谚语之三

out of sorts 心绪不佳

out of the blue 从天上掉下来

Over shoes, over boots. 一不做， 二不休。

Over the greatest beauty hangs the greatest ruin. 红颜多薄命
P

Paddle one's own canoe 做自己的事

Pain is forgotten where gain follows. 好了疮疤忘了痛

Pain past is pleasure. 痛苦过后是欢乐

paint the lily 画蛇添足

Pardon all but thyself. 原谅别人但不要原谅自己

part and parcel 主要部分

pass the buck 推卸责任

pass muster 基本合格

patience on a monument 极有耐性之人

The path to glory is always rugged. 光同之路长坎坷

pay back in one's own coin 以其人之道还其人之身

pay lip-service to 口头帮忙

The pen is mightier than the sword. 笔强于剑

Pen and ink is wit's plough. 笔墨是智慧之犁。

A penny saved is a penny earned. 省一便士等于挣一便士。

Penny-wise and pound-foolish. 小事聪明，大事糊涂。

Perseverance is the only road to success. 不屈不挠是取得胜利的唯一道路

a piece of cake 小事一桩

Plain living, high thinking. 一帆风顺

play ducks and drakes with 挥霍浪费

play fast and loose 反复无常

play for safety 不冒风险

play havoc with 搅乱，破坏

play second fiddle 处于次要地位

Pleasant hours fly past. 好景不长

Please all and you please none. 讨好所有的人结果讨不到好

plough the sand 白费力气

The pot calling the kettle black. 锅嫌壶黑

pour oil on troubled water 平息风波

Poverty is no disgrace. 贫穷不是耻辱

Practice makes perfect. 熟能生巧

Prepare for a rainy day. 未雨绸缪

Prevention is better than cure. 预防胜过治疗

Pride goes before a fall. 骄傲必败

Procrustean bed 逼人就范之物

A promise is a debt. 许诺等于欠债。欠债要清，许诺要还。

Promise little, but do much. 少许愿，多做事。

Proof is better than argument. 事实胜于雄辩。

The proof of the pudding is in the eating. 吃了布丁才知其味

Prosperity makes friends, and adversity tries them. 顺境交的朋友，逆境接受考验。

Providing is preventing. 有备无患

pull the chestnuts out of the fire 火中取栗--替人冒险

pull one's leg 开玩笑，捉弄人

pull one's punches 不用全力

pull one's weight 竭尽全力 pull strings 幕后操纵

The purest gold is the most ductile. 最纯的金最柔软

put the cart before the horse 本末倒置

put on airs 装模作样

put on the screw 施加压力

put one's cards on the table 摊牌

put a spoke in someone's wheel 阻挠某人的行动

put two and two together 罗列现象，进行推理
Q

Quality is better than quantity. 质胜于量

a queer fish 怪人

Quick at meal, quick at work. 吃饭快，做事也快。

A quiet conscience sleeps in thunder. 问心无愧，打雷照睡
R

Rain before seven, fine before eleven. 早晨下雨午前晴。

Rain cats and dogs 大雨倾盆

rank and file 普通一兵，普通老百姓

read between the lines 体会言外之意

Reading makes a full man, conference a ready man, and writing an exact man. 阅读使人渊博，会谈使人机敏，写作使人严谨。

