[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. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [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. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [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. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [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!