例如我们要学的第一个习惯用语的含义就是好的:live high off the hog。说某人live high off the hog,是什么意思呢? 我们听个例子。它说的是Green先生。我们体会一下Green先生日子过得怎么样。
例句-1:That man Green has never been able to hold a job more than six months. But he's been living high off the hog ever since his rich aunt died and left him all her money.
例句-2:With the kids out of the nest, at long last they can live high off the hog. First they'll take a long tour around the world and then buy a house in Florida near the beach.
再学个带有hog这个词的习惯用语: go whole hog。Whole意思是“全部的。” 惯用语go whole hog是竭尽全力干到底的意思。关于这个习惯用语的出典众说不一。有一种讲法是很久前在爱尔兰俚语中hog是最大最重的钱币,就是大洋。在当时也算是一大笔钱了,而go whole hog就是把整块大洋一下子花完。
我们来听个例子。说话的人第一次带上全家人去纽约度假。
例句-3:Sure, it's expensive but I decided to go whole hog. We ate in the best places and saw the top Broadway Shows. Okay, I spent all my money but the family had a wonderful time!
例句-4:Yes, I went whole hog and bought the big set. My wife was pretty upset when she saw the bill. So I had to take her out to a fancy restaurant for an evening of dining and dancing.