The A to Z English Podcast Idioms A to Z 8: Body part idioms
In this episode, Kevin and Jack discuss talk about three idioms using body parts.
a rule of thumb 👍🏻
to keep your chin up
to find your feet 🦶🏼
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Full Transcript:
Jack
You are listening to the A-Z English podcast.
Kevin
Welcome to A-Z, English idioms from A-Z. Today we're going to talk about three different English idioms, where first we'll have a quick example using them, and then we'll try and define and explain and give you some more examples of how you can use.
Kevin
Them as.
Kevin
Well, remember to check our website.
Kevin
Or study guides and more.
Kevin
We also have links to our WhatsApp, Facebook and other social media, so you can come and use these idioms together with us.
Jack
So, Kev, how's that new job treating you?
Kevin
It's alright.
Kevin
It's a little hard.
Kevin
Still trying to find my feet.
Jack
Well, keep your chin up.
Kevin
Yeah, you know, that's that's a good rule of thumb.
Kevin
Thanks, man.
Kevin
I'll remember that.
Jack
No problem.
Kevin
OK, so again, we had the three, we went back and forth, so maybe this was a little easier to to hear for everyone we had.
Kevin
Find your feet.
Kevin
Keep your chin up and then, uh, rule of thumb, and you'll notice that all of these idioms, all three of these, are using your body parts, right?
Kevin
So feet, your chin, your thumb.
Kevin
We've all body part idioms and finding your feet.
Kevin
What does that mean?
Kevin
I mean, it's very easy to find my feet.
Kevin
I know exactly where my feet.
발표자 1
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Kevin
I can touch them.
Kevin
So So what does it mean to to find your feet somewhere?
Jack
So the idiom find your feed, so finding your feed means.
Jack
Figuring figuring something out or getting used to something.
Kevin
Yeah, getting used to it.
Jack
So in in a dialogue I was asking you I.
Jack
Said. How is your new?
Jack
How is your new job treating?
Kevin
Right, right, right.
Jack
You like how is?
Jack
How is.
Jack
Your new job going.
Jack
And you said I'm still finding my feet, so that means you you're not comfortable yet, you're still learning, you're still figuring out how the company works, you'll still figuring out.
Jack
What your job duties are and so you're not 100% comfortable, yet, you're still finding your feet.
Kevin
Yeah, I think, I mean, you can maybe even picture this like a baby learning how to walk, right?
Kevin
Like when babies are young, any animal or human babies when they're young, you know, they they.
Kevin
When you first start.
Kevin
Walking you're not very good at it.
Kevin
Yeah, you know, you you know what you want to do.
Kevin
The baby looks around and they see Mom and Dad walk.
Kevin
Thing and it's like I want to walk in so they try and try and try, but it takes them a little while until they find their feet until they get used to it.
Kevin
And then they're able to walk and it's the same thing in a company or a new anything.
Kevin
It takes a little while to get used to it.
Jack
Yeah, it takes a little while before you feel stability or stable, you know?
Kevin
Yeah. Nice. Yeah. Until.
Jack
And so being honest, yeah, unstable is not finding your feet yet, but stability is.
Kevin
You really feel?
Jack
I found my feet.
Jack
I'm comfortable, I'm stable.
Kevin
Yep, yeah.
Kevin
So you could even say, like, how's the new job?
Kevin
Oh, I've been there for a while.
Kevin
I've really found my feet now I'm very comfortable now I know what I'm doing.
Kevin
Up here.
Kevin
So what about keeping your chin up?
Kevin
Your chin?
Kevin
It's on your face, so I want to keep my chin up.
Kevin
Like, what am I doing?
Jack
Yeah, keep your chest.
Kevin
Where am I pointing my chin?
Jack
Yeah, well, when your chin is up, you feel, you feel proud, you feel confident.
Jack
And when your chin is down and your head is down, you look defeated.
Jack
You look down sad.
Kevin
Right.
Jack
So keep your chin up just means.
Jack
Cheer up, you know.
Jack
Put your head up.
Jack
Don't be.
Jack
Don't be ashamed.
Jack
Don't be shy.
Jack
I keep your chin up your you know you're doing fine.
Jack
You're doing a good job.
Jack
So yeah, I.
Kevin
Mean there's a lots of this, like even if you're feeling a little bit sad, right?
Kevin
And you're having some problems and it's like, if you're feeling sad, just keep your chin up and and just doing that will help you to feel a little bit more, you know, happy or comfortable.
Kevin
Even if you're just faking it out, don't don't act sad.
Kevin
Don't look sad.
