Idioms thông dụng
1. Bump into: Tình cờ gặp ai đó
E.g: I bumped into my old friends at the seminar for education officials.
2. A drop in the ocean: Muối bỏ bể, không thấm vào đâu
E.g: Just learning idioms is a drop in the ocean when it comes to preparing for the speaking test.
3. Work flat out: Làm việc cật lực
E.g: The employees have been working flat out to get the job finished ahead of the deadline.
4. The in thing: Hợp mốt
E.g: The new iPhone is really the in thing at the moment.
5. Make a fuss over: Làm ầm lên
E.g: Whenever they visit Grandma she makes a fuss over the children.
6. Run of the mill: không có gì đặc biệt, bình thường
E.g: Apple phones are very run of the mill these days.
7. Far-fetched: gượng gạo, không tự nhiên, cường điệu
E.g: The government’s choice for the new Defense Secretary seemed pretty far-fetched to the opposition party.
8. Ace: làm rất xuất sắc
Eg: He is an ace pitcher/batter/tennis player.
9. A hot potato: Vấn đề khó giải quyết, nan giải
E.g: Abortion and capital punishment are hot potatoes in my country at the moment.
10. Get a kick out of: Thích thú, thấy sự thú vị của cái gì
E.g: I really get a kick out of seeing the crazy things carried on motorbikes sometimes.
11. Bent out of shape: Nổi điên, vô cùng tức giận
E.g: Don’t get all bent out of shape about the way they drive over here!
12. Give (lend) somebody a hand: Giúp đồ
E.g: Could you give me a hand with this shipment?
13. Sit on the fence: Trung lập, không đúng về bên nào
E.g: I haven’t made my mind up about that issue, I’ll have to sit on the fence.
14. A piece of cake: Dễ ợt, dễ như ăn bánh
E.g: Getting a band 6 in the Speaking test will be a piece of cake.
15. Hit the books: Vùi đầu vào học
E.g: I will sit the IELTS test next week. That’s why I have been hitting the books all day long.
16. Soulmate: Bạn tâm giao, bạn chí cốt
E.g: My husband is not just my lover, he’s my soul mate.
17. Broke: Cháy túi, hết tiền
E.g: I can’t afford to go on holiday – I’m (flat) broke.
18. (Go) back to the drawing board: Làm lại từ đầu
E.g: Our plan didn’t work out, so it’s back to the drawing board.
19. Go the extra mile: Vô Cùng cố gắng
E.g: You had better not forget 8 leadership attributes that make you go the extra mile.
20. Crash course: Khóa học cấp tốc
E.g: We need a crash course in idioms for this IELTS program.
21. Up-to-the-minute: Rất hiện đại, hợp mốt, rất kịp thời
E.g: Now we’re going live to our reporter in Washington for up-to-the-minute news on the crisis.
22. On the go: Bận rộn
E.g: I feel as though we always need to be on the go because life’s too short to be idle!
23. Up-market: dành cho giới thượng lưu, hảo hạng
Eg: An upmarket restaurant that is quite pricey but also quite good.
24. Cram: Nhồi nhét
E.g: The students are cramming to get ready for the exams.
25. In high spirits: Vui vẻ, phấn chấn
E.g: They’d had a couple of drinks and were in high spirits.
26. Keep one’s chin up: Lạc quan lên, đừng nản chí
E.g: Keep your chin up. Things will get better sooner or later.
27. Read one’s mind: đoán suy nghĩ của người khác
E.g: I was surprised he knew what I was planning, like he could read my mind.
28. Get the ball rolling: Bắt đầu hành động
E.g: You should get the ball rolling as soon as possible to be well-prepared for the IELTS test.
29. For ages: Một thời gian dài rất lâu rồi
E.g: I waited for ages but he never showed up.
30. Fill in for someone: Làm thay việc của ai đó
E.g: Bill is going to be filling in for me while I’m out on maternity leave.
31. (As) easy as pie: Dễ ợt, dễ như ăn bánh
E.g: For Tom, getting a graphic design certificate was easy as pie – he seemed to have a natural talent for it.
