ESL Podcast Flashcards
phrasal verb
to leave the place where one has been living and begin living in a new place, especially when one leaves one’s parents’ home.
podcast 401
Move out
/muːv/
Many Americans move out on their own when they are 18 years old.
adj
crowded; without very much space to move around
401
cramped
/kræmpt/
* Their little economy car began to get more and more cramped as their family grew.
<u><strong>cramped</strong></u>
The word “cramped,” in this podcast, means crowded, without very much space to move around: “The office became very cramped when the company hired three new employees and didn’t have empty space for them to work in.” When we talk about writing, “cramped” means a style of handwriting that is difficult to read because it is too small or the letters are too close together: “His writing is so cramped that no one can read it.” A “cramp” can also be a painful problem in part of one’s body when a muscle gets very tight and won’t relax: “After wearing high-heeled shoes all day, she had horrible cramps in her feet and couldn’t walk for 10 minutes after taking them off.” Finally, the phrase “to cramp (someone’s) style” means to interfere with someone’s life so that he or she cannot do what he or she would like to do: “George doesn’t want to live with his parents because they cramp his style.”
phrasal verb with watch
A warning to let people know that there is a danger and they need to be careful
watch out for (something)
/wɑːtʃ/
Watch out for the cars when you cross the street! They drive too quickly here.
verb
accidentally hit one’s foot against something so that one almost falls down
401
trip
/trɪp/
* Carolina didn’t see the step there and she tripped over it.
to trip
In this podcast, the verb “to trip” means to accidentally hit one’s foot against something so that one almost falls down: “Teo’s toys were all over the floor and visitors were tripping on them.” As a noun, a “trip” is usually a visit or a period of time spent traveling: “Did you enjoy your trip to Venice Beach?” A “trip” can also be the experience that one has when using illegal drugs: “They’re addicted to the trip that they get from taking heroin.” The phrase “to be on an ego trip” means that one thinks that he or she is better than other people: “After her song was played on the radio, she went on an ego trip and started thinking that she was the best singer in the world.”
large wooden box with a door that is hung on a kitchen or bathroom wall to hold things
cupboard
/ˈkʌb.ɚd/
In which cupboard do you keep the flour and sugar?
lacking; without enough of something; without as much of something as one needs
short on (something)
–* The hikers were short on water, so they decided to limit themselves to one small bottle every two hours.
notice something; to be attentive to something; to be aware of something
to pay attention
* Do you pay attention to the international news, or just the local news?
to be aware of where one is walking and where one puts one’s feet, usually because there is something dangerous about the area where one is walking
to watch (one’s) step
* Watch your step! There are a lot of dogs around here and I don’t want you to get your new shoes dirty.
– a warning to let people know that there is a danger and they need to be careful or else they might hit their head on something
watch your head
* Watch your head! The ceilings are very low here and tall people sometimes hit their head on them.
a warning; telling someone about something before it happens
heads up
* Didn’t anyone give you the heads up about how difficult it can be to work for Beatrix?
said or shouted in order to tell someone that they are in danger
look out
* Look out! That dog bites people who get too close to it.
Look out! There’s a car coming.
unsafe; causing physical harm
dangerous –
* It is dangerous to drive long distances without enough sleep.
aware of what is happening around oneself
alert
* He thinks that drinking coffee every morning makes him more alert at the office.
The phrase means that one thinks that he or she is better than other people
to be on the ego trip
“After her song was played on the radio, she went on an ego trip and started thinking that she was the best singer in the world.”
to create a short report about what happens and what is talked about during a meeting
to take minutes
* Did anyone take minutes for the last meeting? I wasn’t there, but I’d like to read about what was discussed.
to write down something that is said or recorded
transcribe /trænˈskraɪb/
* The doctor records his notes on a small mp3 player, and his assistant transcribes them for the written records.
a way to determine who is present or at a meeting, calling out each person’s name and waiting for that person to say “present” or “here” if he or she is in the room
roll call
* It was very difficult to pronounce some of the names during the roll call!
written plan for what will be discussed in a meeting and when
agenda
* The agenda shows that we have 20 minutes to talk about sales, 30 minutes to discuss marketing, and 10 minutes for questions.
