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在上次的文章里，英語君和大家分享了由莎翁創(chuàng)造，比較實(shí)用的七個(gè)表達(dá)，現(xiàn)在給大家奉上本系列的第二篇，趕快學(xué)起來吧。

1.The be all and end all.
最重要/唯一重要的事;全部；根本

英文解釋：The only important thing in your life, or the only important feature of a particular activity.

出自：Macbeth 《麥克白》

當(dāng)麥克白考慮要暗殺蘇格蘭國王時(shí)，他的心理活動如下：

If it were done, when 'tis done, then 'twere well

It were done quickly. If th' assassination

Could trammel up the consequence, and catch

With his surcease, success: that but this blow

Might be the be-all and the end-all ... ...

要是干了以后就完了，那么還是快一點(diǎn)干；要是憑著暗殺的手段，可以攫取美滿的結(jié)果，又可以排除了一切后患；要是這一刀砍下去，就可以完成一切、終結(jié)一切、解決一切... ...

E.g. We all agreed that winning was not the be-all and end-all.
我們都知道，獲勝并不是最重要的事情。

2.Green-eyed monster
嫉妒

英文解釋：jealousy

出自：Othello 《奧賽羅》

O, beware, my lord, of jealousy !It is the green-ey'd monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on;　
哦！君上您要留心嫉妒啊, 那是一個(gè)綠眼的妖魔。誰做了它的犧牲,就要受它的玩弄。

E.g. He was bitten by the green-eyed monster. (=He became jealous.)
他心生妒意。

3.(to) give the devil his due
平心而論，說句公道話

英文解釋：Said when you admit that someone you don’t like or admire does have particular good qualities.

出自：Henry IV 《亨利四世》

注釋：這個(gè)短語的字面意思是pay the devil what you owe him（將你欠魔鬼的歸還給他），可以理解成哪怕是魔鬼，該是他的也要給他。在今天的用法中多取引申義，指哪怕對于自己不喜歡的人，也不得不承認(rèn)他的一些優(yōu)點(diǎn)。

E.g. I don’t like the man but—give the devil his due—he works incredibly hard.
我不喜歡那個(gè)人，可是平心而論，他工作起來真的很賣力。

4.Heart’s content
盡情地

英文解釋：to one's complete inner satisfaction - until one's heart is content.

出自：Henry VI 《亨利四世》

Her grace in Speech, Makes me from Wondring, fall to Weeping ioyes, Such is the Fulnesse of my hearts content.

The Merchant of Venice 《威尼斯商人》

I wish your Ladiship all hearts content.

注釋：在今天的用法中，我們常說to one’s heart’s content 表示盡情地做某事

E.g. You’ve got a whole week to yourself and you can read to your heart’s content.
你有整整一周的時(shí)間自由支配，可以盡情的閱讀了。

5.Household words/name
家喻戶曉的名字

英文解釋：Words or sayings that are in common use; names that are familiar to everyone.

出自：Henry VI 《亨利四世》

What feats he did that day: then shall our names.

Familiar in his mouth as household words

E.g. The business she founded made her into a household name.
她創(chuàng)立的一番事業(yè)使她成為家喻戶曉的人物。

6.I have not slept one wink
我徹夜未眠

英文解釋：I have not slept at all

出自：Cymbeline 《辛白林》

PISANIO:

O gracious lady,

Since I received command to do this business

I have not slept one wink.

注釋：wink在這里作名詞，是眨眼的意思。這是一個(gè)非常形象的表達(dá)，表示一夜都未合眼，還可以表達(dá)為not get/have a wink of sleep。

E.g. I didn’t get a wink of sleep./ I hardly slept a wink.
我一夜未合眼。

7.A tower of strength
無上的權(quán)力；精神支柱，靠山

英文解釋：supreme authority; a person who gives you the courage and determination to continue when you are in a bad situation.

出自：Richard III 《查理三世》

注釋：這個(gè)詞組過去表示至高無上的權(quán)力，在今天的表達(dá)中，作為“困難時(shí)的精神支柱”的用法較為常見，且一般指人，也可以表達(dá)為a pillar of strength。

E.g. My wife has been a tower of strength during my illness.
在我生病期間，我妻子就是我的精神支柱。

聲明：本內(nèi)容為滬江英語原創(chuàng)，嚴(yán)禁轉(zhuǎn)載。