A. THÀNH NGỮ VỚI CƠ THỂ
------------------------------------------------1. ALL EARS – lắng nghe chăm chú, dỏng tai lên lắng nghe
VD: I can not wait to hear what you have to say. I am all ears! – Tôi không thể đợi để
nghe những điều bạn nói, Tơi đang dỏng tai lên rồi đây.
2. COLD SHOULDER – phớt lờ, không thèm để ý
VD: Steve would not talk to James after their argument. He has given him the cold
shoulder. – Steve khơng nói chuyện với James sau vụ tranh cãi. Anh ấy phớt lờ James.
3. ITCHY FEET – đam mê du lịch, thích đi đó đây
VD: Julie could not wait to go on her travels. She has itchy feet! – Julie không thể đợi
đến chuyến đi của cô ấy. Cô ấy là một fan “bự” của du lịch
4. LONG ARM OF THE LAW – quyền lực, uy thế của pháp luật
VD: Tony was caught by the police for speeding. He could not escape the long arm of the
law. Tony bị bắt vì đi quá tốc độ. Anh ấy khơng thể thốt khỏi “lưới trời” của pháp luật.
5. OLD HAND – rất giỏi trong một lĩnh vực, lành nghề
VD: Shirley has been with the bakery for a long time. She is an old hand at making cakes.
– Shirley làm ở hiệu bánh một thời gian dài. Cô ấy rất giỏi lám bánh.
6. SWEET TOOTH – người thích ăn ngọt
VD: I brought John a big box of chocolate for his birthday. He has such a sweet tooth.
Tôi tặng John một hộp sô cô la nhân ngày sinh nhật. Anh ấy rất hảo ngọt.
7. ELBOW ROOM – đủ không gian để làm việc, di chuyển
VD: I did not like working in that cramped office. There was not enough elbow room. –
Tơi khơng thích làm việc trong văn phịng chật chội. Nó cịn chẳng đủ chỗ để di chuyển.
8. EYE-CATCHING – bắt mắt, thu hút


VD: Did you see Candida in her pink dress? She is very eye-catching. Bạn có nhìn thấy
Candida mặc bộ váy hồng không? Cô ấy rất quyễn rũ.
B. THÀNH NGỮ VỚI JUMP
---------------------------------------------1. JUMP FOR JOY – nhảy lên vì vui sướng
VD: I’m so happy about my promotion that I want to jump for joy. – Tơi đang rất vui vì
được thăng chức. Tơi muốn nhảy lên vì sung sướng.

2. JUMP OF THE PAGE – nổi bật, được chú ý.
VD: That was such an eye-catching newspaper advertisement. It really did jump off the
page. Tờ báo quảng cáo thật bắt mắt. Nó như nhảy ra khỏi tờ báo ấy.
3. JUMP THE GUN – làm quá sớm, cầm đền chạy trước ô tô
VD: “Wait until you’re allowed to leave the classroom. Don’t jump the gun!” Đợi cho
đến khi em được phép rời lớp học. Đừng cầm đèn chayj trước ô tô
4. JUMP ON THE BANDWAGON: chạy theo trend
VD: “Are you a real fan of One Direction or did you just jump on the bandwagon?” –
Bạn là fan của One Direction hay chỉ chạy theo trend?
5. JUMP THROUGH HOOPS: Nhiều nỗ lực để hoàn thành
VD: “Hazel had to jump through hoops to make sure her project was finished on time.” –
Hazel đã nỗ lực rất nhiều để đảm bảo dự án của cơ ấy hồn thành đúng giờ.
6. JUMP SHIP: nhảy việc
VD: “The football manager did not jump ship and instead decided to stay with his
struggling team.” – Quản lý đội bóng khơng nhảy việc mà quyết định ở lại với đội của
anh ấy.
7. JUMP THE SHARK: suy giảm từ thành công


