Definition

1. Verb:
   • To nab, to catch, to seize: To grab or capture someone or something quickly and firmly, often implying a sudden or forceful action. Commonly used for catching criminals, seizing opportunities, or grabbing an object.
   • To summarize, to sum up: To state the main points of something in a brief and concise way.

Usage Examples

• Verb (to catch):
  • Cảnh sát đã tóm được tên trộm. (The police nabbed the thief.)
  • Cô ấy tóm lấy cơ hội để giới thiệu bản thân. (She seized the opportunity to introduce herself.)
• Verb (to summarize):
  • Anh ấy tóm lại ý chính của cuộc họp. (He summed up the main points of the meeting.)
  • Nói tóm lại, dự án đã thành công. (In short, the project was successful.)

Advanced Usage

• "tóm gọn": To capture cleanly or round up completely.
  • Lực lượng an ninh tóm gọn cả nhóm. (The security forces rounded up the entire group.)
• "tóm tắt": To summarize, to give a summary (more formal than "tóm lại").
  • Hãy tóm tắt bài báo này. (Please summarize this article.)

Variants and Related Words

• Tóm lại (conj./phrase): In summary, in short, to sum up. Used to introduce a concluding statement.
  • Tóm lại, chúng ta cần làm việc chăm chỉ hơn. (In summary, we need to work harder.)
• Tóm về (v, less common): To gather or bring together.

Synonyms

• To catch, to nab, to seize, to grab: For the physical act of capturing.
• To apprehend, to arrest: Specifically for catching criminals.
• To summarize, to recap, to condense: For stating main points concisely.

Related Idioms

• Tóm cổ: Literally "to seize by the neck." Means to catch or nab someone definitively, often red-handed.
  • Bọn gian bị tóm cổ tại hiện trường. (The crooks were caught red-handed at the scene.)
• Tóm thóp: Literally "to seize the fontanelle (soft spot on a baby's head)." Means to pinpoint someone's critical weakness or mistake, leaving them unable to argue.
  • Luật sư tóm thóp được điểm mâu thuẫn trong lời khai. (The lawyer pinpointed the contradiction in the testimony.)

verb

1. to nab, to catch