英语俗语

sacred cow：神圣不可侵犯

Sacred cow这个说法来源于本世纪初的印度。在印度，牛是神圣的，它们可以在马路上大摇大摆地走，即便影响交通也没有人敢碰它们，因为印度古代的宗教习惯是保护它们的。但是，作为习惯用语，sacred cow是指某个人，或某样东西，从来没有受到批评或嘲笑，即便在应该批评的时候也没有人敢这样做，就像印度的牛一样。

One of our biggest sacred cows is the national social security program which pays many older Americans a pension

我们最神圣不可侵犯的项目之一就是为美国老年人提供退休金的全国社会保障计划。

This has become her sacred cow - nothing can change her schedule rain or shine.

这已经成为她神圣不可侵犯的活动了，什么事都不能改变她的日程，真是雷打不动。

cash cow：摇钱树

A cash cow is a business that is very profitable.利润丰厚的项目。

The new movie theater that they just opened by campus is a real cash cow.

学校旁边新开的那家电影院真是个摇钱树。

Play the lute to a cow: 对牛弹琴

也写作to cast pearls before swine/ preach to deaf ears

指那些说话或写东西不考虑到听众的人。一般来说，是说话人或作者高估了听众或读者，所以，这则成语嘲讽的主要是听众或观众，而不是说话者。

to kill the fatted calf: 热情款待或者欢迎离家多年的人

Sorry this meal isn't much, John. We didn't have time to kill the fatted calf.

约翰，很抱歉，饭菜不多，我们来不及设宴欢迎你。

a bull in a china shop: 一只闯进了瓷器店的公牛

to often drop or break things because you move awkwardly or roughly.

牛犊在西方文化中往往是褒义的，公牛的形象则并非如此。虽然公牛非常勇猛，但它往往表示卤莽。“a bull in a china shop”（一只闯进了瓷器店的公牛）表示既笨拙而又有破坏性的人，有时又可以指明显缺乏机智的人。

While the wife was out, the husband tried to cook a meal in the kitchen, but he was just like a bull in a china shop.

妻子外出时，丈夫想在厨房做饭，结果弄得乱其八糟。

like a bull at a（five-barred）gate：做事情做得很快，雷厉风行，快刀斩乱麻,

if you do something like a bull at a gate, you do it very quickly.

He wants to finish the shelves today so he's going at them like a bull at a gate.

他想今天把架子做好，所以做得非常快。

The Augean Stable(s) ：奥吉亚斯的牛圈（肮脏的地方，藏垢纳秽之所，积弊）

这种说法源自古希腊神话中关于赫拉克勒斯的英雄传说。奥吉亚斯（Augeas）是古希腊西部

厄利斯(Elis)的国王。他有一个极大的牛圈，里面养了2000头年（一说3000匹马），30年来未清扫过，粪秽堆积如山，十分肮脏。因此，the Augean stable=very dirty place。在这里，stable 除了泛指地点外，还可代表某些不良的制度，下流的习俗和恶劣的作风等等。由此，人们用the Augean stable这个成语来比喻非常的地方或长期形成的积弊。它常比to clean, to cleanse, to reform等动词连用，表示to bring about a drastic reform. in some public evil的意思。

Although they know it is not easy to reform. the Augean stables of this sociey, they are still trying to do it

尽管他们知道革除社会积弊非常困难，但他们仍然尽力去做。

The black Ox has trod on sb’s foot: 灾祸临头/某人已到老年

也写作The black ox has trampled on sb’s foot.

I know they have both suffered grief. They have has the black ox tread on their feet

我知道他俩都遭不幸。他们尝到了人世的悲痛。

have a cow (American)：担心，不开心，生气.

I thought he was going to have a cow when I told him I'd lost his key.

我想当我告诉他我弄丢了他的钥匙时他会很生气。

ox-eyed：大眼睛

The ox-eyed goddess joined her husband, noticed the heifer, praised its beauty, and asked whose it was and of what herd

大眼女神走到丈夫身边，注目于那头小母牛，夸奖它的俊美，又问主人是谁，属于那个牛群。