A few problem sentences

[Anonymous]

Dear everybody,
Here are a few questions about quite simple daily English conversations I encountered.
Hope somebody can help me...

1. About drinking alcohol, what does "at a time" mean as in "You can't drink at a time like this"?
Does it mean "You can't drink so quickly like this" or "You can't drink at this time of a day"?

2. About fire accidents, what does "We were burned out of house and home" mean?
Does it mean the house was burned down or people were running out of the house because of the fire?

3. About playing golf, what's a "long hole"?

4. About playing tennis or other ball games, what does it mean by "I lost a love game"?

5. About sales or selling things, what does "hawk amulets (or charms) mean as in "I got conned by a manipulative salesman hawking amulets"?

Hope I've provided enough contex.
And I'd be really appreciated if my questions got answers!! :D

[shane]

Can I try? :)

1. 'You can't drink at a time like this.'

- This means 'at this time of day'. Basically, this person is saying that this particular time of day is not when people normally drink.

2. 'We were burned out of house and home.'

- This means that the fire left us with nothing. We lost our house (physical property) and our home (the dwelling we have made ourselves over the years).

3. About playing golf, what's a "long hole"?

- A long hole is when the distance between the start point (the 'tee') and the end point (the hole) is very long. This is usually a distance of 400-500 yards.

4. About playing tennis or other ball games, what does it mean by "I lost a love game"?

- This is a new one on me. However, I do know that 'love' means 'zero points' in tennis, so maybe the person means that they lost a game without scoring any points?

5. About sales or selling things, what does "hawk amulets (or charms) mean as in "I got conned by a manipulative salesman hawking amulets"?

- I may be wrong, but I think 'hawking' means 'selling on the street, usually illegally'. I first heard this word when I began watching Hong Kong movies, as they always depict 'street hawkers' (usually selling fish balls ;) ).


Hope that helps you! :)

[Casiopea]

I liked Shane's answers so much that I wanted to try it myself. :D

1. "You can't drink at a time like this."

You need to be serious, on your toes, sober.
'at a time like this' means, a serious occasion, one in which clear thinking and sobriety is required.

2. "We were burned out of house and home."

We lost everything we own.
When a family's house is destroyed by fire they lose everything, their house (its structure) and their home (a place to live).

3. "a long hole"

I don't know. Shane's the golfer :D

4. "I lost a love game."

It means, 'no score, nil'.

5. "I got conned by a manipulative salesman hawking amulets."

In the days of old, street sellers or hawkers used to sell good luck objects (charms, amulets) to ward off evil. The word 'hawking' comes from the verb 'hawk' which means to sell goods at a lower price than their true worth.

:D

[Tdol]

Can I try? :)

1. 'You can't drink at a time like this.'

- This means 'at this time of day'. Basically, this person is saying that this particular time of day is not when people normally drink.

I would agree with Cas that this one refers more to a specific accasion,like half an hour before a job interview, rather than at a general time like ten in the morning.

[shane]

Having read it again, I would agree too. :)

[Tdol]

Time for a drink, then.

[shane]

Time for a drink, then.

Funny you should say that, I've just had a nice cup of Sainsbury's tea. ;)

[Tdol]

In China?

[shane]

Yep, get them (teabags) sent from home. ;)

Recently had a shipment of Mars bars, too.

[Tdol]

No tea in China?