VD: “The jump the shark moment for The Simpsons was after season nine. It really got
worse after then.” – Sự xuống dốc của show truyền hình The Simpsons bắt đầu sau mùa
thứ 9. Nó thực sự tồi tệ hơn sau mùa đó.
8. JUMP AT YOUR OWN SHADOW: cực kỳ sợ hãi
VD: “You will be so scared after watching the movie that afterwards you’ll jump at your
own shadow!” – Bạn sẽ rất sợ sau khi xem bộ phim đó đến nỗ bạn muốn trốn trong cái
bóng của mình
C. THÀNH NGỮ VỚI THỜI TIẾT
-------------------------------1. RAINING CATS AND DOGS: mưa như trút nước
VD: “Do not forget your umbrella before you go outside. It is raining cats and dogs!”
2. FACE LIKE THUNDER: tức giận, buồn bã ra mặt

VD: “You could tell Maria was angry. She had a face like thunder!”
3. STORM IN A TEACUP: chuyện bé xé ra to
VD: “I don’t think this flu scare is serious. It's just a storm in a teacup.”
4. CHASE RAINBOWS: đuổi theo điều viển vông
VD: “I know you want to become a famous footballer but don’t chase rainbows! It is very
hard and you are just not good enough.”
5. LIGHTNING FAST: nhanh như chớp
VD: “Wow, did you see Usain win the race? He was lightning fast!”
6. HEAD IN THE CLOUDS: đầu óc để trên mây
VD: “Mike thinks he is going to pass his exams without studying. He has his head in the
clouds!”


7. SNOWED UNDER: bận ngập đầu
VD: “Mike is snowed under with work. He cannot come and watch the game with us
tonight.”
8. UNDER THE WEATHER: khó ở, hơi mệt
VD: “Hazel did not come into work today. She was feeling under the weather.”
D. THÀNH NGỮ VỚI TIỀN
===================================
1. BALANCE THE BOOKS: tính tốn chi tiêu, bù đắp chi phí
VD: “After buying a new bike, Thomas had to work some extra hours in order to balance
the books.” Sauk hi mua chiếc xe mới, Thomas phải làm thêm giờ để bù đắp chi phí.
2. BRING HOME THE BACON: kiếm tiền
VD: “Anna took another job so she could bring home the bacon.” – Anna làm thêm một
cơng việc nữa, vậy cơ có thể kiếm tiền ni gia đình.
3. GO DUTCH: chia đơi hóa đơn
VD: “Matthew and Hazel go dutch when they eat out. They split the bill.” - Matthew và
Hazel chia đơi hóa đơn khi họ ra ngồi ăn. Họ chia hóa đơn.
4. GRAVY TRAIN: Cơng việc nhàn hạ, lương cao

VD: “Ian got a big bonus for his brief consulting job. He’s really on the gravy train!” –
Ian nhận được một khoản thưởng lớn cho tư vấn của mình. Quả là một cơng việc béo bở.
5. NEST EGG: tiền tiết kiệm, dự trữ
VD: “Leo’s nest egg meant that he was able to put down the deposit on his new house.”
– Tiền tiết kiệm của Leo có nghĩa là anh ấy đã để dành một khoản tiền cho căn nhà mới
của mình
6. COOK THE BOOKS: gian lận sổ sách


VD: “Sam had to lie and cook the books to make the accountant think his business was
making money.” – Sam phải nói dối và gian lân sổ sách để kế tốn nghĩ rằng cơng ty anh
ấy có lợi nhuận.
7. GOLDEN HANDSHAKE: tiền nghỉ hưu
VD: “Ross was given a golden handshake by his ex-employers after he retired from his
work.” Ross được sếp cũ của ông ấy trả một khoản tiền nghỉ hưu sau khi ông nghỉ hưu.
8. CHEAPSKATE: keo kiệt
VD: “Thomas did not want to spend $5 on flowers for his mother. What a cheapskate!” –
Thomad không muốn bỏ ra 5$ để mua hoa cho mẹ. Đúng là tên bủn xỉn
E. THÀNH NGỮ VỚI ĐỘNG VẬT
=====================================
1. MONKEY BUSINESS: ranh mãnh, thiếu trung thực
VD: “I noticed some people selling fake watches from a suitcase. It looked like
monkey business to me!”
2. RAT RACE: lịch trình lặp đi lặp lại, mệt mỏi
VD: “Martin left the rat race for a few months. He quit his job and went travelling.”
3. CAT BURGLAR: trộm trèo tường vào nhà
VD: “Alex had his laptop taken from his room on the fourth floor. Police suspect it
was a cat burglar.”
4. TOP DOG: nhân vật quan trọng nhất
VD: “Michael felt like the top dog when he became captain of the football team.”

