(to) butt in [slang] - to interrupt; to interfere
EXAMPLE 1: Nancy is always butting in to other people's business.
EXAMPLE 2: Sara is really rude. She always butts in to other people'sconversations.
(to) drive one crazy - to annoy someone very much
EXAMPLE 1: Don't ask Mrs. Smith how old she is. It drives her crazy.
EXAMPLE 2: Please stop chewing gum so loudly. It's driving me crazy!SYNONYMS: to drive one nuts; to drive one up the wall
(to) go into - to enter a profession
EXAMPLE 1: Lisa enjoys arguing with people, so she decided to go into law.
EXAMPLE 2: Do you like solving people's problems? If so, you shouldconsider going into psychology.
NOTE: "Go into" has several other meanings, including:1. Enter. Go into the house and get a pen.2. Enter another emotional state. Sally went into hysterics.3. Discuss details. I don't have time now to go into the whole story.
green with envy - desiring another's advantages or things
EXAMPLE 1: When Daniel got promoted to vice president of the bank, hiscolleagues were green with envy.
EXAMPLE 2: You won the lottery? I'm green with envy!
gung ho - very enthusiastic; very excited (about something)
EXAMPLE 1: Heather is really gung ho about her new job.
EXAMPLE 2: Sharon really loves college. She's very gung ho.
NOTE: If the expression "gung ho" doesn't sound like English to you,there's a reason. It comes from a Mandarin Chinese phrase meaning"working together." A US Marine Corps commander in China adoptedthis expression as the motto for his battalion during World War 2 andfrom there it sailed over to the United States and came into common use.
head and shoulders above - far superior to
EXAMPLE 1: The Boston Symphony Orchestra is head and shouldersabove any other orchestra in the area.
EXAMPLE 2: I can't believe you only won second prize in the competition.You were head and shoulders above the first-prize winner!
(to) hit the nail on the head - to be right
EXAMPLE 1: Dawn hit the nail on the head when she said that Tiffany isjealous of Amber.
EXAMPLE 2: Steve hit the nail on the head with his idea of moving hiscompany's manufacturing facility to China.
(to be) on thin ice (with someone) - to be in a dangerousposition; to be temporarily on somebody's bad side
EXAMPLE 1: Joey was on thin ice with his mom after he spent his lunchmoney on candy bars.
EXAMPLE 2: Bill was on thin ice with his girlfriend after she saw him atthe movie theater with another girl.
NOTE: There is also the variation "to skate on thin ice." Joey knew hewas skating on thin ice when he bought candy with his lunch money.
(to) pay (someone) a compliment - to give someone a compliment;to offer someone an admiring comment
EXAMPLE 1: Professor Russo paid Jennifer a compliment. He said shehad a beautiful smile.
EXAMPLE 2: Isn't it wonderful to pay someone a compliment? It makesthem feel good, and it doesn't cost you anything!
(to) shake in one's shoes - to tremble with fear; to be afraid
EXAMPLE 1: Brianna is scared of her French teacher, Monsieur Le Monstre.Whenever he speaks to her, Brianna starts shaking in her shoes.
EXAMPLE 2: During the storm, Billy was hiding under his kitchen tableand was really shaking in his shoes.
shut up -be quiet, stop speaking
EXAMPLE1: The professor talked for hours. I thought he'd never shut up.
Stop speaking!
EXAMPLE2): Nicole kept telling Ted to turn down his stereo. Finally, he gotangry and said, "Shut up!"NOTE: Remember that telling somebody to "shut up!" is rude. It's betterto say "Be quiet!" or more politely, "Please be quiet!"
Way to go! - Good work!
EXAMPLE 1: You won $2,000 in the poetry writing contest? Way to go!
EXAMPLE 2: That was an interesting article you wrote. Way to go!29
beside the point - not relevant; not important
EXAMPLE 1: Whether or not I asked the waiter to bring us water is besidethe point. Waiters should always bring water to the table.
EXAMPLE 2: The reason you're late is beside the point. The fact is, yourdinner is now cold.
(to) blow something - to spoil or botch something
EXAMPLE 1: Brenda blew the interview and didn't get the job offer.
EXAMPLE 2: Randy managed to get a date with the most popular girl in hisclass. Now I hope he doesn't blow it!
(to) buckle down - to start working seriously
EXAMPLE 1: If Don buckles down now, he might be able to graduate fromhigh school this year.
EXAMPLE 2: Team, if we want to win this tournament, we're going to needto buckle down!
can't stand - to hate
EXAMPLE 1: Bob can't stand bureaucrats, so he'd never do well workingat a large corporation.
EXAMPLE 2: Nicole can't stand broccoli. She simply refuses to eat it.
