Having conversations with an American can be pretty difficult if you’re not from around here! We Americans get confused with state-to-state lingo, so imagine how strange it all sounds to foreigners! We’ve compiled 17 American phrases like this so they never confuse you again!
Monday-Morning Quarterback
Being a Monday-morning quarterback means either one of two things. Either you behave like you know all the answers despite not having experience in a field, or, on the other hand, you second-guess actions or decisions a lot. The latter is a more modern interpretation, but they both work.
Put Up Your Dukes
Dukes translates directly to “hands” or “fists.” So, to “put up your dukes” is to raise your clenched hands as if you’re prepared to get into a brawl with someone. It’s basically the stance boxers take to defend themselves, so if someone tells you to put up your dukes, you’re in trouble.
Up My Alley
If someone is trying to recommend something to you, Americans will say that it’s “right up your alley.” The phrase is simply another way to say you really like something or that your skills perfectly fit into something, as Merriam-Webster explains. It’s pretty similar to the British phrase, “my cup of tea.”
Scoot Over
“Scoot over” means you should move to the side, probably to make room for someone to sit or stand in. It’s an informal, friendly, and funny way to tell someone to move over if you don’t want to sound rude. Interestingly, many Brits have also adopted this expression.
Behind the Eight Ball
“Behind the eight ball” is one of the few statements that is easier to decipher, especially if you’re familiar with the game of pool. The phrase is synonymous with “a bad situation,” as in the game, being behind the eight ball is a difficult spot.
Shoot the Breeze
When an American shoots the breeze, he or she is having a casual, unimportant conversation. This phrase emerged from the late 19th century, when “breeze” was slang for “rumor,” and by the early 20th century, the word morphed to mean “long, aimless chatter.”
Fallen Through the Cracks
To fall through the cracks means to be ignored or unnoticed by someone who is supposed to take care of you, especially when you’re in a bad situation. “Slip through the cracks” is a variant of this phrase, and it could also mean having difficulty fitting in with others.
Break a Leg
You shouldn’t be annoyed when an American tells you to break a leg; confusingly, it’s just an ironic way to wish you good luck. The phrase originates from the times when standing behind a line meant you had a bad stage performance and you had to “break the leg line” to get paid.
In the Pink
“I am the pink of courtesy” was Shakespeare’s way of saying someone was polite, but this meaning has been far removed. Now, as Investopedia puts it, it “means a state of excellent health or positive growth.” So, you’re in the pink if your finances are flying high.
It’s All Downhill From Here
This next American phrase is particularly confusing to Brits: “It’s all downhill from here.” In America, this means there are hardly any more upcoming obstacles, making something far easier. This is confusing because, in the classic British style, the phrase actually means “things will only get worse from now on”.
Go Cold Turkey
When you abruptly stop certain addictive behaviors, especially with hard drugs, goosebumps pop up on your skin as withdrawal symptoms. They make your skin look like that of plucked refrigerated turkey—hence, you’ve “gone cold turkey.” The phrase simply means you’ve completely withdrawn from a habit that was addictive for you.
Ride-Shotgun
Business Insider shares how stagecoach drivers in the Wild West needed an armed bodyguard passenger, called a coach gun, to keep the bandits and Native Americans away. Coach guns became ride-shotguns, and this term will be used on you today for simply staying in the passenger seat of a car.
Wet Blanket
If someone calls you “a wet blanket,” it means you’ve spoilt other people’s moods by disapproving of their actions or failing to join in their enthusiasm. It’s the equivalent of being a killjoy or a party pooper, and, of course, you don’t want to be this person.
Long in the Tooth
If you’re looking for another way to call someone old, “long in the tooth” is the perfect phrase for you. It alludes to the protruding gums of aging horses and can be used in both an unkind and humorous manner. It’s best to keep this one for friends with a sense of humor.
Jump the Shark
“Jumping the shark” is like adding unnecessary “fluff” to a piece of content. To illustrate, it’s television slang for stunts that are unnecessary, exaggerated, or too far-fetched. Cambridge also translates it to mean a decrease in popularity or quality, especially when these were at high levels before.
Put Lipstick on a Pig
When you deal with a bad situation and you do something that’s obviously superficial, you’re only putting lipstick on a pig. The phrase alludes to the fact that you are providing a solution that doesn’t work, a poor attempt at making something look better. It’s similar to another American phrase, “polishing a turd.”
Heebie-Jeebies
Last but not least, when something gives you the heebie-jeebies, it makes you extremely nervous or fearful. “Heebie-jeebies” is informal, playful slang that originated from Billy DeBeck’s 1920s comic strip, where it was originally spelled “heeby-jeebys” before taking its final form. Now you know!
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