idioms-5

Idioms

A bad apple
Be a piece of cake
Be all ears
Be the apple of someone's eye
Be as American as apple pie
Be as blind as a bat.

Backfire
Bark up the wrong tree
Be broke
Beat around the bush
Beat it
Bend over backward/backwards
Bookworm
Bring the house down
Bug someone
Butterflies in someone's stomach

Can't make head nor tail (out) of something / someone
Cast pearls before swine
Catch someone's eye
Be chicken
Cold feet
Cold turkey
Cook someone's goose
Be (as) cool as a cucumber
Cool someone's heels
Couch potato
Be cut from the same cloth

Dear John letter
Be down in the dumps
Don't let the grass grow under your feet.
Drive someone up the wall

Eat out
Easy as pie
Eat one's words

Fall in love with someone/something
Feel like a fish out of water
Be fishy
A frog in someone's throat

Get over something
Get up (Wake up) on the wrong side of the bed
Give someone a hand
Be glued to something
Go nuts
Grab a bite
Great minds think alike.

A hand-me-down
Hat trick
Here you go / are
(Somebody's) heart sinks
Hit the books
Hit the ceiling / roof
Hit the nail on the head
Hold one's horses
Hit the sack/hay
Holy Cow

Be in a pickle
Be in the same boat
It's easier said than done.
Be in hot water
It's about time

Keep an eye on someone/something
Keep one's bed
Kick the bucket
Kill time

The last/final straw
Let someone know
Be like taking candy from a baby
Be like the cat that got the cream

Make ends meet
Feel / Look like a million dollars

Not hold water

Be on the tip of someone's tongue
Once in a blue moon
Out of the blue
Out of the frying pan and into the fire
Be over the hill

Pop the question
Play it by ear
Pop quiz
Pull someone's leg
Put all your eggs into one basket
Put yourself in someone's shoes

Race against the clock/time
Rain cats and dogs
Read between the lines
Rings a bell

See the light
Shake a leg
Be shaking like a leaf
So far so good
Be sold out
Speak of the devil
Stay up
Surf the Internet/Net/Web

Take a leaf out of someone's book
Take it easy
Take to something like a duck to water
Tearjerker
That makes two of us.
That's that.
Throw in the towel
The tip of the iceberg
Time will tell.
Be tongue-tied
Top dog
Turn over a new leaf
Turn your back on (someone)
Twenty-four seven

Be under pressure
Be up and running
Be up in the air

Wear one's heart on one's sleeve
When it rains, it pours.
When pigs fly

You can say that again.


Proverbs

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
The best advice is found on the pillow.
The bigger, the better.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
Birds of a feather flock together.

Curiosity killed the cat.

Don't count your chickens before they hatch.
Don't cross your bridges before you get to them.

The early bird catches the worm.

Good things come in small packages.
The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.

Home is where the heart is.

It's no use crying over spilled milk.

A kite rises against the wind.

Money doesn't grow on trees.

Opposites attract.

The pen is mightier than the sword.
A picture is worth a thousand words.
Procrastination is the thief of time.

Safety lies in the middle course.
Silence is golden.
A stitch in time saves nine.

There's no place like home.
Time flies.

Variety is the spice of life.

You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.
You can't judge a book by its cover.
You can't take it with you when you die.

lesson four

cliches
an idea or phrase that has been used so much that it is not effective or does not have any meaning anymore:
• The cliché that "truth is stranger than fiction" certainly applies here.
clichéd adjective
solve a crime/mystery/case

Rice's murder has never been solved.
Suspend FROM SCHOOL/JOB ETC.
to make someone leave school, a job, or an organization temporarily, especially because they have broken the rules [suspend sb (from sth)]:
• Knight was suspended from her job for not following safety guidelines.
ferocious
adjective
1 violent, dangerous, and frightening:
• Gang members have committed ferocious acts of violence.
• a ferocious hammerhead shark
2 very strong, severe, and bad:
• Ferocious competition has pushed computer prices down.
ferociously adverb
ferociousness noun [U]
wince
verb [I]
to react to something by looking upset or moving slightly, especially because you are in pain or embarrassed:
• When he laughed, he winced with pain. [+ at]:
• I still wince at the memory of dancing with Josh.
wince noun [singular]
wound
noun [C]
1 an injury, especially a cut or hole made in your skin by a weapon such as a knife or a bullet:
• gunshot wounds
• The security guard was lucky that it was only a flesh wound (= slight injury to the skin).
2 a feeling of emotional or mental pain that you get when someone says or does something that is not nice to you:
• The war left many veterans with deep emotional wounds. --see also lick your wounds (LICK1 (5)) open old wounds (OPEN2 (21)) rub salt into a wound (RUB1 (8))
wound
Verb [C]
1 to injure someone, especially by making a cut or hole in their skin using a knife, gun etc.:
• Police managed to wound one of the hijackers.
• be fatally/mortally wounded (= to be wounded so badly that you will die)
2 to make someone feel unhappy or upset:
• a wounding remark

light up
phrasal verb
1 [T light sth <-> up] to give light to a place or to shine light on something:
• Fireworks lit up the sky.
2
a) [I] if someone's face or eyes light up, they show pleasure, excitement etc.:
• Sue's face lit up when Sean walked in. [+ with]:
• The boy's face lit up with delight.
b) [T light sth <-> up] to make someone's face or eyes show pleasure or excitement:
• Suddenly a smile lit up her face.
3 [I] to become bright with light or color:
• All the buttons on his phone were lit up.
4 [I] INFORMAL to light a cigarette:
• Before you light up in the house, think about how it affects your family.

match1
noun
1 FIRE [C] a small wooden or paper stick with a special substance at the top, used to light a fire, cigarette etc.:
• a box of matches
• light/strike a match (= rub a match against a surface to make it burn)
2 GAME [C] an organized sports event between two teams or people:
• a tennis match
• Eric scored the only goal in the match against Albany.
3 APPROPRIATENESS [singular] something that is appropriate for something else, so that the two things work together successfully [+ for]:
• Sauvignon blanc makes a perfect match for oysters.:
• Doctors failed to find a match for the bone marrow transplant.
4 COLORS/PATTERNS [singular] something that is the same color or pattern as something else, or looks attractive with it:
• Stores will mix paints so you can get a good match for your curtains.
5 be no match for sb to be much less strong, skilled, intelligent etc. than an opponent:
• Washington was no match for the Spartans.
6 be more than a match for sb to be much stronger, smarter etc. than an opponent
7 a shouting match a loud angry argument in which two people insult each other
8 be a perfect match if two people who love each other are a perfect match, they are appropriate for each other
9 make a good match OLD-FASHIONED to marry someone who is appropriate for you --see also meet your match (MEET1) mix and match (MIX1)
Manslaughter
noun
LAW the crime of killing someone illegally but not deliberately --compare MURDER

Murder
noun
the crime of deliberately killing someone:
• Curtis's husband has been charged with her murder.
• a five-month murder trial
• 4600 murders were committed in the U.S. in 1975. --compare MANSLAUGHTER
criminal
adjective
1 relating to crime:
• Gleason denied any involvement in criminal activity and was released.
• Drinking and driving is a criminal offense (= a crime that can be punished by law).
• None of his neighbors knew he had a criminal background (= a history of doing illegal things).
• Ray got mixed up with the local criminal element (= people within a particular group or area who do illegal things).
2 [no comparative] relating to the part of the legal system that is concerned with crime:
• Lawyers are not allowed to comment on current criminal cases.
• the criminal justice system
• The Justice Department is pursuing criminal charges (= official statements saying that someone has done something illegal)against the company as a result of the deaths. --compare CIVIL
3 INFORMAL wrong, dishonest, and unacceptable, but not illegal:
• It's criminal to charge so much for popcorn at the movies!
criminally adverb
despite
preposition

