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Dưới đây là những cụm động từ và ví dụ trích ra từ truyện trinh thám nổi tiếng "Blink and You die" của tác giả Ruby Redfort.
Chap 1 => chap 3:
To Cry out: Thét lên
Ex: The baby cried out, but no one came.
In vain to do st: Tốn công vô ích
Ex: The baby tried in vain to push at the tomb of rubble.
In the care of sb / in sb's care = being care for by sb: Được chăm sóc bởi ai đó
Ex: The baby had been left in the care of the housekeeper.
By and large = used when u are saying st that is generally, but not completely: Nhìn chung
Ex: Twinford City escaped by-and-large unscathed.
Confront st = face up to st: Đối mặt với điều gì
Ex: She found herself confronting the biggest dilemma of her short life.
Untimely = happening sooner than is expected = đột ngột, không đúng lúc.
Ex: The untimely death of Bradley Baker might have been arranged.
Take up = start to do st, especially for pleasure = bắt đầu một sở thích mới
Ex: Ruby had taken up the yellow notebook habit when she was four years old.
Run into = bất ngờ quen ai
Ex: Ruby had run into Dakota not so long ago at the October math meet.
Go head to head (with sb) = to deal with sb in a very direct = trực tiếp đối đầu với ai/ thứ gì
Ex: Ruby had found herself going head to head with the girl in the final round.
Day-on-day (adj) : Ngày qua ngày, không ngừng nghỉ
Ex: The day-on-day battle of good versus evil.
As far back as sb can remember: Tất cả ký ức về quá khứ mà một người có thể nhớ
Drive by: Lên động cơ
Wind sth down: To make st such as the window of a cả move downwards by turning a handle, pressing a button, etc.
Ex: The driver wound down the window and threw a soda can onto the street.
Get out: Đi ra khỏi, thoát khỏi (xe)
Ex: The driver got out of his car, the truck driver out of his truck and they began shouting at each other.
Jeepers!
Fill sb in (on st) : To tell sb about st that has happened = nói với ai về chuyện đã xảy ra
Ex: I'll fill u in on it when I've time.
Put on st: To pretend to have a particular feeling = làm bộ.
Ex: Itching to hear your news kid, but it's a pleasure I'm going to have to put on hold.
Hung up (adj) + on/about + sb/sth: Very worried about st/sb; thinking about st too much
Ex: I hadn't realized you were so hung up on the rules.
Lie-in (n) a time when u stay in bed longer than normal in the morning= ngủ nướng
Ex: It was rare for them to lie in; they were what Mrs DIgby called 'early birds'.
(P/s: 'early bird' is a symbol of someone who always gets up early in the morning)
In time: Kịp lúc
Chock-a-block: Very full of things or people pressed close together = đông như kiến, đầy ắp
Ex: They wanted to be back in time for your return, but apparently all the flights were chock-a-block.
Good at (adj) : Able to do st well = có thiên phú về cái gì, có thể làm tốt cái gì
Ex: He's pretty good at persuading people to do what he wants.
Hold over/on st/ sb (n) : Control over sb/st = kiểm soát
Ex: He doesn't have much hold over the weather.
Break off = stop
Ex: She broke off, her attention caught by something else.
Figure out = find out = realize or understand st = nhận ra
Ex: She figures out what had changed.
Tune into sb/st: To become aware of what is happening
Ex: She was beginning to tune into something.
Set off: Begin a trip = khởi hành
Take up = to move into a particular position = di chuyển tới đâu đó
Ex: Ruby took up a seat at the counter.
Go down sick = mắc bệnh
Ex: U go down sick, there's more of a chance I go down sick, and I don't want to go down sick.
Keep in touch = vẫn còn giữ liên lạc.
Stick around: To stay in a place, waiting for st to happen or for sb to arrive = quanh quẩn một chỗ
Ex: I had my reasons for sticking around, and one of them was the Pink Pixie.
Suffice (it) to say (that) + sv
Used to suggest that although u could say more, what u do say will be enough to explain what u mean = nói tóm lại, nói chung là, chỉ cần biết rằng
Stick st out: To continue doing st to the end, even when it is difficult or boring = làm tới cuối cùng, chịu đựng tới cùng.
Ex: I'll tell u some other time, but suffice to say, I stuck it out.
Sniff out st: To discover or find st by looking = tìm ra, đánh hơi thấy cái gì
Ex: Clancy had a way of sniffing out the baloney.
Ex: It was he who came up with the idea.
Go off: To leave a place, especially in order to do st = rời đi
Ex: The day before u went off to camp, am I right?
Take off: To leave a place, especially in a hurry = vội vã rời đi
Hang out: To spend a lot of time in a place = nán lại đâu đó.
Ex: Then u suddenly took off without a word. I knew there had to be a bigger reason than hanging out with nerds at some crummy nerd camp.
Spill the beans: To tell sb st that should be kept secret or private = tiết lộ bí mật
Ex: He was just looking at her, waiting for her to spill the beans.
Chap 4 => chap 6:
Pick up: To get or obtain st = lấy, mắc phải cái gì
Ex: I pick up a load of cough syrup for my sisters.
