[交流] 【魅力英语】10 American Slang Terms and Phrases That Confuse Brits (Part 2) 已有4人参与

10 American Slang Terms and Phrases That Confuse Brits (Part 2)

今天给大家带来的是 让英国人困惑的美国俚语（第二部分），可以让我们在学习知识的同时，感受英语文化的魅力。     （From BBC America）

Like any other language, American has its idioms. Some are very similar to British English, and it is not difficult for Brits to figure them out. "Peaks and valleys," for example, is obviously the American version of "peaks and troughs." However, there are still some phrases whose actual words hold no clue to the meaning, creating a conversational minefield for Brits here. Here are a selection of them.
trough
n. 水槽；低谷期
For example:
American bank shares have risen by 60% since their trough last October. 美国的银行股自从去年10月跌入低谷以来已经上涨了60%。
minefield
n. 雷区；危机四伏的局势，充满问题的情况
For example:
The whole subject is a political minefield. 整个话题就是一个政治上的雷区。

4. Jonesing  上瘾
When I hear this word I automatically think "keeping up with the Joneses," although that's of no help here. If someone confesses that they're "really jonesing" for something (usually a guilty pleasure), they mean they are craving. Again, there are several versions of the origin but its general association is with drugs. "Jones" was a term used for a heroin or narcotics addiction, but now the word can be applied to anything. Brits in the U.S. can be said to be jonesing for a decent cuppa or good chocolate.
keep up with the joneses
攀比，比排场比阔气（讽刺）
For example:
Some people feel they have to keep up with the Joneses. 有些人觉得他们得去攀比（赶时髦）。
crave
v. 渴望；恳求，请求；要求，需要
For example:
Many young children crave attention. 许多小孩子渴望得到关心。
narcotics
n. 麻醉药；毒品
For example:
He was sent to prison on a narcotics charge. 他被指控贩卖毒品而被关进监狱。

5. Shoot the breeze  闲聊，说大话
So, you see a friend and end up shooting the breeze for an hour? Did you a) get out your air rifles, or b) take advantage of the weather and fly kites? Obviously, none of the above as "shooting the breeze" means to engage in idle, empty chatter. One explanation is that in the old days, particularly in the Wild West, people with time on their hands would literally shoot into the air at nothing.
engage
vt. 吸引住；聘用；与…交战     vi. 与…建立密切关系；衔接；从事；紧密结合
For example:
They never learned skills to engage the attention of the others. 他们从未学过吸引他人注意的技巧。
You can engage in croquet on the south lawn. 你可以参加南边草坪上的槌球游戏。

6. John Hancock  亲笔签名
When you hear the request "Let me have your John Hancock" the mind boggles, and you hope they're not talking about a body part! In fact, you're being asked for your signature. The phrase is a reference to one John Hancock, a signatory of the Declaration of Independence; his signature was one of the more flamboyant on the document.
boggle
vi. 踌躇，犹豫；退缩；惊恐     vt. 弄坏；退缩；装糊涂；使吃惊     n. 犹豫；搪塞；吃惊；胡乱干的工作
For example:
Never boggle at a difficulty. 切莫遇难而退。
flamboyant
adj. 艳丽的；火焰似的；过分华丽的     n. 凤凰木；火焰色红花
For example:
Freddie Mercury was a flamboyant star of the British hard rock scene. 弗雷迪·摩克瑞是英国硬摇滚乐界一颗耀眼的明星。
His style of choreography is flamboyant. 他的舞蹈设计风格是复杂夸张的。



第二部分先讲到这里；下面给大家分享一幅本人珍藏的实用图片《Other ways to say》

欢迎大家在下方回复所思、所想和用今天的单词造句



往期节目回顾
【魅力英语】She lost him, but she found herself, and somehow that was everything   https://https://muchong.com/bbs/viewthread.php?tid=9954571
【魅力英语】10 American Slang Terms and Phrases That Confuse Brits (Part 1)   https://muchong.com/bbs/viewthread.php?tid=10131617