英语谚语里的黑色
2012-06-25 08:47阅读：
文化话题英语之英语谚语里的黑色：Black在古英语重点修辞含义和在中文中的意思差不多，除了用来修饰夜晚的颜色，也可形容病人的脸色。在现代英语中，带黑色的英语谚语还不少呢，让我们一起来看看吧。
black as a
skillet
black as a stack of black
cats
black as a sweep;
black as coal;
black as night;
black as pitch;
black as the ace of
spades
Meaning:
completely
dark or black. (*Also: as
~.)
Examples:
-I don’t want to go down
to the cellar. It’s as
black as a
skillet down there.
-Her hair was black as a
stack of black cats.
-After playing in the mud
all morning, the children were
as black as night.
-The stranger’s clothes were all
black as pitch.
black as one is
painted
Meaning:
as evil as described. (Usually
negative. *Also: as ~.)
Examples:
-The landlord is not as
black as he is painted.
He seems quite generous to
me.
-Young people are rarely black
as they are painted in
the media.
black mark beside one’s
name
Meaning:
Fig. something negative associated
with a person. (*Typically: get
~; have ~; give one
~.)
Example:
-I did it again! Now I’ve
got still another black mark
beside my name!
in black and
white
Meaning:
Fig. [of an agreement, contract,
or statement] official, in
writing or printing. (*Typically:
be ~; get something
~.)
Example:
-I have it in black and
white that I’m entitled to
three weeks of vacation each
year.
black something out
Meaning:
1. Lit. to cut or turn
out the lights or electric
power. The lightning strike
blacked the entire town
out.
Example:
-The manager blacked out the
whole building during the
emergency to prevent an
explosion.
Meaning:
2. Fig. to prevent the
broadcast of a specific
television or radio program in
a specific area.
Example:
-Will they black the game
out around here? They blacked
out the basketball game in
this area.
black eye
Meaning:
1. Lit. a bruise near the
eye from being struck.
(*Typically have ~; get ~;
give someone ~.)
Example:
-I got a black eye from
walking into a door. I
have a black eye where
John hit me.
Meaning:
2. Fig. harm done to one’s
character. (*Typically have ~;
get ~; give someone
~.)
Example:
-Mary got a black eye
because of her constant
complaining. The whole group now
has a black eye, and it
will take years to recover
our reputation.
black out
Meaning:
1. Lit. [for lights] to go
out.
Example:
- Suddenly the lights blacked
out. The power went dead
and everything blacked out from
the heat.
Meaning:
2. Fig. to pass out; to
become unconscious.
Example:
- After I fell, I must
have blacked out. I think
I am going to black
out.
black sheep of the
family
Meaning:
Fig. the worst member of
the family.
Examples:
- Mary is the black sheep
of the family. She’s always
in trouble with the
police.
- He keeps making a
nuisance of himself. What do
you expect from the black
sheep of the family?
black-and-blue
Meaning:
Fig. bruised, physically or
emotionally.
Example:
- I’m still black-and-blue from
my divorce. What is that
black-and-blue mark on your
leg?
Example:
- devil is not so black
as he is painted
NOTE:
- Prov. No one is as
bad as people say he is.
(Implies that people are saying
too many bad things about
someone.)
Example:
- I can’t believe that
actress is as coldhearted as
the gossip columns say she
is. The devil is not so
black as he is
painted.
in the black
Meaning:
Fig. not in debt; in a
financially profitable condition. (As
opposed to in the
red.)
Example:
- I wish my accounts were
in the black. Sally moved
the company into the
black.
pot is calling the kettle
black and that’s the pot
calling the kettle black
Meaning:
Prov. You should not criticize
someone for a fault that
you have too. (Not polite
to say about the person
you are addressing.)
Examples:
- Bill told Barbara she
was sloppy, but Bill never
cleans up after himself, either.
That’s the pot calling the
kettle black.
- My sister says I dress
funny, but if you’ve seen
some of the clothes she
wears, you know it’s a
case of the pot calling
the kettle black.
put something down in black
and white and set something
down in black and
white
Meaning:
Fig. to write down the
terms of an agreement; to
draw up a written contract;
to put the details of
something down on paper.
(Alludes to black ink and
white paper.)
Example:
- We agree on all the
major points. Now, let’s set
it down in black and
white. I think I understand
what you are talking about,
but we need to put down
the details in black and
white.
not be as black as you
are/it is painted
Meaning:
If people or situations are
not as black as they are
painted, they are not as
bad as people say they
are.
Example:
- I’ve met him a few
times. He’s not as black
as he’s painted.
a black mark
Meaning:
If you get a black mark,
people think that something you
have done is bad and they
will remember it in future
This administrative error will
be a black mark on his
record. (often + against
)
Example:
- If I’m late for work
it’ll be another black mark
against me.
pretend/say that black is
white
Meaning:
to say the opposite of
what is really true.
Example:
- She’ll say that black is
white if she thinks it’s
to her advantage.
pitch black
Meaning:
very black; as black as
pitch.
Example:
- The hearse was pitch
black. The bandit rode on
a pitch black horse and
wore black clothing.
in the black
Meaning:
In a situation in which
you are earning more money
than you are spending.
Example:
- Some states have legalized
gambling as a way to put
their finances in the
black.