Read one's mind 直到他人的心思

Reap as one has sown. 种豆得豆，种瓜得瓜

red tape 繁文缛节

Respect a man, he will do the more. 敬人一分，受敬十分。

Rest on one's laurels 躺在荣誉上睡觉

restless like Ulysses 劳顿不休

return kindness with ingratitude 恩将仇报

Rich man feed, poor man breed. 富人足食，穷人多子。

Riches serve a wise man but command a fool. 财富为聪明人服务，但能支配傻瓜。

Ride the high horse 趾高气扬

rind a bell 唤醒过去

rise from the ashes 从毁灭中再生

rob Peter to pay Paul 拆东墙补西墙；借钱还债

a Roland for an Oliver 势均力敌；针锋相对

roll out the red carpet 热烈欢迎

A rolling stone gathers no moss. 转石不生苔。

Rome was not built in one day. 罗马并非一天建成。

Round the clock 不分昼夜

round-table conference 圆桌会议

royal road 坦途

rub it in 反复讲别人不愿听的事

rub shoulders with 点头之交

rub up the wrong way 倒着毛摸

run one's head against a stone wall 碰壁

Rust consumes iron, and envy consumes itself. 铁锈腐蚀钢铁，妒忌伤害自身。
S

Safe and sound 安然无恙

Safe bind, safe find. 藏的稳，找的准

A saint abroad and a devil at home. 在外是圣人，在家是魔鬼

salt of the earth 社会中坚

The same knife cuts bread and fingers. 同是一把刀，切面包时也会切着手指。

Saving is getting. 节俭等于增加收入。

Saying and doing are two different things. 说和做是两回事

The sands are running out. 时间不多了

Scratch my back and I'll scratch yours. 互相奉承

The sea refuses no river. 大海不拒江河

see eye to eye 看法完全一致

see how the cat jumps 观望形势

see how the wind blows 观察风向；了解情况

see the light 恍然大悟

Second thoughts are best 慎思为佳

Seeing is believing. 眼见为实

Seek the truth from the facts. 实事求是

separate the sheep from the goats 区分善恶

serve one right 罪有应得

set the Thames on fire 干大事，做不寻常之事

Ships fear fire more than water. 船怕水，但更怕火。

Shipshape 井井有条

show the cloven hoof 原形毕露

show one's colours 暴露真面目

show the white feather 胆怯

A shy cat makes a proud mouse. 猫胆子小，老鼠胆大

shylock 不择手段的守财奴

Simon Legree 残暴之徒

Simple diet, healthy children. 粗茶淡饭，孩子健康

sink or swim 孤注一掷

Sit above the salt 坐上席，受尊敬

sit on the fence 骑墙，固守中立

sit on a volcano 处境十分危险

sit pretty 处于有利地位；过舒服日子

six and falf dozen 半斤八两

sixth sense 第六感官

skate on thin ice 如旅薄冰

The sky is not less blue because the blind does not see it. 蓝天并不因瞎子看不见而减少

sleep a dog-sleep 打个盹儿

sleep like a log 沉睡不醒

slip of the tongue 说走了嘴

Slanders by many mouths can melt a metal. 众口铄金

Sleep is a thief; it steals half one's life. 睡眠是贼，他偷走了人的一半生命。

Small gains bring great wealth. 集小利，成巨富。

A small leak will sink a great ship. 小漏不补沉大船

smell a rat 觉得可疑

the smiler with the knife under the cloak 笑里藏刀

snake in the grass 暗藏的危险

A snow year, a rich year. 瑞雪照丰年

So said, so done. 这么说，就这么干

Soft fire makes sweet malt. 文火煮出好麦芽糖，满工出细活

soft soap 奉承话

Sometimes the best gain is to lose. 微损有时获巨利

Soon learnt, soon forgotten. 学的快，忘得也快。

Sooner or later, the truth comes to light. 真相迟早会大白

sore spot 痛处；伤疤

SOS 求救信号

Sow nothing; reap nothing. 不播种，无收获。

Spin a yarn 编造故事

split one's sides 笑破肚皮

The spoken word cannot be swallowed. 说出的话收不回

A spot is most seen on the finest cloth. 在最精美的布上，污点最容易被发现。

Sow the wind and reap the whirlwind. 种下的是风，收获的确是飓风。

Spare the rod and spoil the child. 不用鞭子，宠坏孩子。

Speech is silver; silence is gold. 雄辩是银，沉默是金

speed the parting guest 祝客人一路顺风

The sprit is willing but the flesh is weak. 力不从心

square peg in a round hole 不适合

