美国习惯用语:380 straight from the shoulder
时间：2019-02-06 作者：英语课 分类：美国习惯用语
今天我们要讲的习惯用语都有这样的意思： 直言无讳，也就是把事实一五一十地都说出来，甚至不顾真情伤人。
我们先要学的两个习惯用语都来自拳击赛。第一个是： straight 1 from the shoulder。 Shoulder是肩膀，straight from the shoulder原来指拳头直接从肩膀瞄准对方打出去。这是既狠又重的打击，因为这样出拳使出了全身力气。
大约一百年前straight from the shoulder成为习惯用语，用来指直截了当、开诚布公的说话方式，而且这样说话是不顾虑是否会伤害对方感情的。我们来听个例子。这是哥哥在为妹妹的事情烦恼。
例句-1：Boy, Nancy is sure mad 2 at me! I told her straight from the shoulder this man she wants to marry 3 is no good and she'd be making a terrible 4 mistake 5. Now she won't even 6 speak to me.
他说：真的，Nancy一定生我的气了！我直截了当地对她说她想嫁的那人一无是处，她会铸成大错的。现在她连理都不理我了。
谁都不爱听旁人数落自己的心上人。这里的straight from the shoulder用来描绘直截了当、一针见血的说话方式。
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我们再学个也来自拳击赛的习惯用语： pull 7 no punches 8。 Punch意思是“拳打。”有时拳击手会因为手骨受伤之类的原因不用力击拳。这就叫做pull the punches，但是通常拳击手在比赛时出拳一定会竭尽全力。那就是pull no punches。逐渐人们用pull no punches来比喻尽管忠言逆耳也毫无保留地说出真情。我们来听个例子：
例句-2：When I saw 9 my brother Joe turning 10 into an alcoholic 11, I pulled 12 no punches -- I told him to think of his wife 13 and kids 14, stop drinking and go out and find a job.
他说：我看到兄弟Joe成了个酒鬼，立刻毫不容情地正告他，为妻子和孩子着想得戒酒并出去找个工作。
酒鬼Joe一定觉得他的话不中听，但是他为了他们全家的命运却不遗余力地正言规劝。这里pull no punches意思是毫无保留地说出真心话。
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再学个有类似意思的习惯用语：lay 15 it on the line。 Lay it on the line出典可能是这样，把一大笔赌注放在赌台上，孤注一掷，尽其所有地作最后较量，就叫做lay it on the line。
这个说法逐渐成为习惯用语，意思是言无不尽地把话都放到桌面上来了。我们来听个例子。这是商店老板在跟他的合作经营人谈论一个工作不力的店员。
例句-3： I'm fed up with George -- he doesn't do half as 16 much work as the others 17. So I called him in and laid 18 it on the line -- either 19 he starts doing his work like anybody 20 else or we fire him at the end of the month.
他说：我可受够了George，他干的活还没旁人一半多。所以我叫他来跟他话都说明白了，如果他不开始跟别人一样地工作，我们就在月底请他走路。
这里lay it on the line意思是把话都说明白了。
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最后再学个意义相近的习惯用语：let it all hang 21 out. Hang是挂的意思，let it all hang out如果直译就是“把什么都挂出来。” 换句话说就是“把什么都挑明了。”
这个习惯用语是六十年代开始在年轻人中流行开来的。我们来听个例子这是一对年轻夫妇在婚姻生活中闹别扭，于是一天晚上他俩决定开诚布公地谈一次：
例句-4：We agreed 22 to forget our feelings 23 and let it all hang out. Susan told me everything she didn't like about me and I told her what annoyed 24 me about her. You know, it really cleared 25 the air for both of us.
他说：我俩同意心平气和地把话都挑明了说。Susan说出我所有那些她不顺眼的事情，而我也说出她怎么会令我不快的。知道吗，这可真使我们之间的误会烟消云散了。
这里的let it all hang out意思就是开诚布公，把话都挑明了说。看来这对小夫妇重归于好，有了圆满的结局，正巧我们节目结束的时间也马上到了。
- His hair is dark and straight.他是黑色直头发。
- Just go straight forward and you'll find the post office.邮局就在前边。
- Don't fight with him, he is a mad man.别跟他打架, 他是疯子。
- Mother gets mad with me for coming home late.妈妈为我回家迟了而发火。
- I want you for my wife; will you marry me?我希望你做我的妻子，你愿意和我结婚吗?
- John is going to marry Mary.约翰将要和玛丽结婚。
- I think you've made a terrible mistake.我认为你犯了一个严重的错误。
- This is a terrible idea.这是一个可怕的想法。
- Don't make the same mistake again.不要再犯同样的错。
- I made a mistake but you should give me a chance.我犯了一次错误，但你应该给我一次机会。
- It was cold yesterday,but it's even colder today. 昨天冷，今天更冷了。
- He's the best teacher even though he has the least experience.尽管他经验最少，但教得最好。
- Pull your chair up to the table.把你的椅子挪近桌子。
- Please pull the door to when you go out.你出去请把门带上。
- He punished his opponent with fierce punches to the body. 他猛击对手的身体。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- That cop pulls no punches in dealing with gangsters. 那位警察在跟流氓打交道时，毫不留情。 来自辞典例句
- Would you like to saw a tree for me?你能为我锯棵树吗？
- The moment I saw you,I knew you were angry with me.我一看到你，就知道你在生我的气。
- Take the first turning on the left.在左边第一个转弯处拐弯。
- The leaves of the tree were turning yellow and red.树叶变成黄色和红色。
- The alcoholic strength of brandy far exceeds that of wine.白兰地的酒精浓度远远超过葡萄酒。
- Alcoholic drinks act as a poison to a child.酒精饮料对小孩犹如毒药。
- She is my wife.她是我妻子。
- He is a tall man but his wife is a short woman.他是个子很高的男人，但他妻子很矮。
- My funny drawings amused the kids. 我的滑稽图画把孩子们逗乐了。
- The neighbours' kids are the bane of my life . 街坊邻居的孩子让我生活得很不安宁。
- Please lay the knife on the dish.请把刀放在盘子上。
- All birds lay eggs.鸟都下蛋。
- He got work in a hotel as a waiter.他在一家旅馆找到了当服务生的工作。
- In the hotel,the old men were drinking away as usual.在旅馆里，这些老人和往常一样喝个不停。
- Learning from others is important.向别人学习很重要。
- She is always ready to help others.她总是乐于助人。
- Whole stretches of land were laid waste and depopulated. 一片片土地荒芜，人口减少。
- a laid-back attitude to life 悠然自得的生活态度
- I have bought two books,you can have either.我买了两本书，你要哪一本都可以。
- I don't think either of them are at home.我想他们中任何一个都不在家。
- Why don't you hang up your clothes?你怎么不把衣服挂起来？
- Hang the picture on the wall.把画挂到墙上。
- He finally agreed, albeit reluctantly, to help us. 尽管勉强，他最后还是同意帮助我们。
- Both sides in the dispute have agreed to go to arbitration . 争执双方已同意提请仲裁。
- She had feelings of guilt about leaving her children and going to work. 她因离开自己的孩子去工作而感到内疚。
- Are you being completely honest about your feelings? 你丝毫没有隐瞒你的感情吗？
- I imagine she was pretty annoyed when she found out.我想她发现此事后一定很生气。
- He was annoyed with complaints made from outside.他因外界的种种怨言而感到烦恼。