跟李笑来学美式俚语（Most Common American Idioms）: Part 27-CSDN博客

本文链接：https://blog.csdn.net/shizheng_Li/article/details/143956198

Most Common American Idioms: Part 27

前言

本文是学习李笑来的Most Common American Idioms这本书的学习笔记，自用。

Github仓库链接：https://github.com/xiaolai/most-common-american-idioms

使用方法: 直接下载下来（或者clone到本地），使用浏览器打开Most_Common_American_Idioms.html文件即可，可以听到例句发音，学习效果很好，推荐给想学习美式俚语的同学。

521. Go off the deep end

“失去冷静” 或 “失去理智”。这个短语指一个人在情绪上突然崩溃或变得非常生气，通常表现出非理性的行为。

这个短语的起源可以追溯到游泳池的深水区。游泳池通常有浅水区和深水区，浅水区较安全，而深水区则需要更高的游泳技能。一个人如果没有准备就跳入深水区，可能会感到慌乱和失控，借此比喻人情绪上的失控。

This phrase can be traced back to swimming pools, which usually have a shallow end and a deep end. The shallow end is safer, while the deep end requires higher swimming skills. If someone jumps into the deep end unprepared, they might feel panicked and out of control, which is used here as a metaphor for emotional breakdown.

When he heard the bad news, he just went off the deep end and started shouting.当他听到坏消息时，他简直失去了理智，开始大喊大叫。
Don’t go off the deep end. Let’s figure this out calmly.别失去冷静，我们冷静地解决这个问题。
Don’t go off the deep end. Let’s figure this out calmly.别失去冷静，我们冷静地解决这个问题。

522. Go on a wild goose chase

goose：美 [ɡuːs] 鹅；鹅肉

geese：美 [ɡiːs] 鹅（goose的复数）

“徒劳无功的追寻” 或 “白费功夫的寻找”。

这个短语最早起源于 16 世纪的英国文学，意指追赶野生鹅是徒劳无功的，因为它们飞行的方向变化无常且不可预测。因此，这个短语被用来形容那些耗费时间和精力却没有任何结果的行动。

This phrase originally comes from 16th-century English literature, signifying that chasing wild geese is futile because of their unpredictable flight patterns. As a result, it describes actions that waste time and effort without any fruitful outcome.

We went on a wild goose chase trying to find that old book.我们白费功夫地寻找那本旧书。
She sent me on a wild goose chase looking for that nonexistent restaurant.她让我费尽心力去找那不存在的餐馆。
Following that clue turned out to be a wild goose chase.追寻那个线索结果是徒劳无功的。

523. Go out of one’s way

“不遗余力” 或 “竭尽全力”。

这个短语起源于古英语中 “way” 代表道路或途径，而 “go out of one’s way” 则表示脱离正常路径去完成某事。它意味着为了达成目标或者帮助别人，做出超出常规的努力和牺牲。

This phrase originates from Old English where “*way*” means road or path, and “go out of one’s way” refers to stepping off the normal path to accomplish something. It signifies making extra effort and sacrifice in order to achieve a goal or help someone.

She really went out of her way to make sure everyone felt comfortable at the party.她真的竭尽全力确保每个人在聚会上都感到舒服。
My boss went out of his way to help me with the project.我的老板不遗余力地帮助我完成了这个项目。
They went out of their way to make our visit enjoyable.他们竭尽全力让我们的拜访变得愉快。

524. Go out on a limb

limb：美 [lɪm]分支；枝条；边缘部分

“冒险做某事” 或 “承担风险”。

这个短语源自于爬树时站在一根树枝上，站在树枝的末端会更加不稳定和危险。在现代社会，该短语用来形容一个人愿意冒风险或承担责任去做某事，通常是在给予某种支持或意见时。

This idiom originates from the idea of climbing a tree and standing on a limb (a branch), where the further out you go the less stable and more risky it becomes. In modern usage, “go out on a limb” means to take a risk or put oneself in a vulnerable position for a particular purpose, often to offer support or give an opinion.

I’m going to go out on a limb and say that our team will win the championship this year.我要冒险说一句，我们的球队今年会赢得冠军。
She went out on a limb to defend her friend in the meeting.她在会议上冒险为她的朋友辩护。
He decided to go out on a limb and invest in the startup company.他决定冒险投资那家初创公司。

525. Go overboard

overboard：从船上落水；向舷外；过分；极端；彻底

“做得过火” 或 “过度热情”。

这个短语来自航海术语，指的是人从船上掉进水中。比喻的意思是指某人做事情太过分或表现得过于极端，在行为和情绪上超越了合理的限度。

This phrase originates from nautical terminology, meaning someone falls over the side of a boat into the water. Figuratively, it means to do something excessively or to get carried away beyond reasonable limits in both actions and emotions.

