What does ‘old college try’ mean?

Watch this short video to learn a simple trick about it meaning and how we can use this idiom.

Hi, I’m Joel. In this lesson we’re going to talk about the phrase “to give something the old college try.”

So, what does this mean?

Well, to give something “the old college try” is to try your best to do something even when you may not know how to do it

or you may not have the skills necessary to do it well.

So despite this, you are still going to try your best and try to do some task or to do something that you need to do.

You’re going to give it “the old college try.”

So, let’s say for example, you need to make a pizza for some party or something, a homemade pizza.

And you’re the only one that can make it. So they ask you to make it and you say,

“Uh, I’m not sure, I haven’t made a pizza before but I can give it the old college try.”

You say that because you’re not really experienced at cooking or making a pizza but you’re going to try anyway.

Despite that, you’re still going to do your best and try to do this.

Or, let’s say that my phone has a virus. And I ask you if you can help me get rid of the virus.

Maybe you are not an expert with technology and you just know a little bit so you say, “Okay, I’ll give it the old college try.

I don’t know much about getting rid of viruses, but I’ll try it.”

So, those are a couple of examples of giving it the old college try.

So, have you ever given it the old college try? If you have, write it in the comments and practice using this phrase.

Alright, I hope that you have enjoyed this short video.

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