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egg on

egg on

Date: Jul 31 2008

Themes: Pop Culture

Quote

1. Quote - Listen to the quote and guess what the slang means.

“The more Batman beats up on the Joker, the bigger that smile on his face becomes. He just adored it and he was egging me on for more.”

- Actor Christian Bale on how Heath Ledger portrayed the joker in the new movie The Dark Knight. (The Scotsman)

Definition

1. Definition - Study the definition.

provoke, urge; encouraging while taunting; encouraging someone to do something bad

2. Use - Learn how the slang is used.

Perhaps the scariest thing you can do if someone hits you is laugh. And if you want that person to stop hitting you, you should not only laugh but ask to be hit some more.

There’s a scene in The Dark Knight where Christian Bale as Batman is interrogating Heath Ledger as the Joker. Batman has the Joker locked in a room and wants him to give information, so he starts hitting him. The Joker eggs him on and asks for more.

To egg was actually a common verb in the year 1200 that comes from a Norse word. Today it survives in the phrase egg on, which surprisingly has nothing to do with throwing eggs.

Examples

1. Examples - Hear some example sentences.

“Young William didn’t want to break the window, but with all his friends there egging him on he decided to do it anyway.”

“He threatened to hit her and she egged him on and told him to do it because she knew he wouldn’t.”

Winners

1. Winners - See who guessed the slang definition correctly.

sterne egg on means encourage, cheer on..
by sterne
@rehanna@ To encourage someone to do something wich might not be a very good idea...
by @rehanna@
czcq25 encourage somebody to do something, especially something dangerous or foolish.
by czcq25
To encourage someone to do something,especially something that they should not do.
by Victoria Wang
i think it means to encourage sb to do sth, maybe that he/she shouldn't do.
by russian_girl_kate
instigate,to persuade someone to do waht he thinks.
by CINDY CHENG
seaseasea incite someone to do something
by seaseasea
NAJLA egg on means to push someone to do something
by NAJLA
paty_lucu cause to act; Urge on
by paty_lucu
a_c_b encourage
by a_c_b
didiana asking for
by didiana
Liton Egg on means to instigate, to incite.
by Liton
LeftAlone "(...)he was cheering me on for more."
by LeftAlone
prince-XS urge on
by prince-XS
dia_nna29 provoking
by dia_nna29
r8y8d encourage person to do soething dangerous or foolish
by r8y8d
addiama To egg on means to make some one do something by encouraging them or asking them indirectly to do something.
by addiama
M_honor i think it means like he encourages him to do more
by M_honor
dearpesar encourage, urge greatly (generally toward something negative as a fight, argument etc.)
by dearpesar
Luichi to incite, urge sb to do sth
by Luichi
tarkaw encourage someone to do something
by tarkaw
merllan 'egg on' to encourage someone to do something that they should not to do
by merllan
Stop! encouraging to do something foolish or risky
by Stop!
Sabryna It means asking me for me, provoking, teasing
by Sabryna
s_watarah perhaps >>> to incite somebody to do something.
by s_watarah
Pavlionka to encourage
by Pavlionka
encourage somebody to do sth.
by Gladiolus_Tu

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Comments

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miffoo

miffoo

Slovakia

good lesson

08:05 PM Dec 16 2008 |

bluese

bluese

Turkey

Wonderful

06:44 PM Nov 12 2008 |

maggie200888

China

A useful slang@@

12:46 PM Aug 05 2008 |

Fiza

Fiza

Germany

interesting one…

02:05 PM Aug 03 2008 |

iammj

iammj

China

provoking

06:15 PM Aug 02 2008 |

russian_girl_kate

Russian Federation

nice lesson. it really helps with studying english =)

03:52 PM Aug 01 2008 |

michaelhope

China

finally, i got it what it means. egg someone on to do something what they don’t want to do.

10:13 AM Aug 01 2008 |

piglets_yu

piglets_yu

China

good

01:05 AM Aug 01 2008 |

SÉRGIO

SÉRGIO

Brazil

It’s a new slang for me! To incite someone! cool!

02:08 PM Jul 31 2008 |

magic1015

magic1015

China

lol…
i am worng …

11:50 AM Jul 31 2008 |

waelkhribeh

Jordan

the movie was very good and Heath Ledger wan ammazing in his turn

09:13 AM Jul 31 2008 |

dia_nna29

dia_nna29

Malaysia

Tell ya this movie is really awesome ! if you’re watching only one movie this year, this is the movie you should be watching ! It’s so sooo action-packed. The Joker really got me freak out !!! He’s like the real thing! Like in real life … hheee scary

08:54 AM Jul 31 2008 |

IvyJen

IvyJen

Taiwan

I saw this movie last weekend,so it’s a useful slang.

06:44 AM Jul 31 2008 |

Dafi

Dafi

Malaysia

great…

06:21 AM Jul 31 2008 |

195854255

195854255

United States

i like this lesson

04:42 AM Jul 31 2008 |

teddy008

teddy008

China

An useful Slang!

02:50 AM Jul 31 2008 |

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