實用口語：有特殊意義的動詞短語
美國人平時所用的許多短語，看似普通，但有的會有特別意義，究竟是俚語、口語或俗語，沒有絕對的定義。其實名稱不重要，最重要的是懂得意義和用法，不是嗎？
1. to have(many) irons in the fire: to have a lot of activities going on at the same time
同時有許多事，想馬上全部做完，但又不知從何開始，似乎忙得不可開交
Don't bother him because he has many irons in the fire. (別打擾他，他事情太多，忙得很！)
Some people even like to have many irons in the fire. (有些人喜歡有很多事忙忙碌碌。
2. to talk over (one's) head(s): to use large or big words so that audience will not understand exact meaning
指所談論的內容過於專業或高深，非一般人可以理解；也指有人爲了表現自己才學非凡，故意談些高深理論或用些難字，嚇唬別人
Dr. Lee's lecture was so specialized that he almost talked over our heads. (李博士的演講太專業了，幾乎使我們無法理解。)
In order to show his profound knowledge he talks over my head. (爲了表現他的學問高深，他故弄玄虛。)
3. to put (something) back into (in) its cage: to put something under control
可以控制某件事情，多半指政治、健康等
We are trying to put inflation back into its cage and our economy is on the mend. (我們正在設法控制通貨膨脹，同時改善我們得經濟。)
Diplomats and politicians need to put aggression and hostility back into its cage. (外交官和政客應該收斂攻擊和敵對的行爲。)
4. to keep (one's) fingers crossed: to hope something good will happen
祝福某人好運或一切順利。把食指與中指交叉，祈求好運，是老外的迷信，但在寫信或正式場合，多半是用 "I wish you best (good) luck!"或 "Good (best) luck to you!")
He keeps his fingers crossed hoping his father will send him more money. (他盼望有好運，老爸能多寄點錢給他。)
Many people have been keeping their fingers crossed that we can live in a peaceful world. (許多人都在祈求好運，盼能在和平的世界裏生活。)
5. to stretch (one's) legs: to relax or to take a short break
久坐後，把腿舒展一下，或稍微休息一下
Let's take ten minutes to stretch our legs. （讓我們先休息十分鐘。）
May I take a break so that I can stretch my legs？ (我可以休息一會兒伸伸腿嗎？)
During the a long flight from the US to Taiwan, I normally stretch my legs every two hours. (在從美國到臺灣的長途飛行中，我通常每兩個小時起身走走。)
6. to read between the lines：to interpret the hidden meaning or a hidden message; to discern the true fact
從字裏行間體會隱含的意義；領會言外之意或能瞭解其中的真正意義
As you look at this poem, be sure to read between the lines. (讀這首詩的時候，要從字裏行間去體會它的含義。)
After he re-read the love letter between the lines, he realized that he was dumped by his sweetheart. (重讀情書之後，他終於明白他已經被情人拋棄了。)
7. to let off steam：to give vent to one's anger
發泄、出氣，像放掉蒸汽以減少壓力似的。這與"to fly off the handle"意思相近，但比"to lose temper"委婉客氣些
What will you do if your wife lets off steam?（假如你太太大發脾氣的話，你該怎麼辦呢？) (因爲談論的對象使對方的太太，所以語氣要委婉客氣些)。
但是談到第三者，就可不必太委婉，可用 lose temper:
What will you do if one of your staff lose temper? （如果你的同事衝你發脾氣你該怎麼辦呢？）
Occasionally we should be given a chance to let off steam.（我們應該不時的發泄一下情緒。）
8. to pay through the nose: to pay too much for something or excessively expensive （花費太多，代價過高，與" to cost an arm and a leg" 意義相近）
Don't pay through the nose when you buy the furniture. (不要花太多的錢買傢俱。)
Some women paid through the noses for their jewelry. (有些女人花大把的錢購買珠寶首飾。)
9. to take center stage：to be in the spotlight
引人注目的中心人物；以某人爲公衆矚目的對象
Mrs. Lin always takes center stage at a party. (林太太總能成爲宴會上的焦點。)
President Bush takes center stage wherever he goes. (布什總統不論走到哪裏，都是公衆矚目的焦點。)
His constant taking center stage could deprive him of his privacy. (他好出風頭的毛病讓他毫無隱私可言。)
10. to drag（one's）feet：to procrastinate or postpone（慢慢的拖延，行動遲緩，拖拖拉拉）
It is not a good idea to drag your feet when the work needs to be done. (拖延工作是不好的。)
No employers like for their employees to drag their feet on any project. (工作拖拖拉拉的員工總是不受歡迎的。)
11. to paint（someone or oneself）into a corner：to trap oneself or someone; to be in trouble
使自己或某人陷入困境, 應該注意的是即使主語是複數形式，corner 仍然用單數
Don't try to paint yourself into a corner. (不要讓自己身陷困境，無法脫身。)
