Common American Phrases in Everyday Contexts (99 page)

(I) won't breathe a word (of it)
.
AND
(I) won't tell a soul
.
I will not tell anyone your secret.
B
ILL
: Don't tell anybody, but Sally is getting married. M
ARY
: I won't breathe a word of it
.
A
LICE
: The Jacksons are going to have to sell their house. Don't spread it around. M
ARY
: I won't tell a soul.

I won't give up without a fight
.
I will not give in easily. (Compare to Don't give up too eas(il)y.)
S
UE
: Stick by your principles, Fred. F
RED
: Don't worry, I won't give up without a fight
.
B
OB
: The boss wants me to turn the Wilson project over to Tom. S
UE
: How can he do that? B
OB
: I don't know. All I know is that I won't give up without a fight.

(I) won't tell a soul
.
Go to (I) won't breathe a word (of it).

(I) would if I could(, but I can't)
.
I simply can't do it.
J
ANE
: Can't you fix this yourself? J
OHN
: I would if I could, but I can't
.
B
OB
: Can you go to the dance? Hardly anyone is going. A
LICE
: Would if I could.

I would like (for) you to meet
someone
.
AND
I would like to introduce you to
someone
.
an expression used to introduce one person to another. (The
someone
can be a person's name, the name of a relationship, or the word
someone
.)
M
ARY
: I would like you to meet my Uncle Bill. S
ALLY
: Hello, Uncle Bill. Nice to meet you
.
T
OM
: I would like to introduce you to Bill Franklin. J
OHN
: Hello, Bill. Glad to meet you. B
ILL
: Glad to meet you, John.

I would like to introduce you to
someone. Go to I would like (for) you to meet someone.

(I) wouldn't bet on it
.
AND
(I) wouldn't count on it
.
I do not believe that something will happen. (Also with
that
or some specific happening.)
J
OHN
: I'll be a vice president in a year or two. M
ARY
: I wouldn't bet on that
.
J
OHN
: I'll pick up a turkey on the day before Thanksgiving. M
ARY
: Did you order one ahead of time? J
OHN
: No. M
ARY
: Then I wouldn't count on it.

(I) wouldn't count on it
.
Go to (I) wouldn't bet on it.

(I) wouldn't if I were you
.
a polite way of advising someone not to do something.
M
ARY
: Do you think I should trade this car in on a new one? S
ALLY
: I wouldn't if I were you
.
B
OB
: I'm going to plant nothing but corn this year. S
UE
: I wouldn't if I were you. B
OB
: Why? S
UE
: It's better to diversify.