Feifei Hello. I’m Feifei and this is The English We Speak.
NeilAnd I’m… ouch… Neil.
FeifeiOh, Neil, are you in pain?
Neil Yeah. I cut my hand yesterday. Blood everywhere. Look at this cut!
FeifeiYuk! That’s horrible. So tell me how it happened.
NeilWell, my shower has been leaking for ages. I’m not good at fixing things so I got this plumber in to fix it. I found his details on the internet – D. Odgy Plumbers – “Got a leak? We’ll make you pay for it.”
Feifei Hmm. That doesn’t sound like a very reputable plumber.
NeilWell, he wasn’t. He bled me dry!
Feifei What? You mean he attacked you and that’s how you cut your hand. Oh, Neil, you need to tell the police.
Neil Don’t panic, Feifei. He didn’t touch me, but what he did do was a very bad job, he made lots of mess and then charged me lots of money for doing it – he basically charged me a whole month’s salary – that’s what I mean by ‘bleeding me dry’.
Feifei So you gave him the money - he didn’t steal it?
Neil Yeah - not exactly, but somehow he managed to extract all my money from me. Let’s hear some examples, shall we?
Examples My old car keeps breaking down. It’s bleeding me dry!
John is taking legal action against the company. He wants to bleed them dry for all the pain he has suffered.
This divorce has bled me dry – I can’t even afford to go on holiday now.
FeifeiThis is The English We Speak from the BBC and we’re finding out about the phrase ’to bleed someone dry’, meaning to extract or drain all of someone’s money. But Neil, why did you pay the plumber if he did such a bad job?
Neil Well, he was a big guy and… well, I don’t like to complain or make a fuss.
FeifeiOh, how very English! But how did you cut your hand?
Neil After he left, I tried to use the shower but I slipped over because of all the water.
Feifei Oh, poor you. Shall we go for lunch and take your mind off things?
Neil Sorry, Feifei. I can’t afford it – the plumber bled me dry, remember!
Feifei My treat!
Neil Oh, come on. Let’s go. See ya.
Feifei Bye.