胆小如“鸡”与“chicken out”

美国俚语中，“chicken”可用来表示“胆小的”，常用的一个和“chicken”有关的习语是：chicken out。

“chicken out”的意思是：原来计划好做一件事，但是到最后一刻却害怕了，感到完成不了，于是便中途停止或放弃，也可以说是临阵退缩。这种事情几乎每个人都在不同情况下经历过…

Today I was sure I could work up my courage and dive off the ten meter board at the pool. I walked right out to the edge, but then I chickened out—it looked like a long way down to the water!
我原来以为今天我肯定会鼓足了勇气从游泳池那个十米高的跳台上跳下去。可是，当我走到跳台边缘的时候却退缩。从跳台到水面的距离看起来好远啊！

下面再来看一个例子：

My friend Joe was planning to get married for the fourth time. But at the last moment he chickened out because his first three marriages ended in divorce and he was afraid to take another chance.
我的朋友乔原来准备要第四次结婚。可是，到了最后一刻他胆怯了，因为他结过三次婚，最后结局都是离婚，所以他怕这次又会不成功。

我害怕蛇。I’m afraid of snakes.
★ snake n. 蛇

我害怕置身于狭小的空间里。I have a fear of being in small places.
★ fear n. 害怕，恐惧

你吓坏我了。You scared me. = You frightened me.
○ You scared me to death. 你把我吓死了。
★ scare v. 惊吓，使受吓
★ frighten v. 使惊吓
★ death n. 死亡

那部恐怖电影吓得我头发都竖起来了。 That horror movie made my hair stand on end.
● horror movie“恐怖电影”
● make one’s hair stand on end“使某人吓得头发都竖起来了”

我们目睹了这起意外，都吓坏了。 We were horror-stricken when we saw the accident.
★ horror-stricken a. 吓坏的（= horrow-struck）

我都吓傻了。I was scared silly.
○ I get scared. 我害怕了。
○ I almost lost it. 吓得我不知所措。

吓得我不寒而栗。My blood ran cold.
★ blood n. 血

吓得我起了一声鸡皮疙瘩。It gave me goose bumps.
★ goose n. 鹅（其复数形式为geese）
★ bump bumpn. 隆起部分，肿块
★ pimple n. 疙瘩，丘疹
● goose bumps = goose pimples“鸡皮疙瘩”

FUN 轻松：看图

chip in 凑钱
We all chipped in to buy Jennifer a going-away present.
我们大家都凑了钱买一个送别礼物给詹妮弗。