Idioms

Idioms ( thành ngữ )
THÀNH NGỮ THEO ALPHABET
A
Thành ngữ Giải thích và cách sử dụng Nghĩa tiếng Việt
tương đương
Against the clock If you do something against the clock, you are
rushed and have
very little time to do it. Đua với thời gian
Ex: They are working against the clock to have

the presentation ready for Monday.
All clear If you are allowed to do something after a check-
up to make sure that everything is all right, you get
the all clear.
Ex: Dad says he's going to play golf as soon as he

gets the all clear from his doctor."
All ears To say that you are all ears means that you are
listening very attentively.
Ex: Of course I want to know - I'm all ears!

All in your head If something is all in your head, it is not real. It is
in your imagination. Trong tưởng tượng
của bạn thôi!
Ex: Don't be silly. Nobody is trying to harm
you. It's all in your head!"
Answer for If someone has to answer for something, they
have to accept responsibility for their actions. Chịu tránh nhiệm
Ex: He will have to answer for his dishonesty.

Argue the toss If you argue the toss, you dispute a decision or
choice which has already been made. Nói đi nói lại
Ex: The final choice was made yesterday, so

don'targue the toss now!
Asking for Someone who is asking for trouble is behaving
trouble stupidly and is likely to have problems. Tự tìm rắc rối
Ex: Driving fast on these roads is really asking

for trouble!
At all costs If you are determined to obtain or achieve
something at all costs, you want it regardless of Bằng mọi giá
the expense, effort or sacrifice involved.
S ư u t ầ m , t ổ n g h ợ p P a g e 14 | 69
Ex: The journalist was determined at all costs to
get a report from the war zone."
Leave somebody If someone is left holding the baby, they are

holding the baby made responsible for a problem that others Để lại “việc rắc rối”
don't want to deal with. cho ai đó dọn (trong
công việc)
Ex: When the angry customer started to
complain,
my colleague disappeared and left me holding
the baby."
A bad egg To refer to someone as a bad egg means that
they cannot be trusted. Người không đáng
tin
Ex: I don't want my son to be friends with
Bobby Smith. Boby's a bad egg."
A bad hair day Originating as a humorous comment about
one's hair being unmanageable, this term has Một ngày tồi tệ
broadened to mean a day when everything
seems to go wrong'.
Ex: What's wrong with Jenny? Is she having a

bad hair day?
In bad shape A person who is in bad shape is in poor
physical condition. Trong thể trạng
không tốt
Ex: I really am in bad shape. I need to get
some exercise.
In the bag If you think something is in the bag, you are
almost certain it will be achieved. Nắm chắc trong tay
Ex: An hour before the polling stations closed,

victory seemed in the bag for the Conservative
candidate.
In the balance If something is in the balance, it means the
situation is uncertain and it is not clear what is Đưa lên bàn cân
going to happen.
Ex: The future of the company is in the

balance while the takeover bid is being
examined.
Balancing act When you try to satisfy two or more people or
groups who have different needs, and keep Làm dâu trăm họ
everyone happy, you perform a balancing act.
Ex: Many people have to perform a

balancing actbetween work and family.
Have a ball If you have a ball, you enjoy yourself.
Ex: The party was great. We had a ball.

That's the way Things don't always work out as planned, and
the ballbounces there's nothing we can do about it - that's life! Cuộc sống là thế
Ex: He didn't get the prize he expected, but

never mind - that's the way the ball bounces.
Bar fly A bar fly refers to someone who spends a lot
of time drinking in bars and pubs.
Ex: You'll find Johnny down at the pub - he's a

real bar fly!
Bear something If someone asks you to bear something in
in mind mind, they are telling you to remember it Luôn ghi nhớ rằng
because it is important.
Ex: You must bear in mind that the cost of

living is higher in New York."
It beats me! This expression is used to express surprise at
something that you find difficult to understand.
Ex: It beats me how he can live in that

horrible apartment!
Behind closed If something takes place behind closed doors,
doors it is done privately, with no observers or Đằng sau bức màn
intruders.
Ex: The matter was discussed behind closed

doors.
Behind the times A person who is behind the times has old-
fashioned ideas and does not keep up with Lỗi thời
modern life in general.
Ex: Jane doesn't have a mobile phone. She's

completely behind the times.
Behind bars Someone who is behind bars is in prison.
Ex: If you hang around with that gang, you'll
find yourself behind bars in no time.
Tighten If you need to tighten your belt, you must
your belt spend your money carefully. Thắt chặt hầu bao
Ex: Another bill? I'll have to tighten my

belt this month!
Bet your bottom If you bet your bottom dollar on something,
dollar you are absolutely certain of it.
Ex: Jack is very punctual. You can bet your

bottom dollar he'll be here at 9 o'clock on the
dot.
Better late than When someone does something late, this
never remark means that it's Có còn hơn không
better to do it late than not do it at all.
"Do you know what time it is? You promised
you'd come early to help me - but better late
than never I suppose!"
Better safe than It's better to be too cautious than to be careless
sorry and have regrets later.
"Let's book tickets in advance - better safe
than sorry!"
Think better of If you think better of something, you decide
something not to do something that you intended doing. Để coi sao đã
Ex: I wanted to go shopping, but when I saw

the crowded car park, I thought better of it."
It's beyond me The expression "it's beyond me" means: "it's
impossible for me to understand.” Thật khó hiểu
Ex: It's beyond me why Mary wants to marry

