The higher up, the greater the fall. 攀高跌重:
know something like the palm or back of one’s hand 了如指掌;
constant dropping wears the stone 滴水穿石;
fish in troubled water 混水摸鱼;
Great oaks from little acorns grow. 合抱之木,生于毫末;
pour oil on the flame 火上加油;
Give somebody an inch and he’ll take an mile. 得寸进尺;
lie down on the job. 磨洋工;
Strike while the iron is hot. 趁热打铁;
Walls have ears. 隔墙有耳;
The tailor makes the man. 人靠衣服马靠鞍;
a yes man 应声虫(跟屁虫);
at one’s wit’s end 才穷智尽;
hang by a thread 千钧一发;
plain sailing 一帆风顺;
follow in sb’s footsteps 步人后尘;
bite off more than one can chew 贪多嚼不烂;
The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. 心有余而力不足;
wash one’s hands of 洗手不干;
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. 情人眼里出西施;
run sb. to earth 钻入地缝也要抓到某人;
skin deep 肤浅。
以上此类由于设喻形象相似,因而最容易掌握,我们平时学习中要注意积累。
二.英汉习语所用设喻形象各异,意义却相近的
When a man is going downhill, everyone will give him apush. 墙倒众人推;
silken tongue 巧舌如簧;
a flash in the pan 昙花一现;
don’t cry over spilt milk 生米已成熟饭;
put all one’s eggs in one basket. 孤注一掷;
hold a wolf by the ears 骑虎难下;
between the devil and the deep sea 进退维谷;