Apart from = except for = ngoại trừ
Ex: Apart from shuffling footsteps as customers edged around bookstands, all that could be heard was the classical music.
Snack on st: To eat snacks between or instead of main meals = ăn vặt
Ex: In another corner was a boy flicking through a comic while he snacked on a flapjack.
Settle down: To get into a comfortable position, either sitting or lying = dựa xuống
Ex: Ruby herself settled down with a pile of novels.
Turn out = find out = tìm ra, nhận ra, hiểu ra
Ex: The object turned out to be a book entitled Fascinating Fungi. (the kind of plant which don't have leaves, flowers or green coloring such as mushrooms or mildew)
Feast on st: To eat a large amount of food, with great enjoyment = ăn ngấu nghiến
Ex: One of the unusual things about the snake was that it feasted on mushrooms.
Pick up: Nhận máy
Ex: The phone rang and Ruby picked up.
Get/ lay your hands on st: To find or get st = tìm, kiếm được thứ gì
Ex: Ruby might not know a lot about how to get her hands on a 'hen of the woods', but she knew someone who probably did. ('hen of the woods' is a kind of mushroom)
Congratulate sb on st: Chúc mừng ai vì điều gì
Ex: I just wanted to congratulate you on your new job.
Hang on: Used on the telephone to ask sb who is calling to wait until they can talk to the person they want = chờ máy
Hang up: To end a telephone conversation by putting the telephone receiver down or switching the telephone off = dập máy.
Ex: She told Ruby to hang out.
Look st ó up: To look for information in a dictionary or by using a computer = tra cứu
Ex: Look it up in the map.
Give up: Bỏ cuộc, từ bỏ
Ex: Mrs Digby had recently given up getting the 'hen of the woods'.
Chap 7 => chap 8:
End up: To find yourself in a situation that you did not intend or expect to be in = rơi vào trong trường hợp (kết thúc) ngoài dự đoán.
Ex: How far am I gonna get before I ended up going the same way as Baker?
Capable of st/doing st: Having the ability or qualities necessary for doing st = có thẩm quyền, có khả năng
Ex: 'Secret agents are capable of- ' she drew her finger across her throat, before adding –'secretly'.
No offence: Không có ý xúc phạm
Make st ó up: Invent a story, especially in order to trick or entertain sb = bịa chuyện
Ex: He could be just making the whole thing up?
Take off st: Remove sb from st = chuyển rời.
Ex: How they take off in different directions – you don't exactly know what they mean.
Drone on (about st/sb) : To talk for a long time in a boring way = lảm nhảm
Ex: I think we can accept that Baker was the super talent that everyone drones on about.
Spell sth of out: To explain st in a simple, clear way = giải thích, làm rõ
For the sake of st/sb: Vì lợi ích của cái gì, của ai đó.
Ex: LB woulda had to kill him for the sake of this country.
Get on with st = to continue st, especially after an interruption = tiếp tục
Take over: Đảm nhiệm, nắm quyền.
Ex: LB eliminated him so she could get on with her plot to take over the world or whatever?
Get into: To become involved in st, to start st = liên quan tới, bắt đầu.
Go down (with sb) : To be received in a particular way by sb = được thừa nhận, được tán thành
Ex: If I started in asking a lot of questions then I would have to explain why I wanted to know, and then I would have to get into the whole bit about LB maybe being a murderer and I get the feeling that's not gonna go down too well.
Put the trust in sb: Đặt niềm tin vào, tin tưởng vào ai đó
Ex: People don't like to believe they have been putting their trust in a dangerous psychopath.
Rub sb's nose in it: To keep reminding sb in an unkind way of their past mistakes = không ngừng phàn nàn ai đó về điều gì.
Ex: I bet he will talk. He's dying to rub your nose in the whole Bradley Baker legend.
Look for: Find st = tìm kiếm gì đó.
Ex: You're looking for unidentified flying objects?
Pass away = die = qua đời
Ex: It was too sad that Morgan Loveday could just pass away without a friend to hold his hand, die all alone.
Wind up high: Đi lên cao.
Ex: The bus wound up high into the Sequoia Mountains.
Check sb/st ó out: To examine a person or thing that seems interesting or attractive = kiểm tra, xem xét
Ex: Ruby and Clancy checked out the shelves while they waited.
Hang on: Wait for st to happen = chờ đợi
Ex: Can u hang on a day or two?
Each to their own = mỗi cây mỗi hoa, mỗi nhà một cảnh
Take up: To fill or use an amount of space or time = chiếm giữ, chiếm lấy, bao lấy.
Ex: Apollo 13, the space craft which made the ill-fated third manned trip to the surface of moon, took up most of one wall.
Cash in (on st) : To gain an advantage for yourself from a situation, especially in a way that other people think is wrong or immoral = kiếm chác được nhờ cái gì
Ex: Likes to cash in on it though.
Chap 9 => chap 10
Shut up = stop talking = đừng nói chuyện
Ex: Clancy could not be shut up with all this new information about space craft and aliens.
Beat yourself up (about/over st) = beat up on yourself (about/over st) : To blame yourself too much for st = đừng tự ôm hết lỗi về mình về việc gì đó.
