ôn gk 1 = I

A kick in the pants

một bài học để cố gắng hơn – Losing that game was a kick in the pants for me.

An open-and-shut case

vụ việc rõ ràng, dễ giải quyết – It’s an open-and-shut case.

A shot in the dark

đoán mò – It was just a shot in the dark.

A big cheese

nhân vật quan trọng – He’s a big cheese in the company.

Ins and outs

chi tiết phức tạp – She knows all the ins and outs of the job.

The tip of the iceberg

phần nổi của vấn đề – The problem is just the tip of the iceberg.

Compulsive liar

kẻ nói dối chuyên nghiệp – He’s such a compulsive liar.

To pour cold water on something

dội gáo nước lạnh, làm mất hứng – Don’t pour cold water on my idea.

To blow something out of the water

đánh bại hoàn toàn – Their new phone blows the old model out of the water.

To sell/go like hot cakes

bán chạy như tôm tươi – These shoes are selling like hot cakes.

To hit the books

học bài – I have to hit the books for the exam.

To hit it off

hợp nhau, nhanh chóng thân thiết – They really hit it off at the party.

To make good time

đi nhanh, đến sớm – We made good time and arrived early.

To fly off the handle

nổi giận – He flew off the handle when he heard the news.

To cut it fine

làm sát giờ – We cut it fine but caught the train.

To jump the traffic lights

vượt đèn đỏ – He was fined for jumping the traffic lights.

To pull one’s weight

làm tròn trách nhiệm – Everyone has to pull their weight in the team.

To make ends meet

xoay xở để sống – It’s hard to make ends meet these days.

To cut and dried

rõ ràng, dứt khoát – The decision was cut and dried.

To take pains

làm việc cẩn thận, tận tâm – She takes great pains with her writing.

To drop sb a line/note

viết thư cho ai – Drop me a line when you arrive.

To turn over a new leaf

bắt đầu thay đổi tốt hơn – He’s turned over a new leaf since last year.

To weigh up the pros and cons

cân nhắc thiệt hơn – You should weigh up the pros and cons before deciding.

The black sheep

kẻ khác biệt trong gia đình – He’s the black sheep of the family.

Blue in the face

mãi mãi, vô vọng – He argued till he was blue in the face.

Red-letter day

ngày đặc biệt, đáng nhớ – Graduation day was a red-letter day for me.

Catch somebody red-handed

bắt quả tang – The thief was caught red-handed.

Have a yellow streak

có tính nhát gan – He won’t fight; he has a yellow streak.

Paint the town red

ăn mừng linh đình – Let’s paint the town red tonight!

In the pink

có sức khỏe tốt – She’s in the pink again after her illness.

Now and then

thỉnh thoảng – I see her now and then.

Peace and quiet

yên bình, tĩnh lặng – I love the peace and quiet of the countryside.

Behind closed doors

kín, bí mật – The deal was made behind closed doors.

Sick and tired

chán ngấy – I’m sick and tired of this job.

Safe and sound

bình an vô sự – They arrived home safe and sound.

Nowhere near

còn lâu mới, chắc là không – I’m nowhere near ready.

Out of sorts

mệt, không khỏe – She’s out of sorts today.

On the mend

đang hồi phục – He’s on the mend after surgery.

Over the worst

qua điều tệ nhất – She’s over the worst now.

On pins and needles

lo lắng, bồn chồn – I was on pins and needles waiting for the results.

Lend color to something

chứng minh điều gì – His tears lent color to his story.

Scratch someone’s back

giúp ai để được giúp lại – You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.

Hit the nail on the head

nói đúng, làm đúng – You hit the nail on the head with that comment.

Make someone’s blood boil

làm ai sôi máu – His arrogance makes my blood boil.

Pay through the nose

trả giá cắt cổ – We paid through the nose for this hotel.

Pull someone’s leg

chọc ai, đùa ai – Don’t be angry, I’m just pulling your leg!

Not bat an eye

không ngạc nhiên – She didn’t bat an eye at the bad news.

Cost an arm and a leg

rất đắt – That car cost me an arm and a leg.

Lead somebody by the nose

nắm mũi, điều khiển ai – He lets his boss lead him by the nose.

Off one’s head

điên rồ, mất trí – He must be off his head to say that.

Put one’s foot in it

lỡ lời, nói nhầm – I really put my foot in it at the meeting.

A big fish in a small pond

thằng chột làm vua xứ mù – He’s a big fish in a small pond.

Rain cats and dogs

mưa như trút nước – It’s raining cats and dogs outside.

Catch the worm

nắm bắt cơ hội – The early bird catches the worm.

Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth

đừng chê quà tặng – Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.

Change horse in midstream

thay đổi giữa chừng – Don’t change horse in midstream.

To be in hot water

gặp rắc rối – He’s in hot water for lying.

Better safe than sorry

cẩn thận vẫn hơn – Take an umbrella; better safe than sorry.

In Rome do as the Romans do

nhập gia tùy tục – When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

No roses without a thorn

hồng nào chẳng có gai – There are no roses without thorns.

Save for the rainy day

dành dụm khi khó khăn – Save money for a rainy day.

Still waters run deep

tẩm ngẩm tầm ngầm mà đấm chết voi – Don’t underestimate him; still waters run deep.

Penny wise pound foolish

tham cái nhỏ, hỏng cái lớn – Don’t be penny wise and pound foolish.

The die is cast

việc đã định, bút sa gà chết – The die is cast; there’s no turning back.

Under the weather

không khỏe – I’m feeling under the weather today.

The end of the world

điều tồi tệ nhất – Failing an exam isn’t the end of the world.

As fit as a fiddle

khỏe mạnh – She’s as fit as a fiddle at 70.

As high as a kite

phấn khích, hưng phấn – He was as high as a kite after the win.

Hot under the collar

bực bội, khó chịu – He got hot under the collar when criticized.

For good

mãi mãi – They moved to Canada for good.