Street Talk 1 - A Closer Look 2: Lesson 3

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Street Talk 1

used to express that people are going to be punished for something, particularly by being fired

Ex: The project is behind schedule , and heads will roll if it 's not completed on time .
heads up [interjection]

used to alert someone to pay attention or to be cautious about something

Ex: Heads up , there 's a car coming from the left .

to advance and make great progress in one's career or life

Ex: By this time next year, we will have made significant headway on our goals, thanks to our steady progress and hard work.

to say or do the exact right thing in a particular situation

Ex: In her speech , the politician hit the nail on the head about the real issues affecting voters .
hothead [noun]

a reckless impetuous irresponsible person

from one's memory, without spending time to carefully consider or think

Ex: Just off the top of my head , I ’d say there were about 50 .

used to refer to something that is complicated or difficult beyond one's understanding or capability

Ex: His jokes are always over my head ; I just do n't get his sense of humor .
sorehead [noun]

someone who is peevish or disgruntled

a sense of high self-esteem or self-importance that one has

Ex: Ever since he won the award , he 's had a swelled head and thinks he 's better than everyone else .

to feel deep sadness or disappointment, especially over a lost opportunity or unfulfilled desire

Ex: He ate his heart out as he watched the train pull away , realizing he had missed his chance to confess his love to her .

used to ask a person to stop their unkind or indifferent behavior and offer some help or show some sympathy instead

Ex: The employee asked his supervisor to have a heart and grant him a few days off to attend his sister 's wedding .

to discover or determine the underlying cause of something, particularly an issue

Ex: The therapist helped him explore his childhood traumas to get to the heart of his anxiety and understand its origin .
heart-to-heart [adjective]

describing a conversation or discussion that is honest, open, and sincere, typically between close friends or family members

Ex:

a feeling of great sorrow or sadness usually caused by the loss of a loved one

Ex: Divorce brought her years of quiet heartache before she healed .

to be forced to wait for a person or anticipate something

Ex: They will have to cool their heels until the meeting starts .

to not think carefully before saying something or reacting to a situation

Ex: She always shoots from the hip when giving feedback , providing honest and direct criticism , even if it may be uncomfortable to hear .

to begin to work or study hard and focus seriously on a task or goal

Ex: The athletes knuckled down to their training ahead of the Olympic Games .

used to refer to a punch that is hit in a person's mouth

Ex: During the boxing match , the champion delivered a powerful punch to his opponent , essentially serving him a metaphorical knuckle sandwich .

to submit to someone or something's authority

Ex: The government is knuckling under to the demands of the opposition .

a stupid person; these words are used to express a low opinion of someone's intelligence

the capacity or ability to consume an excessive amount of food or drink, particularly alcoholic ones

Ex: No matter how much he eats , he never gains weight ; it 's like he 's got a hollow leg .

a reasoning or explanation that is deemed sufficient to justify or defend someone's actions

Ex: The accused 's alibi was weak and lacked a leg to stand on .

a large sum of money

Ex: The luxury car he bought cost him an arm and a leg , but he considered it a status symbol .

to joke with someone in a friendly manner by trying to make them believe something that is not true

Ex:
shake a leg [sentence]

said as a way of asking someone to begin doing something or continue doing it faster than before

Ex:

to go for a walk, particularly after spending a long time sitting in one spot

Ex: In the middle of the road trip , we pulled over to a rest area to stretch our legs and grab a snack .

to not say anything or immediately stop talking, particularly so as not to reveal a secret or make matters worse

Ex: They zip their lips to protect the privacy of their clients .

the ability to hide one's emotions and seem calm in unpleasant or difficult situations

Ex: He is known for his ability to maintain a stiff upper lip in difficult times .
lip [noun]

an impudent or insolent rejoinder

an insincere offer or promise of support, assistance, etc.