5. CASH COW: món hàng/ thứ mang lại nhiều lợi
VD: “The company relied heavily on their best-selling product. It was their cash
cow.”


6. EAGER BEAVER: người chăm chỉ và nhiệt huyết
VD: “Mike worked really hard to pass all of his examples. He is a real eager beaver!”
7. ROAD HOG: người lái xe bạt mạng
VD: “Philipp is a serious road hog. He was banned from driving for six months.”
8. BLACK SHEEP: người được xem như là sự ô nhục, xấu hổ
VD: “When Peter went to jail he became the black sheep of the family.”
F. THÀNH NGỮ VỚI TRƯỜNG HỌC
-----------------------------------------1. BOOKWORM: mọt sách
VD: “Chase spent all day in the library revising for the big exam. He’s turned into such a
bookworm!”
2. BRAINSTORM: phát triển, nghĩ ý tưởng
VD: “The marketing team sat down for a brainstorm as they need some new ideas for
their next campaign.”
3. COPYCAT: kẻ bắt chước
VD: “Hazel was accused of being a copycat when the teacher saw her looking at Rob’s
exam answers.”
4. HIT THE BOOKS:bắt đầu chăm học
VD: “Jonas hit the books when he realized that he had a very important exam the next
day.”
5. PASS WITH FLYING COLORS: đạt kết quả cao, mỹ mãn
VD: “Julian was uncertain about the important exam even though his teacher told him
that he would pass with flying colors!”


6. SKIP CLASS: trốn học

VD: “Martin was tempted to skip class because his next lesson involved a difficult maths
test.”
7. DROPOUT: bỏ học, biến mất, thôi học
VD: “Mike studied extra hard for his exams because he did not want to be a high school
dropout.”
8. TEACHER'S PET: học sinh cưng của giáo viên
VD: “Candida didn’t mind being the teacher’s pet because she always got good grades.”
G. THÀNH NGỮ VỚI ÂM NHẠC
-------------------------------------1. ELEVATOR MUSIC: nhạc nhạt nhẽo ở nơi công cộng
VD: “Kevin hated going shopping in the mall. He was tired of all the elevator music!”
2. RING A BELL: nghe quen tai
VD: “Tina was sure that she had heard that music idiom before. It certainly did ring a
bell!”
3. FOR A SONG: bán giá rất rẻ
VD: “Roy was selling his collection of toys very cheaply. They were going for a song!”
4. LIKE A BROKEN RECORD: nói đi nói lại
VD: “Hazel was tired of listening to Rob talk about Manchester United all the time. He
sounded just like a broken record!”
5. BLOW YOUR OWN TRUMPET: khoe khoang
VD: “Chase’s boss told him to 'Blow your own trumpet' after he succeeded at work.”
6. JAM SESSION: chơi nhạc ngẫu hứng


VD: “Daryl and John got together in the studio for a jam session. They were thinking up
ideas for their new album.”
7. CALL THE TUNE: điều kiển tình huống
VD: “Juan was keen to call the tune in the meeting. He wanted to take control of the
team.”
8. BLOW THE WHISTLE: báo với cấp trên việc sai trái
VD: “Martin had to blow the whistle at work when he saw Hazel stealing from the

