To ‘stick with’ something means to continue doing something, or to not change.
Transcript
Stick with
Today’s phrasal verb is “stick with.” There are a few meanings, but the one we’ll talk about today is to continue doing something, or to not change. To continue doing something, or to not change: that’s what it means to stick with something.
Do you remember hearing that earlier? The standard pumpkin design has triangles for eyes and a jagged mouth. You can’t go wrong with that. Expert pumpkin carvers may decide to experiment with more innovative shapes for the components of their pumpkin’s face. I, however, am not an expert pumpkin carver. So on the very rare occasions that I carve a pumpkin, I stick with the basic shapes. I don’t change from the standard advice; I don’t change from the way I typically do it. I stick with the triangles for the eyes and a standard-shaped mouth.
I think I’ve mentioned before that I don’t like to drink liquor. I’ll have a cocktail every once in a while, but for the most part, I stick to beer and wine. That’s what I like to drink and I don’t really change. If I’m out with friends and someone wants to buy a round of shots—liquor—I almost always politely decline. One way I can politely decline is by saying, “Thanks for the offer, but I’m sticking with beer tonight.” I’m going to continue doing what I’m doing—having beer and not liquor.
They celebrated Thanksgiving last month in Canada; we’ll celebrate it later this month in the United States. In my opinion, there are two kinds of Thanksgiving tables. There are the tables that experiment with new recipes and new flavors, and there are the ones that stick with the classic recipes and sides. I like to stick with the classic recipes. I like to experiment with new types of food up to 364 days per year, but on that one day, on Thanksgiving Day, I like to stick with the classics: mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, green beans, turkey, gravy, pumpkin pie and vanilla ice cream for dessert. These are the classics, and I like to stick to the classics. I like to continue doing what I’ve always done on that day, which is eat the classic recipes.
You can stick with a decision. Imagine you made a decision, but now you have doubts about it. Maybe you’re under pressure to change it. You give it some thought, and you decide to stick with your decision. Some school districts opened for in-person instruction this fall. After COVID cases started rising, a lot of those school districts cancelled in-person classes and went back to 100 percent remote learning. But some school districts decided to stick with their in-person classes on the basis that kids are not significant spreaders of the disease. Those school districts were under a lot of pressure to change their decision, and there are legitimate worries about having school open. But in the end, some school districts decided to stick with their original plan to open and host kids in the classroom, at least a few days a week. They stuck with their decision; they did not change.
Tomorrow is our presidential election in the US. I am offering no predictions; I can confidently say I would not be surprised by any outcome. I would not be surprised if Trump wins; I would not be surprised if Biden wins. A lot of people voted for Trump last time around—enough, obviously, for him to win. The question is, How many voters are going to stick with Trump? If enough voters stick with him, he may win again. If enough voters decide not to change, then Trump can win again. We will soon find out how many of his 2016 supporters decide to stick with him after four tumultuous years.
Quote of the Week
I just finished a book by the Irish writer Roddy Doyle. My last international trip before the quarantine was to Dublin; that was just over a year ago. One rainy afternoon, I ducked into a café that had books on the shelfs you could read as you had your Irish tea or a drink. I picked a book at random and started reading—it was a collection of stories by Roddy Doyle.
I wound up buying that book and finishing it after I got home. And I just now read his newest book called “Love.” The book was about two old friends reflecting on their lives over a night out at Dublin’s pubs. And one of the lines in the book caught me. It was about ageing—the characters were about sixty years old. So here’s the line: “I hated this getting old, the surprises. It was supposed to be a slowing down, but it wasn’t; it was a series of shocks.”
Not a slowing down, but a series of shocks. I like the way that was phrased.
See you next time!
And that is all, that brings us to the end of the first of two lessons on fall’s favorite fruit, the pumpkin. It is a fruit, by the way; I looked that up. We treat it like a vegetable in the kitchen and it looks like a vegetable growing on the ground, but in a scientific sense, it is a fruit. That’s because the pumpkin is the part of a plant that contains and protects the seeds. So like an avocado and a tomato, it is technically a fruit, even though its flavor is close to a vegetable.
Remember, we’ll revisit this topic on Thursday, when we’ll talk about three more things to do with pumpkins. Sneak preview: we’ll talk about various popular pumpkin recipes. That’s coming up on Lesson 309 on Thursday: don’t miss it!
¿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+.