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SLANG
SPECIAL EXPRESSIONS
&
IDOMATIC LANGUAGE
Prepared by:
Test Control Office
JAF Language Institute.
July 2004
v.727
Ser Idiom Meaning Notes
1 ABC’s The basics
2 About face Reverse decision
3 About right Something that is
basically correct
4 Abreast of the Be informed, know
situation what is happening
2
5 Absent- Forgetful
minded
6 Ace Do extremely well
7 Ace in the Something/someone
hole kept as a surprise
until the right
situation
8 Abreast of the Know what is
situation happening
9 Across the Including everyone
board or all things
3
10 Act of God A natural
occurrence
11 After one’s Liking someone
own heart because of similar
interests
12 A head of the Have a gain or a
game profit
13 All along From the beginning
14 All ears Listening carefully
15 All the rage Popular
16 Ammo Ammunition
4
17 Apple of To think highly of
one’s eye someone/something
18 Arm and leg Very expensive
19 Around the 24 hours
clock
20 Asleep at the Not alert to an
wheel opportunity
21 Assess Evaluate, analyze
22 At a loss At a financial loss,
to be uncertain, not
knowing what to
5
say
23 At a premium Needed very much,
expensive
24 At all costs By any way
necessary,
regardless of the
effort
25 At large Free after an escape
26 At In a fight, in a
loggerheads quarrel
27 At one’s Be easily available
6
fingertips
28 At zero hour Critical time
29 Average Joe A person showing
usual or ordinary
behavior
30 Awkward age Early adolescence
B
31 Babes in the Innocent and
wood inexperienced
person
32 Back-breaker Difficult job
7
33 Back off Stop annoying or
bothering
34 Back-seat Automobile
driver passenger who
annoys the driver
by telling him how
to drive
35 Back-stabber One who lies or
does something to
hurt a friend
36 Bail out Escape from a plane
8
that is about to
crash
37 Back talk A rude reply
38 Back to the Be in a trap with no
wall way to escape; in
bad trouble
39 Backtrack Return over the
same way or route
40 Bad blood Hatred or bad
feelings within an
interpersonal
9
relationship
41 Bad hair day A day in which
nothing seems to be
going right
42 Bad mouth To talk badly about
something or
someone
43 Bag Get or capture
44 Baker’s Thirteen
dozen
45 Ball park A guess as to the
10
figure correct amount
46 Bang (bang Something that is a
out) fun, joy
47 Bank on Depend on
48 Barfly Someone who often
goes to clubs and
bars
49 Bark up the To look for a
wrong tree solution in the
wrong place
50 Basket case Mentally or
11
emotionally weak.
Unable to take care
of himself
51 Bat an eye Show emotion or
interest
52 Batten down Cover and fasten
down
53 Battle tested Someone/something
that has been
proven valuable
54 Bawl out To severely criticize
12
someone
55 BCD Bad conduct
discharge
56 BDU Battle dress uniform
57 Bear in mind Remember
58 Beat a dead Want to argue about
horse something that has
already been
decided
59 Beat around Delay telling the
the bush truth or main issue
13
60 Beat one’s Work very hard
brains out
61 Beat it Leave immediately
62 Beat the To search for
bushes something in a
complete way
63 Beats me Don’t understand
something
64 Bed of roses A place of beauty,
ease and comfort
65 Beef up Give more strength,
14
to reinforce
66 Behind bars In prison
67 Behind the In an unpleasant
eight ball situation or
awkward position
68 Belay Ignore
69 Bellyache Complain
70 Bend over Try very hard
backwards
71 Bent out of Angry or insulted
shape
15
72 Bet your Be absolutely sure
bottom dollar of something
73 Better half Someone’s husband
or wife
74 Big shot An important
person
75 big wheel An important
person
76 Bigwig An important
person
78 Big stick Powerful force
16
79 Bird dog Follow closely
80 Bite the bullet To continue in a
difficult situation
81 Blabbermouth A very talkative
person
82 Black and Bruised
