[不妙]something is to pay

经理感到事情有些不妙。

The manager had a hunch that something was to pay.

汉语的"有些不妙"或"有点不对头"的概念常可用something is to pay的句式来表示。这一短语常和feel或have a hunch that连用。

Dialogue

Bob: Didn't you see the writing on the wall?

Sue: I even didn't have the slightest hunch.

Bob: But you should be prepared for such an outcome.

Sue: I had too much confidence in him.

Bob: But he ruined your business.

Sue: Well, if I knew there would be something to pay, I wouldn't should chalk it up to experience.

Bob: Well, you should chalk it up to experience.

Sue: You're right.

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[眼中钉]a thorn in someone's flesh

不知为什么我成了他们的眼中钉了。我可从未错待过他们。

I wonder why I become a thorn in their flesh. I've never harmed them.

我们说的"眼中钉"与英美人讲的a thorn in someone's flesh指的是一回事，虽比喻有异，但意思相同。与此说法相似的还有"刺耳的话"（a flea in someone's ear）。

Dialogue

Frank: I don't know why I should become a thorn in the John's flesh.

Betty: You mean your boss?

Frank: Yeah. He seems to bear me a grudge.

Betty: That's because you are too much on the ball.

Frank: But why should that make him hate me?

Betty: That's because you put him in the shade.

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[馋得流口水]make someone's mouth water

桌上的美味佳肴馋得他直流口水。

The delicacies on the table make him mouth water.

"使某人流口水"指"使某人垂涎"，是地道的汉语口语。这一概念一般是用make someone mouth water的句式来表达的。

Dialogue

Sue: Wow! What a gracious table! Everything looks so beautiful.

Bob: This might be the best dinner you've ever had.

Sue: Surely it is. I can hardly wait. They make my mouth water.

Bob: I feel itching, too. Let's start and try these delicacies.

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[胡说八道]shooting from the hip

他说我迷恋上李丽了？这简直是胡说八道！

He thinks I've got the hots for Lily? It's shooting from the hip!

汉语口语中的"胡说八道"曾被译成break wind。其实，英美人更习惯用shoot from the hip来表示这一说法。

Dialogue

Rose: I didn't know Joe was two-faced. He stabbed me in the back.

Mark: What did he do?

Rose: He told my boyfriend that I had affairs with several men, which, of course, made my boy friend very suspicious of me.

Mark: I didn't believe he would shoot from the hip like that! It was very vicious of him. You must not put up with him.

Rose: Of course not! He will soon know what he deserves!

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