Motion & Departure, Food & Eating, Diner & Kitchen Lingo and 4 More Topics · English Slang: Daily Life

while moving or in the middle of doing something

"He fixed it on the fly."

"The chef had to improvise and create a new dish on the fly when a key ingredient was missing."

to approach or sneak up on someone, often with the intention of confronting or harming them

"They rolled up on the party late."

"The police cruiser rolled up on the group of teenagers who were hanging out late at night in the park."

to move or travel in a large group

"They rolled deep into the party with ten friends."

"The famous rapper always rolls deep with his security team and many friends wherever he goes."

to package, secure, or gather items, often into a bag

"Bag up the groceries please."

"The cashier helped the customer bag up all of her groceries and carry them to the car."

to come over or visit someone, often casually

"Can you slide through?"

"Hey, I'm in the neighborhood, can I slide through for a quick chat later this afternoon?"

to visit a place or someone without a prior arrangement, often casually and briefly

"Drop in for coffee sometime."

"Please feel free to drop in for a cup of coffee whenever you are in the neighborhood."

to leave or go away, often used as a dismissive command

"The bouncer told the troublemaker to kick rocks."

"The angry coach told the lazy player to kick rocks because he was tired of his bad attitude."

to move hurriedly, especially to escape or to leave a place abruptly

"Scram before the teacher catches you."

"The angry shopkeeper yelled at the teenagers to scram and never come back to his store ever again."

to make a quick, casual visit

"Swing by my office later."

"I will swing by your office later this afternoon to pick up the documents that you have prepared for me."

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."

to deliberately avoid someone or something, often in a social context

"He will swerve him."

"She learned to swerve the persistent salesperson by taking a different route home."

to leave, quit, or abandon a place or situation

"He will dip."

"When the pressure became too much, he decided to dip from the demanding project."

to leave or exit quickly, often suddenly

"He will bounce."

"After causing a scene, the unruly patron was asked to bounce immediately."

to go or travel somewhere, often to meet someone

"I will pull up."

"Let's pull up to the cafe later this afternoon to catch up."

someone who is very interested in cooking and trying different food

"The foodie tried the new restaurant."

"The foodie traveled to different cities specifically to eat at Michelin starred restaurants."

a food or a meal, especially in an informal or casual setting

"Let's get some chow."

"After a long hike, we were all ready for some hearty chow at the local diner."

tasty or delicious food

"This food is nom."

"The chef's signature dish was so incredibly flavorful that everyone agreed it was pure nom."

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."

to eat large amounts of carbohydrate-rich food before exercise or athletic events

"I always carbo-load before running."

"The night before the marathon, the athletes decided to carbo-load by eating huge plates of pasta and bread."

side items, toppings, or condiments served with a main dish

"The burger had all the fixins."

"The burger bar offered all the fixins including lettuce tomato onion pickles and special sauce."

a sudden craving or urge to eat snacks

"The snack attack hit him at midnight."

"The late night snack attack drove him to eat three leftover tacos and a bowl of ice cream."

a hot dog

"He grilled a glizzy at the cookout."

"The cook threw another glizzy on the grill for the hungry customer waiting at the counter."

to eat a large amount of food, often messily

"We pigged out on pizza last night."

"The friends decided to pig out on pizza and ice cream during the movie marathon."

to eat something very quickly

"He scarfed down his entire lunch."

"The hungry child scarfed down his entire lunch in just a few minutes so he could go outside to play."

a day when someone temporarily abandons their diet to eat freely

"Sunday is his cheat day."

"On his cheat day he ate pizza donuts and ice cream without feeling guilty about the calories."

to satisfy a craving or desire, especially for food or drink

"This soup really hits the spot."

"After a long and exhausting day at work, a cold glass of lemonade was exactly what I needed to hit the spot."

snacks or small amounts of food

"He had a late night munch."

"He had the munch late at night and raided the pantry for chips cookies and crackers."

a light snack or bite to eat, especially one enjoyed casually

"There is tasty nosh at the reception."

"Nosh was Yiddish derived slang for a snack or light meal."

food, often casual or simple meals

"The campers cooked grub over the fire."

"Grub was informal slang for food often used humorously."

to eat something quickly and with enthusiasm, often implying the consumption of a large quantity

"He will house it."

"The hungry child proceeded to house the entire pizza in under five minutes."

a hot dog cooked in hot oil until its skin splits open

"Ripper is deep fried hot dog."

"The ripper was a hot dog deep fried until the casing ripped open exposing the meat."

to cancel a customer's order

"The kitchen had to 86 it."

"The restaurant ran out of salmon, so the manager told the staff to 86 that item from the menu for the rest of the evening."

a very well-done or overcooked burger

"The burger was hockey puck."

"I ordered my burger medium-rare, but what I received was a dry, overcooked hockey puck."

a small, inexpensive diner, often serving fried or simple food

"The greasy spoon diner opens at 6 AM."

"The greasy spoon diner opens at six am and serves cheap fried breakfasts to construction workers."

a cheap, simple, or no-frills eatery

"He made a quick-and-dirty fix."