blue
83 Black out Having no lights for
security reasons
84 Blind date A first date between
two persons who
17
have never met
before
85 Blitz Attack and defeat
86 Blow by blow With much detail
87 Blow one’s Become very angry
cool
88 Blow one’s Destroy or make
cover unknown one’s
secret
89 Blow one’s Get very mad
stack or top
18
90 Blow Destroy something
something
91 Blow Don’t finish or do
something off something
92 Blow the Tell something
whistle on against someone
someone
93 Blow up Have an angry
outburst
94 Blue blood Having the qualities
of a noble birth
19
95 Blue-collar An industrial or
worker factory worker
96 Bog down Slow or stop
97 Bomb To fail
something
98 Boom box A portable cassette
/CD player usually
in a large size
99 Born with a Born rich
silver spoon
in one’s
20
mouth
100 Bottom line The most important
point
101 Bottom dollar Last dollar
102 Bounce Discuss and think
around about an idea
103 Bound for Going to
104 Bowl along Move freely
105 Bowl over Defeat without
much effort
106 Box in Shut in or keep in;
21
to surround
107 Branch out Expand
108 Break a leg Wish good luck
109 Break one’s Try very hard
neck
110 Break out Escape
111 Break the ice Reduce the
nervousness or
formality of a social
situation through
friendly
22
conversation
112 Break up Dismiss a unit or
organization/ end or
finish
113 Breakdown Collapse/ analysis
/fail to operate or
function
114 Breathe down To follow closely in
one’s neck pursuit/ watch
someone closely
115 Brick wall Strong obstacle
23
116 Bring about Cause to happen
117 Bring out a Stress a certain
point piece of information
118 Bring to mind Remind
119 Bring up Take care of
children / introduce
a subject
120 Brush a side Ignore
121 Brush up on Review
something
122 Buck Go against or
24
oppose
123 Bucket of A complicated or
worms unclear situation
124 Buff Muscular
125 Bug a. Bother/ b. put an
audio device
somewhere for
unauthorized
listening . c. defect
or problem,
126 Build up Increase forces or
25
number of supply or
equipment
127 Bull Information that is
not true or
believable
128 Bull-headed Stubborn
129 Bump into Meet someone
130 Burn out Become exhausted
131 Burn up the Drive a car very fast
road
132 Burst into Suddenly begin to
26
flames burn violently
133 Burst into Suddenly begin to
tears cry
134 Busybody One who looks into
other people’s
private business
135 Butt in Interrupt
136 Button up Finish
137 Buzz off Go away and stop
annoying someone
138 By all means Certainly
27
139 By and large In general
140 By hook or By any available
by crook way
141 By the skin of By a very
one’s teeth little/barely
C
142 Call it a day Quit for the day
143 Call off Cancel, stop or quit
144 call the shots Give direction
145 Carry the ball Take the
responsibility
28
146 “cat got your The inability to talk
tongue freely because of
shyness
147 Catch cold Become sick with a
cold
148 Catch on Understand
149 Catch one’s Get one’s attention
eye
150 Cave in fall down to weaken
and be force to
surrender
29
151 Crumbs Small pieces of food
152 Consent Approval, agreement
153 Chip in To put one's share of
money
154 Crumble Fall into pieces
155 Coarse Not smooth, rough
156 Core Center of anything
157 Cheap shot A mean action or
insult
158 Check it out Look into an issue
159 Check up on To investigate or
30
make sure of
something
160 Chew out Reprimand or scold
161 Chew the fat Talk casually about
nothing important
162 Chicken- Person who is scared
hearted of others/things
163 Chill out Relax
164 Chin up Stop being sad, get
happy
165 Chip in Contribute
31
166 Choke off Bring to a stop
167 Chow down Eat
168 Chuck out Throw a way
169 Clean –cut Neat, specific,
definite
170 Clear cut Definite, without any
uncertainty
171 Clear up Explain or solve
172 Close call Narrow escape
173 Cook up Create, plan and
