Học Tiếng Anh qua Idioms (Trình độ Intermediate)

e in. 
· Management gave in to the strikers’ demands and agreed to a shortened work week. 
to give off: to release, to produce, to release 
· When water boils, it gives off steam. 
· The flowers in this garden give off a strange odor. 
to give out: to distribute, to become exhausted or depleted (also: to run out) 
The first definition has the same meaning as the second definition of to pass out in Lesson 19. 
· An usher stood at the door of the theater giving out programs. 
· I couldn’t finish the ten mile race because my energy gave out. 
· Jeff plans to stay in Las Vegas and gamble until his money runs out. 
to have it in for: to want revenge on, to feel hostile towards (also: to hold a grudge against) 
· Martina expects to lose her job because her boss has had it in for her for a long time. 
· The teacher has held a grudge against Al ever since the time that he insulted her in front of the class. 
to have it out with: to quarrel with, to confront 
· I am going to have it out with Jack about all the times that he has told us lies. 
· Ben had it out with his roommate about coming back home so late and making a lot of noise. 
to hold off: to delay, or to be delayed, in occurring (S) 
This idiom has the same meaning as to put off in Lesson 5 when a noun or pronoun is used as an object, as in 
the second example. 
· If the rain holds off for a few more days, they can finish planting the rest of the crop. 
· The judge agreed to hold off making a decision until new evidence could be introduced into court. 
to hold out: to endure to be sufficient, to survive by resisting, to persist in one’s efforts 
The first definition for to hold out has the opposite meaning of the second definition for to give out (seventh 
idiom, this lesson). 
· If our supply of food and water holds out, we plan to camp here for another week. However, whenever it 
gives out, we’ll have to leave. 
· That nation’s troops cannot hold out much longer against the superior forces of the enemy. 
· The valuable football player held out for more money before signing a new contract with his team. 
to hold over: to extend to keep for a longer time (S) 
· They are going to hold over that movie for another week because so many people are coming to see it. 
· Let’s hold discussion of this problem over until our next meeting. 
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EXERCISES 
Choose the appropriate idiomatic expression to substitute for the italicized word or words in each 
sentence below. Idioms from previous lessons are indicated by number. 
1. The traveling circus was so popular in our city that it was kept for a longer time. 
a. held out 
b. held off 
c. held over 
2. Please put the trash outside, it’s producing a terrible smell in here. 
a. giving off 
b. giving out 
c. giving in 
3. I’m really sorry that your plans to travel to New Zealand failed to materialize. 
a. fell behind 
b. fell through 
c. did without (Lesson 18) 
4. Would Mary be willing to undertake a new project even though she’s overloaded with work? 
a. to take down 
b. to take on 
c. to take up with (Lesson 15) 
5. Please don’t reveal that you have knowledge of that secret contractual agreement. 
a. take down 
b. give in 
c. let on (Lesson 25) 
6. The campers lost on the high mountain were able to survive against the cold weather by building a fire 
and keeping together. 
a. to hold still (Lesson 20) 
b. to hold out 
c. to put out (Lesson 6) 
7. I can’t attend class tonight, so would you mind writing notes on what the instructor says? 
a. running out 
b. taking down 
c. pointing out (Lesson 7) 
8. The committee delayed in deciding when to have the next board election. 
a. held off 
b. fell behind 
c. called off (Lesson 5) 
9. My boss hasn’t spoken to me in a week. I wonder if he feels hostile towards me because of our 
conflicting views on the labor negotiations. 
a. has it in for 
b. has it out with 
c. holds out 
10. The rescue team was successful in reaching the group of miners trapped deep in the earth before their 
small supply of air became exhausted. 
a. fell behind 
b. burned out (Lesson 12) 
c. gave out 
Answer these questions orally by making use of the idiomatic expressions studied in this lesson. 
1. When was the last time that an event or plan fell through for you? 
2. Do you usually fall behind in your work, or do you usually keep up with it? Why? 
3. When you have it out with a friend, do you usually stick to your opinion or do you often give in? Why? 
4. What are the possible dangers of the pollution that factories give off? 
5. When you exercise heavily, does your energy quickly give out? Why or why not? 
6. Have you ever had it in for someone? How did you feel, or what did you do? 
7. When you have it out with someone, do you usually show your emotions clearly, or do you stay calm and 
control them? 
