ESL Podcast 862 - Getting a Massage
to twist - to turn; to move one part of something in one direction and another part of the same thing in another direction so that it begins to turn against itself
Mariah held the medicine bottle in one hand and the cap in the other hand, but no matter how hard she twisted it, she couldn't get it to open.
massage - a service where one's skin is touched in a strong way to manipulate the muscles, usually for relaxation or to recover from an injury
Normally, Randall suffers from headaches, but a good neck massage can provide relief.
knot - a very tight section of muscle that is painful and that one is unable to relax
Knots in the shoulder muscles are a common sign of stress.
muscle - the part of the body under the skin that contracts and expands to move bones, providing strength and movement
Adam lifts weights every day to build his muscles.
pain relief - a reduction in the amount of pain (unpleasant physical sensations or feelings) a person experiences
After Sylvie hurt her knee, sitting down was the only way she could find pain relief.
naked - without any clothing; with all of one's skin exposed
Did you know that some teenagers take off all their clothes and swim naked in the lake at night?
skittish - nervous; uncomfortable about doing something
Heather could never be a doctor, because she becomes very skittish whenever she sees blood.
rough - not gentle or tender; using strong, not soft movements
James doesn't want to pick up his baby girl because he's afraid he'll be too rough.
massage therapist - a person whose job is to provide massages to clients
Andres is studying to be a massage therapist specializing in recovery from sports injuries.
pressure - a measure of how hard something pushes against something else
Use this cloth to apply pressure to the wound until it stops bleeding.
to speak up - to say something, especially without being asked about it; to offer information, possibly information that one is uncomfortable sharing or when one is unsure about how the other person will react
Thank you for speaking up when Fyodor was telling those inappropriate jokes. I think we all felt the same way, but nobody else was brave enough to ask him to stop.
licensed - with official certification and permission to do something
Is your corporation licensed to do business in New Jersey?
smelly - with an unpleasant smell; stinky; bad smelling
Mom wants to know who left these smelly socks on the floor.
oil - a thick liquid used as a lubricant (substance used to make it easier for two parts to move against each other)
Janice has very sensitive skin, so when she gets a facial, she has to ask the technician to avoid using any oils.
hokey - corny; expressing too much emotion in an old-fashioned, odd, or silly way
Lyle has a sweet and hokey sense of humor.
clinical - based on logic and facts, without emotion
Our medical school program helps students become less clinical and better able to interact with their patients.
if you know what I mean - a phrase used to mean that another person probably understands what one wants to say, even though one hasn't been able to express it very clearly or precisely
Kylie is nice, but she isn't the smartest employee, if you know what I mean.
to not have a minute to lose - to need to do something right away without any delay or hesitation
Put on your shoes, grab your coat, and get in the car! Our flight leaves in 50 minutes and we don't have a minute to lose.