LEARN SOME SLANG
Darned sight more: a lot more.
e.g. "Do you think he should put more effort on this?" "A darned sight more!"

Get cold feet: become anxious and fearful.
e.g. He got cold feet, and left without taking the challenge.

Hard put to it
: in difficulty.
e.g. During the Great Depression people were hard put to it to make both ends meet.

Up to the neck: deeply and completely.
e.g. He was up to the neck in credit card debt.

Get cracking
: start.
e.g. We don't have all the time in the world; come on, get cracking.

French leave
: leave without permission.
e.g. His boss found out that he took French leave yesterday afternoon to see his mother in the hospital.

Have it in for someone
: bear someone a grudge; be determined to punish someone.
e.g. All these years he has it in for you: you married his sweetheart.

Geese are swans: less worthy than one insists.
e.g. He brags about his achievements. I tell you what: all his geese are swans.

Gen up on
: study; be informed.
e.g. You're going to give a speech; gen up on this subject.

Say one's piece
: say what one ought to say.
e.g. I must say my piece: that was not a nice thing to say to your parents.

Throw one's weight about: behave overbearingly; show authority.
e.g. Now that he has been elected major, he's throwing his weight about everything and everyone.

Cry blue murder: make a great fuss.
e.g. Just ignore him: he's crying blue murder over everything.

Beat hollow: be superior to.
e.g. She is bossy, beating everyone hollow.

Say-so: permission.
e.g. Do I have your say-so to launch the project?

Till the cow comes home
: never; indefinitely.
e.g. "When do you think he will find a job?" "Till the cow comes home."

Give someone a break
: leave me alone.

e.g. Come on, give me a break; I don't want to hear this from you.

Stephen Lau
Copyright© by Stephen Lau