bare-bones

(adj) the most important elements of something, which provide a structure to which more detail might be added later 極簡單的；基礎的

I don't need the long story, just give me your bare-bones account.

from scratch

(idiom) when you do something from the beginning 從頭做起；從頭開始

Irma didn't use a cake mix, she made the cake from scratch.

pragmatic

doing things in a practical and realistic way and not using only ideas 務實的；實用的

His pragmatic nature made him perfect for the management job since he liked to solve problems.

spearhead

(v) to lead an attack or series of actions 擔任先導；當先鋒；領導

Paul was asked to spearhead the greenhouse research project because agriculture was his college major.

precursor

(n) something which happens or exists before something else and influences its development

前導；先驅；前輩

A dramatic drop in sales was a precursor to the business closing.

lay down 制定、謀殺、哄睡、放下、放棄

lay down 

lay 這個動詞有放下的意思，搭配介係詞 down 則變成有相當多種不同意思的動詞片語。 

• 制定：接法規、條文、規則

Miss Donaldson lay down the new rules for the class.

• 謀殺：用被動式

Johnson was laid down by the robber. 

• 哄睡

I will lay down the baby.

• 放下

Just lay down the cups on the table.

• 放棄、妥協

A: I think you should ease yourself.
B: Are you saying that I should lay down and let them walk all over me? (你是說我應該放棄就讓他們這樣對待我嗎？)

，

smell a rat 事有蹊蹺

smell a rat 事有蹊蹺

貓即使看不見老鼠，也可以聞出躲藏在暗處的老鼠。

沒有直接的證據或跡象，但憑直覺感到可疑。

Ex: I smelt a rat when Noah offered to sell me the car at a very low price, so I turned down his offer on the spot. Good thing that I'd made such a decision, as the car turned out to be stolen.

*  Good thing that I'd made such a decision 幸好我做了這決定
*  the car turned out to be stolen 原來是部贓車

fishy = suspicious
It seems fishy that all the services here are free of charge.
It is suspicious that he said he was at home at the time but actually he wasn't.

save for a rainy day 以備不時之需

save for a rainy day 以備不時之需

Ex: She has put a tidy sum of money aside for a rainy day.

*put aside = save

*tidy = quite


Ex;

Sunny: Sorry, I can't. I'm saving money these days, so I need to cut any unnecessary spending.
Amber: Come on, just a drink! Don't be so stingy.
Sunny: I have to. I am saving money for a rainy day. Since the unemployment rate is so high, I think everyone should do the same as I do in case one day they lost their jobs.
Amber: But I think otherwise. If all the people are cutting their spending as you do, all of us will lose our jobs eventually, since we neither buy things nor produce them. Just lend me the money then!

*otherwise = in a different way / or else / in other respects; apart from that

Please don't spill the bean. 請保密

   請保密 / 請別讓他人知道 / 請勿洩漏 / 你知我知就好

   Please keep the secret.
= Please don't leak the secret.
= Please keep it between us.
= Please don't spill the bean.

sleep on it 好好考慮一下

sleep on it  謹慎考慮

This is not an easy request to grant. I have to sleep on it and I'll tell you my decision tomorrow.

I don't know if I can tell you the secret. I'd like to sleep on it.

有關錢的用語

Money doesn't grow on trees 
財富得來不易要珍惜

Money can't buy happiness
錢非萬能

Feel like a million bucks.
感覺真是棒極了 (感覺狀況極佳時)
*buck = dollar【美俚語】

Give your two cents
發表意見

Grunt work
單調乏味的苦差事 【美口語】

蛋的英文用法

1. 蛋的種類
sunny side up                太陽蛋
well-done fried egg       全熟荷包蛋
scrambled egg              [美] 炒蛋
soft-boiled egg               蛋黃半熟的水煮蛋
hard-boiled egg              蛋黃全熟的水煮蛋
poached egg                   蛋殼打碎的水煮蛋


2. 慣用語

．sit on eggs (母雞)孵蛋 

．(as) full as an egg   塞得滿滿的【美‧俚】酩酊大醉
．egg sb on to an act [on to do] 煽動某人行動[做某事].  

．as sure as death = as sure as eggs    一定，必然，千真萬確 

．egg on (ones) face    (口語) 困窘; 丟臉 

    If you do that, you'll end up with egg on your face.你如果那樣做, 將會自取其唇

3. 諺語

．Dont put all your eggs in one basket. 【諺】 不要孤注一擲.
．Better an egg today than a hen tomorrow. 【諺】 今日之蛋勝過明日之雞(現利至上).

right under sb's nose 就在眼前

right under sb's nose
某樣東西明明就在你眼前，你卻怎麼也看不見，直到別人提醒後你才發現。

The opportunity is right under your nose, you just need to seize it and the money is all yours.
No one dares to cheat in exams under Ms. White's nose, as we all know she never goes easy on students who cheat.

before sb's very eye =  right in front of sb's eyes   

某件事就發生在你面前、你可以清楚看到的意思。

Climate change is happening before our very eyes, and we must do something to prevent it from getting worse. 

