English Lessons
Slang
Jan 08 2009
Quote
“I just think it’s healthy to unplug every once in a while!”
- Actor Matthew McConaughey, talking about the vacation he and his girlfriend recently took to Brazil. (US Weekly)
Meaning
relax, disconnect, take a break
Use
These days, many people’s lives revolve around technology. We can’t imagine what it would be like without our iPhones, iPods, and iMacs. We spend all day in front of the computer, and the minute we get home from work, we turn on the TV. We depend on technology to do so many things for us, but sometimes it feels like our gadgets are controlling us.
That’s why it’s a good idea to unplug every once in a while. Things like TVs and computers need to be plugged in to an electrical socket, so to unplug literally means to turn something off. But people can unplug themselves, too, by stepping away from their computer screens, turning their phones off, and taking a break from their responsibilities. Matthew McConaughey and his girlfriend are lucky. They recently unplugged by taking a vacation in Brazil.
A couple expressions similar to unplug are to tune out, or ignore what’s happening around you, and to unwind, or relax. Hanging out on the beach in Brazil is a pretty good way to unplug, unwind, and tune out all at once.
Strangely, plugged in is another slang expression, but it doesn’t quite mean the opposite of unplugged. Someone who’s really plugged in knows a lot about what’s going on, or is really in the know. You can be plugged in about specific things, as in, “Tom’s really plugged in to the local music scene,” or, “Rebecca doesn’t have many friends and isn’t very plugged in at her company.” You could even be really plugged in about how to unplug.
Examples
“My wife and I haven’t taken a vacation and unplugged since our honeymoon.
After work, I like to kick back, unplug, and take a long bath.
“
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment