Milking this
/ˈmɪlkɪŋ ðɪs/
B2
Definition
The phrase "milking this" comes from the idea of milking a cow: taking milk slowly and carefully to get as much as possible. When people say someone is "milking this," they mean that person is using a situation to gain extra attention, sympathy, or advantage, often by making it last longer than needed or by exaggerating it.
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See It in Action
Taking full advantage of a situation, often by prolonging it
- •She is milking this injury to avoid work.
- •Stop milking this argument; it's time to move on.
- •He’s milking this accident to get money from the company.
Using a situation to gain sympathy or attention
- •They are milking this story for all the sympathy they can get.
- •Don’t milk this too much, or people will stop believing you.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "milking this" like "using" (A1 word), but with the idea of getting every little bit out, not just once or quickly
- ✓Picture a farmer slowly milking a cow to get all the milk possible, not stopping early
- ✓It's like when someone keeps talking about a small problem to get more sympathy or help than the problem deserves
- ✓Sounds like "MILK-ing this" → imagine someone squeezing a cow again and again to get more milk from the same cow
- ✓In stories or movies, a character might "milk" a sad event to get more attention or gifts from others
- ✓NOT like "solving" a problem quickly—"milking this" means making the problem last longer for personal gain
- ✓NOT like "ignoring" or "forgetting" a problem—it's the opposite: focusing on it too much to benefit
Try Other Words
- •Exploiting: making full use of something, often unfairly (Use when the advantage is unfair or harmful)
- •Taking advantage of: using a situation for benefit (Use in neutral or negative contexts)
- •Drawing out: making something last longer (Use when emphasizing prolonging a situation)
- •Making the most of: using something well or fully (Use in positive or neutral contexts)
Unboxing
- •Phrase parts: "milking" (verb form of milk) + "this" (demonstrative pronoun referring to a situation)
- •Etymology: From the action of milking cows, meaning to get milk slowly and fully
- •Historical development: Used figuratively in English to mean getting the most from a situation, especially by prolonging it
- •Modern usage: Commonly used in informal speech to describe someone who is trying to get extra benefit or attention from a problem or event
Reflect & Connect
•Can "milking this" be positive, or is it always negative? When might it be okay to "milk" a situation?
•How do you feel when someone is "milking" a problem or event? Does it change your opinion of them?
Fill in the blanks
1.She is milking this situation ___ to get more help than she really needs.
2.When someone is milking this, they usually make the problem ___ longer than necessary.
3.Unlike solving a problem quickly, milking this means ___ the situation for extra benefit.
4.People often milk this kind of event to gain ___ or attention from others.
5.Stop milking this ___ and try to find a solution instead.
6.He kept milking this accident ___ to get money from the company.
7.When you hear someone is milking this, you can infer they are trying to ___ the situation for their own gain.