Lesson 1, Lesson 4, Lesson 5 and 12 More Topics · Street Talk 3 Vocabulary List

to make a situation appear much bigger or more serious than it actually is

"Don't blow it out."

"He has a tendency to blow every minor inconvenience out of proportion, making it seem like a disaster."

to suddenly start sweating

"I broke out in a sweat."

"The nervous speaker broke out in a sweat as soon as he walked onto the big stage."

to produce correct musical sounds by one's voive voice

"She can carry a tune."

"Even though he's tone-deaf, he can still carry a tune when singing in the shower."

a chance or opportunity given to a person equally as others

"Give me a fair shake."

"The new employee just wants a fair shake and the opportunity to prove himself to the management team."

to suddenly and violently express one's anger

"He went off end."

"When he discovered his car had been scratched, he went off the deep end and started shouting."

to have no chance of achieving success

"He has no prayer."

"Given the overwhelming competition, the small startup didn't have a single prayer of securing the contract."

to convince someone to do something they do not want to do

"He talked me into buying the car."

"My friend talked me into buying concert tickets even though I initially thought they were too expensive."

used to say that a specific action or event has pushed a situation to a point where it is no longer bearable or has become extremely serious

"That does it! I am leaving now."

"That does it! I am leaving now because I have had enough of this."

experiencing many difficulties or challenges

"He put me through the wringer."

"The poor woman has been through the wringer this year with a divorce a job loss and an illness."

to stop behaving foolishly or recklessly and gain full control of one's emotions and thoughts

"She got a grip on herself quickly."

"After the embarrassing outburst at the meeting, he took a deep breath and finally got a grip on himself before speaking again."

used to indicate that something is the final frustration before a breaking point

"He lied to me again — that tears it, I am done."

"The second data breach in a year — that tears it, said the board, and the CEO was asked to resign."

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."

used to indicate extreme disgust, anger, or disapproval toward something unpleasant or morally offensive

"Gag me! That is so disgusting!"

"Gag me! That is so disgusting. I think I am going to be sick if I look at it."

to excessively flatter or be overly submissive to someone, usually in an attempt to gain favor or advantages

"Do not kiss up to the teacher."

"The lazy employee is always kissing up to the boss to avoid getting in trouble for his poor work."

to work with other people toward a common goal

"Let's pull together."

"The team decided to pull together, combining their efforts to achieve the ambitious project deadline."

react in an excited, delighted, or surprised way

"She flips out excitedly."

"My father will flip out when he sees the dent I made in his brand new car."

left with no energy or patience to deal with something

"I am at my end's rope."

"After dealing with the constant problems, the teacher was at the end of her rope."

as loud as one is capable of

"He shouted at his top's lungs."

"The crowd cheered at the top of their lungs when the team scored the winning goal."

to not say something, against one's wish, in order to avoid causing an argument or upsetting someone

"You should learn to bite your tongue."

"She wanted to tell him the truth but decided to bite her tongue and stay silent instead."

(of a process or event) without encountering any problems, difficulties, or obstacles

"The event went without its hitch."

"The wedding ceremony proceeded without a hitch, much to the relief of the happy couple."

to happen smoothly, without any problems or difficulties

"The trip went without its snag."

"We are hoping the entire moving process will go without a snag tomorrow morning."

to continue trying to succeed regardless of difficulties or challenges

"Hang in there, friend."

"Even though the project was challenging, she encouraged her team to hang in there and finish it."

to have a lot of fun and really enjoy oneself

"I had the time of my life."

"During their vacation in Hawaii, the family had the time of their lives exploring the island."

used to refer to someone who is extremely thin, often in an unattractive and unhealthy way

"The stray dog was all skin and bone."

"After being lost in the forest for two weeks the poor dog was nothing but skin and bone."

to get no sleep

"I did not sleep a wink."

"The baby's crying all night meant that she did not sleep a wink."

to sleep very deeply

"I slept like a log."

