Diary of A Wimpy Kid Flashcards

Question

dirt noun | BrE /dɜːt/ ; NAmE /dɜːrt/ [uncountable]

Answer 1

3) (informal) unpleasant or harmful information about somebody that could be used to damage their reputation, career, etc. ex) The ladies who work there know the dirt on just about everyone in town. Do you have any dirt on the new guy?

Answer 2

1) almost; very nearly ex) The ladies who work there know the dirt on just about everyone in town. I've met just about everyone. ‘Did you reach your sales target?’ ‘Just about.’ 2) approximately ex) She should be arriving just about now.

Answer 3

1) [singular] head start (on/over somebody) an advantage that somebody already has before they start doing something 2) a situation in which you start a race before your opponent or from a position that is further ahead ex) I figured if anything came out of there in the middle of the night, it would grab Rowley first and I'd have a five-second head start to escape. Being able to speak French gave her a head start over the other candidates.

Answer 4

1) [transitive, intransitive] to step heavily on somebody/something so that you crush or harm them/it with your feet ex) Me and Rowley practically trampled each other to death trying to get up the basement stairs. People were trampled underfoot in the rush for the exit. He was trampled to death by a runaway horse. The campers had trampled the corn down. Don't trample on the flowers!

Answer 5

1) [uncountable, countable] the sound of light, dry things moving together; the sound that papers or leaves make, for example when the wind blows on them ex) I heard some rustling and a few bumps, and I was ready to make a run for it. the soft rustling of leaves

Answer 6

(informal) to admit that you have done something wrong synonym own up ex) Dad wanted to know what was going on, and I had to fess up. It’s time for the President to fess up.

Answer 7

(informal) to have an idea, especially a very unusual or silly one synonym think up ex) I thought about it, though, and I realized there's only so much ground a muddy hand can cover in a day. Trust you to dream up a crazy idea like this!

Answer 8

(informal) to play in a way that is noisy and not very careful so that you could hurt somebody or damage something; to play in a very lively or rough way ex) After Mom caught me horsing around, she banned me from watching TV until I read the book. He was horsing around in the kitchen and broke my favourite bowl.

Answer 9

1) [intransitive] to catch your foot on something and fall or almost fall ex) This morning Dad tripped over a dictionary I left at the top of the stairs, so now he's mad at me. She tripped and fell. Someone will trip over that cable. (figurative) I was tripping over my words in my excitement to tell them the news. Be careful you don't trip up on the step.

Answer 10

2) (transitive, idiomatic) to abandon someone who is in need or in danger, especially a colleague or one dependent; leave somebody in a difficult situation without your support, especially to avoid receiving any blame yourself; to expose someone's weakpoints or vulnerability ex) Yesterday Rowley went golfing or something with his dad, so he kind of hung me out to dry. It was his own party who hung him out to dry for losing the election. At the town meeting next week, the city council is going to hang out to dry the mayor

Answer 11

to think very hard or for a long time about something ex) Me and Rowley racked our brians all day yesterday trying to figure out how to pay off that eighty three dollars. She racked her brains, trying to remember exactly what she had said.

Answer 12

Add to my wordlist ordinary, with no special or interesting features ex) I'm not talking about some average, run-of-the-mill lawn care service, either. I'm talking about a company that lawn care to the next level. a run-of-the-mill job These should be run-of-the-mill problems to the experienced manager.

Answer 13

pictures and symbols that are stored in computer programs or on websites for computer users to copy and add to their own documents ex) After that we got some clip art of lawn tools and put it all together.

Answer 14

9) [transitive] hit something (informal) to reach a place ex) After we hit a few houses, we realized it would be a lot easier to just ask the next person we spoke with to pass the flyer along so me and Rowley wouldn't have to do all that walking. Follow this footpath and you'll eventually hit the road. The President hits town tomorrow.

Answer 15

1) to arrive in great numbers or amounts ex) Now the only thing we have to do is sit back and wait for the phone calls to start rolling in. Offers of help are still rolling in.

Answer 16

NORTH AMERICAN (informal) criticize severely; attack ex) Well, I must've caught Gramma on a bad day, because she really lit into me. "he lit into him for his indiscretion"

Answer 17

5) [transitive] buy something (informal) to believe that something is true, especially something that is not very likely ex) Believe it or not, Mrs. Can field bought it. You could say you were ill but I don't think they'd buy it (= accept the explanation).