to delay or postpone; to stop discussing something before the conversation is finished, planning to continue discussing it at a later time
to table
* We’ve been arguing about this for hours. Let’s table the discussion and come back to it later after we’ve had some time to think about the issue.
to officially end a meeting and let people know they can leave
adjourn /əˈdʒɝːn/
* The president didn’t adjourn the meeting until almost 11:00 p.m. last night, so we’re all really tired today.
the person who leads a meeting, deciding who can speak, for how long, and on which topics
chair – chairperson
* The chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and then asked Nimia to speak about her project.
glasses where the clear glass or plastic part has two sections with a small line in between, where the top section helps one see things that are far away and the bottom section helps one see things that are close
bifocals 🤓
* If I didn’t have bifocals, I’d have to put on a different pair of glasses every time I wanted to read something, and then another pair every time I wanted to look at something further away.
glasses that have two or three sections, where the top section helps one see things that are far away, the middle section helps one see things at medium distance, and the bottom section helps one see things that are close, but there is no line in between the sections
Progressives
Meghan wants to get progressives, because she thinks bifocals are only for old people.
NOTE 📝: “The word “progressives,” in this podcast, is used to describe glasses that have two or three sections, where the top section helps one see things that are far away, the middle section helps one see things at medium distance, and the bottom section helps one see things that are close, but there is no line in between the sections: “Are progressives more expensive than bifocals?” The word “progressive” is also used to describe something that is changing or growing over time: “The progressive increase in the size of the population will continue to strain the country’s health care system.” “Progressive taxes” are taxes where people with more money pay a higher percentage than people with less money do: “The United States has a progressive tax system, with rich people paying more than poor people.” A person or thing that is “progressive” supports new ideas and changes that will make things better: “Will you send your children to a regular school, or one of the new progressive schools?”
without rims; without edges; glasses that have very little plastic or metal, so they are not very noticeable
rimless
* Chuck hopes his new rimless glasses make it look like he isn’t wearing glasses at all.
a person whose job is to make glasses and help people see
optician
* First, make an appointment with an optometrist to figure out what’s wrong with your vision, and then ask an optician to help you find the right pair of glasses.
greek
an eye care professional who examines, diagnoses, and treats disorders and diseases of the eye. Think of them as a “primary care” provider for your eyes.
optometrist
* First, make an appointment with an optometrist to figure out what’s wrong with your vision, and then ask an optician to help you find the right pair of glasses.
note : “Optometrists are professionals with a Doctorate of Optometry (OD) degree, and as such are considered to be practicing eye doctors. They are technically not medical doctors, as they do not have a doctor of medicine degree (MD).
However, it’s inappropriate to imply that optometrists are not “real” doctors—their training qualifies them to provide dependable primary care for most people’s eyes. “
The term “optometry” comes from the Greek words ὄψις (opsis; “view”) and μέτρον(metron; “something used to measure”, “measure”, “rule”
an eye doctor can evaluate and treat eye problems just as an optometrist can, but their specialized training allows them to address more advanced ocular conditions and perform surgery.
Ophthalmologist /ˌɑːf.θælˈmɑː.lə.dʒɪst/
An ophthalmologist by profession, he became the heir to his father, Hafez Assad, an air force general who ruled ruthlessly from 1970 until his death in 2000, only because his abrasive older brother had been killed in a car crash.
The Greek roots of the word ophthalmology are ὀφθαλμός (ophthalmos, “eye”) and -λoγία (-logia, “study, discourse”), i.e., “the study of eyes”.
افتالمولوژیست
the small piece of metal that connects two larger pieces of wood, plastic, or metal, letting them move toward and away from each other, such as for a door or lid to close
hinge
* When the screw fell out of the hinge on his glasses, he temporarily fixed them with tape.
