11. to paint（someone or oneself）into a corner：to trap oneself or someone; to be in trouble（使自己或某人陷入困境, 应该注意的是即使主语是复数形式，corner 仍然用单数）

Don't try to paint yourself into a corner. (不要让自己身陷困境，无法脱身。)
After a heated debate with his boss, Mr. Chen has painted himself into a corner. (和老板激烈的争辩之后，陈先生处境十分不妙。)

12. to ask (someone) for (one's) hand: to ask girl's parents for marriage approval（指男人请求女方家长应允将女儿嫁给他， 这里的"someone"是指女方的家长，"one"则是指要求婚的对象，hand 只能用单数形式）

Mr. Su asked me for my daughter's hand. (苏先生到我家来向我女儿提亲。)
He has asked her parents for their daughter's hand. (他请求她的父母应允他们的婚事。)

13. to move onward and upward：to be promoted; from good to better situation（情况得以改善，或往更好的情況发展）

He hopes to move onward and upward with his current company. (他希望能在现在就职的公司里顺利发展，步步高升。)
Many young couples try to move onward and upward during their marriage. (许多年轻夫妇都希望能够婚姻美满幸福。)

14. to call a spade a spade: to be honest, blunt or frank（直言不讳，有啥说啥）

My wife always calls a spade a spade about her work situation. (我妻子对别人谈起她的工作时，总是直言不讳。)
Calling a spade a spade on foreign affairs sometimes seems difficult for diplomats. (外交官在处理外交事务的时候很难做到直言不讳。)

15. to play cat and mouse：to play games with aggressive and passive attitude（玩猫戏老鼠的把戏，欲擒故纵)

In business negotiations, there are always cat-and-mouse games. (在商业谈判中，常会有一些猫戏老鼠的把戏。）
The police have played cat and mouse with the murderer. (警察对凶犯采用的是欲擒故纵的策略。)

摘自中国日报网站(J-04)