1. attach importance to; make much of
    重视, 特别强调
He attached importance to (made much of ) his own report, but there was nothing to it.

2. big frog in a small pond
    小地方能成大气候
He left the city and took up rural life. Like a big frog in a small pond, he was soon elected town mayor.

3. big wheel
    : an important/influential person
这一习语把公司,团体比做机器, 而机器里有各种各样的wheel, 轮子越大,作用也越大
He's a big wheel in the labor unions.

4. carry the ball     担当重任
 球队里拿球的队员担当着组织进攻的重任
During the negotiations we expect you to carry the ball.

5. cover the ground  涉及重要方面
He gave only a brief outline of the subject, but it did cover the ground

6. crux of the matter  事情的关键
The crux of the matter is simply this: do we want it or not?

7. cut no ice   无效, 不起作用
在滑冰时, 冰刀要锋利, 滑行时滑破冰面. 否则, 只能是cut no ice了。
His money cuts no ice with me. I still refuse to marry him.

8.drop in the bucket  沧海一粟, 杯水车薪
一捅水里的一滴 , 当然救不了火
The U.N. sent several truckloads of food, but that was a drop in the bucket compared to the need.

9. earth-shattering  惊天动地的;震撼世界的
It' s no longer an earth-shattering event to climb Mt. Chomolungma.

10. give priority to 优先考虑         to 是介词
We had better give priority to solving urban congestion.

11. hit the high spots    看重要的地方;概述要点
这里的high是"重要","最有趣味"的意思
You won't have time to see all of Beijing, so we'll just hit the high spots.
It was only a half-hour lecture, so the speaker just hit the high spots.

12. last but not least  最后的但并不是最不重要的
Last but not least, I want to introduce the one who has made our conference a success ----- our cook.

13. leading figure  领导人物

14. crucial person 关键人物

15 make a difference 有影响, 有关系

16. matter needing immediate attention 立即引起注意之事
The drug probelm among youth is a matter needing immediate attention by the mayor.

17. matter of grave concern  严重关注之事

18. name of the game   最要紧的事
对于一个游戏来说, 最重要的是它的名称.
Operating your business with minimum overhead is the name of the game.

19. no matter   没关系
A: I wanted to take my camera along, but seem to have forgotten it.
B: Oh well, no matter.

20. play it down; treat it lightly  不当回事
I had a fever, but the doctor played it down/treated it lightly.

21. play second fiddle  做副手; 居于次要地位
fiddle 是violion的俗称.演奏古典音乐的是violion, 在乡村与西部音乐中使用的是fiddle.
在乐团演奏第二提琴, 就是给first violin打下手.
I don't mind playing second fiddle to a talented person like Lynn.

22. put great stock in 重视, 注意
The president put great stock in the general's opinions.

23. secondary importance  次要的
When we get there is of secondary importance; the question
is how to get there.

24. see great value on  高度评价

25. speak volumes     意味深长; 事关重大
volumes 大量的意思 , "说很多"意味着被论及的事物很重要
The son's success speaks volumes about his parents' training.

26. top-drawer   头等重要的; 最高级别的
She's a top-drawer executive in that company.

27. vital organ  重要器官, 要害部位

28. vital signs 生命特征(如脉搏, 呼吸, 体温, 血压等)
The doctor assured me that all of her vital signs were good.

24. see great value on  高度评价

25. speak volumes     意味深长; 事关重大
volumes 大量的意思 , "说很多"意味着被论及的事物很重要
The son's success speaks volumes about his parents' training.

26. top-drawer   头等重要的; 最高级别的
She's a top-drawer executive in that company.

27. vital organ  重要器官, 要害部位

28. vital signs 生命特征(如脉搏, 呼吸, 体温, 血压等)
The doctor assured me that all of her vital signs were good.

29. write home about  大书特书;大吹大擂
字面意思是"写在住宅上".
He did a pretty good job, but it was nothing to write home about.