organize, invent
32
174 Cop out Avoid trouble and
responsibility
175 Copy cat A person who
imitates someone
else’s manner, style
or behavior
176 Couch potato Someone who spends
too much time
watching TV and not
exercising
177 Count Include someone
33
someone in
178 Count Exclude someone
someone out
179 Count on Depend, rely on
180 Cover a lot of Move rapidly
ground
181 Crack a joke Tell a funny story
182 Crackdown To enforce the rules
or laws more strictly
than in the past
183 Crack up Have a physical or
34
mental collapse
184 Crank up Start
185 Crash Fall asleep
186 Crash course A short course that
gives a lot of
information in a very
short time
187 Crazy about Have a very strong
interest or liking in
someone or
something
35
188 Creep An unpleasant or bad
person
189 Crocodile False tears, pretended
tears grief
190 Cranky Angry and
complaining
191 Cross ones Hope for good luck
fingers
192 Crystal clear Without doubt,
understandable
193 Cut and dry Very clear and
36
understandable
194 Cut it out Stop it`
195 Cut to the Reduce to a
bone minimum
D
196
197 Day by day Gradually
198 durable sturdy
199 Dead duck In a very bad
situation
200 Dig up Discover or find
37
201 Different Everyone has
strokes for different interests and
different folks likes
202 Dirty work Very hard, tiring
work
203 Distorted Garbled
204 Doggy bag A plastic or paper
bag given to a
restaurant customer
to take home uneaten
food
38
205 Don’t count Unwisely depending
your chickens on making a gain or
before they profit before you
hatch have it
206 Don’t cry Complain or cry
over spilled about something that
milk has already happened
207 Double cross Cheat someone
208 Down and out Poor and hopeless
209 Down to Begin to work
business seriously
39
210 Down to earth Be practical or
sensible
211 Drag Slow down, hold
back
212 Draw the line Set a limit
213 Dressed to Be wearing one's best
kill or finest clothes
214 Drive Cause someone to
someone mad become violently
angry or insane
215 Drop out o Discontinue attending
40
216 Drop Write a short
someone a note/letter
line
217 Dry run Rehearsal
218 Dutch treat Each pays one's own
way
E
219 Easy going Relaxed
220 Egghead Intelligent person
221 Eyewash Information used to
hide the truth
41
F
222 Face the Meet the blame, face
music a difficult situation
with courage
223 Fall a part Become
disorganized,
collapse
224 Far-fetched Exaggerated
225 Fed up Be disgusted
226 Feel like a Be in the best of
million health and spirit
42
dollars
227 Fender- AN automobile
bender accident
228 Few and far Not many, few
between
229 Fill the gap Meet a need, make
complete
230 First rate top quality
231 Fishy Strange and
suspicious
232 Fervent Intense, impassioned
43
233 Fade Lose the original
color
234 Flack jacket A jacket that has
metal plates for
protection against
flack
235 Flap A confused situation,
a crisis, a decisive
event
236 Flat broke Having no money
237 Follow suit Follow the example
44
of another
238 For good Forever ,
permanently
239 For the birds Worthless,
unacceptable,
unsatisfactory
240 Foul up Ruin or spoil
241 From A to Z From beginning to
end
242 Full blast Go at full capacity
G
45
243 Get after Reprimand
someone
244 Get ahead of Do better than ,
progress more rapidly
than
245 Get behind To be late
246 Get by To succeed or
manage
247 Get going Start or begin
248 Get out of Not to be in control
hand
46
249 Get over To recover from
something
250 Get Explain or make clear
something
across
251 Get To complete or finish
something something
over
252 Give a big Give an enthusiastic
hand applause, help
253 Give To argue with or
47
someone a criticize someone
hard time
254 Give the give approval to
green light continue something
255 Go a long Cooperate, have no
with objection, agree,
follow
256 Go between A mediator
