Learn how to use the phrase "lion’s share”.
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Episode Script:

“Why should you get the lion’s share of the pizza?”

Welcome to “ESL with Josh” - a podcast that will help you to speak more like a native English speaker. In this episode, we will consider the phrase “lion’s share” - what does it mean and how do we use it?

“Lion’s share” is an idiom, which means that this phrase has a meaning unrelated to the words found in it.
”Lion’s share” does NOT mean that lions like to share things.
”Lion’s share” (as an idiom) does NOT have anything to do with animals.

“Lion’s share” DOES mean the largest portion of something.

The phrase originates from Aesop’s fables. In one of these stories, a lion and 3 other animals go hunting together. Once they succeeded, the lion decided that all four portions would belong to him. Aesop concludes that “one may share the labors of the great, but you will not share the spoils.” So originally, the “lion’s share” indicated the entire amount of something, but over time the phrase began to refer to the largest and best portion of something.

Today, the idiom is used in sorts of contexts to refer to the largest amount or portion of something.

Here are a few examples:

• At the swim meet, Patrick won the lion’s share of the gold medals.
• The lead actor received the lion’s share of the credit for the show’s success.
• In many cultures, the oldest son receives the lion’s share of the estate.
• Dad spent the lion’s share of our vacation working on his computer.

Now it is time to take a quiz.
Which of the following sentences use the idiom correctly?

1. Why should we split the bill evenly when you ate as much as a lion?
2. My little sister is small but she still always eats the lion’s share of pizza on movie night.
3. This was a team project, but Jerry clearly did the lion’s share of the work.
4. Lionel Messi scored the lion’s amount of Argentina’s goals in the world cup.

What do you think?
The correct sentences are numbers 2 and 3.

Now it’s time for the Joke of the Day
What time should you make an appointment at the dentist?
2:30 ("Tooth hurty")

Thanks for listening!

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