Englishvit.com - Waktu kamu belajar bahasa Inggris, tentunya kamu menemukan beberapa idiom yang sering digunakan oleh native speaker. Idiom-idiom tersebut digunakan dalam kehidupan sehari-hari, baik dalam konteks bisnis, media dan percakapan sehari-hari antar teman. Kalau kamu sedang bersiap-siap untuk menghadapai ujian bahasa Inggris seperti TOEFL atau IELTS, 45 idiom di bawah ini wajib kamu pelajari. Selain memperoleh skor tinggi, dengan mempelajari idiom pemahaman kamu tentang materi listening akan meningkat. Berikut adalah 45 idiom yang paling sering digunakan dalam bahasa Inggris.
1. Every cloud has a silver lining
Artinya :Badai pasti berlalu
Example :Every cloud has a silver lining, you will find a new job very soon.
2. A hot potato
Meaning :Masalah atau situasi yang kontroversial, sensitif dan sulit ditangani
Example :The subject of Brexit is a hot potato.
3. Give someone the benefit of the doubt
Meaning :Percaya orang lain, meskipun meragukan mereka
Example :Give him the benefit of the doubt, he may not have been there.
4. Let sleeping dogs lie
Meaning :Tak usah mengungkit hal yang sudah berlalu
Example :Let sleeping dogs lie, you were not there so you cannot comment.
5. Once in a blue moon
Meaning :Sangat jarang.
Example :Once in a blue moon there will be an eclipse of the sun by the moon.
6. Steal someone’s thunder
Meaning :Mengambil keuntungan dari hak orang lain
Example :He stole his colleague’s thunder about doing an excellent job.
7. Best of both worlds
Meaning :Situai yang ideal
Example :He had the best of both words until his wife found out that he was cheating.
8. Don’t count your chickens before the eggs have hatched
Meaning :Jangan berhkhayal
Example :Don’t count your chickens before the eggs have hatched as it may not happen.
9. It takes two to tango
Meaning :Perlu kerjasama
Example :If you don’t love me back then I’m out. It takes two to tango.
10. Your guess is as good as mine
Meaning :Saya tidak tahu
Example :Your guess is as good as mine as to where they both went last night.
11. See eye to eye
Meaning :Setuju
Example :We see eye to eye on how to progress the matter further.
12. A picture paints a thousand words
Meaning :Visualisasi lebih membantu dibanding kata-kata.
Example :Just show him the photos, a picture painted a thousand words.
13. Catch someone off guard
Meaning :Mengejutkan
Example :He was caught off guard when they asked him to be the new chairman.
14. Hear it on the grapevine
Meaning :Mendengar selentingan.
Example :She heard it on the grapevine that he had been promoted.
15. Get down to business
Meaning :Kembali ke inti persoalan
Example :As every member of the team is now here, we can get down to business.
16. Back to square one
Meaning :Kembali ke titik awal
Example :The project was not good. We need to go back to square one and start again.
17. Fifty fifty
Meaning :Bagi dua sama besar
Example :Divide the cakes fifty fifty
18. Go the extra mile
Meaning :Berusaha lebih jauh
Example :He went the extra mile to ensure everything was finished on time.
19. On the same page
Meaning :Saling setuju
Example :We are on the same page as to how to take the situation forward now.
20. Don’t rock the boat
Meaning :Jangan mengacau
Example :Don’t rock the boat about the costs of the project.
21. Don’t upset the apple cart
Meaning :Jangan mengacau
Example :Don’t upset the apple cart by making a scene.
22. The sky’s the limit
Meaning :Tidak ada yang mustahil
Example :The sky’s the limit, work hard and you will progress to the top of the firm.
23. The elephant in the room
Meaning :Masalah yang terabaikan
Example :The elephant in the room no one wanted to see was money.
24. Take the bull by the horns
Meaning :Menangani masalah
Example :Take the bull by the horns, you must sort out the major problems.
25. In the black
Meaning :Cuan
Example :The business is in the black as we have made more profits than we thought.
26. In the red
Meaning :Rugi
Example :The company has been in the red for the last three quarters.
27. Read between the lines
Meaning :Memahami hal tersirat
Example :Reading between the lines, I’d say he isn’t happy with the situation.
28. Uphill battle
Meaning :Hambatan bertubi-tubi
Example :There is an uphill battle to win the contract.
29. No time to lose
Meaning :Harus segera diselesaikan
Example :He has no time to lose as his project is due in first thing tomorrow morning.
30. Word and mouth
Meaning :Gosip
Example :The news spread by word and mouth that the new hotel was very successful.
31. Throw in the towel
Meaning :Menyerah
Example :He threw in the towel and left his job as he was unhappy.
32. Absence makes the heart grow fonder
Meaning :Rindu
Example :Absence made his heart grow fonder and he realised he missed her terribly.
33. A watched pot never boils
Meaning :Menunggu tanpa melakukan apapun akan terasa lama
Example :Don’t check your e-mail oftenly. A watched pot never boils.
34. Better late than never
Meaning :Lebih baik terlambat daripada tidak sama sekali
Example :He finally finished the paper. Better late than never as it was due last month.
35. Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.
Meaning :Jangan menunda pekerjaan
Example :Don’t put off until tomorrow – finish the project today.
36. Good things come to those who wait
Meaning :Sabar
Example :Good things come to those who wait. Your promotion will come soon.
37. Birds of a feather
Meaning :Cocok
Example :Those two are birds of a feather. No wonder they meet so often.
38. There is no time like the present
Meaning :Kerjakan sekarang juga
Example :Don’t wait untill tomorrow! There is no time like the present.
39. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it
Meaning: Jangan diutak-atik
Example: If it ain’t broke don’t fix it, the car still works so do not buy a new one.
40. There is no such thing as a free lunch
Meaning :Semua ada harganya
Example :There is no such thing as a free lunch. He wants you to accompany him.
41. Practice makes perfect
Meaning :Terus berlatih agar lebih baik
Example :You will become a great tennis player. Practice makes perfect.
42. When in Rome, do as the Romans do
Meaning :Beradaptasi
Example :I have tried when in Rome, do as the Romans do but it really doesn’t suit me.
43. Laughter is the spice of life, laugh on
Meaning :Tertawa adalah obat terbaik.
Example :Laughter is the spice of life, laugh on and we will help cheer you up.
44. Don’t judge a book by its cover
Meaning :Jangan menilai seseorang dari penampilan luarnya
Example :John looks poor but he is actually rich. Don’t judge a book by its cover.
45. Honesty is the best policy
Meaning :Jujur itu baik
Example :Honesty is the best policy. Tell your manager you made a mistake.
Idiom tersebut akan membantumu meningkatkan skor TOEFL dan IELTS kamu, khusunya dalam speaking dan listening. Selain itu, speaking kamu terdengar lebih lancar dan sound like natives. Seperti yang sudah kamu pelajari, idiom di atas ternyata bukan hanya kumpulan kata, tapi merupakan kata-kata yang bermakna. Faktanya, kebanyakan native speakers tidak menyadari jika mereka sering menggunakan idiom dalam percakapan sehari-hari. Pelajari idiom-idiom di atas beserta artinya. Jangan lupa dipraktekkan dalam conversation.