stationary cupboard.”
H. THÀNH NGỮ VỚI TÌNH U
-----------------------------------------------------1. DOUBLE DATE: Hẹn hị 2 cặp
VD: “Hazel and Matthew went on a double date with John and Mary to their local
Italian restaurant.”
2. MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN: mối quan hệ tốt, hòa hợp
VD: “Balint and Nora are really well suited. They are a match made in heaven.”
3. ON THE ROCKS: Mối quan hệ đang bị trục trặc
VD: “Philippa and David are not talking to each other. I think their relationship is
on the rocks.”
4. PUPPY LOVE: mối tình trẻ con
VD: “I had my first girlfriend when I was 12. It was just puppy love.”
5. HEAD OVER HEELS: yêu ai tha thiết
VD: “I have never seen Andre so happy. He is head over heels in love with his
new girlfriend.”
6. LOVEY-DOVEY: Thể hiện nhiều yêu thương, tình yêu


VD: “Mary and Tony are always holding hands and kissing in public. They are so
lovey-dovey.”
7. LOVE RAT: Người đàn ông phản bội vợ/ bạn gái
VD: “Mik had an affair with his wife’s best friend. He is such a love rat.”
8. HAVE THE HOTS: Nhận ra ai đó rất quyến rũ, cuốn hút
VD: “I have the hots for my neighbor. I am going to ask them out on a date”
I. THÀNH NGỮ VỀ SHHH (ngậm miêng lại, câm miệng)

1. PUT A SOCK IN IT: nhét tất vào miệng
VD: “Hey, you’re being way too loud. Put a sock in it!” – Này, anh đang làm ồn quá
đấy. Nhét tất vào miệng đi
2. CORK IT: Đậy chặt miệng lại

VD: "Excuse me. What you’ve just said is very rude. Cork it!” – Xin lỗi. Những
gì mà bạn nói q thơ lỗ. Đậy chặt miệng lại đi
3. BUTTON IT: ngậm miệng lại
VD: “Your argument is way out of line. Button it!” – Tranh luận của bạn đi quá
xa rồi đấy. Ngậm miệng lại đi
4. SHUT YOUR PIE HOLE: Đóng cái miệng lại đi
VD: “You are being very loud and disruptive. Shut your pie hole!” – bạn đang lớn
lối và gây rối đấy. Đóng chặt cái miệng lại đi
5. ZIP YOUR LIPS: Kéo khóa miệng lại đi
VD: “What you just said to me was offensive. Zip your lips!” – Những gì bạn nói
với tơi thật xúc phạm. Kéo khóa miệng lại đi
6. WIND YOUR NECK IN: Ngậm miệng lại


VD: “Stop being so loud and obnoxious! Wind your neck in!” – Những to tiếng
và đáng ghét như thế. Ngậm miệng lại.
7. SIMMER DOWN: Bình tĩnh đi nào
VD: “You are getting too loud and aggressive! Simmer down!” _ bạn đang to
tiếng và hung dữ đó, Bình tĩnh lại đi
8. PIPE DOWN: nói nhỏ đi, ngừng nói đi
VD: “Why are you being so noisy when people are trying to concentrate? Pipe
down!” – Tại sao bạn ồn ào khi mọi người đang cố gắng để tập trung? Nói nhỏ lại
đi.
J. THÀNH NGỮ VỚI HẠNH PHÚC
---------------------------------------------------1. HAVING A WHALE OF A TIME: Thời gian vui vẻ
VD: “Tatiana was having a whale of a time when celebrating her birthday at work!”
2. ON CLOUD NINE: như trên chín tầng mây
VD: “Tony was on cloud nine when he managed to get tickets to see his favorite
band.”
3. TICKLED PINK: cảm thấy hài long với gì đó

VD: “Candida was tickled pink when she won tickets to her see her favorite hockey
team!”
4. ON TOP OF THE WORLD: tâm trạng hạnh phúc, lâng lâng
VD: “Hazel was on top of the world after learning of her promotion!”
5. HAPPY AS A CLAM: sướng rơn
VD: “Iona was as happy as a clam when her boyfriend proposed to her!”