"The quick and dirty fix held the pipe together long enough for the plumber to arrive."

a small hotel or guesthouse that provides the residents with a resting place and breakfast

"We stayed at a bed and breakfast."

"We stayed at a lovely bed and breakfast during our holiday in the countryside last summer."

overwhelmed by too many customer orders

"The waiter was in the weeds with too many tables."

"The busy waiter was in the weeds because his section was full of customers all needing attention at once."

coffee

"He needs his morning java."

"He needed his morning java before he could even think about having a conversation with anyone."

to prepare a carry-out order

"Let's put wheels on it."

"We're running late for our meeting, so let's put wheels on this lunch order and get it to go."

(of a fried egg) cooked on one side without flipping

"My eggs are sunny-side up."

"I like my eggs sunny side up with the yolk runny and bright yellow."

having all the standard toppings or extras, especially on a sandwich

"I want it with the works."

"For my birthday, I decided to treat myself to a loaded baked potato with the works, including all the fixings."

a tradition of eating tacos on Tuesdays, sometimes promoted by restaurants

"It's Taco Tuesday!"

"Many families look forward to Taco Tuesday as a fun and easy weeknight meal tradition."

lacking excitement or movement

"The party was dead."

"The abandoned amusement park had a dead atmosphere, filled only with silence and decay."

to cook something thoroughly or to a preferred well-done state

"Burn the steak."

"Please ensure you burn the chicken thoroughly to avoid any undercooked portions."

used to tell someone to ignore or disregard something that was just said

"Scratch that. Forget what I said."

"Scratch that. Forget what I said because I have changed my mind about the whole plan."

to ruin a situation through mistakes or poor judgment

"Do not screw up this opportunity."

"Do not screw up this important opportunity because it may be the only chance you ever get."

to cause feelings of unease or revulsion

"That creepy guy skeeves me out."

"The creepy behavior of the stranger at the bus stop really skeeved out the young woman who was waiting alone."

to infer the meaning of a word from its context

"He tried to glark the meaning."

"It took me a while to glark the meaning of his cryptic message but eventually I figured it out."

a person, thing, or event that recalls or resembles something from the past

"The photo was a throwback to 2010."

"The photo was a throwback to their college days when they had much less responsibility and more hair."

in a mental state of focused concentration on an activity

"The basketball player was in the zone and scored every shot."

"The basketball player was in the zone and scored twenty points in the first quarter alone."

to fully understand something difficult, complicated, or strange

"I can't wrap my head around it."

"It took scientists years to wrap their minds around the complex theory that fundamentally changed our understanding of the universe."

to become aware of or adapt to modern trends, ideas, or ways of thinking

"My grandfather refuses to get with the times and use a smartphone."

"The old man finally got with the times and bought himself a smartphone to use the internet."

a claim or right to something, usually made before others can claim it

"I have dibs on the front seat."

"He called dibs on the front seat of the car by shouting his claim before anyone else could."

to ignore or undervalue someone or something

"Don't sleep on it."

"Many underestimated the small startup, but they would eventually sleep on its potential for disruption."

to suddenly begin to realize or understand something

"It will click."

"After hours of confusion, the complex puzzle suddenly began to click into place."

to notice, register, or recognize something

"I clock him."

"She quickly clocked the subtle change in his demeanor when the sensitive topic arose."

to say, especially used when one is orally narrating something

"He will go."

"The narrator will go on to explain the intricate details of the ancient ritual."

a BMW car

"He drives a black bimmer."

"The BMW enthusiast lovingly called his car bimmer and waxed it every weekend."

a BMW motorcycle

"The beemer is a classic model."

"He rode his beemer to the coast every summer for the annual motorcycle rally."

a car that has been modified to sit lower to the ground, often with customized features

"The lowrider bounces up and down with hydraulics."

"The lowrider cruised slowly down the boulevard with its hydraulic suspension bouncing rhythmically."

a person who is very enthusiastic about cars, trucks, or motorcycles

"The motorhead rebuilt the engine himself."

"The motorhead could identify any car by the sound of its engine alone."

a motorcycle handlebar positioned higher than the rider's shoulders, usually used in the plural form

"The motorcycle had apehanger handlebars."

"The custom chopper had apehanger handlebars that forced the rider to reach up high while driving."

a Lamborghini car

"The Lambo roared down the street."

"He dreamed of owning a Lambo but could barely afford to keep his old sedan running."

used to imitate the sound of a tire screeching

"Skrrt! I am leaving fast now."

"Skrrt! I am leaving fast now because I am in a hurry, and I do not have time to waste."

a cyclist who rides primarily on paved roads rather than off-road or trails

"He is a roadie."

"The experienced roadie easily navigated the winding mountain passes on his lightweight bicycle."

to board a vehicle, such as a bus, train, or tram

"Hop on the bus."

"We can hop on the next train to get to the city center quickly."

to get off a vehicle, such as a bus, train, or tram

"Hop off at the stop."

"Please tell me when to hop off the bus so I don't miss my intended destination."

to make a left turn while driving or walking

"You need to hang a left at the next traffic light."

"The taxi driver told me to hang a left at the next traffic light to reach the hotel."

to make a right turn while driving or walking

"Hang a right after the gas station."

