slangman 4 Flashcards
belt n.
swallow or gulp of an alcoholic beverage
I think he took a couple belts before work; I think he took a couple swallows of alcohol before work.
belt someone (to)
to hit someone (usually with the fist)
· He insulted her so she just hauled off and belted him!; He insulted her so she just launched an attack and hit him! · NOTE: The expression “to haul off, “ meaning “to launch an attack,” is extremely popular when used befure an act of violence.
hit someone below the belt (to)
to commit a contemptible or unfair act ·
Can you believe that she stole mv client from me? That sure was hitting me below the belt; Can you believe that she stole my client from me? That sure was a contemptible act.
boot camp n.
Naval and Marine Corps training center ·
He spent a year in boot camp: He spent a year at the Naval and Marine Corps training center
boot someone (to)
to eject someone ·
He booted me ollf of his office: He ejected me from his office.
bootleg (to)
to make or sell illegal whisky ·
I caught him bootlegging again: I caught him selling illegal whisky again.
give someone the boot (to)
to fire someone from office ·
Afler ten Years of service they give me the boot; After ten years of service. they fired me.
‘You bet your boots!”
“Certainly!” ·
“Did you pass your driving test?” “You bet your boots!”; “Did you pass your driving test?” “Certainly!”
blue collar worker
one who does manual work, i.e. construction worker, mechanic, etc.
hot under the collar
irritable and angry ·
What’s wrong with her? She seems hot under the collar; What’s wrong with her? She seems angry.
off the cuff
extemporaneous, unrehearsed
· He says the funniest things right off the cuff; He says the funniest things extemporaneously
lay a glove on someone (not to)
not to touch someone ·
Don’t you lay a glove on him!; Don’t you touch him!
wear kid gloves (to)
to be very gentle and delicate (with someone) ·
lfyou’re going to criticize her children, you’d better wear kid gloves; If you’re going to criticize her children, you’d better be very gentle.
“Hang onto your hat!”
“Get ready to hear something astounding”
You’re not going to believe what I have to tell you. Hang onto your hat!; You’re not going to believe what I have to tell you. Get ready to hear something astounding!
old hat
- outdated ·<br></br>2. familiar ·
That style of dance is old hat; That style of dance is outdated. · 2. Do I know how to repair a transmission? That’s old hat!; Do I know
wear more than one hat (to)
to have more than one responsibility or position (at work, in an organization, etc.)
He wears manv hats at work; He has many different responsibilities at work.
heel (to be a)
to be a contemptible person
I didn’t mean to hurt her feelings. !feel like such a heel; I didn’t mean to hurt her feelings. I feel like such a contemptible person.
charm the pants off someone (to)
to be irresistibly charming ·
He charms the pants off people ; He· s irresistibly charming.
fly by the seat of one’s pants (to)
to improvise
·/ have no idea how to do this but I’m just gonnafly by the seat of my pants; I have no idea how to do this but I’m just going to i:nprovise.
smarty pants
an intellectual who shows off ·
She alwm·s yells out the answers in class. What a smarty pants; She always yells out the answers in class. What a showoff.
sue someone’s pants off (to)
to sue someone for all the money he/she has (including his/her last piece of clothing) I’m going to sue vour pant!s off!; I’m going to sue you for all the money you have!
wear the pants in the family (to)
to be the head of the family ·
It’s obious who wears the pants on in the family ; It’s ob\ ious who is the head of I hat fam i I y.
keep one’s shirt on (to)
to be patient ·
Keep your shirt on!; Be patient!
stuffed shirt
pretentious and uptight ·
He’s a real stuffed shirt; He’s really pretentious and uptight.
“If the shoe fits, wear it”
an affirmation of one’s character trait ·
“You really think I’d cheat her?” “If the shoe fits, wear it!”; “You really think I’d cheat her?” “I certainly do!” · NOTE: This expression is commonly shortened to “If the shoe fits!”
goody two-shoes
an ostentatiously virtuous person ·
She’s a goody two-shoes; She’s an ostentatiously virtuous person
wear one’s heart on one’s sleeve (to) v
to be extremely compassionate
She wears her heart on her sleeve; She’s very compassionate.
wig out (to)
to lose control of one’s emotional state,
to become extremely upset and irrational · You should have seen the teacher wig out!; You should have seen the teacher lose control of her emotional state!
