Street Talk 1 - A Closer Look: Lesson 8

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Street Talk 1
animal [adjective]

marked by the appetites and passions of the body

to have a hard time staying calm due to being extremely nervous or excited about something

Ex: She had ants in her pants while waiting for the exam results , unable to sit still .
antsy [adjective]

having a fidgety feeling caused by nervousness

Ex: He grew antsy as the interview time approached , pacing around the room .
to [go] ape [phrase]

to become extremely excited or enthusiastic about something

Ex: When the band started playing their favorite song , the crowd went ape , dancing and cheering with uncontainable excitement .

to become extremely angry to the extent that one displays wild and uncontrollable behavior

Ex: She went apeshit when she discovered her phone had been stolen , frantically searching and accusing everyone around her .
jackass [noun]

a man who is a stupid incompetent fool

an unconventional or unique behavior that is often considered crazy, risky, or confusing

Ex: While the Johnsons may have their quirks , they 're not the only ones in the neighborhood with bats in the belfry .
batty [adjective]

slightly crazy, eccentric, or behaving in a way that seems mentally odd

Ex: He 's a bit batty , but harmless .

used to refer to someone who is unable to see well

Ex: The room was dark , and he was as blind as a bat trying to find the light switch .

extremely active, busy, and hardworking

Ex: She 's been busy as a beaver lately , juggling her job , her family , and her volunteer work .

an energetic and eager individual who is willing to work hard

Ex: The new intern is a real eager beaver .

something one is extremely obsessed with and keeps talking about

Ex: She has had a bee in her bonnet about organizing her closet , spending hours researching methods and buying storage solutions .

extremely busy with work, activities, etc.

Ex: I have a lot of work to do , so I 'm going to be busy as a bee all day today .

to refrain from interfering in someone else's private affairs

Ex: The manager overheard office gossip and reminded the employees to mind their own beeswax and stay focused on their tasks .

an anonymous or unidentified source of information

Ex: A little bird told me you have a secret admirer .
bird [noun]

a young female adult

Ex: His mates were teasing him about the bird he ’s been dating .

used to imply that people with similar interests or characteristics tend to associate with each other

Ex: The team worked well because birds of a feather flock together and they all had the same goals .

someone who has a tendency to get up early every morning

Ex: As an early bird , he enjoys the quiet and peaceful mornings for his daily meditation .

used to refer to something that does not deserve one's attention due to not being important or interesting enough

Ex:

to intentionally and rudely display an offensive hand gesture, involving raising the middle finger while extending the others downward, as a sign of strong disapproval, annoyance, or disrespect toward someone

Ex: Instead of arguing with his neighbor , he simply gave him the bird and walked away to avoid further confrontation .
jailbird [noun]

a criminal who has been jailed repeatedly

used to imply that the person who starts their day or task early will have an advantage over those who start later or procrastinate

Ex: The early bird catches the worm , which is why he always gets the best opportunities .
buck [noun]

one dollar

Ex: She only had ten bucks left in her wallet after paying for groceries .

to encourage someone when they are sad or discouraged

Ex: His positive attitude always manages to buck up the entire group .

used to refer to something that is very soothing and comforting

Ex: The baby drifted off to sleep , swaddled in a soft blanket , looking as snug as a bug in a rug .
bug [noun]

a tiny living organism that can cause disease

Ex: The doctor explained how the bug spreads .
to bug [verb]

to persistently annoy someone, often by making repeated requests or demands

Ex: The persistent telemarketer would n't stop bugging the homeowner with sales pitches .

to find a solution to a problem

Ex: Can you work out a plan for improving employee satisfaction ?
bullshit [noun]

obscene words for unacceptable behavior

to directly and bravely deal with a difficulty or danger

Ex: They decided to take the bull by the horns and negotiate better terms for the contract .

someone whose behavior is marked by foolishness or ignorance

Ex:

to take a short and light nap, typically lasting only a few minutes

Ex: The soothing music in the background makes it easy to catnap .
copycat [noun]

a person who imitates the actions, clothes, ideas, etc. of someone else

Ex: The marketing team was frustrated with the competitor 's copycat advertising campaign , which mirrored their successful strategy .

used to imply that while excessive curiosity can have negative consequences, the pursuit of knowledge or exploration can also be rewarding and fulfilling despite the risks

Ex: Despite the danger, the explorers were curious about what lay beyond the mountains. They faced many challenges, but eventually made it to the other side. Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back.