6. BUZZING: rất vui vẻ, hạnh phúc
VD: “Ben was buzzing when his favorite basketball team won the league!”
7. OVER THE MOON: vui vẻ, hạnh phúc
VD: “Helena was over the moon when she discovered that she passed all of her
exams!”
8. IN SEVENTH HEAVEN: rất vui vẻ, hạnh phúc
VD: “Rachel was in seventh heaven when she got a new job, which paid a much
larger salary!”
K. THÀNH NGỮ VỚI THỜI GIAN
======================================
1. BEAT THE CLOCK: hoàn thành trước khi hết thời gian
VD: “Burcu beat the clock and booked a Kaplan English course before prices increased!”
2. TURN BACK THE HANDS OF TIME: quay ngược thời gian
VD: “Phil had to turn back the hands of time and wear his tracksuit from the 1990s for a
fancy dress party.”
3. KILL TIME: giết thời gian
VD: “Mike arrived to the party early so he had to kill time waiting outside the venue.”
4. ONCE IN A BLUE MOON: ngàn năm có một, có một khơng hai
VD: “Rob buys a round at the bar once in a blue moon.”
5. BEHIND THE TIMES: lỗi thời, theo sau thời đại
VD: “Chase is behind the times because he just listens to Simon & Garfunkel all day.
6. TIME FLIES: thời gian thấm thoát thoi đưa

VD: “Time flies at a party because you’re having so much fun!”
7. WASTING TIME: làm gì đó khơng có mục đích, giết thời gian
VD: “Hazel was just wasting time at the bus stop playing on her phone.”
8. THE BIG TIME: đỉnh cao của sự nghiệp
VD: “Leo made the big time when he was promoted the boss of the company.
L. THÀNH NGỮ VỚI MÀU SẮC


==============================
1. GREEN THUMB: có khả năng về trồng trọt
VD: “Robert is an expert gardener. Everyone says he has a green thumb!”
2. YELLOW-BELLIED: kẻ nhát gan
VD: “Billy was called yellow-bellied after he was too scared to go on the rollercoaster.”
3. PINK SLIP: giấy thôi việc
VD: “Mik was devastated to lose his job after his boss gave him a pink slip.”
4. WHITE ELEPHANT: đồ vật đắt đỏ nhưng vô dụng
VD: “Planners said the sports stadium would become a white elephant after the
tournament was finished.”
5. GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY: cơ hội vàng
VD: “Tony had a golden opportunity to win the chess tournament after the favorite was
beaten.”
6. RED TAPE: Thủ tục hành chính
VD: “Daniela was unable to get her visa application approved due to red tape.”
7. SILVER SCREEN: màn bạc, điện ảnh
VD: “Matteo went to Hollywood so he could see the stars of the silver screen.”
8. BLUE COLLAR: Tầng lớp lao động chân tay
VD: “Hank was much happier doing blue collar work compared to his office job.”
M. THÀNH NGỮ VỚI THỨC ĂN
==============================
1. EGG HEAD: người ham học, học thuật

VD: “Julian passed all of this exams. He is such an egg head!”


2. BIG CHEESE: nhân vật có ảnh hưởng, quan trọng
VD: “Tony is the boss of the whole sales and marketing department. He is a big cheese.”
3. COUCH POTATO: người xem Tv quá nhiều
VD: “Hazel is such a couch potato. She just sits around all day watching television!”
4. TOUGH COOKIE: người quyết tâm
VD: “Robert ran the race even though he was injured. He is a real tough cookie!”
5. TOP BANANA: nhóm trưởng, người đúng đầu
VD: “Morag is the captain of the netball team. She is the top banana!”
6. BAD APPLE: người gây rắc rối
VD: “Mik is a real bad apple. He always causes trouble at work.”
7. SOUR GRAPES: giả vờ thích một cái gì đó
VD: “Barry said that Mike’s hat was silly. It’s just sour grapes!”
8. LEMON LAW: luật bảo vệ người mua phải ô tô lỗi
VD: “Rachel bought a car that broke down straight away! Luckily she was protected by
lemon law.”