|
J |
|
|
jeopardy, in |
In
danger.
– Suddenly the whole game was in jeopardy.
to put something in jeopardy
– You may be putting your career in jeopardy if you do
that.
to jeopardize s.o./s.t. [verb] means to put someone or
something in danger.
– You may be jeopardizing your career if you do that.
|
|
jockey for position |
To
try to position yourself to your own advantage.
– Several people are jockeying for position for the day
when Jack retires.
(from horse racing) |
|
join the club |
A
phrase used to express sympathy for a common experience.
– He didn’t return your call? Join the club! |
|
jump at |
To
take advantage of something very quickly; to respond immediately to an offer or
opportunity.
– He jumped at the chance to work in New York.
– They jumped at our offer. |
|
jump on |
To
scold or criticize someone.
– Mike jumped on Barry for not giving him the message.
Also: jump all over
– Mr. Barkley jumped all over the service man for not
returning his call. |
|
jump start |
To
provide outside energy to something that has stopped functioning.
– If you have battery cables, I can jump start your car.
– We need to jump start this project. Nothing is happening. |
|
jump the gun |
To
start doing something too soon.
– Tom jumped the gun and yelled "surprise"
before the lights came on. |
|
jump to a conclusion |
To
form an opinion quickly.
– Let’s not jump to conclusions. Let’s wait
for their report. |
|
jury is still out, the |
No
decision has been made yet. We don’t know the results yet.
– It’s too early to know yet how the public likes
the product. The jury is still out. |
|
just a minute |
(1)
Please wait a short time.
– Just a minute while I turn off my computer.
(2) Please stop.
– Just a minute. I need to use that first.
(3) A short time.
– I will be with you in just a minute.
Also: just a moment |
|
just about |
Almost,
nearly.
– It’s just about midnight.
– We are just about finished. |
|
just as soon |
To
like exactly as much.
– I’d just as soon stay home as go out to a
restaurant.
The speaker’s words mean literally that there is no difference for him, BUT this kind
of statement is usually a polite way of saying that he prefers to stay home. |
|
just for the record |
To
make one’s position clear and official.
– Just for the record, I voted for the other guy. |
|
just in case |
See: in
case |
|
just in time |
See: in
time |
|
just like that |
Suddenly;
unexpectedly.
– He got sick and died just like that. |
|
just one of those things |
A
random occurrence that cannot be explained.
– We can’t explain why the computer failed at that
moment. Maybe it was just one of those things. |
|
just the ticket |
Exactly
what is needed or required.
– This chair is just the ticket for my weak back.
Also: just what the doctor ordered |
|
just what the doctor ordered |
Exactly
what is needed or required.
– This new software is just what the doctor ordered.
Also: just the ticket |
|
K |
|
|
keep a low profile |
To
stay out of public notice.
– After his election loss, he decided to keep a low
profile. |
|
keep a straight face |
To
avoid laughing when one really wants to.
– I had to keep a straight face when he talked about how
talented he is. |
| keep abreast of |
To
remain informed of something.
– I like to keep abreast of what’s happening in the
stock market. |
| keep after |
To
continually urge or remind someone to do something.
– I have to keep after her to do the expense reports. |
| keep cool |
To
remain calm and under control. Also: keep your cool
– When he starts to criticize us, just keep cool.
I’ll handle it.
Also: stay cool, stay calm , keep calm |
| keep down |
(1)
To hold under control; to repress.
– Please keep your voices down. I’m trying to
think.
(2) To prevent something from going up or someone from advancing.
– So far, we’ve been able to keep our costs down.
– Tony thinks his lack of an MBA is keeping him down in his career. |
| keep from |
(1)
To withhold something.
– Are you keeping some information from me?
(2) To prevent something happening.
– Please keep your children from playing in our garden.
(3) To restrain oneself or hold onself back.
– I couldn’t keep from laughing. |
| keep in mind |
To
remember; not forget.
– Keep in mind that we only have five days left.
Also: bear in mind |
| keep in touch |
To
maintain contact.
– I’ll keep in touch while I’m in Hong Kong.
See: in touch |
| keep it up |
Continue
to do what you are doing.
– I like the way you get things done. Keep it up. |
| keep off |
To
avoid or stay away from something.
– Keep off the grass.
– The doctor told me to keep off milk for a while. |
| keep on |
To
continue doing something.
– Don't worry about the time; just keep on working.
– Don’t stop here; keep on going.
Notice that keep on is always followed by a word ending with –ing. |
| keep one posted |
To
supply someone with up-to-date information.
– Keep me posted about your project. |
| keep one’s chin up |
To
maintain courage in a difficult situation.
– I try to keep my chin up and believe that things will
get better. |
| keep one’s cool |
See: keep
cool |
| keep one’s distance |
To
stay away; to remain emotionally remote.
