| Idioms | Nghĩa | Ví dụ |
| rain cats and dog | rain heavily: Mưa tầm tã, Mưa nặng hạt | It’s raining cats and dogs = It’s raining heavily |
| chalk and cheese | very different from each other: Khác biệt | I don’t have anything in common with my brother. We’re like chalk and cheese. |
| here and there | everywhere | I have been looking here and there for the gift I bought for my girlfriend |
| a hot potato | something that is difficult or dangerous to deal with (vấn đề nan giải, nóng hổi) | The abortion issue is a political hot potato in the US. |
| at the drop of a hat | immediately, instantly, without hesitation or reasons (Ngay lập tức, không do dự, không có lý do rõ ràng) | If you need me, just call me. I can come at the drop of a hat. |
| back to the drawing board | time to start from the beginning; it is time to do plan something over again (bắt đầu lại) | My plans to create a tiny car made of glasses were unsuccessful, so I guess it’s back to the drawing board for me. |
| beat about the bush | avoiding the main topic, not speaking directly about the issue (nói vòng vo, lạc đề) | Stop beating about the bush and answer my question. |
| best/ greatest thing since sliced bread | = be excellent a good invention or innovation, a good idea or plan (ý tưởng hay, tốt) | Portable phones are marketed as the best thing since sliced bread; people think they are extremely good. |
| burn the midnight oil | to stay up working, especially studying late at night (thức khuya làm việc, học bài) | I will have a big exam tomorrow so I’ll be burning the midnight oil tonight. |
| caught between two stools | when someone finds it difficult to choose between two alternatives (lưỡng lự, không biết lựa chọn cái nào, do dự) | I was caught between two stools when I had to choose which shirt to hang out with my girlfriends. |
| break a leg | good luck! ( thường dùng để chúc may mắn ) | I have heard that you're gonna take a test tomorrow, break a leg, my friend! |
| hit the books | Study with concentrated effort (học cực kỳ tập trung) | I can’t go out tonight. I’ve got to hit the books. I’m having an exam tomorrow. |
| let the cat out of the bag | to reveal a secret or a surprise by accident ( để lộ bí mật) | It’s a secret. Try not to let the cat out of the bag. |
| when pigs fly | something will never happen (chuyện viễn vông, không tưởng) | I think he’ll pay you back your money – when pigs fly |
| scratch someone’s back | help someone out with the assumption that they will return the favor in the future (giúp đỡ người khác với hy vọng họ sẽ giúp lại mình) | “You scratch my back and I will scratch yours later,” the customer said when we talked about the new sales contact. |
| hit the nail on the head | do or say something exactly right (nói chính xác, làm chính xác) | Mike hit the nail on the head when he said most people can use a computer without knowing how it works. |
| take sb/sth for granted | -
coi thường, không coi trọng (2)coi nhẹ | One of the problems with relationships is that after a while you begin to take each other for granted!! |
| take sth into account/consideration | to remember to consider something (tính đến cái gì, xem xét việc gì) | We will take your long year of service into account when we make our final decision. |
| put sb/sth at somebody’s disposal | to make someone or something available to someone (có sẵn theo ý muốn của ai) | I’d be glad to help you if you need me. I put myself at your disposal. |
| splitting headache | a severe headache (đau đầu như búa bổ) | I’ve got a splitting headache. I’m going upstairs for a nap. |
| on the house | = free (không phải trả tiền) | I went to a restaurant last night. I was the ten thousandth customer, so my dinner was on the house. |
| off the peg | may sẵn (quần áo) | If I buy trousers off the peg, they’re always too short. |
| hit the roof = go through the roof = hit the ceiling | to suddenly become angry (giận dữ) | I’m afraid he will hit the roof when he finds out our vacation is canceled |
| bring the house down | make an audience respond with great enthusiasm, typically as shown by their laughter or applause (làm cho cả khán phòng vỗ tay nhiệt liệt) | G-Dragon brought the house down. He really brought down the house with his fantastic song |
| pay through the nose | to pay too much for something (trả giá quá đắt) | If you want a decent wine in a restaurant , you have to pay through the nose for it. |
| by the skin of someone’s teeth | sát sao, rất sát | I got through calculus math by the skin of my teeth. |
| pull someone’s leg | chọc ai | You don’t mean that. You’re just pulling my leg. |
| it strike someone as/that strange | lấy làm lạ | It strikes me as strange that he failed the exam because he is so smart and diligent a student. |
| high and low = here and there | everywhere | I have been searching high and low for the gift I bought for my girlfriend. |
| the more, the merrier | càng đông càng vui | Can I bring some friends with me? Yeah sure, the more, the merrier. |
| spick and span | ngăn nắp, gọn gàng | The kitchen was spick and span as ever, every surface wiped down and everything in its place. |
| every now and then | sometimes | Every now and then, I want to be alone. |
| part and parcel | integral, crucial (quan trọng, thiết yếu) | Being recognised in the street is all part and parcel of being famous. |
| go to someone’s head | khiến ai kiêu ngạo | Too much success will go to her head. |
| once in a blue moon | rất hiếm (rare) | Once in a blue moon, I stop thinking about her. If only she knew how much I loved her. |
| few and far between | rare (hiếm gặp) | Go and tell her that you love her! That kind of girl is really few and far between |
| be on the wagon | kiêng rượu | Bob’s old drinking buddies complained that he was no fun when he went on the wagon |
| on the spot | immediately (ngay lập tức) | I will be there on the spot. |
| on the verge of = on the brink of = on the edge of | bên bờ vực | We have to protect elephants. They are on the verge of extinction. |
| led someone by the nose | to control someone and make them do exactly what you want them to do (nắm đầu, dắt mũi ai) | They simply didn’t know what they were doing and they were led by the nose by a manipulative government |
| the eleventh hour | phút chót | She always turned her term paper in at the eleventh hour. |
| find fault with | chỉ trích, kiếm chuyện, bắt lỗi | It is very easy to find fault with the work of others. |
| off and on/ on and off | không đều đặn, thỉnh thoảng | We don’t often go there- just off and on. |
| make believe | giả bộ, giả vờ | I tried to make believe she was happy, but knew deep down it was not true. |
| make good time | di chuyển nhanh, đi nhanh | We made good time and were at the hotel by lunch time. |
| look daggers at someone | giận dữ nhìn ai đó | Their relationship is not free and easy but at least he is no longer looking daggers at her. |
| be out of the question | = impossible không thể được | You cannot get married until you are 18, it’s out of the question. |
| all at once | suddenly: bất thình lình | All at once, there was a loud banging on the door. |
| blow someone’s trumpet | bốc phét, khoác lác | Anyone will tell you she’s one of the best journalists we’ve got, although she’d never blow her trumpet. |
| sleep on it | suy nghĩ thêm về điều gì đó | You don’t have to give me your decision now. Sleep on it, and let me know tomorrow. |
| fight tooth and claw/nail | đánh nhau dữ dội, cấu xé nhau | We fought tooth and claw to retain our share of business. |
| play tricks/jokes on | chọc phá, trêu ghẹo, chơi khăm | The kids are always play jokes on their teachers |
| down the drain | đổ sông đổ biển (công sức, tiền bạc) | It’s just money down the drain. |
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