节目资讯
刊物:空中英語教室
日期:2012-04-18
难易度:Medium
关键字:butcher, undesirable, reef, overcome, Saxon
Welcome back from the break, everybody.
Have you ever stopped in mid conversation and said, "I wonder why we say that."
Well, I know I have.
Today, with the Internet, it's easier than ever to research the origin of a
strange English word.
Now in this lesson, Studio Classroom has picked out a few and did the research
for you.
So let's continue with the interesting expression "tide over" over at the top of
page 37.
(Music).
Where Did That Come From?
Tide over.
When something gets you through a short-term problem, it tides you over.
For example, a loan of some money can tide you over until payday.
This phrase came from the rise and fall of the sea.
As you rise with the tide, it lifts you out of trouble, like water lifting a
boat off a reef.
The idea of the tide assisting you suggests the need of something to "help" you
overcome a problem.
Well, we just talked about the word "shambles." But now we're moving on to the
phrase "tide over." If something tides you over,
it kind of gives you just a little taste of something until you can maybe get
what you really need or really want.
OK. So Brandon, let's talk about this term, where it comes from.
And then we will do some examples of it.
Great idea.
OK. So "tide over" is when something gets you through a short-term problem
until... so it can tide you over.
So if you have a big thing coming up but there's a short problem in the way,
this will get you through to it.
So how did we... I think we have an example to start off with.
We do have an example here in our article.
We talk about a loan.
And someone can loan you some money until you get paid on payday.
That will tide you over until you get to your payday.
And so you can have a little money to spend until you get your check.
That's right. So it tides you over, gets you through the short-term problem till
it be solved.
Well, this phrase came from the rise and fall of the sea.
So if you're at the ocean, and you... the rise and fall of it goes up and down,
that's the ocean waves.
That's called the tide.
It says as you rise with the tide, it lifts you out of trouble.
So that makes sense.
Just like the ocean water lifts up, this would lift you out of trouble.
And if someone loans you some money until payday, that kind of lifts you out of
trouble as well.
And we see that's like water lifting a boat off a reef.
And of course, a "reef" is just talking about that line of rocks or sand just
above or just below the surface of the sea.
That's right.
Now the reef, if you are... if you're like diving or snorkeling, you might see
the reef underneath.
Well, a boat does not want to be on the reef because that would make... probably
get a hole in it.
It would be very good bad.
So to get it out of trouble, it rides the tide up; just like we're in problems,
we need to be risen up out of them.
That's right.
It could be very dangerous for a boat to hit that reef.
Well, the idea of the tide assisting you suggests the need of something to
"help" you out, to help you overcome a problem.
And that's exactly what we've been talking about.
You have a problem, and someone helps you, gives you some money or helps in some
way.
This tides you over until you get what you really need.
That's right. And "overcome" a problem.
To "overcome" something means to defeat it or to succeed out of a problem, to
get out of a situation.
You are controlling it.
You are dealing with it.
You have done well.
So that means that's a good thing.
When you overcome a problem, that's a wonderful thing.
OK. So now we know, Brandon, where this term comes from.
It comes from the ocean, and the... tide lifting you up out of your problems.
So let's do some examples of how we can use this phrase in conversation.
OK. One that comes to mind is when I was a child, my mom would give me a snack
to tide me over until dinner.
She would say: Brandon, this will tide you over until dinner.
That means I would have a little something to eat.
And that would help me to make it through the afternoon until dinner time.
So the problem was you were hungry, and the tide-you-over was a small snack to
keep you going.
Another example would be if you are very tired, but it's not time to go to bed
yet.
Maybe it's the middle of the afternoon.
You can take a nap to tide you over until you can get more sleep.
Or maybe you are excited about a new movie that's coming out, but you don't have
time to go see it or maybe it hasn't come out yet.
Well, you can watch the movie trailer.
And that will tide you over.
It will give you just a little bit of what the movie is about and help you to
stay excited about it until you can actually go and see it.
For... another example would be living in another country, I don't get to see my
family very often; which means I miss them very much.
So I call home.
I can call my mom or call my dad to talk to them.
And it helps tide me over until I can see them.
It helps the problem of being very homesick - missing home.
It helps... solves that problem by making a phone call; so the phone call would
tide me over.
Kaylah, I have another example.
And that is at Christmas time, maybe it's Christmas Eve and it's not time to
open presents yet.
But maybe a mom or dad will let the child open just one present before the
actual Christmas Day where they open the rest of the presents.
And that will tide them over.
That's right. Their problem is they're too excited, they can't wait.
So it tides them over.
It helps their energy calm down.
Well, I hope these are good examples that you can use.
Write to us at letters@StudioClassroom.com and tell us your examples of tide you
over.
Well, for now, let's visit the Chat Room.
Hi, Ken.
Say, those cookies look really good.
Thanks. I got them at the coffee shop across the street.
Would you like some?
No, thanks.
I'm on a diet, remember?
Oh, yeah.
I was really hungry so I decided to get a quick snack to "tie" me over until
dinner.
I see.
Hey, Bryan, why do we say "tie someone over"?
Is it because we tie up the person?
Oh, no, Ken. It's not "tie," it's "tide," T-I-D-E.
Really! It's "tide" with a D.
Why is that?
Well, it comes from sailing where if a ship got stuck on a rock or a reef, the
tide would rise and carry it to safety.
Oh. And then it came to mean anything that helps you get through a problem,
right?
Right.
And actually, English has several other idioms that use the word tide.
Let me see.
I know! "The tide turned." Is that one of them?
Yes. Good one, Ken.
When the tide turns, it means that the situation changes.
I've seen that in newspapers.
The other day I read that the Red Sox were losing the game.
But then the tide turned, and then they won.
That's right.
Another "tide" idiom is "go against the tide." It means to believe or do
something that is different from most of the people around you.
So if you go along with what everybody else does, does that mean you go with the
tide?
Well, you could say that. But we're more likely to call that: drifting with the
tide.
So "drift with the tide" and "go against the tide" are opposites, right?
That's right.
And now I should get back to work.
Enjoy your cookies.
Thanks.
(Chinese).
Hi, everyone. I'm Michelle.
(Chinese).
And I know you can overcome any difficulties in learning English.
I'll see you tomorrow. Bye-bye.
Thank you, Michelle.
We appreciate those helpful tips.
Now since we're on the topic of strange English words, let me mention the word
"tidbit," T-I-D-B-I-T.
It means a piece of food that's small but tasty.
And that's basically what our monthly Tidbits feature is all about - an offering
of small English activities or interesting facts that relate to the daily
lessons.
Be sure to check it out.
And then join us for two more English expressions that have interesting origins
and "Where Did That Come From?" tomorrow.
Until then, have a great day.