知识加油站－词汇天地

lspjy

057pride







swallow your pride
If you swallow your pride, you decide to do something even though it is shameful or embarrassing, and you would prefer not to.

However, if political compulsions demand, he can swallow his pride and ally himself with his political enemies.

States like Illinois have cut programs for the general assistance grants and winter energy assistance. Governments, industries and small businesses have laid off They and members of their families are swallowing their pride and looking for charity.

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058ride







a free ride
If you say that someone is getting a free ride in a particular situation, you disapprove of the fact that they are getting some benefit from it without putting any effort into achieving it themselves.

I never wanted anyone to think I was getting a free ride or special treatment from the boss.

Tyrone will graduate soon and try to get his high school diploma. Many like him are hoping around, go to college. And then there are others who are just in for the free ride.

go along for the ride
come along for the ride
If you say that someone is going along for the ride or is coming along for the ride, you mean that they have decided to join in an activity but are not doing it seriously or getting deeply involved in it.

Your boyfriend is not likely to be serious about anything this week except having a good time. Go along for the ride.

`Who's that with you?' `A friend of mine. He came along for the ride.'

a rough ride
a bumpy ride
an easy ride
If you say that someone will have a rough ride or a bumpy ride, you mean that they are likely to have a lot of problems and that it will be very difficult for them to achieve something.

The government is likely to face a rough ride in parliament.

The recession yesterday continued to provide a bumpy ride for the lower and middle range of the art market.

You can say that someone will have an easy ride if you think that they will achieve something without difficulty because they do not face much opposition.

You don't come into politics expecting an easy ride.

take someone for a ride
If you say that someone has been taken for a ride, you mean that they have been deceived or cheated.

You've been taken for a ride. Why did you give him five thousand francs?

Why do I have this sneaking suspicion that is taking us all for a ride?

lspjy

059sails







trim your sails

If you trim your sails, you adapt your behaviour to deal with a difficult situation, for example by limiting your demands, needs, or expectations.

Mr Lee, for his part, has already begun trimming his sails in preparation for dealing with new government.

Would he trim his conservative sails to suit a Democratic Senate?

lspjy

060save







save someone's ass
save someone's butt
If you do something to save someone's ass or to save their butt, you do it in order to save them from a dangerous or very unpleasant situation. You can also talk about saving your own ass. These are informal expressions, which are used mainly in American English. Many people consider them offensive.

who's a terrific guy, up to me and `Thank you, thank you, you saved my ass.'

I thought you'd want to know closer to the , such as how I managed to save Grace's butt from Parish for this long.

Lenny said she climbed out the back of the car to get away, to save her own ass.

lspjy

061shape







knock something into shape
whip something into shape
lick something into shape
If you knock something into shape or whip it into shape, you use whatever methods are necessary to change or improve it, so that it is in the condition that you want it to be in. In British English, `lick' can be used instead of `knock' or `whip'.

Most experts agree that agriculture can be knocked into shape and be successful.

After a successful career at the Italian central bank, few people doubt his ability to whip the economy into shape.

We were licked into shape by the long-serving departmental managers to whom we reported.

shape up or ship out   
If you tell someone to shape up or ship out, you are telling them that they should start behaving in a more reasonable or responsible way, or else leave the place where they are or give up what they are doing.

Out there, there are people who want to humiliate you. Grind you down, destroy you. You've either got to take all this, you've got to stomach it, join in, or you'll go under. Shape up or ship out.

lspjy

062sights







have something in your sights
If you have something in your sights, you are aiming or trying hard to achieve it, and you have a good chance of success. If you have someone in your sights, you are determined to catch, defeat, or overcome them. You can use other verbs instead of `have'.

Usually, at this stage of the season, are lying first or second in the table and have the Championship firmly in their sights.

I am studying at university, with good job prospects firmly in my sights.

As Lehmann began to crumble, it was clear Boardman might catch him and, with just a couple of laps left, Boardman had him right in his sights.

Virgin earns just over half its revenues from the business travellers it has kept in its sights since it started in 1984.

set your sights on something
have your sights on something
If you set your sights on something, you decide that you want it and try very hard to get it. Other verbs can be used instead of `set'.

These days not all Russian girls are setting their sights on marriage to the boy next door.

Although she came from a family of bankers, Franklin set her sights on a career in scientific research.

Gareth Jenkins and his assistant, Alan Lewis, have clearly set their sights on winning the championship.

She could now fix her sights on continuing at school for another three years.

If someone has made up their mind to try to get something, you can say that they have their sights on it.

who has not dropped a stroke in 36 and Torrance now have their sights on the ￡111,000 first prize in the first qualifying event for next September's Ryder Cup.

And, proving she's just a kid at heart, she already had her sights on her next goal -- hero Linford Christie's autograph.

You can say that someone sets their sights high when they are trying to get something that is hard to achieve. If you say that someone sets their sights low, you mean that they are unambitious and do not achieve as much as they could.

Women tend to end up in low-status jobs with low pay. Often we only have ourselves to blame. We just do not set our sights high enough.

Don't go expecting Dannii to become a regular TV presenter. She has set her sights on higher things.

A joint study by Ernst and Young and the American Quality has criticized American car makers for setting their sights too low and with being content to build automobiles are merely .

lspjy

063sitting







at one sitting
in one sitting
at a single sitting
If you do something at one sitting or in one sitting, you do not stop doing it until you have finished it. You can also say that you do it at a single sitting.

does not have to be read at one sitting, but is broken conveniently into self-contained chapters.

Be as complete as possible, but go slowly. Don't expect to fill out these lists in one sitting.

She loved to go through a box of cookies at a single sitting.