Tổng hợp Idioms thông dụng chủ đề Sự cần thiết và mong muốn (Necessity and desirability)

IDIOMS	MEANING	EXAMPLE
last but not least	to be quick to understand and react to things (importantly, despite being mentioned after everyone else)	And last but not least, our stalwart IT staff – this issue never would have been published without them!
play second fiddle	to be less important or in a weaker position than someone else (ở vị trí ít quan trọng hơn, vị trí phụ thuộc)	I’m really sick of playing second fiddle* to this ignoramus – I’m the one who deserves to be the star of the show!*
a dime a dozen	ubiquitous; so abundant or common as to hold little or no value (tầm thường đến mức không có mấy giá trị; chỉ những thứ mà lúc nào cũng có thể nhìn thấy)	In Los Angeles, waiters trying to become famous actors are a dime a dozen.
buy a lemon	to buy something that is worthless or of much less value than one was led to believe (mua thứ vô ích, ít giá trị hơn so với mình nghĩ)	Considering how often that car breaks down, I think I bought a lemon* from the dealership.*
beggars can’t be choosers	you must accept that which is given to you, especially if you don’t have the means to acquire it yourself (ăn mày còn đòi xôi gấc)	That dress wasn’t exactly what I would have picked for myself, but, hey, it was free, and I’m broke right now. Beggars can’t be choosers.
have bigger fish to fry	to have something more important to do (có gì quan trọng hơn cần làm)	I hope the boss keeps this meeting short – we all have bigger fish to fry.
if need be	if it is necessary (nếu cần thiết)	If need be, I can bring some extra chairs from home so everyone has a place to sit.
the be-all and end-all	the most important thing (điều quan trọng nhất)	My little sister thinks that a date with the captain of the football team is just the be-all and end-all* of her life right now.*
the name of the game	the most important part of an activity, or the quality that you most need for that activity (mục đích trọng yếu)	Getting strike-outs is the name of the game* when you’re a pitcher.*
the bottom line	the most important fact in a situation (điểm mấu chốt)	You have all made compelling arguments, but the bottom line* is that we need a viable, cost-effective solution, and I still don’t think we’ve found one yet.*
big deal	something that is considered important or consequential (một tình huống rất quan trọng)	“I ran five miles this morning.” “Big deal! I ran ten.”
make a big thing out of something	to give something too much importance (phóng đại hoặc tập trung quá nhiều vào một vấn đề nhỏ)	Look, I would really just rather not make a big thing out of* my birthday, please.*
have (got) someone’s heart set on something	to have a strong (and sometimes inflexible) desire for something, especially something one expects to happen or be attained soon (vô cùng mong muốn điều gì đó xảy ra và đến sớm)	We all had our hearts set on* traveling to Spain for the summer, until Lizzy broke her leg and we had to cancel the trip.*
hit the spot	to satisfy something, such as hunger or a craving (gãi đúng chỗ ngứa, chính xác là điều ai đó cần)	That burger really hit the spot* – I didn’t realize how hungry I was.*
dream come true	a dream, desire, or goal that has been achieved or has become a reality after a long time (ước mơ trở thành sự thật)	Jessica has had a crush on David since she was a teenager. When he finally asked her out on a date, it was a dream come true.
at the top of the agenda	prioritized as the most important thing to discuss or address (được ưu tiên hàng đầu/quan trọng nhất để bàn và giải quyết)	Yes, the new dress code is at the top of the agenda* to discuss with the principal.*
get someone’s own way	to get or have what one wants; to have things done according to someone’s personal preference or desires (làm theo ý mình)	If Tommy doesn’t get his own way, he’ll start having a tantrum that could last all night.
take someone’s pick	choose any one you want (chọn bất kỳ thứ gì mình muốn)	We’ve got 45 flavors. Vanilla, chocolate, bacon – take your pick.
dying to	to be extremely eager to have or do something (thèm khát, đòi hỏi thứ gì)	She’s heard so much about you. She’s dying to* meet you.*
the/an answer to someone’s prayers	something that someone wants or needs very much (thứ gì mà ai đó cực kỳ cần/muốn)	I really believed this job was the answer to my prayer* for a better life.*
neither here nor there	not important, or not connected with the subject being discussed (không quan trọng vì nó không liên hệ gì đến câu chuyện đang diễn ra)	Charlie’s personal activities are neither here nor there. All that matters is his performance in the job.
