An eats the final small piece of cake from a plate, with crumbs showing the cake is nearly finished.
polish off
We polished off the last pieces of bread after lunch.
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We polished off the last pieces of bread after lunch.
She polished the small sandwich off quickly.
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She polished the small sandwich off quickly.
View meaning & usage
Finish eating the remaining food
polish off somethingpolish something off
An informal way to say finish eating, often quickly. This does not mean polishing a surface.
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Minh pours more water from a jug into An’s partly filled cup.
top up
Could you top up my glass with water?
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Could you top up my glass with water?
I topped the bottle up before the walk.
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I topped the bottle up before the walk.
View meaning & usage
Add more to fill something up
top up somethingtop something uptop something up with something
This means adding to what is already there, usually to make it fuller. The container need not be completely empty.
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An has put her bread down on the plate and takes a sip of water after eating.
wash down
I washed the bread down with a glass of water.
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I washed the bread down with a glass of water.
She washed her snack down with some milk.
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She washed her snack down with some milk.
View meaning & usage
Have a drink with or after food
wash something down with a drink
Here this means drinking with or after food, rather than washing food under a tap.
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The examples were written for this course. Usage was checked against Matt Errey’s book, pages 29, 92, 98, 132, 137. A2–B1 is the course’s intended level.
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Read the picture descriptions for more context. Similar expressions are accepted when they fit the particular scene.
Phrases
Actions in the pictures
Picture description
After playing, An looks at an empty cup, with bread and water in a wish bubble.
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Picture description
An waits at the table while Minh receives the ordered food bag from a courier at the door.
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Picture description
An eats the final small piece of cake from a plate, with crumbs showing the cake is nearly finished.
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Picture description
Minh pours more water from a jug into An’s partly filled cup.
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Picture description
An has put her bread down on the plate and takes a sip of water after eating.
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A conversation in context
Read the conversation and find the expressions you have learned.
Mai
I could do with something warm to drink.
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I could do with something warm to drink.
Alex
I will make tea. Shall we order in some food?
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I will make tea. Shall we order in some food?
Mai
Yes, but let us finish our tea before we top up our cups.
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Yes, but let us finish our tea before we top up our cups.
Compare the uses
could do with / order in
“Could do with” expresses wanting or needing something useful; “order in” means arrange food delivery. Wanting food does not necessarily involve ordering it.
Practice and check your answers
Try answering before revealing the suggested answer. This practice is not scored.
The answers below are models. Other answers can also work if they preserve the facts, meaning and structure requested in the task.
A situation to apply what you have learned
A tired cook would welcome hot soup. A flatmate suggests getting a meal delivered instead of cooking.
Express the cook’s wish.
Show the answer and explanation
I could do with a bowl of hot soup.
“Could do with” expresses wanting some hot soup, rather than an ability to cook it.
Complete: Let us order ___ rather than cook tonight.
Show the answer and explanation
in
“Order in” gets food delivered instead of cooking; “in” fits the plan to eat at home.
Write a reply accepting delivery.
Show the answer and explanation
We can order in some soup and eat at home.
“Order in some soup and eat at home” accepts delivery while keeping the meal at home.
The usage comparisons are checked against the Cambridge Dictionary entries linked beside the compared expressions. The additional conversations and exercises are written for this course.
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