盛气：骄横的气焰；凌：欺凌。以骄横的气势压人。形容傲慢自大，气势逼人。

put on airs and bully others

粉、墨：搽脸和画眉用的化妆品。原指演员化妆上台演戏。比喻坏人经过一番打扮，登上政治舞台。

make oneself up and go on stage/embark on a political venture

阿：迎合，偏袒。刚强正直，不逢迎，无偏私。

upright and above flattery upright and never stooping to flattery

等闲：寻常，一般。把它看成平常的事，不预重视。

treat lightly or casually

坐在井底看天。比喻眼界小，见识少。

have a very limited view (implying ignorance, short-sightedness, shallowness etc.)

副：相称，符合。名声或名义和实际不相符。指空有虚名。

the name falls short of the reality

文、饰：掩饰；过、非：错误。用漂亮的言词掩饰自己的过失和错误。

conceal faults and gloss over wrongs

逐：追随。随着波浪起伏，跟着流水漂荡。比喻没有坚定的立场，缺乏判断是非的能力，只能随着别人走。

speak or behave as others do without views of ones own, swim with the tide

显：表露，表现；身手：指本领。充分显示出本领和才能。

give a good account of oneself

流：流俗；污：肮脏。指跟坏人一起干坏事。

follow the bad example of others

崭：突出；露：显露。头上的角已明显地突出来了。指初显露优异的才能。

make a figure/cut a figure

贻笑：让人笑话；大方：原指懂得大道的人，后泛指见识广博或有专长的人。指让内行人笑话。

become a laughing stock (by showing ones ignorance)

某些才智出众的人不露锋芒，看来好象愚笨。

a man of great wisdom often appears slow-witted

高风：高尚的品格；亮节：坚贞的节操。形容道德和行为都很高尚。

noble character and sterling integrity

狼和狈一同出外伤害牲畜，狼用前腿，狈用后腿，既跑得快，又能爬高。比喻互相勾结干坏事。

work in collusion with each other

贤：有德有才的人。指用人只选有德有才的人。

appoint people on their merits

指在江河的急流中泥土和沙子随着水一起冲下。比喻好人和坏人混杂在一起。

mud and sand are carried along there is a mingling of good and bad

不屑：不值得，不愿意；顾：看。认为不值得一看。形容极端轻视。

be beneath ones notice

用另一种眼光看待。指看待某个人不同一般。也指不被重视的人得到重视。

to view in a new light

流：流传；芳：香，指好名声；百世：时间久远。好的名声永远流传下去。

leave a good name to posterity