"After hiking all day, I slept like a log and didn't wake up until morning."

someone or something that looks exactly like another person or thing

"He is the spitting image."

"The young actor is the spitting image of his famous father from years ago."

to deliberately delay or avoid talking about the main point

"Stop beating around the bush."

"Instead of beating around the bush, please tell me directly what the problem is."

to become very dangerous or problematic in a way that demands immediate action

"The crisis came to a head."

"The long-standing dispute between the two countries finally came to a head last week."

to eat so much of food available in someone's house so that there is little or none left

"They ate us out."

"The teenagers ate my brother out of house and home during their week-long visit, leaving almost no food in the fridge."

(of information, advice, etc.) to not be taken seriously and hence immediately forgotten

"Advice went in one ear."

"He never listens to my advice; it just goes in one ear and out the other."

the condition of being completely unclothed

"He was in his birthday suit."

"The children giggled when they saw their dad running around the garden in his birthday suit."

to provide someone with sufficient and relevant information regarding someone or something

"Keep me posted."

"Please keep me posted on the progress of the project as soon as you have any updates."

to tell people what to do in a forceful and authoritative manner

"The boss laid down the law."

"The new manager had to lay down the law regarding punctuality and attendance."

to make oneself feel relaxed and comfortable without caring for formalities

"Make yourself at home."

"Please make yourself at home and help yourself to anything you need."

the final and decisive event or action that pushes someone beyond their tolerance or patience, leading to a significant reaction or decision

"That was the straw."

"After weeks of constant delays and poor communication, the final straw was when they lost my luggage entirely."

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 be irritating or annoying for someone

"It will get you."

"The constant noise from the construction site really started to get on my nerves."

used to refer to someone who is not covered with any clothing

"We watched a documentary about nature in the raw."

"The documentary showed nature in the raw including animals hunting and killing each other for survival."

without one knowing or approving

"He spoke behind my back."

"It's disrespectful to gossip about your colleagues behind their backs."

dressed in fancy or formal clothing

"She was dolled up."

"For the wedding, she arrived at the venue looking beautifully dolled up in her finest attire."

used to describe someone who is dressed up in a very fashionable way to draw attention

"He was dressed to kill."

"He arrived at the party dressed to kill, hoping to impress everyone with his stylish outfit."

to get people to praise one, often by pretending not to be happy with oneself

"Stop fishing for compliments."

"She always fishes for compliments by saying she looks tired, hoping someone will disagree."

to criticize or nag someone persistently

"Don't get on my case."

"My boss is always getting on my case about deadlines, even when I'm working hard."

to make someone really mad by constantly doing something that angers or annoys them

"That loud music is getting on my nerves."

"The constant sound of the construction work outside is starting to get on my nerves."

to complete a task or activity with thoroughness, efficiency, and speed, often suggesting a focused and diligent approach

"They went to town."

"We need to go to town on this project if we want to finish it by Friday."

to use all of one's energy, resources, determination, or strength to do something

"They went all out."

"For her birthday, they decided to go all out and throw a surprise party with a live band."

to try very hard and do everything that is possible to succeed in something

"We must pull out all the stops."

"To ensure the project's success, the team decided to pull out all the stops."

(of a person) to be completely ignored, usually in a system or process

"He fell through the cracks."

"Without proper follow-up, vulnerable individuals can easily fall through the cracks of the social services system."

*** a bar at a social event where guests are required to pay for the drinks themselves

"It's a no host bar."

"The invitation specified it would be a no host bar, so guests should be prepared to purchase their own beverages."

a day on which one feels unattractive, particularly due to one's hair not looking as well as it should

"I am having a bad hair day."

"She was having a bad hair day so she wore a hat to cover her messy hair."

to wholeheartedly believe in a set of ideas

"I don't buy into that."

"Many people are starting to buy into the idea that renewable energy is the future."

to be deceived or tricked by someone or something

"He will fall for it."

