Feifei: Hello, this The English We Speak. I’m Feifei…
Rob: …and hello, I’m Rob.
Feifei: You’re looking a bit angry, Rob.
Rob: Yes, I am. I’m really angry. I’ve just
heard some bad news.
Feifei: Oh no. What’s happened?
Rob: It’s the cafe I go to. They’ve decided
to become a vegan cafe – no more meat.
Where am I going to buy my bacon
sandwich from now?!
Feifei: There could be worse things to get
angry about.
Rob: Really? I don’t think so. I’m going to
fight tooth and nail to get them to change
their mind.
Feifei: Ooo, that sounds painful –
protesting with your teeth and nails.
Rob: Of course not, Feifei. When you fight
tooth and nail for something, you use a lot
of effort and determination to get
something you want.
You can also do it to stop something
happening too.
Feifei: But it’s an odd phrase, Rob?
Rob: Yes, it’s a very old English phrase,
and basically means to use everything
you have available to get the outcome you
want.
Feifei: Even your teeth and nails?! Well,
let’s hear some examples of people
fighting tooth and nail…
We’re going to fight tooth and nail to stop
them building a new motorway going right
past our house.
After fighting tooth and nail, I finally
managed to get the pay rise I felt I
deserved.
My football team needs to fight tooth and
nail to stay in the top division. They have
to win today’s match!
Feifei: You’re listening to The English We Speak
from BBC Learning English, and we’re
talking about the phrase ‘to fight tooth
and nail’, which means to you use all your
efforts and determination to get something
you want or to stop something from
happening. And Rob, that’s what you’re
going to do to stop your favourite cafe
from serving vegan food.
Rob: Not exactly – they can sell vegan
food, but I want them to carry on selling
bacon sandwiches – I love them. That’s
what I’m fighting tooth and nail for.
Feifei: Yes I know. Well it can’t be a vegan
cafe if it sells bacon.
Rob: Right, well I’m going to organise a
petition to get bacon back – do you want
to sign it?
Feifei: No I don’t – but Rob, have you seen
this leaflet I was given? It says ‘50 percent
off all vegan food this week’. And guess
what? It’s at your favourite cafe.
Rob: 50 percent discount you say –
hmmm, maybe I should try some vegan food.
Feifei: Yes, try a beetroot hummus
sandwich – far healthier and less
fattening Rob.
Rob: Thanks! I will. Bye.
Feifei: Goodbye.