动物是人类的朋友,它与人类的生活息息相关。英语中的许多表达就与动物紧密地联系在一起。下面我们就一些带动物名称的成语来体会这些成语的生动和精当之处。
一、形容词/名词+动物名称
eager beaver 干劲十足的人
early bird 早起或者早到者
whirly bird 直升飞机
film (or movie ) bug 电影迷
big bug 大人物
social butterfly 交际花
fat cat 事业成功者
cool cat 内向的人
sharp cat 花花公子
sacred cow 不可冒犯的人或物
spring chicken 年轻的少女
lame duck 即将卸任的官员
dead duck 容易受伤的人
ugly duckling 丑小鸭
lucky dog (bird) 幸运儿
sad dog 放荡之人
dead dog 无用的东西
jolly dog 有趣之人
bull dog 难以相处之人
top dog 头领
white elephant 无用的东西
loose fish 放荡不羁者
cold fish 性情怪僻者
big forg 小地方的大人物
small fry 大人物
chow hound 贪吃的人
old hen 老太婆
dark horse 黑马、冷门
greasy monkey 修理工
dumb ox 身材高大的拙笨之人
night owl 夜猫子;夜游神
guinea pig 供实验的人或物
dead pigeon 注定要完蛋的人
black sheep 害群之马
loan shark 高利贷者
paper tiger 纸老虎
black snake 长鞭
二、动词+动物名称
go ape 狂热起来
turn chicken 胆怯起来
eat crow 因犯错而丢脸
have kittens 暴怒;兴奋
go stag 不带女伴参加社交集会
see snakes 出现幻觉
turn
turtle 逃跑;变得无能为力
talk
turtle 实话实说;谈正经事
cry wolf 愚弄他人;发假警报
三、动物名称+名词
doggy bags 带剩食的口袋
monkey business 不法或道德的行为
kangaroo court 非正规法庭
chicken feed 很少的急用钱
horse laugh 不信任的嘲笑
flea market 跳蚤市场(旧货市场)
house opera 牛仔电影
fish story 不可能之事
wildcat strike 非法的罢工
duck soup 易如反掌之事
crocodile tears 假慈悲
四、as +
形容词+as + 动物名词(鉴于意思明了,不另配译文)
as blind as a bat
as timid as a hare
as busy as a bee
as
watchful as a hawk
as tame as a cat
as gentle as a lamb
as tender as a chicken
as cheerful as a lark
as innocent as a dove
as bold as a lion
as stupid as a donkey
as
obstinate as a mule
as
slippery as an eel
as tricky as a monkey
as cunning as a fox
as proud as a peacock
as mute as a fish
as wet as a drowned rat
as silly as a goose
as graceful as a swan
as strong as a horse
as fierce as a tiger
动物名称在成语中的应用还有很多,限于篇幅,在此不再赘述。从文中所列举的带动物名称的成语来品味,这些带动物名称的成语无疑给英语增添了无限的情趣和表达效果,令语言生色不少。
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英语词汇生词表: