680 Idioms Chuyên Anh

Complete set of 680 English idioms and their definitions compiled for the Grade 10 High School for the Gifted Entrance Examination.

keep somebody in the dark

1. to exclude someone from full knowledge or disclosure (of something) 2. giấu ai đó một thông tin nào đó 3. Keeping taxpayers in the dark about how their money is being spent is not how government should operate.

a pack of lies

1. a story, explanation, etc. that is completely untrue 2. một đống lời nói dối 3. His alibi turned out to be a complete pack of lies.

start the ball rolling

1. to begin an activity or process 2. bắt đầu, khởi xướng một việc gì đó 3. I'll start the ball rolling by introducing our first speaker.

a red herring

1. something that misleads or distracts from the main issue 2. đánh trống lảng 3. The detective realized the mysterious phone call was just a red herring.

toe the line

1. to follow the rules or conform to the standard 2. tuân theo quy tắc, làm theo quy định 3. The new manager is strict and expects everyone to toe the line.

learn the ropes

1. to learn how to do a particular job or task 2. học việc, học những điều cơ bản 3. It will take a few months for the new intern to learn the ropes.

a hive of activity

1. a place that is very busy 2. nơi nhộn nhịp, hối hả 3. The kitchen was a hive of activity as the chefs prepared for the grand wedding.

in dire straits

1. in a very difficult or serious situation, especially financial 2. trong hoàn cảnh khó khăn, nguy cấp 3. After the factory closed, the whole town was in dire straits.

cut things fine

1. to allow very little time for something, almost too little 2. sắp xếp thời gian sát giờ, vừa đủ 3. You're cutting it fine – your flight boards in ten minutes!

spring to mind

1. to be thought of immediately 2. lập tức nghĩ tới, hiện lên trong đầu 3. When I think of a reliable car, Japanese brands always spring to mind.

once and for all

1. completely and finally 2. một lần dứt điểm, lần cuối 3. We need to settle this argument once and for all.

follow suit

1. to do the same as someone else has done 2. làm theo, bắt chước 3. One bank lowered its interest rates, and the others soon followed suit.

in the long run

1. at a time that is far away in the future 2. về lâu về dài 3. Studying might be hard now, but it will benefit you in the long run.

in the blink of an eye

1. extremely quickly 2. trong chớp mắt 3. The race car was gone in the blink of an eye.

by leaps and bounds

1. very quickly and by large amounts 2. tiến bộ nhanh chóng, nhảy vọt 3. Her Spanish has improved by leaps and bounds since she moved to Madrid.

carry the can

1. to take the blame or responsibility for something, especially for someone else 2. gánh vác trách nhiệm 3. The CEO resigned, but it was his assistants who had to carry the can for the scandal.

pale into insignificance

1. to seem much less important when compared to something else 2. trở nên nhỏ bé, không quan trọng 3. My problems paled into insignificance when I heard about her loss.

dig your heels in

1. to refuse to change your plans or ideas, especially when someone is urging you 2. cứng đầu, ương bướng 3. The children dug their heels in and refused to go to bed.

a dark horse

1. a person who has secret skills or abilities 2. người bí ẩn, có khả năng được giấu kín 3. He's a dark horse in this competition; nobody expected him to be so good.

be a far cry from

1. to be very different from something 2. rất khác xa, một trời một vực 3. This luxurious hotel is a far cry from the hostels we used to stay in.

strike a chord

1. to cause someone to feel sympathy, emotion, or enthusiasm 2. chạm đến cảm xúc, gây đồng cảm 3. The singer's song about home struck a chord with many immigrants in the audience.

keep a low profile

1. to avoid attracting attention to yourself 2. giữ một hình ảnh trầm lặng, ít thu hút sự chú ý 3. After the controversy, the actor kept a low profile for a year.

strike while the iron is hot

1. to take advantage of an opportunity immediately 2. thừa thắng xông lên, nắm lấy cơ hội 3. They liked our proposal – we need to strike while the iron is hot and sign the contract now.

