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Hi this is Tutor Nick P and this is Idioms 264. The idiom today is let one's hair down.
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Okay. Let's take a look at the note here. If someone lets his or her hair down, he
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or she lets himself or herself behave a lot more freely, especially
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without worrying about what one thinks. So they could just be themselves. They could let
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their hair down. They could relax. That's what we mean by to let one's hair down.
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Okay. Let's continue. The origin of this idiom goes all the way back to the 17th
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century. At this time, it was proper for women to wear their hair up in public
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often pinned up in a bun. So it probably felt a little . It probably felt
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constricted. It didn't really feel probably very natural, but that was the proper way.
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So they were probably more stressed during the day. The only time it was
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considered proper for a woman to let her hair down was when she was bathing
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no washing or brushing her hair. When they were home alone. So that's the only
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time they could let their hair down. That's the only time they could just be
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themselves and not worry about somebody looking at them or saying something
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about them or thinking something improper about them. Okay.
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Thus this was the only time. They can relax and be more free. Okay. So that's
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really where it comes from. That's why we tell people to let one's hair down. It goes
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all the way to several centuries ago, especially in regard to women having to
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wear it up to be proper. Okay. Anyway, let's look. We have three examples here.
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The way we use it today. Example number one. You had a stressful week. You should
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come with us to the disco tonight and let your hair down. Good or number two.
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you have been working too hard recently. You should come over and let your hair
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down tonight. We are having a get-together. Okay. It's another way. After
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my finals are over meaning after they're
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finished I'm going to let my hair down and go partying. You know, go have fun,
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especially a lot of college students might say that. Maybe their finals were
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over. They can act crazy. Go out with their friends. They're going to let their
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hair down and you know just party. Get out their stress. Okay. Anyway, I hope you
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got it. I hope it was clear. Thank you for your time.
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Bye-bye.