Give it a miss: meaning and explanation
To “give something a miss” means to deliberately avoid or skip an activity, event, or opportunity. If you give something a miss, then you are consciously deciding not to participate in or attend something.
e.g. I think I’ll give the party a miss tonight. I’m feeling tired.
This phrase is often used in casual conversation, particularly in British English, but it’s understood in other English-speaking countries as well.
We can use this phrase to decline something in a more polite, indirect or gentle way. It’s less abrupt or direct than saying “I won’t go” or “I’m not doing that.”
e.g. It’s very kind of you to invite me for lunch but I think I’ll have to give it a miss – I’ve got a lot of work to do unfortunately.
Here are some dictations using this expression in context:
About the sentence
…I’m on a tight budget…
If you’re on a tight budget then money is limited and must be carefully controlled. There’s little or no room for extra expenses beyond essential costs.
e.g. We’re on a tight budget this month, so we can’t afford to eat out
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Here’s a natural example in an Irish accent (for context, Galway is a city by the sea on the west coast of Ireland):
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And another in an Australian accent, from a conversation about beauty products:
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Extra practice
Here are some questions/links to help you learn the new vocabulary:
- When was the last time you decided to give something a miss? Why did you make that choice?
- Have you ever regretted giving something a miss? What was it, and why do you regret it now?
- How do you politely tell someone you’re going to give an event a miss without hurting their feelings?
Photo by David Clode on Unsplash
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