ESL and GED Learning New Mexico

Today’s Idiomatic Vocabulary:
“to skinny-dip /skinny-dipper / skinny-dipping”
Meaning: to swim naked; a person who swims naked; the activity of swimming naked:
-“John tried to entice the girls at the beach to skinny-dip with him in the pool at his apartment complex.”
-“Alonzo and his friends took off their clothes and went skinny-dipping in the river.”
-“If you hike up to Long Lake with the children, be careful as you are approaching the lake. It is not uncommon to encounter some skinny-dippers.”
-“They skinny-dipped in the ocean at a secluded beach while they were on their honeymoon.”
-“Have you ever gone skinny-dipping?”
-“We went skinny-dipping in the lagoon last summer.”
-“Some drunken college students stole Monica’s clothes while she was skinny-dipping in the river. Poor Monica had to drive home with a towel wrapped around her body.”
-“There were some skinny-dippers in the whirlpool bath at our hotel. We complained to the hotel manager because we didn’t think it was appropriate.”
-“Some of our friends want to skinny-dip in the river on Saturday night. I am not interested!”
*Can you write an example sentence?

Today’s Idiom:
“to spill the beans (about something)”
Meaning: to divulge a secret, especially to do so inadvertently or maliciously; to give away a surprise; to let secret information become known:
-“We wanted to be the ones to tell her parents that we are going to get married, but her brother spilled the beans!”
-“Please don’t tell anybody. You have to promise not to spill the beans.”
-“Do not trust John with any information that you want to be kept secret. He cannot be trusted. I asked him not to tell anyone about my legal problems, but he spilled the beans to my coworkers.”
-“I felt mortified when my sister spilled the beans about my impending divorce at the family reunion.”
-“I apologize! I didn’t mean to spill the beans about your new job.”
-“I have to tell someone! Do you promise not to spill the beans? I have decided to move to Los Angeles! I am going to study economics at UCLA. Please don’t mention this to our mutual friends. I want to surprise them.”
-“I can’t keep it a secret any longer. I have to spill the beans! I’m pregnant!”
-“From the look on his face when he opened the door and we all yelled “surprise,” it was obvious that someone had spilled the beans to Paul about his surprise birthday party.”
-“I know you didn’t mean any harm, but by spilling the beans about me not being a Canadian resident, I could be in danger of getting deported.”
*Can you write an example sentence?

Today’s Idiom:
“a rathole”
Meaning: a very small, cramped apartment, office or building that is dirty, cluttered, unorganized, decrepit, rundown, etc.:
-“The apartment the three of us lived in during our first year in college was a rathole. It was the only thing we could afford that was within walking distance of campus.”
-“That place is a rathole! I’ve never seen such a dirty, rundown restaurant.”
-“My office is starting to look like a rathole. I need to clean and organize it.”
-“I wouldn’t stay at that motel if you paid me! The place is a real rathole.”
-“Sheila’s basement is a rathole. There are lots of old boxes and piles of old clothes on the floor. It looks like she hasn’t cleaned it in months. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are mice or rats living down there.”
*Can you write an example sentence?

Today’s Idiom:
“fishy”
Meaning: if something is fishy, it is very suspicious, it appears to be untrue or improbable; used to describe something like a story, an explanation or an occurrence that doesn’t make sense; if something smells, sounds, looks, or seems fishy, it is suspicious and may mean that something improper or illegal has occurred and is being covered up; *fresh fish has very little odor whereas old or rotten fish smells awful:
-“John’s story smells fishy. If he spent the weekend at his sister’s house in Cedar City, how did a napkin from a gentlemen’s club in Las Vegas get in his suitcase?”
-“Something smells fishy! The caller claims to be from the electric co-op and is asking for a $200 payment or my service will be cut off. I paid my bill last week. I think it’s a scam.”
-“This situation seems rather fishy. I would like to help you, but your story doesn’t make sense to me.”
-“Do you think the cops are going to believe your fishy explanation? There is no way that a stranger loaned you her car to go grocery shopping.”
-"Her explanation is very fishy. I don't think she's telling the truth."
-“The government requested an audit of your income tax return because it looks fishy. You claim to have earned your money working at a store in Florida, but your home address is listed as being in Maryland. If I were you, I would think about consulting with a tax attorney.”
-“Son, I would like to believe you, but your story sounds fishy. The library closed at 7:30 last night and you didn’t get home until 11:30. Tell me the truth! Were you with your new girlfriend?”
-“There is something fishy going on! Those guys are walking around the parking lot looking in car windows. I am going to call campus security right now!”
*Can you write an example sentence?