"n"
257 Go bad Spoil
258 Go for it Accept a challenge
48
259 Go off Be fired or explode,
depart or leave
260 Go through Complete
261 Go with the Agree to the way
flow things are
262 Gold brick Lazy person
263 Green thumb Ability to make
things grow
264 Grounded Not permitted to fly
265 Go ahead Permission or signal
to continue
49
H
266 Hack it Pass , be able to
perform satisfactorily
267 Half-hearted Without enthusiasm
268 Hang around Stay close by, wait
269 Hang onto Keep
270 Hang out Spend time with
271 Hardhearted Stubborn
272 Have a big One who says too
mouth much, , one who tells
others private
50
information
273 Hover Stay suspended in the
air
274 Hinge A metal device with 2
parts that act like a
joint
275 Heart of gold Be very kind,
276 High and low Everywhere
277 Hit the bull's Get a desired result
eye
278 Hit the road Leave, go
51
279 Hit the nail Do or say the correct
on the head thing
280 Hold one's Be calm or quiet
horses
281 Horse around Be engaged in rough
fun, not be serious
282 Hot line Emergency telephone
283 Hot shot A very gifted and
successful person
I
284 "If the shoe Admit the truth
52
fits, wear it
285 In a tight spot In trouble or
difficulty
286 In cold blood To kill or murder
without feeling , in a
cruel way
287 Impediment obstacle
289 In high gear Full activity, top
speed
290 In hot water In trouble
291 In the long run In the final result, in
53
the end
292 It beats me It makes no sense to
me
293 It' water under Something happened
the bridge in the past and
cannot be changed
J-K
294 Jet jockey A jet aircraft pilot
295 Jump to Make a fast decision
conclusion before the
information is
54
complete
296 Keep an eye Watch carefully and
on regularly
297 Keep one's Hope for the best
fingers
crossed
298 Knock it off Stop saying or doing
something
299 Knockout A very attractive
person or thing
300 Know-how Ability or knowledge
55
to do something
L
301 Ladies' man A man who tries to
please and interest
women
302 Leak To secretly give
information in an
unauthorized way
303 Learn by heart Memorize
304 Learn the hard Learn by making a
way mistake
56
305 Lend a hand Help or aid
306 Lend an ear Listen to someone
307 Let bygones Forget past
be bygones differences
308 Let go Release
309 Let the cat out Reveal a secret
of the bag unintentionally
310 Like a bat out Quickly or very fast
of hell
311 Like a fish Helpless
out of water
57
312 Little by little Gradually , step by
step
313 Letup Relief
314 Look a gift To find fault with
horse in the something when it is
mouth freely offered
315 Look after Take care of
316 Look before Use caution before
you leap advancing
317 Look sharp Be alert, look good
318 Lose face Lose dignity
58
319 Lose one's Lose control of
grip
320 Lose one's Become crazy
mind
321 Lose ones Get very angry
temper
322 Lost cause Something which has
no chance of
succeeding
323 Loudmouth Foolish , noisy
person
59
324 Lousy Something/someone
that's very bad
325 Lucky dog A very fortunate
person
M
326 Maiden name A woman's name
before marriage, her
family name
327 Matter of life Of vital importance
and death
328 Mixed up Bewildered,
60
confused
329 Money talks Money influences
people
330 Money to More money than is
burn needed
331 Monkey Any activity that is
business dishonest, illegal or
objectionable
N
332 Narrow An escape which
escape almost did not
61
happen
333 Nasty An unpleasant job,
business situation , operation -
---etc
334 Neck and Side by side
neck
335 Numb No feeling
336 Nip in the bud Stop at an early stage
337 No matter Regardless
338 Now and then Occasionally
O
62
339 Odds and ends Small unimportant
things
340 Off target Not correct
341 Off the hook Out of trouble
342 Off the record Not official
343 On cloud nine Experiencing
extreme happiness
344 On the blink Not functioning
