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  • Hi, everybody.

  • Welcome back to our weekly live stream.

  • My name is Alicia and today we're going to talk about everyday English idioms.

  • I've chosen some very common idioms that we use a lot in American English.

  • So today I'm going to talk about what these expressions mean and when and how you can use them in your everyday life too.

  • So we have a lot of vocabulary to cover today.

  • As I talk about these expressions, please feel free to make some sentences in the chat on YouTube or on Facebook.

  • And I will try to check in real time.

  • Sorry if I can't catch yours, but please make sure to send lots of examples with this today.

  • All right.

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  • So please check that.

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  • Okay.

  • But I see some people are in the chat on YouTube and Facebook.

  • Hi, everybody I see on the YouTube chat John and Andy person Den Jerry!

  • Mahmoud.

  • Hello, everybody there on Facebook.

  • Young Jasmine, Celcom, Walla Rafa Fallin.

  • Hello, everybody.

  • Thank you very much for joining us.

  • As I said, today's topic is everyday English idioms, everyday idioms that we can use at work at school.

  • Uh, at your office at wherever you go.

  • These are very common, Um, and very convenient idioms.

  • I think we're going to begin in about two minutes or so.

  • So as you join, please make sure to like the video and to share the video too, so that other people can find it.

  • I have two announcements as usual.

  • First, I shared this on Instagram on the Facebook a couple days ago.

  • This is a recent episode of Ask Alicia.

  • We had a short break to change a couple things, but we're back now.

  • And I wanted to remind you, if you want to send questions, please make sure to send your questions to the official.

  • Ah, submission page.

  • That's at English Class 101 dot com slash ask hyphen.

  • Alicia.

  • So if you want to submit your questions, please send them here also, if you will have, like, an advanced question, please feel free to send that to like, if you have ah, more complicated topic.

  • Please feel free to send your questions to the series and I will take a look.

  • So we get a lot of questions that are very, very similar or we've talked about a few times already.

  • So I'm totally happy to receive, uh, more advanced questions too.

  • So that's one second is that we have new p d EFS available.

  • This is one of them.

  • I will show you a bit later.

  • There are new P.

  • D efs, uh, from the link below the video on YouTube and above the video on Facebook.

  • So you're watching on instagram.

  • Check the other s o.

  • I'll show you those a little bit later, but if you don't want to wait, you confined them from the link below or above.

  • Okay, I say lots of people are joining us now.

  • Fantastic.

  • So I'm going to share the video, and then I'm going to get started.

  • So, as I said today, we're going to practice lots of idioms.

  • I'm going to introduce the meaning of the expression and then how you might use the expression.

  • And then I'll try to check the chat to see your examples intense is to see if you've used it correctly.

  • Okay, so I will share the video and begin.

  • All righty, then.

  • So let's begin, then.

  • Over here on the left side of the board with this expression.

  • But I think many of, you know, to kill two birds with one stone to kill two birds with one stone.

  • I was just talking to control.

  • Death Control desk has a similar expression.

  • Uh, which is to kill two birds with one bullet.

  • Okay.

  • With one bullet.

  • So this idea here to birds one stone.

  • This means to do one task.

  • Like to take one action.

  • In this case, the action is a stone.

  • We say stone because a long time ago, like when hunting we had, we could throw, I guess throw a stone so stone means rock and use it to kill an animal.

  • We were hunting in this case, two birds.

  • So to kill two birds with one stone means to achieve two things with one action to achieve two things with one action.

  • So you can use this at the office, for example.

  • Maybe you have a meeting and the meeting is with someone you haven't seen for a long time, so you can maybe say, Oh, I'm going to kill two birds with one stone.

  • I'll catch up with this person and will meet about a specific topic.

  • So to kill two birds with one stone means to achieve to achieve two things with one action two birds with one's down.

  • So I think many people are familiar with this expression to kill two birds with one stone.

  • So a good, warm up one.

  • Uh, And as I said, if you have an example sentence, please feel free to send that in the chat.

  • We'll try to check, okay, the next one.

  • I use a lot on this channel, and I use it a lot on, like social Media, or to talk about the things that we are doing here to keep an eye out, to keep an eye out, and usually the proposition that we use here to keep an eye out for something to keep an eye out for something.