John.
Big cheese This expression refers to a person who has a
lot of power and influence in an organization. Người có ảnh hưởng
Ex: Tom's father is a big cheese in the oil

industry.
Big picture To refer to the big picture means the overall
situation, or the project as a whole, rather than Chiến lược tổng thể
the details.
Ex: While each aspect is important, try not to

forget the big picture.
For the birds If you think something is for the birds, you
consider it to be uninteresting, useless, or not
to be taken seriously.
Ex: As far as I'm concerned, his theory is for

the birds!
Kill If you kill two birds with one stone, you Một mũi tên bắn
two birds with succeed in doing two things at the same time. chết 2 con nhạn
one stone.
Bite the hand If you bite the hand that feeds you, you are Nuôi ong tay áo
that feeds you unfriendly or do harm to someone who is kind
to you.
Bite your tongue If you bite your tongue, you try not to say
what you really think or feel. Uốn lưỡi bảy lần
trước khi nói
Ex: It was difficult for me not to react; I had
to bite my tongue.
Make If something makes your blood boil, it makes
your blood boil you really angry. Giận sôi máu
Ex: His condescending attitude made my

blood boil!
Make If something makes your blood run cold, it
your blood run shocks or scares you a lot. Sợ (sốc) lạnh xương
cold sống
Ex: The look in the prisoner's eyes made my
blood run cold.
Lick To say that one person licks another person's
someone's boots bootsmeans that they are trying to please that Nịnh hót
person, often in order to obtain something.
Ex: He wants to get the job, so he clicks the

boss’s boots.
On the bottle A person who drinks alcoholic drinks often

and regularly is on the bottle. Sáng xỉn chiều say
Ex: Joe went on the bottle when he lost his

job.
Business is This is a way of saying that in financial and
business commercial matters, friendship or personal Công việc là công
feelings should not be allowed to have any việc!
influence.
Ex: I'll hire your brother only if he is the best

candidate. I'm sorry but business is
business!"
C
A piece of cake To refer to something as a piece of cake means
that you consider it to be very easy. Dễ như ăn
bánh
Ex: The English test was a piece of cake!
Slice of the cake When people feel entitled to a share of the
benefits or profits, they want a (larger) slice of
the cake.
Ex: Since profits are higher this year, the workers

feel they deserve a bigger slice of the cake.
Sell like hot cakes Things that sell like hot cakes sell quickly or in
large quantities. Bán như tôm
tươi
Can of worms To describe a situation as a can of worms means
that it is complicated, unpleasant and difficult to “Một đống
deal with. rắc rối”
(việc lộn
Ex: The discovery of the transfer of funds turned xộn khó giải
out to be a real can of worms." quyết)
Play your cards right This means that you do all that is necessary in
order to succeed. Dùng đúng
chiêu thức
Ex: If we play our cards right, we'll get the
contract.
Put/lay one's cards on If you put your cards on the table, you speak
the table honestly and openly about your feelings and Lật ngửa
intentions. ván bài
Ex: Let's clear the air and put our cards on the
table.
Carrot and stick If you use a carrot-and-stick approach, you use
the promise of reward and the threat of Cây gậy và
punishment to make somebody work harder. củ cà rốt
Ex: Some parents use a carrot-and-

stick approach to obtain good results from their
children.
Carry the can (for If you carry the can for another person, you
someone else) accept blame or take responsibility for something
that goes wrong, even if it is not your fault or
only partly.
Ex: The author didn't turn up for the interview

and his agent had to carry the can.
A cash cow A product or service which is a regular source of
income for a company is called a cash cow.
Ex: His latest invention turned out to be a real

cash cow.
Cat-and-dog life This term refers to a life in which partners are
constantly or frequently quarrelling. Như chó với
mèo
Ex: They lead a cat-and-dog life. I don't know
why they stay together."
Catch somebody's eye If someone catches your eye, you find them
attractive. thu hút ai đó
Ex; The pretty girl near the door caught his eye.
Cause a stir If something causes a stir, it creates an
atmosphere of excitement or great interest. tạo sự sôi
động
Ex: The arrival of the actress caused quite a
stir in the village.
Change the face of When an innovation, discovery or event changes
something the face of something, it alters it completely or Thay đổi bộ
in a major way. mặt của...
Ex: Social networks have changed the face of

modern communication."
Change of heart If someone has a change of heart, they change
their attitude or feelings, especially towards Thay lòng
greater friendliness or cooperation. đổi dạ
Ex: He was against charity, but he had a change

of heart when he saw the plight of the homeless.
Chase rainbows Someone who is chasing rainbows is trying to
get something they will never obtain. Chạy theo
ảo tưởng
Ex: She's trying to get into Harvard but I think
she'schasing rainbows.
Too many chiefs, not This expression refers to a situation where there
enough Indians. are too many people giving instructions and not Thầy nhiều
enough people doing the work. hơn thợ
Ex: The business wasn't successful. There

were too many chiefs and not enough Indians.
Chinese whispers This term refers to a process by which a message
or piece of information (especially gossip, Tam sao thất
rumors or scandalous news) is passed on from bản
one person to another, and changes along the
way, so that the final version is often very
different from the original.
Clear the air If you decide to clear the air, you try to remove
the causes of fear, worry or suspicion by talking Bày tỏ hết
about them openly. nỗi lòng
Ex: The atmosphere had become so unpleasant

that he decided it was time to clear the air.
Not have a clue If you don't have a clue about something, you
don't know anything about it. không biết
Ex: My wife's grandmother's maiden name?