.

轉身, 向前/後走, 流鼻水, 擤鼻涕

Turn around 轉身/掉頭

John turned around and talked to me.

John 轉過身來和我說話.

Turn about (行進中)轉向

You went in the wrong direction, please turn about and go that way.

你走錯方向了, 請轉個方向並走那條路.

Turn backward 向後走 (轉向並向後走)

A: Excuse me. Could you tell me how to get to the post office?

B: You've already passed it. You need to turn backward for two blocks and turn left.

A: 不好意思，可以告訴我怎麼去警察局嗎?

B: 你已經走過頭了. 你必須往回走兩條街再左轉.

Stand out 出列

Who was late for school this morning? Please stand out.

誰今早遲到了? 請出列.

Go forth 向前走

No matter how difficult it is, I will keep going forth with courage.

無論這有多困難, 我都會帶著勇氣向前邁進.

Runny nose, stuffy nose, and fever are all signs of flu.

流鼻水，鼻塞，和發燒都是流行性感冒的徵兆.

Wait a minute. Let me blow my nose, because I have a cold.

等我一下, 讓我擤個鼻涕, 因為我感冒了.

State Your Opinions 陳述意見

從直接到委婉依序為:

1.  I think... / I feel that...   我覺得

2. In my opinion / From my perspective / From my point of view...  依我看來

In my opinion, the only way to succeed is to come up with more innovative ideas to outshine other competitors.

3. It has come to my mind that if.... / I suppose if...   我想到如果.../我想如果...

It has come to my mind (that) if we could develop new system to improve the operating procedures, our work efficiency may be increased by several times.

4. According/Per to my/our understanding...   據我(們)了解

先引進對自己論點有利的事實或資料數據，再發表自己的論點 

According to our understanding, a lot of capital has been transferred from the currency market to the gold market, so it may be time for us to make some changes.

= It is my understanding that a lot of capital has been transferred from the currency market to the gold market. In this case, I think now it's time for us to make some changes.

call for

call for 為不可分開的動詞片語！

1. call for = demand / ask for    要求
    Larry: The editor calls for/ demands/ asks for a raise.
    Helge: Yeah, she wished.

2. call for = to collect someone / to pick up someone or something     接某人、物或是取物
    Carmen: The boss will call for/ collect/ pick up your response in the afternoon.
    Sean: My goodness, I haven't made the decision.

3. call for  大喊叫某人、呼喊某人。
    I called for Justin, but he didn't come.

4. call for = need / require    需要
    I planned to make cake this afternoon, the cake calls for/ needs/ requires milk.

rather than

• 當連接詞 (conj.):  不是… (而是…) 、而不是…  = and not

He had noodles for dinner rather than pizza. 

= He had noodles for dinner, not pizza. 

Rather than went home for Christmas with her family, Tracy stayed at her office to work overtime. 

• 當介系詞:  而不是…  = instead of = in preference to

It’s the manager rather than the assistant to take the blame.

• would rather… than…   寧可…而不願…

此處的 rather than 也是當連接詞，其後接原形動詞。

Many students who run away from school claim that they would rather do something meaningful elsewhere than go to school to learn the lessons which they don’t like.

它而非‧而不是助理引咎經理。

有關 as 的片語

(1) as of = as from
used to show the time or date from which sth starts.
用法上後面會接ㄧ個特定日期(時間)，意思是自~開始，自~之後。

Our fax number is changing as from May 12.
As of next month, all the airline's fares will be going up.


(2) as still = still
Still, he could not make it as usual because it is too hard for him. 

(3) so as to + V = ~ so that ~ (+ 子句)   以便.../以至於...

I left a message so that I could inform her of it.
= I left a message so as to inform her of it.

I turned off my cellphone so that I wouldn't be disturbed.
=I turned off my cellphone so as not to be disturbed.


(4) so ~ as to V = so ~ that ~ (+ 子句)   如此的...以致可以(能夠)...
so後面加形容詞或副詞
He runs so fast that he can get here in 3 mins.
=He runs so fast as to get here in 3 mins.


(5) as yet   迄今為止 / 到現在[當時]為止
as yet一般與完成時態連用, 且常用於否定句中
We have received no answer from you as yet.


(6) as to   至於;關於 (至於某事物, 提到某事物 )
as for 多用來指人

as to 多用來指物

as to 可用於動詞後/名詞/形容詞後

As to correcting our homework, the teacher always makes us do it ourselves.
You are the love as to me.

所以〜那〜跟