Lesson Three. A bitter pill to swallow - Chapter Six

Advanced everyday english: Advanced vocabulary, phrasal verbs, idioms and expressions - Collins Steven 2011

Lesson Three. A bitter pill to swallow
Chapter Six

Examples:

✵ What emerged from the discussion was that the project had been a complete flop, and will be a bitter pill for everyone to swallow.

✵ As soon as Maria first set eyes on her newborn baby boy, she knew that he wasn’t going to be endowed with the good looks of his elder brother. This was a very bitter pill for her to swallow.

Not on (not acceptable behaviour) Colloquial

Examples:

✵ We won’t stand for such blatant racism in this company, it’s just not on!

✵ Telling her she had a grating laugh was not really on, and you shouldn’t have taken the mickey out of her silly voice either.

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To alienate

i. (To make someone feel unsympathetic/hostile towards one’s views or actions) Examples:

✵ As time goes by, the Government are increasingly alienating the voters.

✵ In trying to keep creditors at bay, the directors have alienated the shareholders.

ii. (To become separated from—generally used in an emotional sense)

Examples:

✵ He could never appreciate the hardships which his parents went through in bringing him up, and became alienated from them in later life.

✵ I know it sounds like a cliche, but many people believe that the leaders of the party have become alienated from the ordinary members.

Slapdash (Careless, hurried done without thinking or planning)

Examples:

✵ ’Slapdash’ is the adjective I’d use to describe the proposed new layout of the entrance hall. The owners are going to be a bit disgruntled when they see it.

✵ He’s quite good at shrugging off criticism, so he won’t be too touchy if you tell him this time he has been rather slapdash in the way he approached the project.

To make a comeback

i. (To be successful again after a long break—often used for a musician, sports person or politician)

Examples:

✵ It was a foregone conclusion that he wouldn’t be able to make a comeback. Everyone knows he’s well past it.

✵ When he saw how well his old friend Steve was playing golf, it was his cue to try to make a comeback. He didn’t know what he was letting himself in for.

ii. (To be fashionable again)

Examples:

✵ It was thought that the Fiat Uno, once the best selling car of its kind, might make a comeback this year, but sales have continued to dwindle.

✵ The mini-skirt got a lot of hype when it came out in the sixties, and now many people are happy to see that it’s making a comeback... especially my husband!

Slim (Not very likely-generally used with “chances” or “odds”-note the most common meaning of “slim”, which readers will presumably already know, is the opposite of “fat” Unlike “thin”, “slim”is a positive word to describe someone. See 3rd example below)

Examples:

✵ Having alienated the general public to such a degree, the chances of the Government being re-elected are very slim.

✵ Parent: What are the odds on my son Nick being shortlisted for a place at Oxford?

Teacher: Very slim, I’m afraid.

Parent: That’s a bitter pill for us to have to swallow.

✵ Since she was branded “fat” by the press, she has become determined to be slim again...then she’ll be ready to make a comeback.

To pester (To annoy someone by continually asking or telling them to do something, to nag-see Practical Everyday English, page 61-note that a person who is perpetually pestering people can be called a “pest”)

Examples:

✵ When he started to pester me for more attention, the impatient side of my nature emerged.

✵ Sorry to pester you, but could you take me through the new data system again? I lost track of what you were saying.

✵ I’m feeling rather jaded tonight, so don’t be a pest!

To amend (To change, alter or correct a document, a text or law-note the expression “to make amends for”, which means to compensate for a mistake)

Examples:

✵ They will be phasing in a new law to deal with sex offenders, once it has been amended by Parliament.

✵ A: You’ll have to amend the book yourself if you think it needs dumbing down.

 B: That’s not what I’m saying. Don’t be so touchy. I just think you’ve been a bit slapdash, that’s all.

✵ You don’t have to grovel if you wish to make amends for what you’ve done. ’Sorry’will be sufficient.

To go/buy for a song (To be sold/buy very cheaply)

Examples:

✵ When one weighs up all the failings of the business, it’s not surprising it went for a song.

✵ We bought the house for a song thirty years ago, when we could hardly make ends meet. Now it’s worth a fortune and my jealous friends are feeling disgruntled.

To stray (To move away from the subject, to wander from the main path—note that a “stray”dog or cat is one that has permanently lost its owner or never had one)

Examples:

✵ The course gave me a good grounding in basic French, but my mind did begin to stray towards the end. Maybe I’m past it and should give up on the idea of studying anything.

✵ The driver was slightly unnerved by the fact that a few sheep had strayed on to the road.

✵ He alienates the neighbours by feeding stray cats in his garden. They huddle together outside his house and make real pests of themselves.