Screw sb ó up: To do st badly or spoil st = mess up = làm hỏng, loạn hết lên.
Ex: Quit beat yourself up, everyone screws up once in a while.
Deal with st: Solve st = giải quyết chuyện gì
Ex: I'm supposed to be able to deal with things like that.
Knock me down with a feather: Used to express surprise = ngạc nhiên vô cùng
Not a/one jot: Not even a small amount = không một chút nào, không hề.
Put out: To be upset = buồn bã
Go off: To leave a place = rời đi
Pack sb ó off: To send sb somewhere, especially because u do not want them with u = tống cổ ai đó ra.
Ex: 'He certainly didn't seem one jot put out by my going off on that cruise. He couldn't pack me off quick enough.'
(chắc hắn ta chẳng có cảm xúc gì trước chuyến hành trình dọc bờ biển của tôi. Hắn còn hận không thể mau mau tống cổ tôi ra nữa là)
Be rid of sb/st: To be free of sb/st that has been annoying u or that you do not want = thoát khỏi ai đó/ cái gì đó.
Ex: Anyone would think he wanted rid of us.
(bất cứ ai thấy cũng sẽ nghĩ là hắn muốn thoát khỏi chúng ta)
Catch up on: To spend extra time doing st because u have not done it earlier = làm bù.
Ex: She needed to catch up on her sleep.
Wake up = thức dậy
Ex: Ruby decided the only way she could wake up would be to stand under the shower.
Go on: To happen = đang xảy ra
Ex: There's a whole deal of stuff going on.
Read up on sb/st: To read a lot about a subject = chuyên đọc về một lĩnh vực nào đó.
Ex: I read up on all that stuff about a billion light years ago.
Come in handy: To be useful = hữu dụng
Ex: Who could know when that talent might come in handy.
(nói không chừng tài năng này có khi lại hữu dụng đấy)
Go out: Đi ra ngoài
Pick up on st: To notice st and perhaps react to it = chú ý tới điều gì.
Ex: I didn't want her picking up on what was really going on.
Chap 11 => chap 12:
Hang out with sb: To spend a lot of time with sb = mất thời gian cùng ai đó
Ex: Ruby had no desire to hang out with the woman-she could bore u to death.
Work on st: To try hard to improve or achieve st = trau dồi về thứ gì đó, nỗ lực phát triển cái gì
Ex: She had been working on her martial arts.
Keep/get your head down: To avoid attracting attention to yourself.
Ex: Keep your nose clean: To avoid doing anything wrong or illegal.
Keep your head down and your nose clean = im hơi lặng tiếng.
Ex: I hear u kept your head down and your nose clean.
Get at st/sb: To reach sb/st; to gain access to sb/st: Nhắm tới, với tới.
Ex: I'm not giving you half my donut if that's what u're getting at.
Pull st ó off: To succeed in doing st difficult = vượt qua.
Ex: It would be a tough act to pull off.
On the other hand = Besides
Keep up: To continue to use or practice st = tiếp tục sử dụng.
Ex: Hitch has persuaded HQ that it might be wise to keep up the survival skills.
Jump out of her skin: Giật thót tim.
Ex: There was a beep on Ruby's watch and she very nearly jumped out of her skin.
Turn out: Xuất hiện
Ex: Just in time as it turn out.
Run into sb: Meet sb unexpected = tình cờ gặp ai đó.
Ex: As she speed-walked along the corridor she ran into Froghorn coming the other way.
Work out: To develop in a successful way = diễn ra tốt đẹp
Ex: Did kiddie camp not work out for u?
Bleat on about st: To speak in a weak or complaining voice = phàn nàn
Ex: What are u bleating on about- viridian days?
Bring stóup: To mention a subject or start to talk about it = đề cập tới chuyện gì
Ex: I'm surprised u didn't bring up Bradley Baker again.
Walk away with st: To win or obtain st easily = nhẹ nhàng dành thắng lợi
Ex: He was the first Spectrum agent to walk away with his life.
Dream on: To tell sb that an idea isn't practical or likely to happen = mơ tưởng hão huyền
Ex: Dream on, u'll never lay eyes on the Ghost Files.
Chap 13 => chap 14:
Break into st: To enter a building by force = đột nhập
Ex: Something would be invaluable to a person seeking to break into a file room.
Strike up: To begin a friendship, a relationship or a conversation = bắt chuyện.
Ex: Ruby struck up a conversation about the Prism Vault. ('Prism Vault' is where the Ghost Files - the most secret files of Spectrum is stored)
Put st of on: Mặc cái gì.
Ex: There's no way I'm putting a Superskin on, not unless I have to. (Superskin is a kind of particular clothes keeping u warm in cold water and aids swimming)
Finish up with st = có cái gì sau khi kết thúc.
Ex: If she continued at this rate, she should have the rest finished up by the middle of the week.
Get away from st/sb: To escape from sb/st = thoát khỏi, trốn khỏi.
Ex: I got into an argument with Agent Lunberg and time got away from me.
Count on sb/st: To trust sb to do st or to be sure that st will happen = tin chắc vào thứ gì.
Ex: You can count on it!
