A Closer Look: Lesson 8 · Street Talk 2 Vocabulary List

a pretty or attractive girl

"She is a Betty."

"The police officer was known as Betty by her colleagues as a term of endearment."

used to describe something that is exceptionally good, impressive, or amazing

"That's bitching!"

"Her performance on stage was absolutely bitching; the crowd went wild with applause."

having a very unpleasant appearance

"That building is butt-ugly."

"The old, dilapidated shed in the backyard was considered butt-ugly by everyone on the street."

to criticize or make negative comments about something or someone

"Don't cap on me."

"He always tries to cap on other people's ideas to make his own seem superior."

to experience a mild high or altered state of mind from consuming drugs

"He caught a buzz at the party."

"After drinking two beers quickly he started to catch a buzz and feel more relaxed at the party."

strong criticism or reprimand, often for something perceived as wrong or controversial

"He took a lot of flak."

"The manager took a lot of flak from upper management after the project failed."

to manage to get some sleep

"I need to catch some Z's."

"I need to catch some Z's before my night shift so please wake me up at ten o'clock."

be lazy or idle

"He bums around the city all day."

"During summer vacation I just want to bum around the house and do nothing productive at all."

to borrow something without intending to repay or to get something from someone without giving anything in return

"He will bum off you."

"She's always trying to bum off rides from her friends instead of taking public transportation."

disappointed, upset, or downhearted about something

"I am bummed about the news."

"She was bummed when her favorite band cancelled their concert because she had been looking forward to it for months."

having no energy or motivation due to excessive work or stress

"The teacher is burned out."

"The burned out teacher took a sabbatical after working for twenty years without a proper break."

to vomit, usually after drinking too much alcohol

"He was driving the porcelain bus all night."

"After drinking too much whiskey he spent the night driving the porcelain bus in the bathroom."

an awkward or nerdy person focused on studies at the expense of social grace

"He acted like a dweeb."

"The shy student, often labeled a dweeb, surprised everyone with his brilliant presentation."

extremely intoxicated, usually from alcohol or drugs

"He was very faced."

"After the party, he was so faced that he could barely stand up or speak coherently."

an eccentric or unreliable person

"He is a flake who never shows up on time."

"He was a flake who promised to help but never showed up when needed."

to become extremely upset, agitated, or overwhelmed by fear, anxiety, or excitement

"Do not freak out about the exam."

"The little boy started to freak out when he saw a large spider crawling on his arm."

to consume a beverage, usually a carbonated or alcoholic one, quickly and in large gulps

"He chugged the entire bottle of soda."

"The exhausted runner stopped to chug an entire bottle of water after finishing the marathon because he had not drunk anything for the last two hours."

lacking knowledge, understanding, or awareness about a particular situation or subject

"He is clueless about the topic."

"The clueless tourist walked into a dangerous neighborhood and had no idea why people were staring at him."

to skip or intentionally miss a class, typically without an acceptable excuse

"Do not cut class again."

"The lazy students decided to cut class and go to the mall instead of attending the boring lecture."

a silly, scatterbrained, or unintelligent person, often used in a lighthearted or teasing manner

"She is such a ditz."

"Don't worry too much about her mistake; she's a bit of a ditz sometimes."

a person who is considered socially awkward, unpopular, or lacking in coolness, often due to excessive enthusiasm for unfashionable interests or poor social skills

"The kids called him a dork."

"The kids called him a dork because he wore his calculator on his belt every day."

marked by a painfully slow and effortful manner

"The day is dragging."

"The dragging pace of the movie made her fall asleep twice before the boring plot finally ended."

a foolish, silly, or socially awkward person

"That goober forgot his lunch."

"The goober slipped on a banana peel and fell flat on his back in the cafeteria."

having consumed excessive alcohol to the point of extreme intoxication

"He got hammered last night."

"He got hammered at the party and his friends had to carry him home safely."

to express contempt or disrespect to a person by showing one's naked backside to them

"He will hang a BA."

