1. cry wolf 喊“狼来了”；发假警报

If you cry wolf too often, people will stop believing that you need help.

如果你常喊“狼来了”，人们便不会再相信你需要帮助。

2. freak flag 独特之处，另类的一面

My high school literature teacher taught me to always be true to myself and to wear my freak flag proudly.

我高中的语文老师告诉我，要永远遵从自己的内心，骄傲地展现出自己另类的一面。

3. get out of hand 失控

The party got out of hand and the guests started to throw bottles at each other.

聚会失去了控制，宾客们开始相互扔瓶子。

4. get your head around it 明白，搞清楚

I just can’t get my head around the fact that Joe is leaving us.

难以置信乔就要离开我们了。

5. dig in your heels / stick to your guns 坚持立场

My parents wanted me to give up writing, but I dug in my heels / stuck to my guns and went on to become a famous writer.

父母想让我放弃写作，但我坚持了下来，终于成为著名的作家。

6. pound the pavement 徘徊于街头找工作

I’d been pounding the pavement for months before I found a job in a fast food restaurant.

我在街上转了好几个月，终于找到了一份快餐店的工作。

7. pull a rabbit out of a hat 使出奇招

I thought we were going bankrupt², but my partner pulled a rabbit out of his hat and we landed a major contract.

我以为我们就要破产了，谁知我的合伙人使出奇招，帮我们拉来了一个大单子。

8. leave no stone unturned 想方设法，千方百计

I’ll leave no stone unturned until I find out who did this.

我会想尽一切办法，找出此事背后的那个人。

9. get it out of your system 不吐不快，不做不爽

I wasn’t sure how she was going to react, but I had to get it out of my system, so I told her I had found another woman.

我不确定她会作何反应，但我真的不想再憋着了——我告诉她，我喜欢上了另一个女人。

10. step up your game 有更好的表现

If you want to win this competition, you’ll have to step up your game.

如果你想赢得这场比赛，你必须得有更好的表现。

11. you rock 你真棒

Thanks for the tickets, Rob. You rock!

罗布，谢谢你提供的票。你真厉害！

12. cut sb some slack³ 给（某人）方便；对（某人）网开一面

- Andrew's late again.

- 安德鲁又迟到了。

- Cut him some slack - his wife's just had a baby."

- 对他就网开一面吧——他妻子刚生小孩。”

13. come out swinging 开始相互攻击

After a day off, Hillary and Trump⁴ this morning again launched another hard week of campaigning, and they both came out swinging.

休息了一天后，希拉里和特朗普今早又开始了为期一周的艰苦竞选旅程，两人又开始互掐。

14. go up in flames 毁于一旦，受到重创

His career went up in flames when he was jailed for theft.

他因为偷盗坐牢后事业受到了重创。

15. pull yourself together 恢复镇定；控制自己

I understand you’ve had a bad day, but pull yourself together and get on with your job, will you?

我知道你这一天过得很糟，但你一定要振作起来，工作还得继续，不是吗？

16. crunch⁵ time 关键时刻

I’m not getting enough sleep these days. It’s crunch time at work.

我最近睡眠不够。正赶上工作的关键时期。

17. once in a blue moon 少有地

My sister lives in Alaska, so I only see her once in a blue moon.

我姐姐住在阿拉斯加，所以我很少去看她。

18. tar¹ sb with the same brush 认为……是一丘之貉

Because they worked so closely in the same department, John was tarred with the same brush as Tim.

由于在同一个部门工作，关系又非常密切，约翰被认为跟蒂姆是一路人。

19. hang in there 坚持住；挺住

Work can get tough in the middle of a term but hang on in there and it'll be OK.

到了学期中间功课会变得很难，但坚持下去就会好的。

20. shoot from the hip 鲁莽行动(或讲话)

Miss Lee, I have to apologize for shooting from the hip and yelling⁶ at you for losing the papers. I was in a big hurry and forgot I left them right here in my drawer.

李小姐，我必须向你道歉。我由于找不到文件而对你发火太鲁莽了。当时我实在着急，忘了是我自己把文件放在这儿抽屉里的。