Tổng hợp 500 thành ngữ tiếng Anh thông dụng nhất

a bear with a sore head

tức giận, tâm trạng tệ

Don't talk to Dan right now – he's like a bear with a sore head after missing his morning coffee.

a bit of a dark horse

người có tài năng ẩn giấu

I didn’t know Linda could paint so well – she’s a bit of a dark horse.

a bitter pill to swallow

sự thật khó chấp nhận

Losing the championship by one point was a bitter pill to swallow.

a change of heart

thay đổi ý định, quan điểm

She had a change of heart and decided not to move abroad.

a different kettle of fish

hoàn toàn khác với những gì được đề cập

Teaching kids is one thing, but managing a team of adults is a different kettle of fish.

a dog's life

cuộc sống khó khăn, bất hạnh

He works 12 hours a day and barely earns enough – it’s a dog’s life.

a fish out of water

như cá mắc cạn

I felt like a fish out of water at my first formal dinner party.

a long shot

một phỏng đoán hoang đường

It’s a long shot, but maybe we’ll get lucky and win the contract.

a memory like a sieve

trí nhớ kém

I forgot your name again – I’ve got a memory like a sieve!

a night owl

người thích thức khuya

I’m a night owl – I do my best writing at 2 a.m.

a pain in the neck

người/điều gì gây phiền toái

This broken printer is such a pain in the neck!

a piece of cake

cái gì đó rất dễ làm/dễ như ăn bánh

Don’t worry – the test will be a piece of cake.

a red rag to a bull

hành động cố tình gây phẫn nộ, khiêu khích

Mentioning her ex-boyfriend is like a red rag to a bull.

a red-letter day

một ngày rất quan trọng

My graduation was a real red-letter day in my life.

a sitting duck

một mục tiêu dễ dàng

With no backup, we were sitting ducks for the opposing team.

a storm in a teacup

việc nhỏ xé ra to

Their argument over the remote was just a storm in a teacup.

a tall order

nhiệm vụ khó khăn

Getting this project done in two days is a tall order.

a wild-goose chase

tìm kiếm vô vọng

I went back to the office for my phone, but it turned out to be a wild-goose chase.

above board

thẳng thắn, thành thật

Everything about the deal was completely above board.

Achilles heel

điểm yếu nhất trong tính cách của ai đó

His pride is his Achilles heel – it often gets him into trouble.

add fuel to the fire

đổ thêm dầu vào lửa

His remarks only added fuel to the fire.

against all odds

bất chấp những khó khăn

Against all odds, the small startup became a global brand.

agree to disagree

bất đồng quan điểm

We see it differently, so let’s just agree to disagree.

all along

từ đầu đến cuối

She knew all along that he was lying.

all but

gần như/hầu như

The project is all but complete – just needs editing.

all in

kiệt sức, mệt lử

After a 10-hour shift, I was all in.

all in all

nói chung là

All in all, the meeting went well.

all the same

tuy nhiên, nhưng mà

He apologized, but I’m still upset all the same.

all told

tất cả, cả thảy

There were 100 attendees at the event, all told.

an old wives' tale

niềm tin sai sự thật, mê tín

It's just an old wives' tale that cracking your knuckles gives you arthritis.

an unknown quantity

người hoặc vật không có kinh nghiệm về; ẩn số

The new player is an unknown quantity – no one knows what to expect from him.

as a last resort

bất đắc dĩ

As a last resort, we can borrow money from my parents.

as the crow flies

đường thẳng, theo đường chim bay

The town is only 10 miles away as the crow flies, but much further by road.

at close quarters

gần sát nhau, giáp lá cà

The soldiers were fighting at close quarters in the narrow trenches.

at large

nhởn nhơ

The suspect is still at large and considered dangerous.

at the cutting edge

tiên phong

This company is at the cutting edge of renewable energy technology.

at the drop of a hat

ngay lập tức, không do dự

He’s always ready to help at the drop of a hat.

back to the drawing board

quay lại từ đầu

The plan failed, so it's back to the drawing board.

bark up the wrong tree

có ý tưởng sai lầm về

If you think I'm the one who leaked the news, you're barking up the wrong tree.

be ahead of one's time

đi trước thời đại

Her ideas about education were ahead of her time.

be all at sea

trong tình trạng bối rối, hoang mang

I'm all at sea with these new regulations – I don't understand a thing.

be all fingers and thumbs

vụng về, lóng ngóng

I tried to wrap the gift, but I was all fingers and thumbs.

be all very well

Nghe hay đấy nhưng…

It's all very well to say we should invest, but where’s the money coming from?

be as busy as a bee

bận tối tăm mặt mũi

She's been as busy as a bee preparing for the wedding.

be as thick as a brick

ngốc nghếch

You’ll have to explain it again—he’s as thick as a brick sometimes.

be beside oneself with anger

cực kì tức giận

She was beside herself with anger when she saw the damage to her car.

be born yesterday

trẻ người non dạ

Don’t try to fool me—I wasn’t born yesterday!

be broke

cháy túi

I can't go out tonight – I'm totally broke until payday.

be caught red-handed

bị bắt quả tang

The thief was caught red-handed by the police.

be dying for sth

thèm nhỏ dãi

I'm dying for a cup of coffee this morning.

be fit for

xứng đáng

This meal is fit for a king!

