来)

hang somebody out to dry 把……晾起来了(把……坑苦了)