英文慣用語第三集時間 PART II
慣用語往往短小精悍，富於哲理，具有較高的概括性和表達性，眾多學者、語言學家和文字工作者對其推崇備至。慣用語無處不在，其形式和意義的約定俗成和文字的風趣幽默大大增強了語言的生命力和表現力。
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Box 5：有關 Hours minutes and
seconds的慣用語：
一、有關Hours的慣用語：
1. After hours:下班後,在規定時間後，營業時間後。
1. The
landlord was fined for allowing people to drink after hours.
店主因為允許人們在營業時間以後喝酒而被罰款。
2. Staff must
stay behind after hours to catch
up on their work.
下班後工作人員需要留下來把工作趕完。
3. An
enlisted man who handles his unit's administrative matters
after
hours.
一個下班後負責處理單位行政事務的士兵。
4. Provide after hours technical service nights
weekends and holidays through a rotating on-call basis as directed by the
supervisor.
按照主管的指示在工作時間以外的夜間、週末、節假日通過電話向客戶提供技術支援。
2. On the hour: 準點地
I have to take this medicine every hour on the hour.
I expect to see you there on the
hour, not one minute before and not one minute after.
The bus runs from 9
a.m. to 11 p.m., every hour on the hour.
公車從早上九點到晚上十一點，每小時整點發車。
3. the small
hours (of the night) ＝the wee hours (of the night)：淩晨＝the hours immediately after
midnight.
1. They
launched their attack in the small
hours of April 3.
他們在4月3日淩晨發起進攻。
2. He was so
engrossed in his work that he frequently stayed up until
the
small hours.
他全神貫注地工作，經常工作到下半夜。
3. We used to
talk into the small hours.
我們過去經常長談到淩晨。
4. There we
were bopping away till the small hours.
我們在那兒，一直跳舞跳到下半夜。
5. The dance went on into the
small hours of the night.
6. Jim goes to bed in the wee
hours and gets up at lunchtime.
4. At the Eleventh
hour: 最後時刻；
zero hour：關鍵性或者決定性時刻。
1. I thought
I had lost out because I didn't hear from the company after my interview. But
at the eleventh hour, when I was
packing to go back home, they called and said they wanted to hire me.
1. 起先我以為我已經失去機會了，因為我在面談之後一直沒聽到公司方面的回音。但是直到我在整理行裝準備回家的最後一刻，他們才打電話來說想要雇用我。
2. Look, it's the
eleventh hour for getting this contract signed! If we don't deliver it to
the customer by ten am tomorrow, we lose the whole deal, so we'll work all
night if we have to.
2. 看，現在已經到了簽訂這份合同的最後時刻了。如果我們不能在明天早上十點以前把合同發送給顧客的話，那這筆生意就全丟了，所以必要的話我們開夜車也得把合同趕寫出來。
3. All the waiting is over ─ it's zero
hour for the game we're all waiting for, the players are out on the court
and the referee is ready to throw the ball up and start the game.
3. 一切等待終於結束。我們盼到了久久等候的這場關鍵性的比賽。球員們都已經在場上，裁判正要拋起球來準備開場。
5. at the top of the hour.
at the bottom of the hour.
Fig. on the half
hour; the opposite of at the top of
the hour. (Alludes to the big hand of a clock pointing to the 6.
Typically heard on television or the radio.)
Top of the hour 整點時。Bottom of the
hour半點時。指鐘錶上分針走到最上端 (top) 及最下端 (bottom) 的時候。
1. Hear the news headlines at
the bottom of the hour.
2. We will have an interview with Harry Kravitz at the bottom of the hour.
6. Witching hour: 午夜時分
11. Don't let
your daughter go out the witching hour for her safety sake.
為了她的安全起見，不要讓你的女兒半夜出去。
2. The party began at11 o'clock hour the witching hour the old year ended the new began.
晚會在11點鐘開始，1小時後就到了舊歲結束新年來臨的午夜時分。
3. Drive extra defensively around the
witching hour , after midnight when some people are leaving bars ,
parties or sports arenas
午夜時分駕車要特別警惕，很多人這個時候離開酒吧、舞廳和體育場館。
7. banker's hours指特別安逸舒適的工作
Fig. short work hours: 10:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M.
1. When did you start keeping banker's
hours?
2. There aren't many bankers who keep banker's hours these days.
3. Joe, come on and get out of bed! You won't be working banker's hours, you know - you've got
to be there bright and early at seven am ready to pump gas for the customers.
他說：Joe， 快快起床！ 要知道你幹的活兒可沒那麼輕鬆自在。每天一早七點你就得精神飽滿地在那兒給顧客加油了。
8. happy hour特指飲食店為了招徠顧客而減價供應飲料的時間。
The food in that new
Italian restaurant across the street is pretty good, but business is slow. So
they've started a happy hour in
the hope people will stay on and order dinner.