– That dog bites. Keep your distance.
– Ever since their argument at the department meeting, they have kept their distance
(from each other). |
| keep one’s ducks in line |
To
maintain control over several things or people for which you are responsible.
– If you want to be successful, you have to keep your
ducks in line. |
| keep one’s eye on the ball |
To
remain alert about what you are doing.
– Now keep your eye on the ball when you are compiling
this information. |
| keep one’s eyes open |
To
be watchful and observant.
– We have to keep our eyes open for defects. |
| keep one’s fingers crossed |
See: cross
one’s fingers |
| keep one’s nose to the grindstone |
To
stay very hard at work without being distracted.
– I admire the way he works. He really keeps his nose to
the grindstone. |
| keep one’s shirt on |
To
stay calm or patient; not become angry.
– I didn’t mean to insult you. Keep your shirt on. |
| keep one’s word |
To
do what one promises to do.
– I expect him to keep his word about our bonuses. |
| keep pace with |
To
go at the same rate or speed as another; not fall behind.
– I couldn’t keep pace with Dale, but I did finish
the race.
Also: keep up with |
| keep someone company |
To
be with someone so they won’t be alone.
– I’ll keep you company until she comes. |
| keep to oneself |
To
avoid the company of other people; value one’s privacy.
– She tends to keep to herself at lunchtime.
keep something to onself — To avoid giving information.
– I want everyone to keep this information to
themselves. It is confidential. |
| keep under one’s hat |
To
preserve the secrecy of something.
– I’ll tell you but you have to keep it under your
hat.
[etw. für sich behalten] |
| keep up with |
To
go at the same rate or speed as another; not fall behind.
– We have to keep up with the competition.
– Sometimes it is hard to keep up with all of the new
technological advances.
Also: keep pace with |
| keep up with the Joneses |
To
try to match the life style of one’s richer neighbors.
– A swimming pool! Are you trying to keep up with the
Joneses?
[mit den andern gleichziehen] |
| kick ass |
To
defeat an opponent thoroughly. Also: kick someone’s ass
– With this new technology, we are going to kick ass.
– With this new technology, we are going to kick their asses.
kick-ass [adjective] Outstanding.
– We have a new, kick-ass technology that will make us
the market leader. |
| kick off |
To
give (a conference or an advertising campaign) an official beginning.
– Let's kick off the meeting with a presentation of the
new products. |
| kick off |
To
give (a conference or an advertising campaign) an official beginning.
– Let's kick off the meeting with a presentation of the
new products. |
| kick out |
To
eject someone or something in an unceremonious way.
– They were kicked out of the club. |
| kick the bucket |
To
die. Also: pass on, pass away
– Old Mr. Smith kicked the bucket last week. |
| kick upstairs |
To
promote someone to a higher position but with less authority.
– After he made a mess of things, they kicked him
upstairs. Now he is in charge of special projects. |
| kickback |
An
illegal payment given to the person who gives a work contract from the person who receives
the work contract.
– We found out that our competitor was giving kickbacks
to foreign governments. |
| kill time |
To
do something unimportant while waiting.
– I killed time by looking at a magazine. |
| kill two birds with one stone |
To
achieve two goals with a single effort.
– We can kill two birds with one stone if we bring this
report to lunch with us.
[zwei Fliegen mit einer Klappe schlagen] |
| killer app |
A
software application that dominates a large market.
– You can make a lot of money if you know what the next
killer app will be.
killer — Anything that is so good or desirable that people are willing to
"die" for it. See: die for
Therefore, sexy women are called man-killers and sexy men are called lady-killers.
|
| kind of |
Somewhat;
rather; to a limited degree. Also: sort of
– I am kind of tired, but we can continue if you like.
[ein bischen] |
| knock on wood |
To
hope or wish that something good will happen or that something bad will not happen by
literally touching or knocking on anything made of wood. (an old superstition)
– When this airplane lands, knock on wood, I’ll buy
you a drink.
Also: touch wood
[dreimal auf Holz klopfen] |
| knock oneself out |
To
make a very great effort to accomplish something.
– I knocked myself out on this project. |
| knock the socks off |
To
amaze or overwhelm someone with great quality.
– The movie is so good it will knock your socks off. |
| know a thing or two |
To
be very knowledgable or experienced.
– He started programming in 1975. He knows a thing or
two about computer languages. |
| know better than |
To
understand that something is wrong or not possible.
– You should know better than to park here. |
| know the ropes |
To
know how to do something.
– You don’t have to train him. He already knows the
ropes.
[sich auskennen]
Show someone the ropes – To teach someone how to do
something.
– Sam, Alice is new here. Will you show her the ropes?
[jmdn. mit allem vertraut machen] |
| know the score |
To
understand the situation completely.
– The new manager has to be someone who knows the score. |
| know where one stands |
To
be clear about one’s position relative to the position of others.
