与动物有关的8条习语

英语中，许多习语与动物相关，下面几条最为常用！小伙伴们快点记下，和朋友们聊天秀起来！

Animal trainers Hans and Mary Klose perform during the last show of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York, May 21, 2017. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson

1. Monkey business
1.猢狲把戏

silly or deceitful behavior; stupid or time-wasting activity
愚蠢行为或欺骗行为；毫无意义或浪费时间的举动

Our accountant has been fired as there was some monkey business with the books.
会计师对账单做了手脚，已经遭到解雇。

Are you still fiddling about with those old tools? Stop the monkey business and get some new ones.
还在摆弄这些旧工具吗？别浪费时间了，换套新的吧。

2. Rat race
2.激烈的竞争

an exhausting routine, a hectic struggle for success
累人的工作，为了成功拼命奋斗

I’m so tired of the rat race. I’d love to retire and move to the country.
这里竞争过于激烈，让人感到精疲力竭。我打算退休，移居乡下了。

She started to work from home as she couldn’t stand the rat race at the office.
由于不能忍受办公室激烈的竞争环境，她开始在家办公了。

3. Cat burglar
3.飞贼

a stealthy burglar who climbs into buildings, usually through upper windows, skylights, etc.
鬼鬼祟祟的盗贼，通常通过窗户、天窗进入建筑物内

Grandfather’s old telescope has disappeared from the loft. It must have been a cat burglar that took it.
阁楼里祖父珍藏已久的望远镜不见了，一定是飞贼把它偷走了。

The inspector was surprised by the exploits of a cat burglar who only stole from upper floors and attics.
有个飞贼只从上层楼面和阁楼偷窃，这令巡视员吃惊不已。

4. Top dog
4.主要人物

the most important person in a group, somebody with the dominant position or highest authority
一群人中的关键人物，占主导地位或极有威信

I don’t want to be the top dog at our company, I just do my job as well as I can.
我从未想过成为公司的主要人物，只是尽我所能做好工作。

Peter is the top dog at English in our class.
皮特是我们班英语成绩最好的人。

5. Cash cow
5.摇钱树

a dependable source of income; a product or service that makes money
可靠的收入来源；赚钱的产品或服务

Our company’s cash cow is the sales department, which makes enough income to finance the developers.
销售部是我们公司的摇钱树，向开发部提供了大量资助。

The publisher saw the new bestseller as a cash cow.
出版商把最新的畅销作品视为摇钱树。

6. Eager beaver
6.干事卖力的人

an enthusiastic hard worker; someone very excited to start a task
做事勤奋的人；做事卖力的人

The new secretary is an eager beaver. Although she comes to work at seven every day, she’s the last to leave in the evening.
新来的秘书做事勤奋。虽然每天七点就来上班，但总是最晚下班的人。

Don’t be an eager beaver; we have plenty of time to do this job.
别那么卖命，我们有的是时间。

7. Road hog
7.鲁莽的驾驶员

a inconsiderate driver, someone who drives carelessly and selfishly
不顾他人安危的司机，开车马虎，十分自私

Sorry that we’re so slow, but there is no way to overtake that road hog in front of us.
抱歉速度太慢，但是我们无法超越前面那个乱抢路的司机。

A road hog nearly ran me over at the crossing as he failed to stop at the sign.
在十字路口，一位鲁莽的司机没能及时看到标识停车，差点撞到我。

8. Black sheep
8.害群之马

an undesirable member of a group, a disliked person, somebody who causes shame or embarrassment due to deviation
群体中不受欢迎之人，给群体抹黑、危害集体的人

Don’t be surprised that he doesn’t want to take over father’s business, he’s always been the black sheep of the family.
他本来就不打算继承父业，别惊讶，他一直是家里的败家子。

They called me the black sheep as I didn’t want to go to the pub and play billiards with them.
就因为我不想去酒吧跟他们打台球，他们就说我不合群。

（来源：沪江英语 作者：葡萄小丸子 编辑：Julie）