PE 4/24 Have to Have New Gadgets

You’re kidding, right? Your phone is only a few months old. It’s practically brand spanking new. I’m sure it still does everything you need it to.

* brand spanking new: extremely new and showing no signs of wear

ex> I’m guessing that car is brand spanking new because its finish is flawless.

As a salesman, it’s important for me to keep up with the latest technology. I can’t afford to fall behind.

* fall behind: to lose a leading position

ex> The rookie driver was leading for the first few laps, but soon fell behind.

ex> Rebecca made it a habit to study for two hours a day because she didn't want to fall behind.

You barely get the wrapping off a new gadget before you want to replace it. No one has even an infinitesimal chance of leaving you in their dust.

* infinitesimal: extremely tiny; approaching zero

ex> My mother gets angry if she finds even an infinitesimal crumb on the kitchen counter.

* leave someone in one’s dust: to surpass someone quickly and decisively

ex> Tom’s new bike was very fast, so he left us all in his dust.

Note> The expression refers to a race, where the person who is behind faces the dust of the person running ahead of him.

Good. That’s how it should be. I need to stay ahead of the pack.

* ahead of the pack: in a position that is superior to the majority

= ahead of the curve; ahead of the game; one step ahead

ex> Running ten kilometers every day helped keep Monica ahead of the pack.

Note> The meaning comes from the image of a wolf pack, where the leader is always at the head of the pack.