[tuyetvan]

A bad excuse is better than none ..

Fred: I can't believe we played cards till midnight. What will I tell my wife?

Bill: Tell her something came up at the office

Fred: But that's a lousy excuse. She'll never believe it.

Bill: A bad excuse is better than none.



what a good sport you are .... (informal ... be generous, cheerful, pleasant, especially in a difficult situation)

She's a good sport

Go on, be a sport ... (used when asking people to do something for you)

Heads-up .... (a warning that something is going to happen, usually so that you can prepare for it) .... this note is just to give you a heads-up that Vicky will be arriving next week

[tuyetvan]

A bad penny .. (a worthless person)


- My little brother is a real bad penny. Every time he shows up, he wants to borrow money

[tuyetvan]

A barking dog never bites ...


- My boss threatens to fire me at least once a week, but a barking dog never bites

[tuyetvan]

A bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush ...


- I might get a better offer, but a bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush

[tuyetvan]

A blessing in disguise .. (something that at first seems bad, but later turns out to be beneficial)



- Dad's illness was a blessing in disguise. It brought the family together for the first time in years.

[tuyetvan]

A bolt from the blue ... (a sudden surprise)


- The news that Mr. & Mrs. King were getting a divorce struck all their friends as a bolt from the blue

[tuyetvan]

A bully is always a coward ... (Bullies will only intimidate people who are weaker than they are, because they are afraid of having to fight their equals)


Child: Dad, Joey keeps picking on me. How can I make him stop?

Father: Try fighting back. A bully is always a coward

[tuyetvan]

A burnt child dreads the fire ... (If something has hurt you once , you avoid it after that)


Jill: Let's go ride the roller coaster

Jane: No thanks. I got sick on one of those once, and a burnt child dreads the fire

[tuyetvan]

A castle in Spain ... (a Daydream)


Someday I'd like to take a year off work and travel all around the world

But that's just a castle in Spain, really, I'll never have the money to do it

[tuyetvan]

A cat can look at a king ... (No one is so important that an ordinary person can not look at. Everyone has the right to be curious about important people)


Fred: You shouldn't stare at me like that. I'm your boss.

Jill: A cat can look at a king

[tuyetvan]

A cat has 9 lives ... (Cats can survive things that are severe enough to kill them)


- I think my cat used up 1 of her 9 lives when she survived being hit by that car

[tuyetvan]

A cat in gloves catches no mice .... (Sometimes you can not get what you want by being careful and polite)


Jill: I've hinted to Mary several times that I need her to pay me the money she owes, but she just ignores me.

Jane:  A cat in gloves catches no mice, Jill. Tell her bluntly that you need the money

[tuyetvan]

A chain is no stronger than its weakest link ... (If 1 member of a group fails, the whole group fails)



- George is completely out of shape. I don't want him on our ball team. A chain is only as strong as it's weakest link

[tuyetvan]

A chip off the old block ... (A child who is very much like 1 of the parents)


Jill: is that a picture of your son? He looks so much like you

Alan: Yes, he's a chip off the old block, all right

[tuyetvan]

A contented mind is a perpetual feast ... (If you are contented by nature, you will always feel that you have enough of everything, and will not have to strive to get more)


- I'm glad you're making so much money, son, but I think you ought to concentrate on being happy with what you have, rather than always trying to get more. A contented mind is a perpetual feast