Lick One's Chops——熱切期待

** to relish something keenly // to anticipate something eagerly and with great pleasure

~~ 熱切期待；期盼；非常期待某件事、某個人；饞唾欲滴；垂涎三尺；饞得舐嘴唇；連聲咂嘴

~~ covet // crave // ache for // anticipate with gusto // drool流口水 // be gung ho about

!! The word "chop" is a descendant of "chap" which meant the mouth or lower jaw from about 1350 to the end of the 17th century. Licking the chaps or chops is what some animals do before or after eating. Another interpretation of a chop is a cut of meat. It is derived from the chopping motion of a butcher.（“chop”一詞是“chap”的後代，從1350年到17世紀末意為嘴或下頜。某些動物在進食前後會舔嘴。chop的另一種解釋是肉的品位，它源自屠夫的斬肉動作。）

!! "Licking one's chop" is also a musician's slang for the mouthpiece of a wind instrument. In jazz of the 1930-40s, it meant warming up to play a musical instrument.（“舔嘴”也是音樂家稱呼樂器吹口的俚語。在1930-40年代的爵士樂中，這意味着要為彈奏樂器做準備動作。）

>> Some elderly are licking their chops for an economic downturn, because the government distributes money and consumer cards, and instead of rising prices, merchants are competing for price reductions for quick sales, making their savings more valuable.（有部分老人熱切期待經濟不景，因為政府將會額外派錢和派消費卡，而且物價不但不會膨脹，商人反而爭相減價促銷，使他們積蓄更好用。）

>> The children were licking their chops as their parents described the vacation plan.

（當父母描述假期計劃時，孩子們在饞唾欲滴。）

學勤進修教育中心英語專科導師

李啟文　　教授