Glug down: To drink st quickly = tu ừng ực
Ex: She glugged down her juice.
Make sb/st óout: To manage to see sb/st or read or hear st = distinguish = phân biệt ra thứ gì, nhìn ra thứ gì
Ex: It was impossible to make out the path or the lawn or the patio.
Go into: Join an organization, especially in order to have a career in it = tham gia, gia nhập/ to begin to do st: Bắt tay làm cái gì
Ex: If u go into something looking for boredom then more than likely u're gonna be bored; it's about attitude.
(đơn giản là vì thái độ của con thôi, nếu con làm điều mình không thích thì sẽ cảm thấy chán)
On time = đúng giờ
Sign up (for st) : To arrange to do a course of study by adding your name to the list of people doing it= đăng ký
Ex: I will sign you up for the school Christmas show.
En route (adv / from French) = on the way; while travelling from/ to a particular place = trên đường đi.
Ex: En route to class, Mouse and Ruby passed Vapona coming the other way.
Step in: To help sb in a difficult situation = trợ giúp ai đó.
Ex: Vapona repaid the favour by stepping in on Ruby's behalf and holding the baby.
Trip sb up: To catch sb's foot and make them fall or almost fall = ngáng chân ai đó.
Ex: For now at least they were not looking to trip each other up.
Chap 15-18:
Swot stóup = swot up on st: To study a particular subject very hard = ôn luyện, vùi đầu học thứ gì
Ex: You need to swot up on horror films.
Ex: We look forward to seeing u.
Make-up: Trang điểm
Ex: Please arrive four hours before to ensure enough time for hair and make-up.
Take place = show/ display = diễn ra
Ex: Recording will take place at 11a. M
Go over to st: To move from one place or another= nhìn lướt qua, dò xét qua
Ex: Ruby went over to her bookshelves and pulled out the volumes relating to film.
Join up = gắn kết lại với nhau, liên kết lại với nhau.
Ex: Things were beginning to join up.
Leaf through st: To quickly turn over the the pages of a book = lướt qua.
Ex: Ruby leafed through the book.
Tear out: Xé ra.
Ex: The page had been torn out.
Bring st over: Mang thứ gì qua.
Ex: U know what, I'll bring it over.
Try sb/st ó out (on sb) : To test or use sb/st in order to see how good or effective they are = thử dùng
Ex: This would be the perfect opportunity to try out the pink bike.
Catch up with sb: To reach sb = bắt kịp ai đó.
Ex: It was nice to have the chance to catch up with Red.
Smash st óup: To destroy st deliberately = phá hỏng thứ gì (cố tình)
Ex: He had fixed Ruby's face after she'd smashed it up when she and her skateboard had parted company.
(anh ấy đã chỉnh trang lại khuân mặt cho Ruby, cô ấy cố tình làm nó bầm dập sau khi ngã khỏi ván trượt)
Call sbóin: To ask for the services of sb = gọi điện để mời ai tới.
Ex: I'm thinking I might call in on Frederick Lutz.
Ex: Ruby, is that u? Come on in. (Ruby, là cô à? Mau vào đi)
Get wind of st = hear a rumour = nghe tiếng đồn về việc gì.
Hush stóup: To hide information about a situation because u do not want people to know about it = che giấu.
Ex: He didn't want his wife to get wind of what was going on because her daddy was a big-time studio exec, so it was all hushed up.
The cat is out of the bag = bí mật bị tiết lộ.
Ex: He tried to help, but it was too late, the cat was out of the bag.
Fall out with sb: To have an argument with sb so that u are no longer friendly with them = xung đột
Ex: He fell out with Homer, and there were rumours he left the country, went abroad somewhere.
Wind sb in: Cuốn ai đó vào.
Ex: Caution, Ms Redfort! The spider's watching you, waiting ready to wind you in.
(cẩn thận, quý cô Redfort! Kẻ săn mồi đang dõi theo cô và luôn chờ chực cơ hội để cuốn cô vào trong)
P/S: Trong ngành điệp viên, điệp viên được coi là 'Fly' (ruồi) và Spider (nhện) là hiện thân cho kẻ săn điệp viên vì ruồi là thức ăn ưa thích của loài nhện. J
Hand stóout: To give a number of things to the members of a group = distribute = give out (give st to a lot of people) = phân phát
Ex: 'Pens out, please! I'll be handing out a test.'said Mrs Disco as she walked round the class giving out papers.
Walk up: To walk toward = tiến lên
Ex: Ruby and Clancy walked up the steps to her house.
Make off with st: To steal st and hurry away with it.
Ex: Had someone else come into the house and made off with the bike?
Tie stóup: To keep sb busy so that they have no time for other things = bị giữ lại, bị trói buộc bởi cái gì.
Ex: I was all tied up talking to psychopaths.
Aim at st/sb: Nhắm vào ai/cái gì
Ex: It didn't seem like it was aimed at the average child.
Fill in st: Điền đầy đủ vào thứ gì, làm đầy cái gì.
Ex: The kid filled in the blanks.
Chap 19-22:
Turn on: Bật (công tắc, điện)
Ex: She tiptoed downstairs to the kitchen, turning on the low light.
