English as a Foreign Language

2021-08-04 08:31:02 Open / Comment

2021-08-02 09:00:33 ​​ If someone is experiencing a bad period in their life, we can say they are going through a bad/rough/sticky patch. If their situation is extremely bad or unpleasant, we might say they are going through the mill:
They went through a bit of a sticky patch during the first lockdown.
Poor Jean is really going through the mill with her cancer treatment.
If you don’t know which way to turn, you do not know what to do in a difficult situation:
I lost my job and I didn’t know which way to turn. Open / Comment

2021-07-30 09:00:16 Open / Comment

2021-07-28 08:30:45 Open / Comment

2021-07-26 09:00:14 ​​ If someone has you over a barrel, they have put you in a very difficult situation where you have to do what they want you to, and if you have your back to the wall you have serious problems which mean that you do not have much choice about what you can do:
The builders had us over a barrel because if we didn’t pay, the whole project could be delayed by months.
We didn’t want to take out a loan, but we had our backs to the wall. Open / Comment

2021-07-23 09:00:59 Describing stubborn behaviour
If someone is bent on doing something (often something bad), they are determined to do it, and if they refuse to change their position at all, they won’t budge/move an inch. A strong way of saying that someone is determined to do something whatever the consequences is to say they will do it come hell or high water:
They seem bent on destroying the organization.
They offered us £500 and they wouldn’t budge an inch.
I’ll be in Hong Kong next week, come hell or high water. Open / Comment

2021-07-21 08:31:00 ​​CAN YOU GUESS THE WORD?
True ignorance is not the absence of knowledge, but the refusal to ______ it. (Karl R. Popper) Open / Comment

2021-07-19 09:01:21 ​​ If you walk a tightrope, you have to act very carefully in a difficult situation where there are conflicting needs or demands:
They are forced to walk a tightrope between providing modern medical care and respecting local traditions.
In over your head and out of your depth are swimming metaphors which describe being in a situation that is too difficult for you to deal with:
As we began researching venues and catering, we realized we were in over our heads and needed help.
He was a good politician but was out of his depth as chancellor. Open / Comment

2021-07-16 09:00:29 Describing stubborn behaviour
If you are trying to persuade someone who remains stubborn, you could say it’s like talking to a brick wall, or simply that they won’t/don’t listen (to a word you say). If you are trying in vain to refuse something they want you to do, you might say that they won’t take no for an answer:
Trying to persuade Martin to take on less work is like talking to a brick wall.
I’ve told her she needs to hire a nanny, but she won’t listen.
He’s asked me to give a lecture, and he won’t take no for an answer.
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2021-07-14 08:30:43 ​​CAN YOU GUESS THE WORD?
Five percent of people think; ten percent of people think they think; and the other eighty-five percent would rather ______ than think. (Thomas Edison) Open / Comment