Meaning: abbe condenser

n.
a condenser having 2 or 3 lenses with wide aperture for use in microscopes

cond Idiom, Proverb

dying seconds

(See the dying seconds)

in a split second

in less than a second, in a flash In a split second, the cat twisted and landed on its feet.

in mint condition

in new condition, as new The Nash was in mint condition. It looked like a new car.

mint condition

new condition, original condition, super mint In an old garage we found a Peugeot 403 in mint condition.

play second fiddle

accept a lower position, take a back seat Kirk won't play second fiddle to her. He wants to be the boss.

play second fiddle to someone

be second in importance to someone He has been playing second fiddle to his boss for years and has finally decided to quit.

second fiddle

(See play second fiddle)

second guess

guess what people think or what they will do Don't try to second guess people. Ask them what you need to know.

second-guess someone

guess what someone else intends to do or would have done You should never try to second-guess the firefighters in a dangerous situation.

second hand

not new, used by someone else He went to a second-hand bookstore to look for the books.

second nature

natural ability or interest, talent Skating is second nature to Paul. He's got natural skating ability.

second thought

after thinking about something again On second thought maybe you should bring an extra coat.

second wind

a feeling that your energy is returning as you run In a 10 K race, I usually get my second wind after 15 minutes.

seconds

second helpings of food, more food on your plate Mom, can we have seconds? This is great apple pudding!

split second

small difference in time, a fraction of a second Many Olympic athletes win their events by a split second.

the dying seconds

the last few seconds in a game The score was tied 3 - 3 in the dying seconds of the third period.

in a second

in the briefest time立刻；不一会儿
If you shout in the valley， and in a second the echo will come from the hillside with great distinctness．如果你在山谷中大叫一声，不一会儿就能听到从山边传来非常清楚的回音。

in condition

in good health；physically fit健康状况良好；身体条件适合
People who take part in sports must keep in condition.参加体育锻炼的人健康状况一定是好的。
You must train regularly to be in condition.你应该经常锻炼以保持良好的体魄。

on condition that

if；provided that假如；在…条件下
I will lend you the money on condition that you pay it back in one month．假如你在一个月内能还我钱，我就借给你。
You can go there on condition that you don't come back late for dinner．你可以去那儿，条件是回来吃饭不能太晚。

on second thoughts

upon reflection； after further or more deliberate consideration深思熟虑后
On second thoughts they decided to leave London．经仔细考虑，他们决定离开伦敦。

out of condition

not healthy不健康；身体不好
She is out of condition．她身体不好。1．not looking the same；changed不成形；走样
The box was crushed out of shape．箱子已被压得歪歪斜斜了。
The front wheel of the bicycle was out of shape；and several spokes were broken．自行车前轮变形了，还断了好几根钢条。
2．not able to perform well竞技状态不好
He is out of shape，that's why he can't play as well as he used to．他竞技状态不佳，所以打得不如从前那么好了。
3．not in good condition身体不佳；生病
I get tired easily；I must be out of shape．我动不动就感到疲倦，一定是病了。
She went to school as usual though she had been out of shape for several days．尽管身体不舒服已好几天了，她还是照常上学。

out of shape/condition

1．not looking the same；changed不成形；走样
The box was crushed out of shape．箱子已被压得歪歪斜斜了。
The front wheel of the bicycle was out of shape；and several spokes were broken．自行车前轮变形了，还断了好几根钢条。
2．not able to perform well竞技状态不好
He is out of shape，that's why he can't play as well as he used to．他竞技状态不佳，所以打得不如从前那么好了。
3．not in good condition身体不佳；生病
I get tired easily；I must be out of shape．我动不动就感到疲倦，一定是病了。
She went to school as usual though she had been out of shape for several days．尽管身体不舒服已好几天了，她还是照常上学。

second thoughts

reconsideration；change of mind or opinion 再次考虑；改变主意
At first Mary agreed to marry John，but soon she was having sec ond thoughts．起初玛丽同意和约翰结婚，但是很快她就改变了主意。
The brave soldier had no second thoughts as he attacked the enemy．这位勇敢的战士进攻敌人时毫不犹豫。
On second thoughts，I'll do the ex periment at once at any cost．再次考虑后，我决定将不惜任何代价立即做实验。

second to

inferior only to；next to 仅次于
My English is second only to Tom's．我的英语仅次于汤姆的。

second to none

the best 最好的
As a football player John is second to none．约翰是最好的足球运动员。
In playing the violin she is second to none in our school．论拉提琴，她在我们学校里要算首屈一指了。

second nature to

Idiom(s): second nature to sb

Theme: EASY

easy and natural for someone.
• Swimming is second nature to Jane.
• Driving is no problem for Bob. It's second nature to him.

on second thought

Idiom(s): on second thought

Theme: CONSIDER

having given something more thought; having reconsidered something.
• On second thought, maybe you should sell your house and move into an apartment.
• On second thought, let's not go to a movie.

in the second place

Idiom(s): in the second place

Theme: ADDITIONALLY

secondly; in addition. (Usually said after one has said in the first place.)
• In the first place, you don't have enough money to buy one. In the second place, you don't need one.
• In the first place, I don't have the time. In the second place, I'm not interested.