32. Under the weather: Ốm, không khỏe
E.g: I noticed that he was looking a little under the weather.
33. Fingers-crossed: Chúc may mắn
E.g: We’re keeping our fingers crossed that he’ll be healthy again very soon have a chin-wag.
34. Chicken scratch: Chữ xấu như gà bới
E.g: His signature – an unforgettably idiosyncratic chicken scratch.
35. The wee hours: Quá nửa đêm
E.g: He was up until the wee hours trying to finish his work.
36. A blessing in disguise: Trong cái rủi có cái may
E.g: Losing that job was a blessing in disguise really.
37. All in the same boat: Cùng chung cảnh ngộ
E.g: None of us has any money, we’re all in the same boat.
38. Beating around the bush: Vòng vo tam quốc
E.g: Let’s stop beating about the bush and discuss this matter.
39. Early bird: Người hay thức dậy rất sớm
E.g: I never miss sunrise. I’m an early bird.
40. A breath of fresh air: Điều gì đó mới mẻ
Eg: Selena was a talented and beautiful entertainer, a breath of fresh air in an industry full of people all trying to copy each other.
41. Keep an eye on: Để mắt tới
Eg: Keep an eye on the noodles, there almost done.
42. Keep your nose to the grindstone: Làm việc chăm chỉ
E.g: If you keep your nose to the grindstone, you will finish this job tonight.
43. Know something inside out: Hiểu rõ tường tận
E.g: He knows the system inside out.
44. Leave well enough alone: Để nguyên như vậy, không cần thay đổi nữa vì đã tốt rồi
E.g: This repair is not perfect, but let’s leave well enough alone.
45. Now and then: Thỉnh thoảng
E.g: Every now and then I have a good idea.
46. A penny for your thoughts: Bạn đang mải mê nghĩ chuyện gì vậy?
E.g: For several minutes they sat silently, then finally she looked at him and said, “A penny for your thoughts, Walter.”
47. Against the clock: Chạy đua với thời gian
E.g: With her term paper due on Monday, she was racing against the clock to finish it.
48. Lend an ear: Lắng nghe
E.g: If you have any problems, go to Claire. She’ll always lend a sympathetic ear.
49. On cloud nine: Hạnh phúc lâng lâng như trên mây
E.g: She just bought her first new car and she’s on cloud nine.
50. Bushed: Mệt nhoài, đuối sức
E.g: I am totally bushed after staying up so late.
51. Hard feelings: Buồn phiền
Eg: I am sorry I have to fire you. No hard feelings, okay?
52. Hit the hay: Đi ngủ.
Eg: It’s after 12 o’clock. I think it’s time to hit the hay.
53. Be all ears: Lắng nghe
E.g: Kids in my class were all ears when I was telling stories.
54. Be sick to death of something/ doing something: Chán chết, chán ngắt
E.g: I’m sick to death of doing nothing but work. Let’s go out tonight and have fun.
55. (Come) rain or shine: Dù có chuyện gì xảy ra đi nữa
E.g: I will be on time for the class, rain or shine. Come rain or shine, she is always smiling.
56. In the nick of time: Vừa đúng lúc, kịp thời
E.g: I got to the drugstore just in the nick of time. It’s a good thing because I really need this medicine!
57. Fresh/clean out of something: Hết nhăn
E.g: I have to go buy some more milk. We’re fresh out now.
58. Have/get mixed feelings about something: Cảm xúc lẫn lộn, không chắc chắn
E.g: I have mixed feelings about my trip to England. I love the people, but the climate upsets me.
59. Give it one’s best shot: Cố hết sức có thể
E.g: This test question is really tough! I’ll give it my best shot, and I’ll get some marks for doing my best.
60. In deep water: Gặp rắc rối, tình thế khó khăn
E.g: He has not submitted his dissertation so he’s in deep water.
61. Next to nothing: Tốn ít tiền
E.g: I went to the new discount store and bought these new shoes for only five dollars. That’s next to nothing!
