Now, the VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.

Have you ever considered all the English expressions that include words about clothes? Let's see if I can name a few off the cuff, or without any preparation.

People wear pants to cover the lower part of their bodies. We sometimes say that people who are restless or nervous have ants in their pants. They might also fly by the seat of their pants. They use their natural sense to do something instead of their learned knowledge. Sometimes, people may get caught with their pants down. They are found doing something they should not be doing. And, in every family, one person takes control. Sometimes a wife tells her husband what to do. Then we say she wears the pants in the family.

Pants usually have pockets to hold things. Money that is likely to be spent quickly can burn a hole in your pocket. Sometimes you need a belt to hold up your pants. If you have less money than usual, you may have to tighten your belt. You may have to live on less money and spend your money carefully. But once you have succeeded in budgeting your money, you will have that skill under your belt.

I always praise people who can save their money and not spend too much. I really take my hat off to them. Yet, when it comes to my own money, I spend it at the drop of a hat – immediately, without waiting. And sadly, you cannot pull money out of a hat. You cannot get money by inventing or imagining it.

Boots are a heavy or strong kind of shoes. People who are too big for their boots think they are more important than they really are. I dislike such people. I really do. You can bet your boots on that. Yet, truly important people are hard to replace. Rarely can you fill their shoes or replace them with someone equally effective.

My father is an important person. He runs a big company. He wears a suit and tie, and a shirt with sleeves that cover his arms. Some people who do not know him well think he is too firm and severe. They think he is a real stuffed shirt. But I know that my father wears his heart on his sleeve. He shows his feelings openly. And, he knows how to keep his shirt on. He stays calm and never gets angry or too excited.

Also, my father has never lost his shirt in a business deal. He is too smart to lose all or most of his money. This is because my father rolls up his sleeves and prepares to work hard. He often has a special plan or answer to a problem that he can use if he needs it. He is like a person who does magic tricks. We say he has a card up his sleeve.

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This VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES was written by Jill Moss. I'm Faith Lapidus.

Now, the VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.
现在是美国之音特别英语词汇典故节目。

Have you ever considered all the English expressions that include words about clothes? Let's see if I can name a few off the cuff, or without any preparation.
你有没有留意过和衣服相关词汇的英语表达？让我们看看我是否可以即席说出一些，即没有任何准备。

People wear pants to cover the lower part of their bodies. We sometimes say that people who are restless or nervous have ants in their pants. They might also fly by the seat of their pants. They use their natural sense to do something instead of their learned knowledge. Sometimes, people may get caught with their pants down. They are found doing something they should not be doing. And, in every family, one person takes control. Sometimes a wife tells her husband what to do. Then we say she wears the pants in the family.
人们穿着短裤，以遮掩他们的身体下部。我们有时形容紧张不安的人裤裆里有蚂蚁（ants in their pants）。他们也可能是fly by the seat of their pants，他们凭感觉而不是他们所学的知识来做一些事情。有时，人们可能会caught with their pants down，他们被发现正在做一些不应该做的事。此外，每一个家庭都有当家人。有时妻子吩咐丈夫做什么，我们就说，她在这个家里当家做主（wears the pants in the family）。

Pants usually have pockets to hold things. Money that is likely to be spent quickly can burn a hole in your pocket. Sometimes you need a belt to hold up your pants. If you have less money than usual, you may have to tighten your belt. You may have to live on less money and spend your money carefully. But once you have succeeded in budgeting your money, you will have that skill under your belt.
裤子通常都有装东西的口袋。花钱如流水就像口袋上烧了个洞（burn a hole in your pocket）。有时你需要一根皮带系住裤子，如果较之平常钱少，你可能不得不束紧腰带（tighten your belt），您可能只能靠更少的钱生活，精打细算。但是，一旦您成功地对钱做好预算，你将扎实的（under your belt)拥有那项技能。

I always praise people who can save their money and not spend too much. I really take my hat off to them. Yet, when it comes to my own money, I spend it at the drop of a hat – immediately, without waiting. And sadly, you cannot pull money out of a hat. You cannot get money by inventing or imagining it.
我总是赞扬那些节省、不大手大脚的人。我真的take my hat off to them（佩服他们）。然而，当涉及到自己的钱，我总是立马（at the drop of a hat）花个精光  - 立刻，无需等待。而可悲的是，你不能从帽子里变出钱来（pull money out of a hat），你不能靠凭空想象获得金钱。