"During the protest, one angry student decided to hang a BA at the dean, which got him suspended from the university immediately."

an abrupt and strong desire to eat something

"He got the munchies late at night."

"After smoking marijuana he got the munchies and ate an entire bag of potato chips."

an involuntary spasm of ineffectual vomiting

"He felt a heave."

"The ship began to heave violently in the rough seas causing many passengers to feel seasick."

used to describe something that is extremely large or impressive

"That is a honking big truck."

"The honking skyscraper dominated the city skyline, a truly impressive feat of modern architecture."

***an aggressive exclamation of triumph said after the speaker has defeated one or proven one wrong. Although rude, the phrase is often used jocularly, without actual hostility

"I told you so, in your face!"

"After winning the debate, he couldn't resist shouting, "In your face!" to his opponent."

used to tell someone to change their life style and start doing more exciting or important things

"Get a life now!"

"Instead of constantly complaining about others, you should really get a life and find some hobbies."

to be put in an embarrassing situation, especially due to being manipulated or tricked

"He was moded by his friend."

"He felt completely moded when his friends revealed the elaborate prank they had planned for his birthday."

to grab and pull a person's underwear or pants to make it get stuck between their buttocks, often as a prank

"He gave her a melvin."

"As a mean prank at summer camp, one boy gave another a melvin, and the counselor had to intervene quickly."

used to encourage someone to try their best in doing or achieving what they want

"You can do it!"

"You have a real chance to win the competition, so go for it with all your might!"

exceptionally good or impressive

"That performance was on hit."

"The on hit wonder band never released another successful song after their first single became famous."

said of a woman who is behaving very angrily and cannot be reasoned with, due to being in her menstruation period

"She is on the rag today."

"She snapped at everyone in the office and later explained she was on the rag and feeling particularly irritable that day."

on the verge of leaving or departing from a place

"We are leaving now."

"The party was boring so I told my friends let us get out of here and go somewhere else."

to continue to have fun, often associated with a carefree or celebratory attitude

"Let's party on tonight!"

"The crowd decided to party on until the sun came up even though the neighbors complained loudly."

someone who is considered to be of very low social status or morally reprehensible

"The bully is pond scum."

"The cheating politician was called pond scum by the angry voters at the town hall meeting."

used to indicate that one has deceived or tricked someone, often in a playful or mocking manner

"Psych! Just kidding. Fooled you!"

"Psych! Just kidding. Fooled you! I was only pretending to give you the money."

to stay awake all night, usually to study, work, or complete a task

"I pulled an all-nighter to study."

"I had to pull an all nighter to finish my essay because the deadline was tomorrow morning."

to treat someone in a cruel or unfair way, often by deceiving them or manipulating them

"Stop jerking around and get serious."

"Stop jerking me around and tell me the truth about what really happened last night."

(used of sexual behavior) showing or appealing to bizarre or deviant tastes

"They have kinky ideas."

"The couple explored some kinky fantasies during their private time together, seeking unique experiences."

*** 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 emphasize something that is extremely large, intense, or significant

"That is mondo cool."

"That is mondo cool and I have never seen anything like it before in my life."

used to say that something is not important or is not a problem

"No biggie. It is not a problem."

"No biggie. It is not a problem, so do not worry about it. Everything is fine now."

six-pack of beer

"He ordered a sixer of beer."

"A sixer of beer was just enough for him to watch the game without getting too drunk."

an unattractive or undesirable woman

"She is a real skag."

"The group of friends avoided the woman they considered a skag because of her rude behavior."

to mentally disconnect and lose awareness of one's surroundings

"She spaces out during long boring lectures."

"I tend to space out during long meetings when the topic does not interest me at all."

to criticize or complain about someone or something in a persistent or annoying manner

"Do not rag on your little brother."

"The older kids constantly rag on the younger ones for no good reason at all."

the act or practice of stealing

"That was a rip."