62. To be up in arms about something: Buồn bực về cái gì
E.g: She has been up in arms about the rent increase.
63. Put yourself in somebody’s shoes: Đặt mình vào vị trí của người khác
E.g: If you put yourself in my shoes, you would understand why I made that decision.
64. At all costs: Bằng mọi giá
E.g: My dream is to become a successful businessman and I will work hard for it at all costs.
65. Explore all avenues: Tìm mọi cách để làm gì
E.g: We will continue to try to explore all avenues and put all the effort to achieve a cease-fire.
66. On the ball: Hiểu và chủ động làm gì đó
E.g: Our staff is really on the ball to get projects done on time.
67. Throw in the towel: Từ bỏ, đầu hàng
E.g: I’ve spent too much time on this project to throw in the towel now.
68. Down to earth: Thực tế
E.g: It’s time we were brought down to earth to figure out difficult situation, and offer a good solution.
69. Full of beans: Trần đầy năng lượng
E.g: I really enjoy being with my best friend because he is always full of beans.
70. Get a head start: Đi đầu tiên phong
E.g: This year we’ll get a head start on the competition by running more advertisements.
71. Hear on the grapevine: Nghe loáng thoáng về việc gì
Eg: I heard on the grapevine that she was pregnant, but I don’t know anything more.
72. Hit the nail on the head: Đúng về việc gì
E.g: We absolutely hit the nail on the head with this book.
73. In the heat of the moment: Trong lúc nóng giận
E.g: She doesn’t hate you. She just said that in the heat of the moment.
74. It takes two to tango: Vấn đề cần cả 2 người liên quan cùng hợp tác để giải quyết
E.g: Don’t blame me for the argument. It takes two to tango! You are equally responsible.
75. Get/jump on the bandwagon: Tham gia vào 1 hoạt động, phong trào
E.g: You jump on the bandwagon when all your friends begin eating at a new popular restaurant.
76. Keep something at bay: Ngăn ai/cái gì tiếp cận
E.g: She fought to keep her unhappiness at bay.
77. Kill two birds with one stone: 1 mũi tên trúng 2 đích
E.g: Cycling to work kills two birds with one stone. It saves money and gives you some exercise.
78. Last straw: Giọt nước tràn ly
E.g: She lying to me about the money was the last straw.
79. Let the cat out of the bag: Vô tình tiết lộ bí mật
E.g: It’s a secret. Try not to let the cat out of the bag.
80. See eye to eye: Nhất trí, đồng quan điểm
E.g: My father and I see eye to eye on most things.
81. Let sleeping dogs lie: Để chuyện cũ ngủ yên
E.g: Jane knew she should report the accident but decided to let sleeping dogs lie.
82. Not playing with a full deck: Kém thông minh
E.g: Jim’s a nice guy, but with some of the foolish things he does, I wonder if he’s not playing with a full deck.
83. Far cry from: Rất khác biệt
E.g: What you did was a far cry from what you said you were going to do.
84. Take with a grain of salt: Nửa tin nửa ngờ
E.g: I’ve read the article, which I take with a grain of salt.
85. Give the benefit of the doubt: Quyết định tin tưởng ail cái gì
E.g: I didn’t know whether his story was true or not, but I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.
86. Pull the wool over 5.0’s eyes: Lừa dối, che mắt ai đó
E.g: You can’t pull the wool over my eyes. I know what’s going on.
87. Taste of your own medicine: Gậy ông đập lưng ông
E.g: Tom talks way too much – but last night he met someone who talked even more than he does, and he got frustrated. He finally got a taste of his own medicine.
88. Whole nine yards: Tất cả mọi thứ
E.g: When I was little, my family always had lots of pets – dogs, cats, hamsters, fish, rabbits – the whole nine yards.
89. Wouldn’t be caught dead: Thà chết chứ không làm
E.g: My father wouldn’t have been caught dead in a white suit.
90. At the drop of a hat: Ngay lập tức, trong tíc tắc
E.g: If you need help, just call on me. I can come at the drop of a hat.
