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keep a straight face

简体
keep a straight face
忍住不笑

Date: Aug 16 2012

Themes: Friend

Quote

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

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“I had a hard time keeping a straight face while we were filming.”

- Actress Denise Richards on the hardest part about appearing in the new comedy, Madea’s Witness Protection. (Us Weekly)

“在拍摄的时候,我很难忍住不笑。”

- 女演员丹妮丝·理查兹 (Denise Richards) 谈论出演喜剧新作《黑疯婆子的证人保护计划》(Madea’s Witness Protection) 最难的部分。

Definition

1. Definition - Study the definition.

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not laugh or smile

2. Use - Learn how the slang is used.

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Laughing is a pleasure. It’s fun to laugh with your friends and family, make other people laugh, or even laugh by yourself at a funny movie. But there are some situations when it is not proper to laugh. That’s when you need to try to keep a straight face.

A “straight” face is a serious face. When you have a straight face, you are not laughing, and you aren’t even smiling. You are looking completely normal and calm. You might need to keep a straight face in class if your friend passes a funny note to you. If you smile or laugh, you could get in trouble from your teacher.

A good actor should be able to keep a straight face when needed. But that can be a challenge when they are acting in a comedic scene. Denise Richards appeared in a funny movie, Madea’s Witness Protection. The other actors were so hilarious, she found it difficult to keep a straight face on camera.

Can you keep a straight face when you need to? When is it hard for you to keep a straight face?

Examples

1. Examples - Hear some example sentences.

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“It’s hard for me to keep a straight face when I see my boyfriend dance.”

“Dana kept a straight face throughout her brother’s performance, even though she thought he looked very silly as a ballerina.”

“Don’t look at me while I’m singing, or I won’t be able to keep a straight face.”

Winners

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

cubi1604 Try not to smile or laugh
by cubi1604
Ahshan express the same hard emotion in my face for a long time.
by Ahshan
Erkaamgaa when you are in a funny situation to keep serious face and not laugh.
by Erkaamgaa
To keep a serious facial expression, in particular one that conceals the impulse to laugh.
by candycandice
Xaviervet I guess, not laughing when you are not supposed to....keeping serious even though you want to laugh
by Xaviervet
Plx Don't show one's feelings, especially refrain from laughing.
by Plx
a2020 it means it has been hard for him to not have a reaction
by a2020
Manu4 To have a serious or calm expression no matter the circumstances.
by Manu4
Amir93 I guess it means to prevent laughing and keep oneself serious for filming...
by Amir93
 julito refrain from smiling.
by julito
having a serious expression.
by bellaboo2422
TITO007 Showing that one is completely serious
by TITO007
winicios Not laughingng. Keeping a serious look.
by winicios

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Comments

Log in to Comment

DarknessLight

Germany

I have to keep a straight face in serious situations, but sometimes, you know, even if the person is being serious maybe his attitude or way of speaking would make you laugh and then it’d be hard to keep a straight face!! XD

06:16 PM Oct 17 2012 |

Hasti.abc

Hasti.abc

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

I enjoy my time so i smile not i do not keep a straight face!

05:45 PM Sep 01 2012 |

wing hung

wing hung

China

you can help me  to see writting ,i need you corretion

02:31 AM Aug 29 2012 |

wing hung

wing hung

China

you can help me  to see writting ,i need you corretion

02:31 AM Aug 29 2012 |

wing hung

wing hung

China

you can help me  to see writting ,i need you corretion

02:31 AM Aug 29 2012 |

Sami Aswad

Sami Aswad

Iraq

Yeah in most of cases I can keep a straight face and it is hard for me to do that when I remember a so damn funny joke or situations ;)

12:44 PM Aug 26 2012 |

marija luiza

Mexico

It is not a problem for me, because I’m a serius person. so most of the time I keep a straight face :) 

11:03 PM Aug 21 2012 |

I_want_2_learn

Philippines

Serious facial expression.

09:47 AM Aug 21 2012 |

raisacorrea

Brazil

I ever keep a straight face!!! kkkkkk

03:36 PM Aug 20 2012 |

mojtaba

mojtaba

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

i keep a straight face when i tinking

02:38 PM Aug 19 2012 |

Lesya2102

Lesya2102

Czech Republic

when i and my best friend tell a lie (of course only when it is very very important do it)i can not keep a straight face . I laughing and often people understand that we tell a lie )))

07:23 PM Aug 18 2012 |

cheer manal

Morocco

laughing is something great. it´s easy for me to laugh even about small things so keeping a straingt face in comic or strange situations is something i am not good at.

12:09 AM Aug 17 2012 |

1 person likes this

yuminaga

yuminagaSuper Member!

China

I am  a begginer at English but  a friend of  mine always  tell   me you are good at one ,I cant  keep a streight face while it happen.it s absolutely hilarious and I am not  a hypocrite, I know who I am .

11:01 PM Aug 16 2012 |

Masbarar

MasbararSuper Member!

Turkey

Sometimes it’s really difficult to keep a straight face.I remember when we were children 15 friends we were at the mosque for praying and one of us started to laugh and after all we were laughing at the silence of the mosque.I think if I go now with my best firends to the mosque together I know it will be the same.So we don’t go and if we are at the funeral I try to think other things.


I don’t like to keep a straight face.It’s a something making stress.You make pression in your self.


I was keeping a straight face when my father was died.I don’t remember how many month but it was out of my control.I was not laughing for months.

06:25 PM Aug 16 2012 |

ana.p94231

ana.p94231

India

It’s a good expression. Not all people are same, some people feel bad when we laugh at them, so this expression saves us from hurting anyone. I do not like to hurt anyone intentinally or unintentionally. As a part of fun, pull one’s leg is one of our group’s favorite activities, at that time, I have to keep straight face. Sometimes, I cannot keep it straight, but not all the time. We all should learn to keep straight face.


Gr8 expression and thanks for sharing.


Ana.  

02:46 PM Aug 16 2012 |

Hildo

Brazil

Don’t laugh when the situation is not apropriated.

02:34 PM Aug 16 2012 |

finna.liu

finna.liu

China

i think i can keep a straight face even though i usually smile! because i have a good self control!Cool

02:05 PM Aug 16 2012 |

dream-iou

dream-iou

China

it’s very hard for me to keep a straight face

01:59 PM Aug 16 2012 |

Englishty

Englishty

Egypt

It’s the hardest thing ever for me, i remember when i was at school and one of my classmates told me something funny made me laugh and being in place where i shouldn’t laugh made it so hard to keep a straight face, for me when i should keep a straight face whenever hearing or watching something funny makes me laugh even more Laughing

01:19 PM Aug 16 2012 |

ola33

ola33

Japan

Oh, I know sometimes it’s so hard to keep a straight face, especially at work. And it doubles when another person is trying to keep a straight face and you’re both trying to be serious and you want to laugh more and more. So, in that case just go into another room and burst out of laughter there, but there will be the roaring sound heard. But what can you do? :) And than you’re back into the room, look at the puzzled and reproaching faces that make you smile uncontrollably again. Yeah, when it rains it pours triggered by unexpected occurances. Well, it’s a funny feeling anyways. Now, i can’t keep a straight face by reminiscence of the funny moments.

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