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Words and Their StoriesLearning Expressions with VOA
Processed with VS1Learn two expressions from A Christmas Carol and notice when joking labels may sound insulting.
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Source: VOA Learning English · Words and Their Stories
View original article & transcriptThe episode shows how Ebenezer Scrooge’s name became a label for someone seen as ungenerous and how “bah, humbug!” can reject holiday cheer. These expressions are rooted in a specific Christmas story; this lesson separates cultural recognition from making assumptions about people who do not celebrate.
Cultural note: Christmas is not celebrated by everyone, and people may choose not to participate for many reasons. Calling someone “a Scrooge” can be playful among friends or a sharp insult. “Humbug” is an old-fashioned expression of disbelief or rejection, not a neutral description of someone’s character.
Keep exploringA fictional character’s name became an everyday label. Learn its meaning—and how its tone can land.
Phrase guide · 3 expressions
Original explanations and examples, created for learners. Save a card for later or hear the phrase spoken by your browser.
Recognize a literary name used for an ungenerous person.
Recognition caution
Meaning
A person seen as unwilling to share or give to others.
Tone & use
From Ebenezer Scrooge in Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol. Informal and often critical; it can feel insulting when used about a real person.
Example
“Calling the community center a Scrooge would be unfair; it simply had a limited budget this year.”
Can judge someone’s generosity without understanding their circumstances.
Meaning
Excellent or of very high quality.
Tone & use
Positive and somewhat traditional. It is an adjective placed before a noun or after a linking verb.
Example
“The volunteers offered first-rate help to families arriving at the shelter.”
Understand an old-fashioned response and its tone.
Meaning
An old-fashioned exclamation rejecting something as foolish, false, or unwelcome.
Tone & use
Closely associated with Scrooge and Christmas. Often used jokingly, but can sound dismissive or dated.
Example
“When her friends suggested another shopping trip, she laughed, “Bah, humbug—I’m staying home.””
Knowledge check
Choose the expression that best fits each situation.
Try it · Choose the best expression
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