EBS美樂一對一英文顧問
猜猜看這 10 個慣用語的意思，讓你的英文表達變得更生動活潑！
1) When Pigs Fly 比喻不可能發生的事
Meaning - whatever you are discussing will never happen.
When pigs fly 字面上的意思為「當豬會飛」，大家都吃過香腸，看過豬睡覺，但應該沒看過豬在空中飛吧？所以When pigs fly 就用來比喻不可能發生的事，通常帶有嘲笑或挖苦的意味。相似用法有 Pigs might fly. (豬可能會飛)、When pigs have wings. (豬長出翅膀時) 或 When hell freezes over(地獄結冰時)。
Example - Yea, right! You will get Justin Bieber to ask you on a date when pigs fly!
2) Be barking up the wrong tree 找錯人；找錯門
Meaning – Looking in the wrong place/accusing the wrong person.
美國人剛到美洲大陸時，經歷過砍樹、打獵的開荒時代，追趕獵物時，會帶著獵犬，追捕逃到樹上的動物。但難免有失誤的時侯，獵犬聞錯味道或是看錯，就會對著什麼也沒有的樹狂吠，因此「be barking up the wrong tree」就引申為「找錯人」或「找錯門」。
Example – The detective was barking up the wrong tree and wasn’t able to find the criminal.
3) Kick the bucket 死掉、翹辮子
Meaning - to die
字面義是踢桶子，為麼踢桶子是死掉的意思呢？其中一個解釋為人上吊自殺時會放個桶子在地上把自己墊高，即將斷氣時會把桶子踢開，可以想像這個畫面吼?! 另一個解釋為 bucket 也有「屋樑」之義，古時農家宰殺牲禽時，通常將繩子綁在牲禽腳上，接著掛在屋樑上。牲禽死前做垂死掙扎，腳不斷踢那根屋樑，因此 kick the bucket 就是指死掉。
注意：kick the bucket 為俚語，通常只用在講自己、可以開玩笑的人，或故事人物，千萬不能用在長輩或尊敬的人。
Example - When I kick the bucket, I don't want a funeral. I want a party!
補充：bucket list 死前必了心願。What are on your bucket list?
電影推薦：The Bucket List 一路玩到掛
4) Get on like a house on fire 情投意合；一拍即合
Meaning – have a very good relationship with someone.
用房子著火比喻兩人很快就變成好朋友
Example – When we first met, we got on like a house on fire.
5) On the tip of my tongue 話到嘴邊 (一時想不起來)
Meaning - when you just can't remember something.
On the tip of my tongue 直譯是「在我的舌尖上」，實際要表達的意思話在嘴邊，但一下子想不起來了，真懊惱！
Example - Do you remember the name of the movie we watched yesterday? It is on the tip of my tongue.
6) Put a sock in it 請人住/閉嘴
Meaning - to ask someone to be quiet.
傳說古人會用襪子塞入任何嘈雜的東西裡，如留聲機太吵，就塞襪子進留聲機口。如果哪時候你的朋友或弟妹很吵鬧，安擾你工作或讀書，你就可以邊說 Put a sock in it，同時把襪子塞到他的嘴巴裡 L 這是比較不禮貌的用法 lol
Example - Jane was yelling while I was studying, so I told her to put a sock in it.
7) Cost an arm and a leg 昂貴的代價
Meaning - to be very expensive
字面意思是「要花費某人的一隻手臂和一條腿」，需要付出這麼大的代價才能買到，不是「貴得要命」嗎？
Example - I bought a new car yesterday. It's great, but it cost an arm and a leg.
8) Drink like a fish 豪飲；(慣性)飲酒過度
Meaning - to drink a lot of alcohol
這裡的 drink 指的是喝含酒精的飲品，用「像金魚一樣的喝」指猛灌酒、豪飲。喝太多酒隔天起來 宿醉 (hangover) 就滿痛苦的。
Example - It was his birthday, so he drank like a fish.
9) Fall/get off the back of a lorry/truck 買來路不明或別人偷來轉賣的東西
Meaning - To buy something that was probably stolen.
原來從貨車後面掉下來 “fell off the back of a lorry” 是英語中的委婉用語，其真正的意思是買來路不明的東西，甚至可能是偷來的東西！你用兩千台幣就買到一台全新的iPhone X，別人好奇地問，怎麼這麼便宜，你說I got/fell it off the back of the truck. 意思就是，買了別人偷來的iPhone X，才這麼便宜。而貨車在美式英文中為 truck，lorry 則為英式用法。
Example - The black market was thriving when the war ended. It wasn't difficult to find all sorts of things off the back of a lorry.
10) Bob's your Uncle 就是這麼簡單，你做的完全正確
Meaning - everything's OK/perfect
這個俚語源自於英國首相兼外交大臣Robert "Bob" Cecil，他最大的功績為為大英帝國擴展版圖，但卻利用裙帶關係，指派自己的親戚到不同的政府機構工作，所有靠 Roger的關係進入政壇、取得工作的人一路平步青雲。因此，Bob's your uncle這個俚語就用來形容做事很容易達到目的。
Example - You want to go to the market? Go straight on until you reach the main road, take the first right, and Bob’s your uncle–you’re there!
看完這些俚語的來源和解釋是不是比較容易記的起來？這10俚語之中，小編最喜歡 Put a sock in it 
，你呢？你還知道那些俚語背後的故事呢？
source: https://www.learn-english-have-fun.com/put-a-sock-in-it.html
http://anglickynoproblem.cz/idioms/
https://www.broadway.com/buzz/189421/howard-crabtrees-when-pigs-fly-to-return-off-broadway-for-run-at-stage-42/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/466896686358811492/
EBS美樂英文顧問官網： www.ebs-education.com
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