A Closer Look: Lesson 8 · Street Talk 1 Vocabulary List

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

"The kids had ants in pants."

"My little brother had ants in his pants all morning because he was so excited about going to the amusement park with his friends."

having a fidgety feeling caused by nervousness

"The kids are antsy."

"The children grew antsy during the long car ride and they kept asking when they would finally arrive."

to become extremely excited or enthusiastic about something

"Fans went ape."

"The crowd began to go ape when their favorite band finally appeared on stage."

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

"Dad went apeshit when he saw the bill."

"My father completely went apeshit when he discovered that someone had scratched his brand new car in the parking lot."

a foolish person

"The stubborn ass refuses to move."

"He made an ass of himself by getting drunk at the office Christmas party."

a stupid, foolish, or stubbornly obnoxious person

"The prankster acts like a jackass."

"The jackass cut in front of everyone in the queue and pretended not to notice."

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

"My uncle has bats in the belfry, but he is harmless."

"My crazy uncle has bats in the belfry because he believes aliens are watching him from space."

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

"That is a batty idea."

"The old man went batty after living alone for twenty years and he started talking to his houseplants."

used to refer to someone who is unable to see well

"He is blind as a bat."

"Without her glasses, she was as blind as a bat and couldn't read the sign."

extremely active, busy, and hardworking

"She is as busy as a beaver today."

"Ever since she started her new project at work, she has been as busy as a beaver and barely has time to eat lunch."

an energetic and eager individual who is willing to work hard

"The eager beaver finishes his work early."

"The eager beaver finished the assignment a week early and asked for more work."

something one is extremely obsessed with and keeps talking about

"His bee in bonnet is politics."

"He's had a bee in his bonnet about recycling for years and constantly reminds everyone to sort their trash."

extremely busy with work, activities, etc.

"He is as busy as a bee at work."

"The volunteers were as busy as bees throughout the entire charity event, making sure everything ran smoothly for all the guests."

to refrain from interfering in someone else's private affairs

"He told me to mind my own beeswax."

"I wish my nosy neighbour would mind her own beeswax instead of asking about my personal life."

an anonymous or unidentified source of information

"A little bird told me."

"A little bird told me that you are planning a surprise party for your boyfriend next weekend."

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

"They spend all their time together — birds of a feather flock together."

"The new recruits quickly formed a tight group — birds of a feather flock together, as the manager noted."

someone who has a tendency to get up early every morning

"The early bird catches the worm."

"The early bird got the best parking spot because she arrived before everyone else."

to have a very little desire to eat

"My sister eats like a bird always."

"Even though she is very thin, my grandmother insists that she eats like a bird and never finishes a full meal at dinner."

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

"This boring movie is for the birds."

"This boring television show is for the birds so let us turn it off and go outside instead."

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

"He gave the driver the bird."

"The frustrated motorist gave the slow driver the bird after being cut off unexpectedly."

a criminal who has been jailed repeatedly

"The ex-con is an old jailbird."

"The old jailbird had spent more than half his adult life behind bars for various crimes."

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

"The early bird catches the worm, remember."

"I always wake up before sunrise because I truly believe that the early bird gets the worm, especially when it comes to job opportunities."

to encourage someone when they are sad or discouraged

"Buck up and try again."

"The coach told his players to buck up and try harder in the second half of the game."

used to refer to something that is very soothing and comforting

"I feel snug as a bug."

"After wrapping myself in the warm blanket, I felt as snug as a bug in a rug all evening."

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

"That is just bullshit."

"The salesman's claims were complete bullshit and no one believed a word he said."

obstinate and stupid

"He is bullheaded and won't listen."

"The bullheaded manager refused to change the policy even though everyone agreed that it was not working."

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

"The cock-and-bull story convinces no one."

"Nobody believed the cock and bull story about aliens stealing his homework."

to directly and bravely deal with a difficulty or danger

"He took the bull by the horns and started his own business."

"The new manager decided to take the bull by the horns and address the budget problems immediately."

someone whose behavior is marked by foolishness or ignorance

"She acted like dumb bunny."

"Calling yourself a dumb bunny after forgetting such an important appointment is quite amusing."

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

"I get butterflies in my stomach before a test."

"Before her big speech she had butterflies in her stomach and her hands were shaking nervously."

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

"Your lateness is the straw that breaks the camel's back."

"The third late delivery was the straw that broke the camel back and the customer cancelled the contract."

