Read Webster's New World American Idioms Handbook Online
Authors: Gail Brenner
Webster's New World American Idioms Handbook (10 page)
smoke
♦
Do you have any
smokes? ♦
Man, I need a
smoke.
squares
♦
Can I have one of your
squares?
I just smoked my last one
. ♦
How much for a pack of
squares?
Cigarettes come in three types, which are often referred to colloquially as
lights
(with lower amounts of chemical additives),
filters
(with a filter on the end), and
straights
(no filter, just tobacco).
The following expressions describe types of
smokers
(people who smoke):
light smoker:
a person who smokes some but not a lot of cigarettes per day
social smoker:
a person who only smokes socially, like at a party or bar
heavy smoker:
a person who smokes a lot of cigarettes per day
chain smoker:
a person who smokes one cigarette after the next, continuously
You might hear the expression
pack a day,
which means that the person literally smokes a pack of cigarettes a day. A heavy smoker might smoke
two packs a day.
People who smoke this amount of cigarettes
smoke like a chimney.
Idioms for the Act of Smoking
Most people buy cigarettes in packs or cartons, but some people
roll their own
(make their own cigarettes with cigarette papers and loose tobacco). To smoke a cigarette, one has to
light
it first. The following are three smoking-related idioms using the word
light:
light up
(v)
to light a cigarette; to smoke; to begin smoking for the first time ♦
Sorry, you’re not allowed to
light up
in here. This is a no smoking area.
♦
Studies show that fewer teenagers are
lighting up
today than a decade ago.
give someone a light
(v)
to light someone else’s cigarette for him or her, or to give someone a lighter or matches ♦
Do you mind
giving me a light? ♦
Here. Let me
give you a light.
a light
(n)
matches or a lighter to light a cigarette; generally used with the verbs
to have
or
to need.
This idiom is often phrased “
Have you got a light?”
or simply “
Got a light?”
♦
If
you need
a light
, I have one.
♦
Hey, does anyone have
a light?
The act of smoking a cigarette, pipe, or cigar can be described with one of these idioms:
drag on
(v)
to smoke with a long, slow, deep inhale. The noun form is
a drag.
♦
He stood there
dragging on
a cigarette.
♦
Advertisers appeal to young smokers with images of a rugged man
dragging on
a cigarette.
take a drag
(v)
to inhale the smoke deeply; generally followed with the preposition
off
or
of
♦
Hey, let me
take a drag off
your cigarette.
♦
He
took
one last
drag of
his pipe and gave up smoking for good.
puff
(v)
to smoke with short shallow breaths, without many pauses between inhales; to smoke a pipe; often followed by the preposition
on
or
with
♦
He
puffed on
his pipe in front of the fire.
♦
In the past college students used to
puff away
during the class.
take a puff
(v)
to inhale or draw in smoke from a cigarette, cigar, or pipe ♦
The first time I
took a puff
on a cigarette, I coughed for five minutes.
♦
Mind if I
take a puff?
Other Smoking-Related Idioms
The following are other idioms and expressions that refer to smoking and smokers:
bum a cigarette
(v)
to ask someone to give you a cigarette; also phrased to
bum a cigarette
off
someone ♦
Hey, can I
bum a cigarette
?
♦
Why are you always
bumming cigarettes off
me? Go buy your own!
put out a cigarette
(v)
to extinguish a cigarette, to stop it from burning ♦
He
put out his cigarette
and went back to work.
♦
Would you please
put your cigarette out?
The smoke is bothering me.
Grammar Note:
Put out
is a separable phrasal verb. It can be separated by a direct object, as in the last example above.
butt
(n)
the end that is left after the cigarette has been smoked ♦
The fire started from a smoldering cigarette
butt. ♦
Hey, don’t throw your
butts
on the grass; put them in the ashtray.
nicotine fit
(n)
symptoms related to a craving or intense physical need for nicotine; an addictive need for a cigarette; also said in the shortened form, a
nic fit
♦
He was having a
nicotine fit
after four hours in the plane.
♦
Give me a cigarette please! I’m having a
nic fit.
smoker’s breath
(n)
bad-smelling breath related to smoking ♦
I’ve tried chewing mints, but they don’t get rid of my
smoker’s breath. ♦
I like him, but I’ll never kiss him because he has
smoker’s breath.
smoker’s cough
(n)
a persistent cough related to smoking ♦
When mom’s
smoker’s cough
got worse, her doctor told her to quit smoking.
♦
His constant
smoker’s cough
was annoying everyone in the office.
secondhand smoke
(n)
smoke from cigarettes that is released into the air for others to breathe ♦
Recent studies show that
secondhand smoke
is as dangerous to a person’s health as smoking.
