English, baby!

ups and downs

Date: Feb 08 2001

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Quote

1. Quote - Listen to the quote and guess what the slang means.

“I think it was a successful relationship for a long time, obviously you have your_* ups and downs*_.”

Definition

1. Definition - Study the definition.

good and bad experiences

2. Use - Learn how the slang is used.

“Ups and downs” has lots of great uses. One of the most common uses is related to sports. Sports teams often have ups and downs. They win some games and they lose some, so they’re experiencing good times and bad. Any time you are experiencing something that often changes from a good experience to a bad one, you are having ups and downs.

Examples

1. Examples - Hear some example sentences.

“I really love my sister, but we have our ups and downs. She is nice to me most of the time, but when she gets mad she’s very mean to me.”

Winners

1. Winners - See who guessed the slang definition correctly.

I think that the meaning of “ups and downs” is in any situation that you have good and bad moments, for example if you are playing, you can win or lose; not always win, but neither lose.
by Georgina (Mexico)
I suppose the phrase ups and downs means periods of success and failures. So we can say that everyone has his ups and downs meaning that everyone has good times and bad times as well, periods of success, good luck and periods of failures, ill luck and so on.
by Nataly (Chelyabinsk, Urals, Russia)
Ups and downs means to have an unsteady relationship or situation.
by Ammar (Udhailiyah, Saudi Arabia)
We can use “ups and downs” in many expressions. For example my life have had ups and downs, it means in my life sometimes things go cool but sometimes it is awful. Everything has ups and downs.
by Ana
I think “ups and downs” means “the mixture of good and bad experiences that happen in any situation or relationship”.
by Lino (Rome, Italy)
I think the expression/slang “ups and downs” means that any relationship has its happy and unhappy moments. Moments that can be up and down.
by Glória (Rio de Janeiro, Brasil)
I think ups and downs means for ex. when you have a great time or a good moment could be “ups” but when you have a bad times or feel blue could be downs.
by Eduardo (Mexico)
Ups and downs generally means any contrast like failure and success that exists between things. for example, “You may encounter with ups and downs in your life. But always Keep your fingers crossed.”
by Cintoninto (Madurai)
Ups mean a good time or easy-going time with no problem at all whereas downs imply a bad time or hard time in terms of having some problems or difficulties against people or doing things. Our life is a pool of ups and downs for sure.
by Ji-Hee (Missouri, USA)