"Ghost of a chance" nghĩa là gì?

Để coi hôm nay có gì mới không! Photo courtesy: Photos by Di

"Ghost of a chance" = cơ hội ma -> rất ít cơ hội để thành công.

Ví dụ

Is there a ghost of a chance that any of these stories are true?

No one gave Cambodia a ghost of a chance prior to the start of the tournament but the Angkor Warriors have earned many admirers after they beat Malaysia 3-1 to finish behind Myanmar in Group A and achieve a historic first ever semi-final apperance at the Southeast Asian Games.

Shortly before Thanksgiving, The Washington Post asked me to write a column (mục báo) on why Harris’ candidacy (sự ứng cử) – skyrocketing (tăng vọt) in July, without a ghost of a chance by Halloween – was dead in water (here’s my assessment). I suggested we publish closer to the Dec. 19 debate. My Post editors didn’t think she’d be around by them.

Ngân Nguyễn

Bài trước: "Strain every nerve" nghĩa là gì?

Giao tính mạng cho bạn gái lái xe

học lái từ bạn gái -> cài số lùi xuống hồ luôn... :D

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A girlfriend was teaching her boyfriend how to drive when the car sank into a pond (ao, hồ) Sunday evening, according to the West Des Moines Fire Department.

At about 5:30 p.m., the two were practicing near Prairie Grass Apartments in West Des Moines when the car was accidentally (tình cờ, ngẫu nhiên) placed in reverse (cài số lùi) and driven backward into a pond.

Bài trước: Để chắc chắn 'chia tay anh không đòi quà'

"A lick of work" nghĩa là gì?

Cả nhóm bận làm việc, mình thì bận cười. :D Photo by mentatdgt from Pexels 

"A lick of work" có nghĩa là ít việc, chả có mấy việc để làm. 

Ví dụ

Sunday, they refused to do a lick of work of any kind.

That voice never did a lick of work or gave you a hand with anything! 

As for me, I'd rather play, so sometimes I turn my work into play to fool myself. The problem is, if your work looks like play your friends are bound to say, “That woman doesn't do a lick of work; all she does is have fun!” 

And, it so happens the extra men work usually about 8 to 9 hours a day anyway. But, this is the nature of the extra board and to insure (đảm bảo) them of compensation (bồi thường, đền bù) on a regular basis they get a minimum pay of 5 hours a day whether they perform a lick of work or not. 

Thu Phương

Bài trước: "A lick of paint" nghĩa là gì? 

"Go back a long way" nghĩa là gì?

Photo by Helena Lopes on Unsplash

"Go back a long way" or "go way back" nghĩa là quen biết ai đó lâu rồi; quen nhau được một thời gian rồi.

Ví dụ

“Chris and I, we go back a long way, and we’re fine,’’ Schiano said of the former governor (thống đốc). “I know he wants what’s best for New Jersey. We’re fine.”

"A number of years later, when my playing career ended, he got me back to be the coach (huấn luyện viên). So Mike and I go back a long way. He's a very persuasive (có sức thuyết phục) gentleman so it was very difficult to say no to him. We eventually decided on a short-term, one month arrangement.

“Siva and I go back a long way; we’ve known each other for almost 14 years now. We’ve always wanted to work together. This script (kịch bản) began as a small idea and I soon developed it. He liked the story and things fell in place. I am super happy to work with my friends Siva and Anirudh again,” Nelson added.

Thảo Nguyễn

Bài trước: "Have a broad back" nghĩa là gì?

"Strain every nerve" nghĩa là gì?

Tôi sẽ cố gắng hết sức! Photo courtesy: Michelle Donelan Chippenham

"Strain every nerve" = căng tất cả dây thần kinh -> cố gắng hết sức mình.

Ví dụ

Yet I know that I have no alternative but to strain every nerve to make myself better and better.

"As Minister for the Union, I will strain every nerve and sinew (sức mạnh) to strengthen and preserve (duy trì) all that we prize (tự hào) and cherish (coi trọng) - and doggedly (kiên cường) resist those who would seek to wrest (giật mạnh) us apart."

