向你致敬！

Hats Off to You! 向你致敬！

Hello and welcome to Words and Their Stories from the Voice of America!

This program helps you understand common expressions in the English language.

You know, we tailor this show for people interested in learning¹ English. Words and Their Stories is tailored to fit people like you!

Now, let’s say you are a regular listener to the show and you want to learn the meaning of the saying to be cut from the same cloth. So, you write to us requesting more information. Then I write a show about that expression. You could say that program is tailor-made just for you.

A tailor makes men’s clothing. When a tailor goes to work, he or she first takes measurements². The tailor then makes clothing for just that individual, not a group of people. We call that kind of clothing tailor-made. They are not mass-produced or sold in stores.

The term tailor-made can also be used in other ways. If you are a student and find a class that seems perfect for you, you could say that class is tailor-made for you.

But now, let’s get back to our earlier expression -- to be cut from the same cloth. When making a business suit, a tailor cuts the coat and pant³ legs from the same piece of cloth. This way, the color and quality of the material match.

The same can be said about people. If two people are cut from the same cloth, they are very similar.

Let’s say Felix and Catherine design video games. The two young designers both want to design good games that help children. They also have the same sense of humor⁴. They have a lot in common. So, you could say they are cut from the same cloth.

They are also good friends. So, if Catherine was in need, Felix would give her the shirt off his back. If someone is kind to others and helps those in need, we say that person would give you the shirt off their back.

Now, we praise people who roll up their sleeves and who give you the shirt off their back. We take our hats off to these people. This means you look up to them and approve of their behavior. Another way of saying this is to tip your hat.

In the past, a man would take off his hat to show respect. These days, some men have lost that simple act of civility or they just don’t wear hats. But the expression lives on.

I, for example, take my hat off to anyone who helps children. But personally, I don’t tip my hat to anyone who rides someone’s coattails.

To ride someone’s coattails is to use your ties to someone else to become successful. Long coattails are no longer common on modern-day clothing. Yet the expression is still used today. And saying "you are riding someone else's coattails" is never a good thing.

But now, let’s go back to our video game designers, Catherine and Felix.

What if Felix designed a game, and it became really successful. His career takes off and he becomes famous in the gaming industry. Yet Catherine’s career is far from a success. Her games aren’t selling. So, she uses her ties to Felix to get more work.

People who know them both say she is riding Felix’s coattails. But Felix doesn’t care. He likes Catherine. And he knows she is using his success to further her career.

Anyway, there is more to the story.

Felix knows Catherine better than most people. He thinks they have sized her up all wrong. To size up someone, or size someone up, means to examine them carefully and then make a decision about them.

Felix knows that Catherine is really good at creating video games. She has the interest and necessary skills. She just needs a break.

But let’s say Catherine is still unhappy. She goes to a career counselor⁵ for advice on how to launch⁶ a successful career. He tells her there isn’t a one size fits all answer to that question.

One size fits all clothing does just that: anyone can wear it. In real life, there is rarely a one size fits all solution to a problem. And that is how we usually use this expression.

After talking to the counselor, Catherine decides to start looking for a different job -- one that uses her game designer experience. She wants to keep quiet about her decision. She only tells her good friend, Felix. He promises to keep her plans under his hat. When you keep something under your hat, you don’t share it with others. It’s a secret.

This is different from keeping something up your sleeve. Keeping something up your sleeve means that you are trying to fool someone. This expression comes from the world of magic. Some magicians⁸ might hide a card up their shirt sleeves to trick the people watching.

Catherine isn’t hiding anything in her clothing. She just wants to keep her plans private. But she is on pins and needles for months, hoping for a job offer.

Tailors often use pins and needles when making clothes. Most pins and needles are made of metal -- and they are sharp! They would hurt if you sat on them. So, if you are on pins and needles, you are waiting for something to happen.

Catherine’s wait pays off!

She gets a job designing interactive⁹ websites for schools. This career fits her like a glove. A glove that fits well is comfortable. We use this expression when something seems agreeable¹⁰ or when two things are a good match. Catherine and Felix celebrate her good news. These two friends are a good match, too!

