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Translation glossary: American Slangs, Words & Phrases

Creator:
Jane Rezende
Jane Rezende
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Showing entries 101-150 of 182
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Making a SceneBehaving in such a way that it disturbs the public; drawing undue attention to oneself by being dramatic. 
English
Man of Few WordsA person who does not speak a great deal; someone who talks with as few words as possible. 
English
Monday morning quarterback— Because quarterback is an on-field leadership position played in American football, which the British have no interest in, and because Monday morning references the fact that most NFL games take place on Sundays, this is a doubly obscure metaphor. While American’s understand that the phrase references the practice of criticizing something after-fact-with the advantage of hindsight, an English person would find this phrase totally meaningles 
English
Money Doesn\'t Grow On TreesSuggests that money is a resource that must be earned and is not one that\'s easily acquired. 
English
Mountain Out of a MolehillOne who escalates small things and turns them into big problems. 
English
Mouth-wateringDelicious; something that looks or tastes appetizing. 
English
My Cup of TeaSomeone or something that one finds to be agreeable or delightful. 
English
Needle In a HaystackTo keep going, pressing forward; never stopping. 
English
No Ifs, Ands, or ButsFinishing a task without making any excuses. 
English
No Questions AskedUsually this suggests that a task should be completed no matter what, even if one has to employ methods 
English
No-BrainerAnything that requires minimal brain activity to accomplish. 
English
Not the Sharpest Tool in the ShedSomeone who isn\'t witty or sharp, but rather, they are ignorant, unintelligent, or senseless. 
English
Off One\'s BaseA person that is crazy or behaving in idiotic ways 
English
Old One-TwoThe To be watchful; paying careful attention to something. 
English
On Cloud NineHaving strong feelings of happiness or satisfaction. 
English
On the RopesBeing in a situation that looks to be hopeless! 
English
On the Same PageThinking alike or understanding something in a similar way with others. 
English
Pants— CLOTHING RETAILERS TAKE NOTE: The Brits say ‘trousers’ … The American default word for the article of clothing that covers the legs and pelvic region seems pretty general and innocuous to English speakers in the U.S. To the actual English, however, ‘pants’ is the primary word they use for ‘underwear.’ And while American cinema and television typically writes the word ‘knickers’ for underwear into the vocabulary of British ch 
English
Par For the CourseWhat you would expect to happen; something normal or common. 
English
Pass the buck— To deflect responsibility onto someone else. 
English
Piece of cake— A metaphor to describe something that is easy or effortless. 
English
Pig out— A metaphor for binge eating. (compulsão alimentar) 
English
Playing For KeepsSaid when things are about to get serious. 
English
Playing PossumPretending to be dead, or to be deceitful about something. 
English
Plead the fifth— References the fifth amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which allows a witness in court to refuse questions on the grounds that they risk self-incrimination. 
English
Plot Thickens, TheA situation that has gotten way more serious or interesting due to recent complexities or developments. 
English
Poke Fun AtMaking fun of something or someone; ridicule. 
English
Print conceptsNoções de leitura 
English to Portuguese
Put a Sock In ItAsking someone to be quiet or to shut up. 
English
Quality TimeSpending time with another to strengthen the relationship. 
English
Quick and DirtyThings that are fixed with great speed, but as a result, it\'s probably not going to work very well. 
English
Quick On the DrawPerforming an action with the greatest of haste. 
English
Rain on Your ParadeTo spoil someone\'s fun or plans; ruining a pleasurable moment 
English
Raining Cats and DogsWhen it is raining heavily. 
English
Read \'Em and WeepOften said by the winner in poker, as the others \'weep\' over the loss. 
English
Ride Him, Cowboy!A cheer people yell, usually at rodeos when cowboys are clinging to the backs of untamed horses. 
English
Ride Shotgun— Another phrase taken from Old-West folklore, riding shotgun is a statement of both position and status/ a sort of second-in-command support position who works from a preferential vantage. The imagery invoked by the phrase comes from stagecoaches, specifically the person who rode in the seat next to the driver whose job was to fend off any would-be bandits with a shotgun. 
English
Right Off the BatImmediately, done in a hurry; without delay. 
English
Roll With the PunchesTo tolerate or endure through the unexpected mishappenings you may encounter from time to time. 
English
Scot-freeGetting away freely from custody, punishment, or any type of risky situation. 
English
Screw up— To make a mistake, i.e. mess up. 
English
Ships Passing In the NightTypically said when two people meet for the first time, have a chat, and then part ways shortly after. 
English
Shoot the breeze— An idiomatic phrase for killing time with idle chit-chat, ‘shoot the breeze probably stems from old-west imagery, either cinematic or anecdotal in origin, in which men with nothing but time and ammunition on their hands shot their guns at no particular target. 
English
Short End of the StickGetting the bad end of a deal, or receiving the least desirable outcome from something. 
English
Shot In the DarkAn attempt that has little chance for success. 
English
Son of a GunA person, usually one who is behaving badly. 
English
Spill the Beans— British English speakers might pick up on the use of the word ‘spill,’ as a metaphor for divulging. But ‘spill the beans,’ might be obscure enough for them to assume a more specific connotation, which they are not aware of. Needless to say, ‘spill the beans,’ is an American idiom for divulging secret information that dates back to the very early 1900s. 
English
Sweet— An adjective that describes something that is good, or nice. 
English
Swinging For the FencesGiving something your all. 
English
Take a raincheck— This is an Americanism that dates back to the 1880s and references the practice of giving baseball game ticketholders a pass to a game that must be rescheduled due to weather. It’s commonly used as a metaphor for postponing or rescheduling a meeting between people to some later date that is more convenient. 
English
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