8. How long can a human being hold out without food? Without water? 
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REVIEW - LESSON 14 to 27 
A. Match the idiom in the left column with the definition in the right column. 
 1. once and for all a) in order to be prepared if 
 2. lost cause b) especially, mainly 
 3. all in all c) hopeless situation 
 4. by far d) eventually 
 5. give and take e) clearly, by a great margin 
 6. in touch f) for only one time 
 7. above all g) compromise, cooperation 
 8. in the long run h) basically, fundamentally 
 9. close call i) finally, absolutely 
 10. in case j) narrow escape from danger 
 11. for once k) considering everything 
 12. at heart l) having contact 
B. In the space provided, mark whether each sentence is true (T) or false (F). 
1. If a friend doesn’t want you to make fun of him or her, the friend might tell you to shut up. ____ 
2. If you run into someone at the store, you are sticking to an appointment. ____ 
3. If you agree to meet someone halfway, it becomes a matter of give and take. ____ 
4. If you want to keep in touch with someone, you might decide to stop by their place for a while. ____ 
5. If you have never heard of a certain type of animal, you probably know it by sight. ____ 
6. If you fall behind in your studies because you don’t try to keep up with the other students, it serves you right. ____ 
7. If something is going wrong with your car, then it is holding up well. ____ 
8. If someone is very well-off, the person probably has to cut corners. ____ 
9. If you haven’t heard from someone in a long time, you might drop the person a line. ____ 
10. If you really go in for a certain sport, you might set out to be the best you can at it. ____ 
11. If you finally have it out with someone, you have been getting along well with the person. ____ 
12. If a repairman is trying to fix a complicated watch, he or she would take pains to hold still while taking 
it apart. ____ 
C. Fill in each blank with the appropriate form of the idioms using call listed below. Some expressions 
come from Lessons 1 to 14. 
to call up to call on to call off 
to call it a day to call for close call 
1. It was a _____________________ when the tire blew out on the busy highway. 
2. We _____________________ early because we had been working since six o’clock in the morning. 
3. This recipe _____________________ cream, but there isn’t any in the refrigerator. I’ll have to stop by 
the store and pick up some. 
4. Margaret _____________________ her boyfriend almost every day and talks for hours. The telephone 
bill is her most costly expense. 
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D. Fill in each blank with the appropriate form of the idioms using make listed below. Some 
expressions come from Lessons 1 to 14. 
to make the best of to make fun of to make do 
to make sense to make out to make good time 
to make a difference to make good to make clear 
1. It doesn’t _____________________ to me where we eat out tonight. It’s your decision. 
2. Children love_____________________ each other by joking and teasing. 
3. It took the Petersons only two hours to go from downtown Los Angeles to San Diego by car. They really 
_____________________ on that trip. 
4. Could you help me understand this lesson? It doesn’t _____________________ to me. 
5. The recipe calls for butter, but I don’t have any. I’ll just have _____________________ with 
margarine. 
6. I’m sure that Ted will _____________________ on his promise to help us with the arrangements for 
the meeting. 
7. Cheryl couldn’t _____________________ the letters on the sign in the distance because it was getting 
too dark. 
8. Did you _____________________ it _____________________ to Deborah that she’s not welcome at 
the dinner party? She’d better not show up. 
9. There’s nothing we can do at this point to change the unfortunate situation. We’ll just have 
_____________________ it and go on from here. 
E. Fill in each blank with the appropriate form of the idioms using put listed below. Some expressions 
come from Lessons 1 to 14. 
to put on to put away to put off 
to put out to put down to put up with 
to put together 
1. Johnny, before you can go outside to play, you have _____________________ all the toys and clothes 
on the floor of your room. 
2. There’s too much noise in here for me to study. I can’t _____________________ it any longer. 
3. It’s quite cold tonight. I think we should _____________________ some warmer clothing before we go 
outside. 
4. Please _____________________ your cigarette in the ashtray immediately. No smoking is allowed in 
here. 
5. I can’t _____________________ doing that important assignment any longer. It’s due in just three 
days. 
6. The military troops used force _____________________ the mass demonstration against the corrupt 
government. 
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7. Shari’s father helped _____________________ her new bicycle, which came in pieces in a box.