And that brings us to the end of this Words and Their Stories.

If you have a friend who would like to learn English, tell them to try us on for size! They may find we fit them like a glove. And don’t be on pins and needles waiting for the next episode¹¹. That will happen next week!

Words in This Story

match – n. a person or thing equal or similar to another

counselor – n. a person who gives advice

takes off – informal phrasal verb : to spring into wide use or popularity¹²

secret – n. kept hidden from others : known to only a few people

comfortable – adj. allowing you to be relaxed : causing no worries, difficulty, or uncertainty¹³

magic – n. tricks that seem to be impossible and that are done by a performer to entertain people

magician⁷ – n. a performer who does tricks that seem to be impossible

private – adj. not known publicly or carried on in public; especially : intended only for the persons involved

pay off – informal phrasal verb : (of a course of action) yield¹⁴ good results; succeed.

interactive – adj. designed to respond to the actions, commands, etc., of a user

1 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

2 measurements   

n.量度( measurement的名词复数 )；测量；衡量；（量得的）尺寸

参考例句：

• The second group of measurements had a high correlation with the first. 第二组测量数据与第一组高度相关。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• In the metric system, measurements are made in metres and liters. 在公制中，用米和升作计量单位。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 pant   

n.喘息，悸动；vt.气喘吁吁地说；vi.喘息，渴望；adj.裤子的

参考例句：

• You pant after running hard for a time.拼命跑一阵后便会觉得气短。
• When he bent over,he split his pant.他一弯腰就把裤裆裂开了。

4 humor   

n.(humour)幽默，诙谐

参考例句：

• He is distinguished for his sense of humor.他以其幽默感著称。
• American humor is founded largely on hyperbole.美式幽默主要以夸张为基础。

5 counselor   

n.顾问，法律顾问

参考例句：

• The counselor gave us some disinterested advice.顾问给了我们一些无私的忠告。
• Chinese commercial counselor's office in foreign countries.中国驻国外商务参赞处。

6 launch   

vt.发动，推出；发射；n.发射，下水，投产

参考例句：

• The makers are about to launch out a new product.制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。
• Would it be wise to launch into this rough sea?在这样汹涌的大海中游泳明智吗？

7 magician   

n.魔术师，变戏法的人，术士

参考例句：

• With a wave of his hand,the magician made the rabbit vanish.魔术师手一挥兔子便不见了。
• The magician transformed the man into a rabbit.魔术师把那个人变成了兔子。

8 magicians   

n.魔术师( magician的名词复数 )；巫师；术士；施妖术的人

参考例句：

• Like all magicians, he kept his secrets to himself. 象所有魔术师那样，他对此守口如瓶。 来自辞典例句
• The early priests were also doctors and magicians. 早期的僧侣又是医生又是巫士。 来自辞典例句

9 interactive   

adj.相互作用的，互相影响的，（电脑）交互的

参考例句：

• The psychotherapy is carried out in small interactive groups.这种心理治疗是在互动的小组之间进行的。
• This will make videogames more interactive than ever.这将使电子游戏的互动性更胜以往。

10 agreeable   

adj.符合的，一致的，欣然同意的，令人愉快的

参考例句：

• He was quite agreeable to accepting the plan.他乐意接受这项计划。
• I enjoyed an agreeable holiday this summer.今年夏天我度过了一个愉快的假期。

11 episode   

n.（作品的一段）情节，插曲，系列事件中之一

参考例句：

• The episode was a huge embarrassment for all concerned.这段小插曲令所有有关人员都感到非常尴尬。
• This episode remains sharply engraved on my mind.这段经历至今仍深深地铭刻在我的心中。

12 popularity   

n.普及，流行，名望，受欢迎

参考例句：

• The story had an extensive popularity among American readers.这本小说在美国读者中赢得广泛的声望。
• Our product enjoys popularity throughout the world.我们的产品饮誉全球。

13 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

14 yield   

v.生产，出产；让步，屈服；n.产量，收获量

参考例句：

• A cow will yield several gallons of milk each day.一头母牛每天产几加仑的牛奶。
• We shall never yield to a conqueror.我们永远不会向征服者低头。