American English Idioms

ThestruggletoadjusttocollegeoruniversitylifeintheUSisnotonlymaterialandemotionalforinternationalstudents,butalsolinguistic.Campuseshavetheirownlanguage:aconfectionofcatchphrases,slangandpunchlines.LordingoverthesearecertainperennialEnglishidiomsthatdefinetheUScollegeexperience,suchasto:Playhooky:anundergraduatespecialty,thismeanstoskipclassHitthebooks:theoppositeofplayinghooky–studyingAcetheexam:topassanexamwithoutdifficulty(thankstohittingthebooks!)Besidesacademicexpressions,therearevariousEnglishidiomsthatcolorsociallifearoundcampus:Sitshotgun:acar’scovetedpassengerseat(primelate-nightreal-estate)Gooutonthetown:goingtobars,restaurants,clubs,etc.withfriends(inotherwords,atypicalcollegeweekend)Drawablank:theaftermathofgoingoutonthetown,thismeansbeingunabletoremembersomethingApieceofcake:saidofsomethingthat’seasySomeEnglishidiomsareguaranteedtocomeonlyfromparents.Thesearen’tthemostmemorable,buttheyarethetruest:Moneydoesn’tgrowontrees:meaningcashishardtocomeby,sokeepyournightsoutonthetownincheckTheearlybirdcatchestheworm:beorganized,motivatedandalertandyou’llreaprewards(admittedly,notapieceofcake)Collegeisintimidating,butevensomethingassimpleasasharedlanguageeasesanxiety.Andmakenomistake:everycampushasavocabularyallitsown.Enjoythejourney,butremember:Don’tbiteoffmorethanyoucanchew:don’ttakeonresponsibilitiesyoucan’tfulfill,oryoumayfindyourselfplayinghookyalltoooften!1.Greenlight:Toapproveaprojectfordevelopment.“Thedirectorwantstogreenlightyourscentedwallpaperidea.”2.Browniepoints:Tocurryfavorwithsomeone(especiallyaboss).“Heearnedbrowniepointsbygettingtheboss’scoffee.”3.Climbtheladder:Toadvanceinone’scareerthroughpromotions.“Earningbrowniepointsisonewaytoclimbtheladder.”4.Teamplayer:Acommittedemployeewhoworkswellwithcolleagues.“Ateamplayeroftenseeshisproposalsgreenlighted.”5.Yesman:Anemployeewhoalwaysagreeswiththeboss.“Hewasayesman,ateamplayerandachaserofbrowniepoints.”6.Touchbase:Toconferabouttheprogressofaproject.“Let’stouchbasetomorrowaboutthefleasprayaccount.”7.Crunchtime:Whenaprojectneedscompletedquickly.“It’scrunchtime–weneedtotouchbaseassoonaspossible.”8.Plug(aproduct):Topromoteormarketaproduct.“IwasonTVthismorningtoplugournewfleaspray.”9.Cashcow:Theproductthatgeneratesthemostrevenueforacompany.“Thisscentedwallpaperwillbethecompany’scashcow.”10.Ontheball/keeptheballrolling:Toensurethataprojectisprogressingefficientlyandontime.“Keeptheballrollingonourgreenlightedprojects.”11.Downtothewire:Saidofsomethingwhoseoutcomeorcompletiontakesyoutodeadline.“We’vestayedontheballwiththisfleaspray,butnowwe’redowntothewireandhavetodeliver.”12.Glassceiling:Theperceivedstruggleofwomenandminoritiestoachievepromotions.“Sheknewitwouldbehardtobreakthroughtheglassceilingandclimbthecorporateladder.”13.Pulltheplug:Toterminateaprojectoraccount.“Hepulledtheplugonthefleaspraybeforeweevengottoplugit.”14.Belt-tightening:Toreduceexpenses.“Afterwelostourcashcow,theHRdepartmenttighteneditsbelt.”15.Workoutkinks:Torevise,editorotherwiseimproveaflawedproductorservice.“Ifyoudon’tworkoutthekinks,they’regoingtopulltheplug.”16.Pullyourweight:Toshareintheworkload.“Sincewe’vetightenedourbelts,everybodyhastopullhisweight.”17.Axed:Tobeterminated;synonymouswithfired.“Theyesmanwasaxedwhenhecamedownwithlockjaw.”18.Jumpthegun:Todosomethingprematurely.“Theyjumpedthegunaxingtheyesmanlikethat–hejusthadlaryngitis.”19.Hardsell:Usingdirect,aggressivemethodstomarketaproduct(incontrasttosoftsell).“Weimplementedahardsellcampaigntoplugthisscentedwallpaper.”20.Inthered:Whenacompanyisindebtorfailingtoshowaprofit.“Despiteourbelttighteningandhardsellcampaigns,we’reintheredwiththisfleasprayaccount.”Breaktheice:todispeltheinitialawkwardnessofsocialgatheringsbyintroducingyourself,posingaquestion,tellingajoke,etc.Playitbyear:toavoidmakingdefiniteplanssoastoimproviseandadaptChewthefat/Shootthebreeze:aleisurely,casualchatBeataroundthebush:usuallyasocialblunder,thismeansspeakingforalongtimewhentryingtodelaydoingorsayingsomethingelseCatgotyourtongue:askedofsomeonewhoisquietorshyBeatadeadhorse:tryingtopersuadesomeonewhenyouhavenochanceofsucceedingStealyourthunder:todivertattentionfromanotherspeakerontoyourselfby,forexample,tellingananecdotethat’sevenmorebizarreoramusingthantheonetoldbytheotherpersonJustkidding:tojoke,notmeanseriously,prankOutoftheblue:somethingthathappensunexpectedlyWholenineyards:saidofsomeoneorsomethingthatincludeseverythingnecessaryorpossibleinagivensituationSlangisitsownindustry,constantlymintingandrecyclingnewexpressions.Lastyear’shotwordsarethisyear’sheirlooms.MostphrasesfirstappearonlineoronTV.Some–usuallythemoreobscene–hatchonplaygrounds,aroundkegs,onstreetcorners.Slangisaliveinawayotherpartsofourlanguagerarelyare.Thatsaid,anylistofAmericanslangwordsissimultaneouslyanobituary.Assoonasawordinfiltratesthemainstream,it’soldnews.Afutileconquest,thislist,butgreatfunnonetheless.Here’sourcropofthesweetestAmericanslangwords:Jumptheshark:something,especiallyasitcom,thatispastitsprime;nolongerrelevantMunchies:hunger,