91. And then some: Nhiều hơn thế
E.g: This book will tell you everything you wanted to know about wine – and then some.
92. On the dot: Đúng tại thời điểm đó
E.g: The class will start at 8:00 a.m. on the dot. Don’t be late!
93. Find my feet: Dần quen với việc gì
E.g: Moving to a new city was difficult at first, but I soon found my feet
94. Read my/your/his mind: Đi quốc trong bụng
E.g: I was surprised he knew what I was planning like he could read my mind.
95. Before long: Chẳng bao lâu nữa
E.g: I will be gone before long, but I hope you learn a lot.
96. Cost an arm and a leg: Đắt đỏ vô cùng
E.g: This dress is really nice, but it cost me an arm and a leg.
97. Set in one’s ways: Không chịu thay đổi suy nghĩ, bảo thủ
E.g: My parents are quite traditional and set in their ways.
98. (the) bottom line: Con số thông tin quan trọng
E.g: Don’t give me the details of what the client said about the bid, just tell me his bottom line.
99. Burn the midnight oil: Thức khuya làm việc
E.g: We’re gonna have to burn the midnight oil to get this job done by tomorrow.
100. Call it a day: Kết thúc công việc của một ngày
E.g: Well, it was nice chatting with you, but it’s time for me to call it a day.
101. Change one’s mind: Thay đổi suy nghĩ
E.g: She’s very young. She might change her mind about what she wants to do.
102. Over the moon: Hạnh phúc, vui vẻ tột độ
E.g: I was over the moon when I passed my Speaking test.
103. Down in the dumps: Buồn bã
E.g: She’s a bit down in the dumps because she failed one of her exams.
104. (Right) off the top of my head: Nói ngay không cần suy nghĩ, bật ra ngay trong đầu
E.g: You are familiar enough with the data. Give us the information off the top of your head.
105. Catch one’s eye: Hấp dẫn, thu hút sự chú ý
E.g: Do any of these watches catch your eye?
106. (on the) cutting edge: Vượt trội hơn người
E.g: His teaching process is on the cutting edge.
107. Chill out: Thoải mái, thư giãn
E.g: Despite terrorism, Obama still kept calm and told his staff to chill out and got back to work.
108. Put all your eggs in one basket: bỏ tất cả tiền bạc và công sức vào việc gì đó
E.g: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. You should apply to lots of different universities.
109. Miss the boat: Vuột mất cơ hội
E.g: I sent my application in late and I think I missed the boat.
110. (to be) fed up with: Chán ngấy cái gì đó
E.g: Be careful, I think the boss is fed up with us today.
111. Once in a blue moon: Hiếm khi
E.g: A student will get a 9 in the IELTS Writing test once in a blue moon.
112. White elephant: Vật tốn kém nhưng không có giá trị
E.g: That new motorbike I bought is really a white elephant, it is expensive and too big for these streets.
113. Get a kick out of something: Rất thích làm gì
E.g: I really get a kick out of listening to children talk. They say some very funny things.
114. Out of the blue: Bất ngờ, đột ngột
E.g: The sky was very clear but out of the blue, it started to rain.
115. Try my hand at something: Thử sức làm gì đó
E.g: I have tried my hands at a number of other finance jobs, but I always find myself coming back to accounting.
116. Blown away: Cực kì sốc, ấn tượng với cái gì đó
E.g: When I saw Son Tung live in concert, I was absolutely blown away by his talent.
117. Bend over backwards: Rất cố gắng
E.g: He bent over backwards to please his boss.
118. Leave no stone unturned: Làm tất cả để đạt mục tiêu
E.g: I’ll leave no stone unturned until I find out the reason.
119. Sit on the fence: Lưỡng lự
E.g: You can’t sit on the fence any longer. You have to decide!
120. Back to the drawing board: Làm lại từ đầu
E.g: I got 4.5 in Writing! Oh well, back to the drawing board.
