10 American Slang Terms and Phrases That Confuse Brits (Part 2)

今天給大家?guī)�來的�?讓英國(guó)人困惑的美國(guó)俚語（第二部分），可以讓我們?cè)趯W(xué)習(xí)知識(shí)的同時(shí)，感受英語文化的魅力。     （From BBC America）

Like any other language, American has its idioms. Some are very similar to British English, and it is not difficult for Brits to figure them out. "Peaks and valleys," for example, is obviously the American version of "peaks and troughs." However, there are still some phrases whose actual words hold no clue to the meaning, creating a conversational minefield for Brits here. Here are a selection of them.
trough
n. 水槽；低谷期
For example:
American bank shares have risen by 60% since their trough last October. 美國(guó)的銀行股自從去年10月跌入低谷以來已經(jīng)上漲了60%。
minefield
n. 雷區(qū)；危機(jī)四伏的局勢(shì)，充滿問題的情況
For example:
The whole subject is a political minefield. 整個(gè)話題就是一個(gè)政治上的雷區(qū)。

4. Jonesing  上癮
When I hear this word I automatically think "keeping up with the Joneses," although that's of no help here. If someone confesses that they're "really jonesing" for something (usually a guilty pleasure), they mean they are craving. Again, there are several versions of the origin but its general association is with drugs. "Jones" was a term used for a heroin or narcotics addiction, but now the word can be applied to anything. Brits in the U.S. can be said to be jonesing for a decent cuppa or good chocolate.
keep up with the joneses
攀比，比排場(chǎng)比闊氣（諷刺）
For example:
Some people feel they have to keep up with the Joneses. 有些人覺得他們得去攀比（趕時(shí)髦）。
crave
v. 渴望；懇求，請(qǐng)求；要求，需要
For example:
Many young children crave attention. 許多小孩子渴望得到關(guān)心。
narcotics
n. 麻醉藥；毒品
For example:
He was sent to prison on a narcotics charge. 他被指控販賣毒品而被關(guān)進(jìn)監(jiān)獄。

5. Shoot the breeze  閑聊，說大話
So, you see a friend and end up shooting the breeze for an hour? Did you a) get out your air rifles, or b) take advantage of the weather and fly kites? Obviously, none of the above as "shooting the breeze" means to engage in idle, empty chatter. One explanation is that in the old days, particularly in the Wild West, people with time on their hands would literally shoot into the air at nothing.
engage
vt. 吸引��；聘用；與…交戰(zhàn)     vi. 與…建立密切關(guān)系；銜接；從事；緊密結(jié)合
For example:
They never learned skills to engage the attention of the others. 他們從未學(xué)過吸引他人注意的技巧。
You can engage in croquet on the south lawn. 你可以參加南邊草坪上的槌球游戲。

6. John Hancock  親筆簽名
When you hear the request "Let me have your John Hancock" the mind boggles, and you hope they're not talking about a body part! In fact, you're being asked for your signature. The phrase is a reference to one John Hancock, a signatory of the Declaration of Independence; his signature was one of the more flamboyant on the document.
boggle
vi. 躊躇，猶豫；退縮；驚恐     vt. 弄壞；退縮；裝糊涂；使吃驚     n. 猶豫；搪塞；吃驚；胡亂干的工作
For example:
Never boggle at a difficulty. 切莫遇難而退。
flamboyant
adj. 艷麗的；火焰似的；過分華麗的     n. 鳳凰木；火焰色紅花
For example:
Freddie Mercury was a flamboyant star of the British hard rock scene. 弗雷迪·摩克瑞是英國(guó)硬搖滾樂界一顆耀眼的明星。
His style of choreography is flamboyant. 他的舞蹈設(shè)計(jì)風(fēng)格是復(fù)雜夸張的。



第二部分先講到這里；下面給大家分享一幅本人珍藏的實(shí)用圖片《Other ways to say》  

歡迎大家在下方回復(fù)所思、所想和用今天的單詞造句

  

往期節(jié)目回顧
【魅力英語】She lost him, but she found herself, and somehow that was everything   https://http://www.gaoyang168.com/bbs/viewthread.php?tid=9954571
【魅力英語】10 American Slang Terms and Phrases That Confuse Brits (Part 1)   http://www.gaoyang168.com/bbs/viewthread.php?tid=10131617

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