NOTE: “In this podcast, the word “hinge” means the small piece of metal that connects two larger pieces of wood, plastic, or metal, letting them move toward and away from each other, such as for a door or lid to close: “Please put some oil on the hinge so the door to the baby’s room isn’t so noisy.” A “hinged lid” is a lid that can be opened and closed, but not separated from the box or container, because it is attached on one side: “Their mailbox has a hinged lid.” The phrase “to hinge on (something)” means to depend on something: “Our ability to buy that home hinges on whether we can get a good loan.” Or, “The health of millions of people hinges on whether we can find a cure for AIDS.”
phrase used to show that “one does not approve of another person’s choice in style or fashion”, meaning that there is no way to explain why people like certain things while other people dislike them
there’s no accounting for taste
* Our neighbors decided to paint their home bright orange and green. We think it’s really ugly, but they love it. There’s no accounting for taste.
an extra pair of glasses that one can use if one’s regular glasses are broken or lost
backup pair
* Don’t forget to pack your backup pair of glasses, because I don’t want to spend our vacation time looking for a new pair of glasses if your old pair breaks!
to follow someone somewhere; to go somewhere with another person when one isn’t really needed there
to tag along
* Jacques’s little brother wants to tag along everywhere he goes.
the study of how the human brain affects thoughts and behavior
psychology
* Janet is studying psychology because she’s interested in why people behave in the way they do.
Greek psykhē “breath, spirit, soul” + logia “study of”
uncomfortable, worried, and anxious, not wanting to do something
nervous 😩
Do you get nervous when you have to speak in public?
mental health condition where one often feels uncontrollably nervous, anxious, and worried, sometimes for no reason
anxiety disorder
* Hal has an anxiety disorder that makes him sweat and want to leave whenever he’s in a noisy environment.
a strong fear of something
phobia
* Doctors have given special names to many phobias. For example, if you have a fear of spiders, you have arachnophobia.
Greek phobos “fear, panic fear, terror, outward show of fear”
a rapid, unexpected change in one’s emotions and feelings
mood swing
* Karl has mood swings and he sometimes goes from laughter to tears within a few seconds.
NOTE: “In this podcast, a “mood swing” is a rapid, unexpected change in one’s emotions and feelings: “Many kids start to have a lot of mood swings when they enter puberty.” At a park, a “swing” is a small seat that hangs from a metal or wooden structure by chains or ropes, so that children can sit on it and move back and forth: “Could you please push me on the swing?” The phrase “to get into the swing of things” means to become very involved in some activity or project: “The project started slowly, but once we got into the swing of things, it became much easier.” Finally, the phrase “to be in full swing” means to be fully operational, or to be at the maximum level of activity: “The hospital renovations are almost finished, so we should be in full swing by the middle of next month.”
Swinger: a person who indulges in promiscuous sex. b. a person who engages in the exchanging of spouses for sexual activities.
for a doctor to determine what is medically or psychologically wrong with someone
to make a diagnosis
–* The doctor said she couldn’t make a diagnosis over the phone, so I’ll have to schedule an appointment with her.
A mental health condition where one moves between extreme depression and extreme happiness
bipolar disorder
* It’s very hard to speak to people with bipolar disorder because you never know how they’re going to react to things.
latin : having two poles: bi- twice, double / polus “an end of an axis”
a mental health condition where one always worries about something or always needs to complete a particular task many times
obsessive-compulsive disorder
* Mona is obsessive-compulsive and washes her hands at least five times before touching food.
obsessive: unable to stop thinking about something; too interested in or worried about something
compulsive: doing something a lot and unable to stop doing it
a mental health condition that affects the types and quantity of food eaten, often not eating enough or eating far too much
eating disorder
* Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder where people stop eating because they think they are overweight.
a mental health condition where one is fascinated by fires and often starts fires because they make one feel good and in control
pyromania
* The police suspect that whoever started those fires suffers from pyromania.
Greek pyros 🧨 “fire, funeral fire” + mania “madness”
with a strong sensation that one must or should do something
to feel compelled to
* Willamina spends too much money, because she feels compelled to buy things even when she doesn’t need them.
a mental health condition where one always wants to steal things
kleptomania
* I can’t believe you stole that candy from the store! Do you have kleptomania?
Greek kleptes“thief, a cheater” + mania “madness”
A person who provides treatment and care for someone with a mental health or medical condition, often a psychologist or psychiatrist
therapist
* When the Bains began having problems in their marriage, they started seeing a therapist twice a week.
