Idioms(Part 2)

A blank canvas

[Something that are full of potential,ready to be shaped or developed]

[Một khởi đầu mới]

E.g:After gradutating,she saw her future as a ~~ waiting to be painted with ambition and hard work.

A breath of fresh air

[Someone or something that is new,refrshing and in different in a positive way,espeacially after something boring,tiring or unpleasant]

[Làn gió mới,điều gì đó làm thay đổi tích cực]

E.g:Her creative teaching style was a ~~ in an otherwise rigid education system.

A likely story

[Used sarcastically to show that you don’t believe what someone has just said]

A long shot

[An attempt or guess that is not likely to be successful but that is worth trying]

E.g:Winning the scholarship is a ~~, but I’m going to apply anyway.

back the wrong horse

To make the wrong decision and support a person or an action that is later unsuccessful

E.g:Investors completely ~~ by investing in a company that was bankrupt.

put all your eggs in one basket

Risk everything on one plan

E.g:If you want to increase the chance of getting into university,don’t put ~~.Apply to several universities instead.

Hedge your bets

To reduce risk by taking multiple options or precautions instead of relying one single choice.

E.g:I will ~~ by keeping my current job while starting a new business.

Draw a veil over

To avoid talking about something embarassing,unpleasant,or painful,often by delibrately keeping its secret for not meantioning it.

E.g: You cannot easily recognize the truth,for the clerks have drawn ~~ it.

Shut one’s ears

To refuse to listen to advice,criticism, or warnings

E.g:I ~~ immediately when my teacher began to list my mistakes in front of the class.

Count the cost

To suffer a negative consequences of an action or mistake

Blow smoke

To exaggerate or talk nonsense to impress or deceive someone

E.g:The salesman was clearly blowing smoke when introducing the product’s capabilities.

Fly one’s kite

Used to tell someone who is being annoying to go away

E.g:I’m sick and tired about his disturbance when I’m doing my assignments, so i tell him to fly his kite.

Reinvent the wheel

To wast time trying to create something that already exits, or has been already done effectively.

E.g:Many researchers waste time reinventing the wheel rather than building on previous studies.

Sing from the same hymn sheet

Cùng chung quan điểm

[To express the same opinions or say the same thing as others in a group,espeacially in a coordinated way.

E.g:If the management team isn’t singing ~~ ,employees will receive mixed signals about the company’s strategy.

Not set the Thames on fire(with)

Không có gì nổi bật/phi thường

E.g:Contrary to what I expected, he didn’t ~~ with his performance despite his 10-year experience.(THAMES)

Go south

Trở nên tệ đi,xuống dốc

E.g:After the scandal,the company’s reputation ~~ quickly.(SOUTH)

Keep somebody on the edge of their seat.

Khiến ai đó hồi hộp/căng thẳng/háo hức chờ đợi

E.g:The author’s gripping narrative keeps readers ~~ from beginning to end.(EDGE)

Move heaven and earth

Làm mọi cách,cố gắng hết sức bằng mọi giá.

E.g:The government must ~~ to address the ongoing environmental crisis.(HEAVEN)

By the skin of one’s teeth

Suýt soát,vừa kịo,trong gang tấc

E.g:The team avoided defeat by the skin of their teeth in a tense final match.