| WORD / PHRASE | MEANING |
| awesome | very good, interesting, or appealing |
| big deal | important event; may be used sarcastically to refer to something that is not important |
| blast or It’s going to be a blast! | It’s going to be a lot of fun |
| bomb | to be unsuccessful |
| blow it off | to ignore or avoid someone or something |
| blue or have the blues | feel depressed |
| bogus | 1) nonexistent, fake 2) bad, awful, unsatisfactory |
| to book | 1) to hurry up or do something very quickly 2) to reserve a ticket to an event or on transportation |
| born again | to hold strong, fundamentalist, Christian beliefs |
| bounce a check | to overdraw a checking account |
| broke | having no money |
| buddy | friend |
| bum a cigarette | to borrow a cigarette |
| bummed out | depressed |
| bummer | unpleasant experience |
| burned | rejected, insulted, or otherwise negatively treated |
| burned out | 1) exhausted 2) dull or lifeless as a result of excessive work or drug use |
| busted | 1) to be caught by anyone in authority while misbehaving, or by the police while using drugs 2) to be “broke” or out of money |
| check out | 1) to sign out materials from a library 2) to try to find out something |
| check it out | to look over a situation |
| chill out or cool it | a command to stop what you are doing, relax |
| cop out | to not face the issue |
| couch potato | a lazy person who spends a large amount of time (perhaps on a couch) watching television |
| cram | To study frantically the night before a test |
| crash | 1) to stay overnight in someone else’s dwelling, usually without notice or formal arrangement 2) to go to sleep after becoming extremely tired |
| cruising | Driving around for pleasure with no particular destination |
| to have a crush on someone | To be extremely infatuated with someone |
| cut it out! | Stop it! |
| dead | 1) very tired 2) not living |
| dork | an unfashionable and awkward male |
| dorm | dormitory |
| dough | money |
| down in the dumps | depressed |
| drop in | to visit unexpectedly |
| dude | a fashionable man |
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| fire up | to get excited about something; to motivate |
| fix up | to arrange a date for a friend |
| fed up or sick of | disgusted with; tired of |
| freak out | to lose control of oneself |
| fuzzbuster | device used by some motorists to determine when police are using radar to detect drivers who are speeding |
| geek | unattractive, unstylish, socially inept person |
| get a kick out of someone/something | find someone or something amusing or enjoyable |
| get on someone’s case | to annoy |
| get off someone’s case | to stop annoying a person |
| give someone a break | to stop criticizing or teasing |
| Give me a break! | Expresses disbelief |
| Give someone a buzz, a ring | to call someone on the telephone |
| goofing off | acting silly; doing something that has no particular purpose |
| give up | to quit |
| go bananas | to be so excited that one loses control of oneself |
| gross | something crude, usually unpleasant |
| hang in there | keep trying; do not be discouraged |
| hang out | 1) to waste time 2) a regular meeting place for friends |
| hang-up | fear; phobia or worry |
| hassle | 1) a problem or inconvenience 2) cause another person to have a problem or inconvenience |
| head | another name for the bathroom or toilet facilities |
| hick | someone from a small town or rural area (usually uncomplimentary meaning unsophisticated) |
| hit the road | to leave a place |
| hit the sack or turn in | to go to bed |
| hitch a ride | to get a ride from another person |
| hung up | to be in conflict over a problem |
| ID | identification card |
| in a nutshell | very briefly and concisely |
| jerk | person who cannot do things correctly; a mildly derogatory term |
| jock | an athlete or athletic person, or one who is not very intelligent |
| john | another name for the toilet or bathroom facilities; head |
| Knock it off! | Stop doing that! Usually expressed when you are doing something annoying |
| Lighten up! | Relax, don’t be so serious |
| loaded | someone who has had too much to drink; someone who has a lot of money |
| Loosen up! | Relax |
| lose it | to lose control of oneself |
| luck out or get lucky | to have something good happen due to luck or chance |
| Don’t mess with me! | Leave me alone |
| Mind your own business! | Do not ask questions or make statements about this matter; it is my concern and not yours |
| mooch | to borrow frequently and/or take things from others, usually without the intention of returning or repaying |
| nerd | a strange or socially inept person |
| on the house | free, no cost |
| Oops! | An exclamation used when a small mistake is made |
| to be open | to be accepting of something or someone; to speak frankly about oneself |
| out of one’s mind (head) | 1) crazy 2) doing something ridiculous |
| out of it | tired and not concentrating |
| pal | friend |
| pig out | overeat |
| pop, soda pop, soda, or soft drink | carbonated beverage (Coke, Pepsi, Sprite, et al) |
| psych up | prepare oneself mentally or emotionally for something |
| psyched up | enthusiastic |
| pull someone’s leg | to tease |
| put someone on | to tease or try to fool |
| take a raincheck | postpone; accept the same invitation but for a later date |
| raunchy | vulgar, crude |
| relationship | a close affiliation with someone, usually romantic |
| right-hand | an important and reliable assistant |
| rip off | 1) steal 2) anything too expensive and not worth the price |
| rowdy | noisy, loud, obnoxious |
| scoop | gossip, recent news |
| see eye-to-eye | having the same opinion |
| show | television program, movie, film, or theater performance |
| shush! | Be quiet, don’t make so much noise |
| slam | insult a person |
| slob | 1) a lazy, fat person 2) a person who is not dressed neatly 3) an untidy person |
| spaced out | unable to concentrate |
| split | to leave |
| stood up | to be left waiting for someone who never arrives |
| tacky | in poor taste |
| Take a hike! | Go away and leave me alone |
| to be crazy about | to like someone or something very much |
| to be into something | to be very interested in or concerned with something |
| touch base | verify information with someone |
| tough luck | it’s too bad that happened to you |
| turn over a new leaf | adopt a better course of conduct |
| unreal | unbelievable |
| uptight | worried, tense |
| Way to go! | That’s very good! Sometimes used sarcastically |
| What’s up? What’s happening? What’s going on? | What event is taking place? What are you doing? |
| wimp | weakling |
| zero in on | to focus or concentrate on |
| zonked or zonkered | completely exhausted |
