To Fend for Oneself
Meaning: To take care of oneself without help.
Example 1:
Tom: Oh, my! What a cute little kitten!
Sarah: Yes, isn’t she adorable? I just found her yesterday in the back
yard of my parents’ house. She was all alone and in good health. I was
surprised because she is so young and it is hard for a kitten to fend for herself without a mother cat.
yard of my parents’ house. She was all alone and in good health. I was
surprised because she is so young and it is hard for a kitten to fend for herself without a mother cat.
Tom: Yes, that is surprising. Usually baby animals have a hard time surviving
by themselves. It’s really great that she was able to fend for herself and stay healthy at the same time.
by themselves. It’s really great that she was able to fend for herself and stay healthy at the same time.
Sarah: Yes, I know. We want to pick out a good name for her that shows
how strong she is. Do you have any ideas?
Tom: Well, you could call her “Kick Butt Kitty!”
how strong she is. Do you have any ideas?
Tom: Well, you could call her “Kick Butt Kitty!”
Sarah: Ha ha! That’s cute, but a little too long.
Example 2:
Ken: Did you hear about Kevin’s mom?
Jack: No, what happened?
Ken: She was in a terrible car accident and will
be in the hospital for at least two months!
be in the hospital for at least two months!
Jack: Oh, no! And his father left them a long time
ago, so he only has his mom!
ago, so he only has his mom!
Ken:
Yes, on top of that,
Kevin’s mom does everything for him even though he is 20 years old. I’m worried
about him. I don’t think he will be able to fend for himself while she is gone.
Yes, on top of that,
Kevin’s mom does everything for him even though he is 20 years old. I’m worried
about him. I don’t think he will be able to fend for himself while she is gone.
Jack: Yes, that’s going to be really tough. I don’t
think he even knows how to make a sandwich. He might starve! How will he eat?
What about his clothes? Who will clean them?
think he even knows how to make a sandwich. He might starve! How will he eat?
What about his clothes? Who will clean them?
Ken: Well, I told him last summer that he should
come camping with me for two weeks in the wilderness. It’s a tough trip, but he
could have learned how to fend for
himself and not be so dependent on his mother.
come camping with me for two weeks in the wilderness. It’s a tough trip, but he
could have learned how to fend for
himself and not be so dependent on his mother.
Jack: He’ll have to find a job, too so that he can
pay the rent and buy gas for his car. I guess he is going to learn really fast
how to fend for himself!
pay the rent and buy gas for his car. I guess he is going to learn really fast
how to fend for himself!
Ken: Yes. I hope he can do it.
Meaning:
To
Fend for Oneself means to take care of oneself without the help of
others. In the first example, the kitten was able to fend for herself alone outside even though she was just a baby. In
the second example, Kevin depends completely on his mother for every part of
his life, so when his mother is in the hospital, Kevin’s friends are worried
they he won’t be able to fend for
himself.
This
idiom can be found in the 2nd edition of Reading Horizons. This book
is used at LSI schools in the level 6 Reading/Vocabulary classes. For more
information, please visit: www.languagesystems.com
To
Fend for Oneself means to take care of oneself without the help of
others. In the first example, the kitten was able to fend for herself alone outside even though she was just a baby. In
the second example, Kevin depends completely on his mother for every part of
his life, so when his mother is in the hospital, Kevin’s friends are worried
they he won’t be able to fend for
himself.
This
idiom can be found in the 2nd edition of Reading Horizons. This book
is used at LSI schools in the level 6 Reading/Vocabulary classes. For more
information, please visit: www.languagesystems.com
