英语中有些习语字面意思上与食品、饮食有关,但引申意义却与这些食品无关,笔者在此加以小结,希望读者在学习中注意,切勿望文生义。

　　1. loaves and fishes 不是"面包和鱼",而是物质利益;私利。

　　Some people seek office, not to be useful to the state, but for the loaves and fishes. 有些人谋求公职,不是为了国家利益,而是为了私利。

　　2. break bread with "和……分享面包",就是指"受到……的款待"。

　　I have never broken bread with them. 我从来没有受过他们的款待。

　　3. the apple of one's eye 不是"眼中的苹果",而指掌上明珠;心爱的人或物。

　　She is the apple of her father's eye. 她是她父亲的掌上明珠。

　　4. cry over spilt milk "为洒了的牛奶哭泣", 是指为已经发生而无法补救的事懊悔。

　　You've broken it now; it's no use crying over spilt milk. 你现在既已把它损坏了,后悔是没有用的。

　　5. a land of milk and honey 不是"有牛奶和蜂蜜的地方",而是指肥沃富饶的土地;鱼米之乡。

　　They thought that America was the fancied land of milk and honey. 他们过去认为美国是天堂。

　　6. a tough nut( to crack) 不是"难以砸碎的坚果",而是难以应付的问题或难以说服、影响的人。

　　The final exam was a tough nut. 期终考试不好对付。

　　7. pour oil on troubled water不是"把油浇到水中",而指试图调解争端、平息风波等。

　　Actually you poured oil on troubled water in such situation. 在这种情况下实际上你帮了我。

　　8. put all one's eggs in one basket"把所有的鸡蛋放在一个篮子里",也就指孤注一掷。

　　in one basket.我在许多公司里都有投资,我认为孤注一掷是不行的。

　　9. eat one's cake and have it指"又要马儿好,又要马儿不吃草",借指两者不能兼而有之。

　　You must decide whether to go on studying or get a job. You can't eat your cake and have it.你必须决定是上学还是找工作,只能干一件,不能兼作。

　　10. spill the beans "把豆弄洒了",也就指泄露(尤指秘密的)信息。

　　You'd better tell us the truth, your wife has spilled the beans, Mr. Smith. 斯密斯先生, 你的妻子已经泄露了秘密,你最好还是说实话。

　　11. cook somebody's goose 不是"杀某人的鹅",而是使某人彻底失败。

　　When the police found his fingerprint he knew his goose was cooked. 警方发现了他的指纹,他意识到自己已经完了。

　　12. stew in one's own juice 指自作自受,自食其果。

　　He lost his last job through his own laziness, now I'm going to let him stew in his own juice.这次他由于懒惰丢了工作,我让他自作自受。

　　13. a pretty kettle of fish 不是"一壶鱼",而是指一团糟、糟糕的局面。

　　You've made a pretty kettle of fish. 你把这儿弄得一团糟。

　　14. eat humble pie "吃卑躬饼"也就是赔礼道歉、忍受耻辱。

　　If you've made a fool of yourself you must eat humble pie. 你做了错事就必须低声下气地道歉。

　　(文/刘艳晖；英语辅导报大学教师版2003-2004学年第45期；版权归英语辅导报社所有，独家网络合作伙伴新浪教育，未经许可，不得以任何形式进行转载。)