♦
Most restaurants, airports, and public buildings don’t allow smoking because of the dangers of
secondhand smoke.
Drinking
When the verb
to drink
is used without naming the type of drink, it generally means to drink alcoholic beverages, as in the examples that follow.
- Do you
drink? - I’m not old enough
to drink. - I don’t
drink. - She quit
drinking. - He shouldn’t
drink. - Have you been
drinking?
Types of Alcoholic Drinks
There are plenty of informal terms and slang for alcoholic drinks. Here are some of the most common:
(the) drink:
alcohol, in general; any alcoholic drink
booze:
any alcoholic drink
hooch:
usually low-quality or homemade liquor
vino:
wine, from the Italian for “wine”
brew
(also
brewski)
:
beer
hard liquor:
strong liquor with high alcohol content, not beer or wine
cocktail:
mixed drink that contains hard liquor and possibly wine, juice, or soda
Types of Drinkers
People who drink alcohol are generally described as one of the following:
social drinker:
a person who drinks alcohol only at social occasions like a party, date, or dinner
heavy drinker:
a person who drinks frequently and drinks a lot at one time
People who never drink alcoholic beverages might use one of these sentences to describe themselves:
- I’m a
teetotaler. - I
don’t drink. - I
never touch the stuff.
Social Drinking
Going out for a drink
and
having a few with friends
are two ways to talk about social drinking. A
cocktail party
(where cocktails are served) is another occasion for social drinking. An event or reception with a
no-host bar
means guests pay for their own bar drinks, and usually soda, coffee, and other beverages. Drinks are free for everyone at an event with an
open bar.
Heavy Drinking
A
heavy drinker
might be considered an alcoholic depending on how much or how often alcohol is consumed and how dependent the person is on drinking. The following are some common slang terms for a person who regularly drinks too much or is an alcoholic:
boozer
♦
She was a real
boozer,
and booze finally killed her.
drinker
♦
There are a lot of big
drinkers
in that family.
lush
♦
He was a
lush
for years until he got help and quit drinking.
drunk
(also
drunkard
) ♦
A
drunk
was sleeping in the park.
souse
♦
Poor old
souse
. She just can’t stop drinking.
alky
(short for
alcoholic
) ♦
No wonder his marriage split up; the guy’s an
alky.
In describing a heavy drinker, someone might say:
- She
likes to tip the bottle. - He
likes his drink.
People who drink an excessive amount at one time without appearing to be drunk or without passing out (being unconscious) are often described with one of these idioms:
- She can
hold her liquor. - He’ll
drink you under the table.
Want a Drink?
If you or your friends are thirsty and you want to suggest getting some water, a cool soda, or ice tea, avoid saying “I’d like a drink” or “Do you want a drink?” Unless you are standing at a drinking fountain or soda machine when you say this, they may give you a strange look. Why? Because
a drink
often implies
an alcoholic beverage.
Instead say, “Would you like (to get) something to drink?” or “Are you thirsty?” so that there is less chance of being misinterpreted.
Getting Drunk
After a few alcoholic beverages, one might begin to feel
tipsy
(somewhat unsteady and mentally foggy). People may say “I’m
feeling it,
” “I’m
getting a buzz
,” or “It’s
going to my head,
” meaning they are feeling the effects of the alcohol and are a little
light-headed
(dizzy). With more drinking, the person will get
drunk
(overcome by the alcohol; no longer in control of his or her faculties).
Here are some common expressions that mean a person has had too much to drink and is drunk. The form of the idiom shown is the common form in which it’s generally used:
had too many
(v)
♦
I’m going to drive Jack home. He’s
had too many.
feeling no pain
(v)
♦
I was
feeling no pain
after a few strong drinks.
soused
(adj)
♦
I think some of the guests are getting
soused.
wasted
(adj)
♦
It’s stupid to get
wasted
and make a fool of yourself.
smashed
(adj)
♦
He was in big trouble with his parents when he came home
smashed.
Three sheets to the wind
is one colorful expression to describe people who are intoxicated — so drunk they have lost control of their faculties. It alludes to sheets on a clothesline flapping in the wind like a drunk might stumble and weave around, unable to walk straight. The following expressions also describe someone in this drunken state:
drunk as a skunk
roaring drunk:
noisy and intoxicated
dead drunk:
so intoxicated that one is unconscious
Getting Help
AA
is how most people refer to Alcoholics Anonymous, one of the more prominent organizations that helps alcoholics stop drinking. Its program has 12 specific steps or stages, so it’s often called simply
12-step,
as in “My brother was in
12-step.
” A person in such a program is said to be
in recovery,
or be
a recovering alcoholic.
