Example: From the arguments going on at the meeting, it seems that a change in policy is in the air.

    2 Clear the air 消除误会To settle a dispute and restore good relationsExample: We had a meeting with the workers, and I think we’ve cleared the air now.

    3　Cost an arm and a leg 极其昂贵To be very expensiveExample: I love that fur coat. However, I don’t think I’m going to buy it because it costs an arm and a leg.

    4　A bad egg 缺乏道德的人Somebody who has no moral principles and should be avoidedExample: You mustn’t lend Tim money, he’s a bad egg. You’ll never see him or your money again!

    5　In the Bag 稳操胜券Said of an achievement which is secureExample: We have the deal in the bag. The client came in this morning to sign the agreement.

    6　In the balance 未知的,不可预测的Said when the outcome of a situation is unknown or unpredictableExample: His career as a pilot is in the balance, as his eyesight does not seem good enough.

    7　Drive a hard bargain 极力讨价还价To have the negotiating strength and skills to get the most advantageous price and conditionsExample: Amanda is negotiating the best price from the suppliers. She drives a hard bargain.

    8　Ring a bell 看上去或听起来非常熟悉To look, sound or seem familiarExample: That face rings a bell, where have I seen him before?

    9　Tighten one’s belt 节衣缩食To cut down on spending because there is less income than beforeExample: Now you are out of work, you’ll have to tighten your belt and give up buying new clothes and going out so often.

    10　Kill two birds with one stone 一石二鸟To complete two tasks together, with less effort than doing them separatelyExample: Since I’d gone to the store to buy some bread, I thought of killing two birds with one stone and invited Mr. Biggs to the party.

    11　Be in a black mood 情绪极差To be so negative about everything that it is impossible for anyone to reason with him/herExample: My father has been in a black mood for days, we dare not say anything to him.

    12　New blood 新成员New people brought into an organization to introduce different and original ideasExample: It was decided to bring new blood into the school by employing teachers with the latest training.

    13　Feeling blue 感到无精打采Feeling sad or depressedExample: She’s feeling blue, because the man she loves is far away.

    14　Get to the bottom of something 弄清真相To find out the truth about somethingExample: I’m trying to get to the bottom of why David left without saying goodbye.

    15 A piece of cake 轻松的事Something which is very easy to doExample: Here…let me put the batteries in for you. It’s a piece of cake.

    16　Pay a call 拜访To visit somebodyExample: As we’re in this neighborhood, we might as well pay the Jacksons a call, we haven’t seen them for ages.

    17　By chance 偶然, 意外的Unexpectedly; with no prior planningExample: By chance, I bumped into my wife in the shopping mall18　Round the clock 夜以继日的To do something continuously, without a break or pauseExample: The ambulance services worked round the clock hauling people trapped in the building to safety.

    19　Keep one’s cool 保持冷静To stay calm in a difficult situationExample: If the traffic is jamed, the only thing to do is keep your cool, or get out of the car and walk!

    20　In a tight corner 处于困境In an extremely difficult situationExample: Whenever I get into a tight corner, I try to rely on quick thinking to get out of it.

    21　Keep in the dark 隐瞒To keep something secretExample: We know my brother has a new girlfriend, but he's keeping her name in the dark.

    22　Fall on deaf ears 不加理睬的, 不听取Not to take any notice of what is saidExample: The city council’s order that garbage should be put in the bins fell on deaf ears; the sidewalks are still littered with trash!

    23　Take things easy 放轻松To relaxExample: It's better for our health to take things easy than to worry about problems all the time.

    24　Eat like a horse 吃得很多To eat a lot; to have a very big appetiteExample: Fred eats like a horse. When I was a growing lad like him, I used to eat a lot, too.

    25　Catch one’s eye 吸引某人注意To attract somebody’s attentionExample: A movement behind the curtain caught my eye – I thought it was a burglar and rushed out of the room!