1 without being prevented by something; even though something else exists or is true:
• Despite international pressure, progress has slowed in the peace talks.
• Lorin said he and his sister make a good team, despite the fact that they sometimes argue.
2 despite yourself if you do something despite yourself, you do it although you did not intend to:
• Jessie realized that, despite herself she cared about Edward.
be fitted (out) with sth
to have or include something as a permanent part:
• The law requires that all new buildings be fitted with water meters.
read-out
noun
a record of information that has been produced by a computer, shown on a SCREEN or in print:
• This program gives you a read-out of all the areas where sales have increased. --compare PRINTOUT
Go off
phrasal verb
1 [I] to explode:
• Fireworks went off all over the city last night.
2 [I] to make a loud noise:
• I overslept because my alarm clock didn't go off.
3 [I] if a machine goes off, it stops working:
• Suddenly, all the lights went off.
4 go off well/badly etc. to happen in a particular way:
• We hope the party goes off well.
Stick of
a stick of celery/gum/dynamite etc. also a carrot/bread/cinnamon etc. stick
a long thin piece of something
Lasting
adjective
strong enough, well enough planned etc. to continue for a very long time:
• The committee's decision could have a lasting effect on the community.
• a lasting peace settlement
• Our first meeting left a lasting impression on me.
sit/stand bolt upright
to sit or stand with your back very straight, often because something has frightened you:
• We found her sitting bolt upright in bed with all the lights on.

nightmare
noun [C]
1 a very frightening dream:
• During the trial, she had nightmares.
2 a person, thing, situation etc. that is very bad or very difficult to deal with:
• It was a nightmare driving home in the snow.
• Highway 17 is a commuter nightmare.
• The winds are a firefighter's worst nightmare.
3 something terrible that you are afraid may happen in the future [+ of]:
• the nightmare of cancer:
• The government fears a nightmare scenario (= the worst situation you can imagine) of nuclear or chemical warfare.
nightmarish adjective
Trap door
a small door that covers an opening in a roof or floor
burning

1 being damaged or destroyed by flames:
• The two boys were rescued from the burning apartment building.
2 feeling very hot:
• burning cheeks
3 a burning question/issue a very important question or problem:
• The burning issue of this election is the economy.
4 a burning desire/ambition/need etc. a very strong need etc.:
• a burning desire to succeed
pick a lock (with sth)
to use something that is not a key to unlock a door, drawer etc.:
• Thieves had picked the lock on the back door.
burst into flames
to suddenly start to burn:
• The pickup hit the wall and burst into flames.
creepy
adjective creepier, creepiest
making you feel nervous and a little frightened:
• There's something creepy about the building.


Graveyard
noun

1 an area of ground where people are buried, often near a church --compare CEMETERY, CHURCHYARD
2 a place where things that are no longer wanted or useful are left:
• a graveyard for old cars
investigate
verb
1 [I,T] to try to find out the truth about something such as a crime, accident, or scientific problem:
• The FBI has been called in to investigate the murder.
• I heard a noise and went downstairs to investigate.
2 [T] to try to find out more about someone's character, actions etc., because you think they may have been involved in a crime:
• Hunt was investigated for more than a year before he was arrested.

steering wheel
a wheel that you turn to control the direction of a car, boat etc.
Sing along
phrasal verb

to sing with someone else who is already singing [+ to]:
• Jackie was singing along to the radio and didn't hear the doorbell. [+ with]:
• Kern invited the audience to sing along with him on some of his greatest hits.
Solo
noun
1
a) a piece of music written for one performer --compare DUET
b) a part of a musical work in which one performer plays the most important part, with or without the other performers playing along:
• Krupa plays a drum solo on the band's nine-minute version of "Sing, Sing, Sing."
2 a job or performance that is done alone, especially an aircraft flight

Solo
adjective, adverb
1 done alone, without anyone else helping you:
• LeRoy took his first solo flight that weekend.
• Computer bridge programs will let you play solo.
2 related to or played as a musical solo:
• a solo passage for viola
• Winans released her solo album at age 31.
Solo
verb
1 to perform a solo in a piece of music
2 to fly an aircraft alone
Song
noun
1
a) [C] a short piece of music with words that you sing:
• The students played guitars and sang folk songs.
b) [U] songs or singing in general:
• The story of America's independence has been celebrated in song.
2 burst/break into song to suddenly start singing
3 [C,U] the musical sounds made by birds or some other animals, such as WHALEs:
• a recording of the swallow's song
4 for a song very cheaply:
• One woman bought a whole armful of clothes for a song.
5 a song and dance INFORMAL an explanation or excuse that is too long and complicated:
• Then he gave us some boring song and dance about being a citizen of the world.
6 sb's song a song that reminds two people in a romantic relationship of when they first met:
• Listen, they're playing our song.
Sing

1 [I,T] to produce musical sounds, songs etc. with your voice:
• Daryl sang in his high school choir. [+ to]:
• She sang softly to herself as she worked. [sing sb sth]:
• Sing me a little of it, and I'll see if I know it.:
• They drove along, singing old Beatles songs.
2 [I] if birds sing, they produce high musical sounds
3 sing sb to sleep to sing to a baby or child until they go to sleep
4 sing sb's praises to praise someone very much:
• Diane really admires you - she's always singing your praises.
5 [I always + adv./prep.] LITERARY to make a high, continuous, ringing sound:
• Beth ran toward the stream that sang on the other side of the woods.
6 [I] OLD-FASHIONED to tell someone or the police everything you know about a crime, especially a crime you were involved in yourself:
• Pretty soon, Vinnie was singing like a canary.
7 [I + of,T] LITERARY to praise someone in poetry
Disposable
adjective
1 intended to be used once or for a short time and then thrown away:
• disposable diapers
2 disposable income the amount of money you have left to spend after you have paid your taxes, bills etc.
3 disapproving not interesting, of poor quality, and not likely to be remembered for very long:
• disposable pop songs
Run out
1 [I] if something runs out, or you run out of something, you use all of it and do not have any left:
• My patience was running out. [+ of]:
• I hope we don't run out of paint.
• We're starting to run out of ideas.
• We've run out of milk. Could you stop at the store on your way home?
2 [I] if an agreement, contract, official document etc. runs out, it reaches the end of the period when it is officially allowed to continue; EXPIRE:
• The company's patent on Prozac runs out in 2002.
3 run out on sb to leave someone, especially your family, when you should not because you are responsible for them:
• My dad ran out on me and my mom when I was ten.
4 run out of steam/gas etc. INFORMAL to have no energy or eagerness left for something that you are trying to do:
• I'm running out of steam -- why don't we quit for the day?
5 run sb out of town OLD-FASHIONED to force someone to leave a place, because they have done something wrong
throw sth<-> away phrasal verb [T]
1 to get rid of something that you do not want or need:
• If it's broken, go ahead and throw it away.
2 to lose or waste something good that you have, for example a skill or an opportunity:
• Jones later realized he had thrown away his best chance at becoming a professional golfer.
Laying

