Neil: Hello and welcome to The English We Speak.
I'm Neil and joining me in this programme
is Feifei.
Feifei: Hi.
Neil: Beautiful day today, isn't it?
Blazing sunshine.
It's so warm.
Feifei: Yes it is, and luckily for you, your
shift is finished after this programme, isn't it?
Neil: Yep! But you have to stay here till
evening on the late shift. Ahhh I'm off to
the park
to enjoy the sun. I'd better buy some sun
cream, eh?
Feifei: Don't rub it in!
Neil: OK. See you later.
Voice: Two hours later.
Feifei: My word, Neil! What's happened to
you? You look like a lobster!
Neil: It's very hot and sunny out there.
Feifei: But what about the sun cream?
Neil: You told me 'not to rub it in' Feifei!
Feifei: OK, I think I need to explain
something.
We use the expression 'to rub something
in' when a person keeps mentioning
something another
person wants to forget. When I said 'don't
rub it in' I was fed up of hearing about
your wonderful afternoon in the sun while
I'm stuck here in the office!
Neil: Ah. So I actually should have rubbed
in this sun cream. Let's hear some
examples...
Don't rub it in. I know you beat me at tennis
but you don't have to keep mentioning
the score.
Carlos got into Oxford but I didn't. That's
bad enough, but he keeps rubbing it in by
talking about it all the time.
Feifei: This is The English We Speak and
in this programme
we're learning the phrase to 'rub it in'.
If a person 'rubs it in' it means they keep
mentioning something another person
wants to forget.
Neil: I want to forget that I've got such a
terrible sunburn.
Feifei: Well I won't rub it in and talk about
that sun cream you should have...
Neil: ... should have rubbed in.
Thanks Feifei.
Ouch!
Feifei: Bye!
Neil: Bye!