To Sweeten the Pot

Idiom: to sweeten the pot; used as a verb

First Example:

Joseph: Jamal turned down the job offer. 

Olivia: What?! I thought he wanted that position.

Joseph: He does, but he said it's not worth it.  He said it's too much work for not enough money.  But the CEO won't let me increase the salary any more.

Olivia: Is there any other way you can sweeten the pot?

Joseph: What do you mean?

Olivia: Well, you can't give him more money, but maybe you can offer a few more vacation days, or maybe offer him Mark's office since he's leaving.  

Joseph: That's a pretty good idea.  I'm gonna go see what I can come up with.

Meaning: The expression "sweeten the pot" means to make something more desirable.  The expression originally comes from gambling; when players make new bets, they will sometimes say they are "sweetening the pot" as they throw chips in.  This means the pot (i.e. the money that will be won by the person with the best hand) is larger and therefore more desirable to all players.  But while the expression is still used in gambling, the expression is now used in everyday conversation, as seen above. In this example, Joseph offered Jamal a new position, but Jamal turned it down because he didn't think it was worth it. Olivia suggests that Joseph "sweeten the pot" by adding additional incentives like vacation days and a new office to the offer that Jamal might want but that won't cost as much as a salary increase.  

Here's another example:

Natalia: Could you help me move this weekend?  I'll buy you pizza.

Cole: I don't know; you have a lot of stuff.  Isn't there any way you can sweeten the pot a bit more?

Natalia: Ok, then I'll take you to that new seafood restaurant you've been wanting to try.  The meal and drinks will be on me.

Cole: Deal!  What time are we packing the truck?

In this case, Natalia offered to buy Cole pizza if he helped her move, but Cole asked her to "sweeten the pot," meaning he wanted more for his help.  She then offered to take him to a more expensive dinner, which he accepted.

Note: this idiom is related to LSI's upcoming Las Vegas trip over Thanksgiving weekend.  For more information, contact the Marketing Department or ask the front desk at your school.

To Have An Ace Up One's Sleeve

Idiom: to have an ace/something up one's sleeve; used as a verb

First Example:

Victor: Are you nervous about your audition tomorrow?

Jean: A little, but I think I have a pretty chance at getting the role.

Victor: What makes you so confident?  It sounds like a lot of people are auditioning for this movie.

Jean: Well, I kind of have an ace up my sleeve.  I knew the director when we were kids.  His sister was my best friend.

Victor: Do you think he'll remember you?

Jean: I changed my name when I got married, so he won't recognize the name, but I spent a lot of time at his house.  He has to remember me. 

Meaning: The expression "have an ace up one's sleeve" means to have a secret or surprise that will give that person an advantage.  The expression originally comes from people cheating at poker, when holding an ace (the most valuable card) up one's sleeve would give that person an advantage over the other players.  While it can still used for cheating in poker, the expression now has a less negative meaning when used in everyday conversation, as seen above. In this example, Jean believes that her knowing the director will help her get the movie role she is auditioning for.   Furthermore, the idiom has developed further so that "something" can now be used instead of "ace", with the expression "to have an something up one's sleeve" having the same meaning as the original, as in the next example:

Chris: Are you going to do anything special during the wedding ceremony tomorrow?

Edward: No.

Chris: I don't believe you.  I think you have something up your sleeve.

Edward: Well, promise not to tell anyone.

Chris: OK, I promise.

Edward: I'm going to sing Kate's favorite song to her during the ceremony, but no one really knows.  I want it to be a surprise, and I can't wait to see the look on her face.

Chris: She's gonna love it.    

In this case, Edward has a surprise "up his sleeve" for his wedding; he will be singing his new bride's favorite song to her.

Note: this idiom is related to LSI's upcoming Las Vegas trip over Thanksgiving weekend.  For more information, contact the Marketing Department or ask the front desk at your school.

Stay Put

Idiom:  Stay Put; used as a verb.

First Example:  

“Small children usually have so much energy and can never sit still for very long.  You should not expect your three year-old to stay put for very long.”

Meaning:  Stay Put is usually used to express the idea of staying in one place and to not move.  In the example above, it is very difficult for small children to stay in one place for an extended period of time.  This idiom can be used as a general verb to relate the idea of staying in one place.  The words, stay and put cannot be separated.

Here is another example:

Second Example:

“If you ever become lost while hiking in the mountains, it is generally a good idea to stay put until help arrives.  It might be more difficult for people to find you if you continue to move around without any sense of direction.”

Meaning: In this case, the idiom, Stay Put, is used to express the advice that you should not move around if you ever become lost.  It is generally easier for search parties to find a lost hiker if they are still in the general area where they had originally intended to go.  In this example, the idiom is being used as a verb.

This idiom is from the book "The Idiom Advantage – Fluency in Speaking and Listening," which is used as primary material in LSI’s Advanced Conversation classes.

For more information, please visit http://www.languagesystems.com/

Breathing Room

Idiom:  Breathing Room; used as a noun.

Example:  

“Tom is having a really hard time at work.  His boss loves to micro-manage him and controls almost every little thing he does.  If Tom’s boss doesn’t give him some Breathing Room, I think he’s going to quit his job soon.”

Meaning:  Breathing Room refers to giving someone sufficient room to breathe and move comfortably.  It can also mean to give someone sufficient space or independence in his/her daily activities.  In this example, Tom’s boss constantly monitors him and does not give him the freedom to perform his work independently.  As a result, Tom feels that he doesn’t have the freedom to do his work comfortably and at his own pace.  This idiom can apply to any situation where it might be necessary to give someone the space to feel comfortable at doing a particular activity. 

This idiom is from the book "The Idiom Advantage – Fluency in Speaking and Listening," which is used as a primary Idioms material in LSI’s Advanced Conversation classes.

For more information, please visit http://www.languagesystems.com/

The Sooner The Better

Idiom: "The Sooner The Better"

Context #1:

Tom: Can you believe Christmas is only a few weeks away?

Jim: I know! It's crazy! Have you done all your Christmas shopping?

Tom: Not yet, but I'm going to do most of it this weekend.

Jim: The sooner the better... you know how crazy it gets the longer you wait.

Context #2:

Jill: You know, my tooth is really hurting.

Tony: You should go see a dentist.

Jill: But I hate going to the dentist.

Tony: I know. But the sooner the better because what if it is something serious. You'd better not wait.

Meaning: "The Sooner The Better" is a common American expression that is used in a situation where someone should do something as soon as possible instead of waiting or procrastinating. Usually this is used when there is a sense of urgency. Idioms like this are taught at LSI in out Speaking and Conversation classes. For more information please visit www.languagesystems.com

Heart of Gold

Idiom: Heart of Gold

Meaning: to be extremely kind and helpful.

Read the following birthday card message:

Dear Paola,

Happy Birthday! We've never met a person as kind and generous as you! You are always there for your friends when we need you! I will never forget the time when I didn't have money to pay my water bill, and you gave me the money and brought me some water to drink, Thank you also, for dedicating your time  to save so many computers from dying... You truly have a heart of gold! 

Love,

Your best friends!

What's the catch?

Idiom: What's the catch?

Meaning: It sounds good, but are there any hidden problems? 

Example:

Two friends, Arda and Joao are talking about buying a car

Arda: My friend is selling his car for $1000

Joao: Sounds too good to be true. What's the catch? 

Arda: The air condition in the car doesn't work

Joao: Now I understand why he is selling it for such a low price.

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