A similar program for drug users is NA, or Narcotics Anonymous. Recovered drug users and alcoholics often say that they’re
clean and sober
to describe their addiction-free status.
CHAPTER 5
NOSE TO THE GRINDSTONE:
SCHOOL AND WORK
Keeping one’s
nose to the grindstone
means working hard and diligently until a task is done, whether that be a school- or a work-related task. Education and occupation are two major endeavors in everyone’s life, and they have inspired plenty of idioms, expressions, and special terms. In fact, entire texts have been written on business-related idioms alone. In this chapter, you’ll find some of the most common idioms and expressions that people use to talk about their schooling, their work, and their experiences in these two environments.
School-Related Idioms
School is a huge part of American life. From learning
the three R’s
(the basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic) to
living in the ivory tower
(spending so much time in an academic setting that one loses touch with the rest of the world), this section shows you the most common idioms that are related to schools and learning.
Learning Your ABCs
and Related Idioms
Learning your ABCs
— a reference to learning the alphabet — is a light expression that refers to attending school and getting an education. This expression generally refers to elementary- and secondary-level education.
- She said to her kids,
“
Time to get up and go
learn your ABCs.” - Some children are
learning their ABCs
at home in homeschooling programs.
Another expression is
the three R’s,
meaning reading, ’riting (writing), and ’rithmetic (arithmetic), but referring more generally to basic academic subjects. Someone might say, “Students need to spend more time on
the three R’s.
” Another person might say, “Children need to study languages, music, and art, not just
the three R’s.
”
Studying and doing schoolwork in general is often expressed with one of these idioms:
hit the books
(v)
to study, do schoolwork, often with special concentration ♦
I have to
hit the books
— I’ve got a big test on Friday.
♦
Johnny, it’s time to turn off the video games and
hit the books.
crack the books
(v)
to study or start studying ♦
You haven’t
cracked the books
all weekend. Don’t you have homework?
♦
I rarely
cracked the books
in high school, but somehow I graduated.
put (
or
have
or
keep) one’s nose to the grindstone
to work especially hard and long on something, often applied to academic study ♦
In this program, they really
keep your nose to the grindstone. ♦
I’ve
had my nose to the grindstone
for a week doing this report.
have one’s nose in the books
to study with great concentration ♦
She’s
had her nose in the books
all day studying for exams.
♦
I’ll play some soccer this afternoon, but I’ll
have my nose in the books
tonight.
Note:
This expression is also said in the singular as
have one’s nose in
a book.
The singular version can also mean to study a particular book for school, but typically it’s used to talk about being absorbed in an interesting book that one may be reading for pleasure.
Pulling an All-Nighter
and Related Idioms
Staying up all night (or
pulling an all-nighter
) to study for exams or complete a project is a common practice for university students in the United States. Another expression is
burning the midnight oil
(alluding to an oil lamp burning after midnight while one works). A
cram session
usually doesn’t last all night — it’s intense study before an exam, and it sometimes involves a number of people studying together.
The following examples show how these expressions are used in context:
- I’m exhausted! I just
pulled an all-nighter
studying for the test. - I’ll have to
burn the midnight oil
to get this paper finished. - There’s a
cram session
for the final at Natalie’s house tonight. Want to go?
Submitting Work
At every level of education (elementary, secondary, and higher education) students are required to do homework or projects and submit them to the instructor. The work is corrected, graded (usually), and then given back to the student. The word
submit
is rarely used. Instead, the following expressions are used:
turn in
or
hand in
(v)
to submit completed work ♦
Please
turn in
your research papers before Friday.
♦
Has everyone
handed in
their essay?
pass in
(v)
to submit while in the class; to pass to the front of the class ♦
Should we
pass in
our homework now?
♦
Time is up. Please
pass in
your exam.
Grammar Note:
Turn in, hand in,
and
pass in
are separable phrasal verbs.
After reviewing and grading students’ work, the instructor will
hand
or
pass
it
back:
- After class, I’ll
hand
your essays
back. - First, I have some homework to
pass back
to you.
[For more information on separable phrasal verbs see Part V.]
Quizzes, Tests, Exams
Quizzes, tests, and exams are all designed to test what the student knows. Short quizzes might happen any time, while tests and exams generally occur at the end of a unit of study or in the middle or end of the school term.
Although people use the words
test
and
exam
interchangeably,
exam
usually refers to tests that come at the end of the term, often called
final exams
or
finals.
Tests that come in the middle of the term are called
midterm exams
or
midterms.
Here are a few ways to talk about tests: An instructor
gives a test
while students
take a test.
After a test is corrected, graded, and
handed back,
the instructor might
go over
the test (review the questions and answers).
Test questions may be one (or a combination) of the following types:
True/false questions
require marking a statement as true or false.
