4. 意译

       当直译原文结果会令人颇为费解或造成误解时，如使用套译的效果不理想，还可以采用意译。例如：

       Look at the chaps in politics and business, whose whole lives were passed in skating on thin ice, and getting knighted for it.

       试看那些政治上和商业上的家伙们，他们整个儿的生活都是在风险中度过的，可是都因此封了爵。（to skate on thin ice 若直译为“如履薄冰”，则会产生谨慎从事的联想，有违原意。）

       to come like a dog at a whistle

       一呼即来

       Hilter was once as proud as a peacock.

       希特勒曾是一个不可一世的家伙。

       Mary and her mother are as like as two peas.

       玛丽和她妈妈长得一模一样。（而不是“像两颗豌豆一样相似”）

       再如：

       She likes to rubber-neck.

       她爱问长问短。

       start a hare

       话离本题

       to bring down the house

       全场喝彩

       plain sailing

       一帆风顺

       to show one's clean heels

       逃之夭夭

       to go on a wild goose chase

       枉费心机

       as greedy as a wolf

       贪得无厌

       Every bean has its black.

       人皆有短处。

       5. 直译加意译

       这种译法既能保持原文的比喻形象，同时又能明白清楚地表达寓意。例如：

       laugh off one's head

       笑掉了牙

       break the earth

       破土动工

       wash off one's hands

       洗手不干