If push comes to shove

안녕하세요 English with Yoo!의 Jennifer Yoo입니다. Hi this is Jennifer Yoo with ENGLISH WITH YOO!

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[English with Yoo 오디오 듣기] If push comes to shove

오늘의 표현은 if push comes to shove입니다.

We’ll learn what today’s expression means, but first let’s start by listening to today’s conversation. 그럼 오늘의 대화를 들어보면서 ‘if push comes to shove’가 무슨 뜻인지 알아보겠습니다. 잘 들어보세요. Listen carefully.

If push comes to shove
Jason: So…were you able to talk to Kyle again about the pile of dirty dishes he always leaves behind? We all know he’s been doing this for months!
Jen: I did. He said he’ll start washing the dishes right away but we’ll have to see.
Jason: Come on~ we’ve told him so many times and he still doesn’t do it!
Jen: I know. Let’s give him one more chance and if push comes to shove, I’ll ask him to move out.
Jason: Okay fine.

본문에서 Jason이 제게 묻습니다. “So were you able to talk to Kyle again about the pile of dirty dishes he always leaves behind? Kyle한테 항상 먹고 난 지저분한 그릇을 그냥 내버려 두는 데 대해 말해 봤니? We all know he’s been doing this for months! 몇 달 동안이나 그대로라는 걸 모두 알잖아?”. 그러자 제가 답합니다. “I did. He said he’ll start washing the dishes right away but we’ll have to see. 응, 말했어. 앞으로는 먹고 바로 설거지 하겠데. 하지만 두고 봐야지.”라고요. 이어서 Jason이 “Come on~ we’ve told him so many times and he still doesn’t do it! 에이, 우리가 벌써 몇 번이나 말했는데도 안 하잖아!”라고 하자, 제가 “I know. Let’s give him one more chance and if push comes to shove, I’ll ask him to move out. 알아. 그래도 한 번 더 기회를 주자. 그래도 설거지를 안 하면, 그 땐 집에서 나가라고 해야지.”라고 말합니다.

Now keep today’s expression ‘if push comes to shove’ in mind and let’s hear the conversation again. 그럼 다시 한번 대화를 들어볼까요?

Today’s expression is if push comes to shove. This expression is used when the situation is critical or urgent. When someone says, “if push comes to shove” it means when the time has come for action, even if it is difficult, he or she will take that action.

If push comes to shove 에서 push는 밀다, shove는 push 보다는 강하게 밀치는 것을 뜻합니다. If push comes to shove 를 직역하면 ‘만약에 미는 걸 넘어서 거칠게 밀치면'이란 뜻이 되는데요. 따라서 ‘우려하던 상황이 더욱 악화되면’ 또는 ‘더 이상 대안이 없어지면’ 이라는 뜻으로 쓸 수 있습니다. 대안이 없다면 결국 특단의 조치를 취할 수 밖에 없겠죠? 오늘 본문에서 Kyle이 매번 자기가 먹은 그릇을 설거지하지 않아서 문제인데요. Jason이 불평하자, 저는 Kyle에게 한 번 더 기회를 주고, 그래도 나아지지 않으면 집에서 나가라고 하겠다고 말합니다. “I know. Let’s give him one more chance and if push comes to shove, I’ll ask him to move out.”라고요. Just like in today’s conversation, I tell Jason that when the time comes to take action, even if it is difficult, I will ask Kyle to move out.

Now let me give you some example sentences using today’s expression. “If push comes to shove, I’ll just do it.”는 “상황이 다급해 지면, 그냥 제가 할게요."라는 뜻입니다. Here is another example sentence. “If push comes to shove, we will have to fire him.”라고 하면 "최악의 상황이면, 그를 해고해야 할 것이다.” 라고 해석할 수 있습니다. If push comes to shove, 이 표현 잘 기억하시고요. 오늘의 대화를 마지막으로 들어보겠습니다. Now that you know what today’s expression means, let’s listen to the conversation for the last time.

Let’s review what we have learned today. When someone says, “if push comes to shove” it means when the time has come for action, even if it is difficult, he or she will take that action. IF PUSH COMES TO SHOVE. Now try using this expression on your own. 지금까지 ENGLISH WITH YOO에 Jennifer Yoo입니다. Until next time, bye bye!