Multiple choice questions
require choosing the right answer out of three or four choices.
Fill-in-the-blank
questions require supplying information to complete a statement or to answer a question. An
essay test
requires writing short essays to discuss an issue or answer a question. At the university level, many tests are of this type, and may be written in a blue booklet called a
blue book.
Finally,
oral exams
or
orals
are spoken tests that are often required by some programs for graduation.
Here are some idiomatic terms for other types of tests:
pop quiz
or
test:
a surprise test that students aren’t expecting
make-up test
or
exam:
a special test given for students who missed a previous test
open-book test:
a test where students can use books and notes to help find answers to the test questions. The opposite is a
closed-book test,
but tests are usually closed book so this term isn’t often used.
“How’d you do on the exam?” is a question often heard after a test. One might have done well, poorly, or just okay. But, if the results are great, or terrible, one of the following slang expressions (all verbs) might be heard:
ace the test:
to do very well, get a high grade, pass the test easily ♦
I think I
aced the final;
it seemed easy to me.
bomb the test:
to do very poorly, get a low grade, fail the test ♦
I didn’t study enough, so I probably
bombed the test.
flunk (the test):
to fail, not pass the test; also to give someone a failing grade ♦
He
flunked
the exam, so he’ll need to do extra work to pass the class.
♦
Professor Jones
flunked
the three students who cheated on the test.
Doing Well in School . . . or Not
A student who
gets good grades
(usually As and Bs) is
doing well in school.
One who gets excellent grades or gets
all As
might be called by one of these names:
a straight-A student
♦
For my sister, it was easy to be
a straight-A student.
a brain
♦
He’s no
brain,
but he tries very hard.
brainy
♦
The
brainy
kids always eat lunch and talk together.
Note:
This adjective is most often used in front of
kid,
as in the example.
an Einstein
♦
She brags that her granddaughter is
a
little
Einstein.
Note:
Little
is often placed in front of
Einstein
when the person being described is a child.
in the 90th percentile
(in the top 10 percent of the class) ♦
She tested
in the 90th percentile,
so she’ll go to a top university.
a walking encyclopedia
♦
Ask Jen if you don’t know the answer. She’s
a walking encyclopedia!
Teacher’s Pet
and Related Idioms
A student who seems to be the teacher’s favorite might be called the
teacher’s pet.
On the other hand, a student who
gets bad
or
poor grades
(usually Ds and Fs) is
doing poorly in school.
Today, this student might be called
a low achiever
rather than a more demeaning term like those that follow. People sometimes use these names to criticize themselves or to tease or humiliate another.
bonehead
♦
I was a real
bonehead
on that last test. I couldn’t remember the material.
dunce
♦
The poster said, “Don’t be a
dunce.
Study hard and stay in school!”
numbskull
♦
What a
numbskull!
How could you miss those easy questions?!
“Be cool. Stay in school” is a saying to encourage students to finish high school or college. A young person who doesn’t complete his or her education and graduate is called a
high school dropout
or a
college dropout.
The verb
to drop out
means to quit school before graduation. A person who fails a number of classes and is dismissed from school
flunks out.
(This expression has no noun form. There is no such thing as a flunkout). Failing an exam or class is
to flunk.
- Today high school
dropouts
can get their diplomas through continuation programs. - She
dropped out
of college to join a dance company. - If you
drop out
after the deadline, you’ll lose your tuition. - He failed most of his classes and
flunked out.
In School
or
at School?
Being
in school
generally doesn’t mean that one is on the campus or sitting in the classroom at that moment. “I’m
in school
” is another way of saying “I’m a student” (usually a college student). If you’re talking to someone on the street and you say “I’m
at
school,
” he’ll probably say something to the effect of “What? No you aren’t. You’re right here!” Being
in school
can also mean attending school in general.
- Are you
in school
or working? - My daughter is
in school
in New York. - I’m not
in school
this semester. - I was
in school
in the early ’90s.
Being
at school
means being physically on the campus or in the classroom — just as being
at work
or
at the store
mean being physically in those places.
- He’s
at school
right now. He’ll be back later. - I was
at school
when you called.
Note:
People sometimes do use these expressions interchangeably, and one common exception is the use of
in school
with the following:
- What did you do
in school
today?
Most students stay in school and complete their education, but they don’t always attend all their classes. In many schools and even some college classes, attendance is mandatory, so
missing class
(not going to class) can get one into trouble. And missing a lot of classes can lower one’s overall grade. Still, it’s common, and there are a number of common idioms for it too.
Note:
The expressions
ditch
and
play hooky
are usually used when attendance is mandatory.
Play hooky
is also playful slang that can simply mean to take a day off from school or work.