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

"The baby catnaps during the day."

"The tired mother would catnap whenever her baby was sleeping to catch up on some much needed rest."

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

"Stop being a copycat!" the child shouts."

"The children called him a copycat because he always wore the same clothes as his older brother."

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

"Curiosity killed the cat."

"He dug into the confidential files out of pure curiosity — curiosity killed the cat, as it turned out."

to rain really hard

"It rained cats and dogs yesterday."

"We had to cancel our picnic because it was raining cats and dogs and the roads were completely flooded with water."

to look very disorganized and untidy

"He looks like something the cat dragged in."

"After working in the garden all day, I looked like something the cat dragged in when I came home."

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

"Why are you so quiet? Cat got your tongue?"

"She stood before the panel completely silent — cat got your tongue, someone finally asked."

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

"He chickened out at the last minute."

"He planned to ask her for a date but chickened out at the last moment because he was too nervous."

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

"Don't count your chickens yet."

"You should not count your chickens before they hatch because unexpected problems can always arise."

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

"She is as cunning as a fox."

"The businessman was as cunning as a fox when he negotiated the deal with his competitors."

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

"I have a frog in my throat and cannot speak clearly."

"I woke up with a frog in my throat this morning so my voice sounds very strange and croaky."

to really annoy or frustrate someone

"Loud noise gets my goat."

"It really gets my goat when people are rude and disrespectful to others."

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

"You have to treat her with kid gloves, she is sensitive."

"The fragile antique vase must be treated with kid gloves because it is very valuable and old."

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

"The manager makes him the scapegoat for the failed project."

"The manager used his junior employee as a scapegoat for the project's failure."

pinch in the buttocks

"He goosed her bottom."

"During the playful prank, he decided to goose his friend's leg under the table."

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

"My son is in hog heaven with his new video game."

"The little boy was in hog heaven at the toy store because his mother said he could pick anything he wanted."

to take or use something selfishly or greedily

"Don't hog the food."

"Please don't hog all the best seats at the movie theater; share them with others."

an absurd idea or discussion

"His explanation is complete hogwash."

"When he claimed the earth was flat, everyone dismissed his argument as complete hogwash and moved on."

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

"His hoggish behavior is annoying."

"The hoggish man took the largest piece of cake for himself without offering any to the other guests."

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

"The road hog refuses to move from the left lane."

"The road hog refuses to move from the left lane and drives slower than traffic."

to waste energy on a lost cause

"Stop arguing, you are beating a dead horse."

"You are beating a dead horse by continuing to argue about that old issue because it is already resolved."

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

"The runner gets a charley-horse in his calf."

"He woke up in the middle of the night with a painful charley horse in his calf muscle."

(of information) from an accurate or valid source

"I heard it from the horse's mouth."

"The information came straight from the horse's mouth, so we knew it was completely accurate and reliable."

indulge in horseplay

"Stop horsing around, please."

"The children were horsing around in the living room and accidentally broke the vase."

used to describe someone who is extremely confused and excited

"He ran around like a chicken with its head cut off."

"After losing his keys he ran around like a chicken with its head cut off searching everywhere frantically."

a young individual with little or no experience

"At seventy he is no spring chicken."

"The actress was no spring chicken but she still performed physically demanding stunts herself."

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

"He clammed up during the interrogation."

"The shy witness clammed up completely when it was his turn to testify in the crowded courtroom."

used to express surprise, amazement, or disbelief

"Holy cow, look at that!"

"Holy cow, look at that amazing car parked right in front of us."

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

"We can talk till cows come home."

"You can argue until the cows come home, but I will never change my mind about this."

fecal droppings from a dog

"Watch out for dog do."

"Stepping in dog do on the sidewalk is an unpleasant and common urban hazard."

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

"The book is dog-eared."

"Her favorite novel was dog-eared from being read so many times."

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

"He is in doghouse."

"After missing his wife's birthday party, he knew he would be in the doghouse for a while."

completely worn out, typically from intense physical or mental effort

"I am dog-tired now."

"After hiking for ten hours straight, the exhausted climber was absolutely dog-tired and ready to rest."

(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

"The business world is dog eat dog."

"The business world can be dog eat dog so you need to be tough to survive and succeed."

used to say that one's feet are in pain

"My dogs are barking today."

"After walking ten miles, my dogs are barking and I need to sit down and rest."

