determine that accounts are in balance, bring the two sides into equilibrium, settle an account by paying what is due
確定賬戶處于平衡狀態，力求平衡，通過支付到期款來結算賬戶
The accountant says he can't balance the books till our last check clears.
會計說上次的票款清理后才能給我們結賬。
2. Bring home the bacon 養家糊口
earn a salary, make money for your family
掙錢養家
When our parents died in an accident, and my sister and I remained alone, I had to leave college and bring home the bacon.
父母意外死亡時，我和妹妹還沒成家。所以我不得不輟學養家。
3. Go Dutch 各自付賬
share the cost of something
共同支付
When I wanted to settle the bill, she insisted on going Dutch and pay for her meal.
就在我準備結賬時，她堅持各自付賬，并支付了自己那份飯錢。
4. Gravy train 錢多活少的好差事
a source of easy money, a job that pays a lot with little work
輕易得來的錢，賺錢的清閑差事
My brother took up a job in a beach restaurant and hoped to get on board the gravy train, but in fact he had to work more than in a factory.
我哥哥在沙灘邊的餐館工作，原本以為自己找到了一份賺錢的清閑差事，可實際上，那兒的活兒比工廠還多。
5. Nest egg 儲蓄金
savings, money kept in reserve
積蓄、貯備金
Don't worry about the job you lost. We have a little nest egg to live on until you find another.
別擔心失業后的生活。我們還有一些積蓄能撐到你找到新工作。
6. Cook the books 做假賬
cheat in accounting, manipulate financial records
偽造或篡改財務報表
Nobody noticed that one of the managers was cooking the books until the company got totally bankrupt.
直到公司徹底破產以后，公司有一位經理做假賬的事才被人發現。
7. Golden handshake 解雇費
a (large) sum of money paid to an employee when he/she leaves the firm
支付給員工的一大筆離職金
Grandfather didn't really want to retire too early, but he couldn't resist the golden handshake that the company offered.
盡管祖父不打算早早退休，但是他未能抵住一大筆離職金的誘惑。
8. Cheapskate 守財奴
somebody who doesn't like to spend money
吝嗇的人
We would need a new fridge, but my husband is such a cheapskate that I don't think we'll buy one before the other completely falls apart.
家里該買新冰箱了，可丈夫是個吝嗇鬼，老冰箱沒有完全壞掉之前，他是不會同意買新冰箱的。
