leave sb holding the baby
（突然）把重大责任推给某人
- He changed to another job and we were left holding the baby.
他换了工作，把活儿甩给我们。
have sb over a barrel
使（某人）别无选择，使（某人）听从摆布
- She knows I need the work so she's got me over a barrel in terms of what she pays me.
她知道我需要这份工作，所以就在薪酬上难为我。 - He had me over a barrel because he knew my carefully-guarded secrets.
我受制于他，因为他掌握了我严守的秘密。
stumbling block
障碍物；绊脚石
- Lack of willingness to compromise on both sides is the main/major stumbling block to reaching a settlement.
双方都不愿妥协是问题无法解决的主要症结。 - Perhaps the major stumbling block to reunification is the military presence in South Korea.
也许实现统一最大的绊脚石是驻扎在韩国的军队。
clutch/grasp at straws
（为摆脱困境）抓救命稻草，不放过任何微小的机会
- She offered to take a pay cut to keep her job, but she was just clutching at straws.
她提出减薪以保住工作，但这只不过是在乱抓救命稻草。
draw a blank
未能答复；毫无结果
- He asked me for my phone number and I drew a blank - I just couldn't remember it.
他向我要电话号码可我却没能给他——我把号码给忘了。
face the music
接受批评（或惩罚）
- Sooner or later, I'm going to have to face the music.
迟早我得自己承担后果。
a fact of life
无法避免的事情
- Going bald is just a fact of life.
谢顶是无法避免的事情。
easier said than done
说来容易做来难；说说容易
- "Why don't you just ask Simon to pay?" "That's easier said than done."
“你为什么不让西蒙付钱？”“说得倒容易。”
