Meaning
"Under the weather" means slightly sick: a cold coming on, a headache, a stomach that isn't right. The usual story is that it comes from sailors, who went below deck when storms made them feel ill. Whatever the history, today it has nothing to do with rain.
Its best feature is that it's vague. You can tell your manager "I'm a bit under the weather" without describing your symptoms, and nobody will ask for details. That makes it polite and useful at work, in texts to friends, and when you cancel plans. It's gentle enough for any listener.
It's for small illnesses. If someone's in the hospital, "under the weather" sounds strangely light, so say what's actually going on. People also soften it: "a bit under the weather", "a little under the weather". You'll sometimes hear it used as a polite cover for a hangover, too.
In a conversation
- Oliver
- Mei
- Oliver
- Mei
- Oliver
- Mei
Say it out loud
Tap a sentence to hear it. Say it after the voice.
Check yourself
Practice · 3 min
Listen, then repeat. Say it softly, the way you'd sound with a cold. The stress is on "weather".
Say it today
Use it once in a real conversation before tomorrow. Out loud counts, even to yourself.