Besties, Buds, BFFs ... Friends!

Besties, Buds¹, BFFs ... Friends!

Now, the VOA Learning² program Words and Their Stories.

Language changes over time. Many words and expressions have changed over the centuries.

But the word “friend” has stayed the same. It is a rare example in the English language. The meaning and usage³ of “friend” has stayed unchanged for hundreds of years.

Well, that is until 2005.

That was when the social website Facebook started using the word as a verb. Now, you can “friend” someone or “unfriend” them, as the case may be. However, be advised, using friend as a verb only works⁴ when talking about Facebook. Of course, that may change some day too.

But for now, the correct word for making friends is the verb “befriend.” For example, you can use a sentence like, “She befriended many Korean students while living in China.”

Speaking of making friends, it is easy to be friendly when things are going well for you. Maybe you have lots of money, a nice house and a fast car. No wonder people like you!

But what happens when you run into trouble? Maybe you lose your job or wreck⁵ your fast car? When you run into real trouble and need real help, you quickly learn who your real friends are.

In American English, we often use the saying, “A friend in need is a friend indeed.” When you are in need, the person who helps you through the difficult times is, indeed, a friend.

There is also some debate about this expression. Some think it is not “indeed” but “in deed,” as in a person’s actions. The meaning does not change much, but the expression using “in deed” stresses the action of helping⁶ a friend in trouble.

The words tight and thick are often used to describe really strong friendships. If you are tight with someone, you are close with them. For example, I know two people who have been friends since grade school. They are super tight.

A good friend will see you through “thick and thin,” meaning both the good times and the bad.

One of my favorite expressions to describe close friends is to say they are “thick as thieves.” This may sound as if the friends are living a life of crime. Not so. But the saying may have its roots in criminal circles, which gives this expression a somewhat⁸ risky⁹ feeling.

Some word historians¹⁰ say this expression began in 17th century England within thieving communities. Thieves would often have secret languages to communicate. Today “thick as thieves” describes people who understand, trust and defend one another.

Speaking of crime, we sometimes joke that two people are partners in crime. Again, it doesn’t mean they are actually criminals. This expression means that you always know what the other person is doing.  

Two people do not have to be together all the time to be called two peas in a pod. Peas growing inside a pod are often very similar. So, people who are like peas in a pod have a lot in common.

If two people are always together they are said to be attached at the hip⁷, or joined at the hip, even if they are very different from each other.

Some people get along so well, it’s as if they were made to be together. A dated expression that describes this relationship is to go together like a horse and carriage. These days Americans rarely say that. Instead, you might say “they go together like “milk and cookies.” Or you could use other foods that go well together like, “mac-n-cheese,” “salt and pepper,” or “peanut butter and jelly,” which is very American.

But if you do not get along with someone then you are like oil and water. In other words, you don’t mix.

And that brings us to enemies, which will be the subject of another Words and Their Stories.

1 buds   

芽( bud的名词复数 )； 苞； 半开的花； 未长大的叶

参考例句：

• the first buds appearing in spring 春天的初芽
• Willow trees breaking out into buds foretell the coming of spring. 柳枝绽青报春来。

2 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

3 usage   

n.惯用法，使用，用法

参考例句：

• I am clear about the usage of this word at last.这个词的用法我算是弄明白了。
• The usage is now firmly established.这种用法现已得到确认。

4 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

5 wreck   

n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难

参考例句：

• Weather may have been a factor in the wreck.天气可能是造成这次失事的原因之一。
• No one can wreck the friendship between us.没有人能够破坏我们之间的友谊。

6 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

7 hip   

n.臀部，髋；屋脊

参考例句：

• The thigh bone is connected to the hip bone.股骨连着髋骨。
• The new coats blouse gracefully above the hip line.新外套在臀围线上优美地打着褶皱。

8 somewhat   

pron.一些，某物；adv.多少，几分

参考例句：

• The cake we made was somewhat of a failure.我们做的蛋糕不大成功。
• The two office buildings are somewhat alike in appearance.这两座办公楼在外形上有点相似。

9 risky   

adj.有风险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险，但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。
• He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。

10 historians   

n.历史学家，史学工作者( historian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Historians seem to have confused the chronology of these events. 历史学家好像把这些事件发生的年代顺序搞混了。
• Historians have concurred with each other in this view. 历史学家在这个观点上已取得一致意见。