Answer 18

to agree with somebody/something ex) I guess Mrs. Canfield must have been pretty desperate to get her lawn mowed, because she went along with my plan. I don't go along with her views on private medicine.

Answer 19

look around a place, typically in search of something ex) That's when me and Rowley realized neither one of us had ever actually operated a lawn mower before. So the two of us poked around for a while and tried to figure out how to get the thing started.

Answer 20

[intransitive, transitive] to move, or make something move, into a position with one side or end higher than the other synonym tip ex) Unfortunately, when we tilted the mower on its side, all the gasoline spilled out onto the grass, and we had to go back over to Gramma's to get a refill. Suddenly the boat tilted to one side. The seat tilts forward, when you press this lever. His hat was tilted slightly at an angle. She tilted her head back and looked up at me with a smile.

Answer 21

used to suggest that somebody could do something while they are doing something else ~하는 김에 ex) I picked up the owner's manual for the mower while we were at it. ‘I'm just going to buy some postcards.’ ‘Can you get me some stamps while you're at it?’

Answer 22

to become familiar with something or with doing something ex) I got the feeling from the bits and pieces I could understand that operating a lawn mower was a lot more dangerous than I originally thought. I haven't got the feel of the brakes in this car yet.

Answer 23

(British English, informal) small objects or items of various kinds ex) I got the feeling from the bits and pieces I could understand that operating a lawn mower was a lot more dangerous than I originally thought. She stuffed all her bits and pieces into a bag and left.

Answer 24

a picture of a human skull above two crossed bones, used in the past on the flags of pirate ships, and now used as a warning on containers with dangerous substances inside ex) Around the Spanish instructions, there was a picture of a skull and crossbones, a guy with his leg cut off, and even a guy getting electrocuted.

Answer 25

5) [countable] crack (at something) | crack (at doing something) (informal) an occasion when you try to do something synonym attempt ex) I told Rowley he could have the first crack at the lawn mowing and that I would go sit in the shade and start working on our business plan. She hopes to have another crack at the world record this year.

Answer 26

hard boring work ex) I told Rowley we needed someone to do the grunt work and someone to handle the money so it didn't get all sweaty. She has assistants to do the grunt work like research and proofreading. There’s a lot of grunt work involved in the assignment. I was used to grunt work but pouring concrete was the worst.

Answer 27

(North American English) to stop working in order to go on strike ex) Believe it or not, that was enough to make Rowley walk right off the job.

Answer 28

(informal) to give something, especially money, unwillingly ex) I told her about the dog poop issue, but she still wouldn't cough up what she owed me. Steve finally coughed up the money he owed us.

Answer 29

(informal) (of events or a situation) to develop in a particular way ex) The V.I.P. Lawn Service has not really panned out the way I thought it would. I'm happy with the way things have panned out.

Answer 30

2) a slight change that you make to a machine, system, etc. to improve it ex) I thought about just giving up and closing our business, but then I realized that with a few tweaks to the flyer, we could start things back up again in the winter. With a few tweaks this venue will be perfect.

Answer 31

(informal) to understand something ex) I've been lazy ever since I was a little kid, and if someone had caught it early on, maybe I wouldn't be the way I am now. He is very quick to catch on to things.

Answer 32

1) to put something in the place where it is kept because you have finished using it ex) I remember in preschool, when playtime was over, the teacher would tell everyone to put away their toys, and we would all sing the "Cleanup Song" while we did it. I'm just going to put the car away (= in the garage).

Answer 33

3) [countable, usually singular] the pull (of something) the fact of something attracting you or having a strong effect on you ex) For some reason I don't have that same kind of pull. The magnetic pull of the city was hard to resist. He felt the pull of paternal love.

Answer 34

the act of rubbing your knuckles on a person's head to cause annoyance or slight pain ex) I got so many birthday noogies that I couldn't even lift my arms to swim.

Answer 35

3) [countable, usually singular] a problem or situation in which several things must be considered and dealt with; all the different aspects that you have to consider in a situation ex) So when it comes to your birthday, I've learned it's best to just keep kids out of the equation. When children enter the equation, further tensions may arise within a marriage. In a choice between the use of rail and car, the question of cost will come into the equation.

