[A hangfájl meghallgatható a honlapon]

Today we explain some expressions about birds. For example, if something is for the birds, it is worthless or not very interesting. Someone who eats like a bird eats very little. And a birds-eye view is a general look at an area from above.

Did you know that if you tell a young person about the birds and the bees you are explaining about sex and birth? Have you ever observed that birds of a feather flock together? In other words, people who are similar become friends or do things together. Here is some good advice: a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. This means you should not risk losing something you have by trying to get more of something you do not have.

Sometimes I can do two things by performing only one action. This is called killing two birds with one stone. But I would never really kill any birds. I love all kinds of animals. This is a real feather in my cap. It is something to be proud of.

Most of the people I work with are early birds. They believe that the early bird catches the worm. They think that a person who gets up early in the morning for work has the best chance of success. Everyone in my office works hard, but some people have had their wings clipped. Their jobs have been limited. This is because the office is organized by pecking order. People with more years and experience are given more responsibility.

Some bird expressions are about crows, chickens and ducks. For example, when I am driving, I always travel as the crow flies. I go the most direct way. Anyone who eats crow has to admit a mistake or defeat.

Now let’s talk about my sister. She is not very young. She is no spring chicken. She will work any job for chicken feed — a small amount of money. She is easily frightened. For example, she is too chicken-livered to walk down a dark street alone at night. Often she will chicken out – she will not go out alone at night.

My sister was an ugly duckling. She looked strange when she was a child, but she grew up to be a beautiful woman. Sometimes she thinks too much about having something in the future before she really has it. She counts her chickens before they are hatched. Sometimes her chickens come home to roost. That means her actions or words cause trouble for her. However, my sister does not worry about what people say about her. Criticism falls off her like water off a duck’s back.

Politicians are sometimes considered lame ducks after losing an election. They have little time left in office and not much power. Congress holds a lame duck session after an election. Important laws are not passed during this period.

Forrás: VOA Special English

A kifejezések magyarázatai

for the birds

haszontalan, értéktelen

eat like a bird

madárétkű

bird’s-eye-view

madártávlat

birds and the bees

szemérmes kifejezés a szexualitás témájára

birds of a feather flock together

madarat tolláról, embert barátjáról

a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush

jobb ma egy veréb, mint holnap egy túzok

kill two birds with one stone

két legyet üt egy csapásra

feather in one’s cap

büszkeségre okot adó eredmény

early bird

koránkelő

the early bird catches the worm

ki korán kel, aranyat lel

wings clipped

megnyesegetett szárnyak

pecking order

hierarchia, rangsor

as the crow flies

toronyiránt

eat crow

megszégyenül (kudarc miatt)

no spring chicken

nem egy mai csirke

chicken feed

alamizsna, fillérek

chicken-livered

gyáva

chicken out

beijed, visszariad

ugly duckling

rút kiskacsa

count one’s chickens before they are hatched

előre iszik a medve bőrére

chickens come home to roost

visszaütnek régebbi tettek vagy kijelentések

like water off a duck’s back

(lepereg róla) mint kutyáról a víz

lame duck

mandátuma lejártához közeledő, így már valódi hatalmát nagyrészt elvesztő politikus

lame duck session

átmeneti periódusban ülésező, lényegi dolgokkal már nem foglalkozó törvényhozás

[A hangfájl meghallgatható a honlapon]

Today’s expressions include a very important word – “heart”. We will try to get to the heart of the matter to better understand the most important things about words and their stories. So take heart. Have no fear about learning new expressions. Besides, popular English words can be fun. There is no need for a heavy heart. Such feelings of sadness would only break my heart, or make me feel unhappy and hopeless.

Now, let us suppose you and I were speaking freely about something private. We would be having a heart to heart discussion. I might speak from the bottom of my heart, or say things honestly and truthfully. I might even open up my heart to you and tell you a secret. I would speak with all my heart, or with great feeling.

When a person shares her feelings freely and openly like this, you might say she wears her heart on her sleeve, or on her clothing. Her emotions are not protected.

