⏹ 1. an apple of discord
争斗之源；不和之因；祸根
⏹He was throwing us an apple of discord, we soon quarreled again.
⏹The dispute about inheriting estate formed an apple of discord between them.
⏹Diaoyu Islands seems to be an apple of discord between China and Japan.
⏹ 2. The Heel of Achilles
唯一弱点；薄弱环节；要害
⏹The goalkeeper is the heel of Achilles in this team.
⏹"Speaking is generally considered the Achilles' heel of Chinese students”
⏹ 3. Helen of Troy
"特洛伊的海伦“
⏹It is unfair that historians always attribute the fall of kingdoms to Helen of Troy.
⏹
She didn't think of the beautiful umbrella bought the day before should become a Helen of Troy in her family. Because of this she and her husband quarreled for a long time.
⏹
⏹ 4. The Trojan Horse
木马计；暗藏的危险；奸细
⏹The superpowers are always sending the Trojan horses to many countries in the
world.
⏹They are defeated only because of the Trojan horse in their country.
⏹
⏹ 5. Greek Gift (s)
阴谋害人的礼物；黄鼠狼拜年，不安好心
⏹He is always buying you expensive clothes, I'm afraid they are Greek gifts for you.
Comrades, be on guard against the Greek gifts!
⏹
⏹ 6. A Penelope…s Web;
The Web of Penelope
故意拖延的策略；永远做不完的工作
⏹eg:Mr Jones made a long speech at the meeting.Everyone else thought it a
Penelope's web.
My work is something like the Penelope's web,never done,but ever in hand.
⏹
⏹7. Swan Song
最后杰作；绝笔
⏹eg:All the tickets have been sold for the singer's performance in London this
week--the public clearly believes that this will be her swan song
The Tempest was W.Shakespeare's swan song in 1612
⏹
⏹8. Win/Gain Laurels
获得荣誉;赢得声望
⏹eg:Shakespeare won laurels in the dramatic world.
The student gained laurels on the football field,as well as in his studies.
Tom won the broad jump,but he had to look to his laurels Getting an A in chemistry almosst cause Mike to rest on his laurels
⏹
⏹9. Under the Rose
秘密地;私下得;暗中
⏹eg:The senator told me under the rose that there is to be a chance in the cabinet.
The matter was finally settled under the rose.
Do what you like undeer the rose,but don't give a sign of what you're about...
⏹
⏹10. The Augean Stable(s)
肮脏的地方;藏垢纳秽之所;积弊
⏹eg:how to clean the Augean stables of this city remains a critical problem.
Although they know it is not easy to reform the Augean stables of ths sociey,they are still trying to do it.
⏹
⏹11. A Procrustean Bed
“削足适履”、“截趾穿鞋” “强求一律”
⏹eg:I didn't put forth the plan as a Procrustean bed,to which exact conformity is to be
indispensable.
Don't stretch the facts to fit the Procrustean bed.
⏹
⏹12. Cut the Gordian Knot
“快刀斩乱麻”，“大刀阔斧，果断处置”
⏹eg:They have decided to cut the Gordian knot to wipe out the enemy at a blow.
Jean is afraid of everything,How can she cut the Gordian knot in her work?
⏹
⏹13. Bone of The Bone and Flesh of the Flesh
⏹eg:Our army is bone of the bone and flesh of the flesh of the people.
The I.W.W was bone of the bone and flesh of the flesh of the floating workers.(W.Foster:Pages from a Worker's Life.)
⏹
⏹14. Adam…s Apple喉结
⏹eg:Your Adam's apple isn't apparent.
Adam's apple can be more clearly seen on men than women's throats.
⏹
⏹15. Sell One‟s Birthright for a Mess of Potta ges
“贪小失大”“见利忘义”
⏹eg:It was argued that joining the Common Market...would be giving away her
national rights and advantages for a mess of pottage.
There are many,many people who are willing to prostitute their intelligence for a mess of pottage
⏹
⏹16. a Pan dora‟s box
⏹The project, which seemed so promising, turned out to be a Pandora’s box.
⏹
⏹17. between Scylla and Charybdis
“进退维谷”
⏹He would have preferred to be on good terms
⏹with both his wife and his mother, but the effort of
⏹pleasing one without offending the other was like steering between Scylla and
Charybdis.
⏹
⏹
⏹18. Sop to Cerberus
“贿赂”
⏹I can give that Cerberus a sop,I shall be at rest for one day
⏹
⏹19. labor of Sisyphus
“永无休止的苦工”。