知识加油站－词汇天地

lspjy

183food







food for thought
If something gives you food for thought, it makes you think very hard about an issue.

I am not a religious person, but knowing what a good and faithful servant my friend has been, it has certainly given me food for thought.

This also provided the international selection committee with encouragement and some food for thought when it meets to discuss the team.

lspjy

184old







old as the hills   
If you say that something is as old as the hills, you mean that it is very old, and perhaps old-fashioned or very traditional.

Their equipment may be modern, but techniques remain as old as the hills.

lspjy

185American







American as apple pie   
If you say that something or someone is as American as apple pie, you mean that they are typical of American culture or an American way of life.

Zurmo's family has been in the gun business for 60 years. To him, guns are as American as apple pie.

British Petroleum always abbreviates its name to BP and passes itself off as no less American than Mobil, Exxon and apple pie.

lspjy

186jury







the jury is still out
If you say that the jury is still out on a particular subject, you mean that people have not yet formed an opinion about it or reached a decision. You can also just say that the jury is out.

The jury's still out on what are the long-term effects of air pollution.

haven't been able to make up their minds whether hair dye is safe or not. `The jury is still out,' says Dr Venitt firmly. `There are niggling doubts.'

lspjy

187gumtree







up a gum tree   
If someone is up a gum tree, they are in a very difficult situation. This is an old-fashioned expression, which is used in British English.

If you look at any problem like this in terms of right and wrong you'll find yourself nowhere but up a gum tree.

lspjy

188blind







blind as a bat
If you say that someone is as blind as a bat, you mean that they cannot see very well.

Everyone knew that Mary Nolan had been blind as a bat for years -- she'd even suffered a damaging fall not so long ago, too.

Without my glasses I was blind as a bat.

the blind leading the blind
You can describe a situation as the blind leading the blind when the person in charge is just as incapable of doing the task as the person who they are meant to be helping or guiding.

If Cedric was going to work with Eric, it would be the blind leading the blind.

Their attempts to help the Third World poor were rather like the blind leading the blind.

This expression is sometimes varied by replacing `blind' with another adjective appropriate to the subject that is being talked about.

His work certainly shocked the critics at his 1976 exhibition at New York's Museum of Modern Art. One damned it as an example of `the banal leading the banal'.

fly blind
If someone is flying blind in a situation, they do not have anything to help or guide them.

We will be flying blind into a world we don't know anything about.

With billions of dollars at stake, the two weren't willing to boost their offer while they were flying blind.

swear blind
If someone swears blind that something is true, they insist that they are telling you the truth, even though you are not sure whether or not to believe them. This expression is used in British English; the American expression is swear up and down.

He had a reputation for being a bit of a philanderer but he swore blind that he met the right girl in me and said he wanted to settle down.

Ron Atkinson swears blind that he bears no grudges against Manchester United for sacking him, but the atmosphere at Villa Park reeked of vengeance last night.  

lspjy

189pain







a pain in the arse
a pain in the ass
If you think that someone or something is very annoying, you can say that they are a pain in the arse or a pain in the ass. Other words meaning `bottom' can be used instead of `arse' or `ass'. The form with `arse' is used in British English and the form with `ass' is used in American English. These are very informal expressions, which many people consider offensive.

He'd dealt with the Hendersons of the world before. They always meant money, but they were an almighty pain in the arse to deal with just the same.

Leone could soon be following her uncle and into film roles. `Having the name Connery is a terrific advantage and a pain in the backside at the same time,' she said.

a pain in the neck
If you think that someone or something is very annoying, you can say that they are a pain in the neck.

He was a pain in the neck. I was glad when he left my department.

`Sorry,' he said. `They've forgotten to insure the plane. It's a pain in the neck, but what can I do?'