On behalf of everyone: đại diện mọi người.

Ex: "On behalf of everyone, I'd like to wish her  warm welcome."

See eye to eye: Đồng ý với ai đó.

Ex: "They finally saw eye to eye on the business deal."

Be in/get into deep water : trong tình thế nguy hiểm/khó khăn ( to say that you are in trouble or in a dangerous situation )

Ex: ''He has not submitted his dissertation so he's IN DEEP WATER.''

Bend over backwards : rất cố gắng ( có trường hợp quá sức) (try very hard to do something good or helpful)

Ex: "He bent over backwards to please his new wife, but she never seemed satisfied."

Sleep on it: suy nghĩ (trước khi quyết định)

Ex: "Ex: That sounds like a good deal, but I'd like to sleep on it before I give you my final decision."

Figure something out : hiểu được vấn đề gì

Ex: "I don't understand how to do this problem. Take a look at it. Maybe you can figure it out."

Go back to the drawing board = làm lại từ đầu

Unfortunately the plans didn't work out. We'll have to go back to the drawing board.

Make a fresh start / make a clean break = bắt đầu lại việc gì đó

Let's put the problems behind us and make a fresh start.

Know something like the back of your hand : biết 1 việc gì rất rõ

Ex: "If you get lost, just ask me for directions. I know this part of town like the back of my hand" 

Miss the boat = to miss an opportunity (lỡ cơ hội)

Ex: "If you miss the boat, it means you are too late to get an opportunity in my company"

"There were tickets available last night, but she missed the boat by waiting till today to try to buy some."

Leave no stone unturned = to do everything you can to achieve your goal (làm tất cả để đạt mục tiêu)

Ex: "I'll leave no stone unturned until I find out the reason."

"Don't worry. I'll find your stolen dog. I'll leave no stone unturned"

Sit on the fence = to stay neutral and not take sides (lưỡng lự)

Ex: "You can't sit on the fence any longer- you have to decide where you go"

"I'm sitting on the fence with my girlfriend when we went shopping!"

Make it (to the top): to be very successful. (make it: làm được điều gì đó).

"She's very but I she'll make it to the top." 

Get the picture: hiểu ý người khác khi họ diễn tả ( understand).

Cut corners: tiết kiệm cách không tốt trong sản xuất.

The last straw: sự việc cuối trước khi xảy ra hậu quả ( giọt nước làm tràn li).

I yelled back at my boss today. It was the last straw.

Go the extra mile: going all the way to get it done. ( nỗ lực nhiều hơn nữa)(to make more than is expected of you)

He always try to go the extra mile before the exams.

Burn the candle at both ends = làm việc ngày đêm

He's been burning the candle at both ends to finish this project.

Knuckle under(informal) = ngừng lãng phí thời gian và bắt đầu làm việc

The sooner you knuckle under and start work, the better.

Work your fingers to the bone = làm việc rất chăm chỉ(to work extremely hard, especially for a long time)

I work my fingers to the bone for you.

Pull your weight = làm tròn phần việc của mình(to as hard as other or as hard as expected and needed)

He's a good and always pulls his weight.

Pull your socks up(informal) = nỗ lực nhiều hơn

You'll have to pull your socks up and work harder if you want to impress the boss!

Get the hang of something: học cách làm gì đó. (learn how to do something, esp. when it is not simple or obvious).

Ex: "I'll teach you how to use the design program – you'll get the hang of it after a while. "

Turn a blind eye (to s.th): to ignore something that you know is wrong.

Ex: " Sometimes a store might sell stolen goods because the owner has turned a blind eye to where they come from"

"I knew Hugo was taking the money but I turned a blind eyebecause he was my sister's child"

One good turn deserves another(saying): said when you do a or for someone who has done something good for you

Ex: "He fixed my bike so I let him use my computer. One good turn deserves another."

Take a turn for the worse: become worse

Ex: "Her health took a turn for worse the last year."

Take some time off work : Nghỉ làm dài ngày

As regular as/like clockwork : Làm điều gì hoặc diễn ra vào thời gian đã định một cách đáng tin

Ex: "My husband wakes up at 6 o'clock, as regular as clockwork."