If we had an honest discussion, both of us would know that the other person’s heart is in the right place. For example, I would know that you are a kind-hearted and well-meaning person. And, if you are a very good person, I would even say that you have a heart of gold. However, you might have a change of heart based on what I tell you. Our discussion might cause you to change the way you feel about something.

But, let us suppose you get angry over what I tell you. Or worse, you feel no sympathy or understanding for me or my situation. If this happens, I might think that you have a heart of stone. And, if you say something to make me frightened or worried, my heart might stand still or skip a beat.

Yet, even though you may be angry, I would know that at heart, you are a kind person. In reality, you do care. And any argument between us would not cause me to lose heart or feel a sense of loss.

My heart goes out to anyone who loses a friend over an argument. It really is a sad situation, and I feel sympathy for the people involved.

I promise that what I have told you today is true – cross my heart.

I really wanted to play some music at the end of this feature. In fact, I had my heart set on it. So here it is, “Don’t Go Breaking my Heart” by Elton John.

Forrás: VOA Special English

A kifejezések magyarázatai

get to the heart of the matter

a dolog lényegére tér, mélyére ás

take heart

erőt, bátorságot merít

heavy heart

nehéz szív, szomorúság

break one’s heart

megszakad a szíve, elkeseredik

heart to heart

őszinte, nyílt

from the bottom of one’s heart

szíve mélyéről, őszintén

open up one’s heart

feltárja lelkét, kiönti a szívét

with all heart

odaadással

wear one’s heart on one’s sleeve

ami a szívén, a száján

one’s heart is in the right place

rendes, jószándékú ember

kind-hearted

kedves, melegszívű

have a heart of gold

arany szíve van

change of heart

vélemény, álláspont változása

have a heart of stone

kőszívű

one’s heart stands still / skips a beat

megáll benne az ütő

at heart

lelke mélyén

lose heart

elkedvetlenedik, csügged

my heart goes out to

együttérzek (vkivel)

cross my heart

úgy éljek, bizonyisten

have one’s heart set on

feltett szándéka

[A hangfájl meghallgatható a honlapon]

Some problems are difficult to solve. But there are a lot of number expressions that can help. For example, if we put two and two together, we might come up with the right answer. We know that two heads are better than one. It is always better to work with another person to solve a problem.

Sometimes there are no two ways about it. Some problems have only one solution. You cannot be of two minds over this.

But with any luck, we could solve the problem in two shakes of a lamb’s tail. We could have our answers quickly and easily.

Sometimes we can kill two birds with one stone. That is, we can complete two goals with only one effort or action. But we must remember that two wrongs don’t make a right. If someone does something bad to you, you should not do the same to him.

If you are going out with your girlfriend, or boyfriend, you do not want another friend to go along on your date. You can just say to your friend: two’s company, three’s a crowd.

When I was a young child in school, I had to learn the three R’s. These important skills are reading, writing and arithmetic. These three words do not all start with the letter “R.” But they have the sound of “R.” My teachers used to give three cheers when I did well in math. They gave praise and approval for a job well done.

Some of my friends were confused and did not understand their schoolwork. They were at sixes and sevens. In fact, they did not care if they finished high school. They saw little difference between the two choices. Six of one, half a dozen the other – that was their position. But they were really happy when they completed their studies and graduated from high school. They were in seventh heaven. They were on cloud nine.

Nine times out of ten, students who do well in school find good jobs. Some work in an office doing the same things every day at nine-to-five jobs. You do not have to dress to the nines, or wear your best clothes, for this kind of work.

Last year, one of my friends applied for a better job at her office. I did not think she would get it. I thought she had a hundred to one shot at the job. Other people at her office thought her chances were a million to one. One reason was that she had been caught catching forty winks at the office. She slept at her desk for short periods during the day. But her supervisor appointed her to the new job at the eleventh hour — at the very last minute. I guess her lucky number came up.