街對面的那家義大利餐館飯菜味道不錯，但是生意不好。所以他們開始用幸運時刻的辦法招徠顧客，並希望那些顧客會繼續留下來吃晚飯。
9. darkest hour is just before the dawn破曉前是最黑暗的時刻。黎明前是最黑暗的时候。
A: I feel like giving up. I don't have a job, my boyfriend left me,
and they're raising the rent for my apartment.
B: It's always darkest just
before the dawn.
This world is just Awesome
!.....The darkest hour is that before the dawn
這個世界是太壯麗!.....最黑暗的時刻是在黎明即將到來之際。
10. by the hour按鐘點
It kept growing darker by the
hour.
I have to take this medicine by
the hour.
We became more anxious by the
hour.
我們一天比一天或一小時比一小時（越來越）急躁。
11. for hours on end連續幾個小時，連續不斷。
My brother plays computer games for hours on end.
我弟弟玩電子遊戲連續不斷。
We sat and waited in the emergency room for hours on end.
The children were happy to play video games for hours on end.
He used to roam the street for
hours on end . used to＝過去常常
他過去常逛大街, 一逛就是幾個小時。
She could sometimes talk away for hours on end.
有時候她可以連續不斷地談上幾個小時。
We studied for final exams for hours on end.
我們連續花了好幾小時準備期末考。
12. keep late hours晚睡
I'm always tired because I keep
late hours.
If I didn't keep late hours,
I wouldn't sleep so late in the morning.
二、有關Minutes的慣用語：
1. New York minute:
A New York
minute is the interval between a Manhattan traffic light changing to green and
the guy behind you honking his car horn.
「紐約分鐘」，就是曼哈頓交通號誌由紅轉綠，而你後面駕駛人按喇叭轟你之間的時間。An extremely short period of time.
She’s living a New York minute.」
她生活步調很快。 / 她是急驚風！
I would sell that car in
a New York minute if the right
offer came along.
2. last-minute person任何事情都要拖到最一分鐘才作的人
I don't want to be the last-minute person next time.
我下次不要再臨時抱佛腳了.
Last-minute person 專指那種任何事情都要拖到最一分鐘才作的人, 當然, 根據每個人混的程度之不同, 也有人被形容為 last-second person, 或是 last-hour person.這些都是用來形容那些喜歡臨時抱佛腳的人.
3. Give me ten more minutes.再給我十分鐘。
再給我十分鐘,"Give
me another ten minutes"
或是"Give me ten more minutes."。
4. up to the minute最現代化的; 最新式的。
This report is up to the
minute and fresh from the wire services.
An up-to-the-minute account of the riots. 關於騷亂的最新報導。
We work hard
to bring you up-to-the-minute
technology.
竭誠為您帶來最新技術。
Her room was
furnished with up-to-the-minute
furniture.
她的房間備有最新式的家俱。
The general
lacked up-to-the-minute
information at the crucial moment. 這位將軍在關鍵時刻缺少最新資訊。
That's about
it for your up-to-the-minute
weather report.
最新天氣報告到此為止。
I want to hear some up-to-the-minute
news on the hostage situation.
I just got an up-to-the-minute
report on Tom's health.
5. at the last minute到最後一刻
Please don't make reservations at
the last minute.
Why do you ask all your questions at the last minute?
I often scold them for doing things at
the last minute.
我經常罵他們老是拖到最後一刻才做事。
He got cold feet
at the last minute.
他事到臨頭卻退縮了。
The team was behind, but at the last
minute Sam saved the day with a touchdown.
這個隊落後了，但在最後時刻Sam底線得分轉敗為勝。
I volunteered to do a parachute jump to raise money for charity but I got cold feet at the last
minute and didn't to through with it.
為慈善事業籌集資金我自願參加跳傘，可是在最後一刻我臨陣害怕了，結果沒有完成任務。
He let me down at the last
minute and turned out to be a broken reed.
他在緊急關頭拆了我的台，成了背信棄義的人。
It is impossible to get by a foreign language exam by cramming at the last
minute. 想要臨時抱佛腳來混過外語考試是不可能的。
They had cold feet at the last
minute and refused to sell their house.
在最後一刻他們退縮了，拒絕賣掉他們的房子。
And at the last
minute got cold feet huh?
在最後一刻退縮了，哈？
But at the last
minute Gates changed his mind announcing
that he too would license java while also promising somewhat menacingly to
"extend" it.
但到了最後一刻，Gates改變了主意，宣佈他也將批准使用java，同時還略帶威脅地說要「擴展」它。
The prisoners' attempt to escape was foiled at the last
minute when police received a tip-off.
