常用俗语，教你说地道英语（一）
To understand English as it is spoken in real life, you have to be familiar with idioms. They are used so much in everyday English that it is important to be aware of them. You need to learn what they mean, and how to use them to become an ‘insider’.
为了要理解实际生活中说的英语，你必须要熟悉一些俗语。它们经常在日常生活中出现，所以，懂得其意思非常重要。除此之外，你更要学着怎么去用这些俗语，让你成为“内行人”。
This blog post will show you some of the most popular English idioms currently in use. Remember, knowledge is power.
这篇文章里会有一些最流行的并且现在仍然在使用的习语。记住，知识就是力量。
1.CRUNCH TIME 关键时刻
the period of time just before a project has to be completed and everyone has to work hard
一个项目即将完成前、每个人都必须努力的一段时间
例：I'm not getting enough sleep these days. It’s crunch time at work.
我最近几天不打算睡足了。现在可是工作的关键时刻。
2. LET YOUR FREAK FLAG FLY 放飞自我
to let others see your uniqueness
让别人看到你的不同
例： My colleagues were surprised at the Christmas party- I let my freak flag fly and showed them a break dance routine.
我的同事都很惊讶我在圣诞舞会上的表现，因为放飞自我，向他们展示了霹雳舞。
3. GET OUT OF HAND 失控
when you lose control of things, they get out of hand
当你是对事情失去控制了，就叫失控
例：The party got out of hand and the guests started to throw bottles at each other.
当宾客们开始朝对方互扔瓶子时，这个派队就失去控制了。
4. GET YOUR HEAD AROUND IT 理解，相信
to understand something
知道，了解
例：I just can't get my head around the fact that Joe is leaving us.
我只是难以相信Joe已经离开我们这个事实罢了。
5. DIG IN YOUR HEELS / STICK TO YOUR GUNS 不理会/坚持到底
to refuse to compromise or change your mind
拒绝妥协或改变主意
例：My parents wanted me to give up writing, but I dug in my heels and went on to become a famous writer.My parents wanted me to give up writing, but I stuck to my guns and went on to become a famous writer.
我的父母都想让我放弃写作，但是我坚持了下来，最终成为一个著名的作家。
6. POUND THE PAVEMENT 徘徊街头找工作
to walk the streets looking for a job
穿梭街头找工作
例：I'd been pounding the pavement for months before I found a job in a fast food restaurant.
我已经在街头徘徊数月了，终于在一家快餐店找到了一份工作。
7. PULL A RABBIT OUT OF A HAT 从帽子变出个兔子
to do something unexpected that may have seemed impossible
做看起来不可能的并且无法预料到的事情
例： I thought we were going bankrupt, but my partner pulled a rabbit out of his hat and we landed a major contract.
我本来以为我们要破产了，但是，我的合伙人出乎意料的完成了不可能的是事情，我们签了一个大合同。
8. LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED 全力以赴/不遗余力
to do everything you can to achieve your goal
为了达到目标，做一切事情。
例：I'll leave no stone unturned until I find out who did this.
我一定会不遗余力的查出谁做了这件事。
9. GET IT OUT OF YOUR SYSTEM 摆脱做某件事情的欲望
to do something you've wanted to do for a long time and don't want to postpone any longer
去做一件你早就想做的事情，并且不想再推迟了
例：I was't sure how she was going to react, but I had to get it out of my system, so I told her I had found another woman.
我不确定她会如何回应，但是我早就想告诉她我已经找了另外一个女人。
10. STEP UP YOUR GAME 迎头赶上
to start performing better
开始表现的更好
例：If you want to win this competition, you'll have to step up your game.
如果你想要赢得这场比赛，你得加把劲了。
11. PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER 恢复镇静
to calm down and behave normally
平静下来，表现正常
例：I understand you've had a bad day, but pull yourself together and get on with your job, will you?
我知道你今天过得挺糟糕的，但是你得平静下来，继续你得工作，可以吗?
12. SHAPE UP OR SHIP OUT 要么好好干，要么走人
either start performing better or leave
表现好一些，否则离开
例：This is the last time I'm telling you to arrive on time. Shape up or ship out.
这是我最后一次警告你准时到达。你要么好好干，要么走人！
13. CUT SOMEBODY SOME SLACK: 放某人一马
to give somebody a break/ not to judge somebody severely
给某人一次机会/从轻发落
例：I was extremely busy last week. Cut me some slack and I'll finish the report by tomorrow morning.
我上周很忙。再给我些时间，明天早上我就完成报告。
14. BY THE SKIN OF YOUR TEETH: 勉强做成某事
When you do something by the skin of your teeth, you only just succeed/ nearly fail
你刚好一点点成功了/你差一点点就失败了
例：I hadn't studied much, but passed the test by the skin of my teeth.
我没有学很多，但是我低分飘过考试。
15. ONCE IN A BLUE MOON 千载难逢
when something rarely ever happens
指某事几乎不发生
例：We used to see him all the time, but now he just visits us once in a blue moon.
我们过去常常看见他，不过，现在他几乎不来找我们了。
16. GO DOWN IN FLAMES 毁于一旦
to end or fail suddenly and spectacularly
突然结束或者失败
例：She'd wanted to become Managing Director, but her career went down in flames when they found out she'd been leaking information to our competitors.
她一直都想成为总经理，但是当他们发现她泄露公司信息给对手公司，她的职业生涯就毁于一旦了。
17. TAR SOMEONE WITH THE SAME BRUSH: 一竿子打翻一船人
to believe that someone has the same bad qualities as others in a group
认为某人有和他一组人一样的坏品质
例：I don't think much of that band, but the singer shouldn’t be tarred with the same brush. She's got a fantastic voice.
虽然我认为那个乐队并没有很好，但是也不能一竿子打翻一船人，歌手确实有很棒的嗓音。
