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"Give someone the third degree" nghĩa là gì?
08 Oct, 2014
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| Photo courtesy: cheezburger. |
'Give someone the third degree' có từ third là thứ ba, và degree là chứng chỉ hay cấp bậc. Thành ngữ này xuất xứ từ cuối thế kỷ thứ 18 trong giới thợ nề, chuyên xây dựng với gạch, đá. Khi muốn trở thành thợ nề giỏi nhất, tức là thợ cấp ba, thì họ phải trải qua một bài thi rất khó khăn để xem khả năng hiểu biết của họ cao tới mức nào. Bây giờ 'give someone the third degree' được dùng để chỉ việc dùng lời lẽ cứng rắn, gay gắt để thu thập thông tin của người khác.
Ví dụ
I began to wonder why he wasn't back at the station giving Maggie the third degree.
When my husband came home late last night with the smell of another woman’s perfume (nước hoa) on him and lipstick (vết son) on his collar (cổ áo), you can bet I gave him the third degree. He had a lot of explaining to do!
When the detective (thám tử) realized the suspect (nghi can) had a motive and an opportunity to commit the murder, he brought her into the police station and proceeded to give her the third degree. After two hours, she broke down and confessed (thú tội).
When we got to my friend's house, Andrew and I sat in his car talking for over half an hour before he helped me inside with my things. He looked tired and voiced as much as he left to go home and get some rest. I was dreading him leaving because I knew my friend was going to give me the third-degree and I didn't want to share anything just yet.
Huyền Trang
VOA
Bài trước: "Pick someone's brain" nghĩa là gì?
Tags: phrase
little by little, bit by bit, inch by inch, step by step, slowly; piecemeal
"rivalries and prejudice were by degrees fading out"