Three word expressions （三字短語

2012-08-17 12:00

Three word expressions （三字短語）

Three word expressions are common in English. Practicing them and using them when you speak will help you sound more natural. Here are several common expressions, along with an explanation and example sentence.
black and white = something which is extremely clear（黑白分明的；絕對的）
He told her in black and white that she couldn't leave the house while he was out.

dos and don'ts = the rules （行為準則，須知，注意事項）
There are various dos and don'ts about driving in the UK.

haves and have nots = people who are rich and those who are not （富人和窮人）
In London you can find the haves and have nots of the population.

ins and outs = the details （細節，始末，詳情）
I don't know the ins and outs of the situation, so I can't really advise you.

kiss and tell = when someone sells a story of themselves and a famous person （泄漏秘密）
The British tabloids are famous for publishing kiss and tell stories.

odds and ends = small pieces of various items （零碎東西，零星雜物）
She made a stew with the odds and ends she found in the fridge.

P's and Q's = manners ( such as please and thank you ) （言行）
Mind your P's and Q's when you visit them!

pros and cons = advantages and disadvantages （贊成和反對）
There are a few pros and cons that we should consider before buying a new house.

rights and wrongs = all the good points and bad points of a situation （事情的真相、全部）
Regardless of the rights and wrongs of company policy, you need to give a month's notice.

tried and tested = something which has been well tested （經過反覆考驗的）
Using salt is a tried and tested way of getting red wine out of a carpet.

ups and downs = good and bad periods following one another in turn（盛衰，沉浮）
They have a lot of ups and downs in their relationship.

back and forth = not to stay still, but to keep traveling between two places （來回地，反覆地）
I'm so glad I'm moving. I was getting sick of going back and forth every day. Now my fourney to work will be a lot quicker.

dribs and drabs = small unimportant amounts （點滴、少量）
The marathon runners finished in dribs and drabs.

said and done = to have the final word on something （說到底，畢竟）
When it's all said and done, the new reception area is going to be a credit to the company.

cat and mouse = doing something in the same way that a cat plays with a mouse （貓鼠遊戲，欲擒故縱）
The guerillas played a cat and mouse game with the much better-equipped army.

trial and error = to do something new by making experiments and occasionally falling 反複試驗
The new computer system has been installed. But it's a bit trial and error at the moment - nobody really knows how to use it.

flesh and blood = your family 家人
I have to help him if I can - he's my flesh and blood.

down and out = someone who has no money at all who has to live on the street （貧困的，貧病交迫的）
There are too many young down and outs in London.

by and large = generally （大體上，總的說來，一般的說）
By and large, our customers prefer good service to low prices.

bring and buy = a fair where people try to raise money for a cause by bringing something that other people might want to buy （慈善救濟性自由集市）
I'm making a cake for the school's bring and buy next week.

hide and seek = a children's game where one child hides and the others try to find him / her （捉迷藏）
Someone's been playing hide and seek with the TV remote control again.

to and fro = another way of saying " back and forth " （往返地，來回地）
I'm exhausted - I've been going to and fro all week!

over and out = something you say to show you have come to the end of your message （通話完畢）
The last thing they heard from the pilot was 'over and out'.

done and dusted = properly finished （完畢，了結）
Well, that's this project done and dusted. We need a holiday now.

wine and dine = to entertain someone lavishly （以好酒好菜款待客人）
He's well-known for winning and dining his business partners.

bread and butter = your main source of income, or the most important issue （維持生活所需的）
Health and education are the bread and butter issues facing the UK government.

spick and span = ( of a room, house, etc.) completely clean and tidy again （房間、屋子等打掃得干乾淨淨的；整潔的）
Her house is spick and span at all times

wheel and deal = to make deals in a skillful and perhaps dishonest way when buying and selling things （討價還價，玩弄手段，投機取巧）
If you need a new car, try speaking to John. He's a bit of a wheeler and dealer.