  • So I say, like a please keep an eye out for our next video, or please keep an eye out for, uh, the new series we're making, so please keep an eye out for means.

  • Please watch carefully or please like wait carefully.

  • So it's like something.

  • Something is coming.

  • Something is coming soon and I hope you are ready for it.

  • So I want you to be ready for it.

  • Please keep an eye out for our next video.

  • Please keep an eye out for a new restaurant in the neighborhood.

  • Please keep an eye out for means.

  • Please look for So this means I keep one eye specifically you might Here, keep your eyes also in the plural form means like please use your eyes to watch carefully for something.

  • Use your eyes to watch carefully for something, so keep an eye out for something.

  • Okay?

  • I don't see any examples yet, but I will check throughout today's lesson.

  • Let's go to the next one.

  • This next one is maybe a little bit more challenging to understand.

  • Oh, sorry.

  • Black.

  • How Kim?

  • Yes.

  • You can use the plural form keep your eyes out for is also Okay.

  • Okay.

  • Um so let's go to this next one to add fuel to add fuel to the fire.

  • So fuel, what is fuel?

  • Fuel is like the stuff you put in a car or another machine to make the car run.

  • So gasoline, or maybe petrol, so gasoline is an example of fuel.

  • To add fuel to the fire toe, add fuel to the fire, so fire.

  • Of course, a fire is not a good situation, so fire is dangerous.

  • Fire is bad, so to add fuel to the fire means toe.

  • Add something else to the fire.

  • It begins.

  • It gets bigger and bigger, in other words, so to add fuel to the fire, we always use the definite article here, not a.

  • To add fuel to the fire means to make to make, to make a bad situation, to make a bad situation worse, to make a bad situation worse.

  • So there's already a problem.

  • And then when you add fuel to the fire, something happens.

  • Or someone makes a decision that makes a bad situation an even bigger problem to add fuel to the fire.

  • So we might use this in an example where, like there's been a mistake in a project.

  • But then the leader of the project gets sick like Oh, no, this Abbs, fuel to the fire.

  • This makes the problem worse.

  • Toe.

  • Add fuel to the fire.

  • Okay.

  • Uh, Edgard on YouTube says, Is this like teasing someone who's already angry?

  • In that case, we have a different expression.

  • So, Edgar, I'll add one to today's list to tease someone who was already angry, like you're doing it on purpose.

  • Uh, I'll add that's down here.

  • We have the expression to poke the bear to poke the bear.

  • So when you want Thio for some reason, uh, tease somebody so to t someone means to make jokes or to kind of insult them?

  • Uh, you, Pope Polk is this motion.

  • Polk is this Motion and Bear is the animal so bare is like an aggressive animal.

  • So we used the expression to poke the bear when we want to tease somebody who was already upset her is already angry, So to add fuel to the fire usually describes a situation specifically a situation.

  • Okay, Um um, let's see other examples.

  • Good.

  • Okay.

  • I don't see other questions, so let's continue to the next one.

  • The next one is to wrap your head around something to wrap your head around something to wrap.

  • This verb is used for, like, presence.

  • Yeah, so we cover a presence we cover a box?

  • Uh, this action is called rapping to wrap something, but hear this expression to wrap your head around something like we cannot actually put our head around an object.

  • This expression just means to understand something to understand, something to understand, something usually something that is confusing.

  • And we often use this expression in the negative form.

  • Like I can't wrap my head around why he made this decision or I can't wrap my head around why he wrote that message.

  • So I can't understand that thing.

  • So to wrap your head around, something kind of makes it sound a little bit more like a You're closer to the situation.

  • It has a more casual feel about it.

  • I can't wrap my head around this, so we often use this idiom in the negative, for I can't wrap my head around that.

  • Okay, on to the next one to call it a day to call it a day.

  • We use this expression at the end of the day, like when we are leaving the office, or like we're leaving school and we usually say I'm gonna call it a day.

  • I'm gonna call it a day so, to call it a day means to finish or to decide to decide, to finish, to decide, to finish work, to decide to finish school.

  • So maybe you've been working all day.