"The gullible tourist was easily persuaded to fall for the scam involving fake lottery winnings."

to complete a task or activity with thoroughness, efficiency, and speed, often suggesting a focused and diligent approach

"Let's go to town!"

"She decided to go to town on the project, ensuring every detail was meticulously handled."

(of a person) to be completely ignored, usually in a system or process

"He fell through the cracks."

"Unfortunately, the desperate plea for help seemed to fall through the cracks of the bureaucracy."

to die or no longer exist

"The old car bit dust."

"After years of loyal service, the ancient computer finally bit the dust and had to be replaced."

used to describe a situation in which an incompetent or inexperienced person is advising others who have no knowledge or experience at all

"This is like the blind leading the blind."

"Having inexperienced students teach the new ones is like the blind leading the blind and nobody learns anything useful."

to take great risks that could result in one's own death

"He diced with death."

"The stuntman was known for his willingness to dice with death in every dangerous scene he performed."

to wait for something anxiously or eagerly

"I'll hold my breath."

"Everyone in the audience held their breath as the tightrope walker made the final step across the chasm."

used to advise someone to proceed with caution or be careful with something

"Easy does it — that box is very fragile."

"Easy does it with the restructuring — rushing the process could seriously damage staff morale."

to do something that one has not done before in order to become more experienced or familiar with it

"I got my feet wet today."

"Yesterday I finally got my feet wet by investing a small amount of money in the stock market for the first time."

to learn how something works or how to use it

"I got the hang of it."

"After a few weeks, I finally got the hang of using the new software."

the renewal of one's energy or endurance that allows one to continue or start over a physical exertion

"The runner found his second wind."

"After drinking some water the runner got a second wind and finished the race strongly."

to completely fail, lose, or stop functioning

"The car will bite the dust."

"After decades of loyal service, the old household appliance finally bit the dust."

the ability to face difficult or challenging situations with determination and resolve

"Show some nerve!"

"Despite the immense pressure, she displayed remarkable nerve to complete the challenging task."

to try to get a person's attention, particularly by attempting to make eye contact

"I caught his eye."

"She tried to catch the waiter's eye to order another drink from across the crowded restaurant."

used to describe a greedy person who takes more food than they could possibly finish

"My eyes are bigger than my stomach."

"His eyes are always bigger than his belly, so he orders too much food at restaurants."

to properly begin doing something that one was neglecting

"Get on the stick and work."

"You need to get on the stick and finish your homework because the deadline is tomorrow morning."

to have a strong liking or affection for someone or something, often in a way that is difficult to resist

"She has a weakness for chocolate."

"My grandmother has a weakness for stray cats, so our house is always full of animals she found on the street."

to be excessively obsessed with someone, especially in a way that seems strange or unreasonable

"She has a thing about cats."

"My brother has a thing about old vinyl records and spends hours searching for rare albums at flea markets every weekend."

used to describe someone or something that is very unusual or remarkable

"This pizza is out of this world."

"The chocolate lava cake at that restaurant is out of this world and worth every single calorie."

*** to inflate the charges made to someone for some product, meal, or service by adding extra, typically unnecessary or unwanted items or fees

"They padded the bill unfairly."

"The dishonest mechanic tried to pad the bill by charging me for repairs that were never actually done on my car."

to gain advantage over others by making use of one's contacts and influence in an unfair way

"My dad pulled some strings."

"My father pulled some strings at his company to get me an internship for the summer."

to make an attempt to understand someone or something that is puzzling

"I cannot make head or tail."

"I have read the instructions three times, but I still cannot make head or tail of this complicated assembly manual."

used to refer to a someone or something that suddenly disappears, particularly in a way that is mysterious or suspicious

"He vanished into thin air."

"The suspect managed to escape the police and disappear into thin air before they could apprehend him."

to attract the attention of a person

"She caught my eye."