be for the high jump

sẽ bị trừng phạt nghiêm khắc

If the boss finds out what you did, you'll be for the high jump.

be full of beans

tràn đầy năng lượng

The kids were full of beans after the birthday cake.

be green

thiếu kinh nghiệm, non nớt

He’s a bit green, but he’ll learn quickly.

be in a quandary

tình huống khó xử, tiến thoái lưỡng nan

I’m in a quandary about whether to accept the job offer abroad.

be in sb's black books

bị ghét bỏ, chán ghét

I’ve been in my teacher’s black books since I handed in my essay late.

be in sb's shoes

ở vị trí của ai đó

I wouldn’t want to be in your shoes when the boss finds out.

be in the dark about sth

thiếu hiểu biết về cái gì đó, mờ tịt

We're still in the dark about the reasons for his resignation.

be in the doghouse

không được ưu ái, gặp rắc rối

He forgot our anniversary again and now he's in the doghouse.

be in the know

biết tuốt

Only a few people in the know knew about the company’s real financial situation.

be in the same boat

cùng hội cùng thuyền, chung cảnh ngộ

We're all in the same boat — none of us has any money.

be in two minds about sth

phân vân

I'm in two minds about whether to take the job or go traveling.

be on the cards

có khả năng xảy ra

A promotion could be on the cards for you this year.

be on the defensive

tự vệ

He became defensive when asked about the missing funds.

be on the up and up

cải thiện đều đặn

Sales have been on the up and up since we launched the new product.

be out of practice

không có thời gian luyện tập

I haven’t played the piano in years — I’m really out of practice.

be over the moon

phấn khởi, mừng như bắt được vàng

She was over the moon when she got the scholarship.

be second to none

trở nên tốt nhất, không thua ai

Their customer service is second to none.

be sound asleep

ngủ ngon lành, ngủ sâu

By the time I got home, the baby was sound asleep.

be the apple of sb's eye

rất quý giá với ai đó, người được yêu quý nhất

His granddaughter is the apple of his eye.

be the perfect image of sb

trông giống hệt với ai đó, giống như đúc

He’s the perfect image of his father when he was younger.

be the splitting image of sb

trông giống hệt với ai đó

She’s the splitting image of her mother.

be thrown off balance

ngạc nhiên, bất ngờ

I was thrown off balance by his unexpected question.

be tickled pink

rất hài lòng

She was tickled pink by the surprise birthday party.

be up and about

hồi phục, đã khỏi bệnh

After a week in bed, he’s finally up and about.

be up in arms

rất tức giận

Residents are up in arms over the new traffic regulations.

be worn out

mệt rã rời, kiệt sức

After hiking all day, we were completely worn out.

be/get soaked to the skin

ướt như chuột lột

I forgot my umbrella and got soaked to the skin in the rain.

be/have a close shave

thoát chết

He had a close shave when his car skidded off the road.

bear fruit

thành công, đơm hoa kết trái

Her efforts finally bore fruit with a job offer from a top firm.

beat a dead horse

làm điều vô ích

Arguing with him is like beating a dead horse.

beat about/around the bush

nói vòng vo, lảng tránh

Stop beating around the bush and answer the question.

beat sb black and blue

đánh cho thâm tím mặt mày

He was beaten black and blue in the street fight.

before one can say Jack Robinson

nhanh như chớp

He was gone before you could say Jack Robinson.

beg the question

đặt câu hỏi

That begs the question: who will fund the project?

behind bars

trong tù

He spent ten years behind bars for robbery.

behind the scenes

hậu trường

Much of the success happened behind the scenes.

below the belt

không công bằng, chơi bẩn

That comment about her past was really below the belt.

bide one's time

kiên nhẫn chờ đợi cơ hội tốt

He’s just biding his time until he gets a chance to take over the company.

big cheese

sếp, tai to mặt lớn

He’s the big cheese in the marketing department now.

big-headed

tự phụ, khoe khoang

Don’t be so big-headed — you’re not the only one who passed the test.

bite off more than sb can chew

cố gắng làm việc gì quá khó

She bit off more than she could chew by taking on two full-time jobs.

bite the bullet

cắn răng chịu đựng

She finally bit the bullet and went to the dentist.

black and blue all over

thâm tím mặt mày

After the accident, he was black and blue all over.

black tie

quần áo trang trọng

The charity gala is a black-tie event, so wear your tuxedo.

blaze a trail

tiên phong

Our company blazed a trail in green energy solutions.

blessing in disguise

trong cái rủi có cái may

Losing that job was a blessing in disguise — it pushed me to start my own business.

blow a fuse

nổi trận lôi đình

My dad blew a fuse when he saw the broken window.

blow things out of proportion

phóng đại vấn đề

Don't blow this out of proportion, it's a small issue.

blue-eyed boy

con cưng

He's the manager's blue-eyed boy — always gets special treatment.

bolt from the blue

đột ngột, sét đánh ngang tai

Her resignation was a bolt from the blue. No one saw it coming.

brainwave

ý kiến hay bất chợt

I had a brainwave and came up with a brilliant slogan.

break even

hòa vốn

After months of loss, we finally broke even last quarter.

break the ice

giảm bớt căng thẳng khi mới gặp

He told a funny story to break the ice at the meeting.

bring sth home to sb

giúp ai hiểu rõ điều gì

The documentary brought the reality of climate change home to me.

bring to one's knees

phá hủy/khiêm nhường

The economic crisis brought many small businesses to their knees.

browned off

chán ngấy

I'm getting browned off with all this paperwork.

bury one's head in the sand

trốn tránh thực tế

You can’t just bury your head in the sand and ignore the problem.

butter sb up

lấy lòng, nịnh hót ai đó

He’s just trying to butter up the boss before asking for a raise.

by and large

nhìn chung

By and large, the event was a success.

by definition

vì bản chất, theo lẽ tự nhiên

A volunteer is, by definition, someone who works without pay.

by force of habit

như một thói quen

I locked the door out of force of habit, even though no one was home.

by the skin of one's teeth

suýt soát, vừa kịp

He passed the exam by the skin of his teeth.

by trial and error

học hỏi sai lầm của ai đó

We built the prototype by trial and error.

call it quits

bỏ cuộc

They decided to call it quits after three years of running the business.

call sb names

réo tên, xúc phạm ai đó

The children were punished for calling each other names.

call the shots

đưa ra quyết định

In this company, the CEO calls the shots.

cast aspersions

chỉ trích

He cast aspersions on her professionalism without any evidence.

catch sb red-handed

bắt quả tang

The police caught the burglar red-handed as he was breaking in.

chair a meeting

chủ trì một cuộc họp

She was asked to chair the meeting due to her experience.

chip off the old block

cha nào con nấy

He's a chip off the old block — just like his father in every way.

chop and change

thay đổi xoành xoạch

He’s always chopping and changing his mind about the wedding plans.

claim to fame

điều làm cho ai bất thường, thú vị

Her claim to fame is that she once cooked for a Hollywood star.

clear the air

giải tỏa hiểu lầm, làm rõ điều gì đó

We had a long talk to clear the air after the misunderstanding.

come clean

nói ra sự thật, thú tội

He finally came clean about where he had been that night.

come out of one's shell

chan hòa với mọi người

He used to be shy, but he's really come out of his shell at university.

come to a head

lên đến đỉnh điểm

The conflict came to a head when both sides refused to back down.

come to a standstill

đi đến chỗ bế tắc/ngừng lại

Traffic came to a standstill after the accident.

come to terms with

chấp nhận một tình huống khó khăn

She's still coming to terms with her father’s death.

come to the fore

trở nên nổi bật, được chú ý; giữ địa vị lãnh đạo

During the crisis, her leadership qualities came to the fore.

come to the point

đi thẳng vào vấn đề

Stop rambling and come to the point.

cook one's goose

phá hỏng kế hoạch của ai đó

He really cooked his goose when he insulted the director.

cost a bomb

rất đắt, đắt cắt cổ

That luxury watch cost a bomb, but he had to have it.

cost an arm and a leg

cực kì đắt

The new iPhone costs an arm and a leg.

cramp one's style

gò bó, khiến ai không tự do/thoải mái

Having my little brother around really cramps my style.

crocodile tears

nước mắt cá sấu

She wept crocodile tears when her lies were discovered.

cross one's mind

bất chợt nghĩ về cái gì

It never crossed my mind that she might be lying.

cry over spilt milk

cứ mãi tiếc nuối chuyện đã rồi

It's no use crying over spilt milk – what's done is done.

cry wolf

báo động giả

If you keep crying wolf, no one will believe you.

cut corners

đốt cháy giai đoạn, làm ẩu để tiết kiệm

They cut corners on safety and now they’re paying the price.

cut sb dead

làm ngơ ai đó

She saw me at the party but completely cut me dead.

cut sb to the quick

tổn thương sâu sắc

His harsh words cut her to the quick.

cut the mustard

đạt yêu cầu

She didn’t cut the mustard and was let go.

cut to the bone

giảm đến mức tối thiểu

The company cut costs to the bone during the recession.

deal a blow to

làm ai vỡ mộng, gây tổn thất nghiêm trọng

His resignation dealt a blow to the project.

draw the line

đặt giới hạn

I draw the line at lying.

every nook and cranny

mọi nơi

She searched every nook and cranny for her lost keys.

face the facts

đối mặt với sự thật

It’s time to face the facts and admit we failed.

face the music

đối mặt với hậu quả

He has to face the music for breaking the rules.

fair and square

công bằng, theo đúng quy định

We won the match fair and square.

fall head over heels

yêu say đắm

He fell head over heels in love with her.

fall into place

trở nên rõ ràng, ổn định

After weeks of confusion, everything finally fell into place.

feel down in the mouth

buồn bã, chán nản

She’s been feeling down in the mouth since she failed the test.

feel in one's bones

linh cảm chắc chắn

I feel in my bones that something is wrong.

feel one's ears burning

có cảm giác đang bị nói xấu

I felt my ears burning – were you talking about me?

few and far between

khan hiếm, hiếm gặp

Genuine people like him are few and far between.

fight like cat and dog

cãi nhau như chó với mèo

My brother and I used to fight like cat and dog.

fine kettle of fish

tình huống rắc rối, khó xử

If we miss the last train, that’ll be a fine kettle of fish.

flat broke

cháy túi, không một xu dính túi

I’m flat broke until payday.

flog a dead horse

phí công vô ích

Arguing with him is like flogging a dead horse.

fly off the handle

nổi giận, mất kiểm soát

He flew off the handle when he heard the bad news.

fly on the wall

quan sát người khác mà họ không biết

I'd love to be a fly on the wall during that meeting.

for all

mặc dù

For all his faults, I still admire his determination.

for all I care

tôi không quan tâm

You can quit your job for all I care.

for all I know

theo như tôi biết

She could be married, for all I know.

for donkey's years

trong một thời gian rất dài

I haven’t seen him for donkey’s years.

for the time being

tạm thời, hiện tại

Let’s stay here for the time being.

frosty welcome

sự chào đón không thân thiện

The new manager received a frosty welcome from the staff.

gatecrasher

người không mời mà đến

A couple of gatecrashers showed up at the wedding reception.

get a bit hot under the collar

trở nên tức giận, khó chịu

He got a bit hot under the collar when I brought up the deadline.

get a move on

nhanh lên, khẩn trương

We need to get a move on if we want to catch the train.

get a problem off one's chest

tâm sự, giãi bày nỗi lòng

I finally got it off my chest and told her how I felt.

get a word in edgeways

chen lời vào cuộc trò chuyện

He talks so much I can't get a word in edgeways.

get cold feet

(1)

mất can đảm, chùn bước

She got cold feet before the wedding and called it off.

get cold feet

(2)

căng thẳng, lo lắng

I always get cold feet before giving a presentation.

get nowhere fast

không tiến bộ, dậm chân tại chỗ

We’re getting nowhere fast with this argument.

get off on the wrong foot

bằng mặt mà không bằng lòng

I think I got off on the wrong foot with my new boss.

get on one's nerves

khiến ai đó bực mình

That constant humming is getting on my nerves.

get out of bed on the wrong side

có tâm trạng tồi tệ

He must’ve gotten out of bed on the wrong side this morning.

get out of hand

vượt tầm kiểm soát

The party got out of hand when too many people showed up.

get rid of sth

rũ bỏ, thoát khỏi

I need to get rid of some old clothes I never wear.

get the hang of it

học được cách làm điều gì đó

Don’t worry, you’ll get the hang of it soon.

get the sack

bị sa thải, đuổi việc

He got the sack after arriving late three days in a row.

get the wrong end of the stick

hiểu nhầm

I think you got the wrong end of the stick — I didn’t mean to criticize you.

get wind of

phỏng đoán, nghe phong thanh

The media got wind of the scandal before it was announced.

get your own back

trả thù

She got her own back by reporting him to the boss.

give and take

sự thỏa hiệp

A good relationship requires a lot of give and take.

give chapter and verse

kể vanh vách, chi tiết

He gave chapter and verse on the company's history.

give sb the cold shoulder

làm ngơ ai đó

After the argument, she gave him the cold shoulder.

give sb the slip

thoát khỏi ai đó

The thief managed to give the police the slip in the alley.

give the green light to sth

bật đèn xanh, cho phép

The council has given the green light to the new development.

give vent to

xả giận, trút giận

She gave vent to her frustration by yelling at the wall.

give way to

nhường cho

He refused to give way to pressure from the board.

go back on one's word

không giữ lời hứa

You promised to help, don’t go back on your word now.

go by the board

bị từ chối, không được xét đến

Our vacation plans went by the board after the budget cut.

go for a song

được bán rất rẻ

These vintage books went for a song at the market.

go the extra mile

làm nhiều hơn mong đợi

She always goes the extra mile for her clients.

go to any lengths

sẵn sàng làm bất cứ điều gì

He’ll go to any lengths to protect his reputation.

go to one's head

khiến ai đó kiêu ngạo, tự phụ

The praise went to his head, and now he thinks he’s a genius.

go to the dogs

xấu đi, xuống cấp

The neighborhood has gone to the dogs in recent years.

go without saying

hiển nhiên, không cần nói

It goes without saying that safety is our top priority.

golden opportunity

dịp quý báu, cơ hội vàng

Getting an internship abroad is a golden opportunity.

grease sb's palm

hối lộ ai đó

He had to grease someone’s palm to get the permit quickly.

green belt

vùng ngoại ô được bảo tồn cây xanh

The city plans to extend the green belt around urban areas.

green with envy

ghen tị

She was green with envy when she saw their new car.

grey matter

não; trí thông minh

Use your grey matter and figure it out!

grow out of sth

trở nên quá to đối với cái gì

He’s grown out of his old clothes again.

hand in glove with sb

cộng tác với

He’s working hand in glove with the authorities on this case.

have a bee in one's bonnet

có một nỗi ám ảnh về cái gì đó

She’s got a bee in her bonnet about recycling — won’t stop talking about it.

have a frog in one's throat

bị khó nói do lo lắng

I had a frog in my throat during the speech and could hardly speak.

have a job to do sth

khó để làm gì

I had a job opening that tight jar.

have a lot on one's plate

có nhiều việc phải làm

I can’t take on more — I have a lot on my plate.

have a sharp tongue

ăn nói cay nghiệt, chua ngoa

Be careful — she has a sharp tongue when she’s angry.

have a yellow streak

có tính nhát gan

He has a yellow streak — he never stands up for himself.

have an early night

ngủ sớm

I’m exhausted. I think I’ll have an early night.

have an eye for

con mắt tinh tường / đánh giá tốt

She has an eye for fashion. / He has an eye for a good investment.

have at one's fingertips

hoàn toàn quen thuộc với cái gì

He has all the latest statistics at his fingertips.

have butterflies in one's stomach

lo lắng, bồn chồn về điều gì

I had butterflies in my stomach before the performance.

have kittens

lo lắng về điều gì

My mom had kittens when she saw the mess we made.

have many irons in the fire

có nhiều kế hoạch cùng lúc

She has many irons in the fire with all her businesses.

have no fixed abode

không nhà không cửa

He’s been homeless for months — has no fixed abode.

have no option but

phải, không có lựa chọn nào khác

We had no option but to cancel the event.

have one's heart in one's mouth

cực kỳ lo lắng, bất an

My heart was in my mouth when I saw the car heading towards us.

have sb's hands full

rất bận

With three toddlers, she’s got her hands full all day.

have the cheek

dám làm điều trơ trẽn

He had the cheek to ask for more money after showing up late!

have the gift of the gab

hoạt ngôn

He has the gift of the gab — that’s why he’s a great salesman.

have time on one's hands

có thời gian rảnh

Since retiring, he has a lot of time on his hands.

have words with sb

tranh cãi, to tiếng với ai đó

I had words with my neighbor about the noise last night.

hear it through the grapevine

nghe đồn, nghe lỏm

I heard through the grapevine that they’re getting divorced.

hit the nail on the head

nói đúng trọng tâm vấn đề

You hit the nail on the head — that’s exactly what the problem is.

hit the nail on the head

nói đúng trọng tâm

You hit the nail on the head with that comment.

hit the roof

giận dữ

My dad hit the roof when he saw my report card.

hit the sack

đi ngủ

I’m exhausted. I’m going to hit the sack.

hold one's horses

chờ đợi, kiên nhẫn

Hold your horses! We haven’t decided yet.

ill at ease

bối rối, khó chịu

He looked ill at ease in his formal suit.

in a flash

rất nhanh

She was gone in a flash.

in a nutshell

nói ngắn gọn

In a nutshell, the project failed due to poor planning.

in a rut

lối sống đơn điệu, mắc kẹt

I feel like I’m stuck in a rut doing the same job every day.

in a tick

trong tích tắc

I’ll be with you in a tick.

in abeyance

tạm dừng

The plans for expansion are in abeyance for now.

in arrears

nợ tiền chưa trả

He’s three months in arrears with his rent.

in black and white

rõ ràng bằng văn bản

I need the agreement in black and white.

in broad daylight

giữa ban ngày ban mặt

The robbery happened in broad daylight.

in clover

sống xa hoa, sung sướng

Since winning the lottery, they’ve been living in clover.

in deep water

gặp rắc rối lớn

He’s in deep water after the financial scandal.

in full flow

đang nói hăng say

She was in full flow when the microphone cut out.

in public

nơi công cộng, công khai

He apologized to her in public.

in the abstract

một cách chung chung

The theory sounds fine in the abstract, but will it work in practice?

in the act of

bị bắt quả tang

He was caught in the act of stealing.

in the air

không chắc chắn / lan tỏa trong không khí

There’s a feeling of change in the air.

in the balance

chưa chắc chắn, chưa quyết định

His future is still in the balance.

in the black

có lời, không nợ

After a tough year, the company is finally in the black.

in the flesh

bằng xương bằng thịt

I saw the actor in the flesh at the premiere.

in the long run

về lâu dài

In the long run, regular exercise pays off.

in the nick of time

vừa kịp lúc, vào phút chót

We got to the airport in the nick of time.

in the offing

có khả năng xảy ra

A promotion may be in the offing for her.

in the red

thua lỗ, nợ tiền

The company is in the red due to poor sales.

it stands to reason

điều gì đó là hợp lý, dễ hiểu

It stands to reason that she was late — the traffic was terrible.

it's all Greek to me

tôi không hiểu gì cả

I tried reading the manual, but it’s all Greek to me.

jack of all trades

người làm được nhiều thứ nhưng không giỏi đặc biệt cái nào

He's a jack of all trades — he can fix computers, cook, and even do plumbing.

jump the gun

hành động quá sớm

He jumped the gun and submitted it before it was ready.

keep a straight face

nhịn cười

I tried to keep a straight face during the comedy show, but I burst out laughing.

keep an eye on sth

để ý thứ gì đó

Can you keep an eye on my bag while I go to the restroom?

keep in check

kiểm soát, kìm hãm

The government is trying to keep inflation in check.

keep one's chin up

đừng nản chí, ngẩng cao đầu

Things will get better soon — keep your chin up.

keep one's fingers crossed

cầu mong điều gì đó diễn ra tốt đẹp

I’m keeping my fingers crossed for your interview tomorrow!

keep one's wits about one

tỉnh táo, sẵn sàng đối phó tình huống khó

You need to keep your wits about you when driving in bad weather.

keep oneself to oneself

sống khép kín, không giao du nhiều

He’s very private and tends to keep himself to himself.

keep sth quiet

giữ im lặng về điều gì đó

I got a new job, but I’m keeping it quiet until it’s confirmed.

keep sth under one's hat

giữ bí mật điều gì đó

This is just between us — keep it under your hat.

keep up with the Joneses

chạy theo, đua đòi với hàng xóm/người khác

I don't need a fancy car just to keep up with the Joneses.