stand on one's own feet 自立；不依*他人

Stars are not seen by sunshine. 日出星隐，相形见绌。

Start from scratch 从头开始

start on the wrong foot 迈错第一步

stay put 留在原处

steal one's thunder 抄袭，模仿

steer clear of 避开

Step by step, the ladder is ascended. 梯子是一级级爬上去的。

Stick one's neck out 露出破绽，冒风险

A stitch in time saves nine. 一针及时省九针

Still waters run deep. 静水深流。

A stone in the well is not lost. 井里的石头丢不了。

Storm in a tea cup 大惊小怪

strike a bargain 达成协议；成交

Strike while the iron is hot. 趁热打铁

Strong in action; gentle in method. 行动要果断；方法要温和。

Stuff today and starve tomorrow. 今天大吃大喝，明天忍饥挨饿。

Such beef, such broth. 裹上糖衣

suit someone down to the ground 完全合适

Swan song 绝笔；临死哀歌；歌手的告别演出

The swan sings before death. 天鹅临死歌声美

Sweep before your own door. 正人先正己

Sweet discourse make short days and nights. 话若投机嫌日短

Sweet is pleasure after pain. 苦尽甘来
T

Tadpoles will become only frogs. 蝌蚪只能变青蛙

Tailors and writers must mind the fashion. 裁缝重式样，作家重时尚。

Take a back seat 不得意，不重要

Take away fuel, take away flame. 薪尽火自灭

Take care of pence, and the pounds will take care of themselves. 小事注意，大事自成。

Take French leave 不辞而别

Take little but give much. 少索取，多奉献

take potluck 吃家常便饭

take something lying down 善罢甘休

take the bull by the horns 敢冒风险

take the cake 脱颖而出

take time by the forelock 不失时机

take with a grain of salt 不全信

talk big 说大话，吹牛

talk Billingsgate 说脏话

talk the hind leg off a donkey 说的天花乱坠

talk shop 三句话不离本行

tall order 难办的事情

tall story 难以相信的事情

Teach others by your example. 以身作则

Teaching others teaches yourself. 教学相长

tell someone flat 直言相告

That happens in a moment which may not happen in a thousand years. 天有不测风云

That is another pair of shoes. 完全是另一码事。

There are many ways to fame. 成名有许多渠道

There is no medicine against death. 世上没有不老药

There is no royal road to Rome. 学问无坦途

There is no use crying over spilt milk. 覆水难收

There's no smoke without fire. 无风不起浪

thereby hangs a tale 说来话长

They can do least that boast loudest. 吹牛的人做的最少

Things done can not be undone. 事以定局，无法挽回。

Things unreasonable are never dureable. 是不合理难持久

a thorn in the flesh 肉中刺

Those in the same boat should row together. 同舟需共济

Three know it, all know it. 三人知，人人知。

Three scores and ten is the age of man. 七十是人之寿命

the three R's 基本三会--读、写、算

through thick and thin 不畏艰难困苦

throw cold water on 泼冷水

Throw the baby out with the bath water 不分良莠

Throw a sprat to catch a whale 吃小亏占大便宜

throw up the sponge 认输

thumbs up 赞成

tide over 度过难关

A tiger leaves a skin behind him. 人死留名，虎死留皮。

Time and tide waits for no man. 岁月不等人。

Time cures everything. 时间能抑制一切。

Time flies. 光阴似箭

Time is the father of truth. 时间是真理之父

Time is money. 时间就是金钱

Time tries truth. 实践检验真理。

A timid cat makes a proud mouse. 猫一胆怯，鼠就翻天。

Tit for tat 针锋相对

to and fro 来来往往

To be or not to be : that is the question. 生与死是至关重要的问题

To know oneself is wisdom, to forget oneself is folly. 了解自己是聪明，忘乎所以是愚蠢

Today is yesterday's pupil. 今天是昨天的学生。

To mention the wolf's name is to see the same. 说曹操，曹操到。

To one's taste 和某人的口味

To save time is to lengthen life. 节省时间就是延长生命。

Tomorrow comes never. 明天永远不会到来。

The tongue of idle person is never idle. 人懒话多