"The unique design of the antique vase immediately caught my eye from across the crowded room."

to say that someone's opinion or judgment is completely wrong

"You have another thing coming."

"If you think I am going to lend you more money you have another thing coming because I am broke."

to repeatedly try to do or achieve something without success

"Stop beating your head against a wall."

"Trying to convince him to recycle is like banging my head against a brick wall because he never listens."

used to introduce a thought or realization that occurred to one during a conversation

"Come to think of it I owe you money."

"Come to think of it I owe you money from last week so I will pay you back today."

in a similar or identical situation to someone else, particularly a difficult or unpleasant one

"I would not want to be in his shoes right now."

"If I were in your shoes I would apologize immediately before the situation gets even worse."

to violently criticize or punish a person over what they did or said

"The boss let him have it."

"After he broke the expensive vase, his mother really let him have it with a long, angry lecture."

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."

to immediately prevent something, particularly something problematic, before it has time to develop

"We nipped it in the bud."

"We need to nip this problem in the bud before it grows into something much bigger and harder to fix."

to calmly cope with something that is difficult or disturbing

"She took it in stride."

"When she failed her driving test she took it in stride and immediately scheduled another lesson."

to intentionally not take action or not address an issue or problem, especially when one should have, often resulting in a negative consequence

"Let it slide this time."

"I usually let small mistakes slide but this error is too serious to ignore completely."

to suffer or endure something unfair without ever complaining or protesting

"I will not take this lying down."

"I will not take this insult lying down because I deserve to be treated with respect and dignity."

not allowed or possible

"A new car is out of the question."

"Going on holiday this year is out of the question because we simply do not have enough money."

to make changes to one's behavior or mindset in order to become a better and more responsible person

"He turned over a new leaf."

"After getting out of prison he decided to turn over a new leaf and start an honest life."

(of a person) very angry or upset about something unpleasant that has happened

"Do not get so worked up."

"The politician got all worked up during the debate and started shouting at his opponent loudly."

used to strongly agree with a statement

"'That was a brilliant performance.' — 'I'll say!'"

"'The new director has transformed the department completely.' — 'I'll say — the results speak for themselves.'"

something very important and serious that cannot be joked about or underestimated

"This is no laughing matter."

"Climate change is no laughing matter because it threatens the future of our planet and all living things."

truthfully and without any deception

"Is he on the level?"

"I think our new accountant is on the level but we should still check his credentials carefully."

to receive an unfortunate consequence or punishment that one truly deserves as a result of one's wrong behavior

"It serves him right."

"He cheated on the exam and got caught, which serves him right for being so dishonest all the time."

to behave in a way that reveals who a person truly is as opposed to whom they seem to be

"He showed his true colors."

"When the company faced financial difficulties, the manager showed his true colors by blaming everyone else for his own mistakes."

the point or situation from which one starts to do something

"The project is back to square one."

"After the prototype failed the team went back to square one to redesign the product."

used to indicate that one is not giving all the details of what happened but only the main points

"Long story short, I said no."

"To make a long story short I missed my flight and had to spend the night at the airport."

used to ask why something is happening, especially when confused or annoyed

"You look upset — what gives?"

"The team had been working overtime for weeks with no recognition — what gives, they finally asked management."

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 follow through with what one has promised, planned, or committed to do

"Keep to your promise."

"You must keep to your promises if you want people to trust you."

small, decorative items or trinkets, often of little value individually but collectively creating a visually appealing display

"The shelf is filled with bric-a-brac from her travels."

"The antique shop was filled with bric a brac from mismatched china to old toys."

to form a pattern or movement of lines or objects that cross each other in a regular pattern

"The hiking trails crisscross the mountain."

"The intricate network of roads crisscrossed the entire valley, connecting many small villages."

a small decorative item, often trivial or of little value, used to adorn shelves or display surfaces

"The shelf displays small knick-knacks from her travels."