Forrás: VOA Special English

A kifejezések magyarázatai

put two and two together

kikövetkeztet valamit, összerakja, hogy mi az ábra

two heads are better than one

ketten többre megyünk; több szem többet lát

there are no two ways about it

egyértelmű a helyzet; nem fér hozzá kétség

be of two minds

hezitál, több lehetőség között ingadozik

in two shakes of a lamb’s tail

semmi perc alatt, könnyedén

kill two birds with one stone

két legyet üt egy csapásra

two wrongs don’t make a right

bosszút állni, visszavágni nem helyes megoldás

two’s a company, three’s a crowd

hárman már egy kicsit sokan vagyunk

the three R’s

három alapkészség (írás, olvasás, számolás) tréfásan egy kalap alá véve

give three cheers

lelkesen megdicsér (háromszoros hurrát zeng)

at sixes and sevens

zavarodottan, zűrzavarban

six of one, half a dozen the other

egyik tizenkilenc, a másik egy híján húsz

in seventh heaven

a hetedik mennyországban

on cloud nine

néhány centivel a föld fölött jár, fel van dobva

nine times out of ten

tízből kilencszer, többnyire

nine-to-five job

tipikus alkalmazotti munkakör (a reggel kilenctől délután ötig tartó munkaidőre utalva)

dress to the nines

kicsípi magát

a hundred to one shot

egy a százhoz esély

a million to one

egy a millióhoz

forty winks

rövid szundítás napközben

eleventh hour

az utolsó pillanat, a huszonnegyedik óra

one’s lucky number comes up

szerencséje van

[A hangfájl meghallgatható a honlapon]

I think people everywhere dream about having lots of money. I know I do. I would give anything to make money hand over fist. I would like to earn large amounts of money. You could win a large amount of money in the United States through lotteries. People pay money for tickets with numbers. If your combination of numbers is chosen, you win a huge amount of money – often in the millions. Winning the lottery is a windfall.

A few years ago, my friend Al won the lottery. It changed his life. He did not have a rich family. He was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Instead, my friend was always hard up for cash. He did not have much money. And the money he did earn was chicken feed – very little.

Sometimes Al even had to accept hand-outs, gifts from his family and friends. But do not get me wrong. My friend was not a deadbeat. He was not the kind of person who never paid the money he owed. He simply pinched pennies. He was always very careful with the money he spent. In fact, he was often a cheapskate. He did not like to spend money. The worst times were when he was flat broke and had no money at all.

One day, Al scraped together a few dollars for a lottery ticket. He thought he would never strike it rich or gain lots of money unexpectedly. But his combination of numbers was chosen and he won the lottery. He hit the jackpot. He won a great deal of money.

Al was so excited. The first thing he did was buy a costly new car. He splurged on the one thing that he normally would not buy. Then he started spending money on unnecessary things. He started to waste it. It was like he had money to burn. He had more money than he needed and it was burning a hole in his pocket so he spent it quickly.

When we got together for a meal at a restaurant, Al paid every time. He would always foot the bill, and pick up the tab. He told me the money made him feel like a million dollars. He was very happy.

But, Al spent too much money. Soon my friend was down and out again. He had no money left. He was back to being strapped for cash. He had spent his bottom dollar, his very last amount. He did not even build up a nest egg. He had not saved any of the money.

I admit I do feel sorry for my friend. He had enough money to live like a king. Instead, he is back to living on a shoestring — a very low budget. Some might say he is penny wise and pound foolish. He was wise about small things, but not about important things.