Too many cooks spoil the broth. 梢工多了会翻船

Too much humility is pride. 过分谦虚即骄傲

Too much liberty spoils all. 自由过了头，一切会乱套。

Too much pudding will choke a dog. 布丁太多噎死狗。

Too much spoils, too little is nothing. 太多会坏事，太少不济事。

Top dog 大人物 The tortoise wins the race while the hare is sleeping. 兔子睡大觉，乌龟跑第一。

The touch of Midas 点金术

touch wood 但愿走好运

True blue will never stain. 纯蓝不染色

True gold fears not the fire. 真金不怕火炼。

True love is giving, not taking. 珍爱是给于，不是索取。

Trust not a new friend, nor an old enemy. 不轻信新知，也不轻信宿敌

Truth conquers all things. 真理能战胜一切

Truth needs not many words. 真理无许多言

Truth will prevail. 真理必胜。

Try before you trust. 先考验，后信任。

Turn a blind eye 视而不见

turn a deaf ear 听而不闻

turn one's head 趾高气扬

turn an honest penny 老老实实挣钱

turn over a new leaf 弃旧迎新，重新开始

turn tail and run 掉头就跑

Two can play at the game. 你耍的花招别人也会

Two dogs over one bone seldom agree. 两狗一骨，必有一争。

Two eyes can see more than one. 一人不及两人智

Two heads are better than one. 人多智广。

Two wrongs do not make a right. 两个错误不等于一个正确。
U

Ugly duckling 丑小鸭

An ugly woman dreads the mirror. 丑妇怕照镜子

under the hammer 被拍卖

under one's nose 在眼皮底下

Under water, famine; under snow, bread. 洪水造饥荒；瑞雪照丰年

under way 在进行中

under the weather 身体不适

Unequal marriages are seldom happy. 不平等的婚姻不会幸福。

United we stand, divided we fall. 团结则存，分裂则亡。

Unpleasant advice is a good medicine. 逆耳之言是良药。

Up corn, down horn. 谷贵则肉*

ups and downs 沉浮；兴衰

up to scratch 达到标准

upset the apple cart 美梦破灭

Use a book as a bee does a flower. 用书如蜜蜂采蜜

The used key is always bright. 常用的钥匙不生锈。
V

Vain glory blossoms but never bears. 虚荣开花不结果

Velvet paws hide sharp claws. 柔软的脚蹼里藏着利爪。

Venture a small fish to catch a great one. 欲钓大鱼，先舍小鱼。

The vicar of Bray 见风使舵之人

Victory of defeat. 不成功，便失败。

Virtue is fairer far than beauty. 美德远胜过美貌。

A voice in the wildness. 荒野的呼声

The voice of the people is the voice of God. 人民之声就是上帝之音。

Vows made in storms are forgotten in calms. 激动时发的誓言，平静时便忘却。
W

Walls have ears. 隔墙有耳

Want is a severe but efficient teacher. 贫苦是严厉而教导有方的教师

Want is the mother of industry. 贫困是勤劳之母

Want of wit is worse than want of wealth. 无知比贫穷更糟糕

War is death's feast. 战争是死亡的宴席。

Wash one's dirty linen in public 当中出丑

wash one's hands 洗手不干；不再管某人或谋事

Water can not turn backward. 河水不能倒流

The way to be safe is never to feel secure. 警惕才能安全。

The way to heaven is alike in every place. 上天堂的路，到处都一样。

Wealth is the test of a man's character. 财富是人品的试金石

wear and tear 消耗，磨损

wear one's heart on one's sleeve 光明磊落

We are not born for ourselves. 人生天地间，并非为自己

We can not see the wood for the tree. 不能见树不见林

We never know the worth of water till the well is dry. 井干方知水贵

We shall lie all alike in our grave. 躺在坟墓里，人人都一样。

Weeds want no sowing. 野草不必栽种

Well begun is half done. 好的开端是成功的一半

wet blanket 扫兴的事

wet behind the ears 乳臭未干

What can't be cured must be endured. 无法医治的病只好忍受。

What's done can't be undone. 事已定局，无法挽回。

What is done by night appears by day. 夜晚做的是白天会暴露

What is learned in the cradle is carried to the grave. 幼年学的，终生不忘。

What's lost is lost. 失者不可复得

What you have to do, do without delay. 非干不可的事，就得立刻做。

What the heart thinks the tongue speaks. 言为心声。

