Learn some of the words and phrases from languagecaster’s Good, Bad and Ugly section of the podcast. For more English practice check out our worksheets, football glossary and English for football phrases.
- To see (someone) through: to help succeed, to help a team progress in a competition
Example: Cris Commons, a former Forest player and a confessed Forest fan scored the winner to see manager Clough’s side through to a last 16 game against Manchester United.
- Meanwhile: at the same time
Example: Meanwhile, it was good for South Africa as they have completed their first stadium in Pretoria in preparation for the Wold Cup in 2010.
- To maintain: to keep, retain, sustain
Example: Lionel Messi came off the bench to score two late goals against Racing Santander last weekend which maintains Barcelona’s 12-point lead at the top of the Spanish table.
- To make a howler: make a big mistake
Example: British television channel ITV made a howler as they cut to commercials during a passionate FA Cup derby replay between Everton and Liverpool.
- To smell a rat: to be suspicious, to suspect cheating, to doubt
Example: Now, as a Liverpool fan I smell a rat. Was it really a goal?
- To swear: to declare strongly, to proclaim, to promise
Example: All the Liverpool fans that went swear there was no goal.
- To demolish: to destroy, to knock down, (in sport) to beat easily
Example: What has happened to Chelsea? Where is the team that was demolishing opponents at the start of the season?
- To lash out: to hit or kick out at someone, to attack
Example: Stoke’s Rory Delap received a straight red card for lashing out at Manchester City’s Shaun Wright Phillips last week.
- A spat: a small fight, an petty argument
Example: An ugly little spat between the two players.
