ESL Podcast 877 - Cheering Someone Up
Pollyanna - the main character in the 1913 novel Pollyanna; someone who is always happy, cheerful, and optimistic
Ingrid is such a Pollyanna that anyone near her begins smiling and laughing.
to spread good cheer - to be happy and make other people feel happy through what one says and does
Each year around Christmas time, they deliver cookies to all their neighbors as a way to spread good cheer.
to wake up on the wrong side of the bed - to be in a very bad mood, possibly without an explanation, for an entire day, from the moment one wakes up
I'm sorry you woke up on the wrong side of the bed, but please don't take it out on us!
make that - a phrase used to correct what one has just said, especially when talking about quantities
I'll have an 8-ounce coffee, please. No, make that an 16-once coffee.
to go (one's) way - to proceed as one had planned or as one would like; to be successful and pleasing to someone
Nothing is going my way today! I spilled coffee on my shirt, lost my keys, and accidentally deleted the report I'd been working on. What else could possibly go wrong?
to cheer up - to become happier; to improve one's attitude or outlook
Maybe this joke will help you cheer up!
every cloud has a silver lining - a phrase used to mean that every bad thing that happens has at least some good part, or that nothing is completely negative
It's too bad you lost your job, but maybe you'll find a better one. Remember, every cloud has a silver lining.
to cry over spilled milk - to be very disappointed and continue to think about something bad that happened, when one has no control over it and cannot undo it
They lost a lot of money in the stock market, but there's no use crying over spilled milk. They'll just have to work even harder now.
to spare (someone) - to stop doing something to someone; to stop giving someone a certain kind of information or explanation, because he or she finds it unpleasant or boring
Please, spare me the lecture. I know smoking is dangerous, but I just can't stop.
platitude - an expression or statement that is very common and has been heard many times, and is no longer interesting or helpful
Julian wanted to be inspiring, but he could only think of platitudes, like, "Today is the first day of the rest of your life."
to wallow - to enjoy being sad, trying to get attention or sympathy from other people
I'm sorry your favorite mirror broke, but that's no reason to wallow in tears.
misery - extreme suffering and sadness, especially resulting from being sick or not having enough money
Their inability to buy food and clothing for their children brings them misery.
practice makes perfect - a phrase used to mean that one should do something many times to learn how to do it very well, or that if one practices enough, one will learn to do it well
The first year of playing violin was really hard, but practice makes perfect and now he's pretty good.
plenty of fish in the sea - a phrase used to mean that there are many single men and women with whom one can have a relationship, or that there are many other possibilities for a romantic relationship
Trent was sad for a little while after his girlfriend left him, but he knew there were plenty of fish in the sea and he was looking forward to dating other women.
not the end of the world - a phrase used to give someone comfort and help that person understand that life will continue, even though a bad or sad thing has happened
Yes, you lost your job, but it's not the end of the world. You can wake up tomorrow and start looking for something different.
to slam - to close very noisily, with a lot of force
Please don't slam the door when you leave. The baby is sleeping.