half the battle	to be the most difficult part of a process so that once you have finished this part, you have almost succeeded (phần chính, phần quan trọng của một mục tiêu hay nhiệm vụ)	If we can get the CEO to approve of our plan, that will be half the battle* won.*
first and foremost	more than anything else (trước hết, trước nhất)	First and foremost, I want to thank all of you for being here tonight.
a balancing act	a situation in which a person tries to give equal amounts of importance to two or more things so that a situation is successful (tình huống mà ai đó phải dành sự chú ý cho 2 điều khác nhau vào cùng một thời điểm)	Mary quickly discovered that working full-time while going to school was going to be quite a balancing act.
part and parcel of something	an essential or fundamental part or aspect (of something) (phần cơ bản, quan trọng/thiết yếu)	Dealing with tantrums is part and parcel of* raising a toddler.*
worth someone’s weight in gold	very valuable, important, or useful (rất đáng giá, quan trọng, hữu ích)	We couldn’t run the company without him. He’s worth his weight in gold.
need something like someone needs a hole in the head	to have absolutely no need or use for something (hoàn toàn không cần/không có nhu cầu hoặc không sử dụng cho cái gì)	I’m perfectly happy having a cell phone that just makes phone calls – I need a fancy new smartphone like I need a hole in the head.
to someone’s heart’s content	as much as or to the point that one desires (thỏa thích; bao nhiêu tùy thích)	I’ve made plenty of food for everyone, so please eat to your heart’s content.
set someone’s sights on	to identify, regard, or focus on someone or something as someone’s goal (quyết tâm và tập trung vào việc chinh phục mục tiêu của bạn)	Ever since she was a little girl, Janet has set her sights on* being a fighter pilot.*
someone’s heart’s desire	something that someone wants or needs very much (điều mà bạn mong muốn và khao khát muốn có bằng được)	He was extremely devious in his efforts to achieve his heart’s desire.
have something on the brain	to be thinking of something repeatedly over a period of time (nghĩ về ai/cái gì liên tục trong một khoảng thời gian)	You have cars on the brain. Can’t we talk about something else for a change?
on the back burner	to be a low priority; to get less or little thought or attention; to have been postponed or suspended (thứ tự ưu tiên thứ yếu, ít hoặc không quan trọng, không phải việc gì cấp bách)	I think that painting the house should be on the back burner* until we decide on what furniture we want to buy.*
wouldn’t be seen dead	would never (do the thing being discussed), usually because it would be too embarrassing (không bao giờ (làm điều đang được nhắc tới))	I wouldn’t be seen dead* wearing that shirt. You can burn it for all I care.*
tick all the boxes	to satisfy or fulfill everything that is necessary or desired (hoàn thành mọi việc cần thiết/mong muốn)	Of course, a prospective employee may tick all the boxes* on paper but might not be suited to the job once they’re actually working for you.*
enough is as good as a feast	you do not need more than enough of anything (đủ là hạnh phúc, không cần thêm nữa)	A: “Would you like more?” B: “Oh, no thank you. Enough is as good as a feast.”
loom large	become very important and often cause worry (có ảnh hưởng lớn, quan trọng)	The exams were looming large* on the horizon.*
a cog in the machine	someone or something that is functionally necessary but of small significance or importance within a larger operation or organization (nhỏ bé, không mang nhiều giá trị trong tổ chức, công ty lớn)	He felt like he was a cog in the machine, so he quit his job and decided to do something different.
blow something out of all proportion	to make something seem more important, negative, or significant than it really is (thổi phồng, phóng đại, làm cho cái gì nghiêm trọng hơn so với sự thật)	I’m sure he didn’t mean anything by that comment – don’t blow it out of all proportion.
take someone down a peg or two	to show someone that they are not as important as they thought (giảm bớt tầm quan trọng của một người)	I’m really glad that pompous oaf lost his court case, maybe that will take him down a peg or two.
storm in a teacup	a lot of unnecessary anger and worry about a matter that is not important (việc bé xé ra to, việc không đâu cũng làm to chuyện)	If you ask me, these protests are nothing but a storm in a teacup* that’s been stoked by a media campaign of misinformation.*
fade into insignificance	to seem not important when compared with something else (dần bị lãng quên và trở nên không quan trọng, tầm thường; ‘chìm vào hư vô’)	My good grades faded into insignificance once my sister got home with news that she would be the lead in the school play.

