NeilHello and welcome to The English We Speak. I’m Neil and joining me in this programme is Feifei.
FeifeiHi.
NeilBeautiful day today, isn’t it? Blazing sunshine… it’s so warm.
FeifeiYes it is, and luckily for you your shift is finished after this programme, isn’t it?
NeilYep! But you have to stay here till evening on the late shift. Ahhh… I’m off to the park to enjoy the sun. I’d better buy some sun cream, eh?
FeifeiDon’t rub it in!
NeilOK. See you later.
**Voice
**Two hours later.
FeifeiMy word, Neil! What’s happened to you? You look like a lobster!
NeilIt’s very hot and sunny out there.
FeifeiBut what about the sun cream?
NeilYou told me ’not to rub it in’, Feifei!
Feifei OK, I think I need to explain something. We use the expression ’to rub something in’ when a person keeps mentioning something another person wants to forget. When I said ‘don’t rub it in’ I was fed up of hearing about your wonderful afternoon in the sun while I’m stuck here in the office!
NeilAh. So I actually should have rubbed in this sun cream. Let’s hear some examples…
ExamplesDon’t rub it in. I know you beat me at tennis but you don’t have to keep mentioning the score.
Carlos got into Oxford but I didn’t. That’s bad enough, but he keeps rubbing it in by talking about it all the time.
FeifeiThis is The English We Speak and in this programme we’re learning the phrase to ‘rub it in’. If a person ‘rubs it in’, it means they keep mentioning something another person wants to forget.
NeilI want to forget that I’ve got such a terrible sunburn.
FeifeiWell I won’t rub it in and talk about that sun cream you should have…
Neil…should have rubbed in. Thanks Feifei. Ouch!
FeifeiBye!
NeilBye!