
David
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From new hobbies to daily routines, we are always starting and stopping different kinds of activities. But do you always have to say "start" or "stop" when talking about it?
In English, there are lots of ways you can discuss these situations. Let’s dive in and learn some new expressions to add to your vocabulary!
"Diving into" an activity includes the nuance of starting it with a lot of enthusiasm.
If you want to add extra emphasis to this expression, you can say "dive in head first."
When you want to express that you are starting an activity as a test to see if you'll like it, you can use this expression.
You can replace “go” with “try” or “whirl” without changing the meaning. "Whirl" sounds more casual than the other choices.
This is an informal British English phrase for trying something new or unfamiliar.
Related article: Should You Learn British English or American English?
When you “take a crack” at something, you are trying it or attempting to do it.
You might also hear people say “have a crack” at something, which means the same thing.
You can pick up an object, but did you know that you can also “pick up” a new activity if you do regularly?
We don’t always continue doing the things we try. Luckily, there are many ways to talk about this as well.
"Quit" has a strong nuance; the person has made a decision to stop and they are confident in it.
"Giving up" often includes the nuance that someone is tired or stressed. In other cases, the person simply does not want to do it anymore.
We explained earlier that you can "pick up" new hobbies. The opposite is also true: putting an activity down, or "dropping" it, means stopping. This is often used when stopping an activity quickly or suddenly.
In a boxing match, a coach will throw his or her towel into the ring to signal that their boxer cannot continue fighting. But even in general conversations, “throw in the towel” is another way to say “quit.”
To “bounce off of” something means to stop after having a negative reaction. This expression is common among people who play video games.
You may already know that “nope” is a very informal way of saying “no.” So when you “nope out” of something, you are strongly refusing or rejecting it.
This expression is very casual, so use it only in the appropriate situations.
Related article: "No way, José!" Other Ways to Say "No"
If you gradually stopped doing something over time, you can say that you “fell off” of it.
This expression is useful if you stop an activity because it simply didn't hold your attention, not because you disliked it.
"Packing it in” describes stopping temporarily instead of quitting completely.
This expression has the same meaning as "pack it in." You “call it a day” when you stop working. Think of it as “calling a work day complete.”
“Abandon” is a verb that means “to leave a person or thing with no plan to return.” When talking about activities, it includes a strong nuance that the person will not do the activity again.
Starting a project is much easier than completing one, which is probably why there are many more expressions for stopping!
No matter which of the two you are doing, however, your conversations will be much more interesting if you use these phrases when discussing it.
By the way, if you're taking a crack at learning English and would like some help, Engoo has thousands of great tutors who can help you 24 hours a day. So don't throw in the towel; keep going!