cner01
Aug 13, 2006, 09:33 AM
second thoughts - reconsideration; change of mind or opinion (xem xe't lai, doi y dinh hay y' kien)
The idiom is usually used as the object of the verb have. No article is used, and the singlular form cannot be used. (than`nh ngu nay thuong duoc dung giong nhu mot tu'c tu*` dung sau dong tu have. Khong dung mao. tu*` The voi thanh ngu nay, va` ko dung no' o the^? so^' it')
ex:
Tom had second thoughts about joining the military after high school graduation.
The brave soldier had no second thoughts as he attacked the enemy.
cut and dried - obious, routine, straightforward ( ro rang, , thoi quen thuong le, thang than)
This idiomis composed of two past participle forms, and is usually preceded by the verb be, seem, or appear; it ca also be preceded by make and and object (cau thanh ngu nay bao gom 2 tu*` o*? the qua' khu phan tu, va thuong dung sau dong tu be, seem, appear, make hoac mot tu'c tu)
ex
My weekend of steady work in the yard of my house was rather cut and dried.
Many political elections seem rather cut and dried because most politicians are full of hot air.
neck and neck - close together, even (in a race) ke^` gan nhau, bang nhau (trong mot cuoc dua xe)
This idiom can be used with the three common verbs, be, seem and appear. The appropriate context would be some kind of race between people, animals, or sometimes vehicles.
Cau thanh ngu nay duoc dung voi 3 dong tu thong thuong be, seem va appear. nhung truong hop thich hop co the la` mot cua dua cua con nguoi, con vat, hoac xe co^.
ex:
The two long-distance runners were neck and neck in the last part of the marathon.
The two race boats seemed neck and neck as they rounded the final curve.
The three lions were neck and neck as they chased after the faster animal.
few and far between - rare, infrequent (hiem, ko thong thuong)
This idiom is also used most commonly with be, seem, and appear, which always occur in the plural form.
Fortunately, attempts to kill U.S. Presidents are few and far between.
If ups and downs in your life seem few and far betwee, then you are lucky person.
free and easy - unworried, carefree (ko lo lang, ko can quan tam)
Besides being used with the three common verbs mentioned above, this idiom can also precede a noun form, and in this case hyphens are used
Ngoai truong hop no' duoc dung voi be, seem, appear, cau thanh ngu nay con duoc dung ddu*'ng truoc mot danh tu va` gach noi can duoc xu dung.
ex:
If young people seem free and easy with their money, it's because they have a free-and-easy attitude towards life.
Playboys and the very rich tend to be free and easy about everything
The idiom is usually used as the object of the verb have. No article is used, and the singlular form cannot be used. (than`nh ngu nay thuong duoc dung giong nhu mot tu'c tu*` dung sau dong tu have. Khong dung mao. tu*` The voi thanh ngu nay, va` ko dung no' o the^? so^' it')
ex:
Tom had second thoughts about joining the military after high school graduation.
The brave soldier had no second thoughts as he attacked the enemy.
cut and dried - obious, routine, straightforward ( ro rang, , thoi quen thuong le, thang than)
This idiomis composed of two past participle forms, and is usually preceded by the verb be, seem, or appear; it ca also be preceded by make and and object (cau thanh ngu nay bao gom 2 tu*` o*? the qua' khu phan tu, va thuong dung sau dong tu be, seem, appear, make hoac mot tu'c tu)
ex
My weekend of steady work in the yard of my house was rather cut and dried.
Many political elections seem rather cut and dried because most politicians are full of hot air.
neck and neck - close together, even (in a race) ke^` gan nhau, bang nhau (trong mot cuoc dua xe)
This idiom can be used with the three common verbs, be, seem and appear. The appropriate context would be some kind of race between people, animals, or sometimes vehicles.
Cau thanh ngu nay duoc dung voi 3 dong tu thong thuong be, seem va appear. nhung truong hop thich hop co the la` mot cua dua cua con nguoi, con vat, hoac xe co^.
ex:
The two long-distance runners were neck and neck in the last part of the marathon.
The two race boats seemed neck and neck as they rounded the final curve.
The three lions were neck and neck as they chased after the faster animal.
few and far between - rare, infrequent (hiem, ko thong thuong)
This idiom is also used most commonly with be, seem, and appear, which always occur in the plural form.
Fortunately, attempts to kill U.S. Presidents are few and far between.
If ups and downs in your life seem few and far betwee, then you are lucky person.
free and easy - unworried, carefree (ko lo lang, ko can quan tam)
Besides being used with the three common verbs mentioned above, this idiom can also precede a noun form, and in this case hyphens are used
Ngoai truong hop no' duoc dung voi be, seem, appear, cau thanh ngu nay con duoc dung ddu*'ng truoc mot danh tu va` gach noi can duoc xu dung.
ex:
If young people seem free and easy with their money, it's because they have a free-and-easy attitude towards life.
Playboys and the very rich tend to be free and easy about everything