  • You reach the stopping point in your work.

  • And you think, OK, I'm finished for today.

  • I'm going to call it a day.

  • So it here is today.

  • So I'm going to say today is done.

  • Today's is one day.

  • I'm finished with the day.

  • I'm gonna call it a day.

  • So we use this at the end of the day.

  • Usually when we leave work or we leave school or we leave some place where we have responsibility of some kind.

  • Okay, Good.

  • I don't see any questions yet.

  • Some of good examples air coming in about wrapping your head around something Lily says Why aren't you wrapping your head around this?

  • It's not your business.

  • Oh, why are you wrapping your head around this?

  • That one's a little that means to understand.

  • So, uh, we wouldn't use this to mean no.

  • Like, in that case, maybe it seems like Why do you know that?

  • Or how did you know that it's not your business.

  • We would use it in that way.

  • We use wrap your head around something to try to understand something confusing.

  • We do not use this expression for, like, um, asking why someone knows something or how someone knows something.

  • Uh, yeah.

  • Dude, guy have funny names on you.

  • Do has a good, uh, response to your answer to, but your head into something that's good for your situation.

  • Okay, on to the next one.

  • Times going quick.

  • Last one.

  • I have a beautiful visual for this is a rocket.

  • The expression is it's not rocket science.

  • It's not rocket science.

  • This expression means it's not difficult.

  • It's not difficult.

  • So why did we choose this expression?

  • So rocket science means science.

  • We need to use to launch a rocket, like to send a rocket to space, which is difficult.

  • Or at least it has.

  • The, uh, we associate that we think it's a difficult topic, so it's not.

  • Rocket science is used when we kind of wanted tease someone and say This really isn't difficult.

  • You couldn't do it.

  • So, for example, like sending an email, it's maybe someone is having trouble sending an e mail, and we want to tease them like Come on.

  • It's not rocket science, so it's not a difficult task.

  • You should be able to do this.

  • It should be No problem.

  • It's not rocket science, okay?

  • It's not a big deal.

  • Alright?

  • Eh, So we'll end there for the first part of that was a lot of explanation.

  • I got to go quickly in the next part, so we'll take one quick break.

  • I will introduce now a couple of the new PDS that I mentioned at the beginning of the lesser.

  • We have a the other camera today, so I picked up.

  • I think I showed this one last week A little bit.

  • There are.

  • I'll show you these two for now.

  • This one I showed last week.

  • Uh, this is the talking online.

  • Pdf.

  • This one has lots of Internet phrases on the back here.

  • So if you ah, like, if you see these online, this is what these common expressions mean.

  • And then there are some other common phrases and questions you can use as well as vocabulary words about the Internet.

  • This other one I wanted to show this is leisure.

  • It says leisure.

  • This means hobbies.

  • So, talking about your hobbies.

  • And then again, on the back is some extra vocabulary to help you express specifically your hobbies.

  • So pick one of these up.

  • You can choose one of these.

  • There's a lot more to so you can take a look at these.

  • You confined these from the link below the video on you do or above the video on Facebook.

  • You're watching an instagram.

  • Please check YouTube or Facebook.

  • Okay, so with that, let's go to the next part.

  • If you're just joining.

  • Today's topic is everyday English idioms, and please make sure to like and share the video.

  • If you haven't already so, others can find it.

  • All right, let's go to the next part's.

  • The next part is here, this one.

  • I also have a beautiful visual for Okay, so this next expression is to burn the candle at both ends to burn the candle.

  • This is my candle.

  • You'll notice it's looking weird.

  • So to burn means like to have light something on fire, and it gradually goes down like a candle, right?

  • So usually when we burn a candle, it's at one end.

  • So this is one end of a candle.

  • This is the other end of a candle to burn.

  • The candle at both ends, however, means, uh, to work extremely hard.

  • So it means to work hard, yes, but usually with negative effects.

  • So, yes, you're working hard, but because you're burning the candle at both ends, the candle were we imagine the candle as like your health, like your body's condition or your mental condition.

  • So if you burn the candle at both ends, your mental or you're like physical condition goes down very quickly, So there are negative effects to burning the candle at both ends.

