be saddled with 把任务或责任强加在某人身上

saddle在这儿作动词，意为“使负担，强加”，saddle sb. with sth. 意为“为某人负重担”，因此该习语意为“把任务强加予某人”。例如：I can’t be saddled with any more responsibilities.（我再也不能承担更多的任务了。）

A: How is George recently? 最近乔治怎么样？
B: Not very good. I hear that he is saddled with debts of his company. 不太好。我听说他的公司现在债务缠身。
A: What happened? 怎么回事？
B: It’s said that he was cheated by his partner. 据说是他的合伙人把他给骗啦。




be over the hump 已度过难关

hump的本义是“小丘，山脉”，over the hump直译为“越过山脉”，引申为“度过难关”。

A: The Asian financial crises have almost paralyzed Asian economy. 亚洲金融危机几乎使亚洲经济瘫痪。
B: Your company must be influenced by it deeply. 你们的公司肯定也很受影响吧
A: Yeah. But we are over the hump now. 是的。但我们现在我们已经渡过了难关。




be on pins and needles 坐立不安

pins指“大头针”，needles指“针”，be on pins and needles的字面意思是“如坐在大头针和针上”，喻为“坐卧不安”或“如坐针毡”。

A: It seems you’re on pins and needles today. Anything troubling you? 你今天似乎坐立不安。有什么事吗？
B: Yeah. I don’t know why bad things keep happening to me. You see, my car was stolen and the warehouse had been broken into. I can’t put my finger on the causes of this damned thing. 是的。我不知道坏事为什么总是找上我。你看，我的汽车被偷了，货仓也被盗了。我弄不明白怎么会发生这些倒霉事。
A: There must be someone who had planned that. He threatened to show you the color when you refused to give him a promotion. 也许这是有人精心策划的。因为你没有提升他，他要给你点颜色看看。




be on cloud nine 高兴得飘飘然

该习语原为美国气象用语。该习语的流行据说应归功于50年代播放的一个名叫《约翰尼•多拉尔》的广播节目。Be on cloud nine的字面意思是“坐早九重云霄之上”，引申为“高兴得不得了”或“飘飘然”。例如：He was on cloud nine after winning the competition. （他在比赛胜利后欣喜若狂。）

A: You seem to be on cloud nine these days. How is your restaurant business? 你近来有些高兴得飘飘然。餐馆的生意怎么样？
B: How is my business? It’s none of your business! 我的生意怎么样？这不关你的事。
A: It’s rude of you to talk to me like this. 你这样跟我说话太粗鲁了。
B: I was only teasing you. You see, we have our clients eating out of our hands now. Both Mark and I are feeling on the top of the world. 我只是在逗你玩儿。你看，我们现在已经有了许多回头客了。马克和我都感到非常高兴。




be on a gravy train 走运，有赚钱的机会

gravy在美国口语中有“容易赚得的利润”的意思，gravy train意即“轻易发大财的工作”。该习语直译为“在一辆容易赚钱的火车上”，所以引申为“走运，有赚钱的机会”。

A: John seems to be on the gravy train these days. 约翰最近看起来很走运。
B: Yeah. He got a chance of going abroad to arrange an exhibition. 是啊。他得到了一个出国去办展览的机会。
A: I don’t know why the sun is not shining on me. 我不明白为什么我的运气总是不佳。
B: Don’t worry. You’ll be in the chips sooner or later. 别着急，总有一天你也会很富裕的。




be of two minds 拿不定主意

be of two minds和be in two minds的意思基本相同，均表示“左右摇摆”或“拿不定主意，下不了决心”。例如：Don’t depend on him to decide. He always seems to be of two minds on important matters.（别指望他能做出决定。在重要事情上他好像总拿不定主意。）

A: Are you ready to take the plunge and pound the pavements for new one? 你是否准备大胆采取措施，排除障碍，重新再来？
B: I’m still of two minds. But I do seem to like to quit my present job. 我依然犹疑不决。我确实想放弃现在的工作。
A: What kind of job are you aiming at? I mean, do you have a particular job in mind? 你想做什么样的工作？ 我的意思是说，在你脑子里有没有特别的选择？
B: I have a good mind to go into business. I think I can be equally successful as most other women in business. 我想进军商海。我想我会得到与商海里其他女性同样的成功。




be of one mind 意见一致,看法相同

mind可指“头脑，心神”。该习语直译为“一个脑子想出的问题”，由此可以引申为“意见统一、看法相同”的意思。

A: What do the board think about this plan? 董事会对这项计划怎么看？
B: They are of one mind in passing it. 他们一致通过。
A: Good news. 太好啦。




be itching for a chance to do 很想找个机会试一试

形容词itching的意思是“渴望的”，be itching to do意为“渴望做某事”；for a chance指“找机会”，因此整个习语的意思即为“渴望得到机会试做某事”。

A: I am itching for a chance to cooperate with Mike. I hear he’s a very competent person. 我很想找机会和迈克合作一次。听说他特别能干。
B: Everyone who has worked with him will have a deep impression on that point. 是的。每个和他一起工作的人都对此深有体会。




be in high gear 全力进行

gear指“齿轮，传动装置”，high gear的意思是汽车的“高速档”。该习语字面意思为“机器正处在高速档（快速运转）”，实际指“事物正处在全力进行当中”。

A: By the way, how is your business going? Is it proceeding smoothly? 哎，你的生意最近如何？进展还顺利吗？
B: Yes, it’s in high gear. 一切都在全力进行。




be in full swing 正在全力进行,处于活跃阶段

in full swing的意思是“活跃”。该习语的意思即引申为“处于（工作的）全面展开、进行阶段”。例如：The building project is in full swing.（这个建筑工程正处在全力进行之中。）

A: I hear your company in expanding its business. 我听说你们公司正在扩展生意。
B: Yeah. We’re setting up a new factory now and the work on it is in full swing. The project will be completed in three months. 是的，我们正在新建一个工厂。工程正处于全面施工阶段，三个月内就可以完工了。