I don't have a clue!
Cold calls If you make cold calls, you telephone potential
customers from a list of people you do not know.
Ex: In my first job I had to make cold calls using

the telephone directory.
Off colour If you are off colour, you are looking or feeling
ill. Xanh như
tàu lá chuối
Ex: You should get some rest. You look a bit off
color.
Corner a market If a company dominates an area of business, and
leaves no room for competition, it is said to Chiếm lĩnh
havecornered the market. thị trường
Ex: By importing large quantities and selling at

low prices, they have cornered the market."
Crocodile tears To shed crocodile tears means to shed false tears
or show insincere grief. Nước mắt cá
sấu
Ex: Caroline pretended to be sad but we all knew
her tears were crocodile tears.
Cross the line If you cross the line you go beyond the
authorized limits and do something which is not Vượt rào
acceptable.
Ex: He has an unpleasant habit of telling jokes

that really cross the line."
Cross your mind If an idea or thought crosses your mind, you
suddenly think of it. Ý nghĩ
thoáng qua
Ex: It has just crossed my mind that the shops are
closed today.
Cut one's losses If you end or withdraw from something that is
already failing, in order to reduce the loss of
money, time or effort invested in it, you cut
your losses.
Ex: The project is heading for failure. Let's cut

our losses before it's too late."
Cut it out! If you say cut it out to someone, you are telling
them to stop doing something.
Ex: I've had enough of your insinuations, so

just cut it out!
Cutting edge This expression refers to the newest, most Giai đoạn
advanced stage in the development of something. cao điểm
Ex: The company is at the cutting edge of

aeronautics.
D
Dance to someone's If you dance to someone's tune, you do whatever
tune that person tells you to do. Hùa theo (ai
đó)
He is the company's major shareholder so the
management has to dance to his tune.
In the dark If someone is kept or left in the dark about

something, they are not informed about it . Giữ bí mật
Ex: The personnel were kept in the dark about

the merger until the last minute.
Darken someone's If you darken someone's door, you come as an
door unwanted or unwelcome visitor. Không mời
mà tới
Ex: Just get out of here, and never darken my door
again!"
Dead in the water A plan or project that is dead in the water is at a
standstill or has ceased to function and is unlikely
to be reactivated in the future.
Ex: Because of the crisis, the planned housing

development is now dead in the water.
Dead loss Someone or something described as a dead loss is
absolutely useless or a complete failure. sự thất bại
hoàn toàn
Ex: When it comes to gardening, my brother is a
dead loss.
Dead wood The term dead wood refers to people or things
which are no longer considered useful or
necessary.
Ex: The new manager wants to reduce costs by

cutting out the dead wood.
Dead to the world A person who is dead to the world is fast asleep.
Ngủ gà ngủ
Ex: Don't worry. You won't disturb him. He's dead gật
to the world!
Deep pockets A person or organization who has deep
pockets has a lot of money. Dày túi
Ex: Andy's business is not doing well at the

moment. He says he needs a friend with deep
pockets.
Do To do someone's dirty work means to do the
someone's dirtywork unpleasant or difficult work that the other person
does not want to do.
Do more harm than If the effect of an action is more damaging than
good helpful, it does more harm than good." Làm chuyện
hại nhiều
Ex: Giving him money did more harm than good - hơn lợi
he spent it on alcohol.
Dog's life People use this expression when complaining
about a situation or job which they find unpleasant
or unsatisfactory.
Ex: It's a dog's life working in the after-sales

department.
Every dog has its This expression means that everyone can be
day successful at something at some time in their life. Ai cũng có
một thời
Ex: I didn't win this time, but I'll be lucky one (thời huy
day. hoàng)
Every dog has its day!
Go to the dogs To say that a company, organization or country
isgoing to the dogs means that it is becoming less
successful or efficient than before.
Ex: Some think the company will go to the dogs if

it is nationalized.
Let sleeping dogs lie If you tell somebody to let sleeping dogs lie, you
are asking them not to interfere with a situation
because they could cause problems.
Ex: Look - they've settled their differences. It's

time tolet sleeping dogs lie.
A done deal This expression is used to refer to an agreement or
decision which has been reached on a certain
matter.
Ex; We're still considering several proposals, so

it's nota done deal yet.
Down to earth Someone who is down to earth is not a dreamer
but a realistic and practical person who has Thực tế
sensible reactions and expectations.
Ex: Don't ask Suzy for help. She's fun, but not
very down to earth.
Dressed to kill When someone, especially a woman, is dressed to
kill, they are wearing very fashionable or
glamorous clothes intended to attract attention.
Ex: She arrived at the reception dressed to kill.

Drink like a fish A person who drinks like a fish is a heavy drinker
or one who drinks a lot. Uống như hũ
chìm
Ex: I'm nervous if Joe drives when we go out
because he drinks like a fish!
Drop like flies If people drop like flies, they fall ill or die in large
numbers. Chết như rạ
Ex: There's an epidemic of flu at the

moment. Senior citizens are dropping like flies.
To be dying for If you are dying for something, you have a strong
something desire for it. khao khát
điều gì
Ex: I'm dying for a cup of tea!
A sitting duck A sitting duck is an easy target, a person who is
easy to deceive. Người dễ dãi
Ex: The young girl was a sitting duck for the

photographer.
E
Eagle eyes Someone who has eagle eyes sees or notices things
more easily than others.
Ex: Tony will help us find it - he's got eagle eyes!

