[敷衍搪塞] give someone the runaround
别拿话儿搪塞我们。我们只想知道你到底是同意还是不同意。
Don’t give us the runaround. We’d just like to know whether you agree or not.
“拿话儿搪塞”或“敷衍搪塞”的说法可用give someone the runaround的句式来表示。give someone the runaround实际上指“使某人到处乱转”,即在“借口”或“托辞”。这也就相当于“搪塞”所要表达的意思了。请看下述例句:
Sample Sentences
1、不要拿话搪塞我,告诉我你到底想不想和我结婚!
Don’t give me the runaround. Just tell me if you would marry me or not.
2、我跟他借钱,他只是拿话搪塞却分文未借。
I asked him to lend me some money, but I got nothing except the runaround.
3、希望这次你能给我个确切的答复,别再拿话搪塞我了。
I’ve come to know the definite answer this time, not the runaround again.
[哭穷] to poor-mouth
别跟我哭穷了,我还不知道你的底细?
Don’t poor-mouth to me . I have your number.
汉语中“哭穷”的说法实际上是指一种“掩盖钱财实力”,“装寒酸”的掩饰行为,可用俚语poor-mouth来表示。例如:每当我要跟他借钱的时候他就跟我哭穷。He would poor-mouth to  me whenever I come to borrow money. 此语是个多义词,有时也可用来表示“说话留有余地”的意思。另外,在特定场合,poor-mouth几乎还与freeloaderbad- mouth(说坏话)同义。
Dialogue
Mark: I can’t understand why you should believe her story and lent her the money.
Jack: She seemed to be in great need of the money . That’s why I ……
Mark: Well, you were fooled by her. Each time she borrows money, she will poor-mouth to her target.
Jack: But what would you do if you were in place?
Mark: If were in your place, I wouldn’t lend a single cent to her.
[白吃白喝] a freeloader
我可不愿意白吃白喝别人。我不是那种爱占便宜的人。
I wouldn’t freeload. I’m not a freeloader.
有人把“白吃白喝”说成:eat and drink without paying, 这种说法很不准确。To eat without paying岂不成了强盗?“白吃白喝”不是不pay,而是自己不用pay,让别人去pay。表达这一概念可以用to freeload, 其意思是:利用别人之慷慨而占便宜。另外,to make use of to take advantage of 在某些场合也可用来表示这种概念。
Dialogue
Tom: I feel like having a ball after the exam was over. What about eating out?
Sue: Eating out?
Tom: Yes.
Sue: Well, forget. I’m broke.
Tom: No worries. Everything is on this time. I’ll pick up the tab and treat you .
Sue: No, thanks. But I’m not a freeloader.
Tom: Well, you can treat ME when you are in the chips again.
Sue: I prefer going Dutch.
Tom: All right. I’ll follow yours.
[牵线搭桥] pull the strings
听说你公司有个空位,我很想去试一试。但你能先为我牵线搭桥吗?
I hear there’s an opening in your company and I would like to fill it. But will you pull some strings for me ?
英语的pull the strings所表示的意思几乎完全等于汉语中“牵线搭桥”的意思。有时,人们为了得到某种职位或建立某种联系,常常会求助于别人,让人先给搭搭桥。在这种情况下,人们便会说:Will you pull some strings for me ?例如:我不认识你们的老板,你能先为我拉拉线搭个桥吗?Your boss doesn’t know me. Would you pull some strings for me ? 请看下列对话:
Dialogue
John: Are you still hunting for a job. Mark?
Mark: Yes. I’m still pounding the pavements.
John: Listen. There is a job opening in my company. It would suit you to a T.
Mark: Thank you for the information. Could you pull some strings to get me hired?
John: I wish I could , but my hands are tied.
Mark: Do you know anyone who could throw his weight around for me ?
John: Let me see…well… you can turn to Joe . He’s a big hot. Maybe he could put in his two cents worth.
Mark: Asking him for help? I’ll be wasting my breath.
John: How come?
Mark: I asked him once, but he only gave me lip service.
John: Don’t worry. I’ll see what I can do.
注:I throw one’s weight around for …的意思相当于汉语“为某人使劲儿”的说法。2put in one’s two cents worth的意思是“发表意见”,但在这里的意思是“请某人说句话”。
[甩掉]palm off
他让你赶紧把手中的次品都甩掉。
He urged you to palm off all the shoddy goods immediately.
汉语中的“甩掉”有很多用法,其英语表示法也各不相同。先请看下述例句:
Sample Sentences
1、 他们终于把跟踪的警察给甩掉了。
They had finally managed to get rid of the following police.
2、 当他发现很难甩掉尾巴时,就干脆坐在树下了,看到底会怎么样。
When realizing it difficult to throw off the pursuers, he sat down under a tree, waiting to see what would happen.
3、 你为什么不赶紧甩掉手中的存货?
Why don’t you palm off the stocked goods now?
从上述例句中可以看出,“甩掉”可以用get fid of ,也可用throw off 或者abandon等词来表示。但在“甩掉”手中的物品时,英美人则习惯用paim of .
Dialogue
John: It seems to me that you believe whatever that guy told you.
Mark: I couldn’t see through him. He set me up by telling me a sob story.
John: Did you buy the whole kit and caboodle from him?
Mark: Yes, I did. He said I could have it for peanuts.
John: And he palmed off all his shoddy goods on a fool like you.
Mark: I didn’t realize it until the trap was sprung.
John: Don’t be so down. Wit once bought is worth twice taught. You can try and palm them off on another guy.
Mark: But I don’t want to cheat somebody else.
John: Then you will have to hold the bag.