警方接到密報，那些囚犯的越獄企圖在最後關頭被挫敗。
6. Every minute counts分秒必爭。
Doctor, please try to get here quickly. Every minute counts.
When you take a test, you must work rapidly because every minute counts.
When you're trying to meet a deadline, every moment counts.
Questions , please .. every moment counts.
大家提問題，分秒必爭。
Yes , every minute counts ,
for the meeting is very important.
是的,分秒必爭,因為那場會議非常重要。
Each team covered a distance of 18 to 53 miles. every minute counted.
每個隊都要跑18 - 53英里的路程.分秒必爭呀！
7. just a minute稍等一下!
I'm almost done. I'll be there in just a minute! Could I
have just a minute of your time?
Just a minute, you! Where are you
going with my coat?
I'll be there in a second. I'll be
with you in just a minute. I'm on
the phone.
Are you ready to order or just a minute?
你們準備好了嗎? 還是要再等一會?
8. be a laugh a minute
You know what Mark's like - he's not exactly a laugh a minute.
A two-hour meeting with Nigel Owen? I bet that was fun.Oh, it was a laugh a minute.
9. There's one born every minute. 愚蠢的人太多了，總會有人上當的。
there's one (或 a sucker) born every minute
(informal)there are many gullible people
(非正式)總會有人上當的
愚人節(April Fool's Day)那天，好友 Jenner在“愚弄”我失敗後，仍不甘休，她堅信一定可以找到一個愚弄我的方法。我勸她放棄，她卻說：“ There's one born every minute." 我聽後覺得一頭霧水，每分鐘都有一個人出生？問了Jenner才明白，這句話是一句慣用語意思是“總會有人上當的”。
Bernard paid
much more for his car than it is really worth—there's one born every minute!
伯納德付的錢遠遠超過這輛車的價值, 真是太蠢了!
He left a window open and then wondered why he'd been burgled! There's one born every minute, isn't
there?
三、有關Seconds的慣用語：
1. Split second: 一刹那、一瞬間
1. He froze for a split second, sucking in lung fulls
of cold air.
吸進一大口冷空氣後, 他一瞬間凍僵了.
2. It all
happened in a split second.
這一切都是在頃刻間發生的。
3. The cat
disappeared in a split second.
那只貓一刹那間無影無蹤了。
4. For one split second I thought he was gone.
有那麼一刹那我以為他走了。
5. Every word
spoken on the telephone every message sent covers the44,600 miles in a split second.
在電話中輸出的每一個字，每一資訊，在刹那間跨過44,600英里。
2. in (just) a second
1. I'll be there in a second. I'll be with you in just a minute. I'm on
the phone.
2. Just a second we're not broken just bent
只要一點時間，我們還沒玩完.
四、其他有關時間的慣用語或單字：
1. Bat/wink/twinkling of an eye: 轉眼間，一眨眼的時間
1. The mood of the crowd can change in
the twinkling of an eye.
群眾情緒轉眼就能發生變化
2. How time flies! Late spring has come in the twinkling of an eye.
時間過得真快，一轉眼又到晚春季節了！
3. The little
boat shuttled into the reed marshes, and got rid of the
enemy in
the twinkling of an eye.
小船在蘆葦蕩中穿梭，轉眼就把敵人甩在了身後。
圖6. twinkling of an
eye: 轉眼之間
2. Jiffy: 瞬間( jiff的名詞複數 )
1. Please wait half a jiffy. 請等片刻。
2. Lunch will be ready in a jiffy. 馬上就要吃飯了。
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Box 6：實境英語之二：
Joe: So, uh, how’s your day
goin’?
Kristin: Oh, it could
have started off better. Actually, I feel like I woke up on
the
wrong side of the bed.
woke up on the wrong side of the bed: to feel a little angry at the
start of the day
Joe: Why, what happened?
Kristin: Well, things
were going okay. I mean I’d gotten the e-mails done. I’d gotten all the
dishes done. Took a shower. Got ready to go. Um, but as usual, I was running
against the clock, trying to, uh, get down
and catch the train on time. running against the clock: to be late get down: to go to
catch the train: to get on the train
Joe: Yeah.
Kristin: So, I got on
the train. I go in the back like I usually do because I have a
pass. Sit down, we go one stop. We, we’re actually coming up to 18th, y’know,
just the next stop. And I see the, the ticket
checkers, for lack of a better word…
Joe: Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah,
I know who you’re talkin’ about.
pass: a ticket that allows you to ride the train
ticket checkers: people who make sure that you paid to
ride the train
Kristin: People who are always checking for passes…
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圖7. 時間飛逝(Time Flies).
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