In one ear and out To say that information goes in one ear and out
the other the other means that it is immediately forgotten or Nghe tai này
ignored. lọt tai kia
Ex: I keep telling him about the risks but it goes in

one ear and out the other. He never listens to
anyone!
Make If something makes your ears burn, you are
one's ears burn embarrassed by what you hear, especially if the Nghe muốn nổ
conversation is about you. tai luôn
Ex: The comments I overheard made my ears

burn.
Music to your ears To say that something is music to your ears,
means that the information you receive makes you Mật ngọt chết
feel very happy. ruồi
Earn while you This expression refers to the possibility of earning

learn a salary while in training. Học mà được
trả tiền
Ex: Become an apprentice and get paid while in
training. Earn while you learn!"
Easier said than To say that something is easier said than
done done means that what is suggested sounds easy but Nói dễ hơn
it is more difficult to actually do it. làm
Ex: Put the TV aerial on the roof? Easier said

than done!
Easy as pie To say that something is easy as pie means that it
is very easy to do. Dễ như ăn
bánh
Ex: How did the English test go? - No problem - it
was easy as pie!
Eat /dip into one's If you eat or dip into your savings, you spend
savings part of the money you have put aside for future
use.
Ex: I had to dip into my savings to have the car

repaired.
A bad egg To refer to someone as a bad egg means that they
cannot be trusted.
Ex: I don't want my son to be friends with Bobby

Smith.
Bobby's a bad egg.
At If something happens at the eleventh hour, it
the eleventh hour happens when it is almost too late, or at the last Phút thứ 90
possible moment.
Ex: Our team won after they scored a goal at the

eleventh hour.
Even the score When a person decides to even the score, they try
to get their revenge on someone who has cheated Trả đũa
or done them harm.
Ex: When Jack discovered that Bob had cheated,

he was determined to even the score.
Look someone in If you look someone in the eye, or eyes, you look Nhìn thẳng vào
theeyes at them directly so as to convince them that you are mắt
telling the truth, even though you may be lying.
F
Keep a If you keep a straight face, you look serious
straight face although Làm mặt
you really want to laugh. nghiêm
Fair and square If something is obtained or won fair and square, it

is done in an honest and open manner, the rules are
respected and there is no cheating or lying.
Ex: Peter won the competition fair and square -

there was no doubt about the result.
Fast If you decide to fast track something, such as a
track something task or project, you give it high priority so that the
objective is reached as quickly as possible.
In view of the number of homeless, it was decided

to fast track the construction of low-cost housing.
On the fence When faced with a choice, a person who is on the
fence has not yet reached a decision. Lưỡng lự
Ex: The candidates have such similar ideas that

many electors are still on the fence.
Fight a losing If someone is fighting a losing battle, they are
battle trying to do something even when there is little Còn nước còn
chance of succeeding. tát
The headmaster is fighting a losing battle trying to

ban mobile phones at school.
Fight/argue like Two people who fight or argue like cat and
cat and dog dogfrequently have violent arguments, even though Chửi (đánh)
they are fond of each other. nhau như chó
với mèo.
Ex: They fight like cat and dog but they're still
together after 30 years.
Have other fish to If you have other fish to fry, you have more
fry important things to do.
Ex: I don't think he'll attend the office party; he's

got other fish to fry.
Fit the bill If someone or something fits the bill, they are
exactly right for a particular situation.
Ex: They wanted a quiet place for the week-end

and the country inn just fitted the bill.
On the fly If you do something on the fly, you do it quickly,
without thinking much about it, while doing
something else.
Ex: I'm so busy I usually have lunch on the fly.

Flying start If something gets off to the flying start, it is
immediately successful.
Ex: Sales of the book got off to a flying start and

exceeded our expectations."
Follow in If you follow in someone's footsteps (for example
someone's a parent), you lead a similar life or do the same job. Theo chân ai
footsteps
Ex: Lily followed in her mother's footsteps and
became a teacher.
Follow suit If you follow suit, you do the same as somebody
else has just done.
Ex: The first robber held up his hands. The other

twofollowed suit.
A foot in the door If you say that someone has a foot in the door, you
mean that they have a small but successful start in
something and will possibly do well in the future.
Ex: With today's unemployment, it's difficult to get

a foot in the door in any profession."
Get a foothold If you get a foothold somewhere, you secure a
position for yourself in a business, profession or Có chân trong
organisation. (có người hỗ
trợ bên trong)
Ex: The contract got the firm a foothold in the local
administration.
Force of habit When something is done out of force of habit, it
has become automatic through frequent repetition.
Ex: Why do I always park here? It's force of

habit I suppose.
Free as a bird If someone is free as a bird, they are completely Tự do như
free to do as they please. chim sổ lồng
Ex: My dad's very happy - he's free as a bird since
he retired.
A free hand If you have a free hand, you have permission to
make your own decisions, especially in a job.
Ex: My boss has given me a free hand in the choice

of agent.
Friends in high If you know important or influential people in
places business or government, you have friends in high Bạn bè có chức
places. quyền
Ex: He wouldn't have succeeded without help from

friends in high places.
Front runner In a contest, race or election, the front runner is
the person who seems most likely to succeed or
win.
Ex: Who are the front runners in the coming

elections?
Full of beans A person who is full of beans is lively, active and
healthy.
Ex: He may be getting old but he's still full of

beans!
Full of hot air A person who full of hot air is full of nonsense and
talks a lot without saying anything worthwhile. Tào lao
Ex: Don't listen to Tony. He's full of hot air!

Funny business An activity which is conducted in a deceitful,
dishonest or unethical manner is called funny Công việc kinh
business. doanh bất
chính
Ex: I've got suspicions about that association. I
think they're up to some funny business.
G
All his geese are swans This expression refers to someone who constantly
exaggerates the importance of somebody or Nổ (nói
something. khoát)
Ex: Don't let him impress you. He always

exaggerates; all his geese are swans!"
Gentleman'sagreement When an agreement is neither written nor signed,
because the two parties trust each other completely,
it is called a gentleman's agreement.
Ex: It was a gentleman's agreement. I can't change

my mind now!
Get your ducks in a This expression means that you are trying to get
row things well organized.
Ex: We need to get our ducks in a row if we want

our project to succeed.
Get into gear When a person or activity gets into gear, they start
to work or become effective.
Ex: Immediately after the announcement, a group of

protesters got into gear.
Get your hands dirty If you get your hands dirty in your job, you
become involved in all aspects of it, including work
that is physical, unpleasant or less interesting.
Ex: His willingness to get his hands dirty won the

respect and approval of the whole team.
Get on in years Someone who is getting on in years is growing old.
Già rồi
Ex: My grandmother is getting on in years. She's
no longer able to prepare Christmas dinner without
help.
Get the message If you get the message, you understand what
someone is trying to tell you, even if it is expressed Hiểu ý
in actions or gestures rather than words. đồ
Ex: When Tony pointed at his watch, I got the

message - it was time to leave for the airport."
Get the sack If someone gets the sack, they lose their job,
usually because they have done something wrong.
Ex: Charlie got the sack when his boss caught him
stealing.
Get off the hook If you do something wrong and manage to get off
the hook, you avoid punishment or blame. Tránh bị
mắc câu
Ex: Barry was questioned by the police but his
lawyer managed to get him off the hook.
Get on your high horse If you get on your high horse, you start behaving
in a haughty manner, as though you should be
treated with more respect.
Ex: He got on his high horse when he was asked to

show his membership card.
Get the better of If someone or something gets the better of you,
someone they defeat you. Thắng
thế
Ex: She went on a diet but it didn't last long - her
love of chocolate got the better of her!
Get to the bottom of If you get to the bottom of a problem or mystery,
something you solve it by finding out the true cause of it. Tìm ra
gốc của
Ex: We have a problem of goods disappearing vấn đề
during transport. Hopefully the investigation
will get to the bottom of it.
Get a move on If someone tells you to get a move on, they are
asking you to hurry up.
Ex: You'd better get a move on or you'll miss the

bus!
Get out of hand If a person or a situation gets out of hand, they
cannot be controlled any longer. Ngoài
tầm kiểm
Ex: During the student demonstration, things got soát
out of hand and several shop windows were
broken.
Get the show on the If you manage to put a plan or idea into action,
road you get the show on the road.
Ex: OK! We've got all we need, so let's get the

show on the road!
Give it a rest! If someone tells you to give it a rest, they are
asking you to stop doing something such as
complaining or talking continuously.
Ex: All you talk about is politics - give it a

rest...please!
Give someone a hard If you give someone a hard time, you annoy them
time or make things difficult for them. Làm khó
ai đó
Ex: Susan says the pupils in her new school
are giving her a hard time.
Give someone the run- If someone gives you the run-around, they
around deliberately give you confusing information or Vòng vo
evasive answers. tam quốc
Ex: I'm trying to contact the manager, but every

time I call the firm I'm given the run-around.
Go against the tide If you go against the tide, you refuse to conform to
current trends, or the opinions or behavior of other Đi ngược
people. xu hướng
Ex: Bill can be difficult to work with; he constantly

goes against the tide.
Go bananas If someone becomes very emotional and starts
behaving in a crazy way, they go bananas.
Ex: If you announce that you're going to drop out of

school, your parents will go bananas!
Go to extremes People who go to extremes behave in a way which
lacks moderation. Cực đoan
Ex: My parents tend to go to extremes. They live on

a tight budget and then they go on expensive
holidays.
Go hand in hand If two or more things go hand in hand, they are
associated or often happen at the same time. Song
song
Ex: In big cities poverty and violence often go hand
in hand.
Go off the rails, If someone goes off the rails, they go out of control
and begin to behave in a manner that is Trật
unacceptable to society. đường
rày (đi
Ex: Given the unstable environment, it's a miracle sai
that none of their children ever went off the rails. hướng)
Go out of business If a shop, firm or enterprise goes out of business, it
closes down or goes bankrupt.
Ex: If the new road bypasses the town, a lot of

shops will go out of business.
Go the whole hog When you go the whole hog, you do something
thoroughly or completely.
Ex: They put up a few decorations for Christmas,

then they decided to go the whole hog and buy a
tree and all the trimmings.
Golden opportunity A golden opportunity is a favorable time or Cơ hội
excellent occasion which should not be missed. vàng
Golden rule The most important rule or principle to be
remembered when doing something is called
the golden rule.
Ex: When travelling abroad, the golden rule is to

respect the local customs.
Gone with the wind If something has gone with the wind, it has
disappeared forever. Cuốn
theo
Ex: I lost everything during the crisis. My chiều gió
savings are gone with the wind!
Green light If you give or get the green light, you give or get a
signal or permission to do something. Bật đèn
xanh
Ex: We're ready to launch the campaign as soon as
weget the green light.
Prepare the ground To prepare the ground means that you try to make
it easier for a future event or action to happen. Xây
dựng nền
tảng
H
had better Should
Ex: You had better go now or you will be late for class.
hair stand on She became frightened
end Sợ dựng
Ex: Her hair would stand on end every time she watched tóc gáy
a horror movie.
hale and hearty Well and strong
Ex: My uncle is a hale and hearty fellow who never gets

sick.
half the battle Difficult
Ex: Getting them to come to the meeting will be half the

battle.
hand down Arrange to give after death
Ex: She plans to hand down her jewelry to her daughter. Chuẩn
bị hậu sự
hang loose Relax
Ex: Just hang loose for another few days.

heads will roll People will be punished
“Rơi
Ex: Some heads will roll when the boss looks at the costs đầu” (bị
this month. phạt, bị
trách
mắng)
home free A definite success
Ex: The new promotion plan is home free.
I
if worst comes to If the worst scenario occurs
worst Trong
Ex: If worst comes to worst we must cancel our vacation. trường
hợp xấu
nhất
in a fog Confused
Mù mờ
Ex: He is always in a fog and never seems to know what
is going on.
in a hole In trouble
Ex: He really is in a hole now that he has problems at

work.
in a spot In a difficult situation
Ex: He will be in a spot if he cannot pass the entrance

exams.
in a word Briefly
Nói tóm
Ex: In a word, I think that you need to study more. lại
in advance Ahead of time
Ex: They bought the tickets in advance so that they could
get good seats.
in and out coming in and going out
Đi ra đi
Ex: The boss has been in and out of his office the entire vô
day.
in deep Deeply involved
Ex: They are really in deep with each other.

in short supply Less than the amount needed
Ex: These days the amount of oil is in short supply.

in stock Available
Ex: The new paints are in stock.

in the bag Settled Trong
tầm tay
Ex: Everything is in the bag. There is nothing to worry
about.
in the long run Over time
Theo thời
Ex: The company lost money but should be okay in the gian
long run.
in the red Losing money
Ex: The company has been in the red since last year.
in the works being planned
Ex: The new line of products is in the works.

