ESL Vocabulary and Idioms

Re: Please just confirm...

JCDenton — Wed, 07 May 2008 23:40:28 GMT

Guys, many thanks for your help!! Maybe I'll throw a few back right now......

regards

Re: Please just confirm...

shaved — Wed, 07 May 2008 23:16:24 GMT

you could say "we threw back some shots," and nobody would think it was weird

but, if you said "we were throwing a few back" the assumption is beer

you'd have to clarify in order for people to think 'shots'

Re: Please just confirm...

Avangi — Wed, 07 May 2008 23:00:37 GMT

shaved
you don't 'throw back' wine or hard liquor

Hi, shaved. How about a shot?? - A.

Re: Please just confirm...

shaved — Wed, 07 May 2008 22:44:34 GMT

JCDenton
No, he didn't seem to have much of a handle on them.

it means that the guy didn't seem like he understood the purpose of the questions

JCDenton
lots of family

many members of his family were there (or the people there were mostly family members, with very few people from outside the family)

Throwing a few back means drinking beer, you don't 'throw back' wine or hard liquor

Re: Please just confirm...

Avangi — Wed, 07 May 2008 22:40:16 GMT

To "have a handle on something" is, as you say to, have a grasp of it, or to understand it moderately well.

Lots of family = many family members

Edit. I'm surprised to note that Urban Dictionary doesn't list "Throwing/tossing a few back," but I'm quite certain about it. It's probably not current enough for UD.

Re: Please just confirm...

JCDenton — Wed, 07 May 2008 22:36:02 GMT

Thanks Avangi for the clarification of "Throwing a few back"..This is the new thing for me...I didn't know that.

Problem is just that underlined text...

Re: Please just confirm...

Avangi — Wed, 07 May 2008 22:31:36 GMT

Sorry, I'm confused by your format. I think "throwing a few back" refers to quaffing a few alcoholic beverages.

Please just confirm...

JCDenton — Wed, 07 May 2008 22:24:50 GMT

Hi EF guys,

can you please take a look at my sentences and confirm, whether I understood them correctly:

1) (FBI agent to suspect)
- Did he say what these questions were about?
- No, he didn't seem to have much of a handle on them.?? Does it mean....No, he didn't seem to have the point of these question. He didn't understand to these question, which he had..??

2) (Man talked about how his family spent the Labor Day....I didn't know that you guys from US have this kind of public holiday...:-))))

My wife and I took our son to a cousin's place for Labor Day weekend.
We were all out by the pool--lots of family???( Does it mean that there were a lot of members of his family? I have never heard this before,,,). We were throwing a few back??? (Did he say that they were talking about the old times???????)..I have never heard this as well...

Many thanks in advance!

regards