Lesson 10 · Street Talk 2 Vocabulary List

to increase the intensity, energy, or power of something

"The band will amp up the energy."

"The band decided to amp up the energy of their performance by adding loud guitar riffs and fast drum beats."

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 express excitement, frustration, or emphasis, often in a casual or friendly manner, commonly used in informal speech

"Brah, that was awesome!"

"Brah, I can't believe we actually won the championship after all that hard work!"

a close male friend or buddy

"Hey bro, come here!"

"Hey bro can you help me move this couch to the other side of the room?"

used to express excitement, enthusiasm, or joy, often associated with surfers

"Cowabunga, dude! Let us surf the waves!"

"Cowabunga, dude! Let us surf the big waves today because the ocean is perfect for it."

to concentrate and direct all one's effort, attention, and focus toward achieving a particular goal

"Dial in your focus."

"To win the championship, the athletes had to dial in their training and eliminate all distractions."

to make a mistake or mess up

"He ate the cookie."

"During the important presentation, the intern accidentally deleted the entire file, really eating the cookie."

very good in quality or other traits

"Her work is excellent."

"The excellent service at the restaurant made the dining experience even better than the delicious food."

a simple, hearty, and often rustic meal, typically a stew or a dish made with basic ingredients like meat and vegetables

"We ate some grunts."

"The campers enjoyed a hearty meal of grunts cooked over the open fire."

(surfing) a maneuver where the surfer rides along the top edge of a wave, often with the board slightly above the wave's surface

"That was a lip floater."

"The surfer executed a perfect lip floater, gliding along the wave's edge with grace."

(of water waves) exceptionally large, powerful, and perfect for surfing

"The waves are macking."

"The surfers were thrilled to see the macking waves rolling in, promising an epic day."

the degree of coldness in the air, often used when describing a chilly or biting wind

"Feel the nip factor."

"The nip factor made the morning air feel much colder than the actual temperature reading."

a woman considered foolish or lacking intelligence

"She acted like a wilma."

"The teacher patiently explained the concept again to the student who seemed to be a wilma."

overwhelmed, exhausted, or mentally drained

"The kids are zooed out."

"After a long week of intense studying and exams, the students were completely zooed out and needed a break."

to closely examine to see if someone is suitable or something is true

"Let's check out."

"We need to check out the new restaurant downtown to see if it's worth the hype."

a word that we use to call a man

"That dude is very friendly."

"The dude helped me carry my bag home."

having an off-putting or objectionable nature

"That is gnarly."

"The politician's gnarly comments during the debate alienated a significant portion of the electorate."

(surfing) the hollow part of a wave that forms a tube or barrel when breaking

"The surfer rode the green room."

"He disappeared into the hollow green room of the breaking wave, an exhilarating tube ride."

(surfing) a long, powerful wave that breaks consistently, often providing a smooth, challenging ride for surfers

"This is a good grinder wave."

"The long, powerful grinder provided a consistently smooth and challenging ride for the experienced surfer."

extremely impressive or extraordinary

"That trick was insane!"

"Her performance was absolutely insane, showcasing a level of skill rarely seen in the sport."