B
14. back on one’s feet – financially or physically healthy again.
Since sales improved, he is doing better and he’s getting back on his feet.
15. back out of – withdraw, end an obligation or promise.
I made a deal with my friend to help him at work. When I became too busy, I had to back out of it.
16. back to the drawing board – rethink an idea, need to start over.
When my supervisor told me that our idea would not work, we had to go back to the drawing board to come up with something else.
17. backbone – courage.
He has no backbone because he was afraid to reprimand her.
18. backseat driver – passenger who tells you how to drive.
I’ll never drive Joe to the airport again. He kept on wanting me to take another road which I knew was wrong. He is such a backseat driver.
19. bail one out – help.
Thanks for picking me up when my car broke down. You really bailed me out of a bad situation.
20. ballpark figure – approximate amount.
When I asked the contractor how much it would be to remodel the kitchen, he gave me a ballpark figure.
21. bang for the buck – value for the money spent.
Newspaper advertising works well for us because we get the best bang for the buck.
22. bank on it – be sure of, count on.
I’ll be there to help you. You can bank on it.
23. banker’s hours – short work hours.
He loves his job because on Friday, he gets to work banker’s hours.
24. bark up the wrong tree – make a wrong choice or a false assumption.
If he thinks that I’m going to help him paint his house, well he’s barking up the wrong tree.
25. bat a thousand – have a perfect record.
He is so happy that everyone he invited to the party is coming. He’s batting a thousand.
26. bat an eyelash – show emotion.
He was filled with emotion during his speech, but she didn’t bat an eyelash.
27. bat a thousand – have a perfect record.
He is so happy that everyone he invited to the party is coming. He’s batting a thousand.
28. bat an eyelash – show emotion.
He was filled with emotion during his speech, but she didn’t bat an eyelash.
29. bawl out – reprimand.
The team was bawled out after they lost the game.
30. be beside one’s self – be very upset.
I was so mad when I heard that she was making up stories about me that I was beside myself.
31. beat around the bush – avoid giving a clear answer.
I didn’t want to hurt his feelings and tell him that he wasn’t selected for the team. So when he asked me if I had any information, I basically beat around the bush.
32. beat someone to the punch – do something before someone else can.
She was going to buy the last red dress that the store had, but I beat her to the punch and bought it first.
33. beat the rap – escape punishment.
There was not enough evidence to convict him, so he beat the rap and was set free.
34. behind the 8-ball – in trouble.
My department is late on its deadline. We are behind the 8-ball.
35. bend over backwards – try very hard.
He’ll bend over backwards to help any of his friends.
36. bide one’s time – wait patiently for the right opportunity.
I’m just going to bide my time. I know that eventually a position will open.
37. big shot – important person.
Since he was given a promotion, he’s been acting like a big shot.
38. big stink – an angry and loud complaint.
She made a big stink when her meal was served cold.
39. birds and bees - facts about sex and birth.
The girl’s mother told her daughter about the birds and the bees during the summer holidays.
40. bit off more than one can chew – trying to do more than one can physically and mentally handle.
I told her I would help her in her job, but it seems that’s all I’ve been doing lately. I think I bit off more than I could chew.
41. bite one’s tongue – keep oneself from speaking.
I had to bite my tongue in order not to tell him that he won the raffle.
42. bite the dust – die, disappear.
Our old TV didn’t work yesterday. I guess it finally bit the dust.
43. blab – talk too much.
She is always blabbing about her supervisor’s personal life to her friends.
44. blabbermouth – person who talks too much and tells secrets.
He is such a blabbermouth that there is no way Bob will be surprised for his party.
45. black sheep – a family member with a bad reputation.
John’s way of life is so different from all of ours. He is known as the black sheep of the family.
46. blind date – a date arranged for two people who don’t know each other.
Many married couples have met on a blind date.
47. blow it – lose a chance, make a mistake.
I knew I blew it when I forgot my lines in the play.