properly
345 On the spot In difficulty or
trouble
63
346 On the tip of At the point of
one's tongue remembering
347 Once in a blue Rarely
moon
348 Out of hand Out of control
349 Out of order Broken , not working
350 Out of the Impossible
question
351 Outfit Unit, organization
352 Over and over Repeatedly
353 Over one's Difficult to
64
head understand
P
354 Pain in the Someone or
neck something extremely
disagreeable or
unpleasant
355 Piece of cake Easy , simple
356 Plastic Credit cards
357 Point of view Personal opinion
358 Perplex To make someone
confused
65
359 Periodicals Newspapers and
magazines
360 Pop up Happen suddenly
361 Pressed for Having very little
time time
362 Pull strings To secretly use
power and influence
to get something
363 Put one's foot Say something one
in one's mouth should not have said
R
66
364 R and R Rest and relaxation
365 Rain cats and Rain heavily
dogs
366 Rain check A request for an
invitation at some
future date in place
of one you received
but unable to accept
367 Raise a stink Complain or protest
strongly
368 Refrain Not to do , avoid
67
369 Read between Find a hidden
the lines meaning
370 Ready-made Not original
371 Run low on Have in short supply
S
372 Saddled with Responsible for
373 Second hand Previously used
374 Second rate Of poor quality
375 Set forth Explain clearly
376 Set free Release
377 Settle for Accept , agree
68
378 Shift gears Change a topic
379 Shove off Leave or depart
380 Sink or swim Fail or succeed in a
situation
381 Sit tight Wait patiently
382 Skin of one's Barely escape or
teeth succeed
383 Slip of the The mistake of
tongue saying something
one didn’t want or
plan to
69
384 Smell a rat Become suspicious
385 Snap decision A decision made
quickly without
much thought
386 Sold on Be convinced of the
value of
387 Sooner or At sometime
later
388 SOP Standard operating
procedure
389 Sort of A little , slightly
70
390 Spell out Explain very clearly
391 Stab someone Betray someone
in the back
392 Stand on one's Be independent
feet
393 Step on the Increase the speed
gas
394 Stick around Remain in the area
395 Skeptical doubtful
396 Straight from Directly from a
the horse's person or a place
71
mouth where something
began, from a
reliable source
397 Surf the net Go onto the internet
398 Spin around Turn
399 Starvation Famine
400 Straddle See both sides of a
problem, to have
trouble making a
decision
T
72
401 Tail end The end part
402 Take cover Hide
403 Through Follow the correct
proper procedures ,
channels particularly in
reference to the chain
of command
404 Tied up Busy
405 Topsy-turvy Messy
406 Time is Not much time is left
running short
73
407 Time to kill Having extra time
408 Toe the line Be careful to do what
one is supposed to
do, obey the rules
409 Too many Too many people
chiefs and not giving directions and
enough not enough people
Indians doing the real job
410 Trade in Exchange
411 Traffic jam Slowing or stopping
of traffic
74
U/W
412 Under a cloud Under suspicion
413 Vacillate Hesitate
414 Wind up Conclude or finish
415 Wishy-washy Without an opinion
of one's own
Y-Z +
416 You bet Certainly, of course
417 Yucky Very unpleasant
418 Yummy Very delicious
419 Zero hour Critical time
75
420 Zero in Locate accurately
421 Jagged Having an uneven
pointed edge
422 Orphan Having no parents
423 Pensive Having deep and
serious thoughts
often about sad
matters
424 rave Speak madly or
shout crazily
425 Notorious Well known , or
76
famous especially for
something bad
426 Crude Rough, unfinished,
offensive, ill-
mannered
427 Affiliate Join with , become a
part of
428 Glee Joy , a fleeing of
delight
429 adjacent Next , neighboring
430 Malleable Can be molded
77
431 Straddle Runs through
432 fervent Strong desire
78
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