Answer 36

(especially North American English) to collect something, such as profits or losses in a business, or points in a competition ex) Mom and Dad got Rodrick a cell phone last year, and he racked up a bill for three hundred dollars in the first month. The company racked up $200 million in losses in two years. In ten years of boxing he racked up a record 176 wins.

Answer 37

a situation where people are no longer friends, caused by a disagreement or an argument ex) Annette, my hairstylist, said she heard from a lady who knows Mrs. Jefferson that me and Rowley had a falling out. Dave and I had a falling-out.

Answer 38

(informal, especially North American English) to do things with somebody as a friend ex) Every time I see Rowley, he's palling around with his dad. I palled around with him and his sister at school.

Answer 39

very friendly ex) Unfortunately, Rowley's chummy relationship with his dad is starting to affect my life.

Answer 40

(informal) to have the qualities and abilities needed for something ex) But the thing is, me and Dad just aren't cut out for that kind of father-son stuff. He's not cut out for teaching. He's not cut out to be a teacher.

Answer 41

extreme in a way that has a sudden, serious or violent effect on something ex) I knew I had to take drastic measures, so I went to the kitchen to call the cops. drastic measures/changes The government is threatening to take drastic action. a drastic shortage of food a drastic reduction in their standard of living Talk to me before you do anything drastic.

Answer 42

an arrangement that parents make for their children to play together at a particular time and place ex) She said I've seemed "lonely" ever since I had that fight with Rowley, and she thought she'd set up a "playdate" with Fregley. Hannah has a play date with a friend after school.

Answer 43

(informal) to stop wasting time and start talking about the most important thing ex) I like to cut to the chase on my birthday and get right to the gifts, so I told everyone to gather in the living room. Right, let's cut to the chase. How much is it going to cost?

Answer 44

to get somewhere or do something before somebody else; get ahead of someone to obtain something ex) Then Mom told everyone it was time to go into the dining room to have some cake. Unfortunately, Uncle Joe's dog, Killer, had beaten us to it. You beat me to it and took the last cookie. There was only enough for one, so Jane ran as fast as she could in order to beat Jerry to it. Ken beat John to the door. I beat all the other students to the end of the test. She beat me to the top of the hill. I was about to take the last cake, but he beat me to it.

Answer 45

to be unable to do something because you know that it will make somebody sad or upset ex) I didn't have the heart to tell Dad that Sweetie had just spent the past half hour on my pillow licking his rear end.

Answer 46

1) (informal, especially North American English) nonsense; lies ex) But by the time I realized Rodrick was full of baloney, it was too late. Don't give me that baloney!

Answer 47

2) (North American English, informal) a short stop during a long trip for a rest, a meal, etc. ex) So I made a pit stop in the bathroom and lathered myself in suntan oil.

Answer 48

1) [transitive] lather something to cover something with lather ex) So I made a pit stop in the bathroom and lathered myself in suntan oil. I lathered my face and started to shave.

Answer 49

[transitive, intransitive] flex (something) to bend, move or stretch an arm or a leg, or contract a muscle, especially in order to prepare for a physical activity to flex your fingers/feet/legs ex) Well, that was pretty embarrassing, because it meant whoever was in there could see me flexing in front of the mirror the whole time. He stood on the side of the pool flexing his muscles.

Answer 50

1) [countable] (informal) a quick swim ex) If she wants someone to put suntan lotion on her back or towel her off after she takes a dip in the pool, I'm the man for the job. Let's go for a dip before breakfast.

Answer 51

If you say that something is wasted on someone, you mean that its quality is too high for that person and they will not understand its true value ex) See, this is why I always say that technology is wasted on grown-ups. I'm not going to serve that good coffee to Chris and Melanie - it would be wasted on them. Don’t give the smoked salmon to the children – it’d just be wasted on them.

Answer 52

1) moving in an unsteady way from side to side ex) I was riding home from the pool yesterday, and the bike started getting all wobbly. a chair with a wobbly leg a wobbly tooth He's still a bit wobbly after the operation (= not able to stand firmly). When I stood up my legs went all wobbly. 2) not firm or confident synonym shaky the wobbly singing of the choir The evening got off to a wobbly start.

