Chapters 1_16 Flashcards
fill me in (to)
give me the details”I want to know what heppened on your date last night. Fill me in”
humongous
enourmos, gigantic, huge immense”You’d better study hard because the final exam is going to be humongous”
pin someone against something (to)
push someone up against something”The hockey player pinned his opponent up against the boards”
blabber (to)
talk to much, gab, yak, yap”The drunk guy I met in the bar blabbered on and on about his ex-wife”
stretch one’s legs (to)
exercise one’s leg after a period of inactivity”I really nedded to stretch my legs after sitting on the bus for five hours”
run off at the mouth (to)
talk to much, gab, yak, yap”She was running off at the mouth about her new boyfriend for the entire evening”
booze
alcohol, liquor”Don’t forget we have to buy some booze for the party tonight”
pester someone (to)
contantly harass/bother someone”The young boy kept pastering his mother to buy him the expensive toy”
bombed
hammered, loaded, smashed, very drunk”She got bombed on New Year’s Eve because she drunk so much champagne”
gulp down something (to)
drink something quickly”He gulped down the orange juice after playing tennis in the hot summer sun”
B.O.
bad body odor (a hygiene problem)”He had terrible B.O. because he hadn’t taken shower in three days”
appalling
awful, dreadful, terrible”The appalling behavior of the teenagers shocked the older married couple”
on the bright side
on the positive side”He crashed the car, but on the bright side nobody got hurt”
safe and sound
safely”We arrived home safe and sound even though we had to drive through the blizzard”
spoiled
pampered, get anything one wants”That child was spoiled rotten because his parents never disciplined him”
brat
terrible child”Someone should tell that brat to sit down and be quiet until the movie is finished”
fling something (to)
throw something”The infant didn’t eat the food. She was more interested in flinging it all over the place”
settle down (to)
calm down”The teacher finally had to tell the noisy students to settle down”
burst into tears (to)
start to cry suddenly and loudly”She burst into tears when she found out the her husband had died in the car accident”
jetlag
fatigue caused by air travel”I can´t stay awake in class because I still have jetlag”
get over something/someone (to)
recover from something/someone”It took me almost two weeks to get over my cold”
dive (a)
a terrible, old, dirty place”That bar was disgusting. I’m never going back to that dive again”
come across something (to)
find something by accident”I came across an old high school picture while I was cleaning up my room”
feel at home (to)
feel comfortable in a new place”I’m starting to feel at home after living here for several weeks”
put something behind someone (to)
forget about a bad experience”I’m going to have to put that awful experience behind me”
in no time
quickly, soon”He finished his homework in no time because he wanted go to the movies”
bundle of nerves (a)
very nervous”I was a bundle of nerves before I took the TOEFL exam”
kick oneself (to)
regret doing something”I could just kick myself for leaving my wallet in the restaurant last night”
keyed up
very nervous”The tennis player was keyed up while he waited for his match to begin”
knot in one’s stomach
a nervous feeling in the stomach”I had a knot in my stomach when I asked that beautiful girl for a date”
change of pace (a)
a change from one activity for something different”I’m tired of studying. How about a change of pace? Why don’t we go for coffee?”
wander (to)
walk slowly, saunter, stroll”Whould you like to wander through the shopping mall this afternoon?”
know one’s way around (to)
be familiar with a particular area”I’ve never been to this part of town before. Do you know your way around?”
take in the sights (to)
sightsee”I’d like to take in the sights after we check into the hotel”
down-and-out
destitute, very poor”The unshaven man in the dirty clothes looks down-and-out”
wrong side of the tracks (the)
the bad section of a city”She became a millionaire even though she grew up on the wrong side of the tracks”
play it safe (to)
be careful”I think you’ve had too much to drink. Let’s play it safe and take a taxi home”
as far as someone knows
to the best of one’s knowledge”As far as I know, there’s a bank right around the next corner”
get off the beaten path (to)
go to an area not visited by most people”He was completely lost for two hours after he got off the beaten path”
run out of something (to)
use up all of something”I ran out of things to do in my free time while I was living in that small town”
bundle (a)
a lot of money”I spent a bundle when I bought a jacket at that designer cloth store”
wipe out something (to)
destroy something”The hurricane wiped out at least half of the town”
shopping spree (a)
a shopping binge, shop a lot”He went on a huge shopping spree after he won the state lottery”
in check
under control”I’ll try to keep my smoking in check”
run up a bill (to)
get into debt, spend a lot of money”I ran up a large bill at the hotel while I was there on vacation”
take it from me (to)
trust me”Take it from me, that movie is unbelievably boring”
drag (a)
a bore”The advanced accounting course I took at college was such a drag”
kitty-corner
diagonal in location”The post office you’re looking for is kitty-corner to the high scholl”
take a break (to)
take a rest”I think we’ve worked long enough. What do you say we take a break from studying?”
