English We Speak.

Neil: And I'm... ouch... Neil.

Feifei: Oh, Neil, are you in pain?

Neil: Yeah. I cut my hand yesterday. Blood

everywhere. Look at this cut!

Feifei: Yuk! That's horrible. So tell me how

it happened.

Neil: Well, my shower has been leaking for

ages. I'm not good at fixing things so I got

this plumber in to fix it. I found his details

on the internet - D. Odgy Plumbers - "Got a

leak? We'll make you pay for it."

Feifei: Hmm. That doesn't sound like a

very reputable plumber.

Neil: Well, he wasn't. He bled me dry!

Feifei: What? You mean he attacked you

and that's how you cut your hand. Oh,

Neil, you need to tell the police.

Neil: Don't panic, Feifei. He didn't touch

me, but what he did do was a very bad job,

he made lots of mess and then charged

me lots of money for doing it - he

basically charged me a whole month's

salary - that's what I mean by 'bleeding me dry'.

Feifei: So you gave him the money - he

didn't steal it?

Neil: Yeah - not exactly, but somehow he

managed to extract all my money from

me. Let's hear some examples, shall we?

My old car keeps breaking down. It's bleeding me dry!

John is taking legal action against the

company. He wants to bleed them dry for all the pain he has suffered.

This divorce has bled me dry - I can't even

afford to go on holiday now.

Feifei: This is The English We Speak from

the BBC and we're finding out about the

phrase 'to bleed someone dry', meaning

to extract or drain all of someone's

money. But Neil, why did you pay the

plumber if he did such a bad job?

Neil: Well, he was a big guy and... well, I

don't like to complain or make a fuss.

Feifei: Oh, how very English! But how did

you cut your hand?

Neil: After he left, I tried to use the shower

but I slipped over because of all the water.

Feifei: Oh, poor you. Shall we go for lunch

and take your mind off things?

Neil: Sorry, Feifei. I can't afford it - the

plumber bled me dry, remember!

Feifei: My treat!

Neil: Oh, come on. Let's go. See ya.

Feifei: Bye.