"You need to hang a right at the gas station and then drive straight for two miles."

to take the front passenger seat in a vehicle such as a car or truck

"I will sit shotgun in the front seat."

"I called shotgun so I get to sit in the front seat while my brother has to sit in the back."

to completely destroy a vehicle, making it beyond repair

"The car will total."

"If the damage is too severe, the insurance company will declare the vehicle a total loss."

a car, often stylish, impressive, or high-end

"He showed off his new whip."

"He showed off his new whip by driving slowly through the neighborhood with the windows down."

the dashboard lights on a car that illuminate when there is a mechanical or electrical problem

"The christmas tree is on."

"A blinking christmas tree on the dashboard indicated a serious issue with the vehicle's engine."

a vehicle, usually a car, often implying personal ownership or style

"Nice ride."

"He arrived at the party in his vintage convertible, a truly impressive ride."

to give someone a ride or to pick someone up in a vehicle

"I will swoop you."

"The pilot decided to swoop down and give the stranded hikers a much-needed ride."

to pass or overtake another vehicle, often quickly or decisively

"He will shut down the car."

"The race car driver managed to shut down his competitor on the final lap."

to buy or obtain something, often clothing or merchandise

"He copped the new sneakers today."

"He managed to cop a pair of the limited edition sneakers before they sold out completely within minutes."

the practice of rationalizing spending as justified, minimal, or harmless

"Girl math made the purchase seem free."

"Her girl math convinced her that returning a fifty dollar shirt justified buying a hundred dollar dress."

a cheaper or imitation version of a designer or high-end product

"The store brand is a dupe."

"She found a dupe of the expensive serum at the drugstore for a fraction of the price."

a collection of recent purchases, often shared in videos or on social media

"She showed off her shopping haul."

"She posted a video of her haul showing all the clothes shoes and bags she bought at the mall."

a shopping trip focused on hunting for deals, bargains, or rare items

"The weekend shopping trip was a retail safari."

"The shopping trip was a retail safari through the outlet mall looking for bargains on designer brands."

a purchase made spontaneously or on a whim, without prior planning

"The candy was an impulse buy."

"The candy bar at the checkout was an impulse buy that added unnecessary calories and cost."

someone who browses, observes, or inspects without intending to buy

"The looky-loo left without buying."

"The looky loo stared through the store window but never went inside to actually buy anything."

to go shopping, often for clothing, sometimes implying a shopping spree

"She went to the mall to pop tags on some new jeans."

"The excited shoppers went to the mall to pop tags and buy new clothes for the upcoming party."

the practice of buying thrifted clothing and reselling or upcycling it to increase its value or style

"She makes money from thrift flipping."

"She made money thrift flipping by buying old furniture cheap and reselling it after refinishing."

the act of shopping to improve one's mood or alleviate stress

"Shopping is retail therapy."

"Many people engage in retail therapy to temporarily relieve stress and boost their mood after a difficult day."

to engage in excessive shopping, often until physically exhausted

"On vacation, we shop till you drop."

"My sister loves to shop till you drop on Black Friday when all the stores have huge sales."

to store or preserve clothing or sneakers in their original packaging for future use or resale

"He deadstocks his rare shoes."

"The serious collector prefers to deadstock his rare shoes and never actually wear them at all."

a nickname for Toledo, Ohio, referencing its history in the glass industry

"Toledo is known as Glass City."

"Toledo was known as Glass City because of its long history of glass manufacturing and industry."

the rural, Appalachian regions of Pennsylvania

"The rural area was called Pennsyltucky."

"Rural parts of Pennsylvania were sometimes called Pennsyltucky because of their conservative and remote character."

a nickname for Idaho, referencing its large potato production

"Idaho is the Potato State."

"Idaho was nicknamed the Potato State because it produced more potatoes than any other state."

Manhattan, the central borough of New York City

"He works in the City."

"Many tourists visit the City to see famous landmarks like Times Square and Central Park."

a nickname for Texas A&M University and its surrounding community

"Texas A&M students call it Aggieland."

"Texas A and M University was nicknamed Aggieland by students and alumni who loved their school."

exactly in a place, especially the middle

"He landed smack dab in the middle."

"He landed smack dab in the middle of the mud puddle and got completely soaked and dirty."

an address

"The friend shared her addy."

"She updated her addy on all her accounts after moving to the new apartment across town."

to send or share a location, usually via a map app

"I dropped the pin on my map so I could find the spot later."

"The hiker dropped the pin on his phone to mark the location where they had set up their camp."

a place where someone temporarily stays or sleeps

"The crash pad has a couch."

"The apartment was just a crash pad where he slept between shifts at the hospital."

a place or group where rumors and gossip spread quickly

"The office gossip mill never stops."

"Gossip mill at work spread rumors about layoffs causing unnecessary panic among employees."

a neighborhood, often referring to an urban or rough area

"He grew up in the hood."

"Despite its rough reputation, the hood has a strong sense of community."

a place, such as a bar, club, or restaurant

"Meet at the joint."

"This cozy little joint on the corner is known for its delicious homemade pasta."