Thành ngữ Tiếng Anh (Có giải thích)

 for
broke!"
To be "broke" is to have no money;
you "go for broke" when you risk losing
everything for one chance to win big.
Example: "Do you think that girl will
dance with me if I ask her to?" Reply:
"Sure: go for broke!" "Go for broke"
means take a risk, try your best, and give
all of your energy to something. Example:
"The way to be successful is to decide
exactly what you want, then go for
broke."
A Dime A Dozen ( cheap
and easy to get ... )
If a thing is very common and easy to
get, we say it is "a dime a dozen."
Example: "Do you think I should buy this
now and bring it with us?" Answer: "Don't
bother; those are a dime a dozen where
we are going." There is no need to get
excited or worried about finding
something that is a dime a dozen.
Example: "Look what I found!" Answer:
"That's nothing special; those are a dime a
dozen." It is easy to find a dime (a 10
cent US coin), and a dozen (12) of
something is a common, everyday unit of
measure. You are not in a hurry to get a
thing which is a dime a dozen because it
is not so special and you could get one any
time you wanted. Example: "I don't need
friends like him; they are a dime a
dozen."
Dog-Eat-Dog ( people are
looking out for their own
interests ... )
Dog-eat-dog describes a world in
which people fight for themselves only
and will hurt other people. Example: "I
have been in this business for twenty
years. It's dog-eat-dog. The competition
is always trying to steal your
customers."
Dog-eat-dog means that a person is
like a dog that will eat another dog.
Sometimes people say, "It's a dog-eat-
dog world", as an excuse when they have
hurt another person. Example: "I can't
believe you sold him your motorcycle for
so much money!" Reply: "Hey, it's a dog-
eat-dog world." 
It's a dog-eat-dog world means that you
must first watch out for your own
interests, because other people will be
watching out for theirs. There is no letter s
at the end of any of the words in dog-eat-
dog. "Example: "That school is dog-eat-
dog. The students cheat and even destroy
each other's work to get better grades."
Add Fuel To The Fire ( do
something to make a bad
situation worse ... )
You add fuel to the fire when you do
something that makes a bad situation
worse. Example: "When those two are
fighting, I don't get involved. It only
adds fuel to the fire."
A conflict between two people is like
a fire, with both people adding "fuel" to
the fire. You add fuel to the fire when
you do something that makes the conflict
worse. Example: "I wanted to help, but I
was afraid I would add fuel to the fire." 
Adding "fuel" (such as wood or gas) to a
burning "fire" makes the flames burn even
higher and brighter. Sometimes you get
involved because you want to help, but
your involvement only makes the problem
worse, adding fuel to the fire. Example:
"Please don't talk to him when he's in a
bad mood. It just adds fuel to the fire."
Under The Gun ( under a
lot of pressure to get
something done ... )
You are under the gun when you are
working under tremendous pressure.
Example: "Everyone at the office has
been under the gun since this new
manager arrived."
You are forced to work extra hard
when you are under the gun. Example:
"We are under the gun to get this project
finished at work." 
Working under the gun is working hard
under pressure to meet deadlines.
Example: "I feel I work harder when I am
under pressure." Reply: "Me too. I get
much more done when I am under the
gun."
Wear Your Heart On Your
Sleeve ( expressing your
emotions freely and openly ...
)
People who wear their heart on
their sleeve express their emotions
freely and openly, for all to see.
Example: "She is kind of player who
never hides how she's feeling. One look
at her and you know if she's winning or
losing." Reply: "She wears her heart on
her sleeve."
You can see how these people feel as
easily as if they were "wearing" their
"heart" on the "sleeve" of their shirt.
Example: "Some people love him and
some people hate him, but my brother
always lets you know how he feels. He
wears his heart on his sleeve." 
People who wear their heart on their
sleeve do not hold back their emotions, for
good or for bad. It is clear how they feel
in each moment. Example: "She's a shy
person. She's never been one to wear her
heart on her sleeve."
The Early Bird (Catches
The Worm) ( being early
leads to success ... )
The early bird catches the worm
means that the person who arrives early
will be successful. Example: "I always
come early to work. The early bird
catches the worm!"
When birds are competing to catch
one worm, the bird that arrives early will
catch the worm. Example: "From now on,
I am waking up at six. The early bird
catches the worm." 
