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Street Talk 1 - A Closer Look: Lesson 8

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Street Talk 1
animal
animal
[Adjective]

marked by the appetites and passions of the body

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to [have] ants in {one's} pants

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

Ex: The kids had ants in their pants all morning before the school trip. 
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antsy
antsy
[Adjective]

having a fidgety feeling caused by nervousness

Ex: She felt antsy waiting for her turn to speak in front of the class. 
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to [go] ape
to go ape
[phrase]

to become extremely excited or enthusiastic about something

Ex: He went ape when he found out he'd won the lottery. 
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to [go] apeshit

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

Ex: My boss went apeshit when he found out about the mistake I made on the project, shouting and slamming his fist on the table. 
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ass
ass
[noun]

a foolish person

Ex: He strutted around the office like a complete ass after getting that tiny promotion. 
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jackass
jackass
[noun]

a stupid, foolish, or stubbornly obnoxious person

Ex: The jackass revved his engine at 3 a.m. waking the neighborhood. 
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bats in the belfry

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

Ex: People say he has bats in the belfry because he wants to sail alone across the ocean. 
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batty
batty
[Adjective]

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

Ex: People thought she was batty for collecting hundreds of garden gnomes. 
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(as|) blind as a bat

used to refer to someone who is unable to see well

Ex: Without his glasses, he's blind as a bat. 
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(as|) busy as a beaver

extremely active, busy, and hardworking

Ex: She was busy as a beaver getting the shop ready for opening day. 
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eager beaver

an energetic and eager individual who is willing to work hard

Ex: She's an eager beaver, always volunteering for extra work. 
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bee in {one's} bonnet

something one is extremely obsessed with and keeps talking about

Ex: Ever since she read that book on environmental conservation, she has had a bee in her bonnet about reducing plastic waste. 
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(as|) busy as a bee

extremely busy with work, activities, etc.

Ex: She has been as busy as a bee all week. 
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to [mind] {one's} own beeswax

to refrain from interfering in someone else's private affairs

Ex: Why don't you mind your own beeswax and stop asking about my personal life?" Jane snapped at her nosy friend. 
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a little bird

an anonymous or unidentified source of information

Ex: A little bird told me you're getting promoted. 
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bird
bird
[noun]

a young female adult

Ex: He went to the party hoping to meet a nice bird. 
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birds of a feather flock together

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

Ex: They both love art, so it's no surprise that they're best friends; birds of a feather flock together. 
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early bird

someone who has a tendency to get up early every morning

Ex: She's always been an early bird, waking up at the crack of dawn to start her day. 
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to [eat] like a bird

to have a very little desire to eat

Ex: She always claims to be on a diet, but in reality, she eats like a bird and hardly consumes anything substantial. 
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for the birds

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

Ex: I can't stand this pointless paperwork; it's all for the birds. 
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to [give] {sb} the bird

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: The angry driver gave him the bird and sped away. 
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jailbird
jailbird
[noun]

a criminal who has been jailed repeatedly

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(the|) early bird (catches|gets) the worm

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: She always arrives at work early; after all, the early bird catches the worm. 
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buck
buck
[noun]

one dollar

Ex: He found a buck on the sidewalk and used it to buy a lottery ticket. 
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to buck up

to encourage someone when they are sad or discouraged

Ex: The supportive gesture was enough to buck up their spirits. 
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(as|) snug as a bug in a rug

used to refer to something that is very soothing and comforting

Ex: The baby looked snug as a bug in a rug after her bath. 
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bug
bug
[noun]

a tiny living organism that can cause disease

Ex: The flu is caused by a viral bug. 
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to bug
to bug
[Verb]