Have a lot/too much on my plate(informal): có quá nhiều việc phải làm.

Ex: "I would love to go to the zoo with you, but I have too much on my plate this weekend."

Be up to my ears in sth: ngập đầu với thứ gì, có nhiều thứ để giải quyết.(to be very , or to have more of something than you can)

Ex: "We're up to our ears in decorating at the moment."

The cream of the crop: cái tốt nhất ( the best of a group of similar things or people).

Ex: "The school's graduates are considered to be the cream of the crop and can get jobs whatever they want to. "

"This company is well-known as a good place to work and is always able to hire the cream of the crop of university graduates."

Sell like hot cakes(informal): bán đắt hàng, chạy hàng.

Ex: "The book has only just been published and copies are already selling like hot cakes in both Britain and America."

The early bird gets/catches the worm: trâu chậm uống nước đục; thành công sẽ đến với ai biết nắm bắt nhanh cơ hội.

Ex: "If you see a job that interests you, apply as soon as possible. The early bird catches the worm."

Cash cow: món hàng/thứ mang lại nhiều lợi nhuận.

Ex: "The movie studio saw the actress as a cash cow."

There are plenty of/more fish in the sea: có nhiều lựa chọn khác nữa.

Ex: "It's too bad that your secretary quit, but there are plenty more fish in the sea."

To be up in the air: chưa chắc chắn, chưa được quyết định.

Ex: "Have you decided the destination yet?" "No, things are still up in the air."

Rule of thumb: cách làm một việc dựa trên kinh nghiệm từ trước chứ không phải do đo đạc cụ thể.

Ex: As a rule of thumb, you should give up your seat to disabled or elderly people.

A good rule of thumb is that a portion of rice is two handfuls.

To find my feet: thích nghi với môi trường mới và có thể hành động một cách tự tin và độc lập.

Ex: "My family have just moved to Germany so I'm still finding my feet with everything."

A hot potato: (informal) một vấn đề khó khăn và gây nhiều tranh cãi.

Ex: Education is always a social hot potato in Vietnam.

At the drop of a hat: ngay lập tức, ngay tức khắc.

Ex: "If you need anything, just call me. I'll be there at the drop of a hat."

The best of both worlds: có được lợi thế / ưu thế của hai hay nhiều lựa chọn cùng một lần.

Ex: "This full-day tour will take you to a small village at the foot of a mountain. You can enjoy the best of both worlds."

"She works in the city and lives in the country, so she gets the best of both worlds. "

Hit the nail on the head: đánh đúng / nói đúng trọng tâm(describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem)

Ex: "She hit the nail on the head when she said that our company needs a stronger leader."

"I think Nick hit the nail on head the when he said that what's lacking in this company is a feeling of confidence. "

In the heat of the moment: thực hiện một hành động hoặc nói gì đó lúc thiếu suy nghĩ do đang cao hứng hoặc tức giận.

Ex: "In the heat of the moment, we said terrible things to each other."

Sweat blood(informal): làm đổ mồ hôi sôi nước mắt(to make a great effort)

Ex: "We sweated blood to get the work finished on time."

"I've been sweating blood over this report."

By the book: làm theo đúng hướng dẫn và quy luật.(exactly according to rules or the law)

Ex: "The teacher asked us to do the test by the book."

Bread and butter: cơm áo gạo tiền (a job or activity that provides you with the money you need to live)

Ex:  "Gardening is my bread and butter right now."

Tighten your belt: chi tiêu cẩn thận (to spend less money than you did before because you have less money)

Ex: "Another bill? I'll have to tighten my belt this month!"

"I've had to tighten my belt since I stopped working full-time."

Live beyond one's means: tiêu nhiều hơn số tiền kím được

Ex: "The cost of living was so much higher in Hanoi that he was soon living beyond his means."

Make ends meet: kiếm tiền đủ chi phí(to have just enough money to pay for the things that you need)

Ex: It's hard to make ends meet on such a low salary.