3.Once bitten(或 bit),twice shy. 就是说:一次被咬,下次胆小。或是一次上当,下次小心。(shy = avoid)动词时态:bite, bit, bitten(或 bit) 这又与另一句俗语「A burnt child fears(或dreads)the fire.」(被灼伤的小孩怕火)相似。说白些,就是: When you have bad experience, you don’t want to have the same experience again. 这不就是「一朝被蛇咬,见绳也心惊」或「一日被蛇咬,十年怕草绳」吗?
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4.A stitch in time save nine. 意思是:「一针及时省九针」。也是「一针不补,十针难缝」或「小洞不补,大洞叫苦」的味道。这句警语与「An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.」(一分的预防,胜於十分的治疗)意义相近。此外,还有:「Don‘t wait for a rainy day to fix the roof.(不要等到下雨时才去修补屋顶); 或「Always prepare for a rainy day.」或「Prepare for the worst and hope for the best.」(做最坏的打算和最好的希望)这些警语,说的都是「未雨绸缪」。
5.Old habits die hard. 意思是说:改掉老习惯很不容易。「It is difficult to break an old habit.」这与另一句谚语:「You can not teach an old dog new tricks.」(你不能教老狗新把戏)。这就是所谓「江山易改,本性难移」。
6.Absence makes the heart grow fonder. 意思是:一个人不在时,使人内心更想念。「When a person is absent, we may think of him/her more often.」与「久别情深」、「眼不见,心更念」、「人去情渐深」,或是「一日不见如隔三秋」的意味相近。
7.A penny saved is a penny earned. 据说这是Ben Franklin 的引语。照字面意义是:能存一分钱,就是赚了一分钱。後来有人改口说: Take care of your pennies(=pence)and the pounds (=dollars)will take care of themselves. 说白些,就是: If you save small amount of money, you will eventually have a large sum of money. 就是中国人所谓「积少成多,集腋成裘」。(这句话也可指小事谨慎,大事自成。)
8.When in Rome, do as the Romans do.意思是说:当在罗马时,就照罗马人的(生活)方式去做。所以有人也改口说: When in America, do as the Americans do. 就是「入国问禁,入乡随俗。」
9.What is done cannot be undone.意思是:做过的事,不能再还原。(动词时态:undo, undid, undone)。这与另一句谚语 「Don’t cry over spilt milk.」或「It is no use crying over spilt milk.」意义相似。也就是说:What is done is done或What has taken place, nothing can be done about it.(take place=happen)就是「覆水难收」、「往者已矣」。
10.Don‘t(或Never)cross a bridge till(或until)you come to it. 照字面的意义是:不等到桥边,就不必过桥。也有人说:We have to go across the bridge when we come to it. (it 指桥;bridge也指问题或困难),换句话说:不必为将来顾虑太多「Don’t worry too much in advance.」劝人当问题出现时再设法解决不迟。「You have to fa