Answer 53

1) [intransitive] to give a loud high shout, for example when you are excited, frightened or in pain synonym scream ex) I was really nervous about touching one of the shower guys, and for a second there I thought I did. And it made me shriek out loud. She shrieked in fright. The audience was shrieking with laughter. (figurative) The answer shrieked at her (= was very obvious).

Answer 54

(North American English, informal) to shock or surprise somebody ex) But then Mrs. Jefferson said something that really threw me for a loop. The result of the election knocked most people for a loop.

Answer 55

to join or interrupt a conversation ex) Mr. Jefferson didn't look too thrilled with that idea, but before he could speak up Mom chimed in. He kept chiming in with his own opinions. ‘And me!’ she chimed in.

Answer 56

the time when problems become so great that a person, an organization or a system can no longer deal with them ex) Last night, I was at my breaking point, so I did something a little risky. to be at/to reach breaking point to be stretched to breaking point

Answer 57

to say something from memory without having to think too hard ex) I rattled off an e-mail to Mom as quick as I could, then ran upstairs and got into bed. She can rattle off the names of all the presidents of the US.

Answer 58

very tired ex) My event was the 100-meter freestyle, and I got so pooped that I had to walk the last lap, splashing and sploshing across the bottom of the pool. I’m pooped!

Answer 59

4) the scoop [uncountable] (North American English, informal) the latest information about somebody/something, especially details that are not generally known ex) But then Rodrick saw me with my first-place champions ribbon, and he gave me the scoop. I got the inside scoop on his new girlfriend.

Answer 60

to do what is necessary to complete a course of action, especially one that is difficult or unpleasant ex) I guess parents think they're doing their kids a favor by going through with all that, but if you ask me, I think it just causes more problems down the road. She decided not to go through with (= not to have) the operation.

Answer 61

pop fly noun (also pop-up) (sport) (in baseball) a ball that is hit high into the air but does not go far, making it easy to catch ex) Then the next year, in junior baseball, all my teammates and the other parents would boo me off the field if I dropped a pop fly or something.

Answer 62

to remain in a place after all the other people have left ex) I though Rowley was right behind me, but he was hanging back about ten feet.

Answer 63

plank noun BrE /plæŋk/ ; NAmE /plæŋk/ 1) a long narrow flat piece of wood that is used for making floors, etc. ex) Then I slipped the dollar bill up between the planks of wood and waited for our first victim. a plank of wood a wooden plank

Answer 64

(informal) there is no danger of being seen or caught ex) We hid there a while more, but the teenagers never showed up, and eventually we decided the coast was clear. As soon as the coast was clear he climbed in through the window.

Answer 65

to try and persuade somebody to stop behaving in a stupid way, sometimes using rough or violent methods ex) I was pretty glad to see them because I figured if anyone could talk some sense into this kid, it was Mr. Jefferson. Try and talk some sense into her before she makes the wrong decision. Where would I be without you to knock some sense into my head?

Answer 66

[no passive] (informal) to make an effort to stop feeling unhappy or depressed; to help somebody to stop feeling unhappy ex) That seemed to get Rowley to snap out of it. You've been depressed for weeks. It's time you snapped out of it.

Answer 67

to outdo somebody ex) I couldn't let Rowley one-up me like that, so when he got into bed I got his boppy balloon, pulled back the giant rubber band, and let it rip. If you want to correct somebody or one-up them with your clever little story, it can kill your rapport with them.

Answer 68

to tell someone something that is not true, as a joke ex) I'm pretty sure Rodrick was pulling my leg, because it looked an awful lot like his handwriting. I think he was just pulling your leg.

Answer 69

something that you say when you think that it is possible that someone might do something wrong or unpleasant ex) Dad was willing to ship me off to a military academy before, and I wouldn't put anything past him. 'Do you really think he'd go off with another woman?' 'I wouldn't put it past him.' I wouldn't put it past Lorna to deny all knowledge of this plan.

