PhraseMix Flashcards
a team player
In business, a “team player” is someone who is helpful and easy to get along with. A person who disagrees with people a lot, or who doesn’t listen to other people’s ideas, is not a “team player”.
When a speaker calls someone a “team player”, it’s usually meant as a positive description.
(someone) is charismatic
A “charismatic” person is interesting and exciting. They’re the type of person that people want to follow.
Some other common qualities of charismatic people include:
being successful
being a good storytelller
being outgoing
(someone) is personable
A “personable” person is outgoing, friendly, and easy to talk to.
We mostly use “personable” to talk about someone who’s famous or in a position of authority (like an executive in a company), but is friendly toward “ordinary people”.
conservative
Conservative might mean that they don’t like change, don’t go out on a limb to try new things, would chose the safety of the known over the unknown, are cautious in their decision-making, and like to think things over before they speak or act. It might mean that they are prudent about things like sex, modern culture, partying, and experimenting. It might mean they take time to look before they leap, or consider what people will think before they act.
have a good head on one’s shoulders
to have common sense; to be sensible and intelligent. Mary doesn’t do well in school, but she’s got a good head on her shoulders. John has a good head on his shoulders and can be depended on to give good advice.
delusion of grandeur
A delusion of grandeur is the fixed, false belief that one possesses superior qualities such as genius, fame, omnipotence, or wealth. It is most often a symptom of schizophrenia, but can also be a symptom found in psychotic or bipolar disorders, as well as dementia (such as Alzheimer’s).
People with a delusion of grandeur often have the conviction of having some great but unrecognized talent or insight. They may also believe they have made some important discovery that others don’t understand or appreciate.
(someone) is a pleasure to work with
This is a set phrase that you can use to talk about someone that you like working with. You can write this about a coworker, a client, or an employer in places like recommendation letters.
Another version that you might come across is:
He is an absolute pleasure to work with.
(someone) is meticulous
Being “meticulous” means being very careful to do things the right way. It means paying attention to details. For example, a meticulous student might take lots of notes in class and then organize them at home.
People are “meticulous” about things like:
their work the cleanliness of their home their homework preparing for things
“Meticulous” is a positive word. A negative word to describe someone who pays attention to details is “fussy”:
She can be rather fussy about money.
an absolute genius
(someone is) a spoiled brat
A “brat” is a child who is selfish and badly behaved. When someone is “spoiled”, it means that they get anything they want. So a “spoiled brat” is a kid who has a bad personality because they get whatever they want.
You can call someone a “spoiled brat” when they selfishly demand to get what they want and don’t think about what other people want.
(someone) is acting like a (something)
When you want to describe how someone is acting, use this expression:
She’s acting like a helpless little princess.
You're acting like an asshole!
You usually only say negative things about people this way. If you want to say something nice about a person, it’s easier:
He's a nice guy. You're a saint.
Self Disciplined