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

"He likes to put on the dog."

"She always puts on the dog at parties, trying to impress everyone with her expensive clothes."

used to refer to someone who is extremely ill or unwell

"He was sick as a dog."

"My brother felt as sick as a dog after eating too much spicy food at the restaurant."

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

"She is top dog."

"After years of hard work and dedication, she finally became the top dog in the company."

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

"Without funding the project is a dead duck."

"When the evidence surfaced the politician was a dead duck facing certain defeat."

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

"The slow-moving soldier is a sitting duck for the sniper."

"The soldiers were sitting ducks as they crossed the open field without cover."

used to describe someone who is totally bald

"He is bald as an eagle."

"His head was completely bald as an eagle, shining under the bright stage lights."

to easily be able to remember things and rarely forget them

"She has a memory like an elephant."

"My grandmother has a memory like an elephant because she remembers every single detail from her childhood."

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

"The large monument becomes a white elephant that no one uses."

"The large monument becomes a white elephant that no one uses and costs millions to maintain."

suggestive of dishonesty or something dubious

"The story sounds fishy."

"The story sounded fishy to the detective because the witness kept changing details every time he was asked."

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

"He made sheep's eyes at her."

"At the party, Tom kept making sheep's eyes at Maria, which made everyone around them feel a bit uncomfortable."

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

"Being a manager is a different kettle of fish."

"Trying to fix the car is one thing, but understanding quantum physics is a completely different kettle of fish."

(of a woman) sexually appealing

"She looks so foxy."

"The actress was described as foxy in the magazine article, captivating everyone with her charm."

blatant nonsense or obvious lies

"I am not listening to that horseshit."

"The politician's explanation was complete horseshit and nobody in the audience believed a word."

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

"He is hung like horse."

"The whispered locker room gossip claimed he was exceptionally well-endowed, hung like a horse."

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

"She gets off her high horse and apologizes."

"She climbed down from her high horse and admitted that she had been wrong about the issue."

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

"The baby is gentle as a lamb."

"Despite his large size, the dog is as gentle as a lamb and never shows any aggression toward small children."

soon or in a quick manner

"I will be ready in two shakes."

"I will be with you in two shakes as soon as I finish sending this important email."

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

"Don't make a mountain out of a molehill."

"You are making a mountain out of a molehill because it is just a small mistake that can be easily fixed."

a mechanic or someone who works on cars

"The grease monkey works at the local garage."

"The grease monkey emerged from under the car with oil stains all over his coveralls."

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

"He made a monkey out of me."

"She tried to make a monkey out of her colleague by spreading false rumors about him during the important meeting."

marked by the appetites and passions of the body

"His animal nature showed."

"The character's animal nature led him to make impulsive and selfish decisions throughout the story."

to become extremely excited or enthusiastic about something

"They will go ape."

"The crowd began to go ape when their favorite band finally took the stage."

a young female adult

"She is a bird."

"The young bird was eager to explore the world beyond her sheltered upbringing."

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

"He gave the bird."

"In a fit of rage, he gave the rude driver the bird and sped away."

one dollar

"I have one buck."

"He spent his last buck on a lottery ticket and surprisingly won fifty dollars."

a tiny living organism that can cause disease

"There is a bug."

"Health officials warned about a new bug that was causing widespread illness throughout the community."

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

"He will bug you."

"She continued to bug her parents about getting a new phone until they finally agreed."

to find a solution to a problem

"Let's work out this."

"The detectives are working out the complex financial motives behind the elaborate corporate fraud."

a person who is weak and lacks courage

"He is chickenshit."

"Nobody trusts the chickenshit who always runs away from any challenge."

a person who is excessively greedy or selfish

"He is a hog."

"The hog took all the credit, never sharing his success with the team."

a piece of paper money worth one dollar

"Give me a clam."

"He reluctantly handed over a clam to pay for the expensive meal."

an unattractive person, especially a girl or woman

"He is a dog."

"She couldn't believe her friend was dating such a dog, despite his wealth."

someone who is morally reprehensible

"He is a hound."

"The court found the defendant to be a hound, deserving of the harshest punishment."

someone who is keenly aware or observant

"The editor has an eagle eye for spelling mistakes."

"The editor had an eagle eye for typos and caught every single mistake in the manuscript."

a good-looking young person, especially a woman

"He is a fox."

"With his sharp wit and charming smile, he was considered quite a fox in social circles."