"The politician was investigated for the rip of public funds during his term in office."

to observe and examine something or someone carefully in order to gain information or assess a situation

"Let us scope out the competition first."

"We need to scope out the area before the concert to find the best place to stand."

to cheat, betray, or unfairly ruin someone's chances or situation

"Do not screw over your loyal customers."

"I cannot believe he would screw over his own best friend for a little bit of money."

a person considered disgusting, vile, or repellent

"That scuzzbucket is here."

"The scuzzbucket left dirty dishes in the sink for three weeks before his roommate finally washed them."

to display an air of defiance, arrogance, or annoyance, often in response to a situation

"Do not throw attitude at me."

"The teenager threw attitude at her mother when asked to clean her messy room for the third time."

to empty what is in one's stomach through one's mouth

"I tossed my cookies."

"The rough seas caused many passengers to toss their cookies over the side of the ship."

to relax without doing much activity

"I veg out on the couch weekends."

"After a long week of work I just want to veg out on the couch and watch movies."

used to describe someone who is mentally or physically disoriented, exhausted, or in a state of confusion, often due to the influence of drugs, alcohol, or extreme tiredness

"He felt wacked after the party."

"After staying up for three days straight, he felt completely wacked and struggled to form coherent thoughts."

to become very upset, anxious, or act irrationally due to stress or overwhelming emotions

"She wigs out when seeing spiders."

"My mom will totally wig out when she sees the mess we made in the kitchen."

weak and ineffectual

"He is a wimpy kid."

"The wimpy boy could not open the jar because his arms were too weak and he had to ask his father for help."

a person regarded as weak, timid, or lacking courage, especially seen as unmanly

"He is called a wuss for being afraid of a tiny spider."

"The coach called him a wuss for being afraid of the tackle during football practice."

a person who is perceived as weak, cowardly, or overly sensitive

"Do not be such a wussy."

"The boys called him a wussy because he cried during the sad movie about a dying dog."

to vomit or throw up, often used informally or humorously

"He will yack later."

"After eating the spoiled food, he felt sick and had to yack in the nearest restroom."

to attempt to gain favor or approval from someone in a position of authority by engaging in actions or saying things to please them

"Do not suck up to the teacher."

"The new employee constantly sucks up to the boss hoping to get a promotion soon."

to try to be calm and relaxed and possibly rest

"You should take it easy."

"After a long and stressful week, she decided to take it easy and relax at home."

to vomit a lot and in length

"He is talking to Ralph on the big white phone."

"After too many drinks he spent an hour talking to Ralph on the big white phone in the bathroom."

extremely tired or exhausted, often due to physical exertion or overwork

"I am trashed after work."

"After hiking for eight hours in the mountains, we were completely trashed and just wanted to sleep."

said to angrily ask a person to stop staring at one

"Stop staring — take a picture, it lasts longer!"

"When he noticed the stranger staring intently, he sarcastically said, "Take a picture, it'll last longer!""

to perform extremely well in something, especially a test

"She aces her final exam easily."

"She studied for weeks and managed to ace her final exam in chemistry with a perfect score."

an object or thing that is considered precious, small, or important, often used affectionately or possessively

"This is my baby."

"She looked at the intricate handcrafted jewelry, calling it her little baby."

to leave or exit a situation, typically quickly or unexpectedly

"We must bail."

"When the police arrived, they decided to bail from the premises immediately."

related to the flight or motion of objects that are propelled or shot, especially bullets, missiles, or projectiles

"The missile is ballistic."

"The ballistic missile travels at very high speed and it follows a curved path toward its target."

very easy to do or accomplish

"The job was easy."

"The cake assignment was so easy that the students finished it in ten minutes without any help."

a man who is much concerned with his dress and appearance

"He is a dude."

"The fashion show featured a male model, a true dude with impeccable taste and style."

to be in trouble, especially due to one's own actions or mistakes

"I am in dust."