Take part in: Join = tham gia
To be no chance of st: Không có cơ hội để làm gì
Ex: There's no chance of u losing your way.
Breathe in (v) : To take air into your lungs through your nose or mouth = hít vào
Ex: Basically, the shock of the cold is going to make u breathe in.
Set in: To begin and seem likely to continue = bắt đầu
Ex: Cold shock will set in quicker if u move around too much.
Focus on st: Tập chung vào, chuyên tâm vào việc gì.
Ex: Focus on getting out as quickly as possible.
Walk off: To leave a person or place suddenly because u are angry or upset = cắt đuôi ai đó, làm ai đó mất dấu mình.
Ex: He walked off to the tailer. (anh ta thoát khỏi kẻ theo đuôi)
Sign out/in: To write sb's name when u arrive at or leave an office, etc = nhập tên
Ex: Froghorn's job was to sign out the kit to each of the trainees. ('kit' means a set of tools or equipment that u use for a particular purpose = đồ chuyên dụng)
Draw in: To breathe in smoke or air = hít thở
Ex: U could draw in oxygen.
Look back: To think about st in your past = hồi tưởng lại
Ex: U pass the big one and there's no looking back.
Hang around: To wait or stay near a place, not doing very much = lảng vảng
Ex: She didn't exactly want to hang around out there once everyone had gone home.
Well-known = famous
Ex: The well-known movie.
Live up to st: To do as well as or be as good as other people expect u to = xứng danh về điều gì.
Ex: All in all the cove was living up to its name.
Come on: To begin to operate = kích hoạt
Ex: A green light came on.
Read on: To continue reading = tiếp tục đọc
Ex: She read on and saw that the destination Baker was flying to was also blanked.
Result in = due to
Result from = because
Ex: The pilot died when his craft experienced mechanical problems resulting in an engine fire and subsequent explosion.
Catch sight of = nhìn lướt qua cái gì
Ex: Ruby caught sight of a clock.
Flash up: Lóe lên, bất chợt lướt qua (một suy nghĩ, một sợi ánh sáng)
Ex: Her brain flashed up the fragment of memory once more.
Insisted on doing: Khăng khăng làm gì
Ex: Ruby insisted on coming to class today.
Wait for sb/st: Chờ đợi ai, cái gì
Take a look at st: Xem xét, nhìn cái gì.
Ex: Ruby spent the day waiting for the school bell to clang so she could hurry home and take a look at what she had managed to glean from the Prism Vault.
Open stóup: To make st open that is shut, locked = mở ra
Ex: Ruby want to open up the copied Ghost Files and discover what secret they held.
Switch off/on: To turn a light, machine = bật
Ex: She pressed the reveal switch on the tiny gadget.
For the sake of st: Vì lợi ích của ai đó.
Ex: That's a lot of ugly words coming from your mouth all for the sake of nothing.
Drop round: To pay an informal visit to a person or a place = ghé chơi
Ex: I'm dropping Bug round at his house in the morning.
Lead to = dẫn tới.
Ex: The survival training would lead to her being infected with flu.
Take st on the chin: To accept a difficult or unpleasant situation without complaining = chấp nhận thử thách.
Ex: U take it on the chin and suffer the consequences.
Pass out: To become unconscious = ngất
Ex: Probably by passing out.
All hands on deck (toàn thể thủy thủ lên boong) = all hands to the pump: Everyone helps or must help, especially in a difficult situation = mọi người phải cùng chung vai gánh vác.
As far as I'm concerned = về phần tôi, đối với tôi.
Ex: It was all hands on deck as far as cover was concerned.
(Mọi người đều phải có trách nhiệm về việc kẻ dấu mặt)
In charge of: A position of having control over sb/st = đảm nhiệm.
Ex: It was clear from his expression that he found being in charge of handing out kit rather demeaning.
Brush sb/yourself off = brush sb/yourself down: To make u tidy, especially after u have fallen, by brushing your clothes with your hands = phủi sạch.
Ex: Make sure to brush yourself down before entering a shelter, as any snow left on your clothes will melt and make u wet, which will make u dead. (Nhớ phủi sạch tuyết đọng trên quần áo trước khi vào lều, nếu để tuyết tan ra làm ướt người thì bạn sẽ bị chết cóng)
Get back: Quay trở về
Ex: She was looking forward to getting back.
St Run away with sb: Điều gì ám ảnh ai đó
Ex: Don't let your imagination run away with u or u might well lose the plot.
Freak out: React very strongly to st that makes u suddenly feel frightened = thót tim.
Ex: She really shouldn't be walking down dark alleys if it was going to get her freaking out like this.
Chalk up/on st: To write or draw st with chalk = viết bằng phấn.
Ex: It was chalked on the ground.
Get inside: Tiến vào trong
Sit up: To be or move yourself into a sitting position, rather than lying down or leaning back = ngồi lên
Ex: They sat up in Clancy's room drinking tea.
Tune in to sb/st: To become aware of other people's thoughts and feelings = cảm nhận
Ex: Tuning into your sixth sense just gives u a better chance.
Start off: To begin happening = xuất phát, khởi đầu
Ex: Some problems started off as bears and then given time one could see how they might be tackled.
