Proof is in the pudding
you can judge the value or the quality of something only after you have tried it, experienced it or used it.
Examples
A: I don’t believe this new flash washing machine can save water and energy.
B: But you haven’t used it yet. The proof is the pudding.
A: This second-hand car does look a bit old – can you still drive it?
B: Well, why don’t you test drive it? The proof is in the pudding.
A: Do you think this will work?
B: I don’t know. But let’s wait and see – the proof is in the pudding.
Frogmarch
to force someone who is unwilling to move forward or to walk somewhere, often by holding their arms tightly.
Examples
The drunken suspect was handcuffed by the police and frogmarched to the waiting police van.
In major sporting events, if you disrupt the game, you risk being frogmarched out of the stadium by security guards.
Food for thought
serious ideas or topics for us to think about.
Examples
The football coach was really disappointed when his team lost 3-0 to an amateur side. But it gave him food for thought.
Mary’s divorce gave her food for thought. She decided to go back to university, get a diploma, and change her life around.
Butter up
you’ll be especially nice to them in the hope they’ll do something good for you in return.
Examples
Johnny: I was very impressed with your presentation, Mrs Beany. You are really intelligent and perceptive and…
Mrs Beany: Don’t waste your time buttering me up, Johnny. I’m not raising your salary anytime soon.
The director was always ready to butter up Angelina Jolie. He knew she was looking for her next role and he wanted her in his movie.
Joe Bloggs
when we want to refer to the average person we can use the name ‘Joe Bloggs’.
Examples
A: Bright purple jacket? Sparkly blue skirt? Who wears such outrageous clothes?
B: Well, this fashion designer is popular among the very trendy. These clothes are not for Joe Bloggs!
Listen, this is a very exclusive party I’m inviting you to. Don’t go around talking about it or every Tom, Dick and Harry will end up there.
Detective: The John Doe found at the scene is in the morgue right now. We’re waiting for the DNA test results to identify the body.
Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater
‘don’t lose something valuable while we’re getting rid of something else that we don’t want’.
Examples
I know you don’t like the dress, but I think if you make a few changes to it, it will look lovely. It’s such beautiful material. Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.
Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. I know the wallpaper is ugly, but this is a lovely house. We can always redecorate.
Take for a ride
he is deceiving you.
Examples
That hotel took me for a ride. When I booked a room they said they’d give me a full cooked breakfast but all I got was a cup of coffee and a piece of toast. I’m never going back there again.
Don’t be taken for a ride. If an offer seems too good to be true, it’s probably not real.
Like water off a duck’s back
criticisms or negative things have no effect on you - they’re just like water off a duck’s back - we don’t let them upset or affect us.
Examples
I won’t give up on my singing career just because someone said I’m no good. Criticism is water off a duck’s back to me!
I told John not to drive so fast but it was like water off a duck’s back. Last week he crashed his new car. Thankfully nobody was hurt.
Eat humble pie
they have to admit they can’t do something they boasted about.
Examples
The factory owner had to eat humble pie after a lot of customers complained about his product.
Peter is so arrogant. He said he could finish the work much quicker than anybody else in the office. I hope he has to eat humble pie.
Take to the cleaners
we’re going to take a lot of money from them.
Examples
My husband cheated on me with my best friend! I’m going to get the best divorce lawyer in town and take him to the cleaners!
My team has the best players and we’ll take you to the cleaners in this Sunday’s match!
Phishing
It’s the name of a particular kind of fraud on the internet.
when someone sends you an email pretending to be a reputable company or person hoping you’ll respond and give them your personal information. They want things like your bank account number, password, that kind of thing.
Examples
Our bank never sends emails to clients asking them to reply to a message confirming their password. I’m afraid you’ve been a victim of phishing, sir.
I’ve just received an email informing me that I won the lottery. They want my bank details to deposit the prize. But I’ve never entered the lottery. This must be phishing!
Give the cold shoulder
they’re behaving in a way that is not friendly at all and they’re doing it for no obvious reason.
they are rejecting you or ignoring you.
Examples
After Mary divorced her rich husband all their friends gave her the cold shoulder. She was not invited to their lavish parties anymore.
My brother told our parents I haven’t been studying at all and my marks are low. I’m not happy and I’ve been giving him the cold shoulder. Let’s see if he’s got the message.
Viral
‘to go viral’ is used for a picture or a video which has become extremely popular by being circulated quickly and broadly on the internet.
Examples
A video of First Lady Michelle Obama dancing with a turnip has gone viral on the internet. Hundreds of thousands of people have watched her video in support of healthy eating.
Viral videos are big business nowadays and even marketing companies are posting amateur-looking videos in the hope of cashing in on the trend.
Snail mail
the traditional letter delivering service in which you have a postman and a post box. It’s different from email or electronic mail, when the message sent on the computer travels quickly to its destination.
Examples
I’m sending my auntie Marge this lovely birthday card via snail mail. She lives in Japan.
I much prefer using email these days. All I get by snail mail are these marketing leaflets!
Post
If you write an opinion on a social media website - you ‘post’ a comment - your comment is… well, ‘a post’! Before, you had to go to the post office to… post your letters.
Examples
This website’s all about how trendy it is to wear fur. I don’t like it at all. I think I’ll post a comment!
Mary has a blog about food and she publishes new posts every day.
Hard copy
the paper version of a document you write on your computer or of a digital picture you take.
Examples
I’ll give you a hard copy of my report, Mary. You can read it on the bus, on your way home.
I have a digital copy of my wedding picture as a screensaver at work but I much prefer my hard copy in a frame. It’s much nicer.
Face the music
you have to accept the consequence of your mistakes.
Examples
Whoever keeps missing these deadlines will have to face the music.
After two years of stealing from the family who hired her, the nanny was caught stealing red-handed. Now she has to face the music.
Like turkeys voting for Christmas
someone accepts a situation which will have a negative outcome for them.
Examples
Workers agreeing to pay cuts would be like turkeys voting for Christmas.
It would be like turkeys voting for Christmas if people asked for a tax rise.
Killing time
to do something which isn’t really important just to keep you occupied until the start of your next plan or arrangement.
Examples
I turned up an hour early for my flight, so I just looked at the duty free to kill some time.
I had an hour between work and meeting my friends so I killed time in a department store.
I always arrive hours early for job interviews. I’d rather have to kill time than deal with the stress of being late!
romcom, whodunnit, sci-fi
‘Romcom’ is a word which takes the first two halves of the words ‘romantic’ and ‘comedy’.
‘Whodunnit’ is short for ‘who has done it’. The point of these films is for the audience to try to guess who committed a serious crime – usually murder.
‘Sci-fi is a word which takes the first two halves of the words ‘science’ and ‘fiction.’ These films usually feature robots, aliens and inventions from the future.
Examples
My favourite sci-fi movie is Star Wars. I can’t wait for the next film in the series!
I’m catching a movie with my friends after work. We’re going to watch the latest romcom.
Alfred Hitchcock was the master of the whodunnit. Nobody makes better films in that genre than he did!