The English We Speak: Sack something off

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

Listening, reading, speaking, writing. It takes a lot to learn a language. Find programmes to boost each language skill on our website, whether it's learning about academic writing, practising reading with exam-style questions, or beating speaking anxiety.

Search programmes by skill on our website, bbclearningenglish.com.

Feifei Feng (0:24)

Hello and welcome to The English We Speak, where we explain expressions used by fluent English speakers so that you can use them too.

I'm Feifei and I'm joined by Georgie. How are you?

Georgie (0:36)

Feifei, I am exhausted and sadly, I've got plans every night this week. Big error.

Feifei Feng (0:43)

Oh no. What are you going to do?

Georgie (0:45)

Well, I think I'm going to sack off some of the bigger plans and just hope that my friends don't mind too much.

Feifei Feng (0:50)

Oh, that sounds like a sensible idea. You need to rest.

Now, that's a good phrasal verb to learn sack something off. What does it mean?

Georgie (0:59)

Well, in this case, sack off plans means cancel plans. More broadly, it can mean to stop or avoid doing something because you feel too lazy or you'd rather be doing something else.

Feifei Feng (1:09)

Right. I'm supposed to be going to the gym later, but I'd rather sack that off and watch TV.

Georgie (1:15)

Great example. Let's hear more from our BBC Learning English colleagues.

SPEAKER_4 (1:23)

The work training is optional, and it's so boring, so I decided to sack it off and get some coffee instead.

SPEAKER_5 (1:30)

We booked a walking tour in Paris, but we were so tired after our flight that we decided to sack it off.

SPEAKER_1 (1:37)

I needed to get some ingredients in for dinner, but I was kind of feeling lazy, so I decided to sack it off and get a takeaway instead.

Feifei Feng (1:49)

Now, sack something off is a phrasal verb, isn't it?

Georgie (1:52)

That's right, and it's a separable phrasal verb, which means you put an object at the end of the verb or in the middle. So you can say, sack off a plan or sack a plan off. Shall we sack off the rest of this programme?

Feifei Feng (2:06)

No, Georgie, we just have to do a recap and then we're done. Don't be lazy.

Georgie (2:11)

You're right, you're right. Okay, we learnt sack something off, which means to cancel something, avoid or stop doing something. See you again next time.

Feifei Feng (2:19)

Thanks for joining us. Bye bye.

Georgie (2:21)

Bye.