english idioms advanced in use unit 28: CRIME AND PUNISHMENT

on the fiddle

doing something dishonest in order to get money or other advantages:

• We receive allegations about landlords _, and all of them are investigated.

• I'll tell the tax people that you've been _ for years.

→ làm vc gì thiếu trung thực để gặt lợi → lừa đảo

have your hands/fingers in the till

to steal money from the company or organization you work for:

The executive was fired after he was found with _.

→ bàn tay trong ngăn kéo để tiền → tham nhũng, lấy tiền công quỹ

pull the wool over someone's eyes

to deceive someone:

• He doesn't have any special powers – he's just trying to _.

• I know that the perfume bottle that you are trying to sell to me is actually fake. Don’t try to _. I won’t buy anything

• You can't _! I know you've been smoking. I can smell it!

= lấy cuộn len che mắt ai, nghĩa là lừa ai (deceive someone); -> 'vải thưa che mắt thánh'.

take someone for a ride

to deceive or cheat someone:

I think we've been _.

→ bị dắt → bị lừa

line your pocket(s)

to earn money using dishonest or illegal methods:

Staff at the bank have apparently been _ with money from investors' accounts.

= lót đầy túi -> nghĩa là làm ra số tiền lớn theo cách tham lam, không trung thực, ưu tiên kiếm tiền hơn những mục đích tôt khác.

under the counter

If something is sold ~, it is sold secretly and illegally:

• The kids managed to get cigarettes _.

• Smuggled copies of the book were traded _ for at least $500 a copy.

→ nghĩa là kín đáo hoặc bí mật, thường bất hợp pháp.

do a runner

to leave a place in order to avoid a difficult or unpleasant situation or to avoid paying for something:

• Her dad _ soon after she was born.

• They were arrested after _ from an expensive restaurant.

→ nghĩa là nhanh chóng rời nơi nào để khỏi gặp rắc rối hoặc nhằm bùng tiền.

the long arm of the law

the far-reaching power of police and the legal system:

• You can't escape _ (= the police will catch you if you have done something illegal).

• Criminals who are on the run are unlikely to escape _ forever. If they make one mistake, they might get caught.

= cánh tay dài của pháp luật → nghĩa là cảnh sát, luật pháp

throw the book at someone

to severely punish someone:

• After the accident, the safety inspector _ the company directors.

• The judge threatened to _ him if he committed another offense.

= ném quyển sách vào mặt ai → nghĩa là khuyến cáo ai phải tuân theo nội quy, kỷ luật

do a stretch

To complete a term in prison or jail.

• I _ in Sing -Sing a few years ago. Those were the worst five years of my life.

• She's going to have to _ seven-year _ in federal prison for her involvement in the scandal.

→ bị nhận bản án, giam giữ

do time

to spend a period of time in prison:

• It's not always easy to find a job after you've _.

• Her dad was _ for drug dealing.

→ ngồi trong tù, giam tù

bring someone to book

to punish someone and make that person explain their behaviour

• That's it—the next time I see Rachel, I'm _ her _! I simply can't tolerate her selfish behavior any longer.

• I'm sure the boss is going to _ me _ for my outburst during the meeting. I just hope I don't get fired.

→ hỏi tội và trừng phạt ai

short sharp shock

(describing or relating to) punishment that is quick and effective:

• He's in favour of the _ treatment for young offenders.

• It is clear now that the policy of punishing young offenders with a _ is much less effective than education and emotional training.

→ bất ngờ, gay gắt nhưng lại ngắn ngủi, khiến người ta tỉnh ngộ hoặc buộc phải thay đổi.

the straight and narrow

If you keep on ~, you behave in a way that is honest and moral:

• My grandmother was strict and kept me on _.

• Now that I have a conviction on my record, I really have to keep on _ going forward.

→ cư xử đúng chuẩn mực, thật thà

the boys in blue

a humorous name for the police

• We've got the thief pinned down, we're just waiting for _ to come arrest him.

• The mayor is planning a parade to honor _ who protect our community day in, day out.

→ cảnh sát

poacher turned gamekeeper

someone whose behaviour is now the same as that he or she previously opposed:

• He is the epitome of _. Once commander of the whaling station, he now devotes his energy to saving the whale and other marine life of the area.

• The notorious computer hacker who once stole money from unsuspecting Internet users now helps the government catch other hackers—it's a strange case of _.

→ một người trước kia ở “phe đối lập” hay từng vi phạm, nay lại quay sang phe quản lý, kiểm soát hoặc bảo vệ cái mà trước đó họ chống lại.

inside job

a crime, especially stealing, committed by someone in the place where they work

→ Một việc do người trong tổ chức, nội bộ gây ra, chứ không phải người ngoài.

→ Thường mang nghĩa phản bội, nội gián, hoặc “tay trong”.

• The robbery must have been an _ — only employees knew the code to the safe.

• Many suspected that the data leak was an _.