Bone idle

Hello and welcome to The English We Speak. I’m Feifei and… excuse me please… Rob, can we have your attention please!

Err, oh right… hello, I’m Rob.

Rob, could you take your feet off the table please!

Oh, alright then. Feifei, do I have to present this program today?

Why, what’s wrong?

Well, I’ve done so much work already and according to my watch, I should be having a coffee break now.

Really! Rob’s being lazy because he was out late last night. Rob, there is a phrase to describe your condition.

Oh yes. Overworked? Energetic?

No - the opposite. It’s bone idle - literally, you are idle right through to your bones. In other words, you are very lazy!

It’s a great phrase Feifei but that doesn’t describe me. Look I’ve just moved my little finger.

Ha ha! I think we had better hear some more examples while you move the rest of your body.

The doctor has told my brother to do more exercise, but he won’t do it, he’s bone idle.

You’re bone idle - you’ve been at home all day and you’re still in your pyjamas!

My boyfriend’s bone idle - he won’t even get off the sofa to answer the phone.

So the phrase ‘bone idle’ means very lazy - like Rob! Hey Rob, I hear it’s Dan’s birthday today and he’s brought a cake in for us all to share.

Cake! I love cake - great, come on let’s get some before it all eaten.

Ah, you’re moving now -but you’re not going anywhere until you’ve finished this program.

Come on then, tell me what to say.

Just read this script.

OK let me see. Hold on, the script says you’re about to say ‘it’s not Dan’s birthday, it’s a joke.’

Sorry Rob, it is a joke - but it did stop you from being bone idle!

Right, that’s it. I’m not going to do anymore work for the rest of the day.

No change there. Rob, I’ve got a new name for you.

What’s that?

Lazy bones.

You’re cruel.

Bye.

Bye.