"The knick knack shelf held small porcelain animals and ceramic trinkets collected over many years."

a mixture of unrelated things

"It was a mish-mash."

"The festival was a mish-mash of different cultures, with food stalls, music, and art from all over the world."

a game also called tennis, played by two or four players who aim to hit a small plastic ball back and forth on a table across a net placed in the middle using special bats

"We play Ping-Pong every weekend with friends."

"Ping pong improves hand eye coordination and reflexes because the ball travels very fast across the table giving players split seconds to react."

a series of rapid tapping sounds

"I heard pitter-patter."

"The gentle pitter-patter of raindrops on the roof created a soothing and peaceful atmosphere."

completely neat and clean

"The kitchen is spic-and-span."

"The spic and span kitchen looked like no one had ever cooked in it because everything was perfectly clean."

make a sound like a clock or a timer

"The clock tick tocks on the wall."

"The clock continued to tick-tock loudly as we waited for the exam results to be announced."

to the highest extent

"The car is tip-top."

"Before the important presentation, she made sure everything was in tip-top condition, from her outfit to her notes."

an excessive amount of energy, enthusiasm, or determination

"She is full of vim and vigor."

"After a good night sleep the old man woke up with renewed vim and vigor ready to work in his garden."

the sound of a horse's hoofs hitting on a hard surface

"The clip-clop of horses echoed."

"The clip clop of the horse's hooves on the cobblestone street echoed through the quiet village."

the noise made by a bell

"The ding-dong of the doorbell rang."

"The church bells chimed with a loud ding-dong, announcing the start of the wedding ceremony."

used to refer to someone who is very healthy and in good physical condition

"He is fit as a fiddle."

"My grandmother is as fit as a fiddle even though she is over eighty years old."

to change one's opinion, decision, or position back and forth repeatedly or suddenly

"He will flip-flop his decision."

"The politician continued to flip-flop on the issue, confusing voters with his inconsistent stances."

baby talk used to make a baby laugh or react playfully

"Goochie-goo! Look at the cute baby."

"Goochie-goo! Look at the cute baby with his chubby little cheeks and tiny fingers."

the sound of metallic objects clinking together

"I heard a jingle-jangle."

"The jingle-jangle of the keys in his pocket was the only sound in the quiet hallway as he walked home late at night."

someone obsessed with something

"He's a coffee junkie."

"As a true fitness junkie, she spends hours at the gym every single day."

a group of people who are considered low-class or undesirable

"The bar was full of riffraff."

"The exclusive club did not want the riffraff from the other side of town entering their establishment."

used to suggest that someone or something has fully recovered or is in good working condition

"She feels right as rain."

"After a week of rest and plenty of fluids, she felt as right as rain and was ready to return to work."

a piece of playground equipment made of a long flat piece of wood or iron balanced in the middle, on each side of which children sit to take a turn going up and down

"The seesaw lifted one child into the air."

"The seesaw went up and down as two children of equal weight took turns pushing off the ground."

a plaything consisting of a board balanced on a fulcrum; the board is ridden up and down by children at either end

"The children played on the teeter-totter."

"The children took turns on the teeter totter in the playground pushing up and down."

casual, light, and often trivial conversation, typically about non-essential topics

"We had a little chit-chat."

"The coworkers exchanged chit chat by the coffee machine before starting their morning tasks."

to completely agree with someone and understand their point of view

"My brother and I do not always see eye to eye."

"My brother and I rarely see eye to eye on political issues during dinner."

to an increasing degree over time

"It gets more and more difficult."

"It gets more and more difficult to solve this puzzle the further I progress through the levels."

in a complete and total way

"He's an out and out cheat."

"The politician was revealed to be an out and out fraud, deceiving voters for personal gain."

repeatedly without pause or change

"He said it over and over."

"He said it over and over but she still did not understand what he was trying to tell her."

a period of time spent away from work or duties to relax and engage in leisure activities

"The soldiers need some R&R."

