ESL Podcast 550 - Differences in Male and Female Friendships

to put (someone) down - to say something that makes another person seem or feel less important or less self-confident; to say something mean to or about another person

Why does Emil always put other people down, saying they're too boring, stupid, or fat?

superior - better than someone or something else; the opposite of inferior

This new model of computer is superior to the old model, because it's smaller, faster, and less expensive.

to not mean anything by it - a phrase used when one has said something hurtful or mean without thinking about it very much first, emphasizing that one didn't mean to hurt anyone's feelings

Yes, I said that I didn't like the book, but I didn't mean anything by it. How was I supposed to know he was the author?

to banter - to have a friendly conversation with many jokes, especially about the other people in the conversation

It was a fun party where everyone bantered with each other, laughing and making friends.

to one-up (someone) - to do or say something to show that one has done or can do something better than another person; to outperform another person, winning or beating that person

No matter how hard I study, Amir always one-ups me. Even if I get 100% on a test, he does the extra credit to get 105%. I can't ever beat him!

inferior - worse than someone or something else; not as good as someone or something else; the opposite of superior

This is an inferior wine, but we don't have enough money to buy the really good stuff right now.

catty - saying mean, unkind things about other people when they are not there to defend themselves, especially when one says very nice things when that person is nearby

Marliss is so catty! This morning she told Joan that she loved her new blouse, but then, after Joan had left, she started talking about how ugly it was.

to talk behind (someone's) back - to say bad things about another person when he or she cannot hear and does not know what one is saying; to say something about a person without that person's knowledge

Our manager said: "Don't talk behind your co-workers' backs. If you don't like something about the way they do their work, have the courage to tell them so or to talk to me directly."

to make fun of - to make jokes about another person's appearance, words, or actions, often in a mean way

When Anne was growing up, people always made fun of her red hair, so one day she tried to dye it brown.

good-natured - good-humored; in a nice, kind, helpful, and friendly way

Tania is so good-natured, always smiling at everyone and offering to help people if they seem lost.

to give as good as (one) gets - to reciprocate; to do to another person whatever he or she has done to oneself

Craig punched Kirk, but Kirk always gives as good as he gets, so he turned around and punched Craig. Now they're both in pain.

to play a trick on (someone) - to fool or deceive someone; to do something that surprises someone and makes that person look foolish, silly, or stupid

Vic played a trick on his cousin by hiding her car keys.

vicious cycle - a situation where action A causes action B, which causes action A again, so that the series of events continues

An economic recession is a vicious cycle where people start buying less, so stores have to close, which means fewer people have jobs and as a result, people buy even less.

prank - a trick; something that one does to make another person seem foolish, silly, or stupid

Reiko played a prank on her sister, pretending she couldn't remember her name.

to bond - to develop a closer relationship with someone

If I want to bond with my son, I need to stop watching TV so much and instead go outside and do a fun activity together with him.

to torture - to do something to cause emotional or physical pain, usually to try to get another person to do or say something

Do you think it's okay to torture terrorists to get them to share information?

to stick to - to continue doing, using, or having something, without changing

Toby wanted to quit playing baseball because he wasn't very good at it, but his coach told him that if stuck to it, he would likely improve.