Words and Their Stories: Clothing Expressions, Part One
[audio]http://www.51voa.com/path.asp?url=/201108/se-ws-clothing-expressions-part-one-21aug11.mp3[/audio][color=#333333][font=Verdana, Arial, Simsun][size=12px]
Now, the VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.
Have you ever considered all the English expressions that include words about clothes? Let's see if I can name a few [b]off the cuff[/b], or without any preparation.
People wear pants to cover the lower part of their bodies. We sometimes say that people who are restless or nervous have [b]ants in their pants[/b]. They might also [b]fly by the seat of their pants[/b]. They use their natural sense to do something instead of their learned knowledge. Sometimes, people may get [b]caught with their pants down[/b]. They are found doing something they should not be doing. And, in every family, one person takes control. Sometimes a wife tells her husband what to do. Then we say she [b]wears the pants in the family[/b].
Pants usually have pockets to hold things. Money that is likely to be spent quickly can [b]burn a hole in your pocket[/b]. Sometimes you need a belt to hold up your pants. If you have less money than usual, you may have to [b]tighten your belt[/b]. You may have to live on less money and spend your money carefully. But once you have succeeded in budgeting your money, you will have that skill [b]under your belt[/b].
I always praise people who can save their money and not spend too much. I really [b]take my hat off [/b]to them. Yet, when it comes to my own money, I spend it [b]at the drop of a hat [/b]– immediately, without waiting. And sadly, you cannot [b]pull money out of a hat.[/b] You cannot get money by inventing or imagining it.
Boots are a heavy or strong kind of shoes. People who are[b] too big for their boots[/b] think they are more important than they really are. I dislike such people. I really do. You can [b]bet your boots[/b] on that. Yet, truly important people are hard to replace. Rarely can you [b]fill their shoes[/b] or replace them with someone equally effective.
My father is an important person. He runs a big company. He wears a suit and tie, and a shirt with sleeves that cover his arms. Some people who do not know him well think he is too firm and severe. They think he is a real [b]stuffed shirt.[/b] But I know that my father [b]wears his heart on his sleeve[/b]. He shows his feelings openly. And, he knows how to [b]keep his shirt on[/b]. He stays calm and never gets angry or too excited.
Also, my father has never [b]lost his shirt[/b] in a business deal. He is too smart to lose all or most of his money. This is because my father [b]rolls up his sleeves[/b] and prepares to work hard. He often has a special plan or answer to a problem that he can use if he needs it. He is like a person who does magic tricks. We say he has a [b]card up his sleeve[/b].
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This VOA Special English program [url=http://www.51voa.com/Words_And_Their_Stories_1.html]WORDS AND THEIR STORIES[/url] was written by Jill Moss. I'm Faith Lapidus.[/size][/font][/color]
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