Put a sock in it! 安靜點兒/住嘴!

Rob: Welcome to Authentic Real English with me Rob - and today I've come round to Helen's house because she said she needed some help... (Doorbell and door opens)

Helen: Oh, hi Rob. Thanks for coming round. (She shuts the door)

Rob: That's OK, no problem. Now, how can I help you?

Helen: I need you to fix my toaster please. You know me, I love my toast but since yesterday, every time I try to make some, black smoke keeps coming out of it.

Rob: Hmm, black smoke? That doesn't sound good. OK, let's have a look at it. (He fiddles with the toaster) Err, Helen?

Helen: Yes?

Rob: There's a sock in it - that's very dangerous - no wonder you're getting black smoke when you try to make toast!

Helen: Oh - 是啊，我的烤麵包機裏面有只襪子，但這是我朋友讓我放進去的！Rob, I put the sock in there.

Rob: Why did you put a sock in there?

Helen: Well, my friend came round for breakfast yesterday, and I was telling her all about my fantastic holiday… the great weather, the good food and the… handsome men...

Rob: So?

Helen: Well, I was making us both toast when she said "Helen, put a sock in it!"

Rob: Ah! I don't think she actually meant put a sock in the toaster - when people say that, it means 'be quiet'!

Helen: Oh! 原來這個短語和襪子沒任何關係，它表示安靜點兒，住嘴別說了-多不禮貌呀！ It's not a very polite thing to say Rob?

Rob: It's not. It's an impolite way of saying 'stop talking'! It can also mean, keep the noise down. Your friend must have been annoyed by your non-stop chatter if she said that! Let's hear some more examples of this phrase in action...

Examples Put a sock in it, we're trying to do some work here! Oh put a sock in it, I've already said I'm going to do the washing-up later.

My Dad was telling me how I should work harder at school so I told him to 'put a sock in it'!

Helen: 這回我明白了。To put a sock in it 意思就是安靜點兒，住嘴別說了，是個不太禮貌的說法。But Rob I don't talk that much, it's just I like to tell people about my holidays, my cooking, my boyfriends...

Rob: Err, Helen...

Helen: Yes?

Rob: Put a sock in it will you! In fact, use this one - this dirty sock from your toaster!

Helen: But where should I put it?

Rob: Well, figuratively speaking, the phrase means put a sock in your mouth to stop you talking - so try that!

Helen: Oh thanks. (Toaster pops up) Actually, now my toaster is working, I'm going to have socks on toast!

Rob: (Sniffing the sock) Well, by the smell of this sock, it's going to be cheese on toast.

Both: Bye!