Bump into
bump into sb phrasal verb [T]
to meet someone that you know when you were not expecting to:
• I bumped into Leo at the fair.
before long:
Soon
• The school year will be over before long.
chase

parade

lurk

frantically

Jealousy

What is jealousy?
Jealousy is being afraid or wary of losing affection or position to another person, of being replaced by a rival. It involves a complex mix of feelings, which may include:
• resentment
• envy
• suspicion
• fear
• grief
• loss of self-esteem
• love
• hate.
What is the difference between jealousy and envy?
Jealousy and envy are often confused with each other. Envy is aroused by wanting what someone else has. Jealousy involves a strong need to hold on tightly to what you already have and keeping other people from taking it away. Jealousy involves more anger, mistrust, and uncertainty about the truth than does envy.
How does jealousy develop?
Some experts believe that jealousy is rooted in childhood, with a child having to share his mother with a third person (such as a brother, sister, or father). These are the first feelings of jealousy. They are very painful for most children.
Jealousy in adulthood may be made more powerful by these early unresolved feelings. For example, a girl whose father prefers her sister may have trouble with jealousy of other women later in life. She may be jealous of her coworkers or her husband's coworkers, or even of her own daughters.
When a new baby is due, it is important to explain to the older child what is happening (provided the child is old enough to understand). Listen to him express his feelings about having to share his mother. Make sure his needs for special time with each parent are met. These actions may help give him confidence that he can handle jealous feelings, even though they are painful.
By contrast, the child who is left alone with these feelings, or expected to feel only delight with the new arrival in the family, may enter adulthood with strong unmanaged feelings of jealousy.

How does jealousy cause problems in adult life?
How much trouble an adult has with jealousy depends on a number of factors:
• how situations involving jealous feelings were handled in the past
• how faithful and loyal the person's partner is
• the level of the person's self-esteem and confidence.
Chronic jealous feelings can stem from low self-esteem and contribute to further lowering it. A vicious circle can be set up. For example, suspicion and mistrust may make the jealous person feel that he has to constantly guard his romantic partner to make sure she doesn't run off with someone else. The repeated questioning that may take place can further destroy the jealous person's self-esteem and undermine the relationship. Longing for security can cause the jealous person to be preoccupied and unable to pay attention to anything else.
When a new baby arrives, often the father will feel both jealousy and envy: jealousy over his wife's closeness with the infant and envy of her feminine capacities. He may regard these feelings as silly, even though they are normal and natural.
Before women entered the work force in such large numbers, they were often envious of their husbands' mobility outside the home and jealous of the women their husbands might meet at work. Being jealous of a spouse's coworkers is now common among men as well.
What can be done about recurrent jealous feelings?
• Work on building your self-esteem. Join a support group to help you feel valued by others. Involve yourself in projects to help others. Make sure you have more than one friend. Read self-help books or talk with a therapist about ways to increase your self-esteem.
• Take responsibility for your own jealous feelings by talking about them rather than acting them out. For example, say "I am feeling jealous," rather than questioning your partner repeatedly about his or her whereabouts.
• A third, neutral person can also help sort out what is causing your feelings. For example, a woman who is jealous of the relationship between two women friends can find help in talking with a therapist about her feelings. Help comes with the relief of discussing it and with understanding its roots in her own history. Jealousy is a complex feeling, and she can come to understand its component feelings in herself: resentment, fear of loss, longing, envy, anger, and love.
• Sometimes jealousy occurs because a romantic partner is unfaithful or because, in a social or work situation, two or more people are excluding a third person. The jealous person needs to recognize the reality of the situation and to confront it honestly and directly. The behavior of others may not change, but the jealous person may be able to emphasize other areas of life where he or she is being treated better. He or she may even need to leave a relationship.

Thanksgiving Day

Fourth Thursday in November

Almost every culture in the world has held celebrations of thanks for a plentiful harvest. The American Thanksgiving holiday began as a feast of thanksgiving in the early days of the American colonies almost four hundred years ago.
In 1620, a boat filled with more than one hundred people sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to settle in the New World. This religious group had begun to question the beliefs of the Church of England and they wanted to separate from it. The Pilgrims settled in what is now the state of Massachusetts. Their first winter in the New World was difficult. They had arrived too late to grow many crops, and without fresh food, half the colony died from disease. The following spring the Iroquois Indians taught them how to grow corn (maize), a new food for the colonists. They showed them other crops to grow in the unfamiliar soil and how to hunt and fish.
In the autumn of 1621, bountiful crops of corn, barley, beans and pumpkins were harvested. The colonists had much to be thankful for, so a feast was planned. They invited the local Indian chief and 90 Indians. The Indians brought deer to roast with the turkeys and other wild game offered by the colonists. The colonists had learned how to cook cranberries and different kinds of corn and squash dishes from the Indians. To this first Thanksgiving, the Indians had even brought popcorn.
In following years, many of the original colonists celebrated the autumn harvest with a feast of thanks. After the United States became an independent country, Congress recommended one yearly day of thanksgiving for the whole nation to celebrate. George Washington suggested the date November 26 as Thanksgiving Day. Then in 1863, at the end of a long and bloody civil war, Abraham Lincoln asked all Americans to set aside the last Thursday in November as a day of thanksgiving*.
The President's Yearly Proclamation
Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday of November, a different date every year. The President must proclaim that date as the official celebration. Here is an excerpt from President George Bush's Thanksgiving proclamation of 1990:
"The historic observance of a day of thanksgiving at Plymouth, in 1621, was one of many occasions on which our ancestors paused to acknowledge their dependence on the mercy and favor of Divine Providence. Today, on this Thanksgiving Day, likewise observed during a season of celebration and harvest, we have added cause for rejoicing: the seeds of democratic thought sown on these shores continue to take root around the world...
"The great freedom and prosperity with which we have been blessed is cause for rejoicing - and it is equally a responsibility... Our "errand in the wilderness," begun more than 350 years ago, is not yet complete. Abroad, we are working toward a new partnership of nations. At home, we seek lasting solutions to the problems facing our nation and pray for a society "with liberty and justice for all," the alleviation of want, and the restoration of hope to all our people....
"Now, therefore, I, George Bush, president of the United States of America, do hereby call upon the American people to observe Thursday, November 22, 1990, as a National Day of Thanksgiving and to gather together in homes and places of worship on that day of thanks to affirm by their prayers and their gratitude the many blessings God has bestowed upon us."
Thanksgiving is a time for tradition and sharing. Even if they live far away, family members gather for a reunion at the house of an older relative. All give thanks together for the good things that they have. In this spirit of sharing, civic groups and charitable organizations offer a traditional meal to those in need, particularly the homeless. On most tables throughout the United States, foods eaten at the first thanksgiving have become traditional.
Symbols of Thanksgiving
Turkey, corn (or maize), pumpkins and cranberry sauce are symbols which represent the first Thanksgiving. Now all of these symbols are drawn on holiday decorations and greeting cards.
The use of corn meant the survival of the colonies. "Indian corn" as a table or door decoration represents the harvest and the fall season.
Sweet-sour cranberry sauce, or cranberry jelly, was on the first Thanksgiving table and is still served today. The cranberry is a small, sour berry. It grows in bogs, or muddy areas, in Massachusetts and other New England states. The Indians used the fruit to treat infections. They used the juice to dye their rugs and blankets. They taught the colonists how to cook the berries with sweetener and water to make a sauce. The Indians called it "ibimi" which means "bitter berry." When the colonists saw it, they named it "crane-berry" because the flowers of the berry bent the stalk over, and it resembled the long-necked bird called a crane. The berries are still grown in New England. Very few people know, however, that before the berries are put in bags to be sent to the rest of the country, each individual berry must bounce at least four inches high to make sure they are not too ripe!
In 1988, a Thanksgiving ceremony of a different kind took place at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. More than four thousand people gathered on Thanksgiving night. Among them were Native Americans representing tribes from all over the country and descendants of people whose ancestors had migrated to the New World.
The ceremony was a public acknowledgment of the Indians' role in the first Thanksgiving 350 years ago. Until recently most schoolchildren believed that the Pilgrims cooked the entire Thanksgiving feast, and offered it to the Indians. In fact, the feast was planned to thank the Indians for teaching them how to cook those foods. Without the Indians, the first settlers would not have survived.
"We celebrate Thanksgiving along with the rest of America, maybe in different ways and for different reasons. Despite everything that's happened to us since we fed the Pilgrims, we still have our language, our culture, our distinct social system. Even in a nuclear age, we still have a tribal people."

