Sweet, cuddly, cute: what’s not to love about kittens, the most watched animals on the Internet? But giving birth to them might be a different experience altogether. Apparently, back in medieval times, a woman who suffered pains during pregnancy would often be advised by the local witch that she was, to her misfortune, carrying kittens, and that the only remedy was a magic potion to destroy the unhappy litter. 作为在互联网上最受关注的动物，小猫甜美而惹人喜爱。但生下它们的过程可能是一个完全不同的体验。显然，中世纪时期，一个在怀孕期间遭受痛苦的女人常常被当地的女巫建议，她很不幸地怀着小猫，唯一的补救方法是喝下魔法药水摧毁来摧毁腹中的胎儿。 ‘Have you got that report ready yet? The boss is having kittens!’ 你的报告准备好了么?老板非常紧张。 ‘We’re so late – my mum’ll be having kittens.’ 我们迟到了，我妈妈一定心烦意乱。 2. All dressed up like a dog’s dinner 穿着特别或招摇的衣服 The Brits love their dogs – they’re the most popular pet in the UK. Dogs’ dinners, however, are not usually very appealing at all – in fact, the expression a dog’s dinner on its own also means a mess. 英国人爱狗，狗是英国最受欢迎的动物。但事实上，狗的晚餐却并不吸引人，a dog’s dinner (狗的晚餐)这样的表达本身的含义确实是负面的。 ‘Where are you off to then, all dressed up like a dog’s dinner?’ 你之后要去哪里，穿得这么招摇? 3. A cold fish 冷漠的人 Dictionary definition: a + adjective + fish: a person who is strange in a specified way.Although in theory any adjective can be put before fish, cold is by far the most common one. 字典定义：a+形容词+fish：某人在某方面较为特别。尽管在理论上其他形容词同样可以放在fish前，但cold是目前最为常用的词。 If you’re a cold fish, you’re unemotional, and perhaps even unfriendly. To sound even more British, add a bit of: 如果你被叫做“cold fish”，你是有较少感情波动的、甚至是不友好的。为了听起来更英式化，也会在之前添加“a bit of” ‘I tried talking to Rachel at the party, but she’s a bit of a cold fish.’ 在派对上我试图和瑞秋说话，但她有些冷漠。 ‘What did you think of him?’ – ‘Bit of a cold fish, wasn’t he?’ “你认为他怎么样?”“有一些冷漠，不是吗?” 4. Like a bear with a sore head 形容人易怒 Brown bears have been extinct in Britain for over a thousand years, but, like wolves, they have left their mark in our fairy tales: it seems wise to stay well away from one of the most dangerous animals in the world. 棕熊在英国已经灭绝了一千多年，但是，像狼一样，它们在传说故事中已经留下了印记：远离这种世界上最危险的动物才是明智的举动。 If you’re a like a bear with a sore head, you’re in a very bad mood. Interestingly, this phrase is more often used to describe men than women. 如果你是“like a bear with a sore head”，代表你心情很糟糕。有趣的是，这个短语更多地用来形容男性而不是女性。 ‘I don’t know what’s up with Mike – he’s like a bear with a sore head today!’ “我不知道迈克发生了什么”?“他看起来心情很糟”。 ‘He’s like a bear with a sore head if he doesn’t get his cup of tea in the morning.’ “如果他在早上没有喝一杯茶的话，就会心情烦躁”。 5. Not give a monkey’s 冷漠或不关心 Monkeys are often associated with mischief and defiance in English: maybe your little brother is monkeying around, or your friend’s a bit of a cheeky monkey. This euphemism – there’s some debate over what the original missing word was (a monkey’s what?) – captures both those characteristics. Monkey(猴子)在英语中经常和恶作剧以及蔑视相关：也许你的小弟弟正在胡闹，也许你的朋友有点厚颜无耻。这种委婉语都是抓住了这些特征。对于原始词汇a monkey’s 后面究竟是什么词汇也存在一些争论。 ‘I don’t give a monkey’s what he thinks – I’m not doing it.’ “对于他怎么想我并不在意，我并没有那样做”。