  • So maybe, for example, someone who's at the office like every night until two in the morning.

  • They're burning the candle at both ends like they're working too hard.

  • It's having a negative effect on their mental state or on their physical state to burn the candle at both ends to burn the candle at both ends.

  • Okay, good onto the next one to be in the dark to be in the dark.

  • So in the dark week, always use this, though we always use the definite article in the dark in this expression, so dark dark means there's no light.

  • So, like at night time.

  • There is no life.

  • There's no sunlight.

  • There's nothing This expression means to have no information to have no information.

  • So we use this expression when we want to share that.

  • We don't know something, but maybe other people do.

  • So maybe you didn't check an email or you didn't get some information you need.

  • So you could say, uh, I'm in the dark about the topic for today's meeting or I'm in the dark about the plans for this weekend.

  • What's going on?

  • So I'm in the dark means I have no information.

  • I don't know anything.

  • I can't see anything.

  • I am in the dark in terms of information.

  • Okay, good.

  • Some examples.

  • Air coming in.

  • Uh, I'm burning the candle at both ends, improving my English.

  • Okay, but be careful, because this is like, remember, there's kind of a feeling of a negative effect.

  • Like it's a little bit too much.

  • Maybe, but good other.

  • I saw one more, uh, someone I think Lily wrote.

  • I'm burnt out right now.

  • I'm burnt out.

  • Yes.

  • So burnout isn't similar.

  • A similar expression, which means I did too much okay onto the next one.

  • Then this one to play Devil's Advocate.

  • This is a really interesting expression with a really interesting history that I don't have time to talk about it on thing.

  • So let's look at just the meaning to play.

  • To play here does not mean like to have fun or like to go out and enjoy yourself.

  • To play here refers to like an actor or an actress playing meaning being in the rule of, so to play Devil's Advocate.

  • So the devil like to give, like a little image of it.

  • The devil is like this bad is bad creature, right?

  • Evil creature.

  • So devils advocate.

  • So an advocate is someone who works for someone else, like you're trying to convince someone of something for someone else.

  • So in this case, if I make myself an example sentence, I say I'm going to play Devil's Advocate.

  • This expression means to argue against something, to argue against something, uh, for discussion purposes.

  • So this is very, very common in business or in, like any kind of debate or discussion to play doubles advocate.

  • So this means I don't believe the question I'm asking you, but I'm goingto ask you the question so that we can talk about it.

  • So, for example, if a friend shares an idea business idea with me and she says, I want to create a bar, This is my concept.

  • I might say, OK, I'm going to play Devil's Advocate here So maybe I think it's a good idea, but we need to talk about all the possibilities.

  • So I say Okay, like, how are you going to get money or how are you going to promote this?

  • So we say, I'm going to play Devil's Advocate.

  • In other words, I'm not going to just agree with you.

  • I'm going to ask you questions so you have to explain yourself.

  • So a lot of people, sometimes I've noticed they get kind of, like, not sure when they have to explain themselves.

  • But this is very, very common in, like English business, Andi as well, just in in sharing ideas in English discussions.

  • Okay, on to the next one times, going quick to draw a blank.

  • To draw a blank means to be unable to remember something to be unable to remember something a great visual to remember, something a great visual for this is when someone asks you something and you think you've heard of it before.

  • Maybe you don't know, but you can't remember.

  • It's like in your head.

  • Someone said like, Hey, do you remember that English Channel from the Internet?

  • You're like, uh yes, but I can't remember.

  • I can't remember.

  • So in your head you're like this may be you know, this symbol on like, uh, in like, text.

  • So you're reading text and there's a blank like I just drew a blank.

  • There's something here that I can't remember to draw a blank means to be unable to remember something.

  • I can't remember this thing.

  • Sorry, I'm drawing a blank on her name or I'm drawing a blank on that company means I can't remember it in my mind.

  • There's a blank space right there to draw a blank.

  • OK, on here the next one.

  • Another fire expression to fight fire with fire.

  • To fight fire with fire means to use the same weapon or the same one.

  • Let's go with weapons to use the same weapon as your opponent.

  • So to fight fire with fire means to do the same thing as the person opposing you as your enemy.

