at the end of one's rope
失去耐性
I'm at the end of my rope with you. Are you coming with me or not?
(我对你失去耐性了。你到底要不要跟我一起去?)
Give me ten more minutes. I want to know how the show ends.
(再给我十分钟。我想知道这个节目的结局如何。)
at the eleventh hour
在最后一刻
Thank God, you're here. I thought you might not be able to make it.
(感谢上帝，你终于来了。我还以为你到不了了。)
I looked everywhere to find my passport. Then I found it at the eleventh hour.
(我到处找我的护照。终于在最后一刻找到了。)
in one's tracks
当场,当下
The police caught the thief in his tracks.
(警察当场(当下)就把小偷给抓了起来。)
That must have been dangerous - he already shot two police officers.
(那一定很危险，他已经枪杀了两名警官。)
out of season
不合时令的
Do you have strawberries in your country?
(你的国家生产草莓吗?)
Sure we do, but they're out of season right now.
(当然，但现在不是产草莓的季节。)
have butterflies in one's stomach
感到紧张
I always get butterflies in my stomach before a test.
(我在考试之前都会感到紧张。)
I have them before I go on a first date with a girl.
(我第一次和女生约会时也会这样。)
pull one's punches
手下留情
I didn't pull my punches. I told her exactly what I think of her.
(我没有手下留情。我清楚表达对她的想法。)
Did she cry? It must have hurt her feelings.
(她哭了吗?那一定很伤她的心。)
dead set against something
坚决反对
Are you sure you don't want to reconsider his proposal?
(你确定你不要重新考虑他的提案吗?)
Listen, I'm dead set against his plan. So don't waste your time.
(听着，我坚决反对他的构想。所以你别浪费时间了。)
not enough room to swing a cat
没有足够的转身空间
The living room is too small.
(客厅实在太小了。)
I agree! There's not enough room to swing a cat.
(我同意!连转身的空间都没有。)
at the top of one's lungs
声嘶力竭
I yelled at the top of my lungs to get tom's attention. But he seems to be deaf.
(我声嘶力竭地大喊想要引起汤姆的注意。不过他像是聋了一样。)
Didn't you see that he was wearing earphones? Every time he listens to rock-n-roll, he turns the volume way up.
(你没看见他戴着耳机吗?他每次听摇滚乐总把音量开到最大。)
at the helm
掌控全局
How long has our CEO been at the helm?
(我们的总裁当家多久了?)
For almost two decades. We need some fresh blood- that's for sure.
(快二十年了。我们需要一些新血是毋庸置疑的。)
a domino effect
骨牌效应
Those workers make good money. Why are they on strike?
(这些工人的收入不错。他们为什么要罢工呢?)
It's a domino effect. Other lower-paid workers just got their wages raised, so now everybody wants more money.
(这是骨牌效应。其它工资较低的工人刚获得加薪，所以现在每个人都想要更多钱。)
at ease
轻松自若
Were you nervous the first time you taught in front of the whole class?
(你第一次站在全班面前讲课会紧张吗?)
Not really. My students were so cute that they made me feel completely at ease.
(其实还好。我的学生很可爱，他们让我觉得非常轻松自在。)
black and blue
鼻青脸肿;伤痕累累
Her arm was black and blue from the accident.
(她的手臂在事故中伤痕累累。)
He beat the boy black and blue.
(他把那个孩子打得鼻青脸肿，遍体鳞伤。)
add fuel to the fire
火上加油
I think we should show our objection by leaving the meeting.
(我认为我们应该以离开会场来表达我们的抗议。)
I'm afraid the move will only add fuel to the fire.
(我怕这么做只会火上加油。)
another story
另一回事
I like to stay up late. It's the best time for me to write.
(我喜欢熬夜。那是我写作最好的时间。)
But it's quite another story for those of us who have to be at work by 8 a.m.
(但那对我们这些得在八点前上班的人来说就完全是另外一回事了。)