Definition

1. Verb:

   • To graze; to brush past; to narrowly miss: Describes an object moving very close to another object or person without making direct contact or causing a collision.
   • To scrape; to skim: Can describe a glancing, superficial contact where surfaces touch lightly.

2. Adjective (in compound forms):

   • Soaking wet; drenched: Used in the compound "ướt sượt" to emphasize a state of being completely wet.
   • Lying flat and stiff: Describes the act of stretching oneself out rigidly, often in a prone position.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Viên đạn sượt qua tai anh ta. (The bullet grazed past his ear.)
  • Chiếc xe tải sượt qua người đi xe đạp. (The truck brushed past the cyclist.)
• Adjective (in compounds):
  • Quần áo ướt sượt sau cơn mưa. (The clothes were soaking wet after the rain.)
  • Nó mệt lả và nằm sượt ra sàn. (He was exhausted and lay stretched out stiffly on the floor.)

Advanced Usage

• The word is often used in its reduplicated form "sườn sượt" to intensify the meaning.
  • To sigh repeatedly and heavily: Cô ấy ngồi thở dài sườn sượt. (She sat sighing heavily, one sigh after another.)
  • Completely soaked: A stronger form of "ướt sượt."

Variants and Related Words

• Sượt qua (verb phrase): to glide/skim past.
  • Máy bay sượt qua ngọn núi. (The plane skimmed past the mountain.)
• Ướt sượt (adjective phrase): soaking wet, drenched.
• Nằm sượt (verb phrase): to lie down flat and stiff.

Synonyms

• Graze: to touch lightly in passing.
• Skim: to move quickly just above a surface.
• Brush: to touch lightly against something.

Related Idioms and Expressions

• Đánh sượt một cái: To let out a single, heavy sigh (often with a sound).
  • Nghe tin buồn, anh ấy thở dài đánh sượt một cái. (Hearing the sad news, he let out a heavy sigh.)
• The reduplicated form "sườn sượt" itself functions as an idiomatic expression for continuous sighing or being utterly drenched.