English, baby!

简体
keep a straight face
忍住不笑

Date: Aug 16 2012

Themes: Friend

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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)

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.

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

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Comments

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Sinderella wen

China

To this topic ,I usually meet this situation in the daily life .I am secretary of the ministry of science and technology students.In some way I have to keep a stragiht face .because I thik It can republish my authority ,In that way I can manage them more better.But I think only rely on the strict is also not good for managing the subordinate.

DarknessLight

Bahrain

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

Hasti.abc

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

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

wing hung

China

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

wing hung

China

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

wing hung

China

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

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 ;)

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 :)

cloudia19

Sri Lanka

its very easy.coz i knw hw to manage imotions

prince_of_love

United States

Being an actor/actress is definietly not an easy JOB, as many people thinks!! It really needs alot of patience and most importantly, to know how to keep a straight face..

I remember me and my friends made a video of 6 to 10 mins, and it was so hard to keep a straight face, even though there was no pressure on us, but we kept laughin and laughin whenever we do a mistake.. And the funny part is, once the CAM is on, you realize that you start to make tons of Mistakes haha :D

Seriously all da best for the comedians, coz I’m sure they are passin through a very hard time, in order to make us laugh and smile, much APPERCIATION!!

I_want_2_learn

Philippines

Serious facial expression.

raisacorrea

Brazil

I ever keep a straight face!!! kkkkkk

mojtaba

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

i keep a straight face when i tinking

Lesya2102

Russian Federation

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 )))

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.

yuminaga

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 .

Anjelica

Russian Federation

It’s easy for me. I am a perfect actress.:)

Masbarar

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.

a2020

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

It’s hard for me to keep a sraight face because my face is like i am always laughing but i try to keep a straight face in some situations.it is hard when hard when u stare at someone to keep a straight face it was a game i did with my sister when i was child.one who laughed sooner that person was looser.

cloudia19

Sri Lanka

its very difficult to keep a straight face.but in my opinion if one can do it he can bear anything.and also he has a gud control in his emotions as well.