Grease 在英语中是“润滑油，油脂”的意思，那你知道老外口中的 grease monkey 是啥意思吗？


油猴子？这跟山上或者是动物园里的猴子有啥关系吗？

Of course not.

实际上这是一种很“调侃”也很形象的说法，形容的是那些刚从车底下爬出来、工作服染上了汽油、浑身油腻腻的汽车修理工。
当然，友情提醒一下，你如果去国外当着别人面说对方是“油猴子”，对方可不会开心，只会觉得你很冒犯。

01.

加油（通常指需要更加努力做某事）

put some grease into it

• All right everyone, we need to get this place cleaned in one hour, so let’s put some grease into it.

  好了，各位，我们需要我们需要在一小时内把这个地方打扫干净，加油吧！

• Put some grease into it, and we don’t have all day.

  加油！我们没有一整天的时间了。

  
  

02.

顶嘴

talk back - to answer someone in a rude way

• Don’t talk back to your teacher.

  不要和老师顶嘴。
  

  
  

• Children who talk back are regarded as disrespectful.

  爱顶嘴的孩子会被认为是不尊重。

  
  

03.

努力做某事

elbow grease - a lot of physical effort

• The polish needs a certain amount of elbow grease to apply.

  抛光需要花费更多努力。

  
  

• Apply some elbow grease when you mop the kitchen.

  当你拖厨房的时候，需要更加用力一点。

  
  

04.

路边小餐馆

greasy spoon

• I’m hungry. Let’s see if there’s a greasy spoon nearby.

  我饿了。看下附近是不是有路边小餐馆吧！

  
  

• There’s nothing better than going to a greasy spoon when you are hung over.

  宿醉时，没有什么比去小饭馆更好的了。

  
  

05.

相反

on/to the contrary - actually the opposite is true

• The crime problem has not disappeared. On the contrary, it seems to be becoming worse again.

  犯罪问题并没有消失。相反，它似乎更加严重了。

  
  

• Experts predicted the economy would collapse, but, to the contrary, it continues to do extremely well.

  专家预测经济会滑坡。但是恰恰相反，它在持续走高。

  
  

06.

机械师，汽车修理工

grease monkey - someone whose job is repairing car or aircraft engines

• Do you know any grease monkeys? I’m having trouble with my car.

  你认识汽车修理工吗？我的车出故障了。

  
  

• He’s a grease monkey for BMW, and you won’t believe how much he makes.

  他是宝马的工程师，你不敢相信他赚了多少钱。

  
  

07.

指秘密地给人钱要求他们帮忙办事

grease sb’s palm - to give someone money secretly so that they will make things happen in the way that you want

• They managed to pull off the deal without greasing any palms.

  他们成功地完成了这笔交易，没有进行任何贿赂行为。

  
  

• They were expecting their palms to be greased with bribes.

  他们希望自己能收到贿赂。

  
  

08.

贿赂，讨好，推动

grease the wheels - to make something happen more easily

• More investment is needed to grease the wheels of reform.

  需要更多的投资来推动改革。

• Take him out for a few drinks to grease the wheels.

  为了讨好他，带他出去喝几杯。

  
  

09.

指非常迅速地
greased lightning - very fast

• He’s as fast as greased lightning.

  他比闪电还快。

  
  

• It will arrive here like greased lightning.

  它到这比闪电还快。

  
  

10.

熬夜，通常指熬夜学习或工作

burn the midnight oil

• Sorry folks, but we are going to have to burn the midnight oil to get the order out on time.

  抱歉，伙计，但是我们将不得不加夜班来按时完成订单。

  
  

• I’m exhausted. I’ve been burning the midnight oil all week.

  我累坏了。我整个星期都在熬夜。

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