多彩英语：母语者养成指南

To keep someone at arm’s lengthMeaning: If you keep a person at arm’s length then you avoid any familiarity with them. You do not allow yourself to have any close contact with the person. There may be several reasons for this. Maybe you don’t like the person or maybe you know this person could hurt you emotionally. You keep your distance from the person. Maybe the person is in love with you and you do not have any feelings for him/her and you do not wish to hurt them by allowing them to get too close to you.意思：与某人保持距离；不与某人亲近。指刻意避免和某人变得熟悉，不与其有密切来往。原因可能是你不喜欢对方，或知道对方可能会伤害你的感情。也可能是对方喜欢你，但你对其没有感觉，不想让对方靠太近而伤害到他 / 她。Examples:The new boss keeps us all at arm’s length. The last one was much friendlier and much more approachable.例句：新老板对我们所有人都保持距离。上一任老板要友善得多，也更平易近人。I’m keeping my ex boyfriend at arm’s length. I do not wish to get involved with him again. He keeps phoning but I rarely answer the phone whenever he rings me.例句：我在刻意疏远我的前男友。我不想再和他有任何瓜葛。他一直打电话，但我几乎都不接。COLOUR IDIOMS颜色类习语To have green fingersMeaning: To be very good at gardening.意思：擅长园艺；有园艺天赋；种花种草很厉害。Example:My husband has green fingers. All our plants are coming on really well.例句：我丈夫很会种花养草。我们家所有植物都长得特别好。* To come on = make progress意思：生长；进展；茁壮成长A bolt from the blueMeaning: When something happens very unexpectedly.意思：晴天霹雳；突如其来的意外。Example:It was like a bolt from the blue to find out that he had been lying to me for so long. I trusted him so much.例句：发现他骗了我这么久，对我来说简直是晴天霹雳。我那么信任他。* To find out = become aware of / discover / obtain information.意思：发现；查明；了解到Out of the blueMeaning: To appear suddenly or happen suddenly without any warning.意思：突如其来；毫无预兆地发生。Example:I received a phone call out of the blue from my cousin in New York who I hadn’t heard from in years.例句：我突然接到了纽约表哥的电话，我们已经好几年没联系了。Once in a blue moonMeaning: Extremely rarely / almost never.意思：千载难逢；极其罕见；几乎从不。Example:Scotland has an Indian summer once in a blue moon.例句：苏格兰极少会出现秋老虎天气。To be off colourMeaning: When you do not look very well. Your face is pale.意思：气色不好；脸色苍白；身体不舒服。Examples:I’m taking my son to the doctor. He has been off colour for the past two days.例句：我要带儿子去看医生。他这两天气色一直很差。Our next door neighbour was a bit off colour this morning when I saw him. I wonder what’s wrong with him.例句：我今天早上看到隔壁邻居，他看起来不太舒服。不知道他怎么了。To be in the redMeaning: To have debt with the bank.意思：出现赤字；负债；欠银行钱。Example:I will have to pay off my credit card debt. I’m in the red.例句：我得把信用卡欠款还清了，我现在负债了。* To pay off = to completely finish paying money you owe.意思：还清；偿清（债务）