stroll (to)
walk slowly, saunter, wander”I’d like to stroll along that beautiful white sand beach after lunch”
Check out something/someone (to)
look at something/someone”Check out that convertible sports car. It must be really expensive”
cover a lot of ground (to)
travel a great distance”We’ve been walking for over an hour. We’ve certain covered a lot of ground”
know something like the back of one’s hand (to)
be very familiar with something”I know this area like the back of my hand because I’ve lived here all my life”
pile (a)
a bunch, a load, a lot, a stack, a ton”I have a pile of laundry that I have to wash this morning”
run of the mill
average, ordinary”The speech he gave to the college students was just run of the mill”
cream of the crop (the)
the best of the group”The cream of the crop study at Harvard University”
one’s days are numbered
someone are going to die or get fired soon”I think his days are numbered because of his poor performance at work”
keep one’s fingers crossed (to)
hope for a possible positive result”I hope your team wins the game this afternoon. I’ll keep my fingers crossed”
knuckle down (to)
become serious about one’s work”I’m going to have to knuckle down if I hope to pass that difficult course”
one’s first crack at something
one’s first attempt at something”Today he’s going to take his first crack at ballroom dancing”
slack off (to)
reduce the amount of work one does”Most of students slacked off after they wrote the midterm exam”
cram (to)
study hard”She has to spend tonight cramming for the final exam”
slate (to)
schedule”She said that the quiz is slated for the day after tomorrow”
look into something (to)
investigate something (to)”I don’t know the answear to your question. I’ll have to look into it”
stressed out
more stress than someone can handle”She’s stressed out over the presantation he has to give to the class tomorrow”
lose sleep over something (to)
worry about something”I’m sure your audition will go well. Don’t lose any sleep over it”
up to
doing, occupied with”What are you up to after scholl today?”
hook up with someone (to)
meet someone”She’s going to hook up with her friends at the club tonight”
hitch
problem”I’d like to go to the movies with you. There’s just one hitch. I don’t have any money”
two’s company, three’s a crowd
a third person isn’t welcome”I don’t want your sister to come with us on our date. Two’s company, three’s crowd”
ditch someone (to)
lose someone on purpose”We ditched him on the bar when he went to the bathroom”
pull one’s leg (to)
joke, kid”I’m not serious. I’m just pulling your leg”
sleep on something (to)
consider something overnight”That’s a big decision. I’m afraid that I’ll have to sleep on it”
errand
a short trip to buy groceries, do banking, etc”I’ll be back in about thirty minutes because I need to run a few errands”
make a fuss over something (to)
overreact, go over the top”My friend really made a fuss over my 21st birthday”
crushed
devasted, emotionally destroyed”The little boy was crushed when his dog got run over my car”
getting on
getting old”I realized my parents are getting on the last time I went home for a visit”
young at heart
have a youthful attitude”My granmother is 75 years old, but she’s still young at heart”
run (to)
leave”I have to run or I’ll be late for my next business appointment”
hit the books (to)
study”We should hit the books tonight because we have a quiz tomorrow”
go over something (to)
review something”She wants to go over her notes before she gives her speech to the audience”
at the end of one’s rope
frustated, stressed out”I’m almost at the end of my rope because my lazy co-worker never helps me”
mind/memory like a steel trap (a)
a great memory”She never forgets a name. She has a mind like a steel trap”
on the tip of one’s tongue
on the verge of remembering something”What’s the name of that small town we went to? It’s right on the tip of my tongue.
