美剧中常见的100个口语短句：34The

昨天约了朋友去吃饭，没想到被堵在了路上，结果紧赶慢赶终于在约好的时间前将将赶到，累得我满身臭汗......

这种情况大家平时生活中肯定也经常会遇到，像什么在车门关上的最后一秒挤上了地铁啦、考试得了60差一分就不及格啦等等，诸如此类侥幸成功或勉强做成的情况，在英语里有一个很有意思的习语表达~“by the skin of your teeth”。

猛一看这个短语，大家可千万别生硬地直接翻译成“你牙齿上的皮肤”，We all know what teeth are. But I didn't know that my teeth had skin. 我们都知道“牙齿”是什么。但是我还真不知道牙齿还有皮肤这么一说哈！

By the skin of (one's) teeth

Means to narrowly or barely escape something bad. Often used to describe something that almost didn't happen. 勉强逃过不好的事情。经常用来描述几乎没有发生的事情。

na. 勉强逃过不好的事情；好容易才; 侥幸；勉强；刚好；死里逃生

【例】Oh man, my car wouldn't start this morning—I just made it here by the skin of my teeth!

天哪，我的车今天早上发动不起来了——我勉强才开到了这儿!

【例】I hadn't studied much, but passed the test by the skin of my teeth.

我没怎么学习，但侥幸通过了考试。

【例】I made it by the skin of my teeth. Just as I sat down, the movie started.

我险些没赶上。我刚一坐下，电影就开始了。

好啦，下面就请听一段这个短语的对话，在练习听力的同时也可以更深入地理解一下这个"牙齿上的皮"的含义~

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By the skin of my teeth 侥幸成功

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Li: Hi, I'm 杨莉, and welcome to Authentic Real English. I'm here today with Jen. 欢迎收听地道英语节目。今天我和珍在一起。

Jennifer: Hi!

Li: 你怎么…这么慌慌张张的…? Are you ok? 你还好吗？

Jennifer: I woke up late and had to run to the train station. There's only one train an hour. I ran all the way there and made it by the skin of my teeth, just as the doors were closing. Phew! Is there any coffee…?

Jennifer: 我起晚了，不得不跑着去火车站。一小时只有一班火车。我一路跑到那里，就在门快关上的时候，我才勉强赶到了那里。唷! 有咖啡吗?

Li: Hang on… 你说你的牙帮你赶上了火车?

Jennifer: Sorry? 什么？

Li: You said "I made it by the skin of my teeth" – "你牙齿的皮肤帮了忙". 那我能能看看你的牙是什么样的! Show me your teeth! When did they grow skin?

Jennifer: There's no skin on my teeth. That would be disgusting. Yuck.

Jennifer: 我的牙齿上可没有皮。那太恶心了。

Li: So what did you mean? 那你刚才是什么意思？

Jennifer: If you do something "by the skin of your teeth" it means that you did it by a narrow margin – so you just managed to do it, or almost failed.

Jennifer: 如果你做某事“by the skin of your teeth”，意思是你做得很勉强，所以你勉强做到了，或者差一点就失败了。

Li: 原来这是一个固定的短语意思是险些错过了什么，几乎失败。这么说，如果你差点儿误了火车那就可以说, You caught the train by the skin of your teeth.

Jennifer: That's exactly right. Let's hear some more examples of the phrase in action:

Jennifer: 这是完全正确的。让我们来听一些这个短语的例句:

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My brother's so lucky – he never does any revision for exams but always manages to pass by the skin of his teeth!

我弟弟真幸运，他考试从来不复习，但总是能勉强及格。

Hi, I'm stuck in a traffic jam – I might still make it to the presentation, but it'll be by the skin of my teeth.

嗨，我遇上塞车了——我可能还能赶上演讲，但估计也就是将将赶到。

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Li: So when you just manage to do something, you can say you did it by the skin of your teeth?

Li: 所以当你设法去做某件事的时候，你可以说你做得很勉强?

Jennifer: That's it. 没错。

Li: 这是个想象力很丰富的短语。 I like it.

Jennifer: It's good to be able to get your teeth into English phrases like this.

Jennifer: 能把你的牙齿变成这样的英语短语真有意思。

Li: 你说我的牙齿吗? What about my teeth?

Jennifer: It's just another phrase, silly. If you get your teeth into something, it means that you become really involved in it.

Jennifer: 这只是另一个短语，傻瓜。如果你对某事咬牙切齿，意思是你真的投入其中。

Li: Well in that case, I do love getting my teeth into a new phrase （在这种情况下，我喜欢把我的牙齿变成一个新的短语） – 好好啃一啃意思就是钻研新短语。等等我想起来，糟了。Oh no! 我刚想起来我今天十二点有牙科预约 – but look, it's ten to twelve now, I'll never make it! （可是你看，现在差十分十二点，我去不了了!）

Jennifer: You go, I'll finish the programme – if you run you might make it, but by the skin of your teeth!

Jennifer: 你走吧，我来完成节目——如果你跑的话，你可能会赶上的，但就差一点儿了!

Li: Thanks Jen – bye…

Jennifer: Bye!

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Practical Word & Expression 实用词语表达

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margin ['mɑrdʒɪn]

n. 边缘；差额；余地；界限；保证金；边距；外边距；页边空白; 白边; (获胜者在时间或票数上领先的)幅度，差额，差数; 余地; 备用的时间(或空间、金钱等)

v. 给…镶边；在…加旁注；【股】为…付保险金

revision [rɪ'vɪʒ(ə)n]

n. 修订；修改；复习；温习；版本；修正；版次

manage to do something [ˈmænɪdʒ tu duː ˈsʌmθɪŋ]

打算、设法做某事；设法做成了很难的事情；努力做好

get (one's) teeth into (something)

To start doing or become involved in something with one's utmost energy, determination, or enthusiasm. 以最大的精力、决心或热情开始做某事或参与某事。

全身心投入

【例】I'm always looking for a great book to get my teeth into.

我总是在找一本能让我投入全部精力的好书。

【例】I'd like you to get your teeth into this new project I'm developing.

我希望你能全力以赴参与我正在开发的这个新项目。

,