English with Zdenek

He came across really badly in the interview. He kept coughing and didn’t make any eye contact

If something comes across in a certain way it means to give people a certain impression/opinion of something.

He came across as an enthusiastic teacher and learner of English.

If you get through those and keep going you’ve passed the threshold into being a longterm listener

A threshold is a certain point or level when you pass it or cross it, something new starts to happen. The dividing line between two levels.

To bring some uniqueness to a project

the quality of being one of a kind, being remarkable, special and unlike anything else

This sculpture has a unique shape

one of a kind, unlike anything else

It looks like Liverpool have the edge over Manchester United this afternoon.

A quality or factor that brings superiority over others (this is similar to uniqueness)

In this case I was saying that BBC 6 Minute English have ticked all the right boxes for a successful podcast that will reach a broad audience.

it means it fulfils all the correct criteria basically, it is exactly like you want it to be in every way.

I should do something along those lines too.

like that, or similar to that

Could you write something along the lines of...

The UK has somewhere/something in the region of 66 million people.

approximately, about, around.

We haven’t had any harsh winters.

It was a particularly sweltering summer

She tried to explain her point of view but they all shouted her down.

when people loudly and aggressively disagree with you and perhaps make you shut up.

They have all kinds of so-called evidence

an adjective which you use in order to say something is false, not true or wrong

I'll look into your question and call you back.

to investigate, examine or find out information about something.

(try to) suppress laughter while talking to them

to force something to stop, to forcibly limit something, to keep something down.

Kudos for being so respectful.

It actually comes from Greek, and means “praise and respect”.

He’s very unassuming, he’s very nice.

It means modest, not arrogant, and not pretentious.

When these people let their guards down, they show themselves for who they really are.

We might adopt a slightly defensive position when just socialising, dealing with people, or being interviewed, especially if you’re someone who could be criticised for the things you do.

Hand me that stapler please, if you would.

You can add if you would onto the end of an imperative, and it makes it more polite.

We are a landlocked country

This is an adjective which describes a place where there is no coastline, no connection to the sea. It describes a country which has no ports.

There had been no rain in Australia for three months, causing a terrible drought.

This is a noun and it means a period in which there is no rain and the land dries up.

Zdenek dabbled in teaching when he got back from his time in the UK

This verb means to do something but not in a very serious way, not in a committed way.

The experience stuck with me for years afterwards.

If something sticks with you it means that you remember it, you often think about it, perhaps because it is very meaningful for you on an emotional level.

When are you defending your dissertation?

Having to download software updates for my PlayStation is a massive pain in the neck.

This noun phrase means something that is annoying or irritating for you

She left it until the last moment before preparing her presentation.

This is a very common thing to do. I think it might even be human nature to wait until the very last moment before you do something important.

I went to a university of economics but I wasn’t cut out for it.

If you are not cut out for something it means you just don’t have the right qualities that are necessary to do it.

Oh no. I think I messed up. I forgot to switch off the oven.

This means to do something wrong and make a mistake.

My boss told me off really badly last night.

If you do something wrong and someone gets angry with you, and they reprimand you for it,

England underperformed against Croatia and got knocked out of the World Cup.

It means you don’t perform well enough.

In the last few games, the emphasis has been on trying to live up to expectations

This means to fulfil expectations, or meet expectations or to reach a certain standard

I feel sorry for Jim, they're treating him like a dogsbody.

A dogsbody is someone who does all the jobs that other people don’t want to do.

When you set up a new computer network in a company, there will probably be a few hiccups, like errors occurring in the system that need to be ironed out.

On the other hand, a hiccup can be when something goes slightly wrong. Small problems or setbacks, which have to be solved and might cause delays or something. Little problems.

Are you taking the piss? You’re taking the piss aren’t you?

It means to make fun of someone, to tease someone, to take the mickey out of someone.

I have to make sure I get this right or they’re all going to take the piss out of me mercilessly, because that’s what English lads do.

This means “without mercy”

Parents should not be too lenient with their kids

If you’re lenient on someone it means you are not strict in the punishment you impose or the standards you expect.

You had the advantage of having had this difficult experience which was paying off for you.

t means that you have something that helps you to be more successful than others.

I put a lot of hard-working into learning English and it’s really paying off for me now.

If something pays off (for you), it means that it gives you benefits later.

I went white as a sheet

This just means that your face goes white, which can happen if you get a shock or bad news.

A person can be or feel deflated when they suddenly feel less important or less confident.

If you’re deflated, it’s like all the air has gone out of you.

Thank you for your offer, but I’m afraid I’m going to turn it down.

This phrasal verb means to refuse something. Usually to refuse an offer or a request, but also it can be to refuse a person who is applying for something.

Jane and Dave complement each other well. They are a great match.

to go well with something else, to match

Everyone complimented me on my pronunciation.

to say something positive to someone, to praise someone

It’s very flattering to be paid so many compliments.

They made so many complimentary comments.

Wszystko to jest bezpłatne i nie musisz płacić.

All of our guests receive a complimentary bottle of wine, which is left in their room when they check in.

given free

I’ve got 10 years of podcasting under my belt.

If you have something under your belt it means that you’ve achieved it and it’s now part of your overall life experience.

I haven’t fixed the cupboard in the bathroom but I’ll get round to it asap.

To do something that you have been intending to do for a long time.