Lesson 3 · Street Talk 2 Vocabulary List

used to describe something or someone disappearing completely, often unexpectedly or without a trace, as if vanishing from existence

"The treasure vanished off the face of the earth."

"After the scandal broke, the disgraced politician seemed to disappear off the face of the earth overnight."

to examine something to confirm its quality and accuracy

"Check up on the facts."

"The manager decided to check up on his employees to ensure they were actually working."

to finally reveal or admit the truth about something

"You need to come clean."

"The guilty employee finally decided to come clean and admitted to stealing money from the company cash box."

extremely unwell or tired

"I look like death warmed over."

"After staying up all night studying for the exam I felt like death warmed over this morning."

a situation in which one gets affected by two unpleasant or unfortunate events that happen at once

"Rain and wind: a double whammy."

"Losing my job and then getting sick was a real double whammy that made things incredibly difficult."

to continue for an extended or tedious period, often with no clear resolution or conclusion

"The meeting dragged on for hours."

"The boring meeting seemed to drag on forever without reaching any important decisions or conclusions."

a brief, casual, or uncommitted romantic or sexual relationship, often without long-term intentions or emotional attachment

"They have a brief fling that ends when she leaves."

"The summer fling ended when they both returned to their respective universities in autumn."

to directly tell a person a fact, usually one that is unpleasant

"Give it to me straight."

"Do not try to soften the bad news just give it to me straight because I can handle the truth."

used to greet someone or to capture their attention in a friendly manner

"Hi there! How are you?"

"Hello there, I have not seen you since our high school graduation ceremony many years ago."

to become someone's husband or wife during a special ceremony

"They got hitched last summer."

"After dating for five years, my sister and her boyfriend finally got hitched in a beautiful ceremony."

at the peak or maximum level of performance, engagement, or energy

"The party was in full swing."

"The party was in full swing by midnight with everyone dancing and laughing and having a great time."

used when something is done very soon or very fast

"She finished it in no time."

"The new software was so intuitive that I learned how to use it in no time at all."

to bring a positive change to someone's mood or emotional state

"Music lifts my spirits every day."

"A warm cup of hot chocolate on a rainy day can really lift your spirits and make you feel much better."

to prevent the occurrence or continuation of an activity

"They pulled the plug."

"The investors decided to pull the plug on the failing project after it lost millions of dollars."

to visit or make a brief stay at a place or with someone

"Stop by my office later."

"Please stop by my office later so we can discuss the new project details in person."

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."

something that is finally dealt with and does not bother one anymore

"It's a weight off my mind."

"Finally finishing the final exam was a huge weight off my mind after weeks of intense studying."

the hollow muscular organ located behind the sternum and between the lungs; its rhythmic contractions move the blood through the body

"His ticker is healthy."

"His ticker was weak so the doctors recommended a low fat diet and regular exercise."

a person who is strong, resilient, and determined, often in the face of challenging circumstances

"The old lady is a tough cookie who survived the war."

"The elderly woman was a tough cookie who survived three strokes and still lived independently."

the final outcome of a series of actions, events, or discussions

"The upshot of the argument is that nobody won."

"The upshot of the meeting was that everyone agreed to work overtime for the next two weeks."

used to gain someone's attention, especially when they are at a distance or not paying attention

"Yoo-hoo! I am over here."

"Yoo-hoo! I am over here. Can you see me waving my hand at you now?"

to tell someone some important news, often bad news

"I must break the news."

"The doctor had to break the difficult news to the family about the patient's condition."

to regain consciousness or awaken after being unconscious or asleep

"He will come to soon."

"After fainting from the heat, he slowly began to come to, disoriented and weak."

to emotionally heal and move on from a romantic relationship that has ended

"She will get over him."

"It took her a long time to finally get over the painful breakup and move forward."

to cause a woman to become pregnant

"He knocked up his girlfriend accidentally."

"The teenager was scared that he might have accidentally knocked up his girlfriend despite using protection."

a type of television drama that focuses on the lives, relationships, and struggles of its characters, often with ongoing storylines

"I watch a soap."

"Her favorite pastime was watching the dramatic soap opera unfold each afternoon."

involving risk and uncertainty

"The surgery was touch and go."

"After the accident his condition was touch and go but the doctors managed to save his life."