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Free Spirit English / March 16, 2020

102. Snowed Under – Learn English Idioms with Videos

Ireland, our country of origin, has a very mild climate. In the wintertime, some areas get a couple of inches of thick snow. But people rarely find themselves snowed under and unable to leave their homes.

In the passage above, we are describing the impact of heavy snowfall on a region. But we don’t need to be talking about snow to use this common expression.

Watch Dara’s latest video below to find out the other applications of this frequently used idiom.

Learn English - Everyday Idioms #102. Snowed Under

Transcript

Literally speaking, to be snowed under means to have so much snowfall on you that you can’t move!

If you replace snow with work, you’ll get the idea behind this idiom. To be snowed under just means to be very busy or to have a lot of work to do.

Let’s see how we can use this phrase naturally:

  • Sorry, Dad! I can’t come round for dinner this weekend. I’m snowed under with work at the moment.
  • I’d love to play football with you guys, but I really can’t. I’m snowed under with homework and assignments at the moment.
  • Hello? Yes… Uh-huh… Sorry, but can this wait? I’m completely snowed under at the moment… OK, great, thanks! … I’ll call you back at … 5:30. OK… Bye!

So, there we are. Can you use this phrase in a sentence of your own? Let us know in the comments section below.

Practice

Read the examples below and try out today’s idiom.

  • A friend wants to arrange a camping trip the weekend before a big project is due at work. What would you say?
  • A classmate asks you to play computer games the night before an important exam. What would you tell her?
  • A colleague asks you to help him with some work, but you are already really busy. How would you respond to this request?

What would your friends, family, boss, or coworkers say if you told them you were too busy to do something? Would they be understanding of the situation? We certainly hope so!

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Filed Under: Everyday Idioms, Videos

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