1. Chủ đề Money and Finance – Tiền bạc & Tài chính
– A penny saved is a penny earned: một xu để dành là một xu kiếm được, khuyên nên tiết kiệm tiền
E.g: She runs her own business and does all the work herself because she believes that a penny saved is a penny earned.
– Beyond one’s means: nằm ngoài khả năng chi trả
E.g: The trip was just beyond our means.
– Someone’s bread and butter: ám chỉ nguồn sống, kế sinh nhai, nguồn thu nhập
E.g: His family’s bread and butter comes from his small business.
– Cut one’s losses: dừng làm việc gây thua lỗ và tổn thất
E.g: They decided to stop the unprofitable project to cut their losses.
– Down-and-out: không có tiền, công việc, nhà cửa (vừa là tính từ vừa là danh từ)
E.g: She left him when he was down-and-out.
– Bring home the bacon: thành công, kiếm đủ tiền nuôi sống gia đình.
E.g: In my family, my dad is the one who brings home the bacon while my mom stays at home and takes care of us.
– At all costs: bằng mọi giá, quyết tâm làm điều gì
E.g: I’ll be the winner at all costs.
– Earn a living: kiếm sống
E.g: She’s financially independent. She can earn her own living.
– Money doesn’t grow on trees: ý nhắc nhở tiêu tiền hợp lý, vì tiền khó kiếm
E.g: I wanted to have a new car but then I changed my mind because my old car was still in good condition. My mom always reminds me that money doesn’t grow on trees.
– Pour money down the drain: tiêu hoang
E.g: This second-hand fridge isn’t working well. Buying it is just pouring money down the drain.
– Born with a silver spoon in your mouth: sướng từ trong trứng sướng ra, sinh ra trong một gia đình sung túc, đủ điền kiện
E.g: He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, so he has never known what hard work is.
2. Chủ đề Love – Tình yêu
– Love at first sight: yêu từ cái nhìn đầu tiên
E.g: Jim and Sue had a very happy ending after three months of dating. It was love at first sight.
– Match made in heaven: cặp trời phú
E.g: Tim and Anna are a match made in heaven. I believe they’ll soon have a happy ending.
– Have a crush on someone: thích ai đó, cảm nắng
E.g: She’s had a huge crush on him since they first met.
– To love with all your heart and soul: yêu ai đó bằng cả trái tim và tâm trí
E.g: I loved him with all my heart and soul but he still left me.
– Wear your heart on your sleeve: hay thể hiện cảm xúc mình
E.g: I can tell that Mary is depressed after her broken relationship. She wears her heart on her sleeve.
– Fall head over heels in love: si mê một ai đó
E.g: He fell head over heels in love with Sarah and they got married three months after their first date.
– Tie the knot: cưới ai đó
E.g: After a few months of dating, they decided to tie the knot in May.
– Be the apple of one’s eye: được yêu thích, được coi trọng bởi một ai đó
E.g: There are 30 students in this class but Lisa is the apple of the teacher’s eye because she’s helpful and friendly.
3. Chủ đề Happiness and Sadness – Vui buồn
– On cloud nine: trên chín tầng mây, ám chỉ đang rất vui và hạnh phúc
E.g: Jack was on cloud nine when his girlfriend said ‘yes’ to his proposal.
– Make one’s day: To make someone feel very happy: làm ai đó cảm thấy vô cùng hạnh phúc
E.g: This birthday surprise really made my day.
– Not the end of the world: khi khuyên nhủ ai đó và muốn nói rằng đây chưa phải là điều tồi tệ nhất
E.g: Don’t worry about the debt. It’s not the end of the world.
– Feel blue/have the blues: cảm thấy buồn bã
E.g: He’s been feeling blue since the day she left.
– Face like a wet weekend: nhìn mặt thảm thương
E.g: ‘Are you alright? You have a face like a wet weekend.’
– Get a (real) kick out of something: thích điều gì đó rất nhiều
E.g: He gets a kick out of football. He’s a big fan of Lionel Messi.
– On top of the world: cảm thấy cực kỳ hạnh phúc
E.g: Harry was on top of the world when Jenny accepted his invitation to dinner.
– In seventh heaven: cảm thấy cực kỳ hạnh phúc
E.g: She was in seventh heaven when she won the lottery.
– Over the moon: cảm thấy cực kỳ hạnh phúc
E.g: Sue is over the moon about her new laptop.
– Have a whale of a time: có một khoảng thời gian vui vẻ
E.g: We had a whale of a time at the party last night.
4. Chủ đề Health – Sức khoẻ
– Ill at ease: cảm thấy lo lắng và không thoải mái
E.g: She looked ill at ease when she had to do public speaking.
– Breathe one’s last: trút hơi thở cuối cùng
E.g: My uncle always desired to find his lost son before he breathed his last.
– Catch a cold: bị cảm
E.g: ‘What’s the matter with Harry?’ ‘He caught a cold after the summer camp.’
– Fall ill: bị ốm
E.g: The students all fell ill after trying the new drink at the summer camp.
– At death’s door: rất ốm và gần như sắp qua đời
E.g: My grandpa was so ill. The doctor said he was at death’s door.
– Nothing but skin and bones: ám chỉ rất gầy, da bọc xương
E.g: The kids there have nothing to eat. They’re nothing but skin and bones.
– Safe and sound: bình yên vô sự
E.g: Make sure everyone is safe and sound after the earthquake.
– Get/have/give someone a black eye: bị ai đánh thâm tím mặt mày; danh tiếng bị huỷ hoải
E.g: Although he won the fight, he got a black eye.
– Recharge one’s batteries: hồi phục năng lượng, thư giãn
E.g: Don’t work too hard. Let’s go to the beach and recharge our batteries.
– Under the weather: không được khoẻ trong người
E.g: John had a day off from work today because he felt under the weather.
– You are what you eat: ám chỉ sức khoẻ có liên quan đến đồ mình ăn hàng ngày, ý khuyên nên ăn uống lành mạnh
E.g: ‘Mom, can I have some more fried chicken, please?’ ‘That’s enough, sweetie. You are what you eat.’
– As pale as a ghost: mặt trắng bệch
E.g: The little girl was as pale as a ghost when she saw the giant monster on the screen.
5. Travel – Du Lịch
– Off the beaten track: ở nơi xa, ít người biết đến
E.g: The explorers have just found a village off the beaten track.
– Make your way back: trở lại điểm ban đầu, trở lại điểm xuất phát
E.g: The little boy got lost but finally made his way back home safe and sound.
– Hustle and bustle: náo nhiệt, đông đúc
E.g: I moved to a rural area because the hustle and bustle of big cities does not suit me.
– Live out of a suitcase: thích đi đây đi đó, không thích ở một chỗ lâu dài
E.g: It’s time you settled down, Eric. Don’t live out of a suitcase any longer.
– Travel broadens the mind: Đi một ngày đàng học một sàng khôn (càng đi càng biết nhiều điều)
E.g: I like traveling because travel broadens the mind.
– Hit the road: Xuất phát
E.g: Let’s hit the road now. It’s 8 a.m. already.
– Break the journey: Tạm nghỉ, tạm dừng chân
E.g: After three days of walking in the forest, we broke the journey at a small village by the river.
– Have/get/give [someone] itchy feet: ngứa chân, ám chỉ muốn đi du lịch ở nhiều nơi.
E.g: I didn’t like living in Texas. I started getting itchy feet.
– Thirst for adventure: khao khát khám phá
E.g: She has a thirst for adventure. She just can’t stop traveling.
6. Topic Work – Công Việc
– Get your feet under the table: làm quen với công việc
E.g: It’s my first week at the new company. I haven’t gotten my feet under the table.
– Go the extra mile: sẵn sàng cố gắng hết sức để hoàn thành công việc vượt mức trên cả mong đợi
E.g:Julie always goes the extra mile to make her mom happy.
– Put one’s feet up: thư giãn
E.g: After a hard day at work, I like to put my feet up and read some books.
– Be in someone’s good (or bad) books: làm việc gì đó khiến ai cảm thấy hạnh phúc (tức giận)
E.g: All students want to be in the teacher’s good book.
