Hi this is Tutor Nick P and this is Prepositional Phrase seven. The prepositional
phrase today is " without a hitch." Okay. Let's take a look at the note here. If
something happens or goes off without a hitch,
it means everything went smoothly without any problems at all or at least
no major problems The hitches probably refers to like delays or disruptions or
probably some small problems etc. in a process. Let's continue. The , the
origin of hitch means a small problem probably from another meaning of hitch
meaning a snag as in a small damaged part of some clothing or some material.
Yeah. An area of clothing rope or material that could be damaged by something rough
or sharp. So especially in the olden days you know, as you're going by something
may be something and a nail or something pointy was sticking out. It could slightly
hit your your pants or some other part of your clothing and cause just a little
hole or a small problem. So that would be ... So hitch really referred to snag at one
time. Which would is not the most serious problem, but just a small problem. Okay.
Let's continue. All right . Thus the phrase without a
hitch usually refers to no problems at all. Not even a small one. So not even in
itself. If it's not a hitch... if it's not the small problem than it's really no
problem at all. The phrase has been popular since the 1400s. Okay good.
And let's just give three examples here. Example number one. The business deal
went off without a hitch. So everything went smoothly. They didn't change their
mind. There were no delays. They didn't want to
renegotiate. So everything just went smoothly.
Number two. Luckily all our plans and arrangements for the trip
went smoothly. Everything went off without a hitch. So again nothing, nothing
stopping you. Nothing went wrong. And number three is an a/b part. Somebody, A
might simply ask how did it go ? And B said it went smoothly or it went fine without
a hitch. No problem at all. Okay anyway. That's the
way we use it. I hope you got it. I hope it was informative. Thank you for your time. Bye-
bye.