PE 7/31 The Case of the Hidden Putter

* something fishy: a suspicious or questionable element

ex> We called our lawyer because there was something fishy in the sales contract.

* fine line between a and b: not much difference; a minor distinction

ex> There’s a fine line between being honest and being insulting, Mark.

* hesitant: unsure about proceeding; reluctant

ex> We were hesitant to step into the street until the student driver was completely out of sight.

* take one to task: to scold or reprimand someone

ex> My PE teacher took me to task for pretending the badminton racket was a banjo.

* humiliating: causing feelings of shame and foolishness

ex> I don’t mind the job, but wearing this uniform is a humiliating experience.

* come back to haunt one: to have later consequences

ex> My poor eating habits came back to haunt me in the form of high cholesterol.

ex> Let’s deal with this defect now so that it doesn’t come back to haunt us.

Note> Also, when we think of the work “haunt,” we’re reminded of the “haunted house” or a ghost that haunts a particular place.

* be open to: In normal speech, this expression sounds very similar to a different one: “be hoping to.” Their meanings are slightly different. One “is open to” something that will be done by or with one or more other people, but one “is hoping to” do something they have to initiate themselves.

ex> I’d be open to offering our friends some pizza and soda in exchange for their help.

PE 7/30 Lionel Messi and FC Barcelona

* rub it in one’s face: to remind someone of an unpleasant situation

ex> Everyone knows you won the race, so you don’t have to rub it in their faces.

ex> I know I was stupid; you don’t have to rub it in.

* lift one’s spirits: to make someone happy or reduce their unhappiness

ex> It really lifted our spirits when the sun came out just before the wedding.

* pull strings: to make use of personal connections to achieve a goal

ex> My coworker pulled a few strings with her father and got us in to meet the performers.

Note> Just like the puppeteer pulled the strings to make things happen for the puppet, so the person who metaphorically pulls some strings does something similar to get something done elsewhere.

* role model: someone whose behavior is a good example for others to follow

ex> My high school music teacher was my role model, and I’ve tried to be like him ever since.

* advocate: a person who speaks on behalf of another person or a cause

ex> My uncle is a tireless advocate for human rights throughout this region.

* disadvantaged: in an unfavorable situation

ex> Many disadvantaged families don’t receive the help they need because their pride prevents them from asking for it.

Note> This word is used especially with regard to social or financial opportunities.

* come through: “Come through” has a range of usages, all related to the idea of something succeeding after a wait or some uncertainty. If someone recovers from an illness or surgery, you can say they “came through.” An email you’ve been waiting for might eventually “come through,” and you yourself might “come through” for a friend who was hoping for your help.

A: Simone told me that you’ve received the approval to undertake your research project.

B: Yes, and I couldn’t be happier. After a six month wait, it finally came through.

PE 7/29 Ross to the Rescue!

* envision: to imagine as a possibility

ex> When I was young, I never envisioned that this area would become so developed.

* onus: duty or responsibility

ex> The onus is on us to find good schools for our kids.

ex> Prosecution lawyers accept the onus to provide proof that the defendant is guilty.

* fall on deaf ears: for information to be ignored

ex> June told them the elevator wasn’t working, but her warnings fell on deaf ears.

* take one for the team: to accept an unpleasant task for the benefit of one’s colleagues

ex> I took one for the team and offered to babysit while everyone else went to the party.

Note> This phrase comes from sports teams. It’s when a player makes a sacrifice for the benefit of the team.

* look forward to: to be eager for a future event or situation

ex> Tammy is looking forward to seeing her family at Christmastime this year.

* leave one high and dry: to leave one helpless

ex> His wife withdrew all their money when she left, leaving him high and dry.

ex> Those guys left me high and dry by running out of the restaurant without paying.

Note> It is believed that this phrase has to do with boats that sometimes get stranded on beaches due to shifting sea levels.

* crux of the matter: This expression means the same thing as “the heart of the matter,” which is more commonly used. When someone says they want to get to the crux of the matter, it means they don’t want to waste time discussing non-essential details.

ex> He’s able to identify the crux of the matter from pieces of evidence others overlook.

PE 7/28 President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Special Message to the Congress: The American Promise

* hold (something) back: to prevent something from moving forward; restrain

ex> You make some very funny faces when you hold back a sneeze.

* stark: severe; bare

ex> The building’s steel frame made a stark image against the evening sky.

ex> If you put some pictures on the walls, your apartment wouldn’t look so stark.

* scarred: damaged by suffering or conflict

ex> My father eventually realized that he was emotionally scarred by the poor treatment he received at boarding school.

* hold onto the past: to refuse to accept new ways or situations

ex> My ex-boyfriend keeps holding onto the past and insisting we go out again.

Note> You can also “hold onto” other things. For instance, you can hold onto your old CDs or hold onto memories.

* at the cost of something: causing a loss or reduction of something else

ex> His promotion came at the cost of both his health and his family’s happiness.