Ex: Despite claiming to support equality , his actions showed that his words were mere lip service .
read my lips [sentence]

used to ask a person to pay attention to one's words and believe them

Ex: " Read my lips , there will be no changes to the company 's vacation policy this year , " the CEO announced .

feeling sad or discouraged

Ex: After hearing the news , he looked quite down in the mouth and could n't muster a smile .

to complain or speak loudly in an immoderate way

Ex: She mouthed off whenever things did n't go her way .

to enjoy having lengthy and non-sensical conversations with people

Ex: There 's some guy at the other end of the bar running off at the mouth about how far he can throw a football .
to neck [verb]

kiss, embrace, or fondle with sexual passion

an area that is near a place in which someone resides

Ex: We 're having a neighborhood barbecue next weekend , so make sure to invite everyone from our neck of the woods .

a person or thing that causes one great annoyance or a lot of difficulty

Ex:

to say or do a thing that can put one in trouble or danger

Ex: The employee stuck his neck out by proposing a new , untested approach to the project .
nervy [adjective]

showing or requiring courage and contempt of danger

really easy to understand or notice

Ex: The evidence against the suspect was plain as the nose on her face ; the DNA match and eyewitness testimony left no doubt .
hard-nosed [adjective]

guided by practical experience and observation rather than theory

to not care about something or someone because one will not be effected

Ex: Go if you like it 's no skin off my nose .

one's ability to find things of a particular type to suit one's needs

Ex:
nosy [adjective]

showing too much interest in people's lives, especially when it is not one's concern

Ex: He ’s nosy and constantly eavesdrops on other people ’s conversations .

a type of unfriendly behavior that is meant to show that one is better than other people

Ex: His constant snobby remarks and disdainful looks show that he always has his nose in the air .

used when something is either obvious or within one's field of vision but one does not notice it

Ex: The solution to the problem was under their noses all along , but they did n't realize it until someone pointed it out .

to turn something down because one believes that it is not satisfactory enough

Ex: Ryan will turn his nose up at any food that contains onions , no matter how delicious it may be .

to dispose of something by giving or selling it to someone else though persuasion or deception

Ex: During the garage sale , she managed to palm off all those old magazines to a collector .

an attitude or behavior characterized by a lack of warmth, friendliness, or interest

Ex: Despite her attempts to reconcile , he offered her a cold shoulder , refusing to engage in conversation .
to rest [verb]

to be assigned to or depend on a particular person for responsibility or action

Ex: The authority to approve the budget rests solely with the director .
spineless [adjective]

lacking courage or determination

Ex: The manager was criticized for his spineless leadership during the crisis .

to act in a very clumsy or awkward manner

Ex: John 's attempt at juggling proved that he was all thumbs , as he dropped the balls within seconds of starting .

a method or principle solely based on experience, which may not be completely accurate

Ex: He used the rule of thumb to estimate the project 's timeline .
thumbs up [phrase]

an instance or gesture that indicates approval or satisfaction

Ex:

to decide not to deal with a problem directly out of the fear that it may make things worse

Ex: In a diplomatic negotiation , it 's important to tiptoe around sensitive issues to maintain a harmonious atmosphere .

to unwillingly obey the rules and accept the ideas or principles of a specific group or person

Ex: The team captain reminded the players to toe the line and follow the coach 's instructions for a chance at victory .

to fight or compete with someone with great force, determination, and strength

Ex: The two lawyers were toe-to-toe in the courtroom , arguing their cases .

to refrain from speaking or expressing one's thoughts or opinions

Ex: Even though he knew he was right , he decided to hold his tongue and let the matter drop .
tongue [noun]

a human written or spoken language used by a community; opposed to e.g. a computer language

said to someone who is annoyingly quiet when they are expected to speak

Ex: When her friend suddenly stopped talking about the party , Sarah asked , " Hey , cat got your tongue ?
tongue-tied [adjective]

unable to speak clearly or express oneself due to nervousness, shyness, or confusion

Ex: After hearing the unexpected compliment , he was left feeling tongue-tied .

used to describe a situation in which one barely manages to do something or escape danger

Ex: I passed the test by the skin of my teeth , getting just enough points to pass .

with all the resources, determination, and strength that one has

Ex: He resisted the changes to the company policy tooth and nail , arguing passionately against them .

describing an individual who has lived for a very long time and is not able to do certain activities due to old age

Ex: That software is long in the tooth and needs an update to stay competitive .

to make someone extremely annoyed or enraged

Ex: The rough texture of the fabric against his skin was enough to set his teeth on edge .