chuyên đề IDIOMS phù hợp THPTQG, THI CHUYÊN, HSG

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_ Yen Nhii cutiii_

1. In a lather: in a state of nervousness or anxiety
Ex: She was in a lather because she couldn’t find her
passport
2. In a row= successively
Ex: After making losses four years in a row, the manager
knew she had to sack sb
3. In absentia= while absent
Ex: An Italian court convicted him in absentia for his terrorist
activities.
4. Out of action = out of order
Ex: I’m afraid the TV’s out of action
5. In all one’s born days = ever
Ex: I’ve never seen such a beautiful girl in all my born days.
6. In due course = when the time is right
Ex: The kitchen will be painted in due course.
7. Quick/slow on the uptake: understand things easily/with
difficulty
Ex: He’s a bit slow on the uptake, so you may have to repeat
the questions a few times.
8. Take stock (of) = to think carefully
Ex: After two years spent teaching abroad, she returned
home for a month to take stock of life.
9. Be out of woods = to no longer be in danger/difficulty
Ex: The club has been given funding for another years, but
it’s not out of the woods yet.
10.

Split hairs: to argue about small details

Ex: When investigating wrongdoings, we split hairs over
procedures, jurisdiction and inter-government decorum.
11.

On the horizon: likely to happen or exist soon


Ex: There is no new drug on the horizon that’ll make this
disease easier to treat.
12.

Think on one’s feet: to make a quick decision

Ex: I had never heard about the firm before, so I had to think
on my feet.
13.

Out of one’s depth: unable to understand

Ex: I was out of my depth in the advanced class, so I would
move to the intermediate class
14.

Steer clear of sb/st: to avoid sb or st that seems

unpleasant, dangerous
Ex: They warned their children to steer clear of drugs.
15.

Be in/ get into a state: to become nervous or upset

Ex: She got into a real state before her driving test.
16.

Go/get/head nowhere: to not have any success or

achieve anything
Ex: I’m trying to persuade her to come, but I’m getting
nowhere.
17.

A stone’s throw: a short distance

Ex: It’s a stone’s throw from here to my house.
18.

In the long run= In the long term

Ex: In the long run, we’ll need different fuel for cars.
19.

For the most part= On the whole

Ex: For the most part, I agree with your decision.
20.

Here to stay: become generally used or accepted

Ex: Computers are said to be here to stay for development of
mankind
21.

Come rain or shine= do regularly

Ex: I listen to music everyday, come rain or shine.
22.

Go to (great) lengths: to try very hard to achieve st

Ex: He’ll go to any lengths to get what he wants.
23.

Be on thin ice: be in a risky situation

Ex: If you keep asking him, you’ll be on thin ice.


24.

Rack one’s brains: to try hard to remember st

25.

Be the salt of the earth: a kind and honest person

Ex: It’s impossible to imagine Jim harming sb. He’s the salt of
the earth.
26.

A turn up for the books: a surprising or unexpected

events
Ex: He actually passed the exam! That’s certainly a turn up
for the books.
27.

Can’t hold a candle to sb: to not be as good as the

person or thing mentioned
Ex: Quite frankly, you can’t hold a candle to me when it
comes to chess.
28.

Music to one’s ears: to be st that you are very pleased

to hear.
29.

To be long in the tooth: very old

Ex: Don’t you think you are a bit long in the tooth to go
climbing?
30.

Let the genie out of the bottle: to allow st bad or

unwanted to happen that can’t then be stopped
Ex: I can still play tennis, but I’m past my prime.

31.

St’s/sb’s claim to fame: the reason why st/sb become

famous
Ex: This town’s claim to fame is that a president was born there
32.

Off the bat= immediately

Ex: You can’t expect all your new classmates to like you right
off the bat.
33.

Be the luck of the draw: to be the result of chance and

st that you have no control over


Ex: You can’t choose who you play against – it’s just the luck
the of draw
34.

A bone of contention: st that most people argue

strongly about
Ex: Education reforms have long been a bone of contention in
this country.
35.

After a fashion: If you can do st after a fashion, you can

do it, but not well
Ex: I play football after a fashion, so I don’t think I can join the
team.
36.

Gut feeling: a strong belief about st that can’t be

explained
Ex: I have a gut feeling that st bad would happen.
37.

In words of one syllable= simply

Ex: It isn’t easy to explain how this machine works in words of
one syllable.
38.

In one’s bad/good books: not pleased/ pleased

39.

Not by a long shot= not in any way

40.

Go down the pan: to fail or to be lost or destroyed

Ex: She doesn’t want to see her plans go down the pan but she

doesn’t know what to do.