“Out and about” means to be away from home or work doing things and going multiple places.
Transcript
Out and about
Today’s expression is a quirky one—it’s “out and about.” What does it mean to be “out and about”? It generally means to be away from home or work and to be doing multiple things, going multiple places.
For example, if you went from your house to a pharmacy and back home, I would not say that you’re “out and about.” I would just say that you went out. But if you went to the pharmacy, and then stopped for a coffee, and then returned a book to the library, and then went to the market for some shopping, and ran into a friend on the way home—in that case, I’d say you were “out and about.”
We often say “out and about” if a person has started to move again after having had to stay at home for a while. You know that feeling, the day after you recover from being sick for a few days—you go outside for the first time and it just feels amazing. Human contact for once! Fresh air! If someone asks how you’re feeling, you might answer—I’m feeling great. I was out and about earlier today and now I’m back home. I was out and about—I went out to do a bunch of things.
On a typical March 17—not this March 17, but on a typical March 17—people are out and about, celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. In many towns and cities in America, and certainly in Ireland, people dress up in green, go outside, watch the parade, catch some traditional Irish music, go to the bar, raise a glass, and celebrate with friends. People are out and about; they’re moving around from place to place.
During a winter storm, the weatherman might tell you: You don’t want to be out and about today. I don’t know how it is in other countries, but in America we have hyper-local news stations. Most medium-sized cities and above have their own television stations, and they all produce local news. And the biggest thing on local news is the weather. And the biggest story for local weather forecasters is a big snowstorm. So we have local news anchors dress up and go outside and stand in the snow, telling everyone else to stay home. You don’t want to be out and about tonight, they’ll tell you, as they clearly ignore their own advice. If you don’t have to be out and about, stay home, they say.
To be “out and about” is a compliment to an elderly person. Some elderly people just stay home most of the time. But others are out and about; they prize their independence and like to stay active.
My company has instructed us to work from home, so that’s what I’ll be doing the next few weeks. I won’t be out and about; I’ll go out if I have to, but for the most part, I’ll stay home. No sense being out and about when there’s a deadly virus going around.
Quote of the week
Today’s quote of the week is from Tom Hanks, the actor. He tested positive for the virus and has quarantined himself in Australia while he recovers. But he has remained calm, followed all the guidance, and managed to stay upbeat. So here is his quote, from Twitter. He said, “Remember, despite all the current events, there is no crying in baseball.”
Huh? If you saw the movie “A League of Their Own,” you’ll recognize the line. The movie was about a women’s professional baseball league that started during World War II, while the men were off fighting in the war. Tom Hanks plays the coach. And in one scene, of the players starts crying. But Tom Hanks’s character, a veteran baseball coach, protests, “There is no crying in baseball!”
So Tom Hanks’s quote on Twitter is a reference to that movie. It’s a reassuring quote, he’s telling us that some things don’t change, even if the world seems a little crazy right now. “Remember,” Tom Hanks said, “despite all the current events, there is no crying in baseball.”
I hope you’re staying safe. I’ll be saving a lot of time by not commuting, not traveling, and I’ll dedicate that time to thinking of ways to improve the Plain English experience for all of you. And if you find yourself with some free time, then feel free to explore our catalog of old episodes. We have 244 episodes!
You know, JR and I are working hard on a rebuild of the web site, so that means we’re looking at a lot of old episodes as we work on this transition. There are some good ones. A few not-as-good ones! But mostly some really good ones. We’ve covered a lot of ground together, haven’t we?
I wish you luck and good health, whether you are in an affected area or not. We have a lot of listeners in Italy—a lot of listeners in Italy—and I hope that you are all managing to stay safe, stay healthy, stay in touch with your friends and loved ones. And have faith that this will be over some day. We don’t know when, but it will be over soon, so hang in there until then.
¿Hablas español?
The transcript of this lesson is available with interactive translations into Spanish. In each lesson transcript, we select about one hundred difficult words, phrases , and expressions for translation.
How is this different than simply using a translation engine?
Translation engines are powerful tools for communicating in the modern world . However, they often miss the context and can either mislead you or leave you confused . Our human translators are here to make sure that you’re getting not only the correct definition, but also the full context .
How can I use the translations in my studies?