Don’t go overboard with the decorations; we want a simple look.不要把装饰弄得太夸张了；我们想要简洁的样子。
He tends to go overboard when buying gifts for his kids.他在给孩子买礼物时往往会做得过火。
I appreciate your enthusiasm, but try not to go overboard with the planning.我很感激你的热情，但计划时别太过火了。

526. Go postal

“发疯” 或 “暴怒”。

这个短语起源于 20 世纪 80 年代美国邮政服务的员工由于过度压力而发生的几起暴力事件。当时几名邮局员工在工作场所大开杀戒，引发了极大的社会关注。尽管这一现象并非普遍，但从此 “go postal” 就成为了描述某人突然暴怒或失控行为的表达。

This phrase originated in the 1980s in the United States following several instances where postal workers committed acts of workplace violence due to excessive stress. Although such incidents were not widespread, “go postal” has since become an expression used to describe someone suddenly going into a violent rage or losing control.

When traffic is this bad, I feel like I’m about to go postal.当交通如此糟糕时，我感觉我快要发疯了。
He went postal when he found out they had crashed his car.当他发现他们撞了他的车时，他暴怒了。
The boss will go postal if the report isn’t finished by tomorrow.如果报告明天之前还没完成，老板会发疯的。

527. Go south

“情况变糟” 或 “事态恶化”。

这个短语来源于地理方向，主要是指朝南走。在地图上，南方通常在下方，隐喻着下降和负面变化。在英语中，“go south” 常用来形容情况突然变坏或者事情失控，类似于中文的 “走下坡路” 或 “每况愈下” 的意思。

This phrase comes from the geographical direction, mainly referring to moving south. On a map, south is usually towards the bottom, which metaphorically represents decline or negative changes. In English, “go south” is often used to describe a situation that suddenly deteriorates or becomes uncontrollable, similar to the Chinese expressions “走下坡路” or “每况愈下”.

After the new policy was implemented, sales started to go south.新政策实施后，销售情况开始变糟。
Their relationship began to go south after the argument.争吵之后，他们的关系开始恶化。
The project was going well, but then it suddenly went south.项目进行得很顺利，但突然间就出了问题。

528. Go the extra mile

“多做一点” 或 “加倍努力”。

这个短语源自《新约圣经》中《马太福音》第五章 41 节，其中耶稣提到 “有人强逼你走一里路，你就同他走二里”。这句话的意思是，当你被要求完成一些事情时，应该多做一点，多付出一些努力。现在，这个习语常用于表示人们不满足于完成最基本的任务，而是愿意付出额外的努力来达到更高的目标或提供更好的服务。

This phrase originates from the New Testament in the Bible, specifically Matthew 5:41, where Jesus said, “If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.” The meaning behind this is that when you are asked to do something, you should put in extra effort. Today, the idiom is used to describe people who are willing to go beyond the minimum requirement to achieve higher goals or provide better service.

She always goes the extra mile to help her students succeed.她总是加倍努力帮助她的学生取得成功。
Our customer service team goes the extra mile to ensure customer satisfaction.我们的客户服务团队总是多做一点，以确保客户满意。
I’m so grateful to my colleagues who went the extra mile to complete the project on time.我非常感激我的同事们，他们加倍努力按时完成了这个项目。

529. Go the whole hog

hog：美 [hɔːɡ]（尤指喂肥供食用的）猪；家养猪；

“全力以赴” 或 “一鼓作气”。

这个短语起源于十九世纪的英国，指的是在某种活动或情境中投入最大的努力，尤其是毫不犹豫地完成整个过程（例如吃掉整只猪）。随着时间的推移，这个表达变得更为广泛，适用于各种追求和决策场合，意指全心全意地完成某事，而不是半途而废。

This phrase originates from 19th-century Britain, referring to making the maximum effort in an activity or situation, especially completing the whole process without hesitation, such as eating an entire hog. Over time, this expression has become more general, applying to various pursuits and decisions, meaning to commit fully to something rather than doing it halfway.

If we’re going to renovate the kitchen, let’s go the whole hog and do it properly.如果我们要翻新厨房，那就全力以赴，好好做。
He’s decided to go the whole hog and start his own business.他决定一鼓作气，创办自己的公司。
Instead of just fixing the leak, they went the whole hog and replaced the entire roof.他们没有只是修补漏水，而是全力以赴，更换了整个屋顶。

530. Go through it with a fine-tooth comb

comb：美 [koʊm] 梳子；梳发工具 注意发音

fine-tooth：细齿

“仔细检查” 或 “一丝不苟地检查”。

这个短语起源于使用细齿梳子来梳理头发，目的是捕捉头发中的细小物体或结。这种梳子可以捕捉到头发中非常小的东西，因此这个短语就用来表示非常仔细的检查或审查。

This phrase originates from using a fine-tooth comb to groom hair, intending to catch small objects or tangles in the hair. Such combs can capture very small items in the hair, so the phrase has come to mean conducting a very thorough examination or review.

