Significato: A P Giannini

Amedeo Peter Giannini (1870-1949), banchiere americano di San Francisco fondatore della Banca di America

ia Idioma

CIA

Central Intelligence Agency - US spy and security organization The CIA was involved in the efforts to free the hostage air force pilot.

ciao

good-bye, see you later Ciao, Tony. See you in Rome.

familiarity breeds contempt

a friend may dislike you if you do not respect his or her privacy Don't call Margaret Maggie. Remember, familiarity breeds contempt.

Indian giver

a person who gives a gift expecting to get it back, change your mind """Can I have the CD I gave you for Christmas?"" he asked. ""Indian giver,"" she replied."

MIA

Missing In Action According to some people in the United States there are still some MIA soldiers in Vietnam.

on trial

in court as a defendant, defending your actions The man charged with the assault is on trial now. He's in court.

piano tied to your ass

something preventing you from moving If you want coffee, make some! There's no piano tied to your ass.

put to bed (print media)

put in a box when it is ready to print The editor always checks the paper before he puts it to bed.

realize your potential

be the best you can, come into your own If you work for a good company, you can realize your potential.

Russian roulette

a potentially dangerous situation Putting the load of plutonium on the old ship was like playing a game of Russian roulette.

too many chiefs and not enough Indians

too many directors and not enough workers, too many cooks... Everybody tried to be the boss. We had too many chiefs and not enough Indians.

trial and error

learn by correcting errors, hit and miss We learned to make pizza by trial and error. We gradually improved.

trial balloon

a hint about a plan with the purpose of finding out what people think about the idea We sent up a trial balloon to see who would support our plan to enlarge the factory.

abysinnia

a jocular and intentional mispronunciation of "I'll be seeing you!"

aerial ping-pong

Australian slang for Australian Rules Football

affiliate member

gang associate; may wear the colors, exhibit tattoos and other symbols, and flash signs AF

Anna Maria

London cockney rhyming slang for fire

biatch

see bitch

Bolivian marching powder

cocaine

brilliant

excellent, marvellous

brown bag special

a woman whose face is foul but her body is attractive

crucial

great, excellent, essential:"That tune is crucial man"

desk piano

typewriter

dial

British slang for face

diambista

cannabis

feria

money

indonesia

see marijuana

Magnolia

The Magnolia Projects in New Orleans

siamese

a person who acts two-faced

associate with

1．find a connection between； join together in mind把…与…联系起来；联想
I always associate the smell of these flowers with my childhood．闻到这些花香，我就会联想到童年时代。
We naturally associate the name of Darwin with the doctrine of evolution．我们很自然地把达尔文的名字与进化论联系在一起。
2．keep company with与…交往；与…合作
He won't have his son associate with dishonest boys．他不准儿子同不诚实的男孩交往。
They are ready to associate themselves with us in an enterprise．他们乐于跟我们合作办企业。

beneficial to

helpful to；useful to有益于；有利于（通常后接非生物性名词）
Economic reform is beneficial to the development of our country．经济改革对我国发展有利。
Not all medicines are beneficial to health．不是所有的药都对身体有益。

essential to

necessary to为…不可缺少的
Water is essential to the growth of crops．水是庄稼生长所不可缺少的。
Hard work and perseverance are essential to success.努力工作和持之以恒是成功所不可少的。

familiar to

well known to为…所熟知的
English is familiar to him.英语是他的熟门。
The facts are familiar to me．这些事实对我来说是熟悉的。

familiar with

1. wellacquainted with对…了解的；对…熟悉的
He is familiar with English．他通晓英语。
I am familiar with the facts.我了解这些事实。
2. very friendly；close亲热，热呼；顺便
The boss made himself much too familiar with the girl．老板对这位姑娘过分亲热了。
Don't be too familiar with him；he's a dishonest man．不要同他太亲近了，他不是个老实人。
famous for known widely for； having fame for 以…著名（称）
The town is famous for its hot springs．该镇以温泉著称。
He is famous for his honesty，他以诚实而出名。