    26　Have an eye for something 对某事(某物体)了解得非常清楚To be very good at doing something, or have a great understanding of something.

    Example: As a botanist, he has to describe and draw plants accurately, so he must have an eye for detail.

    27　Turn a blind eye .熟视无睹To ignore an action, even though one should do something about itExample: Parents will spoil their children if they constantly turn a blind eye to their bad behavior.

    28　Keep an eye on 照看, 密切注视To watch carefully; to look afterExample: Keep an eye on my purse – I'm just going to the bathroom.

    29 Lose face 丢脸To have one's reputation spoiled; to be embarrassedExample: The large drug houses have lost face, because smaller companies are selling similar products at a cheaper price!

    30　Lead the field 处于领头地位To be the most successful person or group in an activityExample: For decades, the House of Dior led the field in elegant fashion design.

    31　Get out of hand 失去控制To be out of controlExample: The problem of suicide bombings is getting out of hand; there seems to be no way to stop them.

    32 Give a hand 提供帮助To help somebody with somethingExample: Please give me a hand and hold this board while I paint it.

    33　Learn by heart 牢记To memorize something; to have learned something word for word or very precisely.

    Example: At school we often learned Shakespeare’s sonnets by heart and recited them in front of the class.

    34　On hold 尚未办理的事情Something set aside and waiting to be dealt withExample: Our vacation plans are on hold right now; because my Dad’s just been admitted to hospital with a stomach ulcer.

    35　A dark horse 出乎意料的嬴家An unexpected winner.

    Example: A dark horse in this year’s basketball cup was Japan!

    36　The bottom line 本质内容The most essential part of somethingExample: We’ve talked a lot about taxation and immigration, but the bottom line is that we have to create more jobs.

    37　Live it up 狂欢一场To enjoy a high standard of living and lead a carefree lifeExample: The neighbors having been living it up ever since they won the sweepstakes.

    38　Look forward to 期待着To relish some future prospect; to eagerly await meeting somebody.

    Example: You can tell Jake is looking forward to his vacation – he keeps telling us how many days there are left until he finishes college.

    39　Bear in mind 记住To remember something which can be of help in the future.

    Example: Before you start your perspective drawing, bear in mind you should first establish a vanishing point.

    40　Have a mind to 想做某事, 计划做某事To be decided on ; to intend toExample: The service in our hotel was terrible. I have a mind to write a letter of complaint.

    41　Be in the mood 想要做某事To feel like doing somethingExample: She is not in the mood for playing cards and says she should really be preparing her lecture notes.

    42　Over the moon 欣喜若狂Extremely happyExample: She’s over the moon about her promotion – she really wasn’t expecting it.

    43  Get a move on 赶快To hurry upExample: Get a move on! The train is about to leave.

    44　Over and above 除…这外, 额外的In addition toExample: Over and above our salary, we are getting a large bonus, because business has been very profitable this year.

    45　Get the picture 了解某事To understand something, to grasp some meaningExample: When they started cutting back and laying people off at work, I got the picture and starting looking for another job.

    46　Be out of pocket 花光了钱的To be without moneyExample: He’s complaining because he spent all of his money on slot machines and now he’s out of pocket.

    47　Keep somebody posted 传达消息To regularly give somebody up-to-date information or details of the progress being made.

    Example: I phoned in at the end of each working day to keep my boss posted about developments at the trade conference.

    48　In the long run 最终, 最后Over a long period of time, once a process has maturedExample: The grocery store is making a loss right now. In the long run, however, we hope to achieve a situation of stable profit.

    49　On a shoestring 生活拮据In a thrifty manner; with costs or spending down to a bare minimumExample: She lives on a shoestring – she gets a tiny pension and has to budget very tightly.

    50　Lose track of 失去消息, 失去线索To lose contact with somebody to not know where something isExample: I lost track of Fran when she moved to Boston. I’ve even tried to locate her on the Internet.