The auditor will go through the records with a fine-tooth comb to ensure there are no discrepancies.审计员会仔细检查记录，以确保没有差异。
She went through the contract with a fine-tooth comb before signing it.她在签合同之前仔细地检查了一遍。
They need to go through the proposal with a fine-tooth comb before presenting it to the board.他们需要在提交给董事会之前仔细审查这个提案。

531. Go to hell in a handbasket

“迅速恶化” 或 “走向毁灭”。

这个短语的起源并不完全明确，有些研究者认为它源自 18 世纪美国的煤矿工人，他们会用手提篮将煤炭运送到地表，而有时这些篮子会直接掉入深坑。另一些解释则认为这个短语起源于旧时传说中，被用篮子送去地狱的人。这两种说法都体现了快速而不可阻挡的下滑和灾难。

The exact origin of this phrase is not entirely clear. Some researchers believe it derives from the 18th-century American coal miners who would transport coal in baskets to the surface, and sometimes these baskets would fall into deep pits. Others suggest it comes from folklore about being carried to hell in a basket. Both interpretations convey a rapid and uncontrollable descent into disaster.

With the economy collapsing, the whole country’s going to hell in a handbasket.随着经济崩溃，整个国家正迅速走向毁灭。
If we don’t address climate change, we are all going to hell in a handbasket.如果我们不解决气候变化问题，我们都会迅速走向灭亡。
His life went to hell in a handbasket after he lost his job.失业之后，他的生活迅速恶化。

532. Go to pieces/Fall to pieces

“崩溃” 或 “失控”。

这个短语的成语起源于物理上的崩溃或分裂，后被用来形容人在面对巨大压力或困境时情绪或精神上的崩溃。它表示一个人在感情上无法自持，完全失去了冷静和控制。

This idiom originates from the physical act of breaking or falling apart, later being used to describe a person who emotionally or mentally collapses under significant stress or distress. It indicates a person losing emotional control and becoming completely overwhelmed.

After hearing the tragic news, she completely went to pieces.听到那个悲惨的消息后，她彻底崩溃了。
He fell to pieces during the meeting when he couldn’t handle the pressure.在会议上他无法承受压力时崩溃了。
She’s usually so strong, but even she went to pieces after her pet passed away.她通常很坚强，但在她的宠物去世后，她还是崩溃了。

533. Go to the dogs

“走下坡路” 或 “变得很糟糕”。

这个短语的起源尚不完全明确，但普遍认为来自于某些经济或社会状况不好的地方，人们可能会把废弃的食物和无用的东西扔给狗狗。“Go to the dogs” 意味着某事物从好的状态变得糟糕，就像被丢弃的食物一样没有价值。

The origin of the phrase is not entirely clear, but it is commonly believed to come from places where, in bad economic or social conditions, people might throw discarded food and useless items to the dogs. “Go to the dogs” means something deteriorates from a good state to a bad one, losing its value like discarded food.

After the new management took over, the company went to the dogs.新管理层接手后，公司就开始走下坡路了。
Many people say the neighborhood has gone to the dogs in recent years.很多人说这个社区近年来变得很糟糕。
When he stopped caring, his grades went to the dogs.当他不再努力学习时，他的成绩就开始走下坡路了。

534. Go to town

“全力以赴” 或 “大干一场”。

这个短语起源于美国早期的西部，当时人们去镇上（主要是指城镇）表明他们要进行消费、社交或其他重要的活动。现代社会中，“go to town” 已广泛用来表示在某个任务或活动上全力以赴，或是极其卖力地做某件事。

This phrase originates from the early American West, where going to town often meant people would engage in spending, socializing, or other significant activities. In modern usage, “go to town” has come to widely mean putting in a lot of effort or doing something very enthusiastically.

They really went to town on the decorations for the party.他们在派对的装饰上真的下了很大功夫。
When she started painting, she went to town on the canvas.当她开始画画时，她在画布上大展拳脚。
He went to town on that buffet, trying almost everything.他在那个自助餐上拼命地吃，几乎尝试了所有的食物。

535. Go up in smoke

“化为乌有” 或 “化为烟雾”。这个短语用来形容计划、希望、努力等突然间失败，或者一切都白费，一切变得徒劳无功。

这个短语的起源与火焰有关。物体着火，会变成烟雾消失殆尽，象征着某种实际存在的东西彻底消失。因此, “go up in smoke” 就表示某种期望或者计划突然完全消失，就像烟雾一样。

This phrase has its origins in fire. When an object catches fire, it turns into smoke and vanishes completely, symbolizing something that was tangible but has now disappeared. Thus, “go up in smoke” signifies that a hope, plan, or effort has suddenly and completely vanished, just like smoke.

