Definition

1. Verb:
   • To glance / to look sidelong at: To move the eyes quickly and briefly to look at something or someone, often in a covert, indirect, or suggestive manner.
   • To strop / to hone: To sharpen the edge of a blade (like a razor or knife) by moving it swiftly and at an angle against a hard surface like leather or a ceramic bowl.

Usage Examples

• Verb (to glance):

  • Cô ấy liếc nhìn đồng hồ một cách sốt ruột. (She glanced impatiently at the clock.)
  • Đừng liếc tôi như thế! (Don't look at me sideways like that!)
  • Anh ta liếc qua tài liệu trước cuộc họp. (He glanced over the documents before the meeting.)

• Verb (to strop):

  • Người thợ cạo liếc dao trên miếng da. (The barber stropped the razor on the leather.)
  • Trước khi thái, bà liếc dao vào đáy bát. (Before slicing, she honed the knife on the bottom of the bowl.)

Advanced Usage

• "liếc mắt đưa tình": to make eyes at someone; to give a flirtatious glance.

  • Anh chàng ngồi cuối bàn cứ liếc mắt đưa tình. (The guy at the end of the table kept making eyes at her.)

• "liếc trộm": to steal a glance; to peek furtively.

  • Đứa trẻ liếc trộm hộp quà. (The child stole a glance at the gift box.)

Variants and Related Words

• Liếc nhìn (v): to glance, to take a quick look.

  • Cô liếc nhìn qua cửa sổ. (She glanced out the window.)

• Liếc xéo (v): to give a sidelong, often disapproving or suspicious glance.

  • Bà ấy liếc xéo người hàng xóm ồn ào. (She gave the noisy neighbor a sidelong glance.)

Synonyms

• To glance: To look briefly.
• To peek: To look quickly and secretly.
• To strop: To sharpen a blade on a strap.
• To ogle: To stare in a lecherous way (for the suggestive sense of "liếc").

Related Idioms

• Liếc lái liếc lọng: To glance around shiftily or evasively.
  • Kẻ tình nghi liếc lái liếc lọng trước khi bỏ chạy. (The suspect glanced around shiftily before running away.)

verb

1. to look sidelong at; to glance
   • liếc nhìn quanh mình
     to glance around oneself to strop; to set (razor)
   • liếc dao cạo
     to set a razor