Put a sock in it!

Welcome to The English We Speak with me Rob - and today I’ve come round to Helen’s house because she said she needed some help. (Doorbell and door opens)

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

That’s OK, no problem. Now, how can I help?

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.

Hmm, black smoke? That doesn’t sound good. OK, let’s have a look at it. Err, Helen?

Yes?

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

Rob, I put the sock in there.

You put the sock in there - why did you do that?

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.

So?

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

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

How rude! ‘Put a sock in it’ isn’t a very polite thing to say 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.

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!’

So the phrase ‘to put a sock in it’ really means ‘be quiet’ or ‘shut up’. But Rob, I don’t talk that much, it’s just I like to tell people about my holidays, my cooking, my boyfriends.

Err, Helen.

Yes?

Can you put a sock in it please?! In fact, use this. dirty sock from your toaster!

But where should I put it?

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

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

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

Bye!