“服装”的故事

Have you ever paid attention to the English expressions that include words about clothes？ Let’s see if I can name a few “off the cuff1”， or without any preparation.

你有没有留意过包含和衣服相关的词汇的英语表达？让我们看看我是否可以即兴说出一些，不预先做任何准备。

We sometimes say that people who are restless or nervous “have ants in their pants2”. They might also “fly by the seat of their pants3”， or they use their natural sense to do something instead of their learned knowledge. Sometimes， people may “get caught with their pants down4”―they are found doing something they should not be doing. And， in every family， one person takes control. Sometimes a wife tells her husband what to do. Then we say “She wears the pants in the family5”.

我们有时形容紧张不安的人裤子里有蚂蚁。他们也可能凭直觉而不是他们所学的知识来做一些事情。有时，有人在裤子掉下来的情况下被人发现，意思是他们被发现正在做一些不应该做的事。此外，每一个家庭都有当家人。有时妻子会吩咐丈夫怎么做，我们就说，她在这个家里当家做主。

Pants usually have pockets to hold things. Money that is likely to be spent quickly can “burn a hole in your pocket6”. Sometimes you need a belt to hold up your pants. If you have less money than usual， you may have to “tighten your belt7”―you may have to live on less money and spend your money carefully.

裤子上总是有装东西的口袋，花钱如流水就像口袋被烧了洞。有时需要用腰带勒紧裤子，当钱不多时，你可能要节衣缩食，少花些钱，小心地花钱。

I always praise people who can save their money and not spend too much. I really “take my hat off to them8.” Yet， when it comes to my own money， I spend it “at the drop of a hat9”， immediately， without waiting. And sadly， you cannot “pull money out of a hat10”. You cannot get money by inventing or imagining it.

我总是称赞那些能省钱不乱花钱的人，我真的佩服他们。不过，对于我自己的钱，我会毫不犹豫地、马上花个精光。可悲的是，你不能凭空从帽子里拿出钱来。你不可能仅凭虚构或想象就得到钱。

Boots are a heavy or strong kind of shoes. People who are “too big for their boots11” think they are more important than they really are. I dislike such people. I really do. You can bet your boots on that12！ Yet， truly important people are hard to replace. Rarely can you “fill their shoes13” or replace them with someone equally effective.

靴子是种沉重而结实的鞋子，自负的人想象自己比实际的更重要。我不喜欢这种人，真的，你可以打赌。不过真正重要的人很难被取代的。你很少能取代别人，或者用能起同样作用的某人取代他们。

My father is an important person. He runs a big company. He wears a suit and tie. Some people who do not know him well think he is too firm and severe. They think he is a real “stuffed shirt14”. But I know that my father “wears his heart on his sleeve15”， and he shows his feelings openly. And， he knows how to “keep his shirt on16”. He stays calm and never gets angry or too excited.

我父亲就是个重要的人，他开了一家大公司，他穿着西装，打着领带。不熟悉他的人认为他古板严厉，爱摆架子。但我知道父亲很坦率，会直接表达自己的感受。他知道如何保持冷静，从不生气或太激动。 Also， my father has never “lost his shirt17” in a business deal. He is too smart to lose all or most of his money. This is because my father “rolls up his sleeves18” and prepares to work hard. He often has a special plan or answer to a problem that he can use if he needs it. He is like a person who does magic tricks. We say he has “a card up his sleeve19”.

不过，我父亲在生意场上从未失手。他很聪明，不会输掉全部或大部钱。这是因为父亲做好准备，努力工作。只要有需要，对问题他常常有特殊计划或者解决方法。就像玩魔术的人一样，我们说他有制胜法宝。

Now， it’s your turn to guess the meanings of the expressions include words about clothes！

下面，你来猜一猜文中使用了与服装相关的词的表达方式的意思吧！

1. off the cuff 即兴地；非正式地；当场cuff n. 袖口

2. have ants in one’s pants 坐立不安

3. fly by the seat of one’s pants 在没有客观依据、茫无头绪的情况下摸索行事

4. get caught with one’s pants down 正在做坏事、可耻的事的时候被人发现了

5. wear the pants in the family 当家作主

6. burn a hole in one’s pocket 花钱如流水

7. tighten one’s belt 勒紧裤腰带；节约度日；节衣缩食

8. take one’s hat off to sb. 向……脱帽致敬；对某人表示钦佩

9. at the drop of a hat 马上；毫不犹豫地

10. pull money out of a hat 从帽子里拿出钱来；凭空变出钱来

11. be too big for one’s boots 自负；自以为是

12. bet one’s boots on sth. 对……孤注一掷；投下全部赌注在……

13. fill one’s shoes 取代某人

14. stuffed shirt 自命不凡的人；狂妄的人；架子十足的人

15. wear one’s heart on one’s sleeve 不掩饰自己情感；公开自我情绪和意见

16. keep one’s shirt on 保持冷静；不发脾气

17. lost one’s shirt 输得精光；一无所有

18. roll up one’s sleeves 卷起袖子，做好准备

19. a card up one’s sleeve 必要时才公开的计划（或优势）；锦囊妙计