idiom
1. To eat humble pie – to admit your error and apologize忍气吞声——承认自己的错误并道歉
After his candidate had lost the election, the boastful campaign manager had to eat humble pie.
在他的候选人竞选失败后，这位自负的竞选经理人只能忍气吞声。
2. A pig in a poke – an item you purcha without have en; a disappointment
袋里子的猪——一件不靠谱的商品，一件令人失望的事
The mail order bicycle that my nephew bought turned out to be a pig in a poke, and he is now trying to get his money back.
我侄子邮购的那辆自行车原来是件劣质货于是他现在正在尝试自己的钱找回来。
3. A flash in the pan –promising at the start but then disappointing
盘子里的闪光——昙花一现
The rookie hit many home runs in spring training, but once the ason began he proved to be a flash in the pan.
在春季训练中，这位新手击出了好多次本垒打，但真正的赛季一开始他就怂了。
4. To pour oil on troubled waters – to make peace, to calm someone down
把油浇在混水上——平息风波，使某人镇定下来
When I tried to pour oil on troubled waters, both the angry husband and his wife stopped their quarrel and began to attack me.
当我试图平息这对夫妇间的争执时，愤怒的丈夫和他的妻子两人都停下了争吵并转而攻击我。
5. The sword of Damocles – any imminent danger.
达摩克利斯之剑——随时可能降临的危险
Although the president of the company emed quite cure, he always complained that there was a sword of Damocles hanging over his head.
虽然这位公司老板似乎地位稳固，但他总是抱怨说好像总有一柄达摩克利斯之剑悬在他头顶上似的。
6. Pyrrhic victory-a too costly victory
皮拉斯王之胜——一场付出过大代价的胜利
In heave fighting the troops managed to recapture the hill, but it could only be considered a Pyrrhic victory.
在这场激烈的战斗中，这支军队成功地夺回了那座山头，但这场胜利只能说是一场付出过大代价的战斗。
7. A wet blanket-one who spoils the fun 一块湿漉漉的毯子——令人扫兴的人
8. To beard the lion in his den- to visit and oppo a person on his own grounds 在狮子
窝里揪狮子的胡须——在某人的地盘上触犯对方
9. Crocodile- insincere tears 鳄鱼的眼泪——假慈悲
10. To carry the day- to win the approval of the majority 占上风——获得多数人的赞同
11. Skid Row- disreputable part of town, inhabited by derelicts and people “on the skid”贫民区——一个市镇名声不好的街区，其居住者是一些被抛弃的人和落魄的人
12. To go up in smoke- to come to no practical result消失在烟雾中——没有任何实际结果
13. To throw down the gauntlet- to challenge someone(when the gauntlet, or medieval glove, was thrown down, the challenged one was required to pick it up)把长手套扔在地上——向某人挑战（当长手套或中世纪手套被扔在地上时，被挑战者将被要求去把它捡起来）
14. Feeling no pain-drunk 感觉不到痛苦——喝醉了
15. Hobson’s choice- to have no choice at all ( Mr. Hobson owned a livery stable but he did not allow the customers to pick their own hors) 霍布森的选择——没有任何选择（霍布森拥有一家出租马与马车的代养马房，但他不允许客户自选马匹）
16. To rule the roost-to be in charge, to be master( a roost is a perch where domestic birds can sleep)治理鸡棚——当家作主，主宰一切
17. Stock in trade-the goods, tools, and other requisites of a profession资本——一个行当中的特品、工具和其他必需品
18. To take down a peg- to take the conceit out of a braggart(ship’s color ud to be raid or lowered by pegs- the higher the colors, the greater the honor)降低栓子——挫挫那些自吹者的锐气（船上的旗帜通常由固定用的栓子来升降，旗帜越高，荣誉越高）
19. To pass the buck-to evade responsibility(the “buck” may have been a piece of buckshot pasd from one porker player to another to keep track of who turn it was to deal)传递“培克”——推卸责任（“培克”可能是扑克玩家们从一个递给另一个的一个筹码形的庄家标志来告知现在轮到谁发牌了）
20. To lionize a person-to make a big fuss over someone ( the lions at the Tower of London were considered its main attraction)把人捧为名流——大肆炒作某人（伦敦塔上的狮子是其主要景观）
21. I’m from Missouri- a skeptic, one who is not easily convinced我从密苏里州来——一个怀疑主义者，一个不轻信别人话的人
22. Red-letter day- day of happiness, time for rejoicing(holidays are red-letter days on our calendars)红字之日——喜庆之日，欢庆之时（假日是我们日历上的红字之日）
23. To let sleeping dogs lie- to let well enough alone, to avoid stirring up old hostilities让睡着的狗继续躺着——不招惹麻烦，别让旧恨重燃
24. Thumb’s down-signal of rejection (Roman emperors could condemn a gladiator who fought poorly by turning their thumbs down)倒竖着大拇指——拒绝的信号（当一位角斗士表现很糟糕时，罗马皇帝会把他的大拇指冲地面竖着来处死这位角斗士）
25. Cau celebre- a famous law ca or controversy一个人所皆知的案件或有争议事件
26. One swallow does not make a summer-don’t jump to conclusions bad on incomplete evidence一燕不成夏（一花独放不是春）——在证据不充足时不要轻易下结论
27. A bitter pill to swallow-a humiliating defeat难以下咽的苦果——一次令人蒙羞的失败
28. An ax to grind-having a lfish motive in the background待磨的斧头——自私企图，个人打算
29. Sour grapes-to disparage something that you cannot have(from Aesop’s fable about the fox who called the grapes sour becau he could not reach them) 酸葡萄——贬低你得不到的东西（来自伊索寓言的一个故事：一只狐狸吃不到葡萄于是说葡萄酸）
30. To swap hors in midstream- to vote against a candidate running for reelection, to change one’s mind中途换赛马——在选举中改变主意，改选某人
31. To cool one’s heels-to be kept waiting坐冷板凳——苦等
32. A red herring- something that diverts attention from the main issue(a red herring dra
wn across a fox’s path destroys the scent)熏鲱——转移注意力的东西（一条熏鲱拦过狐狸的路径，破坏了猎物的气味）
