PE 6/26 Brat on the Bus

* het up: very upset

ex> Dad is very het up at the moment because I spilled my milkshake in the car.

* run-in: an angry argument

ex> I had a run-in with a taxi driver yesterday because he didn’t want to turn his car around.

Note> This phrase is not be confused with “running into someone” which means to meet someone by chance.

* bellicose: willing or eager to argue or fight

ex> It’s hard to know whether adrenaline or steroids are responsible for the bellicose of some athletes.

Note> “Bellicose” is from Latin “bellum” meaning “war.” A near synonym is “belligerent,” from the same Latin noun.

* not bat an eye(lid): to not show any shock surprise

ex> Jamie is so even tempered that she wouldn’t bat an eyelid if the roof fell in.

* downright: completely; extremely

ex> My sister was downright rude to me on the phone yesterday, so I hid her glasses.

* pugnacious: eager to argue or fight

ex> This guidebook will tell us which of the local snakes are scared of us and which are more pugnacious.

* behind the wheel: Thankfully, this expression refers to the steering wheel of a car or truck. You might think that you are in front of the steering wheel when you drive, so this expression could be slightly confusing. You can also say that one is “at the wheel”: it means the same thing.

ex> Should we sign our daughter up for driving lessons? She’s very eager to get behind the wheel.