"After the failed business venture, he found himself in dust, regretting his impulsive decisions."

used to describe something that is cool or fashionable

"That shirt is fly."

"His new sneakers were incredibly fly, and everyone at school wanted a pair just like them."

to perform poorly or fail unexpectedly when winning or favored to win

"He will choke."

"The star player seemed to choke under the immense pressure of the championship game."

to go to bed or fall asleep quickly

"I will crash now."

"After a long day of hiking, he was so exhausted that he was ready to crash immediately."

to seek a casual sexual encounter in a public place, typically between gay men

"He likes to cruise."

"In the dimly lit bar, he was known to cruise, hoping to find a companion for the evening."

to playfully and energetically behave in a noisy and silly manner, particularly to make someone laugh

"The children cut up."

"The children loved to cut up in class, making their teacher laugh with their silly antics."

extremely impressive or exciting

"The music is dope."

"The dope new song was playing on every radio station and people could not get it out of their heads."

to drink completely, often in one go

"He will down the drink."

"He decided to down the entire glass of water in one go to quench his intense thirst."

dangerous or scary, usually in an exciting way

"That was hairy!"

"Navigating the treacherous mountain pass during the storm was a hairy experience, but ultimately exhilarating."

to flirt with someone, often with romantic or sexual intentions

"Strangers often hit on her at bars."

"The man at the bar tried to hit on her but she was not interested at all."

used to describe something that is terrific, impressive, or new in a cool or exciting way

"This is fresh!"

"The innovative design of the new smartphone was incredibly fresh and exciting."

intoxicated by drugs or alcohol

"He looks fried."

"After the all-night party, he appeared completely fried, struggling to stay awake and coherent."

in a way that provides or includes everything necessary

"The house is fully furnished."

"I fully understand what you are saying and I promise to take your advice into consideration."

fashionable in a way that is modern, unconventional, and exciting

"That's funky!"

"Her eclectic style, blending vintage and modern pieces, was undeniably funky and eye-catching."

to fully relax and enjoy oneself, often with a sense of carefree and unrestrained enjoyment

"Let's get down tonight."

"The entire crowd started to get down on the dance floor as the DJ played the latest hits."

to express one's anger or irritation toward the person who caused it

"Don't go off."

"When he realized his mistake, he tried not to go off on his colleague."

to heat or cook food rapidly using a microwave oven

"He nuked his leftovers in the microwave."

"You can nuke the frozen vegetables in the microwave for two minutes if you are in a hurry and do not have time to cook them properly on the stove."

to move quickly or with urgency

"We must jam."

"With the deadline approaching, the team had to jam to finish the project on time."

serious and of great importance

"This is major."

"The major hurricane caused widespread destruction along the coast and forced thousands of residents to evacuate their homes."

extremely intoxicated, often appearing clumsy, unsteady, or lacking coordination

"He is sloppy."

"After consuming a considerable amount of alcohol, he became quite sloppy and had trouble walking."

a person who is perceived as being absent-minded or out of touch with reality

"The space cadet forgot the meeting."

"He often seemed like a space cadet, staring out the window and completely missing what was happening around him."

something that is considered cute, small, or endearing

"What a puppy!"

"The tiny, fluffy kitten was undeniably a puppy, melting everyone's hearts with its cuteness."

very great in degree

"It's royal fun."

"The queen's diamond necklace was of royal magnificence, glittering under the chandeliers."

impressive or large in size, amount, or quality

"That's serious money."

"The company reported a serious increase in profits during the last fiscal quarter."

a person who is not married or in a committed relationship

"He is single."

"After years of dating, she decided to remain single and focus on her career."

heavily intoxicated by alcohol, often to the point of being impaired or unconscious

"He was wasted."

"After the party, he was completely wasted and had to be helped home by friends."

feeling nervous, excited, or unable to relax

"She felt wired before the exam."

"The strong coffee made him feel so wired that he couldn't sit still for even a moment."