1. straight from the shoulder 直截了當(dāng),一針見血
大約一百年前straight from the shoulder成為習(xí)慣用語,用來指直截了當(dāng)、開誠布公的說話方式,而且這樣說話是不顧慮是否會傷害對方感情的。例如:
Boy, Nancy is sure mad at me! I told her straight from the shoulder this man she wants to marry is no good and she'd be making a terrible mistake. Now she won't even speak to me.
唉,Nancy一定生我的氣了!我直截了當(dāng)?shù)貙λf她想嫁的那人一無是處,她看錯了人。現(xiàn)在,她連理都不理我了。
2. pull no punches 直言相告
有時拳擊手會因為手骨受傷之類的原因不用力擊拳,這就叫做pull the punches,但是通常拳擊手在比賽時出拳一定會竭盡全力,那就是pull no punches。逐漸人們用pull no punches來比喻盡管忠言逆耳也毫無保留地說出實情。例如:
When I saw my brother Joe turning into an alcoholic, I pulled no punches -- I told him to think of his wife and kids, stop drinking and go out and find a job.
我看到我弟弟Joe成了個酒鬼,立刻毫不留情地正告他,要為妻子和孩子著想,讓他立刻戒酒并出去找個工作。
3. lay it on the line 把話放到桌面上
Lay it on the line可能是這樣,把一大筆賭注放在賭臺上,孤注一擲,盡其所有地做最后較量,就叫做lay it on the line,現(xiàn)在也可以當(dāng)作“最后通牒、攤派”的意思來用。例如:
I'm fed up with George -- he doesn't do half as much work as the others. So I called him in and laid it on the line -- either he starts doing his work like anybody else or we fire him at the end of the month.
我可受夠了George,他干的活還沒旁人一半多。所以我叫他來跟他把話都說明白了,要不跟別人一樣好好工作,要不就在月底走人。
4. let it all hang out 開誠布公,挑明
Hang是掛的意思,let it all hang out如果直譯就是“把什么都掛出來。” 換句話說就是“把什么都挑明了。例如:
We agreed to forget our feelings and let it all hang out. Susan told me everything she didn't like about me and I told her what annoyed me about her. You know, it really cleared the air for both of us.
我倆同意心平氣和地把話都挑明了說。Susan說出了我所有那些讓她看不順眼的事情,而我也跟她講了她會令我不快的做法。知道嗎,這真的使我們之間的誤會煙消云散了。