(vài vấn đề lúc mới đầu tưởng khó lắm nhưng dần dà vẫn có thể tìm được cách khắc phục)
Be/get caught up in st: To become involved in st, especially when u do not want to be = mắc vào
Ex: My coat got caught up in it and I just sorta left it there.
Stand for: Đại diện cho, tượng trưng cho
Ex: The fly stands for agent.
Chap 23- 26:
Turn (from st) into st: To become st.
Ex: It was the day the old house was turned into matchsticks during the earthquake of 1960.
Come along: To appear = xuất hiện
Ex: He'd promised he'd come along.
Turn up: To be found, especially by chance, after being lost = tìm ra
Ex: The police turned up evidence that suggested poor old Mr Pinkerton was no more.
(cảnh sát tìm ra bằng chứng cho rằng ông Pinkerton tội nghiệp đã qua đời)
Eat up: To fill sb with a particular emotion so that they cannot think of anything else = tràn ngập cảm xúc nào đó
Ex: The kid found it was impossible not to be eaten up with a desire to see him fail.
(đứa trẻ nhận ra trong đầu nó giờ chỉ tràn ngập khát vọng được chứng kiến kẻ kia thất bại)
Wipe out: Xóa bỏ, loại bỏ
Ex: If only Bradley Baker was wiped out, and wiped out permanently.
Draw on/upon st: To use a supply of st that is available to u = nhờ cậy tới, dùng tới.
Ex: Ruby drew on her memory skills.
Hold onto st: To keep st that is an advantage for u; to not give or sell st to sb else = giữ cái gì lại để tư lợi cho mình.
Ex: He sought to wield power by holding onto his secrets and selling to the highest bidder.
Once upon a time: Rất lâu về trước
Ex: Spectrum had indeed once upon a time recruited children, intending to train them up as agents.
(sự thực rất lâu về trước tổ chức Spectrum đã tuyển dụng những đứa trẻ để huấn luyện chúng trở thành những điệp viên)
Roll out = launch = tổ chức lại, tái khởi động, tái khai trương.
Ex: So six years after Baker's recruitment, Spectrum had decided to roll out the program.
Set up = begin = thiết lập, bắt đầu.
Ex: This exciting-sounding program was abandoned only months after it had been set up.
Take on= đảm nhận, dẫn
Ex: Not only was he now heading for the rapids, but his raft was taking on water- someone had scuttled it.
(không chỉ đang phải đối mặt với con thác, thuyền cậu ta còn bị nước tràn vào- có kẻ nào đó đã chọc thủng nó)
A sign of the times: Something that u feel shows what things are like now, especially how bad they are = một xu hướng của thời đại.
Chap 25-28:
Go over st: To study st carefully, especially by repeating it = nghiên cứu cẩn thận, nghĩ đi nghĩ lại.
Ex: Ruby found herself unable to sleep because she was going over and over what she knew about Bradley Baker.
Break out: Phát ra, vỡ ra.
Ex: Applause broke out as Mo reached earth.
Hold out: To offer a chance, hope or possibility of st = kiên trì, giữ vững
Ex: Although she didn't hold out much hope that he would find anything.
Dawn on sb: If st dawns on u, u begin to realize it for the first time = hé lộ ra, hiểu ra
Ex: It dawned on her just how hungry she was.
Deal in st: To buy and sell a particular product = buôn bán
Ex: When u become a person who deals in life and death for a living – u become the man with the scythe.
(Khi em trở thành kẻ nắm giữ sống chết của một người – em chính là đao phủ)
Put your feet up: To sit down and relax, especially with your feet raised and supported = thả lỏng người.
Get in on st: To take part in an activity = tham gia.
Ex: It doesn't mean we should get in on the act.
Rustle up (for st) : To make or find st quickly for sb and without planning = nhanh chóng tìm kiếm, làm ra thứ gì.
Ex: Although there was some disappointment on the old lady's part that she had not been able to rustle up 'the hen of the woods' stew, no one else minded a bit.
Stay up: To go to bed later than usual = đi ngủ muộn.
Ex: So merry was the mood that the four of them all stayed up late into the evening playing cards and chatting.
Pass something on (to sb) : To give st to sb else, especially after receiving it or using it yourself = bỏ, đưa, tặng đồ cũ cho ai.
Ex: Now could u pass me on to that wonderful woman who attends to your every need?
A pain in the neck = a pain in the arse/ backside / ass/ butt: A person or thing that is very annoying = kẻ rắc rối.
Ex: He's always been this massive pain in the butt.
Feed up with st: Chán ngấy chuyện gì.
Ex: I'm fed up with being told how great he is.
Speed up = tăng tốc độ
Drive on: To continue driving = tiếp tục chạy.
Ex: She turned right expecting the car to drive on but it didn't.
Wriggle out of st/ out of doing st: To avoid doing st that u should do, especially by thinking of clever excuses = trốn tránh.
Ex: I managed to wriggle out of it; it sounded rather tedious.
Rely on st =believe st = tin tưởng cái gì
Ex: U can't rely on anyone these days.
