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Hard: Throw in the towel

Hard: Throw in the towel

Premier Vocabulary is a mini-podcast for you to learn football English one word at a time. We have three different levels for you: easy, medium and hard.

This episode is hard so we’re looking at more difficult football phrases and idioms. These phrases can be used to talk about football but are also useful when talking about other topics.

Summary

Learn more football vocabulary with Premier Skills English. Each lesson in our Premier Vocabulary section looks at one football word or phrase. This lesson looks at the phrase throw in the towel

You can find more lessons on the side of this page.

Transcript

Rich: Hello my name's Rich and welcome to Premier Skills English - Premier Vocabulary.

Jack: Hi there! I'm Jack. We're here to help you with your football English. Premier Vocabulary is a mini-podcast for you to learn football English one word at a time.

Rich: We have three different levels for you: easy, medium and hard.

Jack: This episode is hard so we're looking at more difficult football phrases and idioms. These phrases can be used to talk about football but are also useful when talking about other topics.


Rich: The phrase we are looking at in this episode is: to throw in the towel.

Jack: To throw in the towel is an idiom that means to give up or give in - to stop playing because you don't think you can win or you've had enough.

Rich: Yes, it means to admit defeat. The phrase comes from boxing originally. The boxer's trainer literally throws his towel into the boxing ring to say that his boxer wants to stop the fight.

Jack: In boxing, throwing in the towel is admitting defeat and nothing more. It's not really a negative thing - it just means you've lost the fight.

Rich: In football and other team sports it is much more negative as using this idiom indicates that the team has stopped trying.

Jack: Have a listen to this conversation:

Rich: I heard about the result. Not a good day at the office, hey?

Jack: Not a good day at the office - that's a bit of an understatement. OK, they were the better team but we just threw in the towel in the second half.

Rich: 10-0 is a bit of a disaster.

Jack: A bit of a disaster? They just stopped trying. It was only 3-0 at half-time. It wasn't good but at least it was respectable. Like I say, they just threw in the towel - it was embarrassing to watch.


Rich: So, using the phrase, to throw in the towel, in a non-literal way is much more negative than its original use in boxing.

Jack: And it can be used generally, to speak about lots of other things. Maybe you're writing something you can't finish, maybe you're trying to lose a bit of weight, maybe you're working super hard to get a promotion at work …

Rich: What would you say to these people, Jack?

Jack: I'd tell them to throw in the towel - no, only joking, I'd tell them not to chuck in the towel. I'd encourage them and tell them not to give up.

Rich: Good to know and good to know that you can chuck in the towel as well as throw it!


Jack: There is the final whistle!

Rich: We'll be back soon with more Premier Vocabulary from Premier Skills English.

Jack: Bye for now and enjoy your football.

Discuss

  • Have you ever had to accept defeat and throw in the towel?
  • Do you think it's better to keep fighting till the end or to throw in the towel when defeat seems certain?

Write your answers in the comments section below.

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Comentários

PhuCuong
17/04/2024
VN
103
points

I have to play with my 100% energy until the end of the game and never throwing in the towel.


PhuCuong
17/04/2024 16:24
Vietnam
Arsenal
103

I have to play with my 100% energy until the end of the game and never throwing in the towel.

Michaelsun
17/02/2022
CN
738
points

I had to chuck in the towel sometimes.
I think sometimes it’s better to throw in towel when defeat seems certain.


Michaelsun
17/02/2022 08:04
China
Manchester United
738

I had to chuck in the towel sometimes.
I think sometimes it’s better to throw in towel when defeat seems certain.

Gabriel Amaral's picture
Gabriel Amaral
29/04/2021
BR
1512
points

I can remember situations that I saw myself almost throwing the towel...but I just can't admit that. Never. I'm sure that be proud and keep fighting till the end are the best way to live! I'm brazilian...we never give up!


Gabriel Amaral's picture
Gabriel Amaral
29/04/2021 15:45
Brazil
Arsenal
1512

I can remember situations that I saw myself almost throwing the towel...but I just can't admit that. Never. I'm sure that be proud and keep fighting till the end are the best way to live! I'm brazilian...we never give up!

Alex_from_Ukraine's picture
Alex_from_Ukraine
03/12/2020
UA
6578
points

Shakhtar Donetsk was supposed to throw in the towel after losing two games with the total 0 : 10 to Borussia Moenchengladbach. But the other day they beat Real Madrid 2 : 0 (for the second time btw) and in the last leg of the CL group stage Shakhtar can possess any of 4 possible places in the table. Everything depends on themselves.


Alex_from_Ukraine's picture
Alex_from_Ukraine
03/12/2020 13:47
Ukraine
Liverpool
6578

Shakhtar Donetsk was supposed to throw in the towel after losing two games with the total 0 : 10 to Borussia Moenchengladbach. But the other day they beat Real Madrid 2 : 0 (for the second time btw) and in the last leg of the CL group stage Shakhtar can possess any of 4 possible places in the table. Everything depends on themselves.

Alex_from_Ukraine's picture
Alex_from_Ukraine
03/12/2020
UA
6578
points

I've often accepted defeat (after the competition) but never thrown in the towel.


Alex_from_Ukraine's picture
Alex_from_Ukraine
03/12/2020 13:41
Ukraine
Liverpool
6578

I've often accepted defeat (after the competition) but never thrown in the towel.

Alex_from_Ukraine's picture
Alex_from_Ukraine
03/12/2020
UA
6578
points

It's always better to keep fighting till the end and never throw in the towel. Don't ever give up!


Alex_from_Ukraine's picture
Alex_from_Ukraine
03/12/2020 13:38
Ukraine
Liverpool
6578

It's always better to keep fighting till the end and never throw in the towel. Don't ever give up!

hsn's picture
hsn
22/04/2020
TR
5560
points

If there is a certain defeat looks on the horizon it's logical to give up without loosing time,energy or money. Life always offer you a new chance.


hsn's picture
hsn
22/04/2020 18:49
Turkey
Tottenham Hotspur
5560

If there is a certain defeat looks on the horizon it's logical to give up without loosing time,energy or money. Life always offer you a new chance.

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Top Scorers
RankNameScore
1Alex_from_Ukraine6578
2mobeckham6539
3hsn5560
4wsanta5086
5kwesimanifest4779
6Liubomyr4417
7elghoul3988
8assemjuve3705
9aragorn19863557
10Gergő Nagy3396
Country ranking
RankNameScore
1Colombia74679
2Ukraine33892
3Spain29525
4Serbia27426
5Brazil23505
6Albania20578
7Vietnam20460
8Turkey20111
9Macedonia19074
10Bosnia and Herzegovina16333
Club ranking
RankNameScore
1Manchester United146944
2Liverpool111456
3Chelsea90265
4Arsenal86299
5Manchester City58928
6Tottenham Hotspur19506
7Newcastle United10626
8West Ham United7701
9AFC Bournemouth4915
10Crystal Palace4568

Level

5
Average: 5 (1 vote)

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