A Closer Look: Lesson 2 · Street Talk 1 Vocabulary List

experiencing an state of extreme anger, excitement, or craziness

"The party was bananas."

"The traffic this morning was absolutely bananas and I was stuck on the highway for over an hour without moving at all."

an individual who is not as important or influential as someone else in an organization

"He is tired of being the second banana to his boss."

"He was tired of being the second banana and wanted to lead his own project."

the leading or most influential person in a group or enterprise

"The top banana makes all the important decisions."

"The top banana made all the important decisions while his assistants handled the paperwork."

to have no information regarding a particular subject

"I do not know beans about cars."

"I do not know beans about cars so you should ask my brother to help you fix yours."

to make someone excited about doing something by promising them a reward

"They dangled a carrot for him."

"The company dangled a carrot of a promotion to motivate the struggling employee."

a deformity of the outer ear caused by repeated trauma, particularly common in contact sports like wrestling and boxing

"The wrestler has a cauliflower ear."

"The wrestler's cauliflower ear was a permanent result of repeated blows to the head."

used to describe someone who is not worried at all in challenging or stressful situations

"Calm as a cucumber."

"Don't worry, I was only pulling your leg when I said you failed the test."

to hear something that was passed from one person to another, like a rumor or gossip

"I heard through the grapevine that you are moving."

"I heard through the grapevine that our boss is leaving the company to start his own business."

a negative attitude or reaction toward something that one desires but cannot have or achieve, often by minimizing its importance or worth

"His criticism is just sour grapes because he didn't win."

"His criticism of the winner was just sour grapes because he had lost the competition."

used to refer to two or more people or things that are very similar or closely related

"The twins are like two peas in a pod."

"The twins are like two peas in a pod because they dress alike and even finish each other sentences."

exceptionally good or pleasing

"Everything is peachy."

"Everything is just peachy in my life right now so I have nothing to complain about at all."

someone who sits around and watches TV a lot

"He is a couch potato."

"After his knee injury he became a couch potato watching television for hours every day."

a difficult or controversial issue or topic that is uncomfortable or risky to handle

"The issue becomes a hot potato for the politician."

"The issue of tax reform became a hot potato that politicians avoided discussing during election season."

a person or thing of small importance

"That fine is small potatoes for a big company."

"Compared to our huge company debt the cost of new office chairs is small potatoes for us really."

an informal slang for cash or money, often used in casual conversation

"Lots of cabbage."

"He was hoping to earn a lot of cabbage from his new business venture."

an eccentric, crazy, or mentally unstable person

"He is a fruitcake."

"Many people thought the inventor was a bit of a fruitcake for his outlandish ideas."

a flawed or defective item, especially referring to an unsatisfactory automobile

"This car is a lemon."

"After numerous repairs, the customer realized the vehicle was a complete lemon and demanded a refund."

informal slang for money

"He earned a lot of lettuce."

"The young entrepreneur managed to amass a considerable amount of lettuce through his innovative business ventures."

a person or thing that stands out for its exceptional qualities

"She is a peach."

"That gifted musician is a true peach, possessing a remarkable talent that captivates audiences worldwide."

a challenging or troublesome predicament

"I am in a pickle."

"The unexpected tax audit has put the company in a serious pickle, requiring immediate and careful attention."