mull something over (to)
consider, think something over”I’ll have to mull it over for awhile before I make a decision”
hung up on something/someone
stuck on something/someone, unable to continue”I can’t stop thinking about that beautiful woman. I’m really hung up on her”
what’s(his/her)-face
used when a person’s name can’t be remembered”Could you please give this book to what’s-her-face the next time you see her”
cacth hell (to)
reprimand someone harshly”The teenage boy caught hell because he didn’t come home last night”
tell someone off (to)
reprimand someone harshly”He told his girlfriend off because she forgot his birthday for the second time”
chew someone out (to)
reprimand someone harshly”She chewed her brother out after he broke her CD player”
badmouth someone (to)
say negative things about someone”That guy never says anything positive about anyone. He’s always badmouthing people”
have it in for someone (to)
get even with someone, seek revenge”I’ve had it in for him ever since I found out that he stole my wallet”
run into someone (to)
meet someone by accident”I ran into someone friends from school whilw I was at the library on Sunday”
cover for someone (to)
provide an alibi for someone”I’ll cover for you if you skip class and go to the beach instead”
new flame
new lover”She’s very happy because her new flame is handsome and charming”
come down with something (to)
get a cold/the flu”I came down with the flu just before my vacation started”
come up with something (to)
think of something”Have you come up with something to do on Friday night?”
vivid
colorful, dramatic, vibrant”The vivid colors in that painting of the sunset are very interesting”
coming along
progressing”How’s the essay you’re writing coming along?”
make a dent in something (to)
make a little progress in something”I’ve only made a dent in the essay that I have to write”
surf the net (to)
use the internet”I usually surf the net on my new computer when I get home from school”
weight off one’s shoulders (a)
a relief”It was a weight off his shoulders when he finally got accepted to law school”
come down hard on someone (to)
reprimand someone harshly”The boss came down hard on the salesman who fell asleep during the meeting”
doesn’t look a half bad
looks pretty good”The meal you prepared for us tonight doesn’t look half bad”
make something from scratch (to)
make something by oneself, not store bought”I’m proud of this tasty dessert because I made it from scratch”
thaw out something (to)
defrost something”Do you want me to thaw the lasagna for dinner tonight?”
chow down on something (to)
eat something”I’m really hungry. I want to chow down on some pizza for lunch”
I don’t know how to break this to you
I don’t know how to tell this to you”I don’t know how to break this to you, but you didn’t get the job”
something is on me
I’ll pay for you”Would you like to go out for supper tonight? It’s on me”
never let someone live something down (to)
never let someone forget something”I went to school once with zipper open. My friends never let me live that down”
let someone off the hook (to)
let someone avoid punishment”My father let my sister off the hook after she broke the living room window”
fix breakfast/lunch/dinner (to)
make/prepare/cook a meal”could you fix breakfast for this morning”
let someone down (to)
disappoint someone”My friend let me down when he forgot to help me move into my new apartment”
on the fritz
broken, on the blink”The television has been on the fritz for the last three days”
come to
cost, the total bill”What did the repairs to the fridge come to?”
rip someone off (to)
overcharge someone”The mechanic ripped me off when I had him fix my car’s transmission”
jack-of-all-trades (a)
a multitalented laborer”It seems as though you can repais anything. You´re a jack-of-all trades”
in mint condition
in perfect condition”The antique table I bought at the auction was in mint condition”
give someone the creeps (to)
scare or disgust someone”That scary-looking guy over there gives me the creeps”
can (the)
the bathroom/washroom”Are you finished yet? You’ve been in the can for over an hour”
in the buff
in the nude, in the raw, in one’s birthday suit, naked”The baby was running around the kitchen in the buff”
slip one’s mind (to)
forget something”I’m really sorry I forgot your birthday. It completely slipped my mind”
turn beet red (to)
blush”He turned beet red once he realized that he had a piece of spinach on his tooth”
stay on one’s good side (to)
make someone have a favorable opinion of you”You should stay on your father’s good side if you want to use his car”
in the long run
in the long term, over a long period of time”You ought to get some regular exercise. You’ll be healthier in the long run”
dough
cash, money”She must have spent a lot of dough on that beautiful wedding dress”
work out (to)
exercise”I try to work out at the fitness club at least three times a week”
drop in on someone (to)
visit someone”I was happy when my friend dropped in on me this afternoon”
pop by somewhere (to)
visit somewhere”I want to pop by the supermarket on our way home”
decadent
indulgent”That famous actor is very rich. I’m sure he has a decadent lifestyle”
hit somewhere (to)
visit somewhere”Why don´t we hit the library after we finish school today?”
