Lesson 22 Flashcards
better off
in a more fortunate position
EXAMPLE 1: We’re better off leaving for France on Thursday evening, so we can spend the entire weekend there.
EXAMPLE 2: If you’re interested in studying languages, you’d be better off attending Northwestern University than the University of Chicago.
Note: This expression is often used with conditional tense (would), especially when you’re giving advice: “you would be better off doing some- thing” or “you’d be better off doing something.”
(to) buy out
to purchase an entire business or someone’s share of a business
EXAMPLE 1: Microsoft bought out Adam’s company for $12 million.
EXAMPLE 2: Harriett and Jane sell homemade snack chips. They hope one day a big company will buy out their business.
dragon lady
a nasty woman who misuses her power
EXAMPLE 1: Beth is a real dragon lady. She’s always screaming at her employees and blaming them for her mistakes. I hope she gets fired!
EXAMPLE 2: Liz was nasty to you? I’m not surprised. She’s a dragon lady.
SYNONYMS: bitch [slang]; shrew
(to) get it
to understand
EXAMPLE 1: I invited 40 people to my Thanksgiving dinner, but only I0 people came. I don’t get it!
EXAMPLE 2: Don’t you get it? Your company is about to go out of business!
it looks like
it’s likely that
EXAMPLE 1: It looks like I’ll be able to get out of work early today, so let’s plan on meeting downtown at 4:30.
EXAMPLE 2: It looks like it’s going to rain, so we’d better just cancel the picnic now.
no laughing matter
nothing to joke about; something serious
EXAMPLE 1: When the tornado came into town, it was no laughing matter.
EXAMPLE 2: Jim might have been fooling around when he hit John, but he really hurt him. It was no laughing matter.
nothing to do with (someone or something)
not have any relationship with someone; to not get involved with something
EXAMPLE 1: After I found out that Nora shoplifted some lipstick from the drugstore, I wanted nothing to do with her.
EXAMPLE 2: Larry asked Nick if he wanted to help him plan a robbery. Nick told Larry that he wanted nothing to do with it.
rolling in dough
very rich
EXAMPLE 1: Susan and Bob don’t need to work anymore. They’re rolling in dough.
EXAMPLE 2: Adam will be able to retire young. He’s rolling in dough.
Norn: This is a play on words. “Dough” means “money” as well as what is used to make cookies, breads, and pastries. The dough (cookies) made by Bob and Susan brought them lots of dough (money).
SYNONYMS: rolling in it; rolling in money; loaded
(to) strike it rich
to attain sudden financial success
EXAMPLE 1: Chad struck it rich with the winning lottery ticket.
EXAMPLE 2: Craig hopes to strike it rich so he can quit his job and open a winery in California.
that’s the way the cookie crumbles
that’s the way things go sometimes and there’s nothing you can do about it
EXAMPLE 1: You lost your job? That’s the way the cookie crumbles.
EXAMPLE 2: Somebody drank your last can of Pepsi? Oh well, that’s the way the cookie crumbles.
