| [00:00.28] |
Hi, I'm Yang Li, and welcome to The English We Speak. I'm here today with Jen. |
| [00:05.56] |
Hi. |
| [00:07.55] |
Jen, you look a little flustered? Are you ok? |
| [00:11.65] |
Oh, I woke up late and had to run to the train station. |
| [00:15.12] |
There's only one train an hour. I ran all the way there and made it by the skin of my teeth, just as the doors were closing. |
| [00:22.40] |
Phew. Is there any coffee? |
| [00:24.43] |
Hang on hang on. How did your teeth help you to run for the train? |
| [00:29.67] |
Sorry? |
| [00:30.58] |
You said "I made it by the skin of my teeth." I've got to see this. Show me your teeth. When did they grow skin? |
| [00:39.69] |
No, there's no skin on my teeth. That would be disgusting. |
| [00:43.85] |
But but what did you mean? |
| [00:46.10] |
If you do something "by the skin of your teeth" it means that you did it by a narrow margin, so you just managed to do it, or almost failed. |
| [00:55.29] |
Ah see, so if you got to the train by the skin of your teeth, it means that you nearly missed it? |
| [01:02.75] |
That's exactly right. Let's hear some more examples of the phrase in action. |
| [01:08.40] |
My brother's so lucky. He never does any revision for exams but always manages to pass by the skin of his teeth. |
| [01:17.18] |
Hi, I'm stuck in a traffic jam. I might still make it to the presentation, but it'll be by the skin of my teeth. |
| [01:24.62] |
So when you just manage to do something, you can say you did it by the skin of your teeth? |
| [01:30.21] |
That's it. |
| [01:31.16] |
That's a really funny phrase. I like it. |
| [01:34.71] |
It's good to be able to get your teeth into English phrases like this. |
| [01:38.48] |
My teeth? What about my teeth? |
| [01:41.16] |
It's just another phrase, silly. If you get your teeth into something, it means that you become really involved in it. |
| [01:48.59] |
Well in that case, I do love getting my teeth into a new phrase. |
| [01:53.50] |
Teeth, hang on. Oh no, oh I've just remembered, I have a dentist's appointment at 12 o'clock. |
| [02:03.95] |
Look it's ten to 12 now, I'll never make it. |
| [02:07.86] |
You go, I'll finish the programme, if you run you might make it, but by the skin of your teeth. |
| [02:13.51] |
Oh thanks Jen, bye… |
