ESL Podcast 586 - Getting a Girlfriend-Boyfriend Back
to get (someone) back - to convince or persuade someone to resume a romantic relationship that has been broken off; to begin dating someone again after he or she has tried to end the romantic relationship
Toyoshi tried to get his ex-girlfriend back by playing guitar and singing outside her bedroom window late at night.
lost cause - something that will be impossible to do, so one shouldn't even try
After the lasagna burned and the dessert spilled on the floor, eating dinner at home was a lost cause, so they decided to go to a restaurant instead.
to break up - to end a romantic relationship; to indicate that one no longer wants to date another person
Tomas and Laurel decided to break up because he wants to have kids, but she doesn't.
to take (someone) back - to agree to give someone a second chance in a romantic relationship; to decide to begin dating someone again after one has broken up with that person
There's nothing that would make me take you back, now that I know you cheated on me!
to prove (someone) wrong - to demonstrate that someone is incorrect
Shelly thinks she's smarter than Geraldo, but he's going to prove her wrong by studying hard and getting 100% on the next test.
to let bygones be bygones - to ignore or forget about bad things that have happened in the past, especially when they are hurtful or painful things that another person did to oneself
What you said really hurt my feelings, but I've decided to let bygones be bygones. Let's be friends again.
to dupe - to fool someone; to trick someone; to make someone believe something that isn't true
How did you get duped into buying that fake diamond ring?
empty promise - something one says one will do, but without really meaning to do it
The kids said that if we got a dog, they'd feed it, wash it, and take it for walks, but those were just empty promises, so now we have to do all the work.
within reason - with moderation; without reaching extremes; without a very small or very large amount of something; as long as something remains reasonable
Her parents have offered to help them out financially within reason, but they probably won't be able to loan them more than a few hundred dollars.
to rake up the past - to talk about things that happened previously, making other people remember things that might otherwise have been forgotten or ignored
A lot of things happened when we were young, but sometimes it's best not to rake up the past and instead just focus on the future.
sincere - genuine; truthful and honest; really meaning what one is saying or doing
If you give her a sincere apology, I'm sure she'll forgive you.
to be crazy about (someone) - to like or love someone very much; to have very strong feelings of affection and romantic attraction to another person
I've been crazy about you since the first moment I saw you. Will you marry me?
to make the effort - to try very hard to do something, even if it isn't successful
Our boss said he really appreciated the way we made the effort to increase sales, even though we weren't successful.
pride comes before a fall - a phrase meaning that if one is too confident in one's abilities to do something, one will fail, because one isn't really that good or talented
Joerg seems really confident that his new restaurant will be a success, but pride comes before a fall. We'll see what happens.
to beg (someone) for (something) - to desperately ask someone to do or give something, especially when it is very unlikely and that other person has all the power to make the decision about it
Noemi begged her boss for a raise, but there just isn't enough money in the company's budget this year.
mercy - compassion and forgiveness; a willingness to be kind to another person when he or she doesn't really deserve it
The general showed mercy to the prisoner, refusing to kill him.