9. to tighten (one's) belt：意思是束紧裤带，省吃俭用或缩紧预算(to cut the budget)
例如：The government has to tighten its belt due to a large deficit. (由於庞大的赤字，政府必须缩紧预算。)
He tried to tighten his belt after he lost his job. (他失业後，想办法省吃俭用。)
但也可指真正的束紧腰带：Mrs. Chen has tightened her belt because she lost twenty pounds. (陈太太缩紧了腰带因为她瘦了廿磅)
10. to put (one's) best foot forward:意思是全力以赴，给人以尽可能好的印象，包括礼貌、举止、说话、外表等等
(to get first good impression including manners, speech, appearance, etc.)。
例如：When you go for a job interview, put your best foot forward.
(当你求职面试时，首先要尽量给人良好的印象。)
We all have to put our best foot on this project.
(我们对这个计画要做得好才能给别人一个好印象。)
(注：通常不用复数feet，因为同时伸出两只脚，一定会跌倒，即使主词是多数，也是如此。)
11. to miss a trick:意思是不了解全部实况或不能细心察看
(not to figure out a situation；don't know everything that is going on；not very perceptive of every situation.)
(反之，does not miss a trick就是对全部情况非常了解。)
例如：He states emphatically that he never seems to miss a trick with his staff.
(他强调他对下属是明察秋毫，无所不知。)
We can not pull the wool over his eyes because he does not miss a trick.
(我们瞒不过他，因为他对所有的事，都很清楚。)
Parents should not miss a trick regarding what their children are doing.
(父母对儿女所做所为，应该细心察看，不可忽略。) He was fired because he missed all the tricks.(由於他对事不能细心观察而被解雇。) (有人认为：如果说一个人十分“精明”，事事“明察秋毫”，似乎有点“spy”的味道，所以不是恭维话，读者以为然否？)
12. to nickel and dime (someone)：意思是一点一滴的小事或微不足道的服务，都要收费
(to charge someone for every little thing or service)(既不是诈骗也非违法。)
例如：Sometimes the lawyer will nickel and dime you for every service he (she) provides.
(有时律师为了微不足道的服务也要向你收费。)
Many people were nickeled and dimed by their lawyers. The phone company is continually trying to nickel and dime us.
(电话公司为了琐屑细节的服务，不停地向我们要每一个铜板。)
(注：本来nickel是五分钱，dime是一毛钱，现在当做动词用，过去式和过去分词是：nickeled, nickeled; dimed, dimed)
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