ESL Podcast 485 - Being Clumsy

to have two left feet - to be a bad dancer, not knowing how to move one's feet

He likes to watch people dance, but he never joins them because he has two left feet.

clumsy - moving awkwardly; not being able to control the movements of one's body, or not being able to make smooth movements, often accidentally hitting things or falling down

Ian is so clumsy that he regularly drops and breaks dishes when he tries to wash them.

to stumble - to move awkwardly, hitting one's foot against the ground or another object so that one almost falls down

Watch where you're going, or you might stumble over these rocks.

graceful - elegant; moving very smoothly and in control of one's body

Most ballerinas are very graceful, even when they aren't dancing.

to glide - to move smoothly and beautifully with very little effort, making it look easy

The artist glided through the art gallery, making small adjustments to his work and making sure that everyone was having a good time.

uncoordinated - clumsy; not in control of the way one's body moves; not able to do physical things well

Young always wanted to do gymnastics, but he is too uncoordinated.

awkward - uncomfortable and difficult; out of place; not able to do something as other people do it

Helena always feels awkward leaving voicemail messages for people when they don't answer their phone.

accident-prone - likely to have an accident; with a high probability of having an accident

Trevor is a very accident-prone kid. By the time he was 10 years old, he had already broken seven bones and been in the hospital several times.

like a bull in a china shop - a phrase used to describe a person who accidentally hits things, making them break

Lucille, I'm sorry I broke the vase in your living room. It was an accident. Sometimes I'm like a bull in a china shop.

elegant - graceful; moving beautifully and in control of one's movements

Pilar is always so elegant that when she walks into a room, all the men turn to look at her.

to have nothing on (someone) - to not be better than someone else; to not be able to compete with someone else; to look bad when compared to someone else

Yes, Seung got the job offer, but he has nothing on you. You're very well qualified with a good education and years of professional experience.

to trip - to fall down, usually because one accidentally hit something with one's foot

Be careful or you might trip on the icy streets.

to dazzle - to amaze; to impress someone favorably; to make a good impression on someone; to surprise someone in a good way

The professor dazzled the class with a fun and exciting lecture on what is normally a boring subject.

agility - ability to move easily and quickly; flexibility; ability to control the movements of one's body very well

Athletes have more agility than other people do.

finesse - style and skill; one's special way of doing something well

The politician answered the questions with such finesse that many people stood up and clapped even if they didn't agree with his answers.