英语俚语天天说 第47期:只涉小钱的,微不足道的 Nickel-and-dime(在线收听

   介绍: NICKLE N I C K LE 镍 是美元中五分钱的硬币

  Dime D I M E是美元中十分钱的铸币
  dime是值十美分的硬币。 dime的价值虽然是nickel的两倍, 但是dime也只是一枚很小的硬币,而且dime跟 nickel相比是既小又薄,原因是过去曾经用比镍贵重得多的银子来铸造dime。
  Nickle-and-dime can be used as a verb, and it can also be used as an adjective. Let’s see what does it mean by knowing some examples. Suppose a dad is complaining about his kids that they often ask him for money.
  Nickel-and-dime既可以被当作一个动词来用,也可以作为一个形容词。我们还是通过例句来领会它的意思吧。先看一位爸爸在抱怨自己两个十多岁的子女老向父母要零花钱,数目虽然不大, 但是长年累月、积少成多,也成为负担了。请注意他话里的习惯用语nickel-and-dime是个复合动词:
  例句1:Our kids Bill and Susie nickel-and-dime my wife and me to death. It's just a few dollars every time, but it never stops and after a while it adds up to so much money it makes quite a hole in our pockets.
  他说:他们的孩子Bill和Susie老问他和太太来要零花钱,烦得要命。虽然每回只是几美元,但是没完没了,长此以往, 就成了一大笔钱,好象他们口袋里有个窟窿似的。
  这段话里的复合动词nickel-and-dime意思显然是零打碎敲地长期消耗,而花费了大笔钱财。刚才说过习惯用语nickel-and-dime也可以当形容词用。比方说,在这句话里:
  例句2:He has a little nickle-and-dime business that makes just enough money to put food on the table and pay the rent.
  这句话是说一个人有个小本经营的小买卖,挣来的钱刚够饭钱和房租。
  这里的nickle-and-dime描绘business,是形容词,意思就是“小本经营的”,或者“微不足道的”
  原文地址:http://www.tingroom.com/lesson/lytts/295164.html