J
jack-of-all- Someone who can do many things
trades
Ex: That guy is a jack-of-all-trades.
jazz up Brighten up
Ex: We need to jazz up this boring room.

jerking someone Causing someone trouble
around Quay (ai đó)
Ex: Recently it seems like everyone is jerking me như dế
around.
jump all over Scold me
someone
Ex: For no reason, he began to jump all over me
jump at Quickly accept
Ex: She knew that he would jump at the chance to

go to Japan.
jump on Scold
someone
Ex: The boss would jump on him for even a small
mistake.
just about Nearly
Ex: I waited just about one hour for her to come.

just so Close to perfect
Ex: She always makes sure that her hair is just

sobefore she goes out.
K
keep a secret Not tell others
Giữ bí mật
Ex: You should keep a secret about your new job.
keep after Keep reminding
Ex: You should keep after her to do her homework.

keep an eye on Watch
Ex: Keep an eye on my bicycle while I order some

coffee.
keep at Continue
Ex: He has decided to keep at his studies at the

university.
keep books Keep records of money gained and spent
Ex: She used to keep books for a small company.

keep down Control
Ex: The students were told to keep down the noise.

keep house Look after household
Ex: She likes to keep house more than working for a

company.
keep in touch Stay in contact
Ex: I have always tried to keep in touch with my

friends.
keep one's head Stay calm when there is trouble or danger Giữ bình tĩnh
keep one's Be quiet

mouth shut
Ex: She was very angry and told him to keep his
mouth shut.
keep one's nose Stay out of trouble
clean
Ex: He has been managing to keep his nose
cleansince he moved to the new town.
keep one's word fulfill her promise
Giữ lời hứa
Ex: She never can keep her word.
keep pace with Go as fast as
Theo kịp
Ex: It was difficult to keep pace with the other
students.
L
lady killer Man who some women find very
charming and attractive Đào hoa
Ex: The man in the movie was a lady

killer.
lady's man Man who is popular with women
Ex: He is a lady's man and always seems

to have a lot of women interested in him.
laid back Calm and relaxed
Ex: You need to be more laid back.

laid up Confined to bed
Ex: He has been laid up for a few days

because of a cold.
land on one's come out of a bad situation successfully
feet He always manages to land on his feet.
last minute There is no more time
Nước tới chân mới nhảy
Ex: I usually put off writing my papers
until the last minute.
luck out Fortunate
Ex: If you luck out in Las Vegas, you can

make a lot of money.
lash out verbally abuse
Ex: He began to lash out at the man who

was sitting next to him.
M
made a hit was popular
Ex: Her cake made a hit at the party.

make a bundle make a lot of money
Ex: He could make a bundle on the

stock market this year.
make a day of it stay the entire day
Ex: We decided to make a day of it at

the park.
make a change anything
difference
Ex: It does not seem to make a
difference if we talk or not.
make a go of achieve success in
Ex: He is trying to make a go of the

business even though he is losing money.
make a killing make a lot of money
Ex: You can make a killing in Las

Vegas.
make a living make enough money
Ex: You cannot make a living at your

present job.
make a mountain make a big problem out of a small one
out of a molehill Chuyện nhỏ xé to
Ex: Try not to make a mountain out of a
molehill.
make a name for become famous
oneself Tạo tên tuổi
Ex: She is trying to make a name for
herself in the field of literature.
make a run for it leave quickly
Ex: I think that she will make a run for

it as soon as the class finished.
make waves cause trouble
Tạo sóng gió
Ex: Try not to make waves around the
office.
N
neck and neck nearly equal
Ngang nhau
Ex: The two teams were neck and
neck in the game.
nest egg amount of money saved
Ex: He has a good nest egg in the bank.

new blood fresh energy
Thay máu (đổi nhân sự
Ex: The new employee sure has mới)
added new blood to this company.
nice out nice weather
Ex: It sure is nice out today.

no bed of roses not easy
Không phải thảm hồng
Ex: Trying to work at two jobs is no bed
of roses.
no deal not agreed to
Ex: He almost bought the car but in the

end the sale was no deal.
no doubt no uncertainty
Không còn nghi ngờ gì
Ex: There is no doubt which team will nữa
win this year.
no end to no finish point
Không lối ra
Ex: There appears to be no end to this
project.
no show Absent
Ex: I think that she will be a no show.

no way No way to fit all those things in that
purse.
no wonder not surprising
Ex: Since he stayed up all night, it is no

wonder that he is tired.
O
odds and ends Various items
Ex: We made games for the students using odds

and ends from around the house.
off again, on Uncertain
again
Ex: The plans for the party were off again, on
again.
off and on Intermittently
Ex: It has been raining off and on since this

morning.
off base Inaccurate
Ex: He was really off base on his estimate of the

budget.
off color Inappropriate and offensive
Ex: He likes to tell off color jokes at work.

off duty The police officer was off duty when the incident
occurred.
off one's back Away and not bother me
Ex: I wish he would stay off my back.