(to) cut class - to miss class without an excuse
EXAMPLE 1: Ted often cuts class to spend more time with his girlfriend.
EXAMPLE 2: If you keep cutting French class, you're going to fail it.
Get real! - be serious or realistic about what's going on
EXAMPLE 1: You think you won't get a speeding ticket when you drive 85miles per hour? Get real!EXAMPLE 2: You think you're going to win $1 million in the lottery? Get real!
(to) have one's heart set on - to really want something
EXAMPLE 1: Nicole has her heart set on going to New York this weekend.
EXAMPLE 2: Did you really have your heart set on going to Harvard?
(to) hit the books - to start studying
EXAMPLE 1: Ted parried all weekend. Finally, on Sunday night, he decidedit was time to hit the books.
EXAMPLE 2: Hit the books! I know you have a test tomorrow.
lost cause - something hopeless
EXAMPLE 1: Cindy spent five years studying Russian. Finally, she realizedit was a lost cause. She would never learn it.
EXAMPLE 2: Jack needs to stop drinking so much coffee, but he's so addictedto caffeine that it's a lost cause.
(to) not give a hoot - to not care about
EXAMPLE 1: Tom likes to walk around town in his pajamas — he doesn'tgive a hoot what people think.EXAMPLE 2: Stephanie doesn't give a hoot if she's the only one wearing agreen dress to the high school prom.SYNONYMS: to not give a damn;
to not give a darnover one's head - beyond one's understanding
EXAMPLE 1: The professor was speaking over our heads. None of uscould understand him.
EXAMPLE 2: The article on cloning was written for scientists. It was overmy head.
(to) slack off- to waste time
EXAMPLE 1: Amanda doesn't get much done at the office. She's too busyslacking off.
EXAMPLE 2: I'd better stop slacking off. My essay is due in two hours.NOTE: People who slack off all the time are called "slackers."
(to) stand a chance - to have the possibility of success
EXAMPLE 1: Although the American figure skaters were good, they didn'tstand a chance of winning a gold medal at the Olympics.
EXAMPLE 2: Wilton High School has the best soccer team in the state. I'mafraid we don't stand a chance against them!
Big deal! - So what? That doesn't really matter.
EXAMPLE 1: You won five dollars in the lottery? Big deal!
EXAMPLE 2: Your father has a job with a big company in New York City?Big deal!
(to) break into - to enter or be let into a profession
EXAMPLE 1: If you want to break into journalism, it's a good idea towork on a college newspaper.
EXAMPLE 2: These days it's difficult to break into investment banking.
NOTE: "Break into" has several other meanings:1. Interrupt. Boris and I were talking. Please don't try to break into ourconversation.2. Enter illegally or by force. Somebody broke into Peter's house andstole his DVD player.3. To suddenly begin an activity, such as singing. After receiving thecheck from the National Cookie Company, Susan broke into song.
cream of the crop - the best of a group
EXAMPLE 1: In the world of women's tennis, the Williams sisters are thecream of the crop.
EXAMPLE 2: Of course you'll get accepted to Harvard. Don't forget,you're the cream of the crop!SYNONYM: creme de la creme
(to) foot the bill - to pay
EXAMPLE 1: You paid last time we went to the movies. Let me foot thebill this time.
EXAMPLE 2: Fortunately, whenever we go out to dinner with the boss, shefoots the bill.SYNONYM: to pick up the tab
(to be) out of it - not aware or knowledgeable about trendsor modern habits
EXAMPLE 1: Don't ask for Susan's advice on fashion. She's really out ofit. She wears sneakers with everything.
EXAMPLE 2: Betsy has never even heard of Harry Potter. She's really outof it!
NOTE: "Out of it" also means "confused" or "disoriented." Example:After staying up all night studying, Ted felt out of it the next day.
spending money - money for minor expenses
EXAMPLE 1: Before Tim left for Europe, his parents gave him $400 inspending money.
EXAMPLE 2: Martin's parents are paying his college tuition, but he has toearn his own spending money.SYNONYM: pocket money
(to) wine and dine - to take someone out for an evening oran expensive meal
EXAMPLE 1: Donna wined and dined Bob and Susan and then presentedthem with a contract for the sale of Susan's Scrumptious Cookies.
EXAMPLE 2: Kate was wined and dined during her trip to Santiago.
(to be on a) winning streak - a series of wins
EXAMPLE 1: The basketball team hasn't lost a game all season. They'reon a winning streak!
EXAMPLE 2: You won 10 games in a row? You're on a winning streak!
(to) wrap up - to finish
EXAMPLE 1: If you wrap up your homework by eight o'clock, we'll havetime to catch a movie tonight.
EXAMPLE 2: Okay folks, let's wrap up these exercises so we can gohome early tonight.