Phrase January 08, 2017 follow suit 仿效 (e.g.) When one airline reduces its prices, the rest soon follow suit. by no means = not at all (e.g.) The product of this hard work is by no means simply a symbolic gesture. not so much sth as sth 與其說是…還不如說是… I lay down not so much to sleep as to think. 我躺下來與其說是要睡覺，倒不如說是要思考。 They’re not so much lovers as friends. 他們與其說是戀人，不如說是朋友。 I don’t feel angry so much as sad. 與其說我憤怒，例不如說我悲哀。 進退兩難 This is a Catch-22 (situation). between a rock and a hard place 岩石與硬壁之間 between the devil and the deep blue sea cannot .. too adj 再..也不為過 (e.g.) You cannot be too careful when crossing the street. (e.g.) We can’t emphasize the importance of the environmental protection too much. nothing but 只不過..; 只 (e.g.) He drinks nothing but beer. (e.g.) I have nothing but you. anything but 什麼都(有/是)，除了sth； (e.g.) I have anything but a girlfriend. (e.g.) He is anything but an honest man. never .. but (+S) + V / never .. without Ving 每次都 (e.g.) It never rains but it pours. * 每次下雨都是傾盆大雨 (e.g.) He never appears without complaining his life. nothing more than 只不過是.. (e.g.) After the accident, she can do nothing more than moving her eyes. .. the last (thing/person)… 最不可能 (e.g.) The last thing I want to do is to give up. (e.g.) You are the last person that will let me down. make yourself at home 不用客氣；不用拘束 get get through 完成 / 熬過 (e.g.) It’s been a long day. I don’t know how to get through it. 今天真是辛苦，我不知道該怎麼熬過這一天。 get serious 認真 (e.g.) Okay, we’ve had enough fun for now. Let’s get serious. 我們已經歡樂很久了，現在該認真了。 get over 克服 / 從某事恢復過來 (e.g.) Andrew is desperate. He hasn’t got over his breakup with his ex-girlfriend. Andrew 很絕望，他還沒有走出和前女友分手的情傷。 take/make a note / 記下 或紀錄 take note of sth 留意 in the long run 從長遠來看；長期下來 ostensible /ɑːˈsten.sə.bəl/ 另有目的的 (e.g.) Their ostensible goal was to clean up government corruption, but their real aim was … come as a surprise 跌破眼鏡；令人感到驚訝 sonner or later 遲早 (e.g.) They are sonner or later … make a comeback 捲土重來；東山在起 take a deep dive into .. / dive deeper into .. 深入研究 take turns 輪流 = take it in turn(s) (in turn = by turn) (e.g.) We take turns answering the phone. (e.g.) Each of us takes a break in turn. something is off means “something unusual, not quite right”