PE 1/3 Review

1. a clean slate: to have no prior recorded history of doing something

ex> After he got out of jail, he started over with a clean slate.

ex> She decided to start with a clean slate after changing her career.

I bet you paid an arm and a leg.

* pay an arm and a leg: 돈이 너무 들다

ex> I hate to have to pay an arm and a leg for a tank of gas.

I had to cough up a couple hundred dollars, but at least I have a clean slate now.

* cough up: (돈을 마지못해) 내놓다, 토해 내다

ex> Steve finally coughed up the money he owed us.

2. take something personally: to be overly sensitive to comments or criticisms

ex> Please don’t take this personally. But we have to let you go.

ex> Be careful what you say because she usually take things very personally.

I just told her that her dog had relieved itself on that man’s briefcase, but she took it very personally.

* relieve yourself: 볼일을 보다 (화장실에 가는 것을 정중하게…)

ex> I had to relieve myself behind a bush.

3. a social butterfly: a person who is very friendly at parties or other social functions

ex> My best friend is a social butterfly so she has lots of friends.

ex> Try to be a social butterfly at the party.

4. play it by ear: to proceed without a definite plan, and adjust as needed

ex> Nothing is written in stone so let’s play it by ear.

ex> I’m not sure if I can do lunch this Friday so let’s just play it by ear.

5. high on one’s list: a priority; a desired achievement

ex> Watching the Berlin Philharmonic this fall is high on my list.

ex> Checking out that new Italian restaurant is high on my list.