– Give someone the sack: sa thải một ai đó
E.g: His work has been getting worse and worse. It’s time to give him the sack.
– Call it a day: nghỉ ngơi, ám chỉ dừng việc mình đang làm lại
E.g: ‘We worked so hard today. Let’s call it a day before 6 p.m.’
– Work like a dog: làm việc chăm chỉ
E.g: That’s unfair. Why do I have to work like a dog while he can watch TV?
– All in a day’s work: ám chỉ đều là những công việc hàng ngày mình phải làm
E.g: She can cook for 40 people in just 2 hours. For her, cooking is all in a day’s work.
– Work one’s fingers to the bone: làm việc cực kỳ chăm chỉ, đặc biệt là các công việc tay chân
E.g: I’ve worked my fingers to the bone but my boss is still not happy.
7. Topic Friendship
– Lend your money. Lose your friend: ám chỉ không nên cho bạn vay mượn, cho bạn mượn tiền là mất bạn
E.g: You shouldn’t lend your friend money because it may create issues. You’ll have to bother your friend to repay the loan, or your friend may never repay the loan. Both can make your friendship worse.
– A friend in need is a friend indeed: ám chỉ người bạn thực sự là một người sẵn sàng giúp đỡ, đặc biệt là trong những hoàn cảnh khó khăn.
E.g: She stayed by me when I was depressed about my parents’ divorce, which made me believe that “a friend in need is a friend indeed.”
– See eye to eye with someone: có cùng quan điểm, đồng tình với ai
E.g: They’re such a perfect couple. They see eye to eye on most things.
I can’t bear being on the same team as him. I’ve never seen eye to eye with him.
– Get on like a house on fire: cảm thấy thích ai đó và trở thành bạn rất nhanh
E.g: She looked very cold at first but when I talked to her, I realized she was very kind-hearted. After that, we got on like a house on fire.
– Know someone inside out: biết tường tận, hiểu rõ ai đó
E.g: I know him inside out. I understand that he left for a reason.
– Speak the same language: có cùng quan điểm và thái độ về điều gì đó
E.g: I have to check with my teammates to make sure we speak the same language.
8. Chủ đề Dreams
– Beyond your wildest dreams: tốt đẹp hơn những gì mình tưởng tượng
E.g: My first prize in the beauty pageant last night was beyond my wildest dreams.
– Daydream about someone or something: mơ mộng về ai hoặc việc gì đó
E.g: I can’t believe that I am now the manager of a multinational corporation. I used to daydream about this when I was little.
– In one’s dreams: nói về điều gì đó khó có thể xảy ra
E.g: ‘I think I can make Tom love me.’ ‘In your dreams. He’s been with his pretty and sexy girlfriend for years.’
– A dream come true: đạt được những gì mà mình mong muốn trong một khoảng thời gian dài
E.g: The project succeeded brilliantly. It was a dream come true.
– Keep someone’s feet on the ground: luôn có thái độ sống thực tế
E.g: In spite of her overnight success, she always keeps her feet on the ground.
– Bring someone back down to earth: nhắc nhở ai đó quay trở về cuộc sống hiện tại sau khi có một trải nghiệm tuyệt vời hoặc một kế hoạch không thực tế
E.g: His startup will not be as easy as it seems. Let’s bring him back down to earth.
– Broken dreams: hy vọng hay ước mơ không được thực hiện
E.g: I would like to be an athlete one day but since my leg was seriously injured in a car crash, that desire is full of broken dreams.
9. Chủ đề Time
– Nine-to-five job: công việc giờ hành chính
E.g: Nine-to-five jobs are boring. I’d rather run my own business.
– At the eleventh hour: sự việc gì đó xảy ra muộn, giây phút cuối cùng
E.g: It’s impossible for me to handle this issue. Please don’t change at the eleventh hour.
– Like clockwork: nói về cái gì đó xảy ra đúng theo lịch trình
E.g: Every day at 5 a.m., like clockwork, he goes to the gym. He’s such a healthy man.
