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“To fancy” – English slang

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To fancy someone

Example sentences from the web:

  • The thing is, you marry a woman you fancy.
  • Did you fancy anyone?
  • No, I do not fancy Miss Pattman and I will not have her disrespected in this way.

Notice that in British English “to fancy” means also “to like something”:

If you both fancy the dress, you’ll just have to share and wear it one after the other.

To play cat and mouse with (someone) – English idiom

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To play cat and mouse withExample sentences from the web:

  • The man is playing cat and mouse with his company about his plans to quit or not.
  • She loved to play cat and mouse with an admirer, acting by turns friendly, indifferent, and jealous.
  • The actor spent all the week playing cat and mouse with the press.

How to express emotions/feelings in English – (for beginner and intermediate English students)

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wheel of emotions

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How to express feelings in English (for beginners) – PRO ACE’s video

How to express emotions in English (for beginners) – Shaw English Online’s video:

Expressing feelings in English (for Intermediate English students) – ESLEnglishFaby’s video:

“To waffle” – British slang

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To waffleImage source

Probably you knew already the common meaning of “waffle” in British and American English. If you didn’t … this is a “waffle”:
waffle

A “waffle” is a type of pancake with a pattern of square dents in it, made in a waffle iron.

According to Random House Dictionary waffle with the British English meaning of talking idly, and foolishly without purpose is derived from waff (which means to bark or to yelp like a dog) and first appeared in print between 1695-1705.

Example sentences from the web:

  • She waffled when asked what she thought of her sister’s new boyfriend.
  • If you don’t know the answer, it’s no good just waffling (on) for pages and pages.

From a British newspaper clipping (1957):
newspaper - to waffle

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Remember that in American slang the meaning of “to waffle” is different.
Example sentences from the web:

  • American voters waffled in 2000.
  • He waffled on an important issue.
    [= to fail to make up one’s mind; to equivocate; to waver; to oscillate between options].

Quiz on vocabulary – for advanced English learners

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Fill in the gaps in the sentences. Use a dictionary if necessary.

Vocabulary quiz

McCarthy, M., O’Dell, F. (2006), English Vocabulary in Use, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, p. 139.


Tomorrow the answers will be available on Facebook: Free English Materials
(Album: Quizzes’ answers).

“To be a big fish in a small pond” – English idiom

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To be a big fish in a small pond

Example sentences from the web:

  • As long as you stay, you’re a big fish in a small pond… …and can blame everyone for holding you back.
  • Steve has both a Ph.D. and an M.D., yet he’s content with his practice at a rural hospital; he prefers to be a big fish in a little pond.
  • I’ve got to get out of this town. It’s just too small. I’m tired of being a big fish in a small pond. I want to move to a big city like New York or Los Angeles.

NOTICE that this idiom could be used with a different meaning, referring to someone who is important in a small group or organization, but who won’t be so important in a larger one.

  • “If he is such a great actor, why doesn’t he move to New York City?”
    Reply: “He likes being a big fish in a small pond.”

This idiom is explained very well here: http://painintheenglish.com/ 

“For example, a man started his own heating / air conditioning repair company. He had 4 locations and a fleet of 10 trucks. He was a prominent businessman in the community and his business netted $1 million per year. In a town of 25,000 people, he was in the top 1% of incomes and because he brought so much money into the community, he had a certain leverage with the city council. They would be very careful to allow building permits near his businesses without checking with him first.

However, if that man moved to a large city, for example: New York City, then 4 locations, 10 trucks, $1 million / year would not be special at all. For a small town (pond), he had a big business (he was a big fish), but in a large lake (New York City), he was a much smaller business (much smaller fish) by comparison”.

Word of mouth – What does it mean?

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word of mouth

Example sentences from the web:

  • The news of their affair was spread by word of mouth.
  • Word of mouth is the best advertisement.
  • I get paid to create word of mouth about cool new products.

Words you may not know:

AFFAIR => an intense amorous relationship, usually of short duration.
TO SPREAD => to tell information to a lot of people.