English Slang and Idioms – Part I
I have a confession – sometimes I change the way I speak when I am in different environments. Now, this isn’t such a terrible thing if the environment is my English Language classroom; it makes listening and understanding easier for elementary ESL students if I choose simpler words and speak slower than normal. However, when I don’t want someone to understand me (maybe because I’m playing some sort of game), then I will say something like this:
Deez peeps ain’t followin’ nuttin’ I’s spittin’.
Roughly, I might translate this as:
These people do not understand anything I am saying.
English slang is something that varies from place to place – some English speakers might even find it impossible to understand one another with such huge differences in Conversational English. In order to help you navigate these difficult waters, here is a list of some common slangs and idioms from American English:
Verbs English Slang and Idioms – Part I
English Word | Meaning |
(get a) kick out of | enjoy |
barf, puke | vomit |
bash | crush, beat |
blow | spend, waste |
break it up | stop |
call | predict |
con | deceive |
cool down | calm down |
crack open | open, start |
cram | study a lot |
cruise | go fast |
ditch | leave |
eat(ing away) | bother, erode |
get into something | become seriously interested in |
get with it | hurry up |
go(ing) down | happen(ing) |
hang up | quit |
have a big mouth | talk too much |
hustle | hurry up |
keep one’s cool | remain calm |
knock up | to make pregnant |
mellow out | calm down, relax |
pig out | eat a lot |
rules | dominates |
run out of gas | lose interest, momentum |
screw around | waste time |
spook | scare |
take a hike | leave |
English Slang and Idioms.
Adjectives English Slang and Idioms – Part I
English Word | Meaning |
(he is) history | gone, finished |
awesome | great |
beat | tired |
blown away | totally amazed |
bummed | sad |
cool | good |
dead | boring, quiet |
dicey | unsure, not definite |
dirty | obscene |
foxy | sexy |
goofy | silly |
groovy | fun, nice |
gross | disgusting |
grungy | dirty |
hairy | dangerous |
high | intoxicated (drugs) |
hot | stolen |
in | fashionable |
laid-back | calm, relaxed |
lame | pathetic, inadequate |
neat | good, interesting |
no sweat | no problem |
nuts | crazy |
pooped (out) | very tired |
straight (answer) | honest |
stressed | anxious |
totaled | wrecked |
up | awake |
wired | alert |
English Slang and Idioms.
Nouns English Slang and Idioms – Part I
(it was a) hit | successful |
a riot | very funny |
ace | very good |
action | excitement |
all-nighter | when you stay up all night |
ammo | ammunition |
big stink | big issue |
booze | alcohol |
break | opportunity |
buck | money |
chow | food |
cop | police officer |
damage | cost |
dork | stupid or boring person |
dough | money |
fix | dose of drugs (addict) |
flashback | memory |
flick | movie |
gig | performance, job |
glitch | defect, error |
gut | stomach |
guts | courage |
hype | excitement |
I.D. | identification (card) |
meltdown | total collapse |
pain in the neck | annoying |
piece of cake | easy |
pit stop | quick stop |
pro | professional |
psycho | crazy person |
shot | try |
English Slang and Idioms.