This expression comes from farming and milking a cow. Yes in English milk can be used as a verb!
The original meaning is simply: to milk a cow.
From this verb we got the expression to milk something for all it's worth.
Hal: Did you hear that Tomo won an award?
Bill: Yeah, he's milking it for all it's worth! He's been telling everyone he meets about it.
This was eventually shortened to milk X. So this usage of milk means to exploit something as much as possible, to take of advantage of something as much as you can.
Husband: Oh, I'm so tired from yesterday's marathon. Can you do the dishes?
Wife: Stop milking that! Yes you ran a marathon but you haven't done any work since then!
Fred: He's really milking the sympathy card from his breakup.
Jeb: Yep, he's had a whole string of new ladies recently.
Fred: Well wouldn't you do the same thing?
Jeb: Yeah, probably. hahaha
Have a nice weekend,
Phil
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Sunday, April 13, 2014
Typical.
Hey everyone, today we'll look at a casual usage of the word typical. This is an adjective that means regular, usual, standard, average, etc. It basically means that something matches a particular group or type.
A: What do you do on a typical day at work?
B: I prepare lessons, talk to students and teach classes.
It can be used as the adverb typically.
Typically Japanese houses are rebuilt every 30 years.
Now the usage of typical I want to look at today is casual English. It acts as a kind of negative さすが. It's used when someone does something wrong or bad but that person often does that kind of thing. So it's their typical behavior.
She cancelled your date at the last minute again? Typical.
Student: I forgot to do my homework.
Teacher: Typical. You'll have to stay after school today.
You're husband was out late with co-workers, that's so typical of him!
As you can see it is regularly, or typically, used as a one wonder answer when someone shares information.
Kenta: The JR Tokaido line is delayed again today.
Yuko: Typical.
Gerry: My boss was in a bad mood again today.
Sam: Typical.
Gerry: Yeah, I think his wife yelled at him again for coming home so late.
You can find the Japanese definition on weblio here. The examples we've been looking at are under 2b:
But as I said, when used in this way it is generally, or typically, used to describe a NEGATIVE behavior.
Have a nice week,
Phil
A: What do you do on a typical day at work?
B: I prepare lessons, talk to students and teach classes.
It can be used as the adverb typically.
Typically Japanese houses are rebuilt every 30 years.
Now the usage of typical I want to look at today is casual English. It acts as a kind of negative さすが. It's used when someone does something wrong or bad but that person often does that kind of thing. So it's their typical behavior.
She cancelled your date at the last minute again? Typical.
Student: I forgot to do my homework.
Teacher: Typical. You'll have to stay after school today.
You're husband was out late with co-workers, that's so typical of him!
As you can see it is regularly, or typically, used as a one wonder answer when someone shares information.
Kenta: The JR Tokaido line is delayed again today.
Yuko: Typical.
Gerry: My boss was in a bad mood again today.
Sam: Typical.
Gerry: Yeah, I think his wife yelled at him again for coming home so late.
You can find the Japanese definition on weblio here. The examples we've been looking at are under 2b:
| 用例 |
But as I said, when used in this way it is generally, or typically, used to describe a NEGATIVE behavior.
Have a nice week,
Phil
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