keep a lid on

1. to keep something under control and prevent it from increasing 2. kiểm soát, hạn chế 3. The government is trying to keep a lid on inflation.

add fuel to the fire

1. to make a bad situation worse 2. thêm dầu vào lửa 3. Bringing up his past mistakes just added fuel to the fire.

an acid test

1. a situation that proves how effective or genuine something or someone is 2. bài kiểm tra khó khăn nhất 3. The World Cup will be an acid test for the young team.

call it a day

1. to decide to stop working on something 2. tạm dừng, kết thúc một ngày làm việc 3. We've been working on this for hours; let's call it a day.

be all at sea

1. to be confused and unable to understand something 2. bối rối, lúng túng không biết phải làm gì 3. I'm all at sea with this new software; can you help me?

cross your fingers

1. to hope that something will happen in the way you want 2. cầu mong, hi vọng 3. I'm crossing my fingers that I get the job.

a blessing in disguise

1. something that seems bad at first but results in something good 2. trong cái rủi có cái may 3. Losing that job was a blessing in disguise because it pushed me to start my own business.

ruffle somebody's feathers

1. to annoy or upset someone 2. làm ai đó phật lòng, khó chịu 3. He has a tendency to ruffle feathers with his blunt comments.

the salt of the earth

1. a very good and honest person 2. người tốt bụng và đáng quý 3. My grandmother was the salt of the earth; she would help anyone in need.

keep somebody on their toes

1. to make someone stay alert and ready for anything 2. làm ai đó luôn cảnh giác 3. My new boss keeps me on my toes with her constant questions.

take pot luck

1. to accept whatever is available, without knowing what it will be 2. chấp nhận bất cứ thứ gì có sẵn 3. We didn't book a restaurant, so we'll have to take pot luck.

keep your head down

1. to avoid trouble or attention 2. tránh gây sự chú ý, giữ đầu xuống 3. Just keep your head down and do your work until the boss's mood improves.

once in a blue moon

1. very rarely 2. hiếm khi, cả năm mới có một lần 3. He only visits his hometown once in a blue moon.

be at your wits' end

1. to be so worried and tired because of problems that you cannot think of any more solutions 2. bó tay 3. I've tried everything to fix the computer, and I'm at my wits' end.

the luck of the draw

1. the result of chance rather than something you can control 2. sự may rủi 3. Who you get as a teacher is just the luck of the draw.

bend the rules

1. to change the rules to make them suit a particular situation 2. làm lơ, không áp dụng luật lệ hà khắc 3. Sometimes you have to bend the rules a little to help a friend.

be larger than life

1. to be more exciting or interesting than most people 2. có tính cách mạnh mẽ, nổi bật 3. The actor was a larger-than-life character, both on and off the screen.

have had it up to here with

1. to be extremely annoyed by something and unable to accept it any longer 2. quá chịu đựng, quá ngán 3. I've had it up to here with their constant complaints!

leave somebody in the lurch

1. to abandon someone who is in a difficult situation 2. bỏ rơi ai trong lúc khó khăn 3. He promised to help, but he left me in the lurch at the last minute.

your best bet

1. the best choice or most useful course of action 2. lựa chọn tốt nhất 3. Your best bet is to take the train to avoid traffic.

stand on your own two feet

1. to be independent and take care of yourself without help from others 2. tự lập 3. By the age of 20, he was standing on his own two feet and paying his own rent.

get your lines/wires crossed

1. to have a misunderstanding because of a failure in communication 2. hiểu lầm nhau 3. We must have got our wires crossed; I thought you were bringing the drinks.

in the nick of time

1. at the last possible moment 2. vừa kịp lúc 3. The ambulance arrived in the nick of time.

kill two birds with one stone

1. to achieve two things with a single action 2. một mũi tên trúng hai đích 3. By cycling to work, I kill two birds with one stone: I save money and get exercise.

have the edge over

1. to have a slight advantage over somebody/something 2. có lợi thế hơn 3. Our team has the edge over theirs because of our experienced goalkeeper.

a breath of fresh air

1. someone or something that is new and different in a positive way 2. luồng gió mới 3. The new manager is a breath of fresh air for this department.

