To bite off more than you can chew
Podcast: Play in new window
| Download
If you bite off more than you can chew things might be difficult for you. This expression might sound like it is talking about eating but – don’t be fooled – it is not. Another expression with a similar meaning is to get in over your head. You can use both of these expressions when you agree to do something and then find that it is too difficult.
 |
 |
 |
 |
Maura: Right! So you get involved in something, but it’s more difficult than you realized and maybe too difficult for you.
Jessie: Right! Or maybe you take more responsibility than you can actually handle.
Maura: Right! So, if you imagine that you bite a piece of food and it’s a very, very big piece, it will be difficult to chew the food.
Jessie: Right! So, when we’re talking about this as an idiom, you can imagine that you’re agreeing to do something, but then you can’t actually do it. Just like you’re biting the food, but you can’t actually chew it.
Maura: Right, because it’s too much or too difficult.
Jessie: Exactly! So, for instance, if I agreed to arm wrestle Arnold Schwarzenegger, I would be biting off more than I can chew.
Maura: I think you would definitely be biting off more than you can chew because Arnold Schwarzenegger is pretty strong.
Jessie: Yeah, he’s probably a lot stronger than me.
Maura: And a lot stronger than me, too.
Podcast/ Lipservice: Culips ESL Podcast, Photo credit: Dave 77459
No trackbacks yet.
Do you usually try to look on the bright side?
07/18/2010 - 10:17 pm
Posted in Catch Word | No comments
When you find yourself in a bad situation, do you try to look on the bright side? If your friend gets some bad news, have you ever said: Every cloud has a silver lining? When life gives you lemons, do you make lemonade? In this episode, we are optimistic and trying to find the [...]
Harp is a chip off the old block.
07/4/2010 - 8:02 pm
Posted in Catch Word | 1 comment
Are you a chip off the old block? Are you similar to any relatives that came before you? In this episode we are talking about family, and how often family members look alike and act alike. There are many ways to talk about this, and some especially fun expression like to be a chip [...]
Expression: are you on the ball today?
06/13/2010 - 5:29 pm
Posted in Catch Word | No comments
In this episode we look at expressions that describe someone who is intelligent, prepared, capable of doing some work! Do you know someone like this? Do you know someone who always seems on the ball? If you know someone who is alert and knows how to get the job done, then you may need to [...]
Expression: To brush up on something
04/11/2010 - 8:05 pm
Posted in Catch Word | No comments
You might be checking out this Culips episode because you are brushing up on your English! In this episode we look at three expressions that mean exactly the same thing: to brush up on, to bone up on, to polish up on. These expressions are good to know if you are studying something you already [...]
To tear a strip off someone
04/4/2010 - 12:00 am
Posted in Catch Word | No comments
As Harp and Robin explain in this episode, to tear a strip off someone, is to get very upset at them and to express that emotion in a very harsh and angry way. This could involve yelling or screaming, or just very angry, mean words.
As you can imagine, literally getting a strip torn off [...]
Expression: Two-faced
03/28/2010 - 6:24 pm
Posted in Catch Word | No comments
In this episode we talk about a person that you do not want to be friends with. We describe a person who is two-faced! We also give examples of how a person talks behind another’s back and how someone backstabs another. If you ever find yourself in these situations you will know how to [...]
Expression: Shrug it off
02/14/2010 - 6:23 pm
Posted in Catch Word | 6 comments
In this episode, Robin and Jessie discuss the expression to shrug something off. Check out the picture here to see an example of someone shrugging. In certain situations a person may want to shrug it off, or have to roll with the punches, and afterwards pick up the pieces. Listen to hear how all these [...]
Slang: Dude!
01/24/2010 - 12:39 am
Posted in Curious Questions | 1 comment
Dude! This word is very popular nowadays, especially with young people. You can often hear this word in movies and television shows, or with your Native English speaker friends. It has been around for awhile but young people are using the word dude, more and more. So…dude, what does it mean?
Maura: You want to [...]
Pet Peeves
01/10/2010 - 11:10 pm
Posted in Chatterbox | 2 comments
Everyone has personal pet peeves that bother you. Someone’s pet peeves are usually cultural. Pet peeves are usually small, day-to-day things. Are you curious about what pet peeves are now? Listen to this episode to find out what they are. All of the Culips members share their personal pet peeves too!
Robin: [...]
Expression: Corny
11/29/2009 - 11:05 pm
Posted in Catch Word | 4 comments
Sometimes movies are corny, or music is corny. It is a fun adjective that can describe just about anything. A synonym for corny is cheesy, and it has nothing to do with cheese! Check out this episode to hear our corny examples.
Harp: Corny.
Jessie: I like it.
Harp: I like it as well.
Jessie: So, does that [...]
Of all the podcasts with 'real world' English examples, I like yours the best. Maybe its the fun you put into the lessons. The students can here that in your voices. And they also feel your dedication to what you are doing - it's just not a job you do, but a gift you give to everyone who listens. And while the students like the Lipservice PDFs for all the information it contains, as a teacher I am impressed by the professional effort put into making them. I give the Culips podcast and the Culips crew my highest recommendation, both as a teacher, and a listener. 
09/28/2009 - 11:14 am
Hi, This is Amr from Egypt. Unfortunatly, The podcast audio was not complete.
09/29/2009 - 10:42 am
Hi Amr,
Hope you are having a nice week! I checked the audio file and it is working for me. What is the problem when you try to listen to it? Is it a technical problem?
Let us know, we will try to help get it fixed so you can continue to learn with Culips.
Harp
harp@culips.com