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Daily English Pod
Daily English Pod is a space for learning English beyond grammar and textbooks.
During the week, you’ll learn practical vocabulary, expressions, idioms, and real-life English, the language people actually use in everyday conversations, emotions, and work.
On weekends, we slow down. Through ideas from psychology, philosophy, and real human experience, we explore language as a way to better understand life, emotions, identity, and growth.
This podcast is created by Jale, an English teacher with 13 years of teaching experience and a Master’s degree in Applied Linguistics from Canada, who teaches with patience, clarity, and care, and believes learning works best when students feel seen, respected, and safe to think aloud.
The goal is simple but meaningful: to help you understand English deeply, use it confidently, and connect it to your real life. English here is not just a skill. It’s a gentle companion for clearer thinking, honest expression, and deeper human connection.
Daily English Pod
Stiff upper lip
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For checking the transcript: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2379282
Stiff upper lip
To keep a stiff upper lip means to stay strong and not show your emotions, especially during hard times.
Examples:
1- When his childhood home was destroyed in the storm, he stayed quiet, composed. He was trying to keep a stiff upper lip.
2- At the funeral, she held everyone’s hand and stayed strong. But later she admitted that keeping a stiff upper lip had drained her
Hello and welcome back to Daily English! Today’s expression is “stiff upper lip.”
Let’s say it together — stiff upper lip.
Can you guess what it means from these clues? Imagine a boy at the airport, saying goodbye to his parents before flying alone for the first time. He’s scared, but he doesn’t cry. He gives a brave smile, lifts his chin, and walks through the gate. He’s keeping a stiff upper lip.
Or picture someone who just lost their job. They thank their boss politely, walk out calmly, and only later—alone—do they let the tears fall. That’s someone showing a stiff upper lip.
So, what does “a stiff upper lip” mean? To keep a stiff upper lip means to stay strong and not show your emotions, especially during hard times.
It’s about holding back tears, hiding fear, and appearing calm—even when your heart is breaking. This expression comes from old British culture, where emotional control was seen as a kind of strength.
Examples:“She didn’t complain during the long treatment. She kept a stiff upper lip through it all.”
“When his childhood home was destroyed in the storm, he stayed quiet, composed. He was trying to keep a stiff upper lip.”
“At the funeral, she held everyone’s hand and stayed strong. But later she admitted that keeping a stiff upper lip had drained her.”
Pop culture note: Even Eminem used this phrase in his emotional song Mockingbird, where he sings to his daughter:
“Stiffen up that upper lip, little lady.”
He’s telling her: Be strong, even though everything’s falling apart.
That line? That’s exactly what keeping a stiff upper lip means — staying brave when it matters most.
Your Turn! Have you ever had to keep a stiff upper lip?
Did you do it for yourself… or for someone you love?