kick the bucket

chết

He finally kicked the bucket at the age of 98.

kill time

giết thời gian

I read magazines to kill time while waiting at the dentist.

kill two birds with one stone

một mũi tên trúng hai đích

By studying on the train, I kill two birds with one stone.

know the ropes

biết rõ cách làm việc

It took a while to learn, but now I know the ropes.

lay bare

phơi bày, bóc trần

The report lays bare the corruption in the system.

lay the table

dọn bàn ăn

Could you lay the table while I finish cooking?

leave no stone unturned

tìm mọi cách

We’ll leave no stone unturned to find a solution.

lend an ear

lắng nghe với sự cảm thông

She really needed someone to lend a sympathetic ear.

lend sb a hand

giúp đỡ ai đó

Can you lend me a hand with these boxes?

let sleeping dogs lie

đừng khơi lại chuyện cũ

I know you’re angry, but let sleeping dogs lie.

no pain no gain

có công mài sắt có ngày nên kim

I know it’s tough now, but no pain no gain, right?

no wonder

không ngạc nhiên

No wonder he’s tired — he’s been working 16-hour shifts.

not all it's cracked up to be

không tốt như lời đồn

The movie wasn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

not be one's cup of tea

không phải gu/không thích

Horror movies aren’t really my cup of tea.

not count one's chickens before they're hatched

đừng chắc chắn quá sớm

You might not get the job, so don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched.

not have it both ways

không thể có tất cả

You can't have it both ways — either you go or stay.

not have the foggiest idea

không biết tí gì

I haven’t the foggiest idea what you’re talking about.

not hold water

không thuyết phục, không hợp lý

His explanation doesn’t hold water — it’s full of contradictions.

not lose any sleep over sth

không lo lắng về điều gì đó

I’m not losing any sleep over what he said.

null and void

không có hiệu lực

The contract was declared null and void.

of all people

bày tỏ sự khó chịu/ngạc nhiên

I never expected her, of all people, to betray me.

of its own accord

tự động, tự ý làm gì

The door opened of its own accord.

of no consequence

không quan trọng

His opinion is of no consequence to the final decision.

off colour

có vẻ ốm yếu, không khỏe hoặc không phù hợp

I’m feeling a bit off colour today, so I’ll stay home.

off the cuff

không có sự chuẩn bị trước

He gave a brilliant off-the-cuff speech.

off the point

lạc đề, không liên quan

Your argument is completely off the point.

off the record

không chính thức, không công khai

Off the record, I think the project will be cancelled.

on a shoestring

chi tiêu eo hẹp

They started the business on a shoestring.

on account of

bởi vì

The match was cancelled on account of the rain.

on edge

lo lắng, bồn chồn

I’ve been on edge all day waiting for the exam results.

on no account

tuyệt đối không, dù bất kỳ lý do gì

On no account should you open this door.

on second thoughts

nghĩ lại, cân nhắc lại

On second thoughts, I’ll skip the party tonight.

on the air

đang phát sóng

The program is on the air every Friday night.

on the alert

đề cao cảnh giác

Police are on the alert for any suspicious activity.

on the ball

nhanh nhạy, phản xạ tốt

She’s really on the ball when it comes to solving problems.

on the blink

trục trặc, không hoạt động bình thường

My laptop is on the blink again.

on the dole

sống nhờ trợ cấp

He’s been on the dole for six months.

on the dot

đúng giờ

The meeting will start at 9 a.m. on the dot.

on the face of it

xét theo bề ngoài

On the face of it, the plan seems fine, but it’s risky.

on the level

thật thà, lương thiện

Are you being on the level with me about this deal?

on the quiet

một cách bí mật

They got married on the quiet with just a few guests.

on the spur of the moment

quyết định bộc phát

I bought the car on the spur of the moment.

on this/that account

vì lẽ đó, vì lý do đó

The factory was closed, and many lost their jobs on that account.

once and for all

dứt điểm, lần cuối

Let’s settle this once and for all.

once in a blue moon

hiếm có khó tìm

We go out for dinner once in a blue moon.

one's flesh and blood

người thân, máu mủ ruột thịt

I can’t believe my own flesh and blood would steal from me.

open to debate

chưa ngã ngũ, còn tranh cãi

Whether the policy will work is still open to debate.

out and about

đi đây đi đó, ra ngoài

After a week in bed, he’s finally out and about again.

out in the open

bị phơi bày, bị lộ

The scandal finally came out in the open.

out of bounds

vượt quá giới hạn, cấm vào

This area is out of bounds to students.

out of print

sách không còn xuất bản

That novel is out of print and hard to find.

out of the blue

đột nhiên, không báo trước

She called me out of the blue after five years.

out of the frying pan into the fire

tránh vỏ dưa gặp vỏ dừa

Quitting that job put him out of the frying pan into the fire.

out of the question

không thể chấp nhận được

A trip this month is out of the question — we have no budget left.

out of turn

lộn xộn, không theo thứ tự

You spoke out of turn in the meeting and interrupted the speaker.

out-and-out

hoàn toàn, triệt để

That was an out-and-out lie.

paint the town red

vui chơi tưng bừng

Let’s go out and paint the town red tonight!

part and parcel of

phần quan trọng không thể thiếu

Stress is part and parcel of the teaching profession.

part company with

chia tay, đường ai nấy đi

We parted company after five years of working together.

pay sb's way

tự chi trả, không dựa vào ai

He’s had to pay his way through college by working nights.

pick someone's brains

hỏi dò, xin lời khuyên từ ai đó có chuyên môn

Can I pick your brains about digital marketing trends?

pitch black

tối đen như mực

It was pitch black outside when the power went out.

play cat and mouse with sb

trêu chọc hoặc đánh lừa

The hacker was playing cat and mouse with the security team.

play it by ear

tùy cơ ứng biến

I haven’t planned anything. I’ll just play it by ear.

play one's cards right

hành động khéo léo để thành công

If he plays his cards right, he could get a promotion.

play truant

trốn học

He was caught playing truant again by the school inspector.

plenty more fish in the sea

còn nhiều cơ hội khác (tình yêu)

Don’t be sad about the breakup — there are plenty more fish in the sea.

point the finger of suspicion

nghi ngờ hoặc đổ lỗi

They pointed the finger of suspicion at the new manager.

pop the question

cầu hôn

He popped the question during their trip to Paris.

pull a few strings

giật dây, nhờ vả để đạt được điều gì đó

She pulled a few strings to get him into the exclusive club.

pull one's leg

trêu chọc một cách thân mật

Are you serious or are you just pulling my leg?

pull one's socks up

cố gắng, nỗ lực hơn

You need to pull your socks up if you want to pass the exam.

put a damper on

làm mất hứng, dội gáo nước lạnh

The sudden rain really put a damper on our picnic plans.

put down roots

định cư

After years of travelling, they decided to put down roots in France.

put on a brave face

che giấu nỗi buồn, tỏ ra ổn

She put on a brave face, even though she was heartbroken.

put one's foot down

kiên quyết phản đối

I had to put my foot down and say no to more overtime.

put one's foot in it

nói điều gì gây xấu hổ, thiếu tế nhị

I really put my foot in it by commenting on her weight.

put one's heart and soul into sth

dốc toàn tâm sức

He put his heart and soul into building that business.

put sb's name forward

đề cử, giới thiệu

I’d like to put your name forward for team leader.

put the cat among the pigeons

làm rối tình hình, gây hoang mang

His comments about layoffs really put the cat among the pigeons.

put two and two together

suy luận, đoán ra điều gì đó từ dữ kiện

I didn’t tell her, but she put two and two together.

put words into one's mouth

nhét chữ vào miệng người khác, nói sai sự thật

Don’t put words into my mouth — I never said that!

rack sb's brains

vắt óc suy nghĩ

I’ve been racking my brains trying to remember his name.

rain cats and dogs

mưa tầm tã, mưa xối xả

It was raining cats and dogs all night.

red herring

đánh lạc hướng

That irrelevant comment was just a red herring to distract us.

red tape

thủ tục quan liêu

The project was delayed due to government red tape.

ring a bell

nghe quen, cảm giác đã nghe ở đâu đó

That name rings a bell, but I can't place it.

rise to the challenge

vượt qua thử thách

She really rose to the challenge and delivered a great presentation.

see eye to eye with sb

đồng quan điểm với ai đó

We don’t always see eye to eye, but I respect her opinion.

see fit

thấy phù hợp

He saw fit to apologize for his behavior.

see red

nổi giận

She saw red when she found out he lied to her.

see the back of

vui mừng khi ai đó rời đi

I’ll be glad to see the back of those noisy neighbors.

set in one's ways

bảo thủ, không chịu thay đổi

He’s too set in his ways to try something new.

shed light upon

làm sáng tỏ

The investigation shed light upon the company’s financial troubles.

short and sweet

ngắn gọn, dễ chịu (đôi khi mang tính mỉa mai)

His speech was short and sweet — just the way I like it.

show one's true colours

lộ rõ bản chất thật

He showed his true colours when he refused to help her.

sleep like a dog

ngủ ngon

I was so tired I slept like a dog last night.

sleep on it

suy nghĩ kỹ càng trước khi quyết định

I’m not sure yet — I’ll sleep on it and let you know.

slip one's mind

quên mất

Sorry I forgot your birthday — it totally slipped my mind!

slow on the uptake

chậm hiểu

He’s a bit slow on the uptake, so you’ll need to explain again.

smell a rat

linh cảm có điều gì đó không ổn

I smelled a rat when she started asking too many questions.

sour grapes

nói xấu vì ghen tị

His comments about her promotion were just sour grapes.

speak volumes

nói lên rất nhiều điều mà không cần dùng lời

His silence spoke volumes about how he really felt.

spill the beans

tiết lộ bí mật

Don’t spill the beans — it’s supposed to be a surprise!

stand in sb's way

cản đường, ngăn ai đó

I won’t stand in your way if you want to move abroad.

status symbol

vật tượng trưng cho sự giàu có

Driving a sports car is often seen as a status symbol.

stay clear of

tránh xa

Stay clear of that neighborhood at night.

stew in one's own juice

tự làm tự chịu

He made that mistake — let him stew in his own juice.

sth comes in handy

cái gì đó rất hữu ích

This mini flashlight comes in handy during power cuts.

straight from the horse's mouth

nguồn tin đáng tin cậy

I heard it straight from the horse’s mouth — the deal is done.

