USE OF ENGLISH ADVANCED (UNIT 1)

par for the course

If a type of behaviour, event, or situation is par for the course, it is not good but it is normal or as you would expect.

going concern

if a company is sold as a going concern, it is sold when it is operating normally

hue and cry

a noisy expression of public anger or disapproval

part and parcel

phần quan trọng, thiết yếu của cái gì

home truths

a true but unpleasant fact about yourself that another person tells

odd jobs

small jobs of different types, especially those that involve repairing or cleaning things

without a second thought

If you do something without a second thought, you do it without first considering if you should do it or not

have second thoughts

to change your opinion about something or start to doubt it

on second thoughts UK (US on second thought)

used when you want to change a decision you have made

Treat someone with kid gloves'

có từ kid là trẻ con và glove là đôi găng tay, vì thế cụm từ này nghĩa là đối xử với ai nhẹ nhàng, cẩn thận vì họ hay tự ái, dễ bị đụng chạm

word salad

a mixture of words or phrases that is confused and difficult to understand

be the butt of sth

to be the person or thing that other people often make jokes

under the auspices

with the help and support of (someone or something)

By the book'

nghĩa là nói/làm theo sách vở, đúng quy tắc, luật lệ (In accordance with rules or

regulations; .

to speak with minute exactness); nói có sách, mách có chứng

On the blink'

trong ánh sáng chập chờn, nhấp nháy trặc, hành động khác lạ. Ngoài ra thi thoảng nó cũng được dùng với nghĩa 'say xỉn'.

at the hands of someone

if you suffer at the hands of someone, they hurt you or treat you badly

old chestnut

an old joke or story that has been told so many times that it is no longer funny or interesting

an old soak

someone who is often drunk – used humorously

old money

used to refer to rich people whose families have been rich for a long time

old wives' tale

a piece of advice or a theory, often related to matters of health, that was believed in the past but is now known to be wrong

a load of (old) cobblers

a bunch of nonsense

can of worms

a situation that causes a lot of problems for you when you start to deal with it

apple of discord

mối bất hòa

spot of bother

used for emphasizing that a problem is small and not serious

scum of the earth

the worst type of people that can be imagined

live wire

someone who is very active and has a lot of energy

Bright spark"

tia sáng

a nasty piece of work

a very unpleasant person

be bursting/bulging at the seams (with something)

be very or too full (of something)

burn a hole in (one's) pocket

To be in one's possession and causing one an intense urge to make use of it. Typically used in reference to money, suggesting that the person with the money feels the need to spend it quickly.

'Fly by the seat of one's pants'

bay bằng mông quần (phi công bay bằng sự phán đoán, vì khi ngành hàng không mới ra đời, không có phương tiện hỗ trợ hay khả năng liên lạc với mặt đất)

Wear the trousers"

mặc quần, nghĩa là người (thường là phụ nữ) trụ cột trong mối quan hệ, đưa ra quyết định cho cả đôi bên.

have a dig at sb

to make a mocking, sarcastic, or insulting remark, gibe, or criticism at someone's or something's expense

carry the can

to take the blame or responsibility for something that is wrong or has not succeeded

carry all/everything before (one)

to be completely successful

Carry the ball"

nghĩa là trong bóng bầu dục Mỹ, cầu thủ cố lấy thêm diện tích trên sân cho đội mình bằng cách chạy tiến lên trước trong khi giữ bóng, nghĩa khác là chịu trách nhiệm làm điều gì.

Carry the day'

thắng lợi, thành công sau một cuộc tranh luận hay tranh tài.

gild the lily

make unnecessary additions to what is already complete

go to seed

(of a person) to become careless about one’s clothes and appearance

thuộm/(of a place) to become rather shabby and uncared for

bắt đầu trông tiều tụy/(also run to seed) (of a plant) to produce seeds after flowering.

Pushing up the daisies"

nghĩa là đã chết.

come out/up smelling like/of roses

to have success or good fortune in a situation in which one was likely to fail, be harmed, etc.

feeding frenzy

a situation in which people try to get as much as possible of something, for example information about an event, especially in an unpleasant way

fever pitch

a state of very strong emotion

buffer zone

an area intended to separate two armies that are fighting

‘a second wind’

(luồng gió mới), điều đó CHO họ có một sức sống mới hoặc quyết tâm làm điều gì sau khi bắt đầu nó được một thời gian.

If you describe the way someone treats you as a kick in the teeth

you mean that that person treats you badly and unfairly, especially at a time when you need their support

If an economy or business is in the doldrums,

nothing new is happening and it is not doing well

on the rocks

likely to fail soon

be on the cards

to be likely to happen

In the black"

có tiền, có lời, không nợ nần gì. Ngược lại với cụm từ "in the red" (nợ nần, mất khả năng thanh toán).