"The soldiers were given a week of R and R before being deployed again to the front lines."

a person who is deemed to be despicable or contemptible

"That so-and-so stole it."

"I can't believe that so-and-so cut in front of me in the queue without even apologizing."

in every single way

"She is loyal through and through."

"My grandfather is a gentleman through and through who always holds the door open for everyone."

to fight or compete with someone with great force, determination, and strength

"They went toe-to-toe."

"The two rival companies decided to go toe-to-toe in a fierce advertising battle."

a private discussion, often between two people

"They had a tete-a-tete."

"The manager requested a private tete-a-tete with the employee to discuss performance issues."

in a way that involves no deception or rule violations

"This is on the up and up."

"You can trust him; his business dealings are always completely on the up and up."

used to say that people's actions show their true intentions or beliefs more clearly than their words

"He always says nice things, but actions speak louder than words."

"He promised to help, but actions speak louder than words, so I'll wait to see what he actually does."

(always negative) ‌to refuse to make even a slightest change to one's position, decision, etc.

"He would not give an inch during negotiations."

"The opposing side would not give an inch during the negotiations so we eventually had to accept their terms."

to forget past conflicts or disagreements and move on

"Let bygones be bygones."

"We have had our disagreements in the past but it is time to let bygones be bygones and move forward."

used to imply that people tend to forget about things or people that are no longer visible or present in their lives

"The old toys are out of sight."

"Once the project was completed and the team dispersed, it was out of sight, out of mind."

used to imply that one can never understand why people's personal preferences drastically differ from one another, especially when compared to that of one's own

"No accounting for taste."

"He likes that awful music, but there is no accounting for taste, I suppose."

used to refer to a situation that has completely changed in one's favor

"The shoe is on other foot."

"After years of being overlooked, she finally got the promotion, and now the shoe is on the other foot."

used to advise individuals to adapt to local customs and practices when in an unfamiliar situation or culture

"Do as Romans do."

"When visiting a new country, it's best to remember when in Rome, do as the Romans do."

used to suggest that when something bad happens, other bad things often happen in quick succession or in large numbers, making the situation seem even worse

"I missed the bus, and then it started raining — when it rains, it pours."

"The company faced a lawsuit, a PR crisis, and a product recall in the same week — when it rains, it pours."

someone who works as one of the members of a police force

"The cop arrived fast"

"The cop arrived fast at the scene and secured the area after the reported incident"

to restrain someone by securing their wrists together, often using a device, commonly done by law enforcement during an arrest or to maintain control

"The police cuff the suspect quickly."

"The police officer had to cuff the suspect's hands behind his back before putting him into the patrol car."

to transfer the possession or control of someone or something to another person or entity

"Hand over your passport please."

"The robber told the cashier to hand over all the money from the register immediately."

used as a forceful command telling someone to stop talking or be quiet

"Shut up! Stop talking right now."

"Shut up! Stop talking right now because your voice is giving me a terrible headache."

to record an arrest, offense, or charge in official police records

"They will book him."

"After the investigation, the authorities decided to book the suspect on multiple charges."

to direct a firearm toward a target, typically a person

"Cover the target."

"The sniper was ordered to cover the enemy's position from the concealed rooftop."

to suddenly stop moving or become immobilized due to fear, shock, or surprise

"The child froze in fear."

"She froze mid-sentence, unable to continue after hearing the shocking news."

to rob a bank, shop, or similar place using a firearm, usually with a threat of violence

"They will hold up."

"The desperate criminals planned to hold up the armored car during its delivery to the bank."

to arrest someone

"Police take him in."

"The detectives managed to take in the fugitive after a lengthy and complex pursuit."

to forcibly steal a vehicle from its driver, often involving threats or violence

"Thieves carjacked him at gunpoint."