take something to heart

1. to be deeply affected or upset by something 2. ghi lòng tạc dạ, cảm thấy buồn/bị ảnh hưởng sâu sắc 3. He took the criticism to heart and worked hard to improve.

get on somebody's nerves

1. to annoy someone 2. làm phiền, chọc tức ai 3. His constant humming is really getting on my nerves.

at a push

1. used to say that something is possible but difficult 2. nếu cố gắng, nếu bắt buộc 3. We can fit five people in the car, six at a push.

sign on the dotted line

1. to formally agree to something by signing a document 2. ký vào giấy tờ, đồng ý 3. All we need is for you to sign on the dotted line.

in cold blood

1. in a cruel and deliberate way, without emotion 2. một cách lạnh lùng, có chủ đích 3. The victim was shot in cold blood.

at the end of the day

1. used to introduce the most important fact after everything has been considered 2. suy cho cùng 3. At the end of the day, the decision is yours.

put on a brave face

1. to pretend that you are happy when you are not 2. tỏ ra mạnh mẽ dù đang buồn 3. Even though she was nervous, she put on a brave face and went on stage.

as bold as brass

1. very confident in a way that is shocking or rude 2. mặt dày, trơ trẽn 3. He walked into the meeting late, as bold as brass, and didn't even apologize.

make a killing

1. to make a lot of money quickly 2. kiếm được bộn tiền 3. They made a killing by selling their shares just before the market crashed.

fall into place

1. to start to happen or become organized in the correct way 2. mọi thứ trở nên rõ ràng, đâu vào đấy 3. Once I found the main clue, the rest of the mystery fell into place.

let the cat out of the bag

1. to reveal a secret accidentally 2. lỡ miệng tiết lộ bí mật 3. I'm getting a bike for my son's birthday, but don't let the cat out of the bag!

keep somebody/something at bay

1. to prevent someone or something unpleasant from coming near you 2. tránh xa, ngăn chặn 3. I gargle with salt water to keep a sore throat at bay.

a laughing stock

1. a person or thing that is considered ridiculous and is laughed at 2. trò cười cho thiên hạ 3. If I wear that hat, I'll be the laughing stock of the whole office.

be in line for

1. to be likely to get or be considered for something 2. sắp được nhận, có khả năng được xem xét 3. She is in line for a promotion after her successful project.

keep an open mind

1. to avoid forming an opinion or making a decision until you know all the facts 2. giữ một tâm trí cởi mở 3. Let's keep an open mind until we've heard all the evidence.

burn your bridges

1. to do something that makes it impossible to return to a previous situation 2. đốt cháy cầu, đoạn tuyệt 3. He burned his bridges with his old company by insulting his boss on the way out.

whet your appetite

1. to make you desire something more, especially food or knowledge 2. kích thích sự thèm muốn, tò mò 3. The preview was designed to whet your appetite for the new film series.

avoid something like the plague

1. to avoid someone or something completely 2. tránh như tránh tà 3. After the bad meeting, I've been avoiding the manager like the plague.

on the blink

1. not working properly 2. hỏng, chập chờn 3. I can't watch the game; the TV is on the blink again.

pull a face

1. to make a strange expression with your face, especially to show dislike 2. nhăn mặt 3. The child pulled a face when he was given broccoli.

lose heart

1. to become discouraged 2. nản lòng 3. Don't lose heart; we still have a good chance of winning.

cast aspersions on

1. to criticize or express doubts about someone's character or reputation 2. đặt điều, gièm pha 3. He cast aspersions on my professionalism simply because I was five minutes late.

the bottom line

1. the most important fact in a situation 2. điều quan trọng nhất, vấn đề cốt lõi 3. The bottom line is that we need to increase sales or the business will fail.

miss the boat

1. to be too slow to take advantage of an opportunity 2. lỡ mất cơ hội 3. I missed the boat on buying those shares before the price skyrocketed.

call somebody's bluff

1. to challenge someone to prove what they say is true 2. bắt ai chứng minh lời nói dối của họ 3. He said he'd quit, so I called his bluff and accepted his resignation.