lesson three

livid
adj
1 extremely angry; FURIOUS:
• I was so livid I just ripped up the letter.
2 a mark on your skin that is livid is dark blue and gray:
• livid bruises
3 LITERARY a face that is livid is very pale
Seethe
v
1 to feel a bad emotion, especially anger, so strongly that you are almost shaking:
• He went to bed seething. [+ with]:
• Daniel was seething with jealousy.
2 if a place is seething with people, insects etc., there are a lot of them all moving quickly in different directions [+ with]:
• The harbor of the naval base seethed with activity.
Gall
n
1 have the gall to do sth to do something impolite and unreasonable that most people would be too embarrassed to do:
• Congress actually had the gall to vote for a pay raise for themselves.
2 [U] OLD-FASHIONED anger and hate that will not go away
3 [U] OLD USE --see BILE
4 [C] a swelling on a tree or plant caused by damage from insects or infection
5 [C] a painful place on an animal's skin, caused by something rubbing against it
Gall
v
to make someone feel upset and angry because of something that is unfair [it galls sb (that)]:
• It galls me that tax dollars are so carelessly spent.
Rant and rave
v
to talk or complain in a loud, excited, and rather confused way because you feel strongly about something:
• Thompson was ranting about American youth again.
• You don't have to rant and rave to get your point across.

Mollify
v
verb mollifies, mollified, mollifying [T]
to make someone feel less angry and upset about something:
• Mel appeared somewhat mollified by her words.
mollification noun [U]
Pacify
v
1 to make someone calm, quiet, and satisfied after they have been angry or upset:
• They had to use drugs to pacify him.
2 to bring peace to an area or to end war in a place:
• On August 20, the army recaptured the city and pacified the surrounding area.
pacification noun [U]
Wreath
n
1 a circle made from leaves or flowers that you hang on your door at Christmas or put on a grave
2 a circle made from leaves that was given to someone in past times for them to wear on their head as an honor
Be steam up /
be steaming (mad)
be steaming (mad) also be steamed (up) SPOKEN to be very angry:
• Pierce was steaming mad after he got the second penalty.
To bent out of shape
SPOKEN very angry or annoyed:
• Hey, don't get all bent out of shape!
do a slow burn /
go into a slow burn
to slowly become angry:
• Coach Bowen stood on the sidelines, doing a slow burn.
lose your(one) cool
to stop being calm in a frightening or difficult situation:
• Sam was a real gentleman who never lost his cool.
take sth out on sb phrasal verb [T]
to treat someone badly because you are feeling angry, tired etc.:
• Don't take it out on me! It's not my fault.
pacifier
noun [C]
1 a specially shaped rubber object that you give a baby to suck so that it does not cry
2 something that makes people calm
bend over backward (to do sth) /
bend over backward
to try very hard to be helpful:
• The hotel employees bent over backward to please us.
give sb the finger
to show someone you are angry with them in a very offensive way by holding up your middle finger with the back of your hand facing them
laid-back
adjective
relaxed and seeming not to be worried about anything:
• I think Morris is too laid-back to run the company.
• Colorado's laid-back lifestyle
be taken with/by sb/sth
Spoken phrases
to be attracted by a particular idea, plan or person:
• The men were taken with her beauty
relaxant
noun [C]
something, especially a drug, that makes you relax:
• a muscle relaxant
Opposite
adjective
1 as different as possible from something else:
• two words with opposite meanings
• Raising interest rates to slow the economy may have the opposite effect. [+ to]:
• a political philosophy that was opposite to everything she believed in
2 on the other side of the same area, often directly across from it:
• I think our hotel is on the opposite side of the street.
• We live at opposite ends of the state (= on different sides of the state, very far apart)so we don't often see each other.
3 the opposite direction, way etc. is directly away from someone or something:
• Two suspects were seen running off in the opposite direction.
4 the opposite sex people of the other sex:
• The magazine article's title was "How to become irresistible to the opposite sex."
5 opposite number someone who has the same job in another similar organization:
• her opposite number in the Republican Party
Opposite
Preposition
1 if one thing or person is opposite another, they are facing each other:
• Put the piano opposite the sofa.
2 play/star/appear opposite sb to act with another person in a movie or play as one of the main characters:
• Vivien Leigh played opposite Clark Gable in "Gone With The Wind."
Opposite
noun [C]
1 a person or thing that is as different as possible from someone or something else:
• The two sisters are complete opposites. [the opposite (of sb/sth)]:
• The results were the opposite of what we expected.
• He says one thing and then does the opposite.:
• Eileen's parents are very formal, but mine are just the opposite.
2 opposites attract said to explain the romantic attraction between two people who are very different from each other
Opposite
adverb
in a position on the other side of the same area:
• My cousin was sitting opposite.

Footprint
noun
1 a mark made by a foot or shoe:
• a deer's footprints in the snow
2 a word used to describe the amount of space that a particular piece of computer equipment covers on the surface of a desk or on the floor
Footstep
noun
the sound of each step when someone is walking:
• He heard someone's footsteps in the hall. --see also follow (in) sb's footsteps (FOLLOW)
Elite
adjective [only before noun]
limited to a small number of the best, most skilled, most experienced etc. people:
• The competition is only open to an elite group of athletes.
Elite
noun [C also + plural verb]




a small group of people who are powerful or important because they have money, knowledge, special skills etc.:
• The ruling elite have resisted all attempts at reform.
privileged
adjective
1 having advantages because of your wealth, high social position etc.:
• a member of the privileged class
• Some see the Republicans as the party of the privileged few.
2 having a special advantage or a chance to do something that most people cannot do:
• Taylor enjoyed privileged access to the presidential files. [privileged to do sth]:
• I feel privileged to serve on the committee.
3 LAW privileged information does not have to be given even if a court of law asks for it
Bourgeois
adjective
1 belonging or relating to the MIDDLE CLASS:
• bourgeois attitudes and values
2 belonging to or typical of the MIDDLE CLASS people in society who are educated, own land etc., according to MARXISM:
• a bourgeois capitalist --see also PETTY BOURGEOIS --compare PROLETARIAN
bourgeois
noun plural bourgeois [C]
1 a member of the MIDDLE CLASS
2 someone who belongs to MIDDLE CLASS part of society and who is educated, owns land etc., according to MARXISM --compare PROLETARIAT
classless society
adjective
a classless society is one in which people are not divided into different social classes
classlessness noun [U]
blue-collar
adjective [only before noun]
blue-collar workers are paid by the hour, rather than being paid a SALARY, and often do physically difficult work
white-collar
adjective
1 relating to jobs in offices, banks etc., as opposed to jobs working in factories, building things etc.:
• a white-collar worker
2 white-collar crime crimes involving white-collar workers, for example when someone secretly steals money from the organization they work for
pink-collar
adjective
relating to low-paid jobs done mainly by women, for example in offices and restaurants, or relating to the women who do these jobs:
• pink-collar jobs
• pink-collar workers

yellow-bellied
INFORMAL not brave; COWARDLY
see red
to become very angry:
• I immediately saw red and wanted to prove him wrong.

