bend out of shape – upset
tell me about it – the sarcastic alternative, as in “don’t tell me about it because I already know
too well!”
to buy something – to believe something
off the chart – very fun and exciting; out of control in a good way
to give props to someone – to give credit or recognition
Off the hook – out of trouble
Bananas / Bonkers / Nuts – crazy; out of control; beyond belief
Bummer / Bummed – a misfortune / to be disappointed or depressed
To hang tight – to wait patiently
I hear you/ I hear yah – I empathize with your point of view
For real – true; honest
Fore sure – definitely; certainly
I get it / I got it – I understand
piece of cake – a task is easy or straightforward
it’s not rocket science – when something is easy to understand
break a leg – good luck
ballpark figure – rough numerical estimate
for the birds – something is trivial or worthless
behind the eight ball – they’re in a difficult position
spill the beans – to let out or divulge something
don’t cry over spilt milk – someone might say if they’re upset over something you can’t fix
table an item – set it aside for consideration later
jump on the bandwagon – joining a popular activity or supporting a popular cause
cold turkey – abruptly withdraw from an addictive substance or behavior, like smoking.
“Paddle your own canoe”
(If you paddle your own canoe, you do things for yourself without outside help.)
“Pain in the neck”
(If someone is very annoying and always disturbing you, he is a pain in the neck.)
“Pandora’s Box”
(If you open an Pandora’s box, something you do causes all sorts of trouble that you hadn’t
anticipated.)
“Part and parcel”
(It is an essential and unavoidable part that has to be accepted.)
“Baby boomer”
(Someone born in the years after the end of the 2nd World War, a period where the population is
growing very fast.)
“Spice of life”
(Something that makes it feel worth living.)
“Spick and span”
(When someone spins you a line, he is trying to deceive you by lying.)
“Sail close to the wind”
(If you sail close to the wind, you take risks to do something, going close to the limit of what is
allowed and acceptable.)
“Scraping the barrel”
(When all the best people, things or ideas and so on are used up and people try to make do with
what they have left, they are scraping the barrel.)
“Set in stone”
(Cannot be changed or altered.)
“Swim against the tide/Go against the tide”
(Trying to do something that is difficult because there is a lot of opposition to you.)
“Beating around the bush”
(To delay or avoid talking about something difficult.)
“Stretching a needle on a haystack”
(Something that is impossible or extremely difficult to find)
“Caught with your hand inside a cookie jar”
(Caught in the act of doing something wrong or forbidden.)
“Hearing crickets”
(Silence)
“Test the waters”
(You try to find out what reaction an action or idea will get before you do it.)
