在美式英語中，人們穿着的各種服裝名稱經常是組成一些習慣用語的主要成份。今天我們來講講由 shirt 這個詞組成的俗語。

1. a stuffed shirt

stuffed 這個詞有好幾種解釋，有時是指裝的滿滿的。在某種情況下是吃得過飽的意思。那麼，a stuffed shirt 是什麼意思呢？a stuffed shirt 是指那些愛擺架子，表現得神氣十足的人。對于這種人我們最好是敬而遠之。比如說：

My boss is a stuffed shirt: all he talks about is how important his ancestors are, how he was number one in his class at his university, and the wonderful things he thinks he's done for our company.

我的老闆老是愛擺架子，吹噓自己。他一開口就是說他的祖先的地位有多麼重要，他在大學念書時又如何成為他們班裡的第一名，還自稱對我們公司作出了多大的貢獻等等。

2. to give you the shirt off his back

從字面上來解釋，to give you the shirt off his back 就是把他的襯衣從背上拿下來給你。一個人要是肯把襯衣脫下來給你的話，那就是一個在你患難的時候能拿出他所有的一切來幫忙的人。這種朋友是很可貴的。我們來舉一個例子：

Of course Dad gets mad at me sometimes for no good reason. But if I ever need it, I know he would give me the shirt off his back.

我父親有時對我發火也不見得有什麼道理。但是,隻要我需要，他總是會盡一切力量幫助我的。

Peter never says very much. But when he hears about somebody who's sick in the hospital or lost his job, he's always the first to put his hand in his pocket and bring out money to help. Yes, sir, he's the kind of man who'd give you the shirt off his back.

Peter 這個人平時話不多。但是，每當他聽說某人有病進了醫院，或失了業，他總是第一個拿錢出來幫忙。是的，他是這種會盡力幫助别人的人。

今天我們講了兩個和 shirt 這個詞有關的俗語，一個是：a stuffed shirt，這是指那些愛擺架子，表現得神氣十足的人；另外一個是 to give you the shirt off his back，這是指盡自己的力量幫助别人。