lesson two

pound/hit the pavement

to work very hard to get something, especially a job, by going to a lot of different places:
• For months, Garcia pounded the pavement for jobs.
rumor =noun [U]

1 information that is passed from one person to another and which may or may not be true, especially information about someone's personal life or about an official decision [+ about/of]:
• Rumors of war were everywhere. [+ that]:
• Knox denied rumors that he might be running for office.:
• Rumor has it that the romance is over between Ryder and Depp.
2 the rumor mill the people, considered as a group, that discuss something and pass rumors to each other:
• Skinner's name has come up in the rumor mill as a possible director for the project.
increase verb [I,T] Spoken: 2000 • Written: 1000

to become larger in amount, number, or degree, or to make something do this:
increase2 noun [C,U] Written: 1000
a rise in amount, number, or degree:
increased adjective
larger or more than before:
• Men as well as women are at increased risk for cancer from X-rays.
basically =adverb Spoken: 1000 • Written: 3000

[sentence adverb] SPOKEN used when giving the most important reason or fact about something, or a simple explanation of something:
• Basically, you just have to write what the teachers want.
• Well, basically, she's just a lot of fun to work with.
2 in the main or most important ways, without considering additional details or differences:
• Norwegian and Danish are basically the same.
3 in a very simple way, with only the things that are completely necessary:
• The office was very basically equipped.
Find out =phrasal verb

1 [I,T find sth<-> out] to learn information, either by chance or after trying to discover it:
• From the minute Joyce found out she had cancer, she lost all hope. [+ who/what/how etc.]:
• Can't you call those guys and find out where our pizza is? [+ that]:
• When I got to the airport, I found out that the flight had been canceled. [+ about]:
• You find out a lot about people on these trips. [+ if/whether]:
• I had some tests done to find out if I have any food allergies.
2 [T find sb out] to discover that someone has been doing something dishonest or illegal:
• After years of stealing from the company, Andrews was finally found out.



Worth= preposition

1 be worth to have a value in money:
• How much is the ring worth?
• sth is worth $10/$50 etc.: The vase is worth $3500.
• My stamp collection is definitely worth a lot.
• If the dolls are not in their original package, they're not worth anything.
• Haring's paintings are now worth a fortune (= extremely valuable).
Spoken phrases
6 for what it's worth used to say that you are not sure of the value or usefulness of what you are saying:
• For what it's worth, I think you did a fine job.
destroy

1 to damage something so badly that it does not exist anymore or cannot be used or repaired:
• Pollution may destroy the 17th century shrine.
• An accident destroyed her ballet career.

Walks of life=noun [C]

the position in society someone has, especially the type of job they have:
• from every walk of life/from all walks of life: People from all walks of life took part in the celebration.

monkey see

= monkey do SPOKEN used to say that people will often do what they see other people doing, even if it is silly or stupid --see also GREASE MONKEY


grease monkey =noun [C] INFORMAL


someone who repairs car engines or other machinery; MECHANIC

off the cuff = adjective [usually before noun]


an off-the-cuff remark, reply etc. is one that you make without thinking about it first:
• There were many hilarious discussions and off-the-cuff remarks.
off-the-cuff adverb

speak of sth phrasal verb [T] LITERARY


to show clearly that something happened or that it exists:
• The lines on her face spoke of her frustration.

be just doing sth

to be starting to do something:
We're just sitting down to eat - can I call you later?

lesseon one

A show of hand
to make your true power or intentions clear, especially after you have been keeping them secret:
To put your best foot forward
to try to be polite, helpful etc. so that other people will have a good opinion of you from the beginning
Darg one's feet
INFORMAL to take too much time to do something because you do not want to do it:
• The police have been accused of dragging their feet on the investigation.
To break your ties or your links or connection
to end your connection or relationship with a person, group, organization etc.:
• I broke all my ties with my father years ago
Hang your head

to look ashamed and embarrassed:
• Kevin hung his head and left the room in silence.
Adequate
adverb
1 an adequate amount is enough for a particular purpose:
• Hardin's campaign did not have adequate funds to broadcast any ads on television. [+ for]:
• The earlier electric car's range of 50 miles was not adequate for suburban driving.
2 good enough in quality for a particular purpose or activity:
• Most people eat an adequate diet. [adequate to do sth]:
• The safety procedures are adequate to protect public health. [+ for]:
• Parents should ask whether the school's facilities are adequate for their children's needs.
3 fairly good, but not excellent:
• Redman's performance was adequate, though it lacked originality.
adequately adverb:
• She wasn't adequately insured.
adequacy noun [U]
Theology
noun plural theologies
1 [U] the study of religion and religious ideas and beliefs:
• He studied theology at college.
2 [C,U] a particular system of religious beliefs and ideas:
• According to Muslim theology there is only one God.
theological adjective:
• theological traditions
theologically adverb
Rip off
noun [C] SPOKEN
1 something that is expensive in a way that is unreasonable:
• We shouldn't have gone there - it was such a rip-off.
2 music, art, movies etc. that are rip-offs copy something else without admitting this:
• This band is nothing but a Pearl Jam rip-off, with no original sound of its own. --see also rip off (RIP1)
Tear
noun

[C] a drop of salty liquid that flows from your eye when you are crying:
• Is that a tear on your face?
• tear-stained cheeks
• Things were so bad at work, I would often come home in tears (= crying).
• When you see a grown man burst into tears (= suddenly start crying), you know something is wrong.
• In court Burg broke down in tears (= started crying) while reading the statement.
• Fighting back tears (= trying very hard not to cry), she kissed her son goodbye.
• I could tell you stories that would bring tears to your eyes (= make you almost cry).
• He's a tough director who can easily reduce actors to tears (= make someone cry, especially by being unkind to them).
• We're not shedding any tears (= crying because we are sad) over his resignation.
• tears of joy/anger/sadness etc.: Tears of gratitude shone in his eyes.
• be close to tears/be on the verge of tears (= be almost crying) --see also crocodile tears (CROCODILE (3))

