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fill someone's shoes

fill someone's shoes

Date: May 12 2011

Themes: Romance

Quote

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

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“No one is going to try to fill my mother’s shoes, what she did was fantastic. It’s about making your own future and your own destiny and Kate will do a very good job of that.”

- Prince William talking about his new bride. (ABC News)

Definition

1. Definition - Study the definition.

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take someone’s place

2. Use - Learn how the slang is used.

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When Prince William married Kate Middleton last week, the whole world was watching. Every detail of the wedding was noted, from Kate’s gown to her engagement ring, which was the same ring worn by William’s mother, Princess Diana.

But did anyone notice Kate’s shoes?

When Prince William said no one was going to try to fill his mother’s shoes, he wasn’t actually talking about footwear. He meant that Kate won’t try to take his mother’s place. She won’t be exactly like Princess Diana. She’ll be her own person and create her own identity as a princess.

If someone retires and you take over his job, you’ll have to try to fill his shoes. If a woman marries a man whose mother always took care of him, she might feel like she has to fill her mother-in-law’s shoes. Or if you become the new roommate in a house full of people, you might be expected to fill the shoes of the person who last lived in your room.
Shoes are a pretty personal thing. People don’t often share them. And filling someone’s shoes isn’t easy, especially if that someone was a famous and adored princess. Luckily, Kate Middleton has some pretty nice shoes of her own. She might not be exactly like Diana, but like Prince William says, she’ll still do a very good job.

Do you think Kate Middleton will make a good princess? Have you ever tried to fill someone’s shoes?

Examples

1. Examples - Hear some example sentences.

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“Jenny’s mother was so admired and respected, it will be hard for Jenny to fill those shoes.”

“The woman who had my job before me was a really hard worker. I hope I can fill her shoes.”

“You don’t have to fill your dad’s shoes. You just need to be your own person.”

Winners

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

Assume someone's position or duties, especially in a satisfactory way
by sepideh_saied
sofree take over my mother's position
by sofree
bienemaja to be a substitute, to fill the place of someone absent
by bienemaja
To fill someone's shoes is to emitate his character and be in hs place
by mr_sharief
to do the duties that his mother used to do
by Bitten by an Arab bug
R_P Take someone's place
by R_P
Cvetlana to take somebody's (his mother's) place
by Cvetlana
Talia Do 'fill someone's shoes' means to match or exceed the performance of a predecessor.
by Talia Do
Anrusch to do as well as the other person did in that same position... or to substitute the other person as good or even better
by Anrusch

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Comments

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saeedshin

saeedshin

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

It is useful and noting can fill this phrase’s shoes!

04:20 PM Aug 21 2012 |

1 person likes this

Ahshan

Ahshan

China

fill someone,s shoes     what a nice phrase!

10:19 PM Jul 24 2011 |

simoroshka

simoroshka

Russian Federation

sometimes i feel like i don’t even know where are my own shoes..

05:52 PM May 17 2011 |

Amo0ol

Amo0ol

Saudi Arabia

thanks

03:14 PM May 17 2011 |

Madline

Madline

Jordan

really sometimes whoever we are we can’t fill someone’s shoes we try but we cant exactly

11:26 AM May 15 2011 |

Madline

Madline

Jordan

really sometimes whoever we are we can’t fill someone’s shoes we try but we cant exactly

11:26 AM May 15 2011 |

ferzend

Syrian Arab Republic

I’s good to be acquainted with the slang that the royal family utters

06:52 PM May 13 2011 |

ferzend

Syrian Arab Republic

I’s good to be acquainted with the slang that the royal family utters

06:51 PM May 13 2011 |

Olya1106

Olya1106

Ukraine

Sometimes I’d like to fill my sister’s shoes.

12:45 PM May 13 2011 |

nelson27

nelson27

Colombia

beeing able to take someone’s place and continue with that job without any problem.

08:10 PM May 12 2011 |

aniv

aniv

India

To be substitute someone’s position

03:55 PM May 12 2011 |

ochbise

ochbise

Morocco

to do what someone else has done

03:33 PM May 12 2011 |

Semiliranda

Russian Federation

Fortunately I have never been trying to fill my predecessor’s shoes neither in my career nor in social sense.

03:06 PM May 12 2011 |

sana1230001

Pakistan

NICE LESSON!

01:46 PM May 12 2011 |

MAHUYA ACHARJA

Bangladesh

I think kate midleton will  be make a good princess. But i dont like to fill someone's shoes. I create  of my own like look.

12:45 PM May 12 2011 |

miss-Aisha

Saudi Arabia

it mean


A worthy successor to the best predecessor  :)

10:15 AM May 12 2011 |

foz12

foz12

Saudi Arabia

Good lesson, well in my work when I took place of the prevouse secretary


I want to fill her shoes so I will be the best like her and the best.


 

10:02 AM May 12 2011 |

Kotisha

Kotisha

Russian Federation

I think that Kate Middleton will be a good princess. She will be her own person and create her own identity as a princess. 

As for me I have never filled somenone`s shoes. I think everyonen should be his/her own person. Everyone shoud make his/her own future and destiny

10:02 AM May 12 2011 |

andee1

andee1

China

ya i’m sure, Kate will become a princess as good as Diana. as for to fill someone’s shoes, i feel i just make myself.

08:59 AM May 12 2011 |

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