A Closer Look: Lesson 5 · Street Talk 2 Vocabulary List

the approximate value or amount of something

"Give me a ballpark figure."

"The contractor gave me a ballpark estimate of ten thousand dollars for the kitchen renovation project."

to do very well

"You are batting a thousand today."

"So far this week I have bat a thousand because everything I have tried to do has been successful."

a brief pause or interruption in an activity

"The coach called a time out."

"The coach called time out to stop the clock and discuss strategy with his players."

conduct that is unfair or unethical or unsportsmanlike

"His actions were dirty pool."

"The opposition resorted to dirty pool by spreading false rumors about the candidate."

to tie the game by scoring an equal number of points or runs as the opposing team

"We evened up the score."

"The visiting team scored a goal in the final minute to even up the score and force overtime."

to answer a phone call, especially in a professional or business context

"Please field that call for me."

"I cannot talk right now because I need to field a call from an important client in London."

to achieve an initial level of success in dealing with a particular task, situation, challenge, etc.

"I could not get to first base."

"I have been studying for months but I cannot get to first base with this difficult language."

to support or defend someone, especially in a challenging situation

"He went to bat for me."

"My boss went to bat for me when the committee wanted to fire me for being late too often."

a person who is agreeable, easygoing, and handles situations, especially losses or failures, with grace and good humor

"He is a good sport about losing."

"Even though she lost the match she was a good sport and congratulated her opponent warmly."

a hit in baseball that occurs when a batter hits the ball and runs around all four bases, scoring a run for their team

"He hits a home run to left field."

"The slugger hit a towering home run that cleared the center field fence."

compete (for an advantage or a position)

"Jockey for position at the front."

"The rival companies continue to jockey for position in the highly competitive smartphone market."

*** to visit a restroom

"We need a pit stop."

"We need to make a pit stop for gas and coffee before we continue our long road trip."

used to describe someone or something that is incorrect, mistaken, or not in line with the facts or the situation

"His guess is off base."

"The reporter's accusations were completely off base and the politician demanded a retraction and an apology."

to step in and take someone else's place, especially in an important or unexpected situation

"He pinch hit for the injured player."

"The rookie player was called upon to pinch hit for the injured veteran in the crucial final inning."

in an instant and with no delay

"He started right away."

"She knew the answer off the bat, surprising everyone in class."

used to describe something happening immediately from the start or as soon as something begins

"He ran right out of the chute."

"The new employee impressed everyone right out of the chute with her innovative ideas and efficient work ethic."

to take revenge or get even with someone, often for a past wrongdoing

"He wants to settle a score."

"The old gangster returned to town to settle a score with the man who betrayed him years ago."

to discourage or weaken someone’s confidence, momentum, or enthusiasm

"That took the wind out of his sails."

"Losing his job so suddenly really took the wind out of his sails and he became very depressed."

used to tell someone that it depends on them to make a certain decision or to take a specified action

"I made my offer — the ball is in your court now."

"The company has submitted its revised proposal and the ball is now firmly in the client's court."

to introduce a surprising or unexpected element or challenge into a situation

"Life threw me a curveball today."

"The sudden change in the company's policy really threw all the employees a curveball during the busy season."

a situation that is completely different from what one was previously dealing with

"This is a different ball game."

"Playing chess is one thing but playing three dimensional chess is a completely new ball game entirely."

(baseball) a position in the outfield responsible for covering the area between center field and the left foul line

"He ran to left field."

"The left field had to track a deep drive to the wall, narrowly missing a home run."

a person of exceptional importance and reputation

"He is a heavyweight."

"The seasoned diplomat is considered a true heavyweight in international relations."

to start, especially referring to an event or activity

"Let's kick off."

"The conference will officially kick off with a keynote address from a renowned industry expert."

used when two or more participants in a race or competition are very close and have an equal chance of winning

"The two horses ran neck and neck."

"The two runners were neck and neck as they approached the finish line of the race."

to actively promote or advertise a product, service, event, or idea

"He will pitch it."

"The entrepreneur will pitch his innovative startup idea to potential investors next week."

to eliminate someone or something from a list

"Strike them out."

"We need to strike out all the outdated entries from the database immediately."

to try to deal with a difficult problem or situation in a determined manner

"We must tackle climate change now."

"The government needs to tackle the problem of unemployment by creating more jobs for young people."