Tear
verb past tense tore past participle torn
1 PAPER/CLOTH
a) [T] to damage something such as paper or cloth by pulling it too hard or letting it touch something sharp:
• How did you tear your pocket?
• Don't tear pages out of the book.
• I tore a hole in my new blouse.
• Celia grabbed the envelope and tore it open.
b) [I] if paper or cloth tears, a hole appears in it, or it splits, because it has been pulled too hard or has touched something sharp:
• Careful - the paper is very old and tears easily.
2 REMOVE STH [T always + adv./prep.] to pull something violently from the place where it is attached or held [tear sth from/away/off etc.]:
• After tearing the gold chain off the victim's neck, the mugger ran away.
• The impact tore loose the rear engine of the plane.
3 MOVE QUICKLY [I always + adv./prep.] to move somewhere very quickly, especially in a dangerous or careless way [+ away/up/past etc.]:
• Would you kids stop tearing around the house?
4 tear sb/sth to shreds/pieces
a) to tear something into very small pieces:
• Male Siamese fighting fish will tear each other's fins to shreds.
b) to criticize someone or something very severely:
• In the end the prosecutor's case was torn to shreds by Russell's lawyer.
5 MUSCLE [T] to damage a muscle or LIGAMENT (= a strong band connected to your muscles)
6 tear sb limb from limb to attack someone in a very violent way, or tear their body apart:
• Garcia's opponents are angry enough to tear him limb from limb. --see also tear/pull your hair out (HAIR (5)) tear/rip sb's heart out (HEART (10)), TORN2
tear sb/sth apart phrasal verb [T]
1 to break something into many small pieces, especially in a violent way:
• Two tornadoes tore apart airplanes at the small airport.
2 to make an organization, group etc. start having problems:
• Disagreement over the minister is tearing our church apart.
3 to make someone feel extremely unhappy or upset:
• It would tear me apart to see one of my kids suffer like that.
4 to make a close relationship between two or more people end in a sad way, especially by making one person move away:
• War tore the family apart.
5 to criticize someone very strongly:
• My Dad didn't like him and just tore him apart.
tear at sb/sth phrasal verb [T]
to pull violently at someone or something:
• The children were screaming and tearing at each other's hair.
tear sb away phrasal verb [T]
1 tear yourself away to leave a place or stop doing something when you do not really want to [+ from]:
• We're going to a movie if she ever tears herself away from that computer.
2 to persuade or force someone to leave a place or stop doing something, when they do not want to leave
tear sth <-> down phrasal verb [T]
to knock down a large building or part of a building:
• They're finally tearing down that old house on State Street.
tear into sb/sth phrasal verb [T not in passive]
1 to attack someone, especially by hitting them very hard:
• The Steelers tore into the Patriots, winning 37-20.
2 to start doing something with a lot of energy:
• "This looks great!" Jen said, tearing into her dinner.
3 to criticize someone very strongly, especially unfairly:
• Then Bob started tearing into her for spending money.
tear sth<-> off phrasal verb
to remove your clothes as quickly as you can:
• Kelly tore off his shirt and jumped in the pool.
tear sb/sth up phrasal verb [T]
1 [tear sth<-> up] to destroy a piece of paper or cloth by tearing it into small pieces:
• Tear up the check before you throw it away.
2 [tear sth<-> up] to break the surface of a street or area of land into small pieces and make it rough:
• People couldn't get there because the streets were torn up.
3 [tear sb up] to make someone feel extremely unhappy or upset:
• When I hear people criticize the food we serve, it just tears me up.
4 [tear sth<-> up] to damage or ruin a place, especially by behaving violently:
• Kari tore up the apartment looking for her keys.
5 tear up an agreement/contract etc. to suddenly decide to stop being restricted by a contract etc.
Tear
noun
a hole in a piece of cloth, paper etc. where it has been torn --see also wear and tear (WEAR2 (4))
Tear
verb
if your eyes tear, they produce tears because it is cold, you are sick etc.
tear up phrasal verb [I]
to almost start crying:
• Ed teared up when he talked about his father.
Mend your ways

to improve the way you behave after behaving badly for a long time:
• The Communist Party committees tried to 're-educate' him but he refused to mend his ways.
mend relations/ties etc
if two people or groups mend their relations etc., they start to be friendly with each other again:
• Whether McCain and the committee can mend their relationship is still uncertain.
To be on the mend
to be getting better after an illness or after a difficult period:
• Ron's still taking medication, but he's on the mend.
• Increased sales are a sign that the housing market is on the mend.
Fix
verb
1 REPAIR to repair something that is broken or not working correctly:
• Gale waited while Seldon fixed the projector.
2 PREPARE to prepare a meal or drinks:
• I have to fix supper now. [fix sb sth]:
• Sit down. I'll fix you a martini.
3 fix a time/day/place etc. to decide on a particular time etc. when something will happen:
• Have you fixed a date for the wedding yet?
4 LIMIT to decide on a limit for something, especially prices, costs etc., so that they do not change [+ at]:
• The interest rate has been fixed at 6.5%.
5 ARRANGE also fix up to make arrangements for something:
• If you want a chance to meet the Senator, I can fix it.
6 HAIR/FACE to make your hair or MAKEUP look neat and attractive:
• Let me fix my hair first and then we can go.
• Terry was in the bathroom, fixing her face (= putting makeup on it to make it look attractive).
7 ATTACH to attach something firmly to something else, so that it stays there permanently [fix sth to/on sth]:
• We fixed the shelves to the wall with steel bolts.
8 CAT/DOG INFORMAL to do a medical operation on a cat or dog so that it cannot have babies
9 RESULT to make dishonest arrangements so that an election, game etc. has the result that you want:
• If you ask me, the whole thing was fixed.
10 INJURY INFORMAL to treat an injury on your body so that it is completely better:
• The doctors don't know if they can fix my kneecap.
11 PUNISH SPOKEN to harm or punish someone for something they have done:
• I'll fix her! Just you wait!
12 fix your attention/eyes/mind etc. on sb/sth to think about or look at someone or something carefully:
• All eyes were fixed on Mayor Wilkins as he walked into the crowded room.
13 fix sb with a stare/glare/look etc. to look directly into someone's eyes for a long time:
• Rachel fixed him with an icy stare.
14 be fixing to do sth SPOKEN, INFORMAL to prepare to do something:
• I'm fixing to go to the store. Do you need anything?
15 PAINTINGS/PHOTOGRAPHS to use a chemical process on paintings, photographs etc. that makes the colors or images permanent
fix on sth/sb phrasal verb [T]
to choose an appropriate thing or person, especially after thinking about it carefully:
• We've finally fixed on a date for the family reunion.
fix up phrasal verb [T]
1 [fix sth <-> up] to make a place look attractive by doing small repairs, decorating it again etc.:
• The landlord refused to fix up the property, even after repeated warnings.
2 [fix sb <-> up] INFORMAL to find a romantic partner for someone:
• Dean fixed him up with a girl from his class.
3 [fix sb <-> up] to provide someone with something they want: [+ with]:
• Can you fix me up with a bed for the night?

Fix
noun

1 [C, usually singular] an amount of something, such as an illegal drug, that you often use and badly want:
• I need to have my coffee fix in the morning before I speak to anyone.
• The streets are filled with drug addicts looking for a fix.
2 be in a fix to have a problem that is difficult to solve:
• We're going to be in a real fix if we miss the last bus.
3 get a fix on sb/sth
a) to find out exactly where someone or something is:
• Have you managed to get a fix on the plane's position?
b) to understand what someone or something is really like:
• I sat there, trying to get a fix on the situation.
4 [singular] something that has been dishonestly arranged:
• The election was a fix! --see also a quick fix (QUICK1 (3))

Bulge
N
noun [C]
1 a curved MASS on the surface of something, usually caused by something under or inside it:
• The store detective had noticed an odd bulge under the suspect's clothes.
2 a sudden temporary increase in the amount or level of something:
• a bulge in the birthrate
bulgy adjective --see also battle of the bulge (BATTLE1)
Bulge
Verb

1 also bulge out to stick out in a rounded shape, especially because something is very full or too tight [+ with]:
• His pockets were bulging with candy.
2 [+ with] INFORMAL to be very full of people or things