Greek therapeia “curing, healing”
A strong fear of something; strong feelings of anxiety or worry related to something
a real fear of
* Ulysses has a real fear of heights, so his office and apartment are on the ground floor.
a condition or illness that causes problems with the way part of the body or brain works
disorder
a blood disorder.
The family have a history of mental disorder.
NOTE: “The word “disorder,” in this podcast, means a medical condition or a mental health condition: “Mingsang has a vision disorder that makes it very difficult to focus on distant objects.” Or, “His stomach disorder becomes much worse whenever he eats spicy food.” “Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder” or “ADHD” is a medical condition where children are unable to pay attention and hold still for very long: “How many of the students in your classroom are taking medicine for ADHD?” “Post-traumatic stress disorder,” or “PTSD,” is a mental health condition that affects people who have had a very difficult and/or dangerous experience: “What percentage of soldiers returning from the war are complaining about symptoms of PTSD?” Or, “Is it possible to have PTSD after being in a car accident?”
without knowledge of something; unaware of something; never having been taught about something
ignorant
to make a bad situation worse; to do something that worsens the current situation, which is already negative
to add insult to injury
* I lost my keys and sat on my glasses. Then, to add insult to injury, I spilled hot coffee on the front of my shirt.
doing something that is inappropriate because one does not have a right to do it; assuming that one may do something when one actually should not
presumptuous –
* It was very presumptuous of Dan to ask how old the clerk is, implying that she is too young for the job.
to do something deliberately to demonstrate or prove something else
To make a point
The protesters are trying to make a point about what’s wrong with the new law.
assume that someone said or did something with good intentions or for a good reason, even though the results were negative; to assume that someone did something for the right reasons
to give (someone) the benefit of the doubt
* I think you should give him the benefit of the doubt and assume that when he commented on your weight, it was because he was genuinely concerned about your health.
an insult based the social or cultural group that one is identified with; an offensive word or phrase about a person’s ethnicity
ethic slur –
* Ethnic slurs are allowed under freedom of speech, but that doesn’t mean we should use them.
reach the same position, place, or level as other people after one has been behind or below them
to catch up
* Our book club will be discussing the end of the book and I haven’t finished the second chapter yet. I need to catch up before our next meeting.
very kind, forgiving, and generous
magnanimous
* Chi-Young made a magnanimous offer to help his friend pay for college.
a photographer who tries to take photographs of famous people to sell to newspapers and magazines, usually following them wherever they go
paparazzi
The movie star wanted to have a quiet wedding, but the paparazzi figured out where it was being held.
A photograph taken of someone who didn’t know he or she was being photographed, showing how someone was actually doing something, without posing for the photo
candid shot
to abandon or cancel; to end something; to tell someone that his or her services are no longer needed; to stop doing something
to call off
Call off your dogs! I’m just trying to deliver a package, and they won’t let me come to the front door!
person whose job is to find out secret information about someone, usually by spying and following a person around to take pictures
private detective
* Meghan hired a private detective to find out whether her husband was having an affair.
to begin to do something gradually, in a slow, gentle way
to ease into
Most new employees ease into their job, but Johannes jumped right in and started working as hard as he could from the very first day.
Wednesday; the day in the middle of the workweek
hump day
* This is going to be a difficult week, but if we can just make it to hump day, we’ll be fine.
to relax, be lazy, and not do one’s job or meet others’ expectations
to slack off
* If you keep slacking off like this, you’re going to fail all your courses.
the larger or greater part of something; the majority of something; more than 50% of something
lion’s share
* As Director of Media Relations, Hazel writes the lion’s share of the company’s press releases.
to observe something from a distance, without becoming involved or without participating; to see how something is done without affecting it
to sit back
* How could people just sit back and watch those boys fight, without doing anything to try to make them stop?
the possibility of being able to do something; the qualifications and ability to do something that one is not yet doing
potential
* With her great people skills and interest in biology, she has a lot of potential to become a doctor.
able to be sold easily, especially because something is very useful or attractive
salable
* Troy would be more salable as a business consultant if he started wearing suits and ties instead of shorts and flip-flops.