What's lost is lost. 失者不可复得

When the cat's away, the mice will play. 猫儿不在，老鼠成精。

When the fox preaches, take care of your geese. 狐狸讲道， 鹅要当心。

When Greek meets Greek, then comes the tug of war. 两强相遇，必有一斗。

When gun speaks, it is too late to argue. 大炮一响，谈判已晚。

When a man is going sown hill, everyone will give him a push. 一人走下坡，人人推一把。

When the moon is at its full, it begins to wane. 月盈则亏。

When one will not, two cannot quarrel. 一人不愿，两人难吵。

When the owl sings, the nightingale will hold her peace. 猫头鹰唱歌，夜莺屏息。

When shepherds quarrel, the wolf has a winning game. 鹬蚌相争，渔人得利。

When a thing is done advice comes too late. 事情做过后，忠告也晚了。

When war begins , hell opens. 战争一开始，地域门便开。

When wine sinks, words swim. 三杯酒下肚，开始说胡话。

When the wolf grows old, the crows ride him. 狼老遭乌鸦欺

When you make new friends, don't forget the old ones. 有了新交，不忘旧友。

Where bees are, there is honey. 哪里有蜜蜂，哪里就有蜂蜜。

Where drums beat, laws are silent. 战鼓一响，法律无声。

Where light is, there shadow is. 那里有光，哪里就有影子

Where there is smoke, there is fire. 有烟就有火。

Where there is a will, there is a way. 有志者，是竟成。

While there is life, there is hope. 有生命就有希望。

White elephant 无用之物

white lie 无害的谎言

Who keeps company with the wolf, will learn to howl. 跟狼在一起，就会学狼嗥。

Who knows most says least. 知道最多的人说的最少。

Who makes friends of all keeps none. 滥交友者无友。

The wife is the key of the house. 妻子是家庭的关键。

Willy-nilly 愿意还是不愿意

wind someone round one's finder 任意摆弄

Wine and judgement are mature with age. 酒老味醇，人老识深。

Wine and wenches empty men's purse. 酒和美色使人倾家荡产。

Wisdom is more precious than wealth. 智慧胜过财富。

Wisdom is to the mind what health is to the body. 智慧之于心灵正如健康之于身体。

Wise men have their mouths in their hearts, fools their hearts in their mouths. 知着嘴在心里，愚者心在嘴里。

Wise men seek instruction; fools fall for applause. 聪明人寻找指教，愚蠢人想听赞美。

The wise man is always a good listener. 智者善听人言。

Wit without learning is like a tree without fruit. 光有才智无学识，如同果树不结果。

Wit and will strive for the victory. 智慧和意志是胜利的保证。

With might and main 全力以赴

with one's tail between one's legs 夹着尾巴；垂头丧气

Without a friend, the world is a wilderness. 没有朋友，世界成了荒野。

Without money, without tear. 没有钱，就没有忧虑。

Words are like bees, they have honey and a sting. 言语像蜜蜂，有蜜也有刺。

Words fly, writings remain. 言语飞逝，著作长存。

The world is a ladder for some to go up and some down. 人世如梯子，有人上去有人下来。

The world is an inn, and death is the journey's end. 世界好比旅馆，死亡是旅程的终端。

Work while you work, play while you play. 工作的时候工作，玩耍的时候玩耍。

Work won't kill but worry will. 劳动无害，忧虑伤身。

Worship the golden calf 见钱眼开

Wrangle for an ass's shadow 无意义的争吵

the writing on the wall 不祥之兆

worth one's salt 称职
Y

Years bring wisdom. 年岁带来智慧

Years know more than books. 岁月比书本知道的多。

Yesterday will not be called again. 昨日不再来。

You cannot be lost on a straight road. 走直路，不迷途。

You cannot eat your cake and have it. 事难两全。

You can not make a crab walk straight. 不要强人所难。

You may take a horse to the water, but you cannot make him drink. 不能强人所难。

You never know what you can do till you try. 时间才知真本领。

Youth look forward and age backward. 青年人展望未来，老年眷恋过去。
Z

Zeal without prudence is frenzy. 热情而不审慎等于狂热。

Zero hour 发动进攻的时刻；决定性的时刻；零点。