Unit 8 Transportation

Get around to move, to travel

             Also: get about

             USAGE NOTE: These idioms refer to one’s daily means of transportation.

             ▪ How do you get around if you haven’t bought a car yet?

             ▪ Since her operation, eighty-year-old Mrs. Jackson has used a wheelchair to get about.

Get out of to exit, to leave

             Also: Get off

             GRAMMAR/USAGE NOTES: You get ou of a car or truck, but you get off a bus, train, subway, motocycle, or bicycle. Get out of must be followed by a noun phrase; get off sometimes is followed by a noun phrase, but at other times it isn’t.

             ▪ Mr. Nguyen got out of the taxi as soon as it stopped at the curb.

             ▪ Linda wasn’t paying attention, so she got off the subway at the wrong station.

             ▪ Mr. Wells’s daughter was scared while riding on ger dad’s motocycle, so she asked to get off.

Get in(to) to enter

             Also: hop in(to), get on, hop on

            GRAMMAR/USAGE NOTES: You get in(to) or hop in(to) a car or truck; you get on or hop on a bus, train, subway, morocycle, or bicycle. When into is used, a noun phrase must follow. When in is used, a noun phrase may or may not follow.

             ▪ Mr. Olson got into the car to start the engine. His wife got in a short time later.

             ▪ I’d be glad to give you a ride to the store. Hop in!

             ▪ The high school students got on the bus when it arrived at the corner.

Ride shotgun to ride in the front passenger’s seat

             ▪ Jake’s brother rode shotgun for the entire trip acress the United States.

             ▪ If you’d like to drive now, I don’t mind riding shotgun.

Take a spin to drive for pleasure, usually for a short time

             Also: go for a spin, go for a ride

             ▪ Would you like to take a spin before you decide whether to buy this truck?

             ▪ We went for a spin around the block in Helen’s new car.

             ▪ It was a beautiful day to go for a ride in the country.

On someone’s tail following too closely behind

             Related form: tailgate (verb)

             ▪ I’d better change lanes. There’s a large truck right on my tail.

             ▪ The sports car was tailgating the car ahead when the accident occurred.

Make good time to travel efficiently (without wasting time)

             ▪ We made good time on our cross-country drive, which took only six days.

             ▪ We arrived at our relative’s house an hour early because we’d made good time.

Fill up to fill one’s vehicle with gas

             Also: gas up

             GRAMMAR NOTE: These idioms may or may not be used with noun phrases. When noun phrases are used, the idioms are separable.

             ▪ Look, we’re low on gas. We’ll have to stop at the next gas station to fill up.

             ▪ Did you gas the car up on your way home?

Gas-guzzler a vehicle that consumes too much gas

             ▪ Sascha replaced her old gas-guzzler with a modern economy car.

             ▪ During the 1960s and 1970s, U.S. auto companies produced large gas-guzzlers.

Take off to depart from an airport runway

             Opposite meaning: touch down

             Related form: take-off (noun)

             ▪ Several airplanes were waiting to take off because of the busy holiday weekend.

             ▪ The plane touched down gently on the runway and taxied to the terminal.

             ▪ On take-off the pilot banked the plane to the left and headed west toward Tokyo.

Unit 7 An Active Lifestyle

Early bird someone who likes to rise early in the morning

             ▪ I’ve always been an early bird. I rarely get up after six o’clock in the morning.

             ▪ Jake’s new job forces him to be an early bird. He has to start work at 5:00 A.M.

Night owl someone who likes to stay awake late at night

             ▪ It’s easy for Laura to study until three in the morning. She’s always been a night owl.

             ▪ Scientists believe that body chemistry may determine whether someone is more likely to be an early bird or a night owl.

Night on the town an evening of dining and entertainment

             USAGE NOTE: This idiom is often used with the verb spend.

             ▪ Mr. Frederick impressed his fiancee with an expensive night on the town.

             ▪ Matt and Tina spent a night on the town with their guests from Europe.

Live (life) in the fast lane to lead a very active social life

             Related form: life in the fast lane (noun)

             ▪Jet-setters are rich people who travel around the world living life in the fast lane.

             ▪ How’s life in the fast lane, Van? You’re gone so often I hardly see you anymore!

Live it up to enjoy life by spending money freely

             Also: do it up (right)

             GRAMMAR NOTE: The pronoun it cannot be changed or removed.

             ▪ The Pierces go to Las Vegas once a year and live it up in the best hotel suite available.

             ▪ We shouldn’t worry about how much we spend on our vacation. We should do it up right.

Have a ball to enjoy oneself greatly, to have pleasure

             Also: have a good time

             ▪ Thanks so much for inviting us to the party. We really had a ball.

             ▪ Matt didn’t expect to have a good time at the picnic, but he actually did.

Party animal someone who likes to have fun often

             ▪ Up late again last night? This is the third day, you party animal.

             ▪ Dave had become such a party animal that he failed two classes.

Throw a party to invite guests to a party

             USAGE NOTE: Words such as farewell, retirement , and graduation can precede party.

             ▪ Are you free next Saturday evening? I’m throwing a party and I’d like you to come.

             ▪ The employees threw a farewell party before their supervisor left for another job.

Get out (and about) to leave home for a social activity

             USAGE NOTE: This idiom is usually used when someone doesn’t leave home often enough due to overwork, injury, or old age.

             ▪ Since our child was born, my wife and I get out much less often.

             ▪ You should try to get out and about more now that you’ve recovered from the accident.

             ▪ Mrs. Carlson tends to stay home and watch TV. She should get out and about more often.

Unit 6 Resting and Relaxing

Take a nap to sleep (usually for a short time)

             Also: take a snooze

             ▪ Every afternoon old Mr. Jones takes a nap on his porch for an hour.

             ▪ I lay down on the couch and took a quick snooze in the afternoon.

Take a break to rest by stopping work or play

             Also: take a breather

             ▪ We’ve been working hard on this spreadsheet for ever three hours. It’s time to take a break.

             ▪ The hikers took a breather during a very steep portion if the trail.

Take a easy to relax, not to work hard

             USAGE NOTE: This idiom may be used when someone is upset and should relax.

             ▪ There’s no reason to work so hard. Take it easy!

             ▪ Why is Eduardo so angry at Elaine? He should take it easy.

Have free time to have little or no work to do, to have extra time

             Also: have time on one’s hands, have time to kill

             ▪ Whenever Mr. Ness has free time, he goes camping tn the moutains.

             ▪ Amy’s job is so easy that she has lots of time on her hands to read.

             ▪ Because we had time to kill in San Diego, we saw a few more sights.

Pass the time to spend time (usually relaxing)

             Also: while away

             USAGE NOTE: This idiom is followed by an expression of time, such as the hours, the days, and so on.

             ▪ Our flight was delayed on departure, so we passed the time playing cards.

             ▪ On the small island of Tahiti, we had nothing to do but while away the hours.

Daydream to think about something not related to what is happening at that moment

             GRAMMAR/USAGE NOTES: This idiom is used when a person is not aware of what is happening around him or her because the person is thinking about other matters. It can also be used as a noun.

             ▪ Sandra sat at her desk and daydreamed about being with her boyfriend.

             ▪ It would be dangerous for an airline pilot to have a daydream while flying.

Loosen up to become more relaxed, to become informal

             Also: let one’s hair down

             ▪ This vacation is just the right way for me to loosen up and enjoy myself.

             ▪ Alana is serious at the office, but at parties she likes to let her hair down.