To make something look nicer or neater; to improve the appearance of something
to spruce up
* My parents are coming to visit tomorrow, so I need to spruce up my apartment.
advice that may be very negative, but is intended to help another person improve
constructive criticism
* When giving constructive criticism, it’s important to let other people know you’re trying to support them as much as possible.
to end or eliminate something; to get rid of something
to stamp out
* What can we do to stamp our poverty and hunger in our community?
a phrase used to warn someone not to do something because one thinks it is a very bad idea and one will be upset if he or she does it
Don’t you even think about it
* You want to throw her a surprise birthday party! Don’t you even think about it! She’s very shy and it would really embarrass her.
to become involved in a romantic relationship with another person and no longer be alone
to pair up –
* When Janet was younger, she was never very interested in dating, but once she turned 30, she became very interested in pairing up.
to go to a nightclub, dance hall, bar, or a similar place, looking for a new romantic partner or sexual partner
to cruise for
* Are you going to go cruising for women dressed like that? You’d have more luck if you wore nicer clothes and combed your hair.
something that is very difficult to find, usually because it is very rare or uncommon
needle in a haystack
* Searching for a lost wallet at Disneyland is like looking for a needle in a haystack. There’s no way you’ll find it.
a plan for how one will do something
strategy
* The company is trying to develop a creative marketing strategy for its newest product.
to suddenly find, discover, or realize something
to hit on
* After thinking about the math problem for hours, Sebastian finally hit on the correct answer.
an effort to do something when one cannot succeed because it is too difficult, foolish, or impossible
wild goose chase
* He spent his life on a wild goose chase, looking for the fountain of youth.
to try to do something even though one is unlikely to succeed; to try to do something even though one doesn’t expect to succeed
to give (something) a shot
* I’m a horrible baker, but I’m going to try to make her a birthday cake anyway. I’ll at least give it a shot.
A very strong, powerful, and unexpected surprise
shock of (one’s) life
* Winning one million dollars in the lottery was the shock of his life!
to go to a nightclub, dance hall, bar, or a similar place, looking for a new romantic partner or sexual partner
to cruise for
* Are you going to go cruising for women dressed like that? You’d have more luck if you wore nicer clothes and combed your hair.
a group of objects that are sold together
Lot
They saved a lot of money by buying baby clothes in lots on eBay.
doing something for another person, especially someone who is not able to do something at a particular place and time
on behalf of
* I am honored to accept this award on behalf of all our team members.
someone who cannot be present; someone who is not able to be at a particular place and time to participate in some meeting or activity
absentee
* Our state allows absentee voters to vote by mail.
at risk of losing one’s job or life, referring to the piece of wood that used to be used when cutting someone’s neck to separate the head from the body
on the chopping block
* If this presentation doesn’t go well, I’ll be on the chopping block!
to buy tickets, especially for a concert or sporting event, at the standard price and then sell them to individuals at a much higher price
to scalp tickets
* Some people make thousands of dollars by scalping tickets for the most popular concerts.
to increase the price of something; to make something much more expensive than it normally is or than it previously was
to jack up the price
* If universities keep jacking up the price of tuition, many young people won’t be able to get a college education.
To hurt someone by charging a very high price
to gouge
* When the airport closed and all flights were canceled, hotels could have made a lot of money by gouging travelers with expensive rooms, but instead they offered discounted rooms at reasonable prices.
the economic theory that prices are set based on the interactions between the number of people or businesses willing to make and sell something at a particular price (supply) and the number of people or businesses willing to buy something at a particular price (demand)
supply and demand
* Supply and demand teaches us that, in most cases, the lower the price of something is, the more people will want to buy it.
– money; cash
very informal
dough
* How much dough did you have to spend to buy that new car?
to hurt oneself; to do something stupid or foolish that has negative consequences for oneself
to shoot (oneself) in the foot
* When Harvey dropped out of school, he really shot himself in the foot.
to make many extra items available for sale, so that the price of all those items has to decrease in order for there to be enough people willing to buy them
to junk up the market
* Some people think international trade simply junks up the market with cheap imports.
to be unable to make a decision; to believe something is right or correct and then change one’s mind and believe another thing is right or correct, repeating the process many times without being able to decide or choose
to go back and forth
* Yolanda keeps going back and forth about that dress, because she likes it a lot, but she doesn’t really have enough money to buy something that expensive.
