Hi everybody, welcome to www.engvid.com, I'm Adam.
Today's video is meant to show you how to be tough, how to be the number one person
in any situation, or to recognize when somebody else is trying to be that.
So, we're going to look at some expressions about people trying to show their superiority,
their being better than other people around them.
Somebody who's trying to show you who's boss, and that's one of the expressions we'll get
into.
So, all of these expressions can be a little bit, you have to be a little bit careful with
them, because if you say them to somebody, they may take it as a bit of an attack and
want to show you that they're actually bigger or stronger than you.
So, if you want to, if you take someone to school, or school someone, to school someone,
that means you're teaching them something.
You've done something way better than they have, and they are like little students in
a school, and you're the teacher, because you've done it so much better, so you're way
above them, right?
So, if you school someone, you a little bit embarrass them.
And if you take someone to school, same idea, you've embarrassed them.
And it doesn't have to be like fighting, there's nothing to do with violence.
Even at your workplace, you had a sales presentation, your colleague had a sales presentation, yours
was so good that the clients signed a huge deal.
Yours was so not good that the clients came to the other person's meeting and did it with
them later, so you schooled them.
In a similar context about school, to take someone's lunch.
If you take someone's lunch, you're the bully, and like in a school, like the big bullies
take the little kids' lunch money to do whatever they want with.
So, if you take someone's lunch, you've again, embarrassed them and shown them that you are
much better than they are.
Now, when you do stuff like that, then you're basically showing everybody, you're showing
the person, but you're also showing everybody else who's boss, who's the top, who's the
number one, who's in charge.
Or you're showing them who's top dog, right?
So, all the little dogs and there's one top dog that everybody has to look up to and that's
you.
Now, to have an air of superiority, so some people, they walk around, you know, they're
very confident and they're looking a little bit down on everybody, they have an air of
superiority.
They think they are better than all the people around them and they look down on everybody.
So, if you're looking down on everybody, that means you're way higher than them, right?
So, this is a phrasal verb, a very good expression.
To look down on somebody means to make them feel inferior.
And this is a good word here, there's superior, better, higher, etc., inferior, lower, less
than.
So, if you're looking down on somebody, you're making them feel inferior.
To own someone, very similar to school someone or to take someone to school.
If I own you, that means like you do what I tell you to do.
I'm the boss, I'm in charge, I'm the strong one here.
Everybody does what I say, I own you, you're mine, you're not your own, basically.
This is the best one, everybody loves to say this one and it's a very common one, you'll
hear it in movies and music and TV, etc.
Who's your daddy?
So, if I come up to someone and I say "I'm going to show you who your daddy is" or "Who's
your daddy?"
It means I'm your daddy, I'm in charge of your life.
You're the little kid, I'm the daddy, I'm going to tell you what to do and you're going
to do it and you're going to say thank you for it after.
It's very, very insulting to say this to somebody, so if you're going to say it to somebody,
make sure that you can back it up.
Make sure you can back up your words, because if you go to somebody and say "Who's your
daddy?" and they want to show you who the daddy is, it might not be you, so be careful.
Now, to put someone in their place, so let's say you go up to like this guy, he's maybe
like 6'5", 250 pounds, huge, muscles, and you go up to him and say "Who's your daddy?"
and he knocks you out and puts you on the floor, he's going to put you in your place.
Your place is on the floor.
Your place is beneath him.
So, if you can't back up your words, don't use these words, because somebody will put
you in their place.
In your place, I should say.
Now, I don't necessarily want to teach you this one, but it's such a common expression
that you have probably already heard it, and if you haven't, eventually you will.
To be someone's bitch, or to make someone your bitch.
A bitch is a female dog, so if you're someone's bitch, then you're their dog.
They're in charge of you, they can tell you what to do, and they can push you around and
treat you any way they want, because they have no respect for you.
Not a good expression.
I do not recommend you use this expression, and if you do, make sure you can back it up,
but you will likely hear it, you'll hear it in movies for sure, in TV for sure, in some
music for sure.
If you walk on the streets and you have a bunch of friends who are native English speakers
in whatever country, they're probably going to use this at some point.
Just understand what it means.
Now, last couple of ones, a power trip.
Now, a power trip describes somebody who has a lot of authority, and likes to make sure
that everybody knows that they have this authority.
So, they have the power to tell people what to do, etc., and this power goes to their
head, goes to their ego, and suddenly they think they are amazing, or strong, or powerful,
and they think they can do whatever they want.
This feeling is the trip.
It's kind of like a drug.
When you take acid, you go on an acid trip.
When you have too much power, you go on a power trip, and it's not very good for you,
and it's not very realistic either.
And then there's the alpha male or the alpha female.
The alpha is the top.
Everybody else is below.
So, when you talk about a group, let's say you have a group of lions, one of the male
lions will be in charge of the herd of lions, that is the alpha male lion.
But with people, whenever there's a group, one person tries to make sure they're on top
and make sure everybody understands this, this is the alpha, and it can be alpha male
or female.
And if someone is described that way, generally this person is very strong, very confident,
is very extroverted, like not shy, very open to talk to people and say whatever he or she
wants to say.
So, a lot of good expressions here just to show you the power balance between people
and in different situations, just so you understand.
Again, be very careful using some of these expressions unless you can back it up and
you are the alpha male or female.
Okay?
If you have any questions about this, go to www.engvid.com and ask there.
There's also a quiz you can take to make sure you understand these words.
If you like the video, give me a like, don't forget to subscribe, and come back next time,
I'll have some more useful expressions for you.
See you then.
Bye-bye.