off the hook Out of trouble
Ex: He is off the hook now that they realized it was

not his mistake.
old hat Boring and unchanging
Già cả lỗi thời
Ex: Her job has become old hat.
on a diet trying to lose weight
Ăn kiêng
Ex: Are you on a diet or something?
on credit Using a credit card
Ex: She decided to buy the table on credit.

on easy street Financially comfortable
Ex: He has been on easy street since he sold his

business.
on one's back bothering someone
Lẻo đẻo đằng
Ex: She has been on his back all week to get a new sau
job.
on one's One’s responsibility
shoulders Gánh nặng trên
Ex: The mistakes made in the department were on vai
his shoulders.
on purpose Intentionally
Ex: I think that she spilled the drink on purpose.

on the ball Intelligent
Ex: He is really on the ball.

on the block For sale
Ex: The office building is on the block.

on the dot Exactly on time
She usually arrives at work on the dot.

on the go Busily moving around
Ex: He has been on the go since early this morning.

on the other in contrast
hand
Ex: She is intelligent but on the other hand she is
very lazy.
on the whole In general
once in a while Occasionally
Ex: We go to that restaurant once in a while to eat

Japanese food.
out of control Chaotic
Loạn, ngoài
Ex: Yeah, but it was out of control. tầm kiểm soát
pan out become reality
Ex: I hope that your plans to go back to school pan

out.
pass away Die
Ex: The old leader is expected to pass away soon.
pass on give away
Ex: She tries to pass on her old clothes to her younger

sister.
pass out faint
Ex: She is going to pass out if she drinks any more

sake.
pay attention focus on and listen
Ex: You should pay attention to what the teacher is

saying.
pay off reduce the balance owed to zero on
Trả hết nợ
Ex: The homeowner was able to pay off the loan early.
pay off be successful
Ex: The business plan began to pay off and the profits
of the company increased.
pay off bribe
Đưa hối lộ
Ex: The company tried to pay off the politician.
pick someone up come and get someone
Ex: What time do you want me to pick you up?

pop for buy
something
Ex: It is my turn to pop for the doughnuts.
put off delay
Ex: Yeah, I usually put off doing homework until the

last minute.
put the moves on seduce
Quyến rũ ai
Ex: You should give up trying to put the moves
on her.
R
raise eyebrows cause surprise
Chau mày
Ex: These crazy clothes should raise eyebrows at the (ngạc nhiên)
office tomorrow.
rip off overpriced item
Ex: This car was really a rip off.

run short not have enough
Ex: If we don’t order supplies now, we will

probablyrun short.
rough time hard time
Ex: We have had a rough time this winter.

run the show make the decisions
It seems as if the boss really likes to run the show.
red ink debt
Ex: The company has been in red ink from the

beginning.
ream someone yell at him
out
Ex: The boss decided to ream him out for his bad
report.
ran out of gas lost momentum
Chạy hết ga
Ex: The politician ran out of gas during the campaign.
S
saddled with burdened with debt
debt
Ex: The company has been saddled with debt.
save face protect his reputation
Ex: The manager was able to save face when he

showed that the loss of money was outside of his
control.
save one's remain silent
breath
Ex: You should save your breath because I do not
believe you anyway.
save one's skin avoid trouble
Ex: He quit the company during the scandal in order

tosave his skin.
screw around waste time
Ex: Do not screw around at work.

screw up make a mistake
Ex: If you screw up one more time, I will fire you.

sell out sell completely
Our best products seem to sell out very quickly.
short on funds low on money
Ex: I am kind of short on funds now.

shot down disagreed with
Ex: Everyone shot down my idea.

steamed up Angry
Nóng lên
Ex: Don't get so steamed up over the issue.
T
take a back seat accept a lower position
Ex: I had to take a back seat for the benefit of the

company.
take a stand on be decisive on
Ex: The President decided to take a stand on the tax

issue.
take a trip Go
Ex: We plan to take a trip to Japan in July.

take advantage benefit from
of
Ex: Take advantage of the beautiful weather and go to
the beach.
take back Revoke
Rút lại (lời
Ex: He had to take back what he said about his boss. đã nói)
take care of give attention to
Ex: You should take care of your health.

take care of deal with
Ex: She had to take care of the paperwork.

take down Write
Ex: Please take down many notes during the lecture.

take on Hire
Ex: The company is expected to take on more

employees next year.
take over take control of
Ex: The larger bank is expected to take over the

smaller bank.
take roll check attendance
Ex: I'm going to take roll now.

take stock count the items of merchandise or supplies in stock
The store usually has to take stock every three months.
take the sell shares of the company to the general public
company public
Ex: The owner needed more money and decided totake
the company public.
team player someone who works well with others
Ex: He is really a team player.

the inside track the advantage over others
Ex: He knows the manager so he has the inside

trackfor getting the new job.
throw more try to solve the problem by spending more money on
money at Quăng tiền
Ex: The product may do better in the market if vô việc gì
wethrow more money at it.
tight spot difficult situation
Ex: The new product is not selling as well as expected

and has put the company in a tight spot.
turn over rate of sale
Ex: The new product turnover has been incredible.

to move on to seduce
Ex: I am going to try to move on Joan next Saturday.
U
ugly duckling Unattractive
Vịt con xấu
Ex: She was an ugly duckling when she was a child. xí
under a cloud under suspicion
Ex: The politician has been under a cloud over the

possibility of taking bribes.
under a cloud depressed
Ex: He has been under a cloud since he lost his job.