someone who was well-known, popular, and powerful in the past, but is not important or influential anymore
has-been
* He had some success early in his career, but he hasn’t done anything worthwhile in the past 10 years. He’s a has-been.
unable to make a decision about something because one can see reasons for and against making a particular choice
on the fence
* Isaiah is on the fence about whether he should accept the job offer, because it seems like a great opportunity, but he would have to move across the country.
to spend time with famous, rich, and powerful people, especially at parties or important events
to rub elbows with (someone)
* This conference will be a great opportunity to rub elbows with industry leaders.
to not include someone; to not allow someone to have, do, or participate in something
to exclude
* People who make more than $40,000 per year are excluded from our financial assistance programs.
a person who goes to a party even though he or she was not invited
gatecrasher
* That’s going to be the best party of the year! Even if I don’t get an invitation, I’ll go as a gatecrasher.
to improve or polish something; to make something slightly better
to buff up
* You’d be much more likely to get a job offer if you buffed up your appearance for interviews.
a phrase used to indicate that one will do something if the situation becomes very bad or difficult and that action becomes necessary
if push comes to shove
* I think most parents would steal to feed their children, if push comes to shove.
very sick; very ill; with many physical symptoms of not being healthy or well
sick as a dog
* After eating an entire bag of cookies, Hank felt sick as a dog.
a phrase used when one feels another person deserves the negative consequences of his or her actions; a phrase used to show that one has no sympathy for the bad things another person is experiencing, because one believes they are the result of his or her own actions
it serves you right
* It serves you right that you lost your job. You shouldn’t have stolen money from your employer.
to act as if one is better than or superior to something and does not want or need it; to think something is not good enough for oneself
to turn up (one’s) nose up at
* If you were really hungry, you wouldn’t turn up your nose at the food your parents serve. Instead, you’d eat whatever was available.
to vomit, throw up, or regurgitate a lot
to puke (one’s) guts out
* If Oliver keeps drinking this much, he’ll start puking his guts out in front of all his friends.
to be grateful for something; to be appreciative of someone or something; to be glad, happy, and relieved that something has happened in a particular way
to thank (one’s) lucky stars
* She thanks her lucky stars that she was late that morning and didn’t ride her regular bus, which was in an accident that day.
to identify or categorize someone in a particular way; to believe that a person has certain characteristics
to peg (someone)
* Most people peg Charles as a nerd because he wears glasses and talks about physics all the time, but he’s also a member of a rock band and a world-class snowboarder.
to get married and live a calm life, usually in a home, no longer traveling, changing jobs, or partying
to settle down
* He’ll probably settle down when he meets the right girl, but until then, he wants to have as many adventures as possible.
To be successful; to happen as one expected something to happen; to meet one’s expectations
to pan out
* We thought we’d be able to make $100,000 by selling our home, but that didn’t pan out once the housing market crashed.
happy, calm, and satisfied; not extremely joyful, but not sad or mad either
content
* Xavier is a very simple man. All he needs to feel content is a good meal and a soft bed.
to think about something too much, becoming worried, sad, and depressed
to brood
* My father always said that it doesn’t do any good to brood over things you can’t control.
the physical changes that make one appear to be older than one actually is
premature aging
* Spending too much time in the sun can dry out your skin and create wrinkles, leading to premature aging.
a violation of the laws against using another company’s logo, brand name, or design for one’s own company or other use
trademark infringement
* When our competitor began using our logo and name, changing only one letter, we sued the company for trademark infringement.
to get someone in trouble and punish him or her for having done something wrong
to nail (someone)
* If the professor sees us cheating on the exam, he’ll nail us.
to begin something again; to give up on what one had been working on or had recently completed and start over again, usually because the first version wasn’t good or appropriate
to go back to the drawing board
* An ad agency might spend months developing a campaign, but if the client doesn’t like it, they have to go back to the drawing board.
referring to the actual, direct meaning of the words, not the symbolic meaning of those words
literally
* He said he’d give anything to have that job, but of course he didn’t mean it literally.
someone who does bad, sneaky, tricky things and whom one does not want to spend time with because one does not respect him or her
slimeball
* That guy is such a slimeball! He was dating three women at once, without letting them know it.