Answer 70

1) [intransitive] to shake because you are cold or frightened, or because of a strong feeling ex) When I asked what for, he said it was a "surprise." That made me shudder. Just thinking about the accident makes me shudder. Alone in the car, she shuddered with fear. I shuddered at the thought of all the trouble I'd caused. I shudder to think how much this is all going to cost (= I don't want to think about it because it is too unpleasant).

Answer 71

1) [countable] a flat piece of paper, cloth, metal, etc. that is attached to something along one side and that hangs down or covers an opening ex) I opened the tent flap, then slipped my hand inside and made it crawl like a spider. the flap of an envelope I zipped the tent flaps shut. The jacket was fastened with a complicated buttoned flap. He was wearing a deerstalker hat with flaps to cover the ears.

Answer 72

(informal) to destroy something completely by breaking it into small pieces ex) But before I had a chance to open the flap and check, my hand got crushed to smithereens. The bomb blew the car to smithereens.

Answer 73

1) a hammer with a large wooden head ex) I was really ticked off at Rowley. Not because he smashed my hand with a mallet, but because he thought that it could stop the muddy hand. Use a heavy mallet to drive in the pegs. 2) a hammer with a long handle and a wooden head, used for hitting the ball in the games of croquet and polo

Answer 74

(informal) to tell somebody that you disapprove of their behaviour or are angry with them ex) I was about to give Rowley a piece of my mind, but right then the guy from the Game Hut came and opened the front door.

Answer 75

1) (of a person, company, etc.) performing at an expected rate or level ex) the cost of bringing the chosen schools up to speed 2) (of a person) having the most recent and accurate information or knowledge ex) So I had to show him the poster from the window to get him up to speed. Are you up to speed yet on the latest developments?

Answer 76

to begin to return somewhere ex) I'm actually starting to get a little concerned, because school starts back up in a few days, and if we're gonna get this friendship back on track, something needs to happen quick. Isn’t it time we started back?

Answer 77

to have ended a relationship ex) If me and Rowley really are through, that would stink, because the two of us had a pretty good thing going. I’ve told Larry I’m through with him, but he keeps bothering me.

Answer 78

a type of toilet for men that is attached to the wall; a room or building containing urinals ex) But he pulls his pants all the way down when he uses the urinal, and I don't know if I can ever get past that. Modern waterless urinals can help to save the environment.

Answer 79

as the situation is now ex) Because the way things stand, he's not gonna come out looking very good in my autobiography. The way things are going, soon most people will be working at home. The way things stand, I don't think we'll be able to leave for vacation until Monday.

Answer 80

used for saying that you hope a particular thing happens ex) With my luck, though, I'll go on to be rich and famous and Rowley will still find a way to ride my coattails. With any luck, this time next year I’ll be living in France.

Answer 81

using the success and influence of another person to help yourself become successful ex) With my luck, though, I'll go on to be rich and famous and Rowley will still find a way to ride my coattails. She got where she is today on her brother's coat-tails.

Answer 82

11) [transitive] burn somebody (North American English, informal) to make somebody very angry ex) The thing that really burns me is that Rowley probably doesn't even know his parents are paying this guy to spend time with him. So you did it just to burn me?

Answer 83

(North American English, informal) to be lucky ex) But this year I totally lucked out. I guess I really lucked out when I met her.

Answer 84

3) (North American English, informal) a large party or social occasion ex) One reason Jordan is so popular is because he always has these big blowout parties, and it's really hard to get invited. We're going to have a huge blowout for Valentine's Day.

Answer 85

2) (disapproving) a person who is treated like a servant or who behaves like one ex) He doesn't actually need a best friend, because he's got a bunch of lackeys who basically worship him.

Answer 86

irk somebody (to do something) | it irks somebody that… (formal or literary) to annoy or irritate somebody ex) Still, it kind of irks me that Rowley is having more fun than I am. Her flippant tone irked him.

Answer 87

judging by the information we have now ex) And from the looks of things, they're all having a way better time than I am. By the look of things, we won't finish till next week. * used for saying that you are basing your ideas, opinions etc on what you have heard or read ex) From the sound of things, they’ll probably have to move before next year.

Answer 88

7) (informal) without a pause; continuous ex) Well, after Rowley heard that, he wouldn't even walk on the same side of the street as me for a sold month. The essay represents a solid week's work. It rained for two hours solid this afternoon.