Street Talk 1 - A Closer Look: Lesson 4

to [bring] home the bacon [phrase]

to earn enough money to be able to pay for the necessities of life

Ex: If I get this promotion , I 'll be able to bring home the bacon and take care of my family better .

to beef up [verb]

make strong or stronger

beef [noun]

a disagreement, argument, or ongoing conflict between people, often involving hostility or rivalry

Ex: They settled their beef after a long talk .

beefy [adjective]

with a strong body and well-built muscles

Ex: Mary 's beefy uncle worked as a construction worker , his powerful frame well-suited for the job .

to [put] the bite on {sb} [phrase]

to put pressure on someone to do something, particularly in order to get money from them

Ex: The alumni association of my old university puts the bite on me once or twice a year looking for a donation .

to [bite|snap] {one's} head off [phrase]

to angrily reply or react to someone

Ex:

to [bite|hold] {one's} tongue [phrase]

to not say something, against one's wish, in order to avoid causing an argument or upsetting someone

Ex: He regretted not biting his tongue during the heated argument ; his harsh words caused irreparable damage .

to [bite] the bullet [phrase]

to start to deal with an inevitable challenge or difficulty

Ex: She knew she had to confront her fears and bite the bullet to speak in front of a large audience .

to [bite] the dust [phrase]

to die or no longer exist

Ex:

the (best|greatest) thing since sliced bread [phrase]

a thing or person that one believes to be extremely good, useful, interesting etc.

Ex: The latest gadget from that tech company is being marketed as the greatest thing since sliced bread , promising to revolutionize daily life .

bread [noun]

money, cash, or earnings

Ex: Do n't worry about the cost ; we 've got enough bread to cover it .

to [have] a bun in the oven [phrase]

to be expecting a child

Ex: Last year , Monica had a bun in the oven and gave birth to a beautiful baby girl .

buns [noun]

the fleshy part of the human body that you sit on

cakewalk [noun]

an easy accomplishment

big cheese [noun]

someone of great importance or influence

Ex: John is the big cheese in the company .

cheesecake [noun]

a photograph of an attractive woman in minimal attire

cheesy [adjective]

having very low quality

Ex:

to [cut] the cheese [phrase]

to emit wind from one's anus

Ex: He always manages to cut the cheese at the most inopportune times , making everyone around him laugh .

to chew out [verb]

to strongly criticize someone in an angry manner

Ex: The teacher chewed out the entire class for the disruptive behavior .

to [chew] the fat [phrase]

to enjoy a friendly talk with a person for a long period of time

Ex: Old friends enjoy getting together to chew the fat and reminisce about the good old days .

clam [noun]

a piece of paper money worth one dollar

to clam up [verb]

to suddenly become silent or refuse to talk, often because of nervousness, fear, or a desire to keep information secret

Ex: When discussing her personal life , Sarah tends to clam up and change the subject .

(as|) happy as a clam (at hot water|) [phrase]

(of a person) very pleased or satisfied

Ex: Surrounded by loved ones on her birthday , she felt happy as a clam at hot water .

to [wake] up and [smell] the coffee [phrase]

to recognize the reality of a situation, no matter how unpleasant it may be

Ex: It 's not all fun and games ; you need to wake up and smell the coffee if you want to succeed in this industry .

to cook up [verb]

to prepare food quickly, often in an informal or creative manner

Ex: With only a few ingredients , she managed to cook up a tasty meal in just 15 minutes .

to [be] cooking with gas [phrase]

to be doing very well or functioning effectively

Ex: By the end of the year, Jack's team will have achieved their goals - they're working hard and making good progress. They'll definitely be cooking with gas!

to [catch] {sb} with {one's} [hand] in the cookie jar [phrase]

to catch someone in the act of doing something wrong or inappropriate

Ex:

(smart|sharp) cookie [phrase]

a person who is clever and has a strong personality

Ex:

that is the way the cookie crumbles (in the market|) [sentence]

said after an unfortunate event to mean one must accept the situation as it is

Ex: The company 's stocks plummeted despite their efforts to boost them ; the CEO acknowledged , " That 's the way the cookie crumbles in the market . "

to [toss] {one's} cookies [phrase]

to empty what is in one's stomach through one's mouth

Ex: After eating some expired seafood , Mark felt extremely nauseous and eventually had to rush to the bathroom to toss his cookies .

tough cookie [noun]

a person who is strong, resilient, and determined, often in the face of challenging circumstances

Ex:

crackers [adjective]

informal or slang terms for mentally irregular

dough [noun]

money, cash, or financial resources

Ex: The restaurant 's success brought in a lot of dough for the owners .

to [eat] {one's} words [phrase]

to take back something one has said previously

Ex: After the election upset , the pundits who claimed the outcome was decided had to eat their words .

big enchilada [noun]

an individual who is very famous or influential

Ex: The conference is attended by industry leaders and big enchiladas who share their expertise and insights .

the whole enchilada [phrase]

***the whole situation; everything

Ex: The team has a good chance in the playoffs and may win the whole enchilada this year .

chicken feed [noun]

an extremely small amount of money

Ex: The artist sold their painting for chicken feed , barely enough to buy art supplies for the next artwork .

to [feed] {one's} face [phrase]

to eat more food than one's body needs or can handle

Ex:

to spoon-feed [verb]

***to give someone so much help or information that that person does not need to try himself or herself

Ex: By giving out printed sheets of facts and theories, the teachers spoon-fed us with what we needed for the exam.

a different kettle of fish [phrase]

an issue or subject that is not in any way connected to what one was talking about

Ex:

fishy [adjective]

suggestive of dishonesty or something dubious

Ex: They dismissed the fishy explanation as mere excuses .

(as|) nutty as a fruitcake [phrase]

(of a person) crazy or exhibiting odd behavior

Ex:

gravy [noun]

a sudden happening that brings good fortune (as a sudden opportunity to make money)

gravy train [noun]

a situation in which making a lot of money becomes possible with minimal time or effort

Ex: Investing in the right stocks can be like riding a gravy train , earning passive income without having to do much .

ham [noun]

an actor with an exaggerated theatrical style

to ham it up [phrase]

exaggerate one's acting

to [sell|go] like hot cakes [phrase]

to sell very quickly and in large amounts

Ex: The limited-edition shoes sold like hot cakes at the store .

to [cut] the mustard [phrase]

to meet expectations or perform satisfactorily in a given task or situation

Ex: He was hired as a chef because he can cut the mustard in the kitchen .

noodle [noun]

informal terms for a human head

knuckle sandwich [noun]

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 .

in a stew [phrase]

in a very troubled or nervous state

Ex:

to sugarcoat [verb]

cause to appear more pleasant or appealing

sugar daddy [noun]

a rich older man who gives money or gifts to a younger partner for companionship or intimacy

Ex: A sugar daddy covered all her shopping bills .

Street Talk 1
Lesson 1	Lesson 2	A Closer Look: Lesson 2	Lesson 3
A Closer Look: Lesson 3	A Closer Look 2: Lesson 3	Lesson 4	A Closer Look: Lesson 4
Lesson 5	Lesson 6	A Closer Look: Lesson 6	Lesson 7
A Closer Look: Lesson 7	Lesson 8	A Closer Look: Lesson 8	A Closer Look 2: Lesson 8
Lesson 9	A Closer Look: Lesson 9	Lesson 10	A Closer Look: Lesson 10