48. blow over – end, pass. She knew her coworkers will eventually forget how she messed up the filing system in the office.
She couldn’t wait for the incident to blow over.
49. blow the whistle – expose, betray.
I just found out that he’s been stealing from our company for the past year. I don’t want it to continue and I’ve decided to blow the whistle.
50. boil down – make shorter, condense.
This whole complicated situation just boils down to something simple…it’s either a yes or a no.
51. bomb – fail, be unsuccessful.
The whole cast was very sad that the show bombed on Broadway.
52. bone to pick with someone – complaint, argument.
I heard that you have rejected my proposal. I’m upset and have a bone to pick with you.
53. boob tube – television set.
What is on the boob tube tonight?
54. bookworm – person who reads a lot.
The library is the perfect place for her to work because she is such a bookworm.
55. booze – liquor.
They kept bottles of booze behind the bar.
56. botch up – make a mistake, ruin.
I asked for her help with my watercolor painting. But when she decided to add some purple paint, I knew that she completely botched it up.
57. bottom line – end result, ultimate cause.
He never practiced the piano, so the bottom line is, he can’t play very well.
58. bounce – not acceptable because of insufficient funds in the bank.
If your check bounces, I will need to charge you extra money.
59. brain – intelligent person.
She is such a brain, she will figure out how to solve the problem.
60. brainstorm – very smart idea.
I have got a brainstorm! Let’s start giving out free samples of our products.
61. bread and butter - basic needs of life (food, shelter, clothing).
The voters are worried about bread and butter issues like jobs and taxes.
62. break one’s neck – try very hard.
She broke her neck last night trying to finalize the proposal.
63. break the ice – overcome formality or shyness with others.
He started the meeting by telling a joke. He was hoping the joke would break the ice.
64. break the news – tell a surprising fact.
She broke the news and told him that she was going to move to another city.
65. break up – separate.
They needed to break up their engagement because she fell in love with someone else.
66. break even – have expenses equal to profits.
The company did not make a profit this year. We just broke even.
67. breathe a word – tell.
Please don’t breathe a word of this to anyone.
68. breeze – easy.
Last night’s homework was a breeze.
69. bring home the bacon – earn the family’s income.
He stays home and raises the children and she brings home the bacon.
70. broke – having no money.
I can’t go to the restaurant tonight because I’m broke.
71. brown bag – bring one’s lunch from home.
For the meeting on Friday, we’ve all decided to brown bag it.
72. buck – dollar.
I’m low this week on cash. Can I borrow a few bucks to get me through the week?
73. buckle down – study or work very hard.
Last semester his grades were very low, so this year he decided to buckle down.
74. buddy-buddy – very friendly.
She’s gotten to be very buddy-buddy with her boss.
75. bug – annoy, bother.
It bugs me every time he asks to borrow a pencil.
76. bulldoze – intimidate, coerce.
I did not want to work on the fundraising committee, but I feel I was bulldozed into it
77. bum – worthless person.
As long as I have known him, he neverworked and always borrowed from other people. He is such a bum!
78. burn a hole in one’s pocket – money to be spent quickly.
The bonus he received must have burned a hole in his pocket. He ended up buying a car the next day.
79. bury the hatchet – make peace.
Although we had gotten into a big fight last month, we decided to bury the hatchet and become friends again.
80. butt in – interfere.
Please don’t butt in to our conversation, it’s personal.
81. butter up – flatter for selfish reasons.
I buttered up my boss before I asked him off for the upcoming holiday.
82. by hook or by crook – by any means necessary.
Even though we have to fly to get to your wedding, we will be there by hook or by crook.
83. by the skin of one’s teeth – by a very small margin.
Our team won by the skin of our teeth.
Nguồn: Paul S. Gruber, MS, CCC-SLP, THE 800 MOST COMMONLY USED IDIOMS IN AMERICA, PronunciationWorkshop.com.
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