mark down (to)
reduce in price”They’re having a sale. All their tennis shoes are supposed to be marked (way) down”
break the bank (to)
spend all of one’s savings”I’d like to buy a new suit today, but I don’t want to break the bank doing it”
jam-packed
crowded, mobbed”The subway was jam-packed during rush hour this morning”
snap up something (to)
buy/take something quickly”The customers snapped up the sale merchandise in less than 15 minutes”
right up one’s alley
perfectly suited to someone”I think the beautiful blouse you found in that store is right up your alley”
take in (to)
reduce the waist size of one’s pants/skirt”These pants are too big. I’m going to ask the tailor to take them in”
run (to)
cost”How much does that flashy sport car run?”
steep
expensive”I can’t afford to buy a house in that district because the prices are really steep”
shell out (to)
fork out, spend”He shelled out a lot of money when he redecoreted his entire apartment”
cash
dough, money”How much cash did you spend on dinner at that Italian restaurant?”
rack
a stand used to display clothes”Could you please put this coat back on the rack for me?”
first thing in the morning
very early in the morning”If we’re going skiing tomorrow, we’ll have to leave first thing in the morning”
have one’s name on it (to)
perfectly suited to someone”It’s too bad they didn’t have my size because that shirt had my name on it”
long gone
bought/left/taken a long time ago”I’m sure our friends are long now that the concert’s over”
get a load of something/someone (to)
look at something/someone”Get a load of the view from this apartment. It’s unbelievable”
clash (to)
do not match in color or design”Do you think this shirt clashes with the pants I’m wearing?”
there’s no account to taste
there’s no explaining someone’s style”I can’t believe what he’s wearing. There’s certainly no account for taste”
full of oneself
arrogant, conceited, smug, snobby”I don’t like her because she always look so full of herself”
dressed to kill
dressed up”She was dressed to kill when she went to her high-school graduation party”
last resort (a)
a final option”I wouldn’t go to that terrible restaurant even as a last resort”
shoot one’s mouth off (to)
speah in an inappropriate manner”That student often gets into trouble because he shoots his mouth off in class”
dressed to the nines
dressed up”She was dressed to the nines when she went out on her big date”
sell oneself short (to)
underestimate oneself”You have plenty of hability and experience. Don’t sell yourself short”
for the time being
for now”What do you say we just relax in the park for the time being”
hit the spot (to)
satisfying”A hot cup of coffee would really hit the spot right now”
melt in one’s mouth (to)
food that easily dissolves in one’s mouth”This steak is so tender that it almost melts in your mouth”
time to spare
extra time”She spent an hour at the coffee shop because she had time to spare”
make great time (to)
arrive somewhere faster than expected”They made a great time getting to the office this morning”
gridlock
very heavy traffic”I was late for work this morning because of the gridlock downtown”
luck out (to)
lucky”She lucked out when she picked the winning numbers for the lottery”
kill time (to)
waste time”I’m going to kill time at student lounge untill the class begins”
grab a bite to eat (to)
eat something quickly”What do you say we grab a bite (to eat) before we go to the theater?”
picked-me-up (a)
coffee, coke (any cafeine beverage)”I feel kind of tired this morning, I really need a pick-me-up”
take five (to)
take a short break”I think we deserve a break after doing all that work at the yard. Let´s take five”
stone’s throw away (a)
close by, near by”The stadium is only a stone’s throw away from the subway station”
half-and-half
cream”Do you prefer half-and-half or milk in your coffee?”
that goes without saying
that’s obviousSteve: “I don’t thinkk she likes me very much”Alan: “That goes without saying”