strike a chord

gây đồng cảm, làm ai đó xúc động

Her speech struck a chord with the entire audience.

strike gold

tìm thấy điều quý giá

We struck gold when we hired her — she’s fantastic.

sweet tooth

thích đồ ngọt

I can’t resist dessert — I’ve got such a sweet tooth!

swim like a fish

bơi rất giỏi

She swims like a fish — you’d think she was born in water!

take it easy

làm việc thư giãn, thong thả

You’ve been working hard — take it easy this weekend.

take one's time

cứ từ từ, không cần vội

There’s no rush — take your time.

take sb for granted

coi thường, không trân trọng ai đó

Don’t take your parents for granted.

take sth into account

cân nhắc, xem xét điều gì đó

We must take the weather into account when planning the trip.

take sth on the chin

chấp nhận chỉ trích/dù đau đớn vẫn kiên cường

She took the criticism on the chin and improved her work.

take sth to heart

bị ảnh hưởng sâu sắc bởi điều gì đó

Don’t take his comments to heart — he was just upset.

take sth with a pinch of salt

không tin hoàn toàn

I take what he says with a pinch of salt.

take the bull by the horns

đối mặt thẳng thắn với vấn đề

She decided to take the bull by the horns and confront her boss.

take things to pieces

tháo rời các bộ phận của cái gì đó

He loves taking old gadgets to pieces to see how they work.

take to one's heels

bỏ chạy, chạy trốn

The thief took to his heels when the police arrived.

talk the hind legs off a donkey

nói không ngừng nghỉ

She can talk the hind legs off a donkey — you’ll never get a word in!

the black sheep of the family

thành viên khác biệt, thường là “rắc rối” trong gia đình

He’s the black sheep of the family — always getting into trouble.

the ins and outs

chi tiết cụ thể

She knows the ins and outs of the business.

the last straw

giọt nước tràn ly

His rude remark was the last straw — I had to quit.

the life and soul of sth

người náo nhiệt, sôi nổi nhất

He’s always the life and soul of the party.

the lion's share

phần lớn nhất

She got the lion’s share of the inheritance.

the pot calling the kettle black

chỉ trích người khác dù mình cũng vậy

You calling me lazy is the pot calling the kettle black!

the rat race

cuộc sống cạnh tranh khốc liệt, đặc biệt nơi đô thị

I want to escape the rat race and move to the countryside.

the tip of the iceberg

phần nổi, phần nhỏ của vấn đề lớn hơn

The financial losses are just the tip of the iceberg.

the year dot

từ rất lâu, thời xa xưa

I’ve known her since the year dot.

thick-skinned

mặt dày, không dễ bị tổn thương bởi chỉ trích

You need to be thick-skinned in politics.

through thick and thin

dù có chuyện gì xảy ra

They’ve stayed together through thick and thin.

throw a party

tổ chức tiệc

We’re throwing a party for her birthday.

to no effect

không hiệu quả, vô ích

I asked him to stop, but it was to no effect.

tongue in cheek

nói mỉa, đùa cợt, không nghiêm túc

He said it tongue in cheek, but she took it seriously.

tooth and nail

quyết liệt, dữ dội, bằng mọi cách

They fought tooth and nail to keep their business afloat.

touch and go

không chắc chắn, có thể nguy hiểm

The surgery was touch and go for a while.

turn a blind eye to sth

làm ngơ, giả vờ không thấy

The teacher turned a blind eye to their cheating.

turn over a new leaf

bắt đầu lại, thay đổi cách sống tích cực hơn

After his release, he promised to turn over a new leaf.

under the weather

không khỏe, mệt mỏi

I’m feeling a bit under the weather today, so I’ll stay home.

until one is blue in the face

làm việc mệt nhoài nhưng không có kết quả

You can argue until you’re blue in the face — she won’t change her mind.

until the cows come home

trong một thời gian rất dài

They can debate until the cows come home, but nothing will change.

up and coming

đang lên, có triển vọng

She’s an up-and-coming designer in the fashion industry.

up in the air

chưa chắc chắn

Our vacation plans are still up in the air.

ups and downs

thăng trầm

Every relationship has its ups and downs.

wash sb's hands of sb/sth

từ bỏ trách nhiệm, không liên quan nữa

I’ve done all I can. I’m washing my hands of the project.

wet behind the ears

thiếu kinh nghiệm

He’s too wet behind the ears to manage the team.

wet blanket

người làm mất vui, kẻ phá đám

Don’t be such a wet blanket — join the party!

whet sb's appetite

khơi dậy sự tò mò/thèm muốn

The trailer whetted my appetite for the movie.

white elephant

đồ vật tốn kém nhưng vô dụng

That fountain in the park is a real white elephant.

white-collar job

công việc văn phòng

Most graduates aim for a well-paid white-collar job.

with a view to doing sth

với mục đích, mong muốn làm điều gì

She enrolled in the course with a view to improving her job prospects.

with flying colours

thành công rực rỡ

He passed the exam with flying colours.

without fail

chắc chắn, không sai sót

He calls his mother every Sunday without fail.

work a miracle

tạo nên điều kỳ diệu

The new manager worked a miracle with that failing team.

work to rule

đình công theo luật (làm đúng từng việc một, không làm thêm)

The staff are working to rule in protest over pay cuts.