to try to do something, especially when one doesn’t think one will be successful, usually because it is too difficult
to give it a shot
* I’m not very good at fixing cars, but I’ll give it a shot.
the additional meanings related to the core or main meaning of a word; the ideas that a particular word makes someone think of
connotation
* The words “stubborn” and “strong-willed” have the same meaning, but “stubborn” has a more negative connotation.
for a phrase to seem to be accurate or grammatically correct based only on how one reacts when hearing it, without understanding the underlying rules
to sound right
* It just doesn’t sound right, but I can’t explain why and I don’t know how to fix it.
the way a word or phrase is used grammatically
usage
* Kim wrote her report on how the usage of slang changes over time.
unpracticed; describing a skill that is not as strong as it once was, because one has not used it in a long time
rusty
A person who is raised in an environment where a particular language is used and therefore learns to speak it perfectly
native speaker
* Make sure a native speaker reviews the translation before you publish it.
a very informal phrase used to show one does not believe something will happen
monkeys will fly out of my butt
* - Within 20 years, we will achieve world peace.
* - Sure, and monkeys will fly out of my butt!
to begin to go back in the direction from which one came; to turn around so that one can go back to where one started
to head back
* The kids were screaming so much in the backseat of the car that the parents decided to head back home.
to look for something; to be aware of one’s surroundings
to keep an eye out
* Keep an eye out for holes on the dirt road, or you might trip and fall.
a phrase used to tell someone that the thing he or she is looking for is very small and/or very hard to find, so he or she must be actively looking around for it
blink and you’ll miss it
* They used to joke that the town they grew up in was so small, they had to tell people, “Blink and you’ll miss it.”
sites that are not well-known and are rarely visited by tourists
off the beaten path
* When Jimmy travels, he likes to eat at restaurants that are off the beaten path, and not described in tourist guidebooks.
seen easily, often because something is very large or very different from the things around it
prominent
* When you drive to the city, the first thing you’ll see is a prominent sign that says, “Welcome to Bainbridge!”
the characteristics that make something likeable, especially in a sweet or old-fashioned way
charm
* Part of her charm is the way she blushes whenever anyone compliments her.
far away from other people, buildings, or things, in a quiet place
tucked away
* They own a cabin that’s tucked away in the Appalachian Mountains.
to actively look for something when one knows it will be difficult to find
to keep (one’s) eyes peeled
* In New York City, drivers always have to keep their eyes peeled for a parking space.
a word used to show one’s surprise, relief, or bewilderment
geez
* Geez that was a hard test!
owned by a married couple; referring to a family-owned business
mom-and-pop
* Kianka creates graphic designs for mom-and-pop businesses that aren’t big enough to hire full-time graphic designers.
very strong; with the ability to move very heavy things
as strong as an ox 🐂
* Arnold is as strong as an ox! Did you see him pick up that tree?
to have a lot of something; to have more of something than one needs
to have (something) coming out of (one’s) ear
* Poor Margaret has work coming out of her ears! She really needs to hire an assistant.
to make a situation easier for another person, so that he or she does not have to work as hard; to make something easier for someone
to cut (someone) some slack
* Do I really have to fix the plumbing right now? Cut me some slack! I’ve been at work all day and I really just want to rest for a few minutes when I get home.
A phrase used to tell someone that he or she needs to stop complaining and do what is needed, even if it is difficult
suck it up
* Just one more mile and then we’ll be at the top of the mountain. Suck it up! You can do it!
to work very hard while performing some physical action that demands a lot of strength
to put (one’s) back into it
* These boxes are pretty heavy, but if we put our backs into it, I think we can move them together.
fooled, tricked, and confused; believing something that is not true
deluded
* Some people are deluded into thinking that taking vitamins is a substitute for a good diet.
to not injure one’s back by doing too much difficult, physical labor
to not put (one’s) back out
* When Hugh turned 70, he finally agreed to hire a gardener so he wouldn’t put his back out.
for one person to do the same amount of work that is normally performed by a larger number of people
to do the work of (a number)
* Randall is very efficient and can easily do the work of two or three people.