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 ?

to not to do something one planned because they feel scared or hesitant

Ex:

a person who is weak and lacks courage

Ex: Only a chickenshit would back down from a challenge like that .

to be cautious and not assume that something will succeed or happen as planned, as there is always a possibility of unforeseen obstacles or problems

Ex: When dealing with important financial arrangements , it is imperative that you do not count your chickens before they are hatched .

used to refer to someone who tends to achieve things in a clever way, particularly by deceiving other people

Ex: The politician is sly as a fox ; he can manipulate public opinion to his advantage effortlessly .

difficulty in speaking, particularly due to one's throat being dry

Ex: John had a frog in his throat during the presentation , but he managed to clear it and deliver a flawless speech .

to really annoy or frustrate someone

Ex: The thought of dealing with his incompetence in the upcoming project is going to get my goat .

a person who suffers the consequences of others people's wrongdoings

hog [noun]

a person regarded as greedy and pig-like

used to indicate a state of great happiness, bliss, or contentment

Ex: Surrounded by shelves of rare books , the bibliophile was in hog heaven , happily lost in a world of literature .
to hog [verb]

take greedily; take more than one's share

hoggish [adjective]

acting in a way that is greedy, selfish, or gluttonous, similar to the behavior of a pig

Ex: She found his hoggish behavior at the buffet embarrassing .
road hog [noun]

someone who drives aggressively or selfishly, often taking up more space on the road than necessary

Ex: The road hog ignored traffic signals and drove recklessly .

to waste energy on a lost cause

Ex: Asking for another refund now is like beating a dead horse ; the policy wo n't change .

a muscular cramp (especially in the thigh or calf) following vigorous exercise

a young individual with little or no experience

Ex: Michael had been a spring chicken in the realm of coding until he attended coding boot camp .
clam [noun]

a piece of paper money worth one dollar

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 .
holy cow [interjection]

said when one is surprised, shocked, or amazed

Ex: When they announced the prize , I was like , ' Holy cow , I ca n't believe I won .

used to describe a prolonged or indefinite period of time, often implying that something will continue for a very long duration

Ex: She will keep practicing her instrument till the cows come home to perfect her skills .
dog [noun]

a woman or girl who is uninteresting, unattractive, and unpleasant

dog-eared [adjective]

showing signs of wear and tear from excessive use, particularly with pages that have bent or folded corners

Ex: The dog-eared cookbook revealed the recipes she loved the most .
dog-tired [adjective]

completely worn out, typically from intense physical or mental effort

Ex: By the end of the hike , they were dog-tired and ready for a long rest .
dog eat dog [phrase]

(in business, politics, etc.) a situation in which the competition is so fierce that everyone is willing to do whatever it takes to be successful, even if it means harming others

Ex: The competition for the job is fierce , and it 's a dog eat dog situation .
hound [noun]

someone who is morally reprehensible

top dog [noun]

a person who holds the highest rank in a particular group or organization

Ex: They have been trying to become the top dog in their field for years , and are finally starting to make progress .

someone or something that has never succeeded or is very unlikely to succeed in the future

Ex: The project is behind schedule and over budget , and it 's becoming a dead duck .

someone or something that lacks enough defense or protection and is easy to be targeted

Ex: During the storm , the small fishing boat became a sitting duck , unable to navigate the rough waters .

used to describe someone who is totally bald

Ex: John's been shaving his head for years. He's as bald as an eagle.

someone who is keenly aware or observant

Ex: The security guard 's eagle eye caught the suspicious behavior of a person in the crowd .

to easily be able to remember things and rarely forget them

Ex: The teacher had a memory like an elephant , and she could remember the names of all her students , even those she had only had for a few weeks .

a possession that is costly to maintain and difficult to dispose of, often more trouble than it is worth

Ex: That abandoned stadium is a white elephant millions spent , and no one uses it .
fishy [adjective]

suggestive of dishonesty or something dubious

Ex: They dismissed the fishy explanation as mere excuses .

to look at someone in a way that shows one is very passionate about them

Ex: Patricia could n't help but cast sheep 's eyes at Tom from across the room , hoping he would notice her interest .
fox [noun]

a good-looking young person, especially a woman

Ex: He called her a fox after their first date .
foxy [adjective]

(of a woman) sexually appealing

Ex: With her foxy looks and confident demeanor , she easily became the center of attraction at the club .

a statement, idea, or act that is obviously untrue, foolish, or unreasonable

one's arrogant and pretentious behavior that is meant to prove one's superiority over others

Ex: I wo n't deal with you until you get off your high horse and stop patronizing me .

used to describe an individual who behaves in a very kind and gentle way

Ex: The nurse was gentle as a lamb while caring for the elderly patients .

soon or in a quick manner

Ex: He fixes technical issues in two shakes , resolving problems swiftly .

a mechanic or someone who works on cars

Ex: They hired a skilled grease monkey to restore the classic car .

to do something that makes a person appear foolish in front of others

Ex: Do n't let him make a monkey out of you with his tricks and pranks .