* restless: unsettled; unable to rest or relax

ex> Some graffiti is made by artists, and some is the work of restless teens.

Note> restless night (unable to sleep), restless child (a child that can’t be still), restless audience (bored audience)

* appeal: The expression “appeal to” has an alternate, but similar meaning. If you see something you think is attractive, you can say it appeals to you. The verb “appeal” in a legal context means to challenge a court’s decision and request that it be reversed.

ex> Maybe the teacher will consider letting you rewrite the test if you appeal to him.

PE 7/27 How to Get Served Faster at the Bank

* make a nuisance of oneself: to cause an unwanted distraction or burden on others

ex> You can go next door to visit Mr. Harrison as long as you don’t make a nuisance of yourself.

* hit the nail on the head: to make a correct and accurate guess

ex> I was wondering if you knew what I was doing, but you’ve hit the nail on the head.

* have something up one’s sleeve: to have a secret plan

ex> You don’t have to worry about how we’re going to get in because I have something up my sleeve.

Note> This phrase is from the practice of magicians hiding tricks or gimmicks in the sleeve.

* incentive: an idea, offer, etc. that makes someone want to do something

ex> The sales manager offers incentives to her staff in order to boost their performance.

* one has missed one’s calling: one’s primary talent is in an area one did not pursue.

ex> When I heard our cook sing, I told her that she’d missed her calling.

ex> You’ve missed your calling: your ability to make a solid argument would have made you a great lawyer.

Note> “Calling” is a strong desire to spend your life doing a certain kind of work (such as religious work).

* troublemaker: one who causes a disturbance

ex> Brenda was home from school twice this year for being a troublemaker.

* why on God’s green earth: This expression is used when the speaker wants to know the reason for something that has surprised or shocked them. It is used to imply that the situation doesn’t make sense, and that a poor decision may have been made. “Why in the world …?” is an equivalent expression.

ex> Why on God’s green earth did you do that? The fumes could be highly dangerous!

PE 7/24 No Money for a Meal Out

* bone dry: very dry

ex> It’s bone dry here in the winter, so we usually have a humidifier running at home.

Note> “Bone dry” clearly derives from an allusion to the dryness of bone after being left in the sun.

* the last of something: the final portion, amount, or item of something

ex> Would you please finish up the last of the peanut butter so I can recycle the jar?

ex> This book was the last of a series of six novels the author wrote over a span of ten years.

* destitute: extremely poor; not having the basic necessities of life

ex> Many families were left destitute when their farms were destroyed by the mudslide.

* paint the town red: to celebrate with a spree of enjoyment and/or consumption

ex> Whenever my old roommate visits me, we tend to paint the town red.

Note> “Paint the town red” is, by definition, a group activity, requiring at least two people, and must be conducted in a spirit of giddy jubilation. One lonely guy on a crosstown bender is not “painting the town red.”

* beside oneself: in an extremely emotional state

ex> Suzette was beside herself with joy when her puppy was found.

ex> When I told my wife I’d spent our savings on a land investment, she was beside herself with anger.

* pragmatic: sensible, practical, realistic

ex> Our grandmother is a very pragmatic woman, having lived through difficult times.

* off the top of one’s head: People often answer a question “off the top of their head” to give themselves an allowance for any inaccuracy that might be present in what they’re about to say. It has the same meaning as, “I don’t know for sure, but here is my best guess.”

ex> Off the top of my head, I’d say it’s about seventy meters tall, give or take a few.

PE 7/23 Riding the Sant Joan Funicular

 * queasy [^|kwi:zi]: (subject to) feeling sick or nauseated

ex> I get queasy if I try to text while I’m riding in a moving vehicle.

ex> You may feel a little queasy right after the injection, but it will only last a few minutes.

* sweeten the pot: to add something to make a proposal more appealing; increase a bet in a card game

ex> The salesman sweetened the pot by offering to deliver the furniture for free.

* act on: to do something in response to information, actions, feelings, etc.

ex> Our manager always acts on customer complaints immediately.

* impulse: a sudden, strong urge to do something

ex> The car’s trunk was filled with items she had bought on impulse and later hid.

Note> Another meaning of “impulse” is an electrical charge or pulse. Electrical impulses are coursing through wires all through your house every day.

* there’s no time like the present: now is the ideal time to begin or do something

ex> My mom always taught me that realizing there’s no time like the present will help me get more accomplished.

* drink something in / drink in something: to pay close attention to something for the sensation, memory, or experience

ex> Let’s spend a little while longer at this lookout and drink it all in.

ex> We just stood there drinking in the scenery.

* make the most of something: One generally “makes the most of” a situation that is positive but may be a temporary opportunity, like a trip, some free time, or some unexpected money. When trying to make the most out of a negative situation, you would use the related expression, to “make the best of” it.

ex> How are you planning to make the most of your upcoming trip?

ex> Some international help is available, but experts say that to make the best of this help, new cooperative approaches are needed.