來自電影 : The Summit ( G8 風雲 )

總統的秘書在催促總統要趕到一聚會, 說
We're running late
late 是遲到, 加上了 running
"running late" 便是將要遲到
也即是 We're going to be late 的意思

所以要趕緊時間
e.g.
    We are really running late now, Carol. We better hurry up !

    I was running late this morning so I had to skip breakfast

這也可用於作問題
e.g.
    Is Carol running late ?
    ( Carol 是否要遲一些到達 )

英文有句俗語
If you pay peanuts, you will get monkeys
若你付出花生, 便會得到猴子
( 因花生只能吸引到猴子 )

這通常是用來說出低工資不能請到好的顧員
因他們不會為鷄碎的錢去賣命, 或者他們跟本就是庸才
e.g.
Since our company believe that if you pay peanuts,
you only get monkeys, so we have good paid for our workers.

這句也可引伸解作 : 一分錢一分貨

可以用 : wet behind the ears

有一說法是初生的動物 身體最後乾的部份是耳的背後
這和乳臭未乾的意義相同
引伸去形容初出矛盧,  缺乏經驗

例如
   He's just finished high school, so he is still too wet behind the ears
   and doesn't know how to deal with customers

有些做上級的, 也可能是生手

   A : Is your boss wet-behind-the-ears ?

   B : Yes, he is going into business by himself so early

   A : Why, he's hardly dry behind the ears !

隨了形容人之外, 也可形容其他東西
我看過了一則標題
   At 17, Is Linux still wet behind the ears ?
   ( 17 年歷史的 Linux 系統是否還未成熟 ? )

on the face of it 是解作表面上 或顯而易見的

Usage Example

   On the face of it, the trip seems quite cheap,
   but there could be extra expenses we don't know about yet.
   ( 表面上這個旅行團是便宜, 但實際上可能會有很多額外收費 )

   On the face of it, the children look healthy
   ( 孩子表面上是健康的 )

   He is foolish on the face of it
   ( 一眼看他是個蠢才 )

   His statement that he is a policeman is, on the face of it , false.
   ( 關於他說自己是警察這一點, 從表面上來看是不對的 )

temper 是脾氣

脾氣有好的
a sweet temper 溫和的脾氣

有壞的
a short temper / a quick temper 暴燥的脾氣

也有平穩的
an even temper 平穩的情緒

a fit of temper 是解 : 一怒之下, 都是出自壞的脾氣
e.g.
Joey hits her brother in a fit of temper
In a fit of temper he hurled the book across the room

So control your temper
Don't loss temper
Don't be a bad-tempered person !

英文可用 sit on the fence
原來是指分家產的時候, 騎在分割家產的篱笆上不知應該選擇哪一邊
引伸為三心兩意, 猶疑不決, 或持觀望態度
( describes a person who is undecided about an issue )
e.g.
He likes sitting on the fence on political issues

騎牆派便是 fence-sitter
它也有一很美式英文的字 : mugwump

類似的句型還有以下
I'm on the fence about it
I'm debating about it
I'm tossing and turning about it

今天, 上司見你像有點疲倦, 便問一句
    Can you finish the job ?
你應該要答
    Yes, I can handle it
若你再有點自信一點, 你可說
    Yes, I can swing it

swing : 解搖動 / 擺動,
            但亦可引伸為從容的處理事情, 甚至揮灑自如
e.g.
to swing a business deal
( 成功地做成一筆交易 )

to swing the situation in my favor
( 控制著對自己有利情況 )

女扮男裝可用 disguise 來造句

一般來說 disguise 是假扮 / 裝扮的意思
e.g.
to disguise your voice
( 假扮你的聲音 )
Carol disguised herself as a rich merchant
( 假扮成富商 )
女扮男裝便是
Carol disguised herself as a man

而反串的英文是 cross-cast
穿異性服裝是 cross-dress

Carol cross-casts in this movie,
so she needs to cross-dress

這可以寫 :
  not mince one's words
或是
  mince no words

mince 是剁碎的意思
e.g.
minced beef 是免治牛肉
( 剁碎的牛肉 )

mince no words, 不剁碎的言語,
引伸為未修飾整理過就說出來的說話
即 直腸直肚 或 直言不諱
是不轉灣, 不花巧, 不吞吞吐吐的說話

e.g.
Carol doesn't mince her words
( Carol 是直腸直肚的 )

I mince no words about this event
( 我直言不諱對這事的看法 )

A frank person never minces words
( 率直的人說話是不會轉灣抹角 )

Please tell me what you think about this blog,
and don't mince your words. Thank you !

是用 wear 這個字

e.g.
Carol wears her hair long
( Carol 留長髮 )

Joey wears short hair
( Joey 留短髮 )

He wore a short beard two years ago
( 他兩年前留著短鬚 )

此外, 處理頭髮的髮型也可用這個字

e.g.
They wear their hair in a ponytail
她們都束著馬尾
to wear her hair straight
做了直頭髮
to wear her hair up
將頭髮梳起
to wear her hair down
將頭髮放下