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  • Hi guys, welcome to another English lesson with me Anna English here on English Like a Native.

  • As you can see, I'm not in the normal setting.

  • In fact I'm here in Marsa Alam, Egypt, and as I'm by the Red Sea, I thought I would give you five water-based idioms/phrases that we use in the UK.

  • Number one: A fish out of water.

  • If you're 'a fish out of water', it basically means you're in a situation where you do not feel comfortable.

  • Imagine a fish jumping out of the water: the fish would not survive for very long because it's not equipped to be out of the water.

  • So, if you are 'a fish out of water' then you are not comfortable or confident in your environment.

  • Number two: Water off a duck's back.

  • 'Water off a duck's back' basically means that it doesn't bother you.

  • Imagine if you pour water onto a lady wearing her best outfit, she would be very upset, but if you pour water onto a duck the duck would not mind at all.

  • It would ruffle its feathers and shake off the water, but it would be perfectly happy.

  • So, if something doesn't bother you, then you can say it's 'water off a duck's back' - it does not bother me.

  • Number three: Smells fishy.

  • If something 'smells fishy', we're not talking about the actual aroma, we mean that something doesn't seem right.

  • So, if someone's behaving in an unusual way, you could say, 'Mm something 'smells fishy', there's something fishy going on with him.'

  • It means it's just not quite right.

  • Number four - To have a sinking feeling.

  • If you 'have a sinking feeling' then it means that you are becoming more and more aware that something bad has happened or that something bad is about to happen.

  • It's having a feeling or a sense of doom on its way.

  • You've 'got a sinking feeling' just like if you're in the ocean you're going down, down, down into the murky depths of the ocean, to 'have a sinking feeling'.

  • And number five is: Water under the bridge.

  • If something is 'water under bridge' then it means it has been forgotten about, it's no longer something that bothers you or has any impact on your daily life or how you feel.

  • So, if you and I have a fallout, and at the time I'm very upset about it, but five years down the line, I'm no longer concerned about that argument, and I'm not angry anymore or upset anymore, then I can say: 'Oh that argument, it's "water under the bridge", let's just be friends."

  • So there you go, five water-based phrases we have: 'fish out of water', 'water off a duck's back', 'something smells fishy', 'to have a sinking feeling' and 'water under the bridge'.

  • Guys, if you know any other water-based phrases then please do put them in the comments box below.

  • Remember to give this video a like, don't forget to subscribe, take care, and... sounds like my boat's getting started.

  • See you later! Bye!

Hi guys, welcome to another English lesson with me Anna English here on English Like a Native.

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