若按字面意思去理解英语中的一些短语，有的时候的理解很容易让人望文生义，甚至会让人哭笑不得，比如 kick the habit 或 face the music 等，它们都不是它们的字面意思，各自都有其他的寓意。1.kick the habit不意为“踢习惯”，而意为“戒掉（坏）习惯” She used to bite her nails but she kicked the habit last year.她过去常咬指甲，但去年改掉了。I've really been trying to kick my habit of compulsive shopping lately, but it's a lot harder than I thought it would be.我最近真的在努力改掉强迫购物的习惯，但这比我想象的要困难得多。2. face the music 不意为“面对音乐”，而意为“承担后果，接受批评”等You have to face the music eventually.你最终得接受批评。He’s been cheating us out of our money for years and now it’s time for him to face the music.他多年来一直骗取我们的钱，现在是他该接受惩罚的时候了。
同理 hit the road 或 hit the rail 不意为“打路”，而是指开始一个旅程或动身回家，意为“离开，出发，上路”，意思相当于 depart，leave 或短语动词 set out 等。当指开始一个旅行时，主要用于指的是公路旅行，而不是表示飞机或火车旅行，例如：1. hit the road:We’d better pack the car and hit the road before it gets dark.我们最好在天黑前把车收拾好上路。I’d love to stay and have dinner, but I’d better hit the road.我很想留下来吃晚饭，但我最好还是出发吧。I'd love to stay longer but I must be hitting the road.我很想多呆一会儿，但我得出发了。We'd better hit the road before traffic gets even worse.我们最好在交通变得更糟之前出发。2. depart:The train for Cambridge will depart from platform 9.去剑桥的火车将从9号站台开出。We would like to remind all our guests to leave their keys at reception before they depart.我们想提醒所有客人在出发前把钥匙留在接待处。3. leave: The plane leaves Heathrow at 12.35.飞机于12:35在希思罗机场起飞。Your flight to Perth will leave from Terminal 4.飞往珀斯的航班将从4号航站楼起飞。4. set out:They set out on the last stage of their journey.他们动身踏上最后一段行程。They set out in a westerly direction along the riverbank.他们沿着河岸向西出发了。Hit 可以意为“达到（某地），因此 hit the road 中的 hit 可以理解为”到路上“，那么它就表示要准备出发了。跟 hit 的用法的类似，英语中还有一个单词 roll，它可以意为”滚动“，那么 be ready to roll 或 Let's roll 也可以表示准备开始或动身，例如：be ready to roll:Give me a call when you're ready to roll and I'll meet you outside.你准备好动身时打电话给我，我在外面等你。let's roll: I think I've had enough of this party. Let's roll, Sarah.我想我已经受够了这个聚会。我们出发吧，莎拉。That's everything we need from the store. Let's roll!这就是我们从商店需要的一切。我们开始吧！