Chap 29-38:
Come out: Appear = xuất hiện
Ex: When she came out she said she was going to take this 'all the way'.
Get over: To return to your usual state of health, happiness after an shock, an illness, etc = vượt qua, hồi phục.
Ex: If she offended u in some way then could u take it up with the human resources team or just better still, get over it.
(nếu cô ấy vô tình xúc phạm tới em thì em có thể đệ trình việc này lên ban quản lý nhân sự hoặc tốt hơn là không truy cứu nó nữa)
Hand over (to sb) : To give sb else your position of power or the responsibility of st = chuyển nhượng, giao quyền.
Ex: She wasn't about to hand over her new bicycle.
Round sb/st up = tóm gọn.
Ex: The kid rounded up by the child-catcher.
Run out of st: Cạn kiệt thứ gì.
Ex: She was fast running out of time to search for the other thing she needed to know.
Line sb/st of up: Ti arrange people or things in a straight line or row: Xếp thành hàng.
Ex: She wrapped the paper so the letters lined up.
(cô cuộn lại tờ giấy và các chữ cái bắt đầu xếp thành hàng)
=> Xin giải thích thêm: Câu này trích ra khi Ruby đang giải một loại mật mã, loại này được sử dụng phổ biến ở thời AI cập cổ đại. Người ta viết các chữ cái lên một mảnh da dê hẹp dài (hình giống sợi dây dùng trong môn múa lụa ấy), sau đó cuộn đoạn da lên một vật hình trụ tròn, các chữ khi được cuộn sẽ tạo thành một chữ cái khi nhìn theo hàng dọc. Chữ cái đó chính là mật mã cần tìm. Tớ nhớ trong truyện thám tử lừng danh Conan cũng từng xuất hiện loại mật mã này, ở tập ông tiến sĩ tạo trò chơi tìm kho báu cho bọn trẻ con rồi bị bắt cóc luôn ấy.
Pass on: Qua đời
Ex: My husband passed on eight years ago now.
Take for: Consider st/st to be sb/st: Cho rằng, cho là.
Ex: The men Lenny took for FBI guys, did they ever come back?
(vậy mấy người ông Lenny đoán họ là người của tổ chức FBI ấy có từng quay lại đây không)
Get along: Hòa thuận, quen thuộc.
Ex: My boss tried to kill me? We not get along or something?
I got it from the horse's mouth = moi được thông tin từ một người kín miệng.
Keep an eye on sb: Để mắt tới ai.
Ex: My cousin Mo has just had a spell in the county hospital and I want to keep an eye on him.
Pride themselves on doing st = tự hào vì cái gì.
Ex: They prided themselves on being good hosts.
Go along with sb/st: To agree with sb/st = chấp nhận.
Ex: My mom's a little strange, just go along with it.
Pick up on st: To notice st and perhaps react to it = chú ý đến, phát hiện ra.
Ex: Mrs Digby sniffed when she saw him; it was a disapproving sniff and he picked up on it right away.
Once in a blue moon = very rarely = hiếm khi, ít khi.
Ex: I don't often get the chance to use this talent but I tell u once in a blue moon it comes in very hardy indeed.
Tip sb off: To warn sb about st that is going to happen, especially st illegal = cảnh báo.
Ex: He'd been tipped off about the game.
Walk in and out of st: Đi ra đi vào.
Ex: It was the weirdest day, seeing the great and good of Spectrum walk in and out of the front door.
Seek sb/st out: To look for and find sb/st, especially when this means using a lot of effort = lục tìm.
Ex: He was sure Morgan had sought out the Count, had become one of his apprentices.
Falling-out (n) : A situation where people are no longer friends, caused by a disagreement or an argument = trở mặt thành thù.
Ex: There were a falling-out, so the professor quit working for Spectrum.
Chap 39- 44:
On account of sb/st = because = do cái gì, vì lý do này nọ.
Ex: On account of the fungus poisoning.
To account for sb/st = due to= giải thích nguyên nhân gây ra điều gì.
Ex: It's just something Hitch told my mom to account for him needing to recuperate at our place.
Up to speed on st: Having the most recent and accurate information or knowledge = nắm được kiến thức hay thông tin mới và chính xác nhất.
Ex: I know I don't have much in the memory bank but why don't u try and catch me up to speed on things.
The icing on the cake = the frosting on the cake: Something extra and not essential that is added to an already good situation or experience and that makes it even better = một vài thứ không quá quan trọng được thêm vào giúp sản phẩm, kết quả càng thêm hoàn hảo.
Walk away with st: To win or obtain st easily = dễ dàng lấy được thứ gì đó.
Ex: The icing on the cake would have been to walk away with the Buddha itself.
(Buddha is one of the most famous status found in the north of Alaska by Enrico Gonzales – the curator of the City Museum)
(anh ta trộm đi bức tượng Buddha chỉ là để chắc ăn hơn thôi)
Try st on: Mặc thử thứ gì.
Ex: I might try it on.
Chap 45-50:
Set about st = set about doing st: To start doing st = bắt tay vào làm cái gì
Ex: She set about fixing herself some makeshift snowshoes.
Hole up: To hide in a place = ẩn trốn.
