潇潇语言实验室No.19

我是潇潇UID: 39546

潇潇语言实验室 No.19      2003/8/30

和拇指Thumb有关的Idioms & Expressions

这一集我们来看看和拇指thumb有关的成语。 首先讲讲五个手指的名称。Thumb (拇指), index (食指), middle （中指）, ring（无名指）, pinky (little finger 小指，尾指)

1.        have a green thumb： be good at gardening -擅长园艺，擅长种花种草。 这个短语托福听力曾经考过，如果知道它的意思，听起来一点都不难。 He has a green thumb. =He's good at gardening.

2.        stick out like a sore thumb：be very different from other people or things around them - 与众不同，和环境格格不入

I'm not going to the party dressed like this, I'd stick out like a sore thumb.我不会穿成这样去参加聚会的，我会看起来和大家格格不入的。

sore (adj.)痛的。
I have a sore throat. 我喉咙痛。
My shoulders are sore from typing too much. 打字打得我肩膀都痛了。

注意：soar（v.飞翔，快速上升）和sore同音，不要混淆。

The rocket soared into the orbit.- 火箭快速飞入轨道。

The temperature soared to 100 degrees. 温度狂升到100度。

3.        under someone's thumb : under someone's control - 在某人的掌握和操纵之中。

He's completely under her thumb and will do whatever she asks.
他完全在她的操纵之中，她叫他干什么他就干什么。

4.        all thumbs： clumsy and awkward－笨拙的，笨手笨脚的。
Speaking of playing the piano, I am all thumbs.
说起弹钢琴，我真是笨手笨脚的。

5.        the thumbs down：if you give a plan or a suggestion the thumbs down, you do not approve of it or are not willing to accept it. -不同意或是不愿意接受一样东西

My new hairstyle got the thumbs down from my family. 我家人都不喜欢我的新发型。

6.        the thumbs up：if you give a plan or a suggestion the thumbs up, you approve of it or are willing to accept it. － 赞成（一个计划或提议），愿意接受 一样东西

The project had been given the thumbs up and we could now get started. 这个项目已经得到批准，我们现在可以开始工作的。

7.        twiddle your thumbs: if you twiddle your thumbs, you do not have anything to do, you are wasting your time and are achieving nothing useful －无所事事，浪费时间

Until I can get the thumbs up for my project, I'm just sitting around twiddling my thumbs. 在我的项目得到批准前我只能坐着无所事事。

8.        A rule of thumb: a rough method of calculation, based on practical experience －粗略计算，根据以往实践总结出来的经验

A good rule of thumb is to cook two handfuls of rice per person.
根据经验，给每人煮两把米是够的。

9.        thumb a ride: hitchhikers usually put their thumb out as cars pass by, indicating that they need a ride. （在美国）要搭顺风车的人通常伸出一个拇指表示他要搭顺风车，所以thumb a ride的意思就是搭顺风车。

He thumbed a ride to Los Angles. - 他搭顺风车去洛杉机。

I'll thumb a ride to the movies and meet you there. 我会搭顺风车去电影院在那里和你会面。

10.        thumb-sucker： little kids/babies suck their thumbs, so if you call someone a thumb-sucker you're calling them a child－如果你觉得一个人很幼稚，你可以叫他thumb-sucker，因为小孩子经常吮吸拇指。当然，这样称呼别人是不礼貌的。

11.        thumb one's nose: show scorn and mockery (by putting the end of the thumb on the end of the nose and by spreading out and moving the fingers.)（将拇指放在鼻尖，其余手指张开并摆动）表示轻蔑和嘲笑

After Tom ran into the house he thumbed his nose at John through the window. －Tom跑进屋子后，对John作轻蔑的手势。

12.        thumb through : look through a book or magazine quickly － 翻阅

I was thumbing through a magazine when she walked in. －她走进来的时候我正在翻阅一本杂志。

13.        thumbnail portrait/sketch/description: a short description giving only the main facts about something. －简略的叙述或描写 （nail是指甲）

He made a thumbnail portrait of the local attractions. 他对当地的景点做了简短的描写。

14．Thumbelina 是安徒生(Hans Christian Andersen)的一篇童话故事《拇指姑娘》

加菲熊UID: 103463

谢谢。想不到xiaoxiao来寄托发贴子了。认识这个id差不多快三年，可能已经有三年了。

不知道能不能把no1- 18 都来贴一下呢？

Ps. 当年，就你和花儿给我印象最深呢。不知道你今年申请成功了没？

amorzUID: 1

xiaoxiao来了啊，稀客，常来：）

treesUID: 82785

品位中，谢谢！！！

chris songUID: 129131

很不错啊，我喜欢