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

Ex: The children continued to bug their parents for a new video game. 
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to work out

to find a solution to a problem

Ex: We must work out a solution to the budgetary issues before moving forward. 
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bullshit
bullshit
[noun]

exaggerated, deceptive, or false statements meant to impress or fool someone

Ex: His whole story about fighting off ten guys was pure bullshit. 
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bullheaded
bullheaded
[Adjective]

obstinate and stupid

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cock-and-bull story

a story that seems impossible, particularly one that is used as an excuse

Ex: He came in late with some cock-and-bull story about his alarm clock exploding. 
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to [take] the bull by the horns

to directly and bravely deal with a difficulty or danger

Ex: She decided to take the bull by the horns and try to solve the problem without any further delay. 
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dumb bunny

someone whose behavior is marked by foolishness or ignorance

Ex: He acted like a dumb bunny and believed every rumor. 
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to [have|get] butterflies in {one's} [stomach]

to be really excited or nervous about what is going to happen

Ex: I always get butterflies in my stomach before going onstage. 
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the straw that [break] the (camel's|donkey's) back

one of several difficulties happening after one another that finally makes it intolerable for someone to continue something

Ex: The missed paycheck was the straw that broke the camel's back. 
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to catnap
to catnap
[Verb]

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

Ex: After a busy morning, she decided to catnap on the office sofa. 
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copycat
copycat
[noun]

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

Ex: In the fashion industry, designers often face challenges with copycat brands imitating their latest creations. 
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curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back

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. 
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to [rain] cats and dogs

to rain really hard

Ex: It's going to rain cats and dogs. 
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to [look|feel] like something the cat [bring|drag] in

to look very disorganized and untidy

Ex: After the long flight, you look like something the cat brought in. 
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cat got your tongue

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

Ex: Cat got your tongue? You were very confident a minute ago. 
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to chicken out

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

Ex: She tends to chicken out of social events because of her shyness. 
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chickenshit

a person who is weak and lacks courage

Ex: Don't be such a chickenshit; stand up for yourself! 
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to {not} [count] {one's} chickens

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: We're close to a deal, but let's not count our chickens yet. 
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(as|) (cunning|sly) as a fox

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

Ex: He is sly as a fox when negotiating a deal. 
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a frog in {one's} throat

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

Ex: I've been talking all day and now I have a frog in my throat. 
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to [get] {one's} goat

to really annoy or frustrate someone

Ex: His smug attitude really gets my goat. 
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to [treat|handle] {sb/sth} with kid gloves

to be specially careful, gentle, or considerate when dealing with someone or something

Ex: The manager handled the nervous client with kid gloves. 
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scapegoat
scapegoat
[noun]

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

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to goose
to goose
[Verb]

pinch in the buttocks

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hog
hog
[noun]

a person who is excessively greedy or selfish

Ex: He's such a hog, taking all the snacks for himself. 
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in hog heaven

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

Ex: He was in hog heaven with a plate full of barbecue and a cold drink. 
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to hog
to hog
[Verb]

to take or use something selfishly or greedily

Ex: He hogged all the snacks at the party. 
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hogwash
hogwash
[noun]

an absurd idea or discussion

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hoggish
hoggish
[Adjective]

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

Ex: His hoggish eating habits disgusted everyone at the table. 
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road hog
road hog
[noun]

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

Ex: The road hog cut off several cars while changing lanes without signaling. 
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to [beat] a dead horse

to waste energy on a lost cause

Ex: Trying to reopen the case now is just beating a dead horse. 
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charley-horse

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

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(straight|) from the horse's mouth

(of information) from an accurate or valid source

Ex: I know the company is closing that branch; I heard it straight from the horse's mouth. 
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to horse around

indulge in horseplay

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like a chicken with its head cut off

used to describe someone who is extremely confused and excited

Ex: When the fire alarm went off, everyone ran around like chickens with their heads cut off. 
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spring chicken

a young individual with little or no experience

Ex: He's no spring chicken when it comes to negotiating. 
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clam
clam
[noun]

a piece of paper money worth one dollar

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to clam up

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

Ex: Every time the teacher asked him about his weekend, he would clam up and avoid eye contact. 
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holy cow
holy cow
[interjection]

used to express surprise, amazement, or disbelief

Ex: Holy cow, that dog is bigger than my sofa. 
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(till|until) the cows come home

