Hello everyone!
Welcome to Idiom 100, where we learn 100 commonly used idioms by native English speakers.
All of the explanations are in English, so it might be challenging for you,
but just try to imagine the meanings in your head and study hard and soon you'll be able to use these idioms in your conversations.
Is everyone ready? Let's begin.
Hello everyone! Nice to see you.
Today's idiom is: bend over backward.
Bend over backward.
Alright, so this idiom is a little difficult to imagine, but let's break down the meaning of the words first.
Alright, so first we have 'bend' and bend means to move something, but it doesn't break, it just bends, right?
So, something like rubber might be able to bend.
Something like glass maybe can't bend, right?
It would just break.
But, bend means to be a little flexible, alright?
And 'backward' is backward, yeah. Forward and backward.
So, 'bend over backward' means to lean backward, alright?
And if you really bend, it's not comfortable.
Maybe it hurts, a little painful to bend over backwards.
Alright, so let's imagine this picture of this person bending over backwards and maybe they're at work, okay?
And they're helping, 5 different co-workers they're helping, yeah.
They're helping that co-worker over there and this co-worker over here
and that co-worker they have to bend over backward to help.
Right, and very painful, but they're working really hard and had to bend over backward.
Alright, so let's imagine this and listen to some examples.
Thank you for cooking dinner tonight. Was it easy to make?
No, I bent over backward to get the organic vegetables you like!
Alright, so she cooked dinner for her friend, but it wasn't easy.
It was really difficult to get the organic vegetables.
She had to bend over backward.
Alright, so let's listen to another example.
Were you able to take a vacation to Canada?
Well, I had to bend over backward to get 5 days off from work, but I was able to take my vacation.
Alright, so she had to take 5 days vacation from work and it was really difficult to get it.
She had to bend over backward, really make a big effort to get the days off.
Alright, so if you could understand the meaning or maybe you couldn't, so I'll tell you.
The meaning of 'bend over backward' is to do something, really, really try and make a big effort to be helpful, alright?
So, for example, if you go to a hotel and they say,
'Thank you for coming. We hope you have a nice day and here is a bottle of champagne for you.'
Yeah, that's a nice hotel, but it's not bending over backward to make you happy.
So, an example of bending over backward at a hotel would be,
'We are so happy you came and here is a free voucher for dinner tonight for both of you
and here is a free coupon for a spa massage tomorrow and we'll give you this free limousine tour next weekend and...'
Just going above and beyond, helping you.
Yeah, doing so much that it's really difficult for them, yeah, bend over backward to help you.
Or bend over backward to do something means it just took so much effort, alright?
So, I hope you don't bend over backward to get good scores on your English exam.
I hope it's not so difficult for you, but maybe some of you bend over backward and that's a great job, right?
You're trying really hard and I'm sure that it will show in your scores and your speaking ability
if you're bending over backwards to work on your English.
Alright, I'll see you next time! Thank you!