in compliance with

complying with听从；依从；按照
She gave up the idea compliance with her parents'desire．她依从父母的愿望放弃了自己的想法。
They will set up another middle school in this area in compliance with the wishes of the people. 他们将根据人们的愿望在这一地区再另建一所中学。

peculiar to

belonging only to（a particular person，place，time，etc．）为…所特有的
That way of speaking is peculiar to people in this part of the country．那种说话方式是这个国家这一地区的人所特有的。
It's a custom peculiar to the region．这是该地区所特有的风俗。

specialize in

study in detail；work or be knowledgeable in详细研究；专门从事或专长于
After he had worked as a doctor for some years，he decided to specialize in children's diseases．做了几年医生之后，他决定专门研究儿科疾病。

trials and tribulations

Idiom(s): trials and tribulations

Theme: DIFFICULTY

problems and tests of one's courage or perseverance.(Fixed order.)
• I suppose I have the normal trials and tribulations for a person of my background, but some days are just a little too much for me.
• I promise not to tell you of the trials and tribulations of my day if you promise not to tell me yours!

send up a trial balloon

Idiom(s): send up a trial balloon

Theme: TEST

to suggest something and see how people respond to it; to test public opinion. (Slang.)
• Mary had an excellent idea, but when we sent up a trial balloon, the response was very negative.
• Don't start the whole project without sending up a trial balloon.

miscarriage of justice

Idiom(s): miscarriage of justice

Theme: JUSTICE

a wrong or mistaken decision, especially one made in a court of law.
• Sentencing the old man on a charge of murder proved to be a miscarriage of justice.
• Punishing the student for cheating was a miscarriage of justice. He was innocent.

in defiance of

Idiom(s): in defiance (of sb or sth)

Theme: CHALLENGE

against someone's will or against instructions; in bold resistance to someone or someone's orders.
• Jane spent the afternoon in the park in defiance of her mother's instructions.
• She did it in defiance of her mother.
• She has done a number of things in defiance lately.

have a familiar ring

Idiom(s): have a familiar ring

Theme: FAMILIARITY

[for a story or an explanation] to sound familiar.
• Your excuse has a familiar ring. Have you done this before?
• This term paper has a familiar ring. I think it has been copied.

funny peculiar

Idiom(s): funny peculiar

Theme: STRANGENESS

odd; eccentric. (Informal.)
• I didn't mean that Mrs. Peters is funny ha-ha. She's weird—funny peculiar in fact.
• His face is sort of funny—funny peculiar, that is.

fair and impartial

Idiom(s): fair and impartial

Theme: FAIRNESS

fair and unbiased. (Usually referring to some aspect of the legal system, such as a jury, a hearing, or a judge.)
• Gary felt that he had not received a fair and impartial hearing.
• We demand that all of our judges be fair and impartial in every instance.

diamond in the rough

Idiom(s): diamond in the rough

Theme: PEOPLE - POSITIVE

a valuable or potentially excellent person or thing hidden by an unpolished or rough exterior.
• Ann looks like a stupid woman, but she's a fine person—a real diamond in the rough.
• That piece of property is a diamond in the rough. Someday it will be valuable.

Diamond cuts diamond.

Refers to two people equally matched in wit or cunning.

Barefaced liar

A barefaced liar is one who displays no shame about lying even if they are exposed.

Cut the Gordian knot

If someone cuts the Gordian knot, they solve a very complex problem in a simple way.

Freudian Slip

If someone makes a Freudian slip, they accidentally use the wrong word, but in doing so reveal what they are really thinking rather than what they think the other person wants to hear.

Indian file

If people walk in Indian file, they walk in a line one behind the other.

More Idioms/Phrases

In the zone In two minds In your blood In your element In your sights Indian file Indian summer Into each life some rain must fall Iron fist Is Saul also among the prophets?

English Vocalbulary

a posteriori a priori A Programming Language a property man a quarter of a quick quid a real go-getter a rivederci a.s.a.p. A S P C A A.S.S. graduate a soft answer turneth away wrath a soft answer turns away wrath a sound mind in a healthy body a star is born a state of emergency was proclaimed A Streetcar Named Desire a.t.