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

Ex: You can argue until the cows come home, but she will not change her mind. 
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dog
dog
[noun]

an unattractive person, especially a girl or woman

Ex: He whispered to his friend that the girl at the bar was a total dog and not worth approaching. 
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dog do
dog do
[noun]

fecal droppings from a dog

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dog-eared
dog-eared
[Adjective]

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

Ex: Her favorite novel was dog-eared, evidence of countless readings over the years. 
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to [be] in the doghouse

to be in trouble with someone, typically because of a mistake or wrongdoing

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dog-tired
dog-tired
[Adjective]

completely worn out, typically from intense physical or mental effort

Ex: After working a double shift, he came home feeling dog-tired and collapsed on the couch. 
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dog eat dog
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 tech industry can be dog eat dog, especially for small startups. 
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hound
hound
[noun]

someone who is morally reprehensible

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{one's} dogs [are] barking

used to say that one's feet are in pain

Ex: I've been walking all day — my dogs are barking! 
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to [put] on the dog

to behave in a pretentious way to prove one is rich or fashionable

Ex: She always puts on the dog when attending formal events, wearing expensive designer gowns and jewelry. 
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(as|) sick as a [dog|horse]

used to refer to someone who is extremely ill or unwell

Ex: I ate something bad and was sick as a dog all night. 
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top dog
top dog
[noun]

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

Ex: After the merger, she became the top dog in the company. 
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dead duck
dead duck
[noun]

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

Ex: After three failed launches, the product was a dead duck. 
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sitting duck

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

Ex: Without air support, the stranded soldiers were like sitting ducks for the enemy's artillery. 
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(as|) bald as an eagle

used to describe someone who is totally bald

Ex: After losing all his hair, he was as bald as an eagle. 
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eagle eye
eagle eye
[noun]

someone who is keenly aware or observant

Ex: The eagle eye in our team spotted the error immediately. 
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to [have] a memory like an elephant

to easily be able to remember things and rarely forget them

Ex: My grandmother has a memory like an elephant; she still remembers every neighbor from her childhood. 
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white elephant

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

Ex: The old mansion became a white elephant after the owner could not afford the repairs. 
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fishy
fishy
[Adjective]

suggestive of dishonesty or something dubious

Ex: His fishy behavior raised suspicions among his friends. 
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to [make|cast] sheep's eyes at {sb}

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

Ex: He kept making sheep's eyes at her across the room. 
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a different kettle of fish

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

Ex: Managing a large team of employees is a different kettle of fish from managing a small team. 
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fox
fox
[noun]

a good-looking young person, especially a woman

Ex: She's a real fox in that red dress. 
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foxy
foxy
[Adjective]

(of a woman) sexually appealing

Ex: She walked into the party in a foxy black dress that drew everyone's attention. 
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horseshit
horseshit
[noun]

blatant nonsense or obvious lies

Ex: His excuse for being late was pure horseshit. 
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hung like a horse

***said of a man who is sexually well-endowed

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high horse

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

Ex: He got on his high horse after winning the debate. 
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(as|) gentle as a lamb

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

Ex: Despite his size, he is as gentle as a lamb. 
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in two shakes

soon or in a quick manner

Ex: I'll be ready in two shakes; just let me grab my keys. 
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to [make] a mountain out of (a|) molehill

to make a problem appear more serious or dangerous than it actually is

Ex: Don't make a mountain out of a molehill; it's just a typo. 
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grease monkey

a mechanic or someone who works on cars

Ex: He's a talented grease monkey who can fix any engine problem. 
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to [make] a monkey (out|) of {sb}

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

Ex: He made a monkey out of me in front of the whole team. 
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