下面我们要讲的一个习惯用语也是和耳朵,也就是ear有关的。它是
下面我们要讲的一个习惯用语也是和耳朵,也就是ear有关的。它是 up to one's ears。 Up to one's ears有好几个意思。首先,它可以解释成“很忙”的意思。比如说:
1) : "Half the people in my office are home sick, so I'm up to my ears!"
这个人说:“我办公室里有一半的人有病请假,所以我简直忙得不得了。”
下面这个例子是一个丈夫为了逃避到厨房去帮他太太的忙正在找借口:
2) :"Gee, honey, you know I'd like to help you paint the kitchen tonight, but I'm up to my ears in paper work I had to bring home from the office. "
这个丈夫说:“亲爱的,你知道我很愿意今晚帮你把厨房上油漆。可是我从办公室带回来好些要做的事。”
Up to one's ears这个习惯用语在下面这句句子里的意思就不同了:
3) :"The mayor says he didn't know people on his staff were taking bribes. But my guess is he's up to his ears in it."
这句话的意思是:“市长说他不知道他手下的工作人员接受贿赂。可是,我猜想他完全是介入这些事的。”
我们讲了两个习惯用语,第一个是 to keep an ear to the ground,意思是保持高度警觉。另一个是 up to one's ears,这是指很忙,或者是完全介入某件事的意思。