in the pink of condition

Idiom(s): in the pink (of condition)

Theme: HEALTH - GOOD

in very good health; in very good condition, physically and emotionally. (Informal. In can be replaced with into.)
• The garden is lovely. All the flowers are in the pink of condition.
• Jane has to exercise hard to get into the pink of condition.
• I'd like to be in the pink, but I don't have the time.

in one's second childhood

Idiom(s): in one's second childhood

Theme: CHILDHOOD

being interested in things or people that normally interest children.
• My father bought himself a toy train, and my mother said he was in his second childhood.
• Whenever I go to the river and throw stones, I feel as if I'm in my second childhood.

in just a second

Idiom(s): in (just) a second

Theme: TIME

in a very short period of time.
• I'll be there in a second.
• I'll be with you in just a second. I'm on the phone.

get one's second wind

Idiom(s): get one's second wind

Theme: EXERCISE

for one's breathing to become stabilized after exerting oneself for a short time.
• John was having a hard time running until he got his second wind.
• Bill had to quit the race because he never got his second wind.
• "At last," thought Ann, "I have my second wind. Now I can really swim fast."

come off second-best

Idiom(s): come off second-best

Theme: LOSS

to win second place or worse; to lose out to someone else.
• John came off second-best in the race.
• Why do I always come off second-best in an argument with you?

in good condition

Idiom(s): in good shape AND in good condition

Theme: FUNCTIONING

physically and functionally sound and sturdy.
• This car isn't in good shape. I'd like to have one that's in better condition.
• Mary is in good condition. She works hard to keep healthy.
• You have to make an effort to get into good shape.

come off second best|best|come|second best

v. phr. To not win first but only second, third, etc. place. Our home team came off second best against the visitors. Sue complains that she always comes off second best when she has a disagreement with her husband.

in mint condition|condition|mint

adj. phr. Excellent; as good as new. Grandma seldom uses her car; it is already ten years old, but it is still in mint condition.

in shape|condition|in condition|shape

adj. phr. In good condition; able to perform well. The football team will he in shape for the first game of the season. Mary was putting her French in shape for the lest.
Compare: IN PRACTICE.
Antonym: OUT OF SHAPE.

in the pink|condition|in the pink of condition|pin

adj. phr., informal In excellent health; strong and well; in fine shape. Mr. Merrick had aged well; he was one of those old men who always seem in the pink of condition. After a practice and a rubdown, Joe felt in the pink.

on condition that|condition|on|on condition

conj. Providing that; if. I will lend you the money on condition that you pay it back in one month. She agreed to act in the play on condition that she could keep her costumes.

out of shape|condition|out|out of condition|shape

adj. phr. 1. Not in good condition; not able to perform well. Father was out of shape when he took a long hike with the boys, and he was stiff and sore the next day. Jack's pitching arm got out of condition during the winter, when he wasn't using it.
Compare: OUT OF PRACTICE. 2. Not look the same; changed. Someone sat on father's new hat and mashed it. It is now out of shape.
Antonym: IN SHAPE.

play second fiddle|fiddle|play|second fiddle

v. phr., informal To act a smaller part; follow another's lead; be less noticed. His wife had the stronger mind and he played second fiddle to her. During the tournament, lessons played second fiddle to basketball.

second best|second

adv. Second; in second place. The team came off second best in the game.

second childhood|childhood|second

n. phr. Senility; dotage. "Grandpa is in his second childhood; we must make allowances for him at the dinner table," my mother said, as Grandpa dropped food all over the place.

second class|class|second

n. 1. The second best or highest group; the class next after the first. Joe was good enough in arithmetic to be put in the second class but was not good enough for the first.
Compare: FIRST CLASS. 2. The place or quarters, especially on a ship, train, or airplane which people travel who pay the next to the highest fare. Aunt May bought a ticket to travel in the second class on the boat trip.
Compare: FIRST CLASS, THIRD CLASS. 3. A class of mail that includes magazines and newspapers published at least four times a year and costs less for mailing than first class mail.
Compare: FIRST CLASS.

second cousin|cousin|second

n. A child of your father's or mother's first cousin. Mary and Jane are second cousins.

second nature|nature|second

n. Something done without any special effort, as if by natural instinct. Cutting tall trees has become second nature to the experienced lumberjack.

second sight|second|sight

n. phr. Intuition; prescience; clairvoyance. Some police departments employ psychics to find missing persons or objects as they are said to have second sight.

second thought|second|thought

n. A change of ideas or opinions resulting from more thought or study. Your second thoughts are very often wiser than your first ideas. We decided to climb the mountain, but on second thought realized that it was too dangerous.
Compare: THINK BETTER OF.

second to none|second|to none

adj. phr. Excellent; first rate; peerless. Our new State University campus is second to none. There is no need to pay all that high tuition at a private college.

second wind|breath|second|second breath|wind

n. 1. The easier breathing that follows difficult breathing when one makes a severe physical effort, as in running or swimming. After the first quarter mile, a mile runner usually gets his second wind and can breathe better. We climbed with labored breathing for half an hour, but then got our second wind and went up more easily. 2. informal The refreshed feeling you get after first becoming tired while doing something and then becoming used to it. Tom became very tired of working at his algebra, but after a while he got his second wind and began to enjoy it.