IDIOMS

MEANING

EXAMPLE

last but not least

to be quick to understand and react to things (importantly, despite being mentioned after everyone else)

And last but not least, our stalwart IT staff – this issue never would have been published without them!

play second fiddle

to be less important or in a weaker position than someone else (ở vị trí ít quan trọng hơn, vị trí phụ thuộc)

I’m really sick of playing second fiddle to this ignoramus – I’m the one who deserves to be the star of the show!

a dime a dozen

ubiquitous; so abundant or common as to hold little or no value (tầm thường đến mức không có mấy giá trị; chỉ những thứ mà lúc nào cũng có thể nhìn thấy)

In Los Angeles, waiters trying to become famous actors are a dime a dozen.

buy a lemon

to buy something that is worthless or of much less value than one was led to believe (mua thứ vô ích, ít giá trị hơn so với mình nghĩ)

Considering how often that car breaks down, I think I bought a lemon from the dealership.

beggars can’t be choosers

you must accept that which is given to you, especially if you don’t have the means to acquire it yourself (ăn mày còn đòi xôi gấc)

That dress wasn’t exactly what I would have picked for myself, but, hey, it was free, and I’m broke right now. Beggars can’t be choosers.

have bigger fish to fry

to have something more important to do (có gì quan trọng hơn cần làm)

I hope the boss keeps this meeting short – we all have bigger fish to fry.

if need be

if it is necessary (nếu cần thiết)

If need be, I can bring some extra chairs from home so everyone has a place to sit.

the be-all and end-all

the most important thing (điều quan trọng nhất)

My little sister thinks that a date with the captain of the football team is just the be-all and end-all of her life right now.

the name of the game

the most important part of an activity, or the quality that you most need for that activity (mục đích trọng yếu)

Getting strike-outs is the name of the game when you’re a pitcher.

the bottom line

the most important fact in a situation (điểm mấu chốt)

You have all made compelling arguments, but the bottom line is that we need a viable, cost-effective solution, and I still don’t think we’ve found one yet.

big deal

something that is considered important or consequential (một tình huống rất quan trọng)

“I ran five miles this morning.” “Big deal! I ran ten.”

make a big thing out of something

to give something too much importance (phóng đại hoặc tập trung quá nhiều vào một vấn đề nhỏ)

Look, I would really just rather not make a big thing out of my birthday, please.

have (got) someone’s heart set on something

to have a strong (and sometimes inflexible) desire for something, especially something one expects to happen or be attained soon (vô cùng mong muốn điều gì đó xảy ra và đến sớm)

We all had our hearts set on traveling to Spain for the summer, until Lizzy broke her leg and we had to cancel the trip.

hit the spot

to satisfy something, such as hunger or a craving (gãi đúng chỗ ngứa, chính xác là điều ai đó cần)

That burger really hit the spot – I didn’t realize how hungry I was.

dream come true

a dream, desire, or goal that has been achieved or has become a reality after a long time (ước mơ trở thành sự thật)

Jessica has had a crush on David since she was a teenager. When he finally asked her out on a date, it was a dream come true.

at the top of the agenda

prioritized as the most important thing to discuss or address (được ưu tiên hàng đầu/quan trọng nhất để bàn và giải quyết)

Yes, the new dress code is at the top of the agenda to discuss with the principal.

get someone’s own way

to get or have what one wants; to have things done according to someone’s personal preference or desires (làm theo ý mình)

If Tommy doesn’t get his own way, he’ll start having a tantrum that could last all night.

take someone’s pick

choose any one you want (chọn bất kỳ thứ gì mình muốn)

We’ve got 45 flavors. Vanilla, chocolate, bacon – take your pick.

dying to

to be extremely eager to have or do something (thèm khát, đòi hỏi thứ gì)

She’s heard so much about you. She’s dying to meet you.

the/an answer to someone’s prayers

something that someone wants or needs very much (thứ gì mà ai đó cực kỳ cần/muốn)

I really believed this job was the answer to my prayer for a better life.

neither here nor there

not important, or not connected with the subject being discussed (không quan trọng vì nó không liên hệ gì đến câu chuyện đang diễn ra)

Charlie’s personal activities are neither here nor there. All that matters is his performance in the job.

half the battle

to be the most difficult part of a process so that once you have finished this part, you have almost succeeded (phần chính, phần quan trọng của một mục tiêu hay nhiệm vụ)

