SLANG 2005
Burn out = extremely tired, worn out from working too much
To walk on eggshells = to be in a delicate situation, to be on the edge of danger or run (camminare sulle uova, andarci cauto, procedere con i piedi di piombo, procedere con cautela)
All that = wonderfull, excellent, the best
Example == > My boyfriend is all that.
To bury / To hide your head in the sand = comportarsi come lo struzzo, nascondere la testa per non vedere - hide from the truth.
What's on your mind? = what are you thinking about? - cos'hai in mente? - cosa ti frulla in testa?
A wimp = a weak or fearful person, someone who lacks courage
- Don't be a wuss, Stephen. It's just a little spider - Don't be such a wuss, riding a bike can't hurt you! - Are you afraid of the dark? What are you, some kind of a wuss? - He’s too much of a wimp to fight. - Don’t be a wimp, jump in! (non fare il bambino, salta dentro) - He’s not a man, he’s a wimp (non è un uomo, è un mollusco)
Synonyms a wimp a coward a timid person a sissy
To be a wuss = to be a coward, timid person, wimp, sissy
Head doctor = psychiatrist, shrink (strizzacervelli)
- What did your shrink say today? = che cosa ha detto oggi il tuo strizzacervelli?
Synonyms of "strizzacervelli": head doctor shrink head-shrinker
Knuckle sandwich = a punch in the face
- If you don't stop bothering me, you're going to get a knuckle sandwich - Sarah gave Peter a knuckle sandwich when she caught him looking at other girls.
KNUCKLE == > bones in your hand (nocca, articolazione delle dita)
Big house = prison (maximum security ex. Federal prison or jail)
To have one foot in the grave = avere un piede nella fossa / nella tomba
To tell a white lie = dire una pietosa bugia
Croak = to die
- Old man Douglas croaked last week. - After my grandpa croaked, I inherited his fortune
Tirare le cuoia, crepare, morire: to croak to snuff it to kick the bucket to pop one’s clogs to pop off
Kick your ass = to give a severe beating to rough someone up (maltrattare, picchiare qn)
- Don't mess with the bouncer unless you want him to kick your ass.
All-nighter = a study or a work session that goes through the night. Studying without sleeping (compito o attività che richiede l’intera notte). TO PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER TO
- I pulled an all-nighter to study for my maths exam. - We pulled an all-nighter to finish the report.
To honour a pledge = (onorare una promessa) keep its promises
Easy as pie = very simple
- The job was easy as pie and we finished up an hour early. - You want mon to give you $50? Easy as pie. Just tell her you need to buy some new shoes.
Roll out the red carpet for somebody = stendere il tappeto rosso per qn, accogliere qn con tutti gli onori to treat a visitor very well; to give someone a grand, elaborate welcome
- The city rolled out the red carpet for the visiting royalty
red carpet (ex: I was given the red carpet treatment) rug (ex: the cat was sleeping on the rug in front of the fire) mat (bathmat = tappetino da bagno)
Rug out = eliminazione, uccisione, regolare i conti fra gangstar cancellare con la gomma Synonyms To kill To murder To assassinate To erase
- He was rubbed out by a rival gang = fu fatto fuori da una banda rivale - To rub out one’s mistakes = cancellare errori - This pen won’t rub out = questa penna non si cancella - Rub that name out! = cancella quel nome!
All-out = giving as much effort as possible (deciso, energico)
- Karen went all-out in the race and won a gold medal. - Captain Barne's final act was to order an all-out assault on the fortress.
Luck of the draw = according to the fate (il frutto della sorte) That's the luck of the draw = così ha voluto il caso
To pipe down = zittire, fare silenzio, smetterla di parlare, piantarla stop talking be quiet Pipe / bagpipes = musical instrument (cornamusa) Silenzio!: be quiet silence shut up pipe down
- Pipe down! Mum is talking on the phone = Silenzio! La mamma sta parlando al telefono. - Pipe down in here. I'm trying to think! = Silenzio, sto cercando di pensare. - She told the class to pipe down = disse agli alunni di fare silenzio. - He was playing the pipes in the street = suonava la cornamusa per strada
Money business = bidone, tiro mancino, affare poco pulito
Examples	- Hey! what's all this monkey business? = what monkey business is this? - They’re up to their usual monkey business again = stanno di nuovo combinando il loro solito tiro mancino - This deal smacks of monkey business = quest’affare sente di truffa
Synonyms	dirty trick (brutto scherzo, scherzo da prete) To play a dirty trick on somebody = fare uno scherzo da prete a qualcuno
Low-life = a person who had bad habits or a questionable lifestyle (indecente, volgare / persona rozza, volgare)
Synonyms	bum, loser
Take the bull by the horns = prendere il toro per le corna to deal with to confront a problem or challange
- Bull (animale) - Taurus (zodiaco) - (as) strong as a bull = forte come un toro - to be as mad as a bull = essere infuristo come un toro - to settle the matter once and for all = tagliare la testa al toro
To hit the road = mettersi in viaggio, prendere la strada di casa to leave, to go home "Go away!", "Leave me alone!"
Use your head = usa il cervello
To nuke = cuocere al microonde (US slang) attaccare con armi nucleari Nuke (= nuclear weapon) arma nucleare
- No more nukes! = basta con le armi nucleari! - The President threatened to nuke them = il Presidente minacciò di usare armi nucleari contro di loro
To mosey along = to walk slowly
Synonyms: walk stroll straunter
Squeaky-clean = (pulitissimo) something that is very clean
Synonyms	spotless - kitchen is always spotless - A spotless reputation - A spotless white jacket Spic and span - A spic and span hotel - She kept the kitchen spic and span
Cut it out = basta!, falla finita!, piantala!, smettila!, dacci un taglio!
Synonyms: knock it off!, have done with it!, chuck it!, pack it in!, skip it!, drop it!, stop that!
A narc = - police informer, anyone who provides information to the authorities about their friends or associates. Ex: Nobody likes a narc - agente dell’antidroga
That's not my pigeon = non mi compete / non rientra nelle mie responsabilità
- Mummy’s little pigeon - to put/to set the cat among the pigeons	- il piccioncino di mamma - sollevare un vespaio
To be on the same wavelength = essere sulla stessa lunghezza d'onda, essere d'accordo.
- Wavelength - Which wavelength is the station on?	- lunghezza d'onda - Su quale lunghezza d’onda trasmette la stazione?
Six feet under = morto e sepolto
Zone out = deconcentrarsi, non prestare più attenzione
Example	I think I've been working on my computer too long. I'm starting to "zone out!".
Love handles = maniglie dell'amore
Example	I need to exercise more! My love handles are growing!
To have a jar with sb = (UK) bicchiere (di birra o altro alcolico) - farsi un bicchiere con qn.
Lemon = scemo, allocco, sciocco
Example	He felt a bit of a lemon = si sentì un po’ stupido
Synonyms	twit, dope, ninny