– Time flies: thời gian trôi nhanh
E.g: I can’t believe that your youngest kid is about 20 now. Time flies.
– Better late than never: thà muộn còn hơn là không bao giờ
E.g: I know it’s too late to say sorry but I guess better late than never.
– In the long (short) run: trong thời gian dài (ngắn) hạn
E.g: He may feel happy about his new relationship in the short run but I’m sure later on he’ll regret what he’s done to me.
– Beat the clock: hoàn thành việc gì đó trước deadline hay trước khi hết giờ, đến hạn
E.g: If you want to win the race, you have to beat the clock.
– Make up for lost time: bù lại cho khoảng thời gian đã mất
E.g: My grandpa didn’t travel a lot when he was young, so he’s determined to make up for lost time.
10. Chủ đề Decisions
– Take it or leave it: chấn nhận hay từ chối điều gì
E.g: ‘Do you have any other bikes for rent?’ ‘Sorry, that’s the last one in the shop. Take it or leave it.’
– Sit on the fence: chần chừ hoặc tránh phải đưa ra quyết định
E.g: It’s time you said yes or no to his proposal. Don’t sit on the fence.
– Take a back seat: nhường quyền cho ai đó hoặc ở một vị trí ít quan trọng hơn
E.g: It’s time for me to take the back seat. I’m too old for that position.
– A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush: ám chỉ nên bằng lòng với những gì mình đang có
E.g: It’s too risky. I’d rather settle down here than move to Canada alone. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
– My way or the highway: yêu cầu người khác phải làm những gì mình muốn không thì họ sẽ phải rời đi
E.g:In my family, Dad is always the one who makes decisions. ‘My way or the highway’ is what he usually says to us.
– Weigh the pros and cons: suy nghĩ cẩn thận trước khi ra quyết định
E.g: The government weighed all the pros and cons of the new project.
13 Common Idioms on Various Topics
– To Sleep On It: suy nghĩ kĩ trước khi quyết định điều gì
E.g:You don’t have to accept my proposal now, just sleep on it and tell me later.
– Know Someone Like The Back Of Your Hand: quá quen thuộc với điều gì
E.g: You should know the periodic table like the back of your hand because it will be on the test tomorrow.
She knows the lyrics to this song like the back of her hand.
– As Easy As Pie/ A Piece Of Cake: ám chỉ điều gì đó dễ dàng
E.g: This task might seem hard but it is actually a piece of cake.
Learning how to drive is a piece of cake.
– Take It Easy: bình tĩnh lại
E.g: Don’t overwhelm yourself; just take it easy.
Just take it easy at work; we are not in a rush.
– To Get The Ball Rolling: bắt đầu làm việc gì, bắt tay làm việc gì
E.g: The weekend is over; let’s get the ball rolling at work.
– Twenty-Four/Seven (24/7): lúc nào cũng có sẵn, có mặt
E.g: I’m available 24/7, so you can call me anytime.
– Once And For All: làm một lần rồi không bao giờ phải làm nữa
E.g: Get vaccinated once and for all to cure this disease.
– To Make The Best Of: tận dụng điều gì đó, thấy mặt tích cực trong tình huống nào đó
E.g: She is the most positive person I’ve ever known, she can make the best of even in the worst situations.
– Day in and day out (also: day after day; for longer periods of time, year in and year out, year after year): làm một việc giống nhau ngày này qua ngày khác
E.g: They’ve worked hard day after day for five years and were able to buy a house.
– To Keep One’s Word: giữ lời hứa
E.g: I respect people who keep their words.
– To Give (Someone) A Hand: giúp đỡ ai đó
E.g: Can I give you a hand with anything?
I gave her a hand when she asked for help.
– To Be In (Someone’s) Shoes: thông cảm và hiểu cho ai đó
E.g: Try to be in my shoes before you criticize me.
If she were in his shoes, she would understand his decision.
– None Of Your Business: không phải việc của mình
E.g: ow much I make a year is none of your business.
My marital status is none of your business.