All of our hard work went up in smoke after the company decided to cancel the project.在公司决定取消项目后，我们的所有努力都化为乌有了。
His dreams of traveling the world went up in smoke when he lost all his savings.当他丢了所有的积蓄后，他环游世界的梦想也化为乌有了。
The celebration plans went up in smoke due to the sudden storm.由于突如其来的暴风雨，庆祝计划都化为乌有了。

536. Go with the flow

“顺其自然” 或 “随遇而安”。

这个短语起源于自然界的水流，它描绘了顺应流动的状态。用在人们的处境时，它意味着不要过于担忧和抗争，而是顺应当前的局势和环境，自然地跟随其发展。适用于劝说他人不要过于纠结或担忧某事。

This phrase originates from the natural flow of water, depicting a state of going along with the current. When applied to human situations, it means not to worry or struggle too much but to adapt to the current circumstances and go along with what is happening. It is suitable when advising someone not to be overly concerned or stressed about something.

Instead of planning every detail, sometimes it’s best to just go with the flow.有时候，不如不要计划每个细节，而是顺其自然。
When traveling in a new country, it’s often easier to go with the flow.在一个新的国家旅行时，通常顺其自然会更容易。
I decided to relax and go with the flow during the meeting.我决定在会议期间放松，顺其自然。

537. Go-to-guy

“关键人物” 或 “专门负责某事的人”。

这个短语用来形容在某个领域或情况下，人们依赖的那个最可靠、最具能力的人。这种表述源于人们在面对问题或难题时，总会有一个特定的人可以求助，并且这个人通常都能提供有效的解决方案，堪称关键人物或得力干将。

This phrase is used to describe the most reliable and capable person people turn to in a particular field or situation. It originates from the notion that when faced with problems or challenges, there’s always a specific person who can help, often providing effective solutions, thus becoming the key person or dependable go-to person.

When it comes to fixing computers, John is our go-to-guy.提到修电脑，约翰是我们的关键人物。
Every time we need advice on financial matters, Sarah is our go-to-guy.每当我们需要有关财务问题的建议时，萨拉就是我们的专门负责人。
Mike is the go-to-guy for organizing any office event.组织任何办公室活动，迈克是我们的关键人物。

538. Goes without saying

“不言而喻” 或 “显而易见”。

这个短语的起源可以追溯到古英语时期，意指某些事情如此显然，以至于无需说出来。这个成语常用于强调某些事情是大家都知道的常识或理所当然的真理。

This phrase can be traced back to Old English times, meaning that some things are so obvious that they don’t need to be said. It’s often used to stress that certain matters are common knowledge or self-evident truths.

It goes without saying that you should apologize for being late.显而易见，你应该为迟到道歉。
It goes without saying that you need to study to pass the exam.不言而喻，你需要学习才能通过考试。
It goes without saying that safety is our top priority.不言而喻，安全是我们的首要任务。

539. Golden age

“黄金时代” 或 “鼎盛时期”。

“黄金时代” 这一短语源自于古希腊神话中的一个时期，象征着和平、繁荣和幸福。它被用来描述一个国家、文化或个人在历史上最辉煌的时期，通常意味着一个时代的发展和成就达到了顶峰。

This phrase originates from Greek mythology, referring to a period of peace, prosperity, and happiness. It is used to describe a peak period in history for a country, culture, or individual, usually indicating the time when development and achievements reached their zenith.

The 1950s are often considered the golden age of American cinema.1950 年代常被认为是美国电影的黄金时代。
Many believe that the golden age of technology is happening now.许多人认为现在是科技的黄金时代。
He often reminisces about the golden age of his career in the 1980s.他经常怀念 20 世纪 80 年代自己职业生涯的黄金时代。

540. Golden opportunity

“黄金机会” 或 “千载难逢的机会”。

这个短语突出了机会的宝贵和稀有。它用 “黄金” 来形容机会，表明这是一个难得的甚至可能是改变人生的机会，非常值得把握。这样的机会并不常有，因此被称为 “golden opportunity”。

This phrase emphasizes the precious and rare nature of an opportunity. Using “golden” to describe the chance indicates that it is a rare, potentially life-changing opportunity that is highly valuable and worth seizing. Such opportunities do not come by often, hence the term “golden opportunity.”

This job offer is a golden opportunity you shouldn’t miss.这个工作机会是一个你不应该错过的黄金机会。
Winning the scholarship was a golden opportunity for her education.赢得奖学金是她教育生涯中的一个黄金机会。
The partnership presented a golden opportunity to expand the business.这个合作关系提供了扩展业务的黄金机会。