1. V0cabulary, Idioms &
Expressions (VIE)
Sports

2. Tue 15 May 2012
A Long Shot
Difficult to win; to win against great odds
That horse is a long shot to win the Belmont
race.
To Make The Cut
To be able to pass from one round of competition
to the next
I was happy because I made the cut and was
allowed to compete in the finals of the
cheerleading competition!

3. Make-or-Break Wed 16 May 2012
A thing that decides success or failure
Tomorrow’s ‘C’ division match against
Hillview Secondary is a make-or-break
game for us. If we lose we will leave the
tournament empty handed.
Get Into The Swing of Things
To become accustomed to doing something
After taking a year off from training, it will
take a few weeks for Tiger Woods to get
back into the swing of things.

4. To Hit Below The Belt Thu 17 May 2012
To say something that is often too personal,
hurtful and unfair:
To remind reformed athletes of their drug
problem is to hit below the belt.
Cover All of One's Bases
To thoroughly prepare for or deal with a
situation
The team manager covered all of his
bases before the match and his team
performed very well.

5. Wed 23 May 2012
Ballpark Estimate/Figure
A guess that is in a certain area or range,
usually in terms of numbers.
We had a ballpark figure about how much it
would cost to build a new sports hall in school.
Neck and Neck
Exactly even, especially in a race or a contest
The two drivers were neck and neck in the
thrilling race until the last bend where Hamilton
crashed into the dividers.

6. On An Even Keel Thu 24 May 2012
Calm and not likely to change suddenly, in a
steady and well-balanced situation
The new sports department was running on an
even keel soon after it opened due to good
management skills.
Punch Above One's Weight
To fight at a level that is above what would be
expected of you
The small country punches above its weight in
international competitions like the Olympics.

7. Mon 25 June 2012
Take The Wind Out of One's Sails
To become discouraged and lose one's
enthusiasm
It took the wind out of my sails when I
was told that I was not doing a good job in
training.
Toe The Line
To conform to established rules
The flamboyant striker refused to toe the
line and was sacked from the team.

8. Fri 29 June 2012
To Give Someone A Run For Their Money
To compete very strongly against someone who is
expected to win
I think only Chelsea will be able to give
Manchester United a run for their money next
season.
Throw One's Hat Into The Ring
decide to enter a contest or take up a challenge
The ex-Olympian decided to throw his hat into
the ring in this year’s games even though he has
retired from the sporting scene last year.

9. Tue 3 July 2012
To Blow The Whistle On Someone
To tell someone in authority about something bad
that is happening so that it can be stopped
The national athletes are encouraged to blow the
whistle on any of their teammates who are using
drugs to prevent further embarrassment to the
country.
Name of The Game
The quality that you most need for an activity
People say that in golf the name of the game is
patience

10. Right off the bat Wed 4 July 2012
At the very beginning, immediately
When we arrived at the resort, we were told
right off the bat that we would have to pay
extra to use the pool and the training room.
Out of The Running
Eliminated from a contest, no longer being
considered for something
Paul was out of the running for the
director’s job in the Oxford Sports Club as
he had less than 5 years of experience.

11. Thu 5 July 2012
Hands Down
Without much effort, easily
Usain Bolt is the fastest sprinter in the
world. He can win any race hands down.
Have Somebody In Your Corner
To have the support or help of someone
We're lucky we've got James in our
corner. No one can beat him in the pool.