I just made a slip of the tongue.
我只是無意中說錯了話。
★slip本是“溜走、滑落”的意思;tongue是“舌頭”的意思。Made a slip of the tongue是指“沒有經過思考或無意中說錯了話(say something carelessly)”。在日常生活中,很多人不愿向他人致歉,也用這句當“借口”。如:Please don’t get about what I have said. I just made a slip of the tongue.(請不要介意我所說的話,我只是無意中說錯了話。)
They have been on the outs with their neighbors for years.多年來他們與鄰居關系不好。
★be on the outs with someone意思是與某人不和,關系不好,彼此不能相片,甚至互不說話。這里的outs是名詞,要用復數(shù)。
They agreed to break off their engagement.
他們同意解除婚約。
★break off one’s engagement表示“解約,解除婚約”,break off one’s engagement to sb.是固定搭配,意為“與……解除婚約”。如:I hear that she had broken off her engagement to Jack.我聽說她與杰克解除婚約了。
He ran away from home.
他離家出走了。
★run away from逃離;run away from home離家出走,一般用來指不滿家庭狀況或教育方式而消極逃跑。如:He had run away from home and gone to sea when he was only fifteen years old.(他十五歲時就離家出走當水手去了。)
Tell me what’s your beef.
你抱怨什么?
★互句中的beef當然不是“牛肉”的意思,它在口語中表示“牢騷”“抱怨”之意,作動詞時后面跟about. There’s nothing to beef about.(沒有什么可抱怨的。)