生活環(huán)境的不同，文化上的差異決定了我們語言上的差異。學英文時經(jīng)常按中文思路，直接翻譯每個單詞的意思。實際上，這是錯誤的英文學習方式，今天來說幾個非常簡單，但你不一定都能答對的實用表達，馬上來看！

A word

A word中“Word”是“詞、字”沒錯，但是連起來“A word”就不是“一個單詞”。

“A word”是“私下里溝通，悄悄話，也可指商談，談話”的意思。

舉個例子：

Can I have a word with you？

可以借一步說話嗎？

I don't think she's interested but I'll have a word with her.

我想她不會感興趣，但是我會和她聊聊的。

- Tom, can I have a word with you? It won't take long.

- Sure. I'll be with you in a minute.

-湯姆，我能和你說句話嗎？不會占用你太多時間。

-好的，我一會兒過來。

Have words

Have words難道是“有話說”？如果你這么理解，那就錯了。

Have words是“拌嘴，爭論，吵架”的意思。

舉個例子：

Parents had words last night.

爸媽昨晚吵架了。

In a word

漢語中，我們經(jīng)常說一句話“總而言之、言而總之”是不是“To make a long story short”呢？

“總之、總而言之”是“In a word”或者“All in all”的意思。

舉個例子：

In a word, they can do everything they like with, money.

總之，他們用金錢能做到他們喜歡做的一切。

In a word, I am tired of everything.

總之，我對一切都很煩。

Eat one's word

Eat one's word并不是真的把文字吃下去，不是“食言”！

以前聽過一個小笑話：兒子的債主拿著欠條找上門時，父母把欠條當面包一樣吃了！

在這里“Eat one's word”，不是吃文字，是指“收回前言，承認自己說錯了話”！

舉個例子：

What he said proved wrong, so he had to eat his words.

事實證明他說錯了，所以他只好收回前言。

I never thought Clare could handle this job, but I have to eat my words now.

我一直以為Clare無法勝任這份工作，看來我錯了。

What's the good word?

What's the good word?并不是“有什么好話”！

What's the good word?等同于How are you，是一種更加地道的美式口語！

舉個例子：

Haven't seen you for a long time.

What's the good word?

好久不見,你近來好嗎？

From the word go

From the word go不是“從這個單詞走”，如果你這么理解，那真的會鬧笑話的！

“From the word go”是指“始終，從一開始；完全，徹底”的意思！

舉個例子：

Again, your readers will have to buy my book for the whole story, but there is no question that Dumbledore took an unnatural interest in Potter from the word go.

讀者也需要購買我的書才能知道全部故事，但是毫無疑問，鄧布利多從一開始就對波特有一種不正常的興趣。

Yes, it was love from the word go.

是的，我們從一開始就互相愛上了。

by word of mouth

嘴巴里的詞?好像沒有這種說法。

但是你要仔細想想，這也沒錯，因為by word of mouth就是通過口頭來傳播。也就是一個消息經(jīng)過一傳十，十傳百以后，許許多多人都知道了這件事。

舉個例子：

I think the best form of advertising is by word of mouth. People don't believe a lot of what they hear or see in paid-for advertisements, but when they hear a recommendation directly from a friend, they are far more likely to act on it.

我認為最好的廣告方式是口口相傳。人們不太相信他們聽到的或看到的那種付錢做的廣告。當他們直接從朋友那兒聽到推薦，他們就很可能會采納。

（來源：英語四六級備考）