Thành ngữ tiếng Anh thi THPT Quốc gia 2022

Bài viết tổng hợp các thành ngữ Tiếng Anh được thông dụng thường gặp, phù hợp cho các bạn học sinh đang ôn thi THPT Quốc Gia (Đại Học), phần khá khó do không có nghĩa rõ ràng buộc bạn phải học thuộc. bảng thành ngữ có đầu đủ nghĩa tiếng việt, tiếng anh có kèm theo ví dụ mình họa để bạn dễ học thuộc hơn, chinh phục câu hỏi về thành ngữ trong đề thi đại học.

Thành ngữ được cấu tạo bằng nhiều từ khác nhau tạo thành một câu nhưng không mang nghĩa đen của nó. Idiom được người bản ngữ sử dụng rất nhiều trong văn nói và viết, vì vậy hiểu được ý nghĩa của Idiom sẽ giúp các bạn sử dụng Tiếng Anh hiệu quả hơn rất nhiều.

Bảng thành ngữ Tiếng Anh

Idioms	Meaning	Examples
rainning 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 ordangerous to deal with (vấn đề nan giải, nóng hổi)	The abortion issue is a political hot potatoin the US.
at the drop of a hat	immediately, instantly (Ngay lập tức)	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 to 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 thing since sliced bread	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 hadto 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’r gonna take a test tomorrow, break a leg, my friend!
hit the books	to study (học)	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 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	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	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 to 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 a strange	lấy làm lạ	It strikes as a strange to me 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? Ø 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 = in the edge	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
at the eleventh hour	vào 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 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 giữ 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	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 journalist 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.
smell a rat	hoài nghi, linh cảm chuyện không ổn	The minute I came in, I smelled a rat.
the last straw	giọt nước tràn ly	When she showed up late a third time, that was the last straw. We had to fire her.
get the hang of something	nắm bắt được, sử dụng được	I’ll teach you how to use the design program – you’ll get the hang of it after a while
hard of hearing	lãng tai, nặng tai	Tom is hard of hearing. Therefore, we have to speak loudly so that he can hear us.
keep an eye on	coi chừng, ngó chừng	Please keep an eye on my baby while I’m out for a while.
have a bee in one’s bonnet (about something)	đặt nặng chuyện gì, chấp nhất chuyện gì	She has a bee in her bonnet about going to America.
get/have cold feet	mất hết can đảm, chùn bước	I’m worried my members in this page may be getting cold feet about the university entrance exam. Therefore, I will try my best to help them overcome this severe exam.
on second thoughts	suy nghĩ kĩ	On second thoughts, it was a dumb movie.
in vain	vô ích	Government agents tried in vain kidnap him.
chip in	quyên góp, góp tiền	If everyone chips in, we will be able to buy her a nice present.
off someone’s head	điên, loạn trí	The old man has been off his head for at least a year.
run an errand	làm việc vặt	I’ve got to run an errand. I’ll be back in a minute.
jump the traffic lights	vượt đèn đỏ	They ignore people who jumps the traffic lights.
fly off the handle	dễ nổi giận, phát cáu	No one will fly off the handle for no reason.
the apple of someone’s eyes	đồ quý giá của ai	You are the apple of my eyes
bucket down	mưa xối xả, mưa to	It’s been bucketing down all day.
close shave = narrow escape	thoát chết trong gang tấc	Phew, that was a close shave. I was so lucky.
drop a brick	lỡ lời, lỡ miệng	I dropped a brick when talking with my best friend, and now she doesn’t want to talk to me.
get butterflies in someone’s stomach	cảm thấy bồn chồn	I always get butterflies in my stomach when it comes to taking test
off the record	không chính thức, không được công bố	What the president said is not to be printed. It’s off the record
someone’s cup of tea	thứ mà ta thích	SNSD is my cup of tea. They are so beautiful and talented. Especially Seohyun, she looks so cute
cut it fine	đến sát giờ	Only allowing half an hour to get from the station to the airport is cutting it fine, isn’t it?
golden handshake	món tiền hậu hĩnh dành cho người sắp nghỉ việc	The manager got early retirement and a 600,000$ golden handshake when the company was restructed.
put on an act	giả bộ, làm bộ	We’ve known you are a good swimmer – stop putting on an act.
come to light	được biết đến, được phát hiện, được đưa ra ánh sáng.	Four soldiers have faced charges since the scandal came to light last fall
take things to pieces	tháo ra từng mảnh	Men like to take things to pieces and putthem together.
put someone’s foot in it	gây nhầm lẫn, bối rối, phạm một sai lầm gây bối rối	I really put my foot in it when I asked her about her job. I didn’t know she’d just been fired.
pull someone’s weight	nỗ lực, làm tròn trách nhiệm	The rest of the team complained that Sarah wasn’t pulling her weight.
make ends meet	xoay sở để kiếm sống	I have to work at two jobs to make ends meet.
get the hold of the wrong end of the stick	hiểu nhầm ai đó	I think I must explain to her that she got hold of the wrong end of the stick again.
cut and dried	cuối cùng, không thể thay đổi, rõ ràng, dễ hiểu	Although a deal has been agreed, it is not yet cut and dried
stay/keep on someone’s toe	cảnh giác, thận trọng	We had better keep on our toes while we’re walking along the dark portions of this street.
see eye to eye	đồng tình	I’m glad that they see eye to eye on the matter of the conference location.
have in mind	đang suy tính, cân nhắc	I don’t want to see a movie now, I have in mind going to the park.
a lost cause	hết hy vọng, không thay đổi được gì	It seems that Charles will give it up. I suppose he is a lost cause.
to be bound to	chắc chắn	You’re bound to be late if you don’t hurry.
at heart	thực chất, cơ bản (basically, fundamentally)	James sometimes seems quite unfriendly but at heart he’s a good person.
to know by sight	nhận ra (recognize)	The woman said that she would know the thief by sight if she ever saw him again.
now and then = now and again = at times = from time to time = off and on = once in a while = every so often	thỉnh thoảng, không thường xuyên	Josh does stop by the store every now and then, but I haven’t seen him lately.
to take pains	làm việc cẩn thận và tận tâm	She takes pains to do everything well.
to make do	xoay sở, đương đầu (to manage, to cope)	During difficult economic times, many people have to make do with less.
on probation	trong thời gian quản chế	While Anne was on probation, she reported to the police regularly
face the music	chịu trận	Mary broke a dining-room window and had to face the music when her father got home
sell/go like hot cakes	bán đắt như tôm tươi	The book has only just been published andcopies are already selling like hot cakes in both Britain and America.
it never rains but it pours	good or bad things do not just happen a few at atime, but in large numbers all at once (họa vô đơn chí)	First of all it was the car breaking down, then the fire in the kitchen and now Mike’s accident. It never rains but it pours!
salt and pepper	màu tóc hoa râm	He has a salt and pepper beard.
down and out	thất cơ lỡ vận	True friends always stand by you when you’re down and out.