At times there is only one "worm" and
only one "bird" can catch it, so the bird to
arrive early catches the worm. Example:
"My brother started investing money when
he was 16 years old." Reply: "The early
bird catches the worm."
Better Late (Than Never) (
it is better to do something
late than to not do it at all ...
)
Better late than never means that it
is better to do something late than to
never do it at all. Example: "The movie
has already started. Do you still want to
go in?" Reply: "Sure. Better late than
never!"
Better late than never is often used as
a polite way to respond when a person
says "sorry" for being late. Example:
"Sorry I was late for the meeting today. I
got stuck in traffic." Reply: "That's okay.
Better late than never." 
Better late than never means that even if
you are going to be late, you should still
go ahead and do the thing, because it is
better to do it late than to never do it at
all. Example: "I'm sorry it has taken me so
long to return this book." Reply: "Better
late than never."
Lost His Head ( he got so
upset that he lost control of
his actions ... )
You lose your head when you get
upset and lose control of your actions.
Example: "I got so angry yesterday. I
completely lost my head." Example:
"I'm really sorry about what I did. I lost
my head."
You are overcome by emotions
(especially anger) and lose control of your
actions when you lose your head.
Example: "Okay, I'll tell you what
happened. But first promise that you won't
lose your head."
A person who loses his head is not in
control of his actions because is not
thinking clearly. Example: "He lost his
head, so they threw him out of the game."
Word Of Mouth ( news
that travels from person to
person ... )
Something that you heard from
other people you know by word of
mouth. Example: "How did you hear
about this party?" Reply: "Word of
mouth."
When you say that you heard
something word of mouth, you are not
being specific about whose mouth you
heard it from; just that you heard it from
another person. Example: "There has been
talk at school about canceling the
concert." Reply: "Really? Who did you
hear that from?" Answer: "Just word of
mouth."
We do rely on what other people tell us,
so word of mouth is one important way
that we learn things. If something is "only"
(or "just") word of mouth then you might
not know where the "word" really started
or how it changed as it went from
"mouth" to "mouth" . Example: "Did you
hear they finally arrested that guy?" Reply:
"Yes, but that's only word of mouth."
Example: "Where did you hear that?"
Reply: "Just word of mouth."
Cross Your Fingers (
hoping it happens that way ...
)
An old superstition says that if you
cross your fingers (usually two fingers
of the same hand) it will bring good
luck. Example: "I don't know what I
will get for my birthday, but I am
crossing my fingers that it will be a
bicycle."
You cross your fingers when you try
to make something happen by wishing that
it will happen. A common saying: "Let's
cross our fingers and hope for the best."
Example: "Good luck on your test
tomorrow. We'll be crossing our fingers
for you!" Reply: "Thanks." 
The meaning of don't cross your fingers
changes a bit. It means don't hope too
much for what you want to happen,
because there is a strong chance that it
might not happen. It means that you should
not have expectations that are too high.
Example: "It would be great if our team
won today, but don't cross your fingers."
Example: "We are hoping that John will
get accepted to medical school, but we are
not crossing our fingers."
Barking Up The Wrong
Tree ( looking for something
in the wrong place ... )
When you are looking for something
that is not where you are looking, you
are "barking up the wrong tree."
Example: "I know you think I stole your
umbrella. But really, I don't have it. You
are barking up the wrong tree."
You are like a dog that is barking up
at a tree that has nothing in it. This may
also mean trying to find the answer to
some problem by using the wrong
approach. Example: "I have been trying to
solve this one problem for an hour. I
really do not know how to do it." Reply:
"Yes, I can see that. You've been barking
up the wrong tree."
You are "barking up the wrong tree"
when you are trying to find something, but
you are looking in the wrong place.
all bark (and no bite)"
People who are all bark and no bite
threaten to do things that they are not
really willing or able to do. Example:
"That new manager threatened to fire
me again, but I know he won't do it.
He's all bark and no bite."
They are like dogs that bark to make you afraid,
but they will not bite you. Example: "Yesterday that guy
said he wanted to fight, but today he's all quiet and
polite." Reply: "All bark and no bite ." 
Some people are not strong enough or brave enough to
actually hurt you, but they still use words to try to make
you afraid. All they can do is bark, but they have no
teeth to bite . Example: "Don't listen to my brother when
he gets angry; he's all bark and no bite ."