Definition

1. Verb:
   • To interrogate persistently: To question someone repeatedly and insistently, often in a thorough or pressing manner to obtain information or a confession.
   • To cross-examine: To question someone closely, especially to test answers already given or to uncover the truth.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Cảnh sát vặn vọ nghi phạm suốt nhiều giờ. (The police interrogated the suspect for hours.)
  • Mẹ vặn vọ đứa trẻ về chiếc bánh bị mất. (The mother cross-examined the child about the missing cake.)

Advanced Usage

• The verb implies a methodical, sometimes intense, line of questioning. It is often used in contexts involving authority figures (like police, parents, teachers) seeking detailed answers or the truth from a subordinate.

Variants and Related Words

• Tra hỏi (v): to interrogate, to question officially. This is a more formal synonym.
• Chất vấn (v): to question, to interrogate (often in a political or formal debate context).

Synonyms

• To grill: To question intensely and relentlessly.
• To pump someone for information: To try to get information from someone by asking many questions.

Related Idioms

• Vặn đi vặn lại: To ask the same question over and over again; to harp on something.
  • Ông ấy vặn đi vặn lại cùng một câu hỏi. (He kept asking the same question over and over.)