Kevin
Like, just keep trying.
Kevin
Just keep your chin up and act happy, and then you'll feel better from doing that.
Jack
Yeah, exactly.
Jack
I yeah, I have one more example I can use.
Kevin
Yeah, so.
Kevin
Oh, nice.
Jack
Like when a when a team loses a game and they played really, really hard, but they lost the game a lot of times, the parents and the coach will say keep your chin.
Jack
Up because you don't.
Jack
You tried your best and you did a good job.
Jack
You lost the game.
Jack
But you don't need.
Kevin
Right.
Jack
To put your head.
Jack
You don't need to hang your head down.
Jack
You can keep your chin up.
Kevin
Right.
Jack
And so that's a really common example.
Kevin
Yeah, still be proud of of what you did.
Kevin
You still worked really hard.
Kevin
You still tried really hard.
Kevin
Keep your chin up.
Jack
Keep your chin up, yeah?
Kevin
And then finally our rule of thumb.
Kevin
So we've got lots of rules, right?
Kevin
Like in our classroom, you know we have rules of speak English only or do this, but what's a rule of your thumb, right?
Kevin
The the the.
Kevin
Big finger on your hand your your thumb.
Kevin
What is a thumb rule as we look?
Jack
I I'm. I'm.
Jack
Going to confess, make a confession here.
Jack
I have no idea where this idiom comes from.
Jack
Like I don't know the genesis of this.
Jack
But I do know that a rule of thumb is like a rule of life, a rule that you can live by.
Jack
So don't don't hurt other people, OK?
Jack
That's a rule of thumb.
Jack
You don't do that, OK?
Jack
And so we have, you know?
Jack
There are many rules of thumb, but they're just like common sense rules that you can live.
Jack
Buy in order to be, you know, live a a a good life and be a good person.
Jack
So we follow.
Jack
These rules.
Kevin
Rules of thumb are just general things that you should do right, like and.
Kevin
It's not always a good life necessary, though obviously just general general rules, right?
Jack
Yeah, that's true. Yeah.
Kevin
Like if you're talking to a friend who they haven't been out on a date in a really, really long time.
Kevin
And like, I've got a date tomorrow, I've got I'm taking a girl out to dinner.
Kevin
What should I what should I do and be like?
Kevin
Well, a good rule of thumb right could be to wear some nice clothes and buy dinner for your date.
Jack
Right.
Kevin
It's a rule.
Kevin
Of thumb, you don't have to.
Kevin
Do it, but it's generally a good idea to.
Kevin
Look nice and be on time and do those type of things.
Kevin
It's it's a rule.
Kevin
Of thumb.
Jack
Yeah, for it.
Jack
Another if you're taking a test.
Jack
Bring an extra pencil.
Jack
That's a good rule of thumb, because if the if the lead brakes on your pencil and you need a backup, you have one more pencil to finish the test.
Jack
So there's another rule of thumb.
Jack
Just bring an extra pencil with you.
Kevin
Yeah, kind of good advice.
Kevin
Good, good general rules that you should always, always follow a good.
Kevin
Rule of thumb.
Kevin
Always leave 5 minutes.
Kevin
Early, you know, so that you're you're on.
발표자 1
Yeah, yeah.
Kevin
Time like, don't.
Kevin
Leave on time.
Kevin
Leave just a little bit early just in case something happens.
Jack
And is a rule of thumb something you do one time or is it something you do every time?
Kevin
No, it would be something that you always do in whatever that situation is.
Kevin
It's just say, yeah, you don't.
Kevin
Have to do.
Kevin
It, but it's generally.
Kevin
A good idea?
Kevin
To do whatever, whatever that thing is.
Jack
Yeah, maybe it's not even only make yourself happy, but you're going to impress other people.
Jack
Say, oh, what a what a gentleman, what a gentle woman.
Jack
She always, you know, he or she always shows up on.
Jack
Time, yeah.
발표자 1
Right.
Jack
That's because your rule of thumb is leave 5 minutes early so you're never late, so yeah.
Kevin
Yeah, so a good rule of thumb is remember to check our website so you can find information there and our PDF and you can learn a little bit more and and help find your feet learning English as well.
Jack
There you go.
Kevin
So thanks for listening everybody.
Kevin
Remember, as I said, check our website for more and links to our WhatsApp and Facebook.
Kevin
And if you could on Apple Podcasts, leave us a quick review.
Kevin
That would be really helpful.
Kevin
For other people to get some idioms from A-Z.
Kevin
See you next time.
Jack
Bye, bye.
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