If we can get the CEO to approve of our plan, that will be half the battle won.

first and foremost

more than anything else (trước hết, trước nhất)

First and foremost, I want to thank all of you for being here tonight.

a balancing act

a situation in which a person tries to give equal amounts of importance to two or more things so that a situation is successful (tình huống mà ai đó phải dành sự chú ý cho 2 điều khác nhau vào cùng một thời điểm)

Mary quickly discovered that working full-time while going to school was going to be quite a balancing act.

part and parcel of something

an essential or fundamental part or aspect (of something) (phần cơ bản, quan trọng/thiết yếu)

Dealing with tantrums is part and parcel of raising a toddler.

worth someone’s weight in gold

very valuable, important, or useful (rất đáng giá, quan trọng, hữu ích)

We couldn’t run the company without him. He’s worth his weight in gold.

need something like someone needs a hole in the head

to have absolutely no need or use for something (hoàn toàn không cần/không có nhu cầu hoặc không sử dụng cho cái gì)

I’m perfectly happy having a cell phone that just makes phone calls – I need a fancy new smartphone like I need a hole in the head.

to someone’s heart’s content

as much as or to the point that one desires (thỏa thích; bao nhiêu tùy thích)

I’ve made plenty of food for everyone, so please eat to your heart’s content.

set someone’s sights on

to identify, regard, or focus on someone or something as someone’s goal (quyết tâm và tập trung vào việc chinh phục mục tiêu của bạn)

Ever since she was a little girl, Janet has set her sights on being a fighter pilot.

someone’s heart’s desire

something that someone wants or needs very much (điều mà bạn mong muốn và khao khát muốn có bằng được)

He was extremely devious in his efforts to achieve his heart’s desire.

have something on the brain

to be thinking of something repeatedly over a period of time (nghĩ về ai/cái gì liên tục trong một khoảng thời gian)

You have cars on the brain. Can’t we talk about something else for a change?

on the back burner

to be a low priority; to get less or little thought or attention; to have been postponed or suspended (thứ tự ưu tiên thứ yếu, ít hoặc không quan trọng, không phải việc gì cấp bách)

I think that painting the house should be on the back burner until we decide on what furniture we want to buy.

wouldn’t be seen dead

would never (do the thing being discussed), usually because it would be too embarrassing (không bao giờ (làm điều đang được nhắc tới))

I wouldn’t be seen dead wearing that shirt. You can burn it for all I care.

tick all the boxes

to satisfy or fulfill everything that is necessary or desired (hoàn thành mọi việc cần thiết/mong muốn)

Of course, a prospective employee may tick all the boxes on paper but might not be suited to the job once they’re actually working for you.

enough is as good as a feast

you do not need more than enough of anything (đủ là hạnh phúc, không cần thêm nữa)

A: “Would you like more?” B: “Oh, no thank you. Enough is as good as a feast.”

loom large

become very important and often cause worry (có ảnh hưởng lớn, quan trọng)

The exams were looming large on the horizon.

a cog in the machine

someone or something that is functionally necessary but of small significance or importance within a larger operation or organization (nhỏ bé, không mang nhiều giá trị trong tổ chức, công ty lớn)

He felt like he was a cog in the machine, so he quit his job and decided to do something different.

blow something out of all proportion

to make something seem more important, negative, or significant than it really is (thổi phồng, phóng đại, làm cho cái gì nghiêm trọng hơn so với sự thật)

I’m sure he didn’t mean anything by that comment – don’t blow it out of all proportion.

take someone down a peg or two

to show someone that they are not as important as they thought (giảm bớt tầm quan trọng của một người)

I’m really glad that pompous oaf lost his court case, maybe that will take him down a peg or two.

storm in a teacup

a lot of unnecessary anger and worry about a matter that is not important (việc bé xé ra to, việc không đâu cũng làm to chuyện)

If you ask me, these protests are nothing but a storm in a teacup that’s been stoked by a media campaign of misinformation.

fade into insignificance

to seem not important when compared with something else (dần bị lãng quên và trở nên không quan trọng, tầm thường; ‘chìm vào hư vô’)

My good grades faded into insignificance once my sister got home with news that she would be the lead in the school play.

Tổng hợp Idioms thông dụng chủ đề Bí mật và sự tiết lộ (Secret and revelation)

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