Words and Their Stories - VOA Learning English

VOA Learning English•learningenglish.voanews.com

Words and Their Stories programs explain idioms and expressions that many learners of American English find difficult to understand.

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Episodes

What Does It Mean 'To Mushroom'? - March 13, 2025

Mar 13, 2025•3 min

'Watching the Grass Grow' Is Not Fun - March 11, 2025

Mar 11, 2025•3 min

Green Means Spring and Other Things - March 07, 2025

Mar 07, 2025•5 min

How to 'Dish Up' Something Good - February 27, 2025

Feb 27, 2025•4 min

The Importance of Being ‘Dialed In’ - February 20, 2025

Feb 20, 2025•4 min

Don't Miss a Thing With 'Eagle Eyes' - February 13, 2025

Feb 13, 2025•6 min

What Does It Take to Be a 'Power Couple'? - February 05, 2025

Feb 05, 2025•5 min

Protecting Apple Trees from Climate Change - January 31, 2025

Jan 31, 2025•6 min

‘Kitchen-Table’ Is a Type of Politics - January 30, 2025

Jan 30, 2025•4 min

Sometimes We 'Spread Ourself Too Thin' - January 20, 2025

Jan 20, 2025•3 min

Knee Jerk and Gut Reactions: When We Are Not in Control - January 16, 2025

Jan 16, 2025•5 min

The Story of Jack Frost - January 10, 2025

Jan 10, 2025•6 min

'Kicking Off' a New Year - January 02, 2025

Jan 02, 2025•6 min

Expressions for New Year's Resolution - December 23, 2024

Dec 23, 2024•5 min

Expressions That ‘Stop You Cold’ - December 11, 2024

Dec 11, 2024•5 min

For Words of the Year: Brat, Brain Rot, Polarization - December 10, 2024

Dec 10, 2024•7 min

'Show Your Hand', other Card Idioms - December 05, 2024

Dec 05, 2024•5 min

What Does ‘Like Gangbusters’ Mean? - November 27, 2024

Nov 27, 2024•5 min

Learn 'Rub Elbows,' Other 'Rub' Expressions - November 20, 2024

Nov 20, 2024•6 min

What Does It Mean to 'Hit Pay Dirt' - November 14, 2024

Nov 14, 2024•4 min

Have You Ever Felt the ‘Long Arm of the Law?’ - November 07, 2024

Nov 07, 2024•4 min

For When You Do Something Wrong: Mea Culpa - October 31, 2024

Oct 31, 2024•4 min

Exploring the 'Butterfly Effect' - October 24, 2024

Oct 24, 2024•5 min

Expressions Using Our Head and Shoulders - October 17, 2024

Oct 17, 2024•6 min

When in Rome … - October 10, 2024

Oct 10, 2024•5 min

Is ‘Pie in the Sky’ Just a Dream? - October 03, 2024

Oct 03, 2024•5 min

Keep Your Nose to the Grindstone - September 26, 2024

Sep 26, 2024•6 min

How to Use "Swimming" to Deal with Life's Situations - September 19, 2024

Sep 19, 2024•5 min

What Is Your 'North Star'? - September 13, 2024

Sep 13, 2024•5 min

‘Dead Giveaway’ Is Not as Dark as It Sounds - September 05, 2024

Sep 05, 2024•4 min

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