A soldier indeed is ‘different’ (even at the cost of repetition (lặp lại)). Having had the good fortune of monitoring (giám sát) Army recruitment rallies and awareness campaigns from close quarters (doanh trại), I can state (tuyên bố) with conviction (nhận thấy tội lỗi) that the only driving force for the lakhs (mười vạn) of young aspirants (người khao khát được nắm chức vụ cao) who strain every nerve in a bid to get selected, is the yearning (khao khát) to earn the ‘izzat (danh dự)’ this profession promises to endow (mang lại) them with, and a craving (khao khát) to serve the Nation the most credible (đáng tin) way. The same young people when trying their luck subsequently (rồi thì) at recruitment/employment fairs/drives elsewhere, do so in an entirely different state of mind.

Ngân Nguyễn

Bài trước: "Strain at a gnat" nghĩa là gì?

"Want to curl up and die" nghĩa là gì?

Ngại quá!! Photo by: Larm Rmah on Unsplash

"Want to curl up and die" = (chỉ) muốn thu mình lại và chết (tốt) -> muốn (ngay lập tức) thoát khỏi tình trạng bị sỉ nhục hoặc rất xấu hổ.

Ví dụ

So, always remember—failure (thất bại) won’t kill you, which is too bad, because it makes me want to curl up and die. Failure is my least favorite thing in the world. My failures made me who I am today: an unhappy man with a garbage mansion (biệt thự) who will never be satisfied.

I know how to hide fresh scars (vết sẹo) to avoid worrying parents and be the loudest person in the room so nobody suspects (nghi ngờ) you just want to curl up and die inside.

“A few women feel fine on day one, but many feel they want to curl up and die,” says Nike global master trainer Joslyn Thompson Rule, who recommends that all her clients (khách hàng) track their cycles with apps such as Moody Month.

Ngọc Lân

Bài trước: "Wine and dine" nghĩa là gì?

"Have a broad back" nghĩa là gì?

Photo by Fanny Renaud on Unsplash

"Have a broad back" = có một tấm lưng rộng -> cụm từ này nghĩa là không bị ảnh hưởng bởi những lời chỉ trích hoặc phán xét; có thể giúp đỡ hoặc tư vấn cho người khác mà không mệt mỏi.

Ví dụ

Have a "broad back" when criticisms (lời chỉ trích, phê bình) and insults (lời lăng mạ) are made - when possible, gently correct.

“We had a broad back and a lot of patience from the company, because it takes time and money. The company had the perspective (quan điểm) of ‘go for it and don’t worry about the money.’”

You can get criticised, but you have to have a broad back to last as long as I have really. Although things are hurtful - things have happened at school - the kids can take it a bit more. But I say you’ve got to bite your tongue.

Quesada answered by recalling the conversation he had with former Marvel Editor in Chief Tom DeFalco shortly after Quesada got the job. DeFalco told Quesada “you have to have a broad back – and if you don’t you should quit right now” because the negativity comes with the job.

Thảo Nguyễn

Bài trước: "Break my arm patting myself on the back" nghĩa là gì?

"Keep an eye open" nghĩa là gì?

Ánh mắt sát thủ. Photo by  Dawn Armfield

"Keep an eye open" = Luôn mở to mắt -> Xem, canh chừng hoặc giám sát ai/cái gì cẩn thận, không rời mắt.

Ví dụ

We'll keep an eye open for revisions (upward) in next week's report, though we'll no doubt still be within this strong employment range.

While Winona should not expect the Polar Express to pull up to the Amtrak station Monday, Dec. 9, you should keep an eye open for the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train.

Binoculars are getting better and better, and the two potential problems described here are getting rarer and rarer. However, it is best to keep an eye open for them, especially when buying from anywhere other than a science store. The first is chromatic aberration (lầm lạc, loạn trí sắc sai).

Bin Kuan

Bài trước: "Gaze open-mouthed" nghĩa là gì?