Today’s Idiomatic Phrasal Verb:
“to take after (someone)”
Meaning: to resemble someone in appearance, habit or personality, often an older relative:
-“Claudio takes after his Uncle Bilbo. They have similar senses of humor and both love tattoos.”
-“You really take after your mother. The two of you have the same smile.”
-“It is really unfortunate that John takes after his older brother, Leonard. I worry about their drinking habits.”
-“I’m not surprised that the new teacher takes after Jeff. She took two of his classes many years ago. I really like how they incorporate humor into their lessons.”
-“She takes after her mother. She wants to be a nurse.”
-“Monica and Irene take after their grandmother. They love to cook traditional foods from ancient family recipes just like Grandma Flores used to cook.
*Do you take after someone?
*Can you write an example sentence?

Today’s Idiom:
“to give (someone) the finger”
Meaning: to raise your middle finger at someone: a rude, inappropriate gesture to show someone your anger or extreme displeasure:
-“The guy in the black pick-up truck gave Monica the finger when he pulled up alongside her car at the traffic light. He was angry because Monica was driving too slow.”
-“Some belligerent soccer fans gave their own team’s goalie the finger as he was leaving the field after they lost the match due to his poor performance.”
-“Uncle Bilbo says that he is so frustrated with President Naranjo that often gives his television the finger while he is watching the president give a speech.”
-“Timmy got sent to the principal’s office by Mrs. Miller when she caught him giving one of his classmates the finger.”
-“John gave the bartender the finger and angrily walked out of the bar when she refused to serve him more beer.”
-“Bobby means no harm when he gives you the finger. He isn’t mad at you. It is just his goofy way trying to show you that he wants to be your buddy.”
-“Christopher is normally a very mild-mannered person. I was shocked when he gave a teenage boy the finger for throwing an empty plastic bottle on the ground at Alto Street Park.”
-“I gave him the finger and told him to get lost because he was acting like a jerk. He’s lucky that I didn’t call the cops.”
*It is not vulgar to say this idiom, but it is rude and vulgar to do it!
*Can you write an example sentence?

Today’s Idiom:
“to put the moves on (someone)”
Meaning: an informal idiom meaning to attempt to seduce someone; to flirt with someone in a sexually suggestive way; to proposition someone in a sexual nature; to make romantic or sexual overtures:
-“Almost every time we go out with John, he tries to put the moves on someone. I can see why some people think he’s creepy.”
-“I didn’t realize it at first, but the clerk at the convenience store was putting the moves on me. She told me I had beautiful eyes, then she put her hand on my leg and told me she thought I was cute.”
-“Monica is used to having guys put the moves on her. She just tells them that she’s not interested. If they persist, she tells them to get lost.”
-“When I went to visit my eighty-year-old uncle at the nursing home, I was shocked to see him putting the moves on a young nurse. She laughed and told me not to worry about it.”
-“Instead of putting the moves on a woman when you first meet her, perhaps you should engage her in a conversation.”
*Has anyone ever put the moves on you?
*Can you write an example sentence?

Today’s Idiomatic Phrasal Verb:
“to veg out”
Meaning: to do nothing: to relax; to exert little or no energy; to lazily relax; *this idiom comes from hospital patients and people with a mental illness who are in a vegetative state; it is very common in informal spoken English:
-“I am exhausted. I am going to cancel my plans for tonight. I just want to veg out on the sofa and watch TV.”
-“I am worried about John. All he does is veg out and eat junk food since Miranda left him.”
-“We are exhausted from the long plane flight. After we check in to the hotel, we are going to veg out at the pool for a few hours.”
-“Instead of going for a hike this afternoon, we should order a pizza and veg out. I’m not motivated to do anything strenuous.”
-“You have a lot of chores to do, son. Stop vegging out! Get your butt off the sofa and go out in the yard and rake the leaves.”
-“I feel like a total slug. I have been vegging out all day!”
-“We didn’t do anything constructive last weekend. Truth be told, we vegged out on in the living room and watched Netflix all day Saturday and Sunday.”
*Do you like to veg out from time to time?
*Can you write an example sentence?

Today's Idiom: "to put something on the back burner" Meaning: to delay or postpone something (often due to or because of unforeseen circumstances); the idea of this image comes from cooking; if something needs more time to cook or if you want something to simmer, you put the pot or pan on the back burner of the stove:
-Due to the earthquake, the governor put his proposal to build a new recreation center on the back burner and focused on repairing damaged infrastructure.
-We decided to put our wedding on the back burner until next year.
-We had to put our vacation to Europe on the back burner when my husband lost his job.
-John put going to college on the back burner and started working in a factory when his father was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
-Because of the failing economy and President Naranjo's senseless war, many families have put making large purchases on the back burner.
-Our plan to buy a new car is on the back burner until the economy improves and we can start saving money again.
*Can you write a example sentence?

I hope you are having a nice weekend. I spent today at resource fair promoting upcoming English classes at Santa Fe Community College and networking with other community organizations.