AUDIO
DICTIONARY OF SLANG
Dictionary of slang Here we’ve got some examples of how to say things in different situations.
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Situation
Formal
Relaxed
Informal
You are going to leave a place:
I am departing
I’m going
I’m off; I’m out of here, I’m shooting off, I’m gonna run
People have been speaking badly about you:
They have been tarnishing my name
They’ve been talking behind my back
They’ve been having a go at me; they’ve been slagging me off; they’ve been bad-mouthing me; they’ve been putting in the boot
You tell someone to look at something:
I’d like you to inspect this
Take a look at this
Get a load of this; have a butcher’s at this; get an eyeful of this
You were talking about something with someone:
We were engaged in conversation
We were having a chat
We were nattering away; we were having a chin wag, we were chewing the fat; we were shooting the breeze (US)
You are happy with the result of something:
This is very good indeed
This is great
Excellent!; nice one!; cool!; wicked!
You have just finished a job:
That job is terminated
It’s all done
It’s all wrapped up; sorted; done and dusted
Someone complains to you about a job you have done for them. They want you to do it again. You refuse:
Accept it if you wish
Take it or leave it
Like it or lump it
Please note that the words in this glossary box are literal translations of parts of idiomatic expressions.
GLOSSARY to shoot vb to fire a gun so a bullet comes out gonna abbr going to a slag n offens an insulting word to refer to someone (usually a woman) you think has sex with too many people a boot n a large shoe a load n a lot a butcher’s n a shop that sells meat a chin n the area of your face that is below your mouth
to wag vb if a dog “wags” its tail, it moves its tail from side to side to chew vb if you “chew” food, you use your teeth to break the food and move it from side to side a breeze n a light wind wicked adj evil and bad to dust vb to clean a surface and take off the dust (little pieces of dirt) a lump n a solid piece of something
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