5 cold feet
一个人在充满信心的时候往往就会无所畏惧，勇往直前。但是，当一个人对某件事感到胆怯的时候，他就会畏缩不前。我们经常可以看到一种情况：有的人对一件事开始的时候很有信心，很有把握。可是，事到临头就变得没有勇气了。在英文里有一个俗语是用来形容类似情况的，那就是 cold feet。Cold 是冷的意思，feet 就是两只脚。Cold feet 并不是在雪地里走而使你的脚很冷。Cold feet 是指临时上场感到胆怯。
例如：Peter told his wife that this time he was really going to walk in and demand a pay raise from the boss. But when he arrived at the office, he got cold feet.
皮特对自己的妻子说，这次他可一定要到他老板的办公室去要求增加工资了。可是，他一到了办公室就感到胆怯，不敢去见他的老板。
这种临阵脱逃的现象是很常见的。下面我们要举的例子恐怕会引起许多听众的共鸣：
I really need to get my teeth fixed, but every time I start to phone the dentist, I think about the sound of that drill and right away I get cold feet.
我实在应该去牙大夫那儿看牙了。但是，每当我拿起电话想和大夫预约的时候，我就好像听到那钻牙的声音，一下子，我就害怕起来了。
6 Jump in and get your feet wet
事到临头打退堂鼓，出现cold feet 的现象也许是一个弱点，但是在美国成语里，把脚弄湿倒是一件好事。比如说，好些听众都在学英语。许多初学的人都怕难为情而不敢用英语来对话。可是，老师很可能就会劝这些学生: Jump in and get your feet wet。Jump in and get your feet wet 这个俗语的意思是：到实践中去学，也可以说是跳到游泳池里学游泳。
例如：I know most of you are afraid to embarrass yourselves by trying to speak English after these first few lessons. But that's the best way to learn: when you meet an American, try a few words--jump in and get your feet wet.
我知道你们大多数人感到刚上了几课英语，就用英语来说话很不好意思。不过，当你见到美国人时，你不妨试着说一点。到实践中去学是最好的办法。
又如：I want to get into politics so I'm volunteering to put up signs for one of the people running for mayor. I don't get paid for it but it's a chance to jump in and get my feet wet.
7 to get a foot in the door
例如：You know that beautiful girl who sits ahead of me in English class? She keeps turning me down for dates, but I finally got a foot in the door today: she met me for coffee after class.
又如：Getting into politics is tough. But Martin got his foot in the door when he volunteered to go around town putting up posters for the Republican candidate for Congress.
要进入政界是很难的。可是，马丁曾经在当地义务地帮助那些共和党竞选国会议员的候选人张贴标语，这样他为能够进入政界迈出了第一步。
8 to be dead on one's feet
一整天在电线杆上贴标语或招贴画确实是很累的。马丁回到家的时候可能会感到两只脚累得连站都站不动了。也有一个俗语来形容这种情景：to be dead on one's feet。美国虽然是最先进的国家之一，但仍然有好多职业需要工作人员站着做的，售货员就是其中之一。站了一天，到了下班的时候，他们必然会感到两只脚很累。
例如：Honey, I've got to sit down and rest before I take you out to dinner. I'm really dead on my feet tonight: we had the big year-end sale on and I was so busy I didn't even have time for lunch.
亲爱的，我得坐下歇一会儿再和你一起出去吃晚饭。我今天晚上两只脚实在累死了。我们正在举行年底大减价，我忙的连午饭都没有时间吃。
又如：My parents took me to Constitution Avenue to see the parade. After standing there for a whole day, my mom was so dead on her feet that she could not even cook dinner for us by the time we got home.
我爸爸妈妈带我到宪法大街去看游行。我们在那儿站了一天，回到家的时候，我妈妈的脚累得要死，连做晚饭也做不动了。
责任编辑：虫虫