"Two masked men attempted to carjack the woman at gunpoint in the parking lot."

a reckless action that may result in serious consequences or failure

"The chess player made a false move."

"The chess player made a false move and immediately realized it would cost him the game."

to transfer the possession or control of someone or something to another person or entity

"Hand over your passport please."

"The robber told the cashier to hand over all the money from the register immediately."

to suddenly fall on the ground, often as a way of avoiding danger

"Hit the dirt now."

"When the gunfire started the soldiers hit the dirt to avoid being shot by the enemy."

to shoot someone in the head

"He threatened to blow his head off."

"The furious farmer grabbed his shotgun and shouted he would blow the intruder s head off if he did not leave immediately."

to violently criticize or punish a person over what they did or said

"The boss let him have it."

"After he broke the expensive vase, his mother really let him have it with a long, angry lecture."

to stop talking and be quiet

"Please shut up for a minute."

"The teacher told the noisy students to shut up and listen to the important announcement."

a command to remain low, often used in dangerous situations like robberies or police operations

"Police told him stay down."

"The police officer shouted for the suspect to stay down and not move during the arrest."

a robbery, typically involving a threat or use of force

"The store was hit by a stick-up."

"The convenience store was the scene of a stick up last night when two masked men demanded cash."

to kill someone with a gun or other weapons

"They will blow away the target."

"The soldiers were ordered to blow away any enemy combatants who attempted to breach the perimeter."

to suddenly stop moving or become immobilized due to fear, shock, or surprise

"The child froze in fear."

"She froze mid-sentence, unable to continue after hearing the shocking news."

to rob a bank, shop, or similar place using a firearm, usually with a threat of violence

"They will hold up."

"The desperate criminals planned to hold up the armored car during its delivery to the bank."

a delay or obstruction that prevents progress or causes a situation to be temporarily halted

"The hold-up delays the bus for ten minutes."

"The hold up delays the bus for ten minutes and passengers wait impatiently."

to eliminate or kill someone

"We must waste him."

"The dictator's regime was notorious for its willingness to waste any perceived opposition."

at a time when everyone can witness something

"It happened in broad daylight."

"The thief stole the bicycle in broad daylight without caring that many people were watching him from the windows."

to restrain someone by securing their wrists together, often using a device, commonly done by law enforcement during an arrest or to maintain control

"The police cuff the suspect quickly."

"The police officer had to cuff the suspect's hands behind his back before putting him into the patrol car."

the act of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs to the extent that it impairs the person's ability to drive safely

"He was arrested for driving under the influence."

"Driving under the influence of alcohol is a serious crime that can lead to prison time."

the act of searching someone for concealed weapons or illegal drugs

"The officer gave him a frisk."

"The security guard asked the suspect to frisk himself and empty his pockets on the table."

to suddenly fall on the ground, often as a way of avoiding danger

"Hit the dirt now."

"When the gunfire started the soldiers hit the dirt to avoid being shot by the enemy."

a command to force someone to kneel, usually in a police, military, or criminal context

"The guards ordered, "On your knees!""

"The police officer ordered the suspect to get on your knees and place his hands behind his head."

a command to raise one's hands, typically during a robbery or police situation

"The robber yelled, "Stick 'em up!""

"The bandit burst into the saloon and shouted, "Stick 'em up, everyone, and nobody gets hurt!""

used as a forceful command telling someone to stop talking or be quiet

"Shut up! Stop talking right now."

"Shut up! Stop talking right now because your voice is giving me a terrible headache."

used as a command to halt or stop someone or something immediately

"Freeze! Do not move at all."

"Freeze! Do not move at all because the police have you surrounded right now."

a person or thing that is thought to be the cause of something, particularly something bad

"He is a suspect."

"The police identified a primary suspect in the attempted robbery based on witness descriptions and security footage."

to direct a firearm toward a target, typically a person

"Cover the target."

"The sniper was ordered to cover the enemy's position from the concealed rooftop."