1. Not playing with a full deck 失魂落魄、神志不清

Deck这里指的是一副扑克牌,所以not playing with a full deck从字面解释就是在打一副缺牌的扑克。你想一副缺牌的扑克打得成牌吗?当然不成,这就跟缺心眼的人办不成事儿一样。当然,not playing with a full deck这个习惯用语是用作比喻意义的,表示不是处于完好无缺的状态。

例句-1:

Have you noticed that old man who sits on a park bench all day talking to himself? I overheard him today and he's just talking nonsense. I'm afraid the poor guy isn't playing with a full deck.
你有没有注意到整天坐在公园长凳上喃喃自语的那个老人?我偶然听到他说的全是毫无意义的废话,恐怕那可怜的家伙有点神志迷糊了。

2. Not having both oars in the water 举止笨拙、头脑不平衡

Oar是划船的桨。大多数非机动船都需要在水里划动双桨来推进。如果划船的人没把双桨都放下水中一齐划动,只有一把桨下水地乱划一气,那只船就会在原地团团转,进退不得,可见这个划船人有多笨拙。当然not having both oars in the water这个习惯用语现在不只是用来说笨拙的划船人,它的应用范围扩大了。

例句-2:

Professor Blank is so absent-minded you think he doesn't have both oars in the water. But when you go to his class and listen to his lecture, you know why everybody says he's a genius in his field.
Blank教授老是那么心不在焉、丢三拉四的,你会觉得他头脑不正常。但是如果你去上他的课,听他的讲座的话,你会发现他在自己的学术领域内可真是才华出众。