teeth /tiːθ/► SEE ALLcut your teeth on sthget/sink your teeth into sthhave teeth(do sth) in the teeth of danger, opposition, etc.set sb’s teeth on edgearmed to the teeth (with sth)bare your teethget/take the bit between your teethgive your eye teeth for sth/to do sthfed up to the back teeth with sb/sthgnash your teethgrit your teethHell’s teeth(as) rare/scarce as hen’s teethkick sb in the teethlie through your teethlike pulling teethshow your teethdo sth by the skin of your teeth ●cut your ˈteeth on sthlearn or gain experience from sth初次涉足；从…中获得初步经验◆It was a small experimental theatre company and many of today’s most successful actors cut their teeth there. 这是个小型的实验剧团，许多当今的名演员都是从这里起步的。●get/sink your ˈteeth into sth (informal) put effort and enthusiasm into sth that is difficult enough to keep you interested潜心于，致力于（有一定难度的事）◆This job is too easy. Why can’t they give me something I can really get my teeth into? 这活儿太容易了，为什么他们不能让我干点对我真正有挑战的事情呢？●have ˈteeth (BrE, informal) (of an organization, a law, etc.组织、法律等) be powerful and effective强大有效；有杀伤力◆It appears that the new legislation doesn’t have any teeth, since there has been no improvement in working conditions. 新法规似乎不太有效，因为人们的工作条件没什么改善。●(do sth) in the teeth of danger, opposition, etc.(do sth) when or even though it is dangerous or people oppose it, etc.不顾危险（或反对等）◆The new law was passed in the teeth of strong opposition. 尽管遭到了强烈的反对，新法仍然得以通过。◆They crossed the Atlantic in the teeth of a force 10 wind. 他们冒着 10 级大风穿越了大西洋。●set sb’s ˈteeth on edge1. (of a sound声音) make sb feel physically uncomfortable使人牙根发酸；使感到不舒服◆That noise is really setting my teeth on edge! Can you stop? 那噪声让我很不舒服！你能不能停下来？2.annoy sb; make sb feel tense惹恼某人；使某人感到紧张◆It sets my teeth on edge when I hear him talk to his mother so rudely. 听到他跟自己的母亲说话这么无礼，我很恼火。●ˌarmed to the ˈteeth (with sth) (informal) carrying a lot of weapons or a lot of things needed for a particular purpose武装到牙齿；全副武装◆The tourists got out of the coach, armed to the teeth with cameras, binoculars, and guidebooks.游客下了大客车，一个个全副武装，带着相机、双筒望远镜和旅游指南。●bare your ˈteethshow your teeth in a fierce and threatening way龇牙咧嘴（形容气势汹汹的样子）◆The dog bared its teeth and growled.那条狗龇牙咧嘴咆哮着。●get/take the bit between your ˈteeth (informal) start doing sth in a determined and enthusiastic way果断地做某事；义无反顾◆Once he gets the bit between his teeth in an argument, no one can stop him.他在争论中一旦拿定了主意，没有人能阻止他。ORIGINIf the horse learns to hold the bit (see previous note) between its teeth, it can no longer be controlled by the rider.如果马学会了将 bit （马嚼子）用牙齿咬住，就不再受骑手控制了。●give your eye ˈteeth for sth/to do sth (informal) (usually used with would通常与 would 连用) give anything for sth; want sth very much为得到…不惜任何代价；迫切想要…◆I’d give my eye teeth to own a car like that.要是能有一辆那样的车，我什么都愿意付出。◆He’d give his eye teeth for a job in television.为在电视台找一份工作，他愿意付出任何代价。●ˌfed up to the back ˈteeth with sb/sth ( ˌsick to the back ˈteeth of sb/sth) (informal) depressed, annoyed or bored by sb/sth烦透了；受够了◆I’m fed up to the back teeth with listening to you complaining.我听够了你的抱怨。◆She’s always playing the same CD, and I’m sick to the back teeth of it!她老是放同一张 CD，烦死我了！●gnash your ˈteethfeel very angry and upset about sth, especially because you cannot get what you want（尤指因没有如愿以偿而）咬牙切齿，非常愤怒（或沮丧）◆He’ll be gnashing his teeth when he hears that we lost the contract.他要是听说我们丢了这份合同，准会气得咬牙切齿。NOTE The basic meaning of gnash your teeth is to bite or grind them together. * gnash your teeth 的原义是“把牙咬得咯咯响”。●grit your ˈteethbe determined to continue to do sth in a difficult or an unpleasant situation下定决心；坚持忍耐◆When I was a boy, I was forced to have a cold shower every morning. I hated it but I just had to grit my teeth and do it.小时候，我被迫每天早上洗冷水澡，我很不情愿但仍然咬紧牙关坚持了下来。◆She shouted at me but I just gritted my teeth and said nothing.她对我大叫大嚷，而我只是咬紧牙关忍着什么也没说。ORIGINThe basic meaning of grit your teeth is to bite your teeth tightly together. * grit your teeth 的原义是“咬紧牙关”。●Hell’s ˈteeth (old-fashioned, BrE, spoken) used to express anger or surprise（表示愤怒或惊讶）见鬼◆Hell’s teeth, look at the time! I’m going to be late for work!见鬼，都几点了！我上班要迟到了！●(as) rare/scarce as hen’s ˈteeth (old-fashioned) extremely rare极为稀少；凤毛麟角◆Critics always complain that good movies that the whole family can see together are as scarce as hen’s teeth.评论家们总是抱怨没有什么适合全家一起看的好电影。NOTE This refers to the fact that hens do not have teeth.这个习语源于母鸡原本没有牙齿。●kick sb in the ˈteeth (informal) treat sb badly or fail to give them help when they need it粗暴地对待某人；背叛；抛弃◆The workers feel they’ve been kicked in the teeth by their employers. They have met all their orders this year but are still being made redundant.工人们觉得雇主对待他们很残酷。他们今年完成了所有的订单，可是仍然遭到解雇。▸a kick in the ˈteeth
noun
◆I expected to get that job. It was a real kick in the teeth when I didn’t.我本指望能获得那份工作，结果落空了，很受打击。●lie through your ˈteeth (informal) tell very obvious lies without being embarrassed满口谎言；撒弥天大谎；睁着眼说瞎话◆The witness was clearly lying through his teeth.证人分明是在睁着眼说瞎话。●like pulling ˈteethvery difficult像拔牙似的；非常困难◆It was like pulling teeth to get the kids to work together.叫这些孩子一起做点事比登天还难。●show your ˈteeth (BrE) do sth that shows that you are able to act aggressively and use your power in a situation if it is necessary张牙露齿；作出威吓的样子；给予警告◆Up until now the police have been very patient with the strikers, but today they really showed their teeth.直到现在警方一直对罢工者很有耐心，不过今天他们真的是发出了警告。●do sth by the ˌskin of your ˈteeth (informal) only just do sth; nearly fail to do sth勉强…；差点就没…◆We thought we’d miss the plane, but in the end we caught it by the skin of our teeth.我们以为会误了飞机，可是最后刚刚赶上。