English Idiom

Pass the buck

blame others; Accountable to someone

Ex: Don't try to pass the buck! It's your fault, and everybody knows it.

Be over the moon

to be very pleased

Ex: Linda was over the moon about becoming a mother.

Pitch-dark

Completely dark

Ex: In winter, it was already pitch-dark by 5.

Bitterly cold

Extremely and unpleasantly cold

Ex: You'll need your coat and scarf because it's bitterly cold outside.

learnt the hard way

Ex: Lessons learned the hard way will stick with you forever

getting in so's way

obstruct or hinder someone's progress

Ex: Her constant criticism is getting in the way of his self-esteem

lead so by the nose

to control someone and make them do exactly what you want

Ex: Politicians think they can easily lead people by the nose

give so a ring/buzz

call so. on the telephone

Fact-check st

investigate an issue in order to check the fact are given correctly

Ex: Many people think social networks should do more fact-check political ads.

Learn in st

Accept the challenge of doing st and try hard to do it successfully

Ex: Writing a novel can be a daunting process, but you just need to get up each morning and lean into it.

Be over the hump

to be past the most difficult or dangerous part of an activity or period of time

Ex: It's been hard work but I think we're over the hump now.

Aches and pains

pains in different parts of your body that are unpleasant but not very strong

Ex: As I get older I get a few more aches and pains after games.

No laughing matter

very serious

Ex: Being late for a job interview is no laughing matter

Bed of roses

An easy and happy existence

Ex: Life is no bed of roses

As straight as an arrow

Honest person

Diamond in the rough

A person having potential but hidden by rough exterior (need refinement)

Ex: They're a true diamond in the rough, an original work that speaks to you.

Better half

(n) spouse, wife or husband

Ex: Bring your better half when you visit us. We'd like to meet her.

(down) in the dumps

Unhappy

ad hoc

(adj) không dự tính trước, không theo thể thức

Ex: on an ad hoc basis We deal with problems on an ad hoc basis (= as they happen).

cup runneth over

feeling too full of love or joy or happiness

Ex: My cup runneth over whenever I listen to Mother Teresa.

beaten path

st done by many people or somewhere always travel

off the beaten path

not known or popular with many people:

to mourn for / over somebody / something

GRIEVE FOR, sorrow over

than khóc, thương tiếc

security blanket

st that provides emotional comfort

(to get) bogged down

too be prevented from make progress

Ex: Try not to get too bogged down in the details.

jack-of-all-trades

fairy skilled at a variety of jobs

due diligence

taking proper precaution to ensure a positive outcome in business or finance

Ex: People have to exercise due diligence and watch what's being bought on their credit cards.

level the playing field

make a situation fair for all

head over heels

madly in love

Color-coded

System using variety of colors

bits and pieces

collection of a small things

to toil away at / over something

work hard

Ex:students toiling over their homework

to entrance sb by / with st

attracted by

Ex: they were completely entranced by/with the music

to pander to st/sb

cố thoả mãn (một dục vọng thô bỉ, hèn hạ hoặc vô luân lý)

Ex: newspapers pandering to the public love of scandal

curb your appetite

limit your desire for st

dog days

the hottest days of the summer

Ex: I sleep in the basement during the dog days of August.

can't hold a candle to

to not be as good as the person or thing mentioned

Ex: Her latest book is readable enough, but it … her earlier work.

keep/have one's wits about one

giữ bình tĩnh; cảnh giác

to live by one's wits

dùng tài xoay để sống, xoay xở để sống từng bữa

water under the bridge

it has happened and cannot now be changed, so there is no point in worrying about it any more.

have it up your sleeve

to have secret plans or ideas

Ex: If I know Mark he'll have one or two tricks up his …

wear your heart on your sleeve.

you openly show your feelings or emotions rather than keeping them hidden - mở lòng

go/come with the territory

to be an expected fact or result of a particular situation or position

Ex: The public attention that famous people get just ....

The fact that the man has no free time … with his work as a news reporter.

a chip off the old block

someone who is very similar in character to their father or mother

lump someone/something together

to put different groups together and think about them or deal with them in the same way:

Ex: All the children are … in one class, regardless of their ability.

the pot calling the kettle black

something you say that means people should not criticize someone else for a fault that they have themselves - Chó chê mèo dài đuôi.

Elliott accused me of being selfish. Talk about …

give someone/something a run for their money

to not allow someone to win easily

ragtag and bobtail

disparaging (xem thuờng) terms for the common people

nooks and crannies

small spaces in something or parts of something that are difficult to reach

the parts of something that are hidden or difficult to find

An ordeal and a half

a difficult or painful experience was especially trying and challenging

A few cards short of a full deck

someone is foolish, stupid, or crazy

dead weight

Gánh nặng, kìm hãm nặng nề

Ex: The gains come from the shedding of the … of central planning restrictions.

on speaking terms

friendly enough to talk

Ex: We had an argument, but we’re getting back … now.

a reign of terror

a period of time when a ruler controls people in a violent and cruel way

get on someone's case

to criticize someone in an annoying way for something they have done - Chọc tức

I just don't want him … for being late for work. 

a fit of …He flew into a fit of …over the smallest mistake.

be in the red

If you or your bank account are in the red, you owe money to the bank./ spending more money than you earn

The company has been … for the last three quarters.

be in the black

earning more money than you spend:

This year our business is ...

rake in the dough 

To make a lot of money. 

It's not like we …. as soon as we opened our business. It took us years to turn a substantial profit.

let someone off the hook

to allow someone to escape from a difficult situation:

He …. and I didn't have to stay after work and help clean the office.

beat (someone) to the punch

to do or achieve something before someone else is able to
We were working on a new product but before we could get it into the market our competition …

sensation (n)

tin giật gân

The books have been a publishing … on both sides of the Atlantic.

down the road/line

in the future:

Lots of things will have changed a few years .

on the mend

becoming healthy after an illness:phục hồi

Ex: She's still in the hospital, but she's definitely ….

life isn't all sunshine and gumdrops

life has its ups and downs and is not always picture-perfect, happy, or trouble-free. 

talk someone's ear off

to talk to someone for a long time, usually loudly

The man beside me on the train …. during the journey.

level-headed (adj)

calm and able to deal easily with difficult situations điềm đạm

… people make realistic leaders who respond to problems rather than simply react.

agonizingly (adv)

khổ sở, khó nhọc

What a …heavy week!

take/pay heed

to pay attention to something or be careful about it:

…. of It is advisable to … of the following misconceptions.

Employers should …: recent research shows that job losses cause other valued staff to walk out.

…no …If some people are against you, … no ….

pay something no …I would advise you to pay this story no ….

pay no …to They seem to pay no …to the concerns of others.

guilty as charged

used to admit that what someone has been accused of is true, often when you think this is not really bad:

…! I am a Harry Potter fan!

Yes, he's … of being a show-off, but that's why he's so entertaining.

take its/a toll

If something takes its/a toll, it causes suffering, deaths, or damage:

The deepening recession has also … in the south of the country, where unemployment is rife.

be barking up the wrong tree/ wrong tree to bark up

to be wrong about the reason for something or the way to achieve something: nhầm lẫn; lầm tưởng

She thinks it'll solve the problem, but I think she's…..

bring/take someone down a peg (or two)

to show someone that they are not as important as they thought

close but no cigar

of an attempt) almost but not quite successful.

"they didn't catch him in the car—…"

not mince (your) words

to say what you mean clearly and directly, even if you upset people by doing this:

The report does …., describing the situation as "ludicrous".

Anh ấy là người nghĩ sao nói vậy, nói thẳng.

He says exactly what he thinks, he does not ...

be as stubborn as a mule

to be very stubborn

hands down

=definitely:

If we had a race, he’d win ….

can't hold a candle to

to not be as good as the person or thing mentioned:

Her latest book is readable enough, but it …to her earlier work.

be a law unto yourself

to behave in a way that is independent and does not follow the usual rules for a situation:

Charlie, of course, never fills in the record forms but then he's …

cook up, dance up, talk up, etc. a storm

= cook an amazing meal

to do something with a lot of energy and often skill:

Rob was in the kitchen ….

head over heels (in love)

completely in love

hit the sack

to go to bed in order to sleep:

I’ve got a busy day tomorrow, so I think I’ll ...

a st and a half

someone or something greater, more severe, or more intense than normal.

This computer problem is a mess … !

Controllers are paid time and … when they work overtime.

new guys are a bore …: extremely dull or tiresome. 

second to none

as good as or better than all others:

The conditions that these prisoners are kept in are ...

second to last

the one before the last person or thing: kế cuối

John was the … person to sing.

She is now in her … year of school.

up in arms

angry or upset:

The union is … over the reduction in health benefits.

beside yourself

extremely upset:

He was …. when he found out his dog had died.

teeter on the brink/edge of something

If something is … of a bad situation, it is likely that the situation will happen soon:

What we are seeing now is a country … civil war.

rake/haul sb over the coals

Xỉ vả ai

Bà ấy đã mắng nhiếc anh ấy thậm tệ.

She … him ..,

draw/get the short straw

to have to do the least enjoyable of a range of duties, often because you have been chosen to do it/ be chosen to perform an unpleasant task.

bốc thăm trúng phải việc khó khăn, không may, hoặc phải nhận phần thiệt thòi nhất trong một nhóm, thường là công việc nhàm chán hoặc không mong muốn

Mike … and had to clean the bathroom.

much to someone's delight, dismay, disappointment, surprise, etc.

used to say that someone is very surprised, happy, unhappy, etc. about something:

… her …, there were two police cars parked down the street.

I actually gave the guy his money back,…. his ….

… our … our mission was accomplished and with great satisfaction.

up a/the creek without a paddle

in a difficult situation, with no way of getting out of it:

Customers feel they have been left … by the bank.

If we don't address this problem now, we will be… in the very near future.

be (as) fit as a fiddle

to be very healthy and strong:

My grandmother's 89, but she's as…..

keep your nose to the grindstone

to work very hard without resting:

After a year of …, he finally got a vacation.

keep your nose clean

to avoid getting into trouble:

I'd only been out of prison three months, so I was trying to ...

take something for granted

to believe something to be the truth without even thinking about it:Cho điều gì là hiển nhiên

I didn't realize that Melanie hadn't been to college - I suppose I just ….

I suppose I just …. that they were married.

odds are in (someone's) favor

(someone) is likely to win or succeed

We don't know what the decision will be, but we think…..

shortchange (v)

to give someone back less money than they are owed when the person is buying something from you:

I think I was …in the café, because I've only got £5 in my purse when I should have £10.

to treat someone unfairly, by giving them less than they deserve: đối xử bất công

Children who leave school unable to read and write are being tragically ….

come down on someone like a ton of bricks

to punish someone very quickly and severely, reprove, punish harshly ⁃

Whenever I make the slightest mistake, my boss ….

Do that once more and I'll ….!