Boots are a heavy or strong kind of shoes. People who are too big for their boots think they are more important than they really are. I dislike such people. I really do. You can bet your boots on that. Yet, truly important people are hard to replace. Rarely can you fill their shoes or replace them with someone equally effective.
靴子是一种沉重结实的鞋。too big for their boots的人（即自负的人）把自己想得比实际重要。我不喜欢这样的人，真的。你可以bet your boots（赌上你的靴子，即深信不疑）。然而，真正重要的人是难以替代，你很少能fill their shoes（适合他们的靴子，即取代他们）或完全取代他们。
 
My father is an important person. He runs a big company. He wears a suit and tie, and a shirt with sleeves that cover his arms. Some people who do not know him well think he is too firm and severe. They think he is a real stuffed shirt. But I know that my father wears his heart on his sleeve. He shows his feelings openly. And, he knows how to keep his shirt on. He stays calm and never gets angry or too excited.
我父亲是一个重要的人，他经营一家大公司。他总是衣着考究，西装革履。不了解他的人认为他太古板严厉。他们认为他爱摆架子（a real stuffed shirt）。但我知道我的父亲十分直爽坦率（wears his heart on his sleeve），他公开表明他的感受。而且，他知道如何keep his shirt on，他保持冷静，从不生气或过于兴奋。

Also, my father has never lost his shirt in a business deal. He is too smart to lose all or most of his money. This is because my father rolls up his sleeves and prepares to work hard. He often has a special plan or answer to a problem that he can use if he needs it. He is like a person who does magic tricks. We say he has a card up his sleeve.
另外，我父亲在生意场上从未失利（lost his shirt）。他聪明到不会失去他全部或大部分资金。这是因为我父亲卷起袖子（rolls up his sleeves）准备努力工作。他常常有一些特殊的计划或关于某个问题的解决方案，在需要时可以用到。他像个魔术师。我们说他有取胜法宝（a card up his sleeve）

1、off the cuff  即兴地；未准备地

例句：Ben hadn't prepared a speech, so he had to speak off the cuff.

本没有准备演说，因此他不得不来个即席讲话了。

2、  have ants in their pants一个人很紧张,坐立不安

例句：Many students have ants in their pants before an examination.

考试前夕，许多学生急燥就像热锅上的蚂蚁。

3、  fly by the seat of their pants  做某件事的时候没有明确的指导

例句：They might also fly by the seat of their pants.

他们有可能是凭直觉行事。

4、  get caught with their pants down一个人正在做坏事、做可耻的事情的时候被人发现

例句：Sometimes, people may get caught with their pants down.

有时候，人们会被别人看到自己的狼狈不堪。

5、wears the pants    掌权当家

例句：Chinese finally wear the pants in 1949.

1949年中国人民终于当家做主了。

6、  burn a hole in your pocket  某人留不住钱,花钱如流水

例句：Don’t let your money burn a hole in your pocket.

不要留不住钱。

7、  take one’s hat off to佩服,尊敬
     例句：I take off my hat to his courage.

我佩服他的勇气。

8、  at the drop of a hat立即,马上
   例句:：Joe is ready to party at the drop of a hat.

乔随时随地都准备好要参加派对。

9、A stuffed shirt  指那些爱摆架子，表现得神气十足的人。
例句: The man is a stuffed shirt.

那个人老是自命不凡。

10、wear one's heart on one's sleeve指那些不掩饰自己情感，坦率

例句: He always wears his heart on his sleeve so that everyone knows how he feels.
他是一个总把自己心情挂在脸上的人，所以所有人都知道他是怎么想的。

11、 keep one's shirt on即保持冷静，别太紧张。
例句: Keep your shirt on, Harry; we have plenty of time to catch the train.

哈里，你别太紧张了，我们还有好多时间，足够我们赶到火车站去的。

12、rolls up one's sleeves即准备做某事。
例句：Well, I'm ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work on these reports.
      嗯，我已经准备好开始写这些报告了

13、a card up one's sleeve比喻某人的秘密武器、取胜法宝、绝招。
  例句：Bill always has a card up one's sleeve, so whenever faced up with a puzzle, he                    could find a way.

比尔总有锦囊妙计，所以任何时候遇到难题，他总能找到方法解决。