– People don’t have to like me. I just want to know
where I stand. |
| L |
|
| last but not least |
The
last in a sequence but not the last in importance.
– Last but not least, I’d like to thank Mrs.
Walters, who typed the manuscript.
Note: Do not forget to say the word but. |
| last laugh, have the |
To
succeed in the end, especially after some problems.
– If we get the contract, we’ll have the last
laugh. |
| last resort |
The
last choice for solving a problem situation.
– Taking him off the team would be our last resort. |
| last straw, the |
The
final event which, although seemingly insignificant, causes a significant negative result.
– I tolerated his coming to work late, but when he
didn’t meet the deadline for his report — that was the last straw. |
| last word, the |
(1)
The final statement in a discussion.
– Thank you, John. That will be the last word, because
we are out of time.
(2) The newest thing of its kind.
– This is the last word in modems. |
| laugh at |
To
find someone or something very funny or ridiculous.
– They laughed at Columbus, too. |
| laugh off |
To
dismiss something as unimportant.
– I cannot laugh off your failure to finish your work. |
| laugh with |
To
enjoy a laugh together with someone.
– I like working with John; he is someone I can laugh
with. |
| lay it on the line |
To
be firm and direct about one’s position or motive.
– I’ll lay it on the line for you. If we don’t
reach an agreement, we go on strike. |
| lay off |
To
terminate someone’s job.
– They are going to lay off 14,000 workers. |
| lay one’s cards on the table |
To
openly and honestly reveal one’s position or intentions.
– If we are going to negotiate an agreement, I think we
should lay our cards on the table. |
| lead off |
To
start something (and others will follow).
– John will lead off our discussion with a report on the
latest sales figures.
– We need someone to lead off the song. |
| lead the pack |
The word pack
is used for groups of animals that either work or hunt or travel together; for example, a
pack of wolves, a pack of dogs. In racing, dogs or horses that are grouped tightly
together as they move around the track are called a pack.
Likewise, people or companies that are grouped tightly in a competition can be called a
pack, especially when using the phrase to lead the pack or calling one
company the leader of the pack. There is a clear leader but he is not
alone; everyone else is close behind.
– No matter who is leading
the pack today, you can assume it will be someone else in five years. |
| leapfrogging |
[verb]
To jump ahead of someone ahead of you. This comes from the children’s game of leapfrog
[Bockspringen].
– They leapfrogged from sixth place to second place in
one year. |
| learn one’s lesson |
To
profit from experience, especially a negative one.
– I learned my lesson. Always make sure there is enough
gas in the tank. |
| learn to live with |
To get
used to a negative situation.
– I guess I’ll have to learn to live with |
| leave a lot to be desired |
To
be imperfect or unsatisfactory.
– Their customer service department leaves a lot to be
desired. |
| leave no stone unturned |
To
make every possible effort; to look for a solution in every conceivable place.
– We must find someone to fit this position. Let’s
leave no stone unturned. |
| leave off |
(1)
To stop a process temporarily.
– This bookmark shows where he left off reading.
(2) See: leave out |
| leave open |
To
keep something undecided or unscheduled.
– For now, I want to leave open who to invite.
– I’m going to leave two o’clock open, in case they call. |
| leave out |
To
omit or exclude something (e.g. information) or someone.
– You left out your address in the letter.
– I believe you left me out of your plan. |
| leave someone holding the bag |
To
escape a negative situation and thereby leave someone else with sole responsibility for
it.
– Two weeks before the deadline, my partner quit the
company and left me holding the bag. |
| leave the door open |
To
remain open to further discussion or offers.
– I think he left the door open when he said
"maybe". |
| leave word |
To
leave a message for someone.
– Could you leave word that I was here. |
| let down |
(1)
To fail to support someone.
– John let me down when he didn’t say anything at
the meeting.
(2) To disappoint someone.
– You let me down when you didn’t come to my party. |
| let go |
(1)
To allow someone or something to go free.
– She let the bird go.
(2) To fire someone.
– They let 25 people go.
(3) To release one’s hold on something.
– Let go of my arm.
let it go — to allow a disagreement to stand as it is.
– We’ll never solve this. Let’s let it go, at
least for now. |
| let in on |
To
tell someone about something that others don’t know (e.g., information, a secret).
– George will let you in on our plan. |
| let out |
To
cause something (information or a secret) to become known before the proper time.
– If we let out our true costs, we will lose our
bargaining advantage. |
| let someone have it |
To
give someone a beating or a scolding or severe criticism.
– She waited until they got home before she let him have
it. |
| let the cat out of the bag |
To
reveal a secret.
– It’s time to let the cat out of the bag.
Marsha’s pregnant. |
| let the chips fall where they may |
To
disregard secondary considerations when faced with doing what is right.
|
