Search This Blog

Translate

Showing posts with label english conversation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label english conversation. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

To Play Hardball


To Play Hardball



Example 1:

Things are getting a little tough so the president has decided to play hardball on this issue.

Example 2:

Jacob: Sam is such a nice teacher

Jake: Yes, but he’s also not afraid to play hardball when the class starts acting rowdy

Meaning: to act strong and aggressive about an issue with someone

www.languagesystems.edu

Thursday, May 28, 2015

to grill someone

Idiom: to grill someone; used as a verb

First Example:
Theresa was really grilling Harry on their first date. She was sure asking him all these questions about his preferences. He eventuall had to ask her to stop. 

Second Example:
When Janice said she hadn't done her homework because she had to go to the hospital the night before, the teacher grilled her on what happened. The teacher asked for so many details, Janice finally gave up and was honest, explaining that she went to a movie.

Meaning: To "grill" someone means to ask that person many questions, similar to a cross-examination in a courtroom. In the first example/illustration above, Harry was grilled by his date; he thought her questions were excessive. In the second example, Janice is grilled by her teacher, and she eventually admitted that she was lying.