习语可以是一个词或短语，要理解习语的意思不能脱离其文化背景。习语一词的含义甚广，其蕴含的意义往往不能从词或词组的字面意思推测而得。习语在所有语言中都很常见。英语习语是日常英语的重要组成部分。在英语的书面语和口语中，存在海量的习语。
今天举例27个有关描述人特点的习语。
儒琴今日习语（Idiom of the Day）
put your foot in it
英文解释：say or do something tactless or embarrassing.
中文解释：无意中说出让人尴尬（或生气）的话
举例：I really put my foot in it when I asked her about her job. I didn’t know she had just been fired.
like two peas in a pod
英文解释：used to say that two people or things are very similar to each other
中文解释：一模一样
举例：Ever since John met Mark at high school, they have been like two peas in a pod. They are always together, they never leave each other’s side.
as sharp as a knife ( razor )
英文解释：be quick, bright, clever, quick-witted
中文解释：敏捷，聪明，聪明，机智等等
举例：My grandmother’s became very physically incapacitated as she grew older, but her mind was as sharp as a razor until the day she died.
Not the sharpest tool in the shed
英文解释：someone who is thought to be unintelligent in some way; slow to perceive or understand something
中文解释：不聪明；比较笨；察觉或理解事物慢
举例：Ahmed might not be the sharpest tool in the shed for this project, as he is not good at socializing.
calm and collected
英文解释：not upset : not very bothered by things
中文解释：淡定；冷静沉着；很自信
举例：James did very well in his TV appearances. He stayed calm and collected. The bad news didn’t seem to distress Jane at all. She remained calm and collected.
chalk and cheese
英文解释：the two are very different from each other;
中文解释：截然不同;完全不同
举例：But anyone can see that they are chalk and cheese. The two families are as different as chalk and cheese
rain or shine
英文解释：used to say that something will happen even it rains The party will be on Tuesday, rain or shine. —sometimes used figuratively for no matter what happens
中文解释：不管晴天或下雨;风雨无阻; ,引申：无论如何，不管发生什么情况
举例：She is very helpful rain or shine. Come rain or shine, I’ll see you on Thursday. He goes jogging every morning, rain or shine.
big-boned
英文解释：(of a person or animal) of larger than average build.
中文解释：委婉说某人”胖”，
举例：He is tall and big-boned. If you are big-boned or tall, avoid small jewellery, belts and handbags.
to get on a bit
英文解释：getting old
中文解释：委婉说某人“衰老”，“变老”
举例：”Are there bags under your eyes, are you getting on a bit?” I think he is talking about how afraid one can get when one starts getting old.
vertically challenged
英文解释：not tall in height; short.
中文解释： 委婉说某人”个子不高“，”身材矮”
举例：I’m not bothered about being vertically challenged. It’s hard to see everything, especially if you’re vertically challenged.
spitting image
英文解释：someone or something that looks very much like someone or something else
中文解释：非常像某人；或非常像某物；一模一样; 酷似
举例：Ashley was a spitting image of her mother: brown curls, blue-gray eyes, a willowy, graceful body. He also has dim recollections of his encounter with Ofelia, the spitting image of the woman in the portrait in the sitting room.
loose cannon
英文解释：somebody may talk or say something bad without thinking or realising it; a dangerously uncontrollable person or thing
中文解释：有些人可能会无意识地说一些不好的话; 危险的无法控制的人或物
举例：Watch out for Justin. He’s a loose cannon, especially when he’s in a bad mood. The candidate turned out to be a loose cannon, and most of the voters could not place their trust on him.
run in the family
英文解释：If a quality, ability, disease, etc. runs in the family, many members of the family have it.
中文解释：家族遗传，世代相传
举例：Many of her family members are artists. Art runs in her family. We’re all ambitious – it seems to run in the family.
as bright as a button
英文解释：intelligently alert and lively.
中文解释：聪明的，思维敏捷
举例： My wife accepts her situation and is as bright as a button. She may be only six years old, but she’s bright as a button.
think on your feet
英文解释：react to events decisively, effectively, and without prior thought or planning
中文解释：随机应变；思维敏捷, 反应迅速；急中生智
举例：Being a parent means thinking on your feet and adapting as you go along. Lawyers need to be able to think on their feet when they’re in the courtroom.
To know something like the back of your hand
英文解释：you know that person or that thing very, very well.
中文解释：了如指掌
举例：I’ve read this book so many times, I know it like the back of my hand. You should ask Samantha for directions—she knows this town like the back of her hand.
hit it off
英文解释：to like someone and become friendly immediately
中文解释：（与某人）相处得好，合得来
举例：I didn’t really hit it off with his friends. If you two really can’t hit it off together, our employer will find somebody else to work with you
see eye to eye
英文解释：If two people see eye to eye, they agree with each other.
中文解释：同意，看法一致
举例：My sisters don’t see eye to eye with me about the arrangements. His father and he sees eye to eye on most things. He is looking for a new job as he does not see eye to eye with his manager.
after your own heart
英文解释：having the same opinions or interests as you
中文解释：与（某人）观点（或兴趣）相同；情趣相同
举例：When you brought chocolates I knew you were a woman after my own heart. In short, Annie is a girl after your own heart and she told me to give her love to you and ask you to love her.
second to none
英文解释：the best, worst, fastest； as good as or better than all others
中文解释：最好的；不比任何人差； 最好的,第一流的
举例： The city’s public transportation system is second to none. As a critic he was second to none in his own time, and even yet one can admire the delicacy and the skill with which he handles his subject.
highly strung
英文解释：tense and easily upset; excitable; nervous
中文解释：紧张，容易心烦; 易激动的；
举例：He is high-strung and prone to nervous excitement, but is an effective and caring leader to the detective squad.
know-it-all
英文解释：a person who behaves as if they know everything.
中文解释：自称无所不知的,门儿清；假装博学多闻的人
举例：I didn’t like her at first because she seemed to be a know-it-all, she rolled her eyes at me a lot whenever I was trying to be funny. In other words, he comes across as a vainglorious know-it-all, absolutely convinced that he’s right about everything. （wordhippo.com）
suffer fools gladly
英文解释：to be kind to and patient with people who are annoying or bothersome —usually used in negative statements
中文解释：对那些令人讨厌或讨厌的人友善且有耐心——通常用于否定句；耐着性子与蠢人相处, 对傻里傻气的人有耐心；迁就笨人;容忍愚蠢者;
举例：My mother was a woman who did not suffer fools gladly.
set in your ways
英文解释：unwilling to change one’s habits, behaviors, opinions, etc.
中文解释：不愿意改变自己的习惯、行为、观点等
举例：His grandparents are set in their ways. They won’t use technology for their daily routine. After having lived alone for years, she was set in her ways. If he had not been so set in his ways, he would have understood his teen-aged nephew better. (theidioms.com)
come down on (one) like a ton of bricks
英文解释：To punish someone swiftly and harshly.
中文解释：迅速而严厉地惩罚某人
举例：Mom will come down on you like a ton of bricks if you come home past curfew again. When I was caught cheating on a test, the principal came down on me like a ton of bricks. （thefreedictionary.com）
cool as cucumber
英文解释：very calm or very calmly, especially when this is surprising
中文解释：比喻一个人非常地淡定和冷静，镇定自若
举例： I was petrified to take the stage, but Alice was as cool as a cucumber. Practicing meditation has helped me to be as cool as a cucumber in times of trouble. (thefreedictionary.com)
fly off the handle
英文解释：To become uncontrollably angry; to lose control of one’s temper.
中文解释：大发雷霆
举例：He’s extremely irritable – he flies off the handle at the slightest thing.