under cover in disguise
Ex: The detective went under cover to look for the

drug dealers.
under one's nose in an obvious place
Ngay trước
Ex: He found his wallet under his nose. mắt
under one's under his control
thumb
Ex: He is only a salesman but he has his boss under his
thumb.
under one's under one’s care
wing Trong sự
Ex: He took the new employee under his wing. bảo bọc của
ai đó
under the table in secret and illegally
Hối lộ
Ex: He paid some money under the table in order to
get his product exported into the country.
up front Honest
Ex: He was up front about the condition of the car.

upper hand advantage
Thắng thế
Ex: The union members have the upper hand in the
negotiations.
ups and downs moments of good and bad fortune
Ba chìm bảy
Ex: He is having a few ups and downs but generally he nổi
is doing well.
up to someone her decision
Tùy ai đó
It is up to her when it is time to leave.
use up completely use
Ex: They had to use up the paper before ordering more.
V
vicious circle unbroken sequence of cause and effect
Vòng nhân quả
Ex: Drinking alcohol, becoming
depressed and then drinking even more is
an example of a vicious circle.

voted down defeated
Ex: The election results showed the

governor wasvoted down.
W
walk all over control and take advantage of
Ex: She is always trying to walk all over him.

walk away with Steal
Ex: Someone tried to walk away with the office

computer.
walk on air be happy
Lên mây
Ex: She is going to walk on air when he gives her the (vui/ đã/
diamond ring. hạnh phúc
quá)
warm up to become friendly with
Ex: She could easily warm up to the new student.

waste one's speak pointlessly
breath
Ex: Do not waste your breath trying to change her
mind.
watch it be careful
Ex: I think you should watch it if you travel to that city.

watch one's P's be well-behaved
and Q's
Ex: The teacher told him to watch his P's and Q's.
way the wind situation occurs
blows
Ex: The vacation plans will depend on which way the
wind blows.
wear down exhaust
Ex: Try not to wear down the employees with a long

speech.
weigh on concern and worry
Cân nhắc
Ex: The upcoming college entrance exam began
toweigh on her.
weigh one's think about what you will say
words Uốn lưỡi 7
Ex: You should weigh your words before you tell her. lần trước
khi nói
well-off Wealthy
Ex: The owner of the restaurant is certainly well-off.

what's up is happening
Ex: She really wants to know what's up.

what's with what is happening with
Ex: Hey, what's with the manager today.

work out Exercise
Ex: She likes to work out at the gym.

work out Develop
Ex: They needed to work out the plans of the new

product.
write off remove the expense of
Ex: They were able to write off the money spent on

entertainment.
what's what one thing from another
Chuyện xảy
Ex: It is hard to tell what's what at an auction. ra kế tiếp
Y
year-round the entire year without
closing
The supermarket is now
open year-round.
yellow-bellied Cowardly
He is a yellow-
bellied person.
you bet Of course
You bet I am angry with
you.
you bet your boots Of course
You bet your boots I am
angry with you.
Z
zero balance no money was owed
My credit card statement showed azero
balance.
zero hour the scheduled time

Idioms

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Idioms

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Idioms ( thành ngữ )

THÀNH NGỮ THEO ALPHABET

Ex: They are working against the clock to have

Ex: Dad says he's going to play golf as soon as he

Ex: Of course I want to know - I'm all ears!

Ex: He will have to answer for his dishonesty.

Ex: The final choice was made yesterday, so

Ex: Driving fast on these roads is really asking

Leave somebody If someone is left holding the baby, they are

Ex: What's wrong with Jenny? Is she having a

Ex: An hour before the polling stations closed,

Ex: The future of the company is in the

Ex: Many people have to perform a

Ex: The party was great. We had a ball.

Ex: He didn't get the prize he expected, but

Ex: You'll find Johnny down at the pub - he's a

Ex: You must bear in mind that the cost of

Ex: It beats me how he can live in that

Ex: The matter was discussed behind closed

Ex: Jane doesn't have a mobile phone. She's

Ex: Another bill? I'll have to tighten my

Ex: Jack is very punctual. You can bet your

Ex: I wanted to go shopping, but when I saw

Ex: It's beyond me why Mary wants to marry

Ex: Tom's father is a big cheese in the oil

Ex: While each aspect is important, try not to

Ex: As far as I'm concerned, his theory is for

Ex: His condescending attitude made my

Ex: He wants to get the job, so he clicks the

On the bottle A person who drinks alcoholic drinks often

Ex: Joe went on the bottle when he lost his

Ex: I'll hire your brother only if he is the best

Ex: Since profits are higher this year, the workers

Ex: Some parents use a carrot-and-

Ex: The author didn't turn up for the interview

Ex: His latest invention turned out to be a real

Ex: Social networks have changed the face of

Ex: He was against charity, but he had a change

Ex: The business wasn't successful. There

Ex: The atmosphere had become so unpleasant

Ex: My wife's grandmother's maiden name?

Ex: In my first job I had to make cold calls using

Ex: By importing large quantities and selling at

Ex: He has an unpleasant habit of telling jokes

Ex: The project is heading for failure. Let's cut

Ex: I've had enough of your insinuations, so

Ex: The company is at the cutting edge of

In the dark If someone is kept or left in the dark about

Ex: The personnel were kept in the dark about

Ex: Because of the crisis, the planned housing

Ex: The new manager wants to reduce costs by

Ex: Andy's business is not doing well at the

Ex: It's a dog's life working in the after-sales

Ex: Some think the company will go to the dogs if

Ex: Look - they've settled their differences. It's

Ex; We're still considering several proposals, so

Ex: She arrived at the reception dressed to kill.

Ex: There's an epidemic of flu at the

Ex: The young girl was a sitting duck for the

Ex: Tony will help us find it - he's got eagle eyes!

Ex: I keep telling him about the risks but it goes in

Ex: The comments I overheard made my ears

Earn while you This expression refers to the possibility of earning

Ex: Put the TV aerial on the roof? Easier said