After a heated debate with his boss, Mr. Chen has painted himself into a corner. (和老闆激烈的爭辯之後，陳先生處境十分不妙。)
12. to ask (someone) for (one's) hand: to ask girl's parents for marriage approval
指男人請求女方家長應允將女兒嫁給他， 這裏的"someone"是指女方的家長，"one"則是指要求婚的對象，hand 只能用單數形式
Mr. Su asked me for my daughter's hand. (蘇先生到我家來向我女兒提親。)
He has asked her parents for their daughter's hand. (他請求她的父母應允他們的婚事。)
13. to move onward and upward：to be promoted; from good to better situation
情況得以改善，或往更好的情況發展
He hopes to move onward and upward with his current company. (他希望能在現在就職的公司裏順利發展，步步高昇。)
Many young couples try to move onward and upward during their marriage. (許多年輕夫婦都希望能夠婚姻美滿幸福。)
14. to call a spade a spade: to be honest, blunt or frank
直言不諱，有啥說啥
My wife always calls a spade a spade about her work situation. (我妻子對別人談起她的工作時，總是直言不諱。)
Calling a spade a spade on foreign affairs sometimes seems difficult for diplomats. (外交官在處理外交事務的時候很難做到直言不諱。)
15. to play cat and mouse：to play games with aggressive and passive attitude
玩貓戲老鼠的把戲，欲擒故縱
In business negotiations, there are always cat-and-mouse games. (在商業談判中，常會有一些貓戲老鼠的把戲。）
The police have played cat and mouse with the murderer. (警察對兇犯採用的是欲擒故縱的策略。)
16. to go on the dole：(of the unemployed) to live on public welfare
失業人員依靠政府救濟金生活。
Thousands of Americans are out of jobs and may go on the dole. (美國成千上萬的失業者靠領取政局救濟金生活。)
Some people have gone on the dole for years. (有些人多年來就是靠政府救濟生活的。)
17. to be in the hot seat：to be under lots of pressure or in a difficult position
處於困境，面對很多壓力
He has resigned from his job because he has been in the hot seat for years. (由於不堪多年的工作壓力，他終於辭職了。)
When testifies before Congress, he will be in the hot seat. (在國會作證的時候，他將面臨巨大的壓力。)
18. to make waves：to make trouble
惹是生非， 與"rock the boat"意思相近
Many politicians like to make waves in order to be kept in the media. (許多政客爲了能在媒體上路臉兒而不惜譁衆取寵。)
Teenagers tend to make waves with their parents and teachers. (一些青少年總是會給父母和老師惹麻煩。)
19. to keep (one's) nose clean：to keep away from trouble
遠離是非，少惹麻煩
The newly released inmates are trying to keep their noses clean. (剛剛獲釋的犯人總是儘量少惹是非。)
A law-abiding person needs to keep his (her) nose clean. (奉公守法的人應該避免製造麻煩。)
20. to drive (someone) up the wall：to annoy or upset someone（惹人生氣或者不高興)
The boy is driving his mother up the wall because of his ill behavior. (這個不聽話的孩子讓他媽媽大爲頭痛。)
If you ask too many questions, you may drive your boss up the wall. (假如你的問題太多也會讓你的老闆很反感。)
21. to write （someone or something）off：to throw away or to discard（拋棄或者丟棄)； to deduct a business loss（在經商失敗時，也用於報銷、註銷或扣除損失的數額中）
After a hot argument, she wrote off her boyfriend. (她和男朋友大吵了一架之後，就把他甩了。)
He will write off the charitable contributions from his income taxes. (他從所得稅中扣除了慈善募捐的金額。)
22. to take up with (someone)：to date someone or to fall in love with someone（對某人產生興趣，或與某人開始親密交往）
After he met her at the bar, he took up with her. (自從在酒吧見過一面之後，他對她產生了興趣。)
As she is such a pretty woman, many men would like to take up with her. (像她這麼漂亮的女人，許多男人都對她有興趣。)
23. to pave the way to (or for)：to make the path or to lay a groundwork of something
爲…… 鋪平道路或爲……做好準備
A good education will pave the way to finding a decent job. （好的教育是好的工作的基礎。）
Early space exploration has paved the way for the current space station. （早期的太空探索爲如今的太空站建設奠定了基礎。）
24. to paint the town red：to enjoy oneself; to have a good time 盡情享受
He is going out tonight to paint the town red. （他今天晚上要玩個痛快。）
Miss Chen really painted the town red last week with her friends. （陳小姐上週和朋友玩得很盡興。）
