Thẻ ghi nhớ: English idioms

make ends meet

to have just enough money to pay for the things that you need

it takes money to make money

if you want to make make you need to spend some

go for broke

(informal) to risk everything in the hope of having great success

be on the hook (for sth/to do sth)

to be responsible for something

be off the hook (for sth/ to do sth)

if you are off the hook, you have escaped from a difficult situation:

tighten our belts

not spend as much, be careful with our money

deep pockets

if an organization or person has deep pockets, they have a lot of money

burn money

to spend a lot of money on things that are not necessary

be a penny pincher

being overly conscious about money

be on a shoestring

to be on a tight budget

our bread and butter

main source of money

have/write a blank check

an unlimited amount of money, or the freedom to do anything

preserve the status quo

keep the present situation without changes

lean times

a period of time in which money is not plentiful or one is not successful

rainy day

a time when money might unexpectedly be needed

hand over fist

making a lot of money extremely fast

bang for our buck

value in return for your money

cost an arm and a leg

very expensive

nothing ventured, nothing gained

If you don't try to do something, you'll never accomplish it.

hold your horses

wait and be patient, don't rush in

nuts and bolts

practical facts about a particular thins, rather than theories about it

vicious circle

a continuing unpleasant situation, created when one problem causes another problem that then makes the first problem worse

to get sth off your chest

say something that one has wanted to say for a long time, resulting in a feeling of relief

crony capitalism

an economic system in which family members and friends of government officials and business leaders are given unfair advantages in the form of jobs, loans, etc.

nitty-gritty

the basic facts of a situation

(be) a no-brainer

something such as a decision that is very easy or obvious

cold turkey

suddenly and completely

be on your toes

something or someone that keeps you on your toes forces you to continue directing all your attention and energy to what you are doing

be out in the sticks

an area in the country that is far away from towns and cities

neck of the woods

the area someone comes from, or the area where you are

do a runner

to leave a place in order to avoid a difficult situation or unpleasant situation or to avoid paying for something

by the skin of your teeth

means just barely, by a narrow margin, just in time

to run short on something

to not have enough of something

light at the end of the tunnel

signs of improvement in a situation that has been bed for a long time, signs that that a long an difficult piece of work is almost finished

a leap of faith

an act of believing something that is nor easily believed

nothing to sneeze at

something that deserves a serious attention, especially a large amount of money

beat around the bush

to avoid talking about something what is important

in a nutshell

very briefly, giving only the main points

in good hands

managed or cared for with great attention

be up to speed

if you are up to speed with something, you have all the latest information about it and are able to do it well

get down to something

to start to direct your efforts and attention towards something

put up

1) (with something) to accept or continue to accept an unpleasant situation or experience, or someone who behaves unpleasantly

2)to allow someone to live in your home temporarily

come across

1)to behave in a way that makes people believe that you have a particular characteristic

2)to find something by chance

ramp up

to increase the level or amount of something significantly

stem from

to start or develop as the result of something

clamp down on

to take strong action to stop or limit a harmful or unwanted activity

lay off

to make people redundant

iron sth out

to remove problems or find solutions

turn out

to happen in a particular way or to have a particular result, especially an unexpected one

get rid of

to remove something that you do not want any longer

weigh in

to give an opinion or enter a discussion or argument

give a lift

1)to drive someone to their destination

2)to give a ride

teething problems

problems connected with a new product, or problems at the beginning of a process or activity

give someone a talking to

to scold someone, reproach, rebuke or berate someone thoroughly and intensely

on the surface

considering only the obvious details of someone or something

the crux of (the matter)

the most important or serious part or aspect of a matter, problem, or argument

breach of contract

failure to do what a contract requires

sprout up

appear quickly in large numbers

fixate on sth

to think about something too much and find it difficult to stop

venture a guess

suppose that something is true without having an evidence to confirm it

kick off

to start or begin something

catch on

1)to become fashionable or popular

2)to understand, especially after a long time

ground rules

the principles on which future behaviour is based

circle back

discuss, follow up, or review the progress of an issue at a later time

give someone a heads up

to tell someone that something is going to happen

like two pies in a pod

very similar, especially in appearance

be like chalk and cheese

if two people are like these, they are completely different from each other

be knee-high to a grasshopper

to be very small or young

be long in the tooth

to be old, often too old to do something

tipping down

a situation when a lot of rain is falling

pouring down

raining heavily

pissing down

(informal) for a situation when it is extremely raining

in the vicinity

the area near or surrounding a particular place

pull the strings

to be in control of a situation, often secretly

knock-on effect

when an event or a situation has a knock-on effect, it causes other events or situations, but not directly

crème de la crème

the best of the best

fend off someone/something

1)to avoid dealing with something that is unpleasant or difficult

2)to defend yourself successfully against an attack, criticism, or some other unwanted thing

cut back on

to reduce something

go out of your way to do sth

to try very hard to do something, especially for someone else

go trough the roof

1) to rise to a very high level

2) to get very angry

sea change

a complete change

spring up

to start to exist suddenly

vulture funds

an investment fund that buys shares cheaply in companies that are falling in order to take control, improve performance, and so make money

carve sth out

to successfully create or get something, especially a work position, by working for it

strike out

1)to start on a long or difficult journey in a determined way

2)to start doing something new independently of other people

roll out

to make a new product, service, or system available for the first time

hang up

to end a phone conversation

knuckle down

to start working or studying hard, especially when you should have done this earlier

wind someone up

to annoy or irritate someone

wind something up

to close a business or an organization

sink in

if an unpleasant or surprising fact or idea sinks in, you gradually start to believe it, understand it, or realise the effect it will have on you

vantage point

a position that allows a clear view of understanding, an advantageous position

day in day out

1)(especially of something boring) done or happening every day for a long period of time

2)every day

crunch time

a short period when there is high pressure to achieve results

brick-and-mortar

existing as a physical building, especially a shop, rather than doing business only in the internet

have your back against the wall

to have very serious problems that limit the ways in which you can act

hasten to add

to immediately say something in order to prevent confusion or misunderstanding

line sth up

1)to prepare, organize, or arrange something

2)to arrange people or things in a row or stand in a row

get on

1)to have a good relationship

2)to manage or deal with a situation, especially successfully

3)to continue doing something, especially work

storm in a teacup

a lot of unnecessary anger and worry about a matter that is not important