英语俚语习语小对话第27期: "心里没有着落"英语怎么说? (mp3和文本下载)

习语： at loose ends

关于该习语的来源说法不一，但是根据《现代英语词源词典》的解释，它来自马儿辛苦地干完活后被放开套索去牧场吃草的做法。总之，该习语比喻“无所适从，无所事事”或“悠闲的状态”。在美国习语中，该习语的表达方式一般是为at a loose end。例如：Come and see us if you are at a loose end.（闲着的时候来我们这儿坐坐。）但是在口语中，该习语也被引申为“心理没有着落”。

支持范例：

Eg. Many old people feel at loose ends after their retirement.
许多老年人在退休后心里面没有着落.

Eg. Since the girl left, he seems to be at loose ends.
自从姑娘离开后，他好像神魂不定。

Eg. Peter spent more than two years wandering about the country at loose ends.
两年多的时间，彼得在国内东游西荡，无所事事。

英语情景对话：

A: I understand your feeling. When someone is feeling at loose ends, we may show mercy on him. This is what we call the "milk of human kindness".
A :我能理解你的感受。当一个人心理没有着落的时候，我们就会对他怜悯有加。这就是我们通常说的“人之初，性本善。”

B: That’s right. But feeling sorry for someone is one thing, and sticking to our principles is another. We must make a clear cut between them.
B :说对了。但是同情人是一回事，坚持原则又是另一回是。我们必需明确区分二者。

A: You’ve taken the words out of my mouth.
A :这正是我想说的。

英语学习笔记：

1.milk of human kindness：人之初，性本善；天性善良

Eg. She was a most generous woman, overflowing with the milk of human kindness.
她是一位非常厚道的女人, 充满恻隐之心。

Eg. She beamed, she seemed fairly to drip with the milk of human kindness.
她微笑着，简直就像是抛洒天生的善心。

Eg .Only a man full of the milk of human kindness could have continued to be friend the proud and obstinate young man.
只有天性善良的人才会和这个性情高傲脾气倔强的年轻人继续交往。

2.how mercy on sb：怜悯某人；对某人表示同情或怜悯

Eg.I will show no mercy to [on] him.
我决不对他行善。

Eg.sir, please show mercy on this little girl. How poor she is!
先生，开开恩吧。你看这个小女孩多可怜啊！

3.feel sorry for sb：同情某人，对......感到难受，可惜

Eg .I feel sorry for whoever marries him!
谁嫁给他我都替她感到惋惜。

Eg .I do feel sorry for him.
我真为他难过。

Eg .I feel sorry for anyone who has to drive in this sort of weather.
我很同情在这种天气还得开车的人。

4.clear-cut：明确的

Eg. He has made a clear-cut answer.
他已做了一个明确的答复。

Eg. The question is very complicated and I'm afraid I cannot yet give you a clear - cut answer.
这个问题非常复杂，我恐怕现在还不能给你明确的答复。

5.take the words out of one's mouth：抢先说出某人要说的话

Eg .Great! You take the words out of my mouth; I have set my mind on this one "Oil of Moisture Protection Creme".
这正是我想说的。我决定买玉兰油。