What does 'vanish into thin air' mean? - YouTube

Feifei: This is The English We Speak. I'm Feifei.

Rob: And hello, I'm Rob.

Feifei: Rob, would you mind wiping those

crumbs from your mouth?

Rob: Ooops, sorry!

Feifei: Do you know, it's very strange

- I made a cake a last night and brought it to work

today to share with you.

Rob: That's very kind!

Feifei: Yes, but

it seems to have vanished into thin air.

Rob: Wow! You're a magician!

You've made a cake disappear!

Feifei: No, Rob.

The phrase 'to vanish into thin air' means

'to suddenly, mysteriously and completely disappear'.

You haven't seen the cake, have you, Rob?

Rob: No, Feifei – no sign of your

‘disappearing' cake.

Feifei: OK,

well let's hear some examples of this phrase.

Let's hope they haven't suddenly disappeared!

Examples: I can't remember where I've parked the car!

I think it's vanished into thin air.

Have you seen the boss?

Someone important needs to talk to him

but I can't find him anywhere.

It's like he's vanished into thin air.

Has anyone seen my glasses?

They've vanished into thin air.

Feifei: This is The English We Speak

from BBC Learning English

and we're learning about the expression

‘to vanish into thin air',

which can be used to describe a situation where

something mysteriously and suddenly disappears.

So any sign of my cake?

Rob: No.

Feifei: Very odd.

I put it on my desk this morning

and went to make a cup of coffee

and when I returned,

it had gone.

Dan: Great cake, Rob!

Thanks for sharing it!

I hope you'll be baking again soon!

See you!

Feifei: Rob!

Rob: Sorry, Feifei!

It was so tempting, so delicious,so I thought…

Feifei: So you thought you'd eat it!

Rob: It helped us demonstrate today's phrase.

Feifei: There's just one thing I

want to vanish into thin air.

Rob: Oh yeah? And what's that?

Feifei: You, Rob!

Now I'm off to bake a cake

- for me.

Rob: See you!

Oh, she's gone!