a bit to eat 随便吃点东西

To have a bit to eat means to go and have something to eat. It usually means to have a small amount of food- so a snack or a light meal- or it can just mean to go and eat some food or a meal.

即指随便的吃点什么东西或者吃顿便饭的意思

Example:

A: I'm hungry – shall we go for a bite to eat?

B: Sounds good.

A: So are we going to see the new Harry Potter film later?

B: Yes. If we meet at 6 we should have time for a quick bite first.

( a quick bite 就是很快吃点东西 )

 

Big cheese 大人物

Cheese 是干酪。但是这里 here the phrase ‘big cheese’ means something quite different. It actually refers to people in business. To be the big cheese of a company, you are at the very top of the company, you are very important and you have the power to make things happen in the company. Big bosses sometimes are called ‘the big cheese’.

Example:

A: Please make sure you come early tomorrow.

B: Why?

A: Because JP is going to be here tomorrow.

B: Who is JP?

A: Oh, you know, John Parkins, he's the big cheese from head office.

PS: it is a informal phrase, and best not to say it directly to your boss. Definitely, donot say to your boss, ‘hello, how are you today, big cheese?’ you might get fried for that.

 

Gift of the gab 能说会道

In English, we have an expression to describe someone like who is always talking and sounds really confident. We say he’s got a gift of the Gab. It means he speaks in a way that make people want to listen to him.

Example:

A: John's best-man speech was amazing.

B: I know, it was so funny. I could have listened to him for ages.

B:He's really got the gift of the gab!

PS: those people would have the gift of the gab, such as salesman, TV presenters or radio presenters. Remember, to describe someone who speaks very confidently and in a way that makes you want to listen, we say they have the gift of the gab.

 

Doggy Bag 打包

A doggy bag is actually something we get at a restaurant. Sometimes when you eat our there is a lot of food and you can not finish everything because you are full-well you might want to take that leftover food home. So you would ask for a doggy bad.

(Well, it's because sometimes people take leftover food home to give to their dog – but most of the time the food is for people to eat not dogs. But we always call it a doggy bag. )

Example:

Waiter: Is everything OK?

Diner: Yes thanks. Can you put this in a doggy bag for us?

Waiter: Yes, of course.

PS: if you want a doggy bag, you might also just ask ‘can we take this home, please.’

 

Faff about 瞎忙活

To faff about, means to spend a lot of time doing unimportant things when really you should be doing something more important.

Example: A: Come on, hurry up, we’re going to miss our train!

B: Just a sec, I’m can’t decide what scarf to wear.

A: Stop faffing about! We need to leave now or we’ll have to wait two hours for the next train!

 

Freeloader 吃白食的人

A freeloader is a person who would be happy to stay at your house, eat your food or spend your money for free but they would never give you anything back in return.

Example: A: Have you noticed how Mike never buys a drink – we always buy him drinks but he never gets his money out.

B: I know. It gets on my nerves. He's such a freeloader.

 

Hotline 热线电话

A hotline is a direct, quick telephone line that gives you access to help or information. When there is a disaster, like a plane crash, there is usually a telephone number to call for information. That is a hotline.

Example: A: I’m worried about my brother in the USA. There have been enormous storms where he lives.

B: Call this number. It’s a 24-hour hotline and they should be able to help you.

 

Posh 优雅的

The people who are rich, with nice clothes, who speak nicely and have good manners and might be called posh. We might also call someone posh as a joke.

You are getting a bit posh aren’t you? 在这个时候， posh 就不是真的优雅的意思了，而是假高贵的意思了。一般，人们更喜欢用在评论什么人的时候，而很少当面说别人，除非像刚才我们听到的那样是开玩笑。

Example: A: We're moving house – we've found a nice place next to the park.

B: Ooh that's a bit posh isn't it?

 

Road rage 交通暴躁情绪

You may have heard the word rage on its own. It means to be extremely angry. Road rage means to become extremely angry on the road when driving – and then to actually attack other drivers! Of course, sometimes people get very angry when they drive. They attack another motorist, you call this road rage.

Example: A: Hey, John! What happened to your face? Have you been in a fight?

B: Kind of. I was the victim of a road rage attack! An angry driver hit me in the face!

A: That’s terrible! Did you call the police?

B: Of course, but as I didn’t really get a good look at him there’s not much they can do.

 

Techie 技师

Well, a techie is a technician who is very good at – and interested in – a particular technology, particularly computers. You could say, "Don’t worry about the new computer system – the techies are coming tomorrow to fix everything."

Example: A: What do you do in your free time?

B: Well, I’m a bit of a techie. I spend most weekends working on my computer.