Cram
verb

1 [T always + adv./prep.] to force something into a small space [cram sth into/onto etc.]:
• I managed to cram all my stuff into the closet. [cram sth with sth]:
• Cars crammed with belongings left the disaster area.
2 [T often passive] to fill an area with too many people [cram sth with sb]:
• Store aisles were crammed with people looking for last minute gifts.
3 [I] to prepare yourself for a test by learning a lot of information very quickly:
• I've procrastinated all semester, so I have a lot of cramming to do. [cram for sth]:
• I have to cram for my chemistry test tomorrow.
Crammed
adjective
completely full of things or people:
• How can children learn in crammed classrooms?
Pack
1 BOXES, CASES ETC. [I,T]
a) to fill a suitcase, box etc. with things:
• Why do you always pack at the last minute?
• Brent had to pack a suitcase and get to the airport in under an hour.
b) to put things in boxes or suitcases:
• Don't forget to pack your swimming suit.
• Can you pack the kids' lunches?
2 LARGE CROWD [I always + adv./prep., T] to go in large numbers into a space that is not big enough, or to make a lot of people or things do this:
• More than 50,000 fans packed into the stadium.
• Tourists in North Carolina packed ferries to flee the Outer Banks.
3 PROTECT STH [T] to cover, fill, or surround something closely with material to protect it:
• Pack the knee with ice to reduce swelling.
4 SNOW/SOIL ETC. [T] to press soil, snow etc. down firmly [pack sth into/down etc.]:
• Kenny packed the snow into a perfect snowball.
5 FOOD [T] to prepare food, especially meat, and put it into containers for preserving or selling:
• The tuna is packed in oil.
• a meat packing factory
6 pack your bags INFORMAL to leave a place and not return, especially because of a disagreement:
• She should pack her bags and go back where she came from.
7 pack a committee/jury/meeting etc. to secretly and dishonestly arrange for a group to be filled with people who support you:
• The President tried to pack the court with conservatives.
8 pack a gun/heat/a piece SLANG to carry a gun
9 pack a punch/wallop INFORMAL
a) to have a strong effect:
• Black Star promises to pack more punch than Budweiser.
• The play was written 30 years ago, but it still packs emotional wallop.
b) to be able to hit another person hard in a fight --see also send sb packing (SEND (11))
pack sth<-> away phrasal verb [T]
to put something back in a box, case etc. where it is usually kept:
• I let the engine run while I packed the tools away.
pack sb/sth in phrasal verb [T]
1 pack them in INFORMAL to attract a lot of people:
• Diana Ross can still pack them in.
2 [pack sb/sth<-> in] to fit a lot of people, things, activities etc. into a limited space or a limited period of time:
• There's not enough space in back to consider packing in three adults.
3 pack it in INFORMAL to stop doing something, especially a job, that is not making you feel happy or satisfied:
• I'm still frustrated, but I'm not ready to pack it in yet.
pack sth into sth phrasal verb [T]
to fit a lot of something into a limited space, place, or period of time:
• We packed a lot of sightseeing into two weeks.
pack sb off phrasal verb [T] INFORMAL
to send someone away quickly because you want to get rid of them [+ to]:
• Our folks used to pack us off to camp every summer.
pack up phrasal verb
1 [I,T] to put things into boxes, suitcases, bags etc. in order to take or store them somewhere:
• When I got home, Sally and the kids were packing up. [pack sth<-> up]:
• Shannon packed up her belongings and left.
2 [I] INFORMAL to finish work:
• I think I'll pack up and go home early.

Pack
noun
1 SMALL CONTAINER a small container made of paper, CARDBOARD etc., with a set of things in it, especially things that are sold together in this way:
• Susan took a mint out of the pack. [+ of]:
• a pack of cigarettes
2 GROUP OF ANIMALS a group of wild animals that live and hunt together, or a group of dogs trained together for hunting:
• a wolf pack [+ of]:
• a pack of hounds
3 GROUP OF PEOPLE a group of people who do something together, especially a group who you do not approve of [+ of]:
• The hostages had to face a pack of reporters and photographers.
4 THINGS WRAPPED TOGETHER several things wrapped or tied together or put in a case, to make them easy to carry, sell, or give to someone:
• a video gift pack
• a six-pack of beer
5 BAG a BACKPACK1 --see also FANNY PACK
6 CARDS also pack of cards a complete set of playing cards; DECK
7 be a pack of lies INFORMAL to be completely untrue:
• White said the charges against him were "a pack of lies."
8 Cub/Brownie pack a group of children belonging to a children's organization --see also BROWNIE, CUB SCOUT
9 MILITARY a group of aircraft, SUBMARINEs etc. that fight the enemy together
10 ON A WOUND a thick mass of soft cloth that you press on a wound to stop the flow of blood --see also ICE PACK, MUDPACK
Package
1 the box, bag, or other container that food is put in to be sold:
• The cooking instructions are on the package. [+ of]:
• a package of frozen spinach
2 something packed together firmly or packed in a box and wrapped in paper, especially for mailing:
• The mailman left a package for you at our house.
3 a set of related things or services that are sold or offered together:
• a new software package
Package
1 to put something in a special package, especially to be sent or sold:
• The cocaine was already packaged and ready to be shipped to the U.S.
2 to try to make a person, idea, or product seem interesting or attractive so that people will like them or want them:
• Martin's manager had packaged him to appeal to teenage girls.
Package tour
a completely planned vacation arranged by a company at a particular price, which includes travel, hotels, meals etc.

Stuff
noun
1 SUBSTANCE [U] INFORMAL a type of substance or material:
• That stuff stinks.
• I've got some sort of sticky stuff on my shoe.
2 THINGS [U] INFORMAL a number of different things:
• They sent me a bunch of stuff about the university.
3 SUBJECT INFORMAL [U] the subject of something such as a book, television program, lesson etc.:
• What kind of stuff did they teach you there?
4 ACTIVITIES [U] INFORMAL all the activities that someone does:
• I've got so much stuff to do this weekend.
5 sb's stuff INFORMAL things that belong to someone:
• You can put your stuff over here for now.
6 do/show your stuff SPOKEN to do what you are good at when everyone wants you to do it:
• It's amazing to watch him do his stuff on the basketball court.
7 the stuff of dreams/fantasy/novels etc. exactly the kind of thing that dreams, FANTASY, NOVELs etc. consist of:
• What Johnson did at the Olympics is the stuff of legend.
8 CHARACTER [U] INFORMAL the qualities of someone's character:
• Becky's got the right stuff (= qualities that make her able to deal with difficulties) for becoming a good doctor.
• I thought you were made of sterner stuff (= more determined) - don't just give up. --see also hot stuff (HOT (14)) kid stuff (KID1 (4)) know your stuff (KNOW1 (50)) strut your stuff (STRUT1)

Stuff
verb
1 PUSH [T always + adv./prep.] to push or put something into a small space, especially in a careless hurried way [stuff sth into/in/up etc. sth]:
• She just stuffed all her dirty clothes under the bed. [stuff sth with sth]:
• Dad had stuffed the cigar boxes with old pictures.:
• The trunk was stuffed full of old tires.
2 FILL [T] to fill something with soft material [stuff sth with sth]:
• The sleeping bag is stuffed with polyester fibers.
3 FOOD [T] to fill a chicken, TOMATO etc. with a mixture of bread or rice, onion etc.:
• Could you help me stuff these peppers?
4 DEAD ANIMAL [T] to fill the skin of a dead animal in order to make the animal look alive:
• He had the fish stuffed to put on the wall in his office.
5 stuff yourself also stuff your face INFORMAL to eat so much food that you cannot eat anything else [+ with]:
• Dean stuffed his face with pizza.
6 sb can stuff sth (up their ass) VULGAR used to say very angrily or rudely that you do not want what someone is offering:
• You can stuff your money - I don't need your help.

Tuck
verb

1 [always + adv./prep.] to push the edge of a piece of cloth or paper into something so that it looks neater or stays in place:
• tuck sth in/into/under: Tuck your shirt in!
2 [always + adv./prep.] to put something into a small space, especially in order to protect or hide it [tuck sth behind/under/into sth]:
• She tucked the bottle under her jacket and walked out of the store.
• Aidan sat with his knees tucked under his chin.
3 to put a TUCK (= a special fold)in a piece of clothing
tuck sth <-> away phrasal verb [T]
1 be tucked away
a) if a place is tucked away, it is in a quiet area:
• The campground is tucked away in a valley.
b) if someone or something is tucked away, they are hidden or difficult to find:
• Nell's private letters were tucked away in a box in the attic.
2 to store something, such as money or information, in a safe place:
• I tucked the idea away in the back of my mind for future thought.
tuck sb/sth<-> in phrasal verb [T]
1 to make a child comfortable in bed by arranging the sheets around them:
• I'll come up and tuck you in in a minute.
2 to move a part of your body in so that it does not stick out so much:
• Stand up slowly, keeping your chin tucked in.