  • So this doesn't mean in like fighting, but it usually means in like arguments.

  • So for example, if your neighbour shouts at you and says you're too noisy, then you might shout back.

  • You used the same tactic shouting to say, Well, you stay up too late and make lots of noise.

  • So to fight fire with fire means to use the same strategy in a competition or in a fight to fight fire with fire.

  • So if I use fire, my opponent will also use fire to fight fire with fire.

  • OK, onward.

  • We have lots to talk about.

  • Still to go viral To go viral means to get very popular on the Internet in a very short period of time.

  • So, like maybe a 24 hour period of time or something like that to go viral.

  • So my video went viral or this picture went viral This went viral.

  • We use it in past tense.

  • A lot to go viral in past is we went viral.

  • My video went viral.

  • Something went viral.

  • Okay, is Facebook okay?

  • Okay.

  • I think YouTube is okay.

  • Let's go then.

  • Thio This last one for this category Hair of the dog, Hair of the dog.

  • This is specifically used in alcohol related situations.

  • So the hair of the dog that bit you, this is used on the day after drinking.

  • You have a really bad what's called hangover.

  • That feeling of you drank alcohol.

  • You feel bad the next day.

  • So we say to cure a hangover, try the hair of the dog that bit you.

  • I don't have time to explain, like the whole history of this phrase, but it means drink a little bit of the alcohol you had the night before to fix your hangover.

  • The hair of the dog is alcohol means alcohol.

  • A little bit of alcohol.

  • Okay on.

  • Do I guess we'll continue on?

  • I think there might be an issue with the Facebook stream.

  • Sorry about that.

  • Some kind of delay.

  • Maybe, but I hope that it's okay.

  • So I'm gonna continue on.

  • I think YouTube is still OK, which is good.

  • So let's continue to the last part's.

  • The last ones are pretty quick.

  • Pretty quick expressions.

  • 1st 1 is hands down.

  • Hands down.

  • Means no doubts, no doubts.

  • So, for example, hands down she is the best actress.

  • Our hands down.

  • That was the best movie of last year.

  • Hands down.

  • That was the most amazing concert I've ever seen.

  • That means no doubts.

  • So the image here is like like there's no hands.

  • There's no other people suggesting something different.

  • So that means there's no doubts.

  • There's no other ideas.

  • So hands down, we use it right before a strong opinion, usually so hands down.

  • That was the best dinner you've ever made.

  • No doubts, No doubts.

  • All right, Next one.

  • Not my cup of tea.

  • Not my cup of tea means I don't like it.

  • I don't like it.

  • So we use this to try to softly say, We don't like something So, like cup of tea is, yes, a very simple kind of every day thing.

  • But when we say that's not my cup of tea, it means that's not what I prefer.

  • That's not the thing that I like.

  • It's not for me.

  • So like that movie wasn't my cup of tea or I don't think that restaurant is my cup of tea.

  • So it means maybe other people like it.

  • That's fine, but it's not for me.

  • I don't really like it very much.

  • It's not my cup of tea.

  • It's not my Cup already, almost then on the fence is the next one on the fence.

  • So on the fence, maybe what's out of visual here?

  • Let's say that this is a fence so good a dry.

  • Okay, so on the fence, If we're here on the fence, let's imagine this is a person on top of the fence.

  • This expression means not able to decide something on the fence, so I can't decide.

  • I can't decide I'm on the fence about we use usually use the proposition about.

  • I'm on the fence about something like I'm on the fence about which place I should move Thio or I'm on the fence about which job I should take.

  • So when you have two options in a situation and you can't decide all I should go this side or I should go decide to be on the fence means to be unable to decide.

  • We express our indecision with that.

  • I don't know, I don't know.

  • So we say I'm on the fence, I'm on that.

  • Okay, last three.

  • To read between the lines to read between the lines is a very common expression.

  • Imagine as you're reading text.

  • There are many lines in text.

  • So in a book or in the newspaper we have, this is one line or two lines of text.

  • So as we read, we see this information and in conversations, of course, in conversation.

  • We don't have these lines, of course.

  • So to read between the lines means to understand the meaning that is not being set its toe.

  • Understand the read the meaning that's not being said.