Most members use the translations as they are listening to the lesson and reading along . When you come across a word you don’t understand, you don’t have to press pause to discover the meaning . You can simply hover your mouse over the highlighted word . This lets you learn the definition of the word without having to press pause on the audio.
Do the translations work on mobile?
Yes! Instead of hovering over a highlighted word, just tap on it .
How can I access the translations?
Translations are included in two memberships: Plain English Plus+ and Starter. Choose a plan and get started today!
你说中国话？
The transcript of this lesson is available with interactive translations into your language. In each lesson transcript, we select about one hundred difficult words, phrases , and expressions for translation.
How is this different than simply using a translation engine?
Translation engines are powerful tools for communicating in the modern world . However, they often miss the context and can either mislead you or leave you confused . Our human translators are here to make sure that you’re getting not only the correct definition, but also the full context .How can I use the translations in my studies?
Most members use the translations as they are listening to the lesson and reading along . When you come across a word you don’t understand, you don’t have to press pause to discover the meaning . You can simply hover your mouse over the highlighted word . This lets you learn the definition of the word without having to press pause on the audio.
Do the translations work on mobile?
Yes! Instead of hovering over a highlighted word, just tap on it .
How can I access the translations?
Translations are included in two memberships: Plain English Plus+ and Starter. Choose a plan and get started today!
Parlez-vous français?
The transcript of this lesson is available with interactive translations into your language. In each lesson transcript, we select about one hundred difficult words, phrases , and expressions for translation.
How is this different than simply using a translation engine?
Translation engines are powerful tools for communicating in the modern world . However, they often miss the context and can either mislead you or leave you confused . Our human translators are here to make sure that you’re getting not only the correct definition, but also the full context .How can I use the translations in my studies?
Most members use the translations as they are listening to the lesson and reading along . When you come across a word you don’t understand, you don’t have to press pause to discover the meaning . You can simply hover your mouse over the highlighted word . This lets you learn the definition of the word without having to press pause on the audio.
Do the translations work on mobile?
Yes! Instead of hovering over a highlighted word, just tap on it .
Can I see a sample?
Yes, please visit PlainEnglish.com/sample to see a sample episode with the Spanish translations.
How can I access the translations?
Translations are included in two memberships: Plain English Plus+ and Starter. Choose a plan and get started today!
Você fala português?
The transcript of this lesson is available with interactive translations into your language. In each lesson transcript, we select about one hundred difficult words, phrases , and expressions for translation.
How is this different than simply using a translation engine?
Translation engines are powerful tools for communicating in the modern world . However, they often miss the context and can either mislead you or leave you confused . Our human translators are here to make sure that you’re getting not only the correct definition, but also the full context .How can I use the translations in my studies?
Most members use the translations as they are listening to the lesson and reading along . When you come across a word you don’t understand, you don’t have to press pause to discover the meaning . You can simply hover your mouse over the highlighted word . This lets you learn the definition of the word without having to press pause on the audio.
Do the translations work on mobile?
Yes! Instead of hovering over a highlighted word, just tap on it .
Can I see a sample?
Yes, please visit PlainEnglish.com/sample to see a sample episode with the Spanish translations.
How can I access the translations?
Translations are included in two memberships: Plain English Plus+ and Starter. Choose a plan and get started today!
日本語は話せますか？
The transcript of this lesson is available with interactive translations into your language. In each lesson transcript, we select about one hundred difficult words, phrases , and expressions for translation.
How is this different than simply using a translation engine?
Translation engines are powerful tools for communicating in the modern world . However, they often miss the context and can either mislead you or leave you confused . Our human translators are here to make sure that you’re getting not only the correct definition, but also the full context .How can I use the translations in my studies?
Most members use the translations as they are listening to the lesson and reading along . When you come across a word you don’t understand, you don’t have to press pause to discover the meaning . You can simply hover your mouse over the highlighted word . This lets you learn the definition of the word without having to press pause on the audio.
Do the translations work on mobile?
Yes! Instead of hovering over a highlighted word, just tap on it .
Can I see a sample?
Yes, please visit PlainEnglish.com/sample to see a sample episode with the Spanish translations.
How can I access the translations?
