Here are some of this weeka€™s football words and phrases from languagecastera€™s week six podcast.
- caught up with – meet or find (usually after a long search)
I caught up with Brendan after the game and asked him what he thought.
- be found out – have a weakness discovered
I think Steve Staunton has been found out to be what he is: a naive and inexperienced coach.
- rinky-dink – amateur, not skilled, stupid
He’s been described locally in the Irish media as a rinky dink coach.
- to nod – to head the ball (in football), to move your head in a ‘yes’ gesture
and Heskey nodding down the ball for Michael Owen.
- to struggle (to do) – to find it difficult (to do something), to find life hard
It’s important to remember some of the smaller teams struggling in the lower divisions like Leeds.
- to dock – to deduct, to reduce an amount (money or points)
Leeds were docked 15 points at the beginning of the season.
- to get a look in – to get a chance (to be selected for a team)
I don’t think Lampard, Hargreaves and Neville will get a look in (won’t be selected).
- to hold (your) nerve – to be mentally strong, to not change your mind under pressure
Let’s see if McClaren can hold is nerve.
- a brawl – a fight, often nasty
There was a brawl at the end of the Venezuala v Panama game.
- be bussed in – to be taken to a place in large numbers, usually be the authorities
…even if it has been said that many of the fans have been bussed in by the Chinese authorities.
- to spare blushes – to save from embarassment, to have a lucky escape
USA striker Oa€™Reilly spared Team USA any major blushes.
- delirium – extreme happiness
Song Xiaoli sent the stadium into delirium and has put China in a great position to progress to the quarter-final stages.
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