Ex: They wouldn't know about her; they wouldn't have any idea that she was still alive and holed up alone in the middle of the Northern Mountain.
Pick sb/st out: To choose sb/st carefully from a group of people or things = tuyển chọn.
Line-up: A row of people, including one person who is suspected of a crime, who are shown to a witness to see if he or she can recognize the criminal = hàng loạt kẻ tình nghi.
Ex: LB never met him and Samuel Colt said he wouldn't be able to pick Morgan out in a line-up.
(LB chưa từng gặp hắn còn Samuel Colt cho biết anh ta không thể nhận ra Morgan trong số kẻ tình nghi)
Touch down: To make contact with the ground as it lands = đổ bộ vào.
Ex: Due to weather conditions, she had touched down a mile east of the meeting point.
Hold st out: To put your hand or arms, or st in your hand, towards sb, especially to give or offer st = đưa thứ gì cho ai.
Ex: Redfort held out her hand and said.
Look after: Chăm sóc cho ai.
Ex: Look after that kid of yours, she's one in a million.
Joined-up (adj) : Joined-up writing is writing in which the letters in a word are joined to each other.
Ex: The first few pages were just filled top to bottom with the alphabet as she practiced her joined-up letters.
Chap 51- 58:
Come over to: To come to a place, especially sb's house, to visit for a short time = ghé qua.
Ex: So are u coming over?
Head out/ off: Quay đi (rời đi)
Ex: Ruby was about to head off when Clancy remembered something.
Make for: To move towards st = tiến lên
Ex: He made for the stairs.
Come by: To make a short visit to a place, in order to see sb = lướt qua.
Ex: Good ideas were getting hard to come by.
Dolled-up: Trưng diện.
Ex: Mrs. Digby was all dolled-up and wearing one of Cousin Emily's hair ornaments.
Square st with sb: To ask permission or check with sb that they approve of what u wanna do = hỏi sự đồng ý của ai.
Ex: I'll square it with Mr. Hassensack.
Bring st along: Mang theo cái gì cùng đi.
Ex: Bring him along, Ruby, one condition- don't let that dog leave your side. Got it?
"I swear on my life."
Stave st off: To prevent st bad from affecting you for a period of time; to delay st = ngăn chặn cái gì trong một khoảng thời gian, ngưng tạm thời.
Ex: It's Victor who wants to prolong life and stave off senility.
Wind up: Bring st to an end = kết thúc điều gì.
Ex: I'm not listening to u, listening to u is how Baker wound up dead.
(tôi không tin anh đâu, chỉ vì tin anh mà khiến Baker mất mạng)
Cảm nhận:
1) quả thực phải công nhận gặp quá nhiều từ stuff trong quyển này, stuff không chỉ là 'đồ vật', còn có nghĩa tương đương 'something like that' (I like reading and stuff), hay là nghĩa giống 'sort', động từ thì là 'nhét vào, làm đầy', đủ loại ngữ nghĩa, hình dạng, biến đổi, muôn hình vạn trạng, quá ấn tượng!
2) có vẻ người Anh khá thích những điều liên quan tới chòm sao, trong truyện có nhắc tới khá nhiều cuộc triển lãm constellation (một số chùm sao được nhắc tới: Gemini, Musca –the sign of the fly; Orion; Carpicornus), chòm sao còn dùng làm mật mã. Tui thề là tui dốt đặc cán mai về thể loại thiên tinh học, 6^6, mà kiểu phân biệt chòm sao ở nước ngoài khác nước ta quá cơ, may là đọc xong truyện này cũng biết sơ sơ rồi. Nếu bạn nào có hứng thú với phương diện này thì có thể bạn sẽ thích quyển truyện này lắm!
Chap 59-62:
Take sb/st out: To kill or destroy st = hủy diệt thứ gì.
Ex: But instead of proving herself, she here decides to take out the competition.
Work for sb: Làm việc cho ai.
Ex: You've been working for him, feeding him information.
Look out for sb: To take care of sb and make sure nothing bad happens to them = chăm sóc ai đó.
Ex: Just looking out for what's mine.
Pull up: To stop.
Ex: They pulled up in front of house.
Cảm nhận: Cái kết cũng quá là ấn tượng đi, một cái kết bất ngờ giống như phim "The sixth sense" ấy, gay cấn vậy mà cũng xen được vào yếu tố gây cười còn không mất logic, năm sao, năm sao cao cấp cho tác phẩm này! Mấy chương ngoại cũng cười rụng răng, XD, cười lăn cười bò, cái cách tác giả gây tiếng cười thật đặc biệt.
Tự dưng đọc xong mà thấy lạc lõng quá, đọc hết rồi mà vẫn muốn đọc nữa. Cảm giác giống như phải chào tạm biệt với một người bạn rất thân phải đi xa, thật lạ, đây là quyển sách đầu tiên khiến mình lưu luyến như thế. Bạn nào mà thích đọc truyện trinh thám thì rinh ngay cuốn này về đi, vừa học tiếng anh vừa đọc sảng lắm, theo cảm nhận của mình thì thậm chí còn sảng hơn cả quyển Sherlock Holmes ấy ạ!
