☕ Daily Phrase: "Cover your bases"

每日短语:“做好万全准备”

Espresso English Podcast

2026-08-18

1 分钟
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Welcome to the Espresso English Phrase of the Day! Every day this month, you'll learn one English phrase that native speakers use in everyday conversations.  Small lessons like these add up - by the end of the month, you'll have a collection of natural expressions that will help you sound more fluent, more confident, and more like a native speaker. Thanks for listening, and I'll see you tomorrow for another quick English upgrade! Download your FREE 500 Phrases E-Book here: https://espresso-english.kit.com/500-real-english-phrases  Learn more English for daily life here: https://courses.espressoenglish.net/everyday-english-speaking-courses/
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  • Hi everyone!

  • In today's video, you'll learn the phrase, cover your bases.

  • I heard this expression on a TV show in which the police were investigating a crime,

  • and one of the suspects, that's one of the people who may have committed the crime, was a celebrity.

  • The police officer leading the investigation told his team to gather lots of evidence,

  • saying, we need to cover our bases before making an arrest.

  • To cover your bases means to take extra precautions and deal with all potential problems early.

  • In this situation, the policeman wanted lots of evidence

  • so that he could be sure the case against the celebrity was strong and solid.

  • Because if they arrested the celebrity with weak evidence and the celebrity turned out to be innocent,

  • It would be a big problem with damage to the celebrity's reputation,

  • and it would be an embarrassing mistake for the police.

  • So he said, we need to cover our bases.

  • We need to take extra precautions in this situation in order to prevent potentially major problems in the future.

  • Another example would be, let's say you're a generally healthy person,

  • but you still join a health insurance plan to cover your bases.

  • It's an extra precaution in case you get unexpectedly sick or injured.

  • This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance.

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