Forrás: VOA Special English

A kifejezések magyarázatai

make money hand over fist

könnyedén, bőséggel szerzi a pénzt

windfall

váratlan nyereség, szerencse

born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth

gazdag családba született

hard up for cash

nehézségei vannak pénzügyileg

chicken feed

aprópénz, bagatell összeg

hand-out

adomány, anyagi támogatás

deadbeat

tarháló, lecsúszott lúzer

pinch pennies

megfogja a pénzt, odafigyel a költéseire

cheapskate

zsugori, olcsójános

flat broke

anyagilag le van robbanva

scrape together

összekapar, összekuporgat

strike it rich

beletrafál a jóba, megüti a főnyereményt

hit the jackpot

megüti a főnyereményt

splurge

dőzsöl, szórja a pénzt

have money to burn

annyi pénze van, hogy bármire költhet

money burns a hole in one’s pocket

pénzkölthetnékje van, nem marad meg nála a pénz

foot the bill / pick up the tab

állja a számlát

feel like a million dollars

ragyogóan érzi magát

down and out

le van robbanva anyagilag, hangulatilag; padlóra kerül

strapped for cash

meg van szorulva

bottom dollar

utolsó fillér

nest egg

dugipénz, anyagi tartalék rosszabb időkre

on a shoestring

kevés pénzből

penny wise and pound foolish

odafigyel a kisebb összegű kiadásokra, de nagyobb összegeket felelőtlenül szór

[A hangfájl meghallgatható a honlapon]

There are many American expressions about insects — like bees , for example. Bees are known as very hard workers. They always appear to be busy, moving around in their homes, or hives. So you might say you were as busy as a bee if you spent your weekend cleaning your house. In fact, you might say your house was a beehive of activity if your whole family was helping you clean. You also might say you made a beeline for something if you went there right away. When we go to see a movie, my friend always makes a beeline for the place where they sell popcorn.

Here is an expression about bees that is not used much any more, but we like it anyway. We think it was first used in the nineteen twenties. If something was the best of its kind, you might say it was the bee’s knees. Now, we admit that we do not know how this expression developed . In fact, we do not even know if bees have knees!

If your friend cannot stop talking about something because she thinks it is important, you might say she has a bee in her bonnet. If someone asks you a personal question, you might say "that is none of your beeswax." This means none of your business.

Speaking of personal questions, there is an expression people sometimes use when their children ask, "where do babies come from?" Parents who discuss sex and reproduction say this is talking about the birds and the bees.

Hornets are bee-like insects that sometimes attack people. If you are really angry, you might say you are mad as a hornet. And if you stir up a hornet’s nest, you create trouble or problems.

Butterflies are beautiful insects, but you would not want to have butterflies in your stomach. That means to be nervous about having to do something, like speaking in front of a crowd. You would also not want to have ants in your pants. That is, to be restless and unable to sit still.

Here are some expressions about plain old bugs, another word for insects. If a friend keeps asking you to do something you do not want to do, you might ask him to leave you alone or "stop bugging me." A friend also might tell you again and again to do something. If so, you might say he put a bug in your ear.

If you were reading a book in your warm bed on a cold winter’s day, you might say you were snug as a bug in a rug. And, if you wish someone good night, you might say, "sleep tight — don’t let the bed bugs bite."

Forrás: VOA Special English

A kifejezések magyarázatai

busy as a bee

szorgalmas, mint egy hangya

beehive of activity

felbolydult méhkas

make a beeline for something

rástartol, egyenesen vmi felé veszi az útját

the bee’s knees

kiváló, pompás

have a bee in one’s bonnet

bogaras, mániákus

none of your beeswax

semmi közöd hozzá (a "beeswax" hasonló kiejtéssel kezdődik, mint a "business" – ahogy magyarul is mondjuk az "istenit" helyett azt, hogy "istókját")

the birds and the bees

a szexualitással kapcsolatos tudnivalók szemérmes fedőneve

mad as a hornet

nagyon dühös

stir up a hornet’s nest

darázsfészekbe nyúl

have butterflies in one’s stomach

izgatott, feszült, a gyomra összeszorul (bizsergés a gyomorban)

have ants in one’s pants

be van sózva, nem tud megülni egyhelyben

bug somebody

rágja valakinek a fülét, piszkál

put a bug in somebody’s ear

bogarat ültet a fülébe

snug as a bug in a rug

kényelmesen bevackolva

Good night, sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite

játékos elköszönés lefekvéskor