  • So I think, uh, other, like I know an expression in Japanese is to read wth e air to read the air.

  • This is the English version to read between the lines, So that means to understand something that is not being said directly.

  • Someone didn't directly say it, but we need to try to understand it.

  • So, like maybe a party host is, it's late at night and there are still many people at the party.

  • The party host starts to clean up, maybe cleaning up from the party and you might say, Oh, like, let's read between the lines here.

  • The party host wants us to leave, so they didn't say Please leave, but they're showing like it's time to go.

  • So to read between the lines means toe.

  • Understand something that's not set all wrecked.

  • Last do last do.

  • Uh, this one is long, but I This is an interesting expression to me.

  • I think about this expression a lot.

  • The expression is to take the wind out of someone's sales to take the wind out of someone sales.

  • The meaning of this expression is to cause someone to cost someone to lose confidence.

  • So this is a great one for an image.

  • I will drop very quickly.

  • So this comes from like a boat, a sail, a sail on a boat.

  • Oh, gosh.

  • It's so hard to see is the big sheet that a boat uses an old boat uses to move, so the boat needs wind.

  • Yeah, the wind is caught in the sale, and that pushes the boat along, so to take the wind.

  • So that means to remove the wind from someone's sale.

  • So imagine a person.

  • Okay, imagine a person is a boat and you or someone removes the wind from that person sales.

  • That means you take their confidence away like they can't move or they feel stuck.

  • You're taking away their motivation.

  • So that's to take the wind out of someone sales.

  • Like, uh, my boss told me that my my work was bad last week.

  • That's like, uh, like that person took the wind out of my sails.

  • Like they took away my confidence.

  • They took away my motivation.

  • Or like I invited my friend for coffee.

  • But she just ignored my message like it took the wind out of my sails.

  • So there's, like, a loss of confidence involved.

  • Okay, last one.

  • Few last one hit.

  • They have easy one.

  • I finished with an easy one to means to go, to sleep, to go to sleep.

  • I'm gonna hit the hay.

  • Means I'm gonna go to sleep.

  • You might also know Hit the sack.

  • Uh, that's another one.

  • That means go to sleep.

  • Leah.

  • Yes.

  • Stealing my thunder is a little bit different.

  • Stealing my thunder means taking, uh, like, taking over when someone else has an exciting moment.

  • So, like Kanye West taking over for Taylor Swift?

  • Wasn't that when he, like was like fiancee?

  • Did the greatest album?

  • Okay, never.

  • I'll tell Tony later.

  • Leah s o of these are some everyday English idioms that you can use at work at school, at home?

  • Yes, to take the wind out of someone.

  • Sales is to demoralize them.

  • Person.

  • All right, But I have to finish up today's lesson if you are watching on Facebook.

  • Sorry.

  • I think there might have been a little network problem there, but I hope it's okay.

  • So we'll finish up there for today.

  • Uh, thanks very much for sending lots of example.

  • Questions or example Sentences.

  • Ah, we'll be back again next week.

  • Next week I'm going to talk about used to and would used to and would.

  • So next week will be August 28th 28 Wednesday, August Tony 8:10 p.m. Eastern.

  • Standard time.

  • There's an S T.

  • There should be th uh, just for them.

  • So they know.

  • Uh, that'll be 10 p.m. Eastern standard time.

  • That is New York City time.

  • If you don't know your level time, please do the lip.

  • So, uh, so please join us to talk about used Thio.

  • I'll talk a lot about distant past expression.

  • So how to explain, like your childhood Or maybe your school studies or whatever.

  • So please join us again next week for that lesson, and I showed you a couple of these the new the new pdf.

  • If you haven't checked it out, there's a lot of new stuff to look at from the link below the video on YouTube.

  • Some of the video on Facebook.

  • So go get these.

  • You can download these.

  • These are free.

  • Check them out.

  • We'll finish there for today, though.

  • Thanks very much for joining us.

  • Don't forget to send some questions to ask Alicia, please, and we'll see you again next week.

  • Enjoy your week.

  • Enjoy your weekend.

  • Thanks for liking and sharing the video, and we'll see you again soon.

Hi, everybody.

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