face the music 受惩罚
One day I was having a chat with two English teachers in the office. The female teacher said that one of her students fought with his classmate at school a few days before and were caught by the police. The male teacher asked her, "Did they face the music?"
I was very confused and asked him why the two students were asked to read the music after they had a fight. Hearing what I said, the two teachers laughed heartily.
The male teacher told me, while still laughing, that "face the music" meant "to be punished", which was entirely different from my understanding.
Brown bagging 自备午餐
One day it was time for lunch, and I was eating my sandwich that I prepared myself. Vera, the secretary of our company, asked me absent-mindedly, "Brown bagging today?" For a while, I was at a loss to find a work to respond to what she had said. I thought to myself, "You should have seen the black bag that I take with me to work every day.
Seeing I was wearing a puzzled expression., Vera promptly explained that "brown bagging " had the meaning of providing lunch for oneself or taking one's lunch to eat in the presence of one's company. Usually the food is kept in a brown paper bag, so it has this name. The persons who take their lunch with them are called brown baggers.
Buzz off 走开
It happened more tan twenty years ago. At that time, I only knew that "buzz" in the dictionary has the meaning of "a continuous low sound that a bee makes."
One day my two sons, who were elementary school students, were playing games in the next room. Suddenly I heard my elder son shouted, "Buzz off!" I immediately rushed into their room, wondering how the bee came into the room since all the windows were closed.
By the time I entered their room, I found my younger son was feeling wronged and complained to me that his brother ordered him to go away. Then I came to learn that "buzz off" means to order someone to go away, which is equivalent to "Don't bother me" or "Leave me alone".
Calling card 特点，特征
I was describing a friend whom I met at the supermarket the other day to my American friend Susan, for Susan also knew her. However, Susan could not think of whom I was talking about form beginning to end. She asked me: "What's her calling card?" What she said kept me in the dark. I wondered what this had to do with the calling card of that friend. Did Susan have the ability of recalling whom her friend was by the calling card that her friend was using?
After I queried (提出疑问）her about it. Susan couldn't help laughing and explained that "calling card" could also have the meaning of "distinguishing features or characteristics" of a person besides meaning " telephone card".
Can you make it? 你能来吗？
When I was pursuing my studies in Florida, I came across (碰见，遇见）an American classmate of mine in the street, with whom I got along pretty well in normal times. He said to me, " Our class will have a party this Saturday at 3:00 P.M., room 101. You could bring a Chinese dish or dessert. Can you make it?" Immediately I thought that I was always a gentleman who had never cooked, how could I cook a Chinese dish or dessert or things like that. Thereupon I said with curt （简短失礼的，唐突草率的）finality（终结）, "No, I can not make it. " My American classmate seemed a little disappointed at what I said, and turned with a shrug.
On the day of the party, I bought a dessert and went to the party on time. At the sight of me, that American classmate opened his eyes wide and said, "I thought you can not make it".
"I bought it, I did not make it myself," I held the dessert in my hands in front of him and emphasized.
On hearing what I said, the American bent over with laughter. After a while, he explained that last time he wanted to know whether I could come, and did not ask me if I could cook a Chinese dish or dessert. Now I understand that "make it" usually has the meaning of arriving at or reaching a place or destination successfully.
a pat on the back 赞扬，鼓励
At a time like this, what she needs is a pat on the back rather than a blame.
For children, a pat on the back is much more beneficial to their healthy development than blaming them.
The teacher blamed Joe for being lazy, which was regarded by Joe as a pat on the back rather than a criticism.
I gave all the students a pat on the back by saying that they were already on their way to remarkable success.
get someone's back up 惹某人生气；把某人给惹翻了
What did you do to get Nancy's back up? She is not the sort of persons who is quick to take offense.
Dialogue:
Jack: What did you do to get her back up?
Mark: I only said she was easy to take offense.
Jack: And what else did you say?
Mark: Well, I also said she was not eve a child.
Jack: But these remarks were enough to get her back up.
know... like the back of one's hand.对...了如指掌
You may ask Frank to work in that city. He knows the place like the back of his hand.
Dialogue:
Frank: I'd like someone to work in California and take charge of the development there. Whom do you recommend, John?
John: I'd recommend Samson. He's the best choice, I'm afraid.
Frank: Samson? He's never been working outside the city.
John: Well, he was brought up in California. He knows the place like the back of his hand. Besides, he still keeps in touch with many of his former relations.
Frank: I didn't know that.
turn one's back on/upon...背弃...，抛弃...;对...不闻不问
We requested that he look into the matter, but he just seemed to turn his back on our request.
Did she really turn her back on his proposal?她真的拒绝了他的求婚？
Dialogue:
Nancy: You look upset these days. What's troubling you?
Selma: I've requested to take a leave from work so that I can spend our annual holiday in Spain with my family. But our boss turned it down by saying that the company is short of hands.
Nancy: Did you explain your situation and ask him again?
Selma: Yes, I did. But he just turned his back on my request.
Nancy: Maybe you can change your plan and put it off till later.
by the back door 通过后门；用不正当的途径
It is said that he got many of the spare parts into China by the back door.据说他把很多备件非法偷运到中国境内。
Most government officials knew pretty well that this rubbish came into the country by the back door, but they did not know who exactly had given the smugglers the green light.
The manager knew that the two new employees came in by the back door, but he didn't know exactly who were at the back. 总经理知道那两个人是通过后门进来的，但是他不清楚到底谁是他们的后台。
bring home the bacon 养家糊口；成功，取胜
In every country and regardless of their social systems, there must be someone in the house who will have to bring home the bacon.
Dialogue:
Frank: I'm feeling under the weather(感到身体不舒服）. I'm not in the mood for doing anything today.
John: Play hooky（逃学，开小差）. I won't spill the beans（泄密）.
Frank: I know, but I can't. I'm swamped with work（有一大堆工作得做）. My job is no picnic（不是轻松的事）, you know.
John: Well, hang in there. In the long run, you'll be sitting pretty（处于有利的地位；过上优裕的生活）.
Frank: I hope so. But I have to work hard and bring home the bacon.
hold the bag背黑锅
Although the four of them robbed the bank with joined efforts, it was Joe who had been left holding the bag.
Dialogue:
Martha: Do you know what's happened to Frank?
Nancy: Not an inkling. What's happened?
Martha: He was caught stealing a file from a company.
Nancy: Sorry to hear that. He should have mended his steps(注意自己的言行）.
Martha: But the job was engineered by someone else.
Nancy: Did that someone else stand up?
Martha: Nobody likes to face the music（面对惩罚）， of course.
Nancy: So it was Frank who was left holding the bag?
Martha: yeah.