go downhill

1. to gradually become worse 2. trở nên tệ đi, xuống dốc 3. The service at that restaurant has really gone downhill since it changed owners.

go off the deep end

1. to suddenly become very angry or emotional 2. nổi điên, mất kiểm soát cảm xúc 3. My dad went off the deep end when he saw the dent in the car.

from the year dot

1. for a very long time; since the beginning of time 2. từ rất lâu rồi, từ thuở khai thiên lập địa 3. My family has lived in this village from the year dot.

be in your element

1. to be in a situation you enjoy because you are good at it 2. như cá gặp nước 3. She's in her element when she's teaching.

be on the back burner

1. to not be being dealt with now, but left for later 2. tạm hoãn, chưa giải quyết ngay 3. We've had to put the expansion plans on the back burner until we secure more funding.

never live something down

1. to never be able to make people forget about something embarrassing you did 2. không sống nổi với việc gì 3. If I fail the test, I'll never live it down.

be no laughing matter

1. to be a serious situation 2. chuyện nghiêm túc, không phải để đùa 3. Climate change is no laughing matter.

fight a losing battle

1. to try hard to do something when there is no chance of succeeding 2. làm một việc chắc chắn thất bại 3. I'm fighting a losing battle trying to keep this kitchen clean with three kids around.

once in a lifetime

1. happening only once in a person's life 2. cơ hội ngàn năm có một 3. A trip to the Galapagos is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

be as dry as a bone

1. to be very dry 2. khô như ngói 3. The soil in the desert is as dry as a bone.

throw a fit

1. to become very angry and upset 2. nổi cơn thịnh nộ 3. My mom will throw a fit if she sees this mess.

through the back door

1. in a secret or indirect way 2. một cách bí mật, không chính thức 3. He got the job through the back door because his father knows the CEO.

the best of both worlds

1. a situation where you can enjoy the advantages of two different things 2. được cả hai, được việc đôi đường 3. Living in a small town with good rail links gives you the best of both worlds.

make up your mind

1. to decide 2. quyết định 3. I can't make up my mind about which car to buy.

get off to a flying start

1. to have a very successful beginning 2. khởi đầu thuận lợi, khởi đầu tốt đẹp 3. The project got off to a flying start with a large donation.

along the lines of something

1. similar in type or style; roughly 2. đại loại như, tương tự như 3. He said something along the lines of, "I need more time to decide."

clear the decks

1. to finish all your work so you are ready to start something new 2. dọn dẹp, chuẩn bị sẵn sàng 3. I need to clear the decks before I go on vacation next week.

have all the makings of

1. to have the qualities needed to become something 2. có đầy đủ tố chất để trở thành 3. That young player has all the makings of a champion.

common ground

1. opinions or interests shared by each of two or more parties 2. điểm chung 3. Despite their arguments, they found common ground on environmental issues.

the ball is in your court

1. it is your turn to make a decision or take action 2. đến lượt bạn phải hành động 3. I've made my offer; now the ball is in your court.

come back down to earth with a bump

1. to suddenly return to a normal reality after a period of excitement 2. tỉnh mộng, trở về với thực tại 3. After the wonderful holiday, I came back down to earth with a bump when I saw my overflowing inbox.

fever pitch

1. a state of great excitement and activity 2. cực điểm của sự phấn khích 3. Excitement reached fever pitch as the band came on stage.

not have the foggiest idea

1. to not know anything at all about something 2. hoàn toàn không biết gì 3. I don't have the foggiest idea how to fix this engine.

make an exhibition of yourself

1. to embarrass yourself by behaving stupidly in public 2. tự làm mình xấu hổ trước công chúng 3. He got drunk and made an exhibition of himself at the wedding.

all over the place

1. everywhere; in a disorganized state 2. khắp nơi; lộn xộn, không có trật tự 3. My notes are all over the place. I can't find anything.

drag your feet

1. to do something slowly because you do not want to do it 2. chần chừ, câu giờ 3. The government is dragging its feet on the issue of tax reform.