Translations are included in two memberships: Plain English Plus+ and Starter. Choose a plan and get started today!
Parli italiano?
The transcript of this lesson is available with interactive translations into your language. In each lesson transcript, we select about one hundred difficult words, phrases , and expressions for translation.
How is this different than simply using a translation engine?
Translation engines are powerful tools for communicating in the modern world . However, they often miss the context and can either mislead you or leave you confused . Our human translators are here to make sure that you’re getting not only the correct definition, but also the full context .How can I use the translations in my studies?
Most members use the translations as they are listening to the lesson and reading along . When you come across a word you don’t understand, you don’t have to press pause to discover the meaning . You can simply hover your mouse over the highlighted word . This lets you learn the definition of the word without having to press pause on the audio.
Do the translations work on mobile?
Yes! Instead of hovering over a highlighted word, just tap on it .
Can I see a sample?
Yes, please visit PlainEnglish.com/sample to see a sample episode with the Spanish translations.
How can I access the translations?
Translations are included in two memberships: Plain English Plus+ and Starter. Choose a plan and get started today!
Sprechen Sie Deutsch?
The transcript of this lesson is available with interactive translations into your language. In each lesson transcript, we select about one hundred difficult words, phrases , and expressions for translation.
How is this different than simply using a translation engine?
Translation engines are powerful tools for communicating in the modern world . However, they often miss the context and can either mislead you or leave you confused . Our human translators are here to make sure that you’re getting not only the correct definition, but also the full context .How can I use the translations in my studies?
Most members use the translations as they are listening to the lesson and reading along . When you come across a word you don’t understand, you don’t have to press pause to discover the meaning . You can simply hover your mouse over the highlighted word . This lets you learn the definition of the word without having to press pause on the audio.
Do the translations work on mobile?
Yes! Instead of hovering over a highlighted word, just tap on it .
Can I see a sample?
Yes, please visit PlainEnglish.com/sample to see a sample episode with the Spanish translations.
How can I access the translations?
Translations are included in two memberships: Plain English Plus+ and Starter. Choose a plan and get started today!
Sen Türkçe konuşmayı biliyor musun?
The transcripts of Plain English lessons are available with interactive translations into your language. In each lesson transcript, we select about one hundred difficult words, phrases , and expressions for translation. Turkish translations are available starting at Lesson 278.
How is this different than simply using a translation engine?
Translation engines are powerful tools for communicating in the modern world . However, they often miss the context and can either mislead you or leave you confused . Our human translators are here to make sure that you’re getting not only the correct definition, but also the full context .How can I use the translations in my studies?
Most members use the translations as they are listening to the lesson and reading along . When you come across a word you don’t understand, you don’t have to press pause to discover the meaning . You can simply hover your mouse over the highlighted word . This lets you learn the definition of the word without having to press pause on the audio.
Do the translations work on mobile?
Yes! Instead of hovering over a highlighted word, just tap on it .
Can I see a sample?
Yes, please visit PlainEnglish.com/sample to see a sample episode with the Spanish translations.
How can I access the translations?
Translations are included in two memberships: Plain English Plus+ and Starter. Choose a plan and get started today!
Mówisz po polsku?
The transcript of Plain English lessons are available with interactive translations into your language. In each lesson transcript, we select about one hundred difficult words, phrases , and expressions for translation. Polish translations are available starting at Lesson 278.
How is this different than simply using a translation engine?
Translation engines are powerful tools for communicating in the modern world . However, they often miss the context and can either mislead you or leave you confused . Our human translators are here to make sure that you’re getting not only the correct definition, but also the full context .How can I use the translations in my studies?
Most members use the translations as they are listening to the lesson and reading along . When you come across a word you don’t understand, you don’t have to press pause to discover the meaning . You can simply hover your mouse over the highlighted word . This lets you learn the definition of the word without having to press pause on the audio.
Do the translations work on mobile?
Yes! Instead of hovering over a highlighted word, just tap on it .
Can I see a sample?
Yes, please visit PlainEnglish.com/sample to see a sample episode with the Spanish translations.
How can I access the translations?
Translations are included in two memberships: Plain English Plus+ and Starter. Choose a plan and get started today!
Audio
The fast version of this expression is available for subscribers of Plain English Plus+.