行將就木；奄奄一息；生命垂危

at death's door

We were very surprised to hear that our favorite teacher was at death's door.
　

老調重彈

harp on one (or the same) string

I've already told you many times that I have no money to lend you. I wish you'd stop harping on the same string.
　

多此一舉；徒勞無益

carry coals to Newcastle

To offer him money is to carry coals to Newcastle; he is very wealthy.
　

妄自尊大；自以為了不起

too big for one's boots

John is too big for his boots; that's his trouble.
　

守口如瓶

keep a quiet/still tongue (in one's head)

You'll keep a quiet tongue in your head, will you?
　

充耳不聞

stop one's ears; turn a deaf ear

He stopped his ears to bad news.
The president always turns a deaf ear to people's complaints.
　

光陰似箭；歲月易逝

time flies

Scientists prove time flies when you're busy.
　

先發制人；比...搶先一步

steal a march on (someone)

The company plans to steal a march on its competitors by offering the same computer at a lower price.
　

夸夸其談；信口開河；信口雌黃

shoot off one's mouth

It seems like every senior official in the administration is free to shoot off his mouth on any subjects at any time.
　

血濃於水

blood is thicker than water

He gave his brother a good job because blood is thicker than water.
　

百聞不如一見；眼見為憑

To see is to believe; Seeing is believing

To see is to believe? No, eyes can be easily deceived.
　

全力以赴

do one's level best; go all out; go great guns; pull out all the stops; put one's best foot forward

I did my level best to help him.
I will go great guns for the team.
Don't worry too much about the TOEFL iBT test. Just put your best foot forward and do what you can!
　

早起的鳥兒有蟲吃

the early bird catches the worm

Remember, it's the early bird catches the worm - you should try to get to it early.
　

有志者事竟成

where there is a will there is a way

In the writing test, John concluded his essay by writing "where there is a will there is a way."
　

有其父必有其子

like father/mother, like son/daughter

A good example of "like father, like son" is George Bush and George W. Bush.
　

安如磐石；十分平穩

(as) steady as a rock

As he aimed the gun, his hand was as steady as a rock.
　

安然無恙

safe and sound

All his sons returned safe and sound from the war.

附註："safe and sound" 的發音並不是一個字一個字唸，而是將 and 中的 "d" 不發音，並將 "an" 與其前面的子音 (在此為 safe 中的 "f") 連音，所以實際的讀音是 "sa - fan - sound"。英文有不少類似 "safe and sound" 這種使用兩個詞性相同的字、中間用 and 連接起來的固定搭配，它們有些有連字號，有些沒有，但不管有無連字號，它們實際的讀音大多如上述，如 "cloak-and-dagger"、"hard-and-fast"、"ins and outs"、"up and about"、"spick-and-span" 等等；當然啦，如果 "and" 前面那個字的字尾是母音，那麼就不會有這種連音的情況發生。讀者若能把握這原則，並勤加練習，對於聽力的提升也會有所助益的。這種固定搭配在英文中叫做 "binomial"。
　

名副其實

worth (or worthy of) the name

No policeman worth the name should ever let a criminal escape so easily.
　

如坐針氈；坐立不安；焦躁不安；如熱鍋上的螞蟻

like a cat on hot bricks (英) / like a cat on a hot tin roof (美); on pins and needles

She was like a cat on hot bricks before her wedding ceremony.
I was on pins and needles all day until she called me.
　

如意算盤；痴心妄想；一廂情願

wishful thinking

Their hopes of a peace settlement are nothing more than wishful thinking.
　

因小失大

spoil the ship for a ha'porth o'tar

I'm going to buy some new paint brushes -- all the old ones have gone stiff. I've paid a lot for the paint and I don't want to spoil the ship for a ha'porth o'tar.

附註：這句成語中，ha'porth = halfpennyworth，o'tar = of tar。它原來是寫成 "spoil the sheep for a ha'porth of tar"，即「不願花半便士買焦油醫治羊傷而導致羊死亡」。有些地方將 sheep 的音發成 ship。
　

自吹自擂；自我吹噓

blow one's own trumpet/horn

She's very good at blowing  her own trumpet.
　

自取滅亡；自掘墳墓；咎由自取；自食其果

sign one's own death warrant; dig one's own grave; stew in one's own juice

You're just digging your own grave if you go on smoking so heavily.
　

自作自受； 自食其果；自尋死路；作法自斃

cut/slit one's (own) throat; have made one's bed and must (or have to) lie in/on it; stew in one's own juice

You've made your bed and you must lie on it.
I would just be cutting my own throat if I stopped work now.
　

自討苦吃；自找麻煩

make a rod for one's own back

I've just made a rod for my own back by working for that company, because they always expect one to work many hours without pay.
　

自高自大；自命不凡

be/get/rise above oneself

Don't be getting far above yourself; you are no more than a secretary.
　

自斷後路；破釜沈舟

burn one's boats/bridges (behind one)

Now we've burned our bridges behind us and we have no option but to go forward with the project.
　

劣幣驅逐良幣

bad money drives out good

"Bad money drives out good" is a proverb and also an economic principle.