1. make/put a dent
原句:As I say it's a good day for the citizens of Albuquerque when we can put this big a dent in the local drug trade.
make/put a dent 英文释义为to decrease something slightly or to make something somewhat weaker,即“使……(少量)减少或减弱”。
We tried our best to fix the problem, but nothing we did seems to have made a dent.
2. couple (of)
原句:Take a couple of deep breaths for me.
这个在口语中常能听到,意思与我们学过的few基本一致,表示“一些;几个”。
值得注意的是,有时候能听到of,有时完全听不到,其实一般都可以。因为couple既可以作为名词用(此时需of),也可作为形容词用(此时无需of),这和few的用法也是一致的。
I'll live maybe another couple years.
Across the street from me there are a couple of police officers standing guard.
3. green light
原句:All right. School bus is clear. Got the green light.
其实这个表达也很容易理解,当我们到了一个十字路口,绿灯亮了,就意味着允许通行了,在口语当中,我们可以加以扩展,这个表达不仅限于用在交通当中,也可以表示任何情况下的“允许;批准”。且一般用于以下两词组:
give / get the green light
与此相近的,还可用consent替代,如:
At approximately 11:30 p.m., Pollard finally gave his consent to the search
大概晚上11点半的时候,波拉德最终同意进行搜查。
4. amount to
原句:Honestly I never expected you to amount too much.
amount作为名词表示“数量,总量”的意义是我们所熟知的,其作为动词一般表示“达到某数量”。此处的意义更为少见一些,表示“达到某质量,某高度”。下面各举一例:
The bill amounts to $10. (动词,数量)
wanted her son to amount to something. (动词,高度、质量)
trying to figure the amount of time it will take. (名词,数量)
5. picture
相信有人看到这个词就笑了,picture不就是初中生都学过的“照片”嘛?有什么好说的?不然,在口语中,picture至少有两个常见用法,是我们不熟知的。先看原句:
I didn't picture that. 我万万没有想到。
此处picture是作为动词来用,意义与imagine非常接近,就是在脑中形成某种场景。还有另外一种说法,表示意外:
I wasn't expecting that.
另外,picture作为名词,有一个与此处意义非常相近的含义,表示"一种生动的描述,能让你充分想象出某事物"。见下例:
the book gives a detailed picture of what is happening
6. Not a clue.
想象一下你当年做数学题的时候,毫无头绪,你会怎么表达?I don't know.
还是I have no idea.
Anyway, 现在你又学会一个表示完全否定的句子啦,那就是
Not a clue. / I've got no clue. / I don't have a clue.
对于上述内容,如果你知道更多、更好的表达,欢迎留言让大家一起学习呀~