V0cabulary, Idioms & Expressions (VIE)

SportsSports

A Long Shot

Difficult to win; to win against great oddsThat horse is a long shot to win the Belmont race.

To Make The Cut

To be able to pass from one round of competition to the nextI was happy because I made the cut and was allowed to compete in the finals of the cheerleading competition!

Tue 15 May 2012

Make-or-BreakA thing that decides success or failureTomorrow’s ‘C’ division match against Hillview Secondary is a make-or-break game for us. If we lose we will leave the tournament empty handed.

Get Into The Swing of ThingsTo become accustomed to doing something After taking a year off from training, it will take a few weeks for Tiger Woods to get back into the swing of things.

Wed 16 May 2012

To Hit Below The BeltTo say something that is often too personal, hurtful and unfair:To remind reformed athletes of their drug problem is to hit below the belt.

Cover All of One's BasesTo thoroughly prepare for or deal with a situationThe team manager covered all of his bases before the match and his team performed very well.

Thu 17 May 2012

Ballpark Estimate/FigureA guess that is in a certain area or range, usually in terms of numbers.We had a ballpark figure about how much it would cost to build a new sports hall in school.

Neck and NeckExactly even, especially in a race or a contestThe two drivers were neck and neck in the thrilling race until the last bend where Hamilton crashed into the dividers.

Wed 23 May 2012

On An Even KeelCalm and not likely to change suddenly, in a steady and well-balanced situationThe new sports department was running on an even keel soon after it opened due to good management skills.

Punch Above One's WeightTo fight at a level that is above what would be expected of youThe small country punches above its weight in international competitions like the Olympics.

Thu 24 May 2012

Take The Wind Out of One's SailsTo become discouraged and lose one's enthusiasmIt took the wind out of my sails when I was told that I was not doing a good job in training.

Toe The LineTo conform to established rules

The flamboyant striker refused to toe the line and was sacked from the team.

Mon 25 June 2012

To Give Someone A Run For Their MoneyTo compete very strongly against someone who is expected to winI think only Chelsea will be able to give Manchester United a run for their money next season.

Throw One's Hat Into The Ringdecide to enter a contest or take up a challengeThe ex-Olympian decided to throw his hat into the ring in this year’s games even though he has retired from the sporting scene last year.

Fri 29 June 2012

To Blow The Whistle On SomeoneTo tell someone in authority about something bad that is happening so that it can be stoppedThe national athletes are encouraged to blow the whistle on any of their teammates who are using drugs to prevent further embarrassment to the country.

Name of The GameThe quality that you most need for an activityPeople say that in golf the name of the game is patience

Tue 3 July 2012

Right off the batAt the very beginning, immediatelyWhen we arrived at the resort, we were told right off the bat that we would have to pay extra to use the pool and the training room.

Out of The RunningEliminated from a contest, no longer being considered for somethingPaul was out of the running for the director’s job in the Oxford Sports Club as he had less than 5 years of experience.

Wed 4 July 2012

Hands Down

Without much effort, easily

Usain Bolt is the fastest sprinter in the world. He can win any race hands down.

Have Somebody In Your Corner

To have the support or help of someone

We're lucky we've got James in our corner. No one can beat him in the pool.

Thu 5 July 2012