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ESL forum >
Ask for help > Meaning of "chips down"
Meaning of "chips down"
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Mietz
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Meaning of "chips down"
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Hello teachers from around the world and Happy New Year!
I �m preparing a song worksheet and am looking for the meaning of "When the chips are down".
This is the context:
I �ll protect you from the hooded claw
Keep the vampires from your door
When the chips are down I �ll be around
With my undying, death-defying
Love for you
Envy will hurt itself
Let yourself be beautiful
Could anybody please tell me, what it does mean or could mean?
Thanks for being around!
Mietz
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8 Jan 2011
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franknbea
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Hi Mietz,
When the chips are down= when everything seems lost/ when things don �t go right/ when things seem bad
I hope this helps |
8 Jan 2011
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Mietz
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Wonderful! Thanks for your immediate help! :-)
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8 Jan 2011
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libertybelle
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It comes from gambling. When you �re luck is running out - your stack of chips are down - another way of saying down on your luck!
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9 Jan 2011
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Errie
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Libertybelle is right. It indeed comes from gambling. You �re using this expression when luck seems to be your enemy. This reminds me working in a casino when I was twenty years old. |
9 Jan 2011
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chrissmolder
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I think it also means something like �when a lot is at stake �. It is really important that you win when all of your chips are down.
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9 Jan 2011
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MarionG
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In the contect of teaching, I warmly recommend the video "when the chips are down". It is a lecture about how to work with special needs kids, inspiring.
Here �s the link: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8959233021670235795
If you don �t have the time to watch it now, maybe save the link to watch some other time, it is worth it! |
9 Jan 2011
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Mietz
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Thank you everybody for all your helpful answers!
I �ll check the video some time. It does look interesting. :-)
Take care!
Mietz
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9 Jan 2011
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