Tuck
noun
1 [C] a narrow flat fold of cloth sewn into a piece of clothing for decoration or to give it a special shape
2 [C] a small medical operation done to make your face or stomach look flatter and younger:
• Rivers has had a face-lift and a tummy tuck (= an operation to make her stomach flatter).

kid stuff also kids' stuff
INFORMAL something that is very easy, boring, or not very serious:
• Baseball cards aren't just kid stuff anymore - there's serious money involved

The great list of movie cliches

Great List of Movie Cliches

• A detective can only solve a case once he has been suspended from duty.
• A man will show no pain while taking the most ferocious beating but will wince when a woman tries to clean his wounds.
• A single match will be sufficient to light up a room the size of RFK Stadium.
• Action heroes never face charges for manslaughter or criminal damage despite laying entire cities to waste.
• All bombs are fitted with electronic timing devices with large red readouts so you know exactly when they're going to go off.
• All beds have special L-shaped cover sheets which reach up to the armpit level on a woman but only to waist level on the man lying beside her.
• All telephone numbers in America begin with the digits 555.
• All grocery shopping bags contain at least one stick of French Bread.
• An electric fence, powerful enough to kill a dinosaur will cause no lasting damage to an eight year old child.
• Any person waking from a nightmare will sit bolt upright and pant.
• Any lock can be picked by a credit card or a paper clip in seconds. Unless it's the door to a burning building with a child trapped inside.
• Cars and trucks that crash will almost always burst into flames.
• Creepy music coming from a graveyard should always be closely investigated.
• Dogs always know who's bad and will naturally bark at them.
• During all police investigations it will be necessary to visit a strip club at least once.
• During a very emotional confrontation, instead of facing the person you are speaking to, it is customary to stand behind them and talk to their back.
• Even when driving down a perfectly straight road, it is necessary to turn the steering wheel vigorously from left to right every few moments.
• Everyone knows the words to every song you want to sing and will sing along with you. They can even carry the solo part so that they can sing the song back to you, even if they have never heard the song until you sang half of it.
• Guns are like disposable razors. If you run out of bullets, just throw the gun away. You can always find a new one laying around the next time you need one.
• Having a job of any kind will make all fathers forget their son's eighth birthday.
• If you need to reload your gun, you will always have more ammunition -- even if you haven't been carrying any before now.
• If you decide to start dancing in the street, everyone you bump into will know all the steps.
• If your town is threatened by an imminent natural disaster or killer beast, the mayor's first concern will be the tourist trade or his forthcoming art exhibition.
• If a large pane of glass is visible, someone will be thrown through it before long.
• If being chased through town, you can usually take cover in a passing St. Patrick's Day parade at any time of the year.If a killer is lurking in your house, it's easy to find him. Just relax and run a bath. Even if it's the middle of the afternoon.
• If a phone line is broken, communication can be restored by frantically pressing the cradle switch and saying, "Hello? Hello?"
• If there is a deranged killer on the loose, this will coincide with a thunderstorm that has brought down all the power and phone lines in the vicinity.
• If staying in a haunted house, women should investigate any strange noises in their most revealing underwear.
• Interbreeding is genetically possible with any creature from elsewhere in the universe.
• It is not necessary to say hello or goodbye when beginning or ending phone conversations.
• It is always possible to park directly outside the building you are visiting.
• It does not matter if you are heavily outnumbered in a fight involving martial arts -- your enemies will wait patiently to attack you one by one by dancing around in a threatening manner until you have knocked out their predecessors.
• It's easy for anyone to land a plane providing there is someone in the control tower to talk you down.
• Kitchens don't have light switches. When entering a kitchen at night, you should open the fridge door and use that light instead.
• Make-up can safely be worn to bed without smudging.
• Many musical instruments, especially wind instruments and accordions, can be played without moving the fingers.
• Medieval peasants had perfect teeth.
• Most people keep a scrapbook of newspaper cuttings, especially if any of their family or friends has died in a strange boating accident.
• Most dogs are immortal.
• Most laptop computers are powerful enough to override the communication systems of any invading alien civilization.
• Mothers routinely cook eggs, bacon and waffles for their family every morning even though their husband and children never have time to eat it.
• No matter how badly a spaceship is attacked, its internal gravity system is never damaged.
• Once applied, lipstick will never rub off -- even while scuba diving.
• One man shooting at 20 men has a better chance of killing them all than 20 men firing at one.
• Police Departments give their officers personality tests to make sure they are deliberately assigned a partner who is their total opposite.
• Rather than wasting bullets, megalomaniacs prefer to kill their arch-enemies using complicated machinery involving fuses, pulley systems, deadly gases, lasers and man eating sharks that will allow their captives at least 20 minutes to escape.
• Should you wish to pass yourself off as a German officer, it will not be necessary to speak the language. A German accent will do.
• Stripping to the waist can make a man invulnerable to bullets.
• Television news bulletins usually contain a story that affects you personally at that precise moment.
• The Chief of Police is always black.
• The ventilation system of any building is the perfect hiding place. No one will ever think of looking for you in there and you can travel to any other part of the building you want without difficulty.
• The Eiffel Tower can be seen from any window in Paris.
• When they are alone, all foreigners prefer to speak English to each other.
• When you turn out the light to go to bed, everything in your room will still be clearly visible, just slightly bluish.
• When a person is knocked unconscious by a blow to the head, they will never suffer a concussion or brain damage.
• When paying for a taxi, don't look at your wallet as you take out a bill. Just grab one at random and hand it over. It will always be the exact fare.
• Word processors never display a cursor on screen but will always say: Enter Password Now.
• You can always find a chainsaw whenever you're likely to need one.
• You're very likely to survive any battle in any war unless you make the mistake of showing someone a picture of your sweetheart back home

Active Imagination

As an adjunct to dreamwork, Jung developed a technique he called active imagination that allows anyone to consult an oracle within themselves. Active imagination is a process of consciously dialoguing with our unconscious "for the production of those contents of the unconscious which lie, as it were, immediately below the threshold of consciousness and, when intensified, are the most likely to erupt spontaneously into the conscious mind." [C.J. Jung, The Transcendent Function] Someone who has learned active imagination is thus able to take some degree of control over his or her own growth process.
When the oracle was consulted at Delphi, the priestess -- the Pythia -- became totally receptive to whatever flowed through her. Her role was simply to be a mouthpiece for Apollo. In contrast, in active imagination, we have to alternate between total receptivity -- to allow the unconscious to speak through us -- and a conscious engagement with the unconscious. It is the alternation between the two which is unique to Jung's method, and which makes it so useful a tool.
As with all oracular systems, start the process with reverence. Only use active imagination when something significant needs to be discovered, and only when you have already exhausted your conscious resources. Find a time and a place where you can be alone, then take a few moments to calm your mind. Once you feel relaxed, use one of two basic ways to access the unconscious -- visual or oral.
For the visual method, close your eyes, then begin with some visual starting point, perhaps a scene in a recent dream that has significance for the issue at hand. Get this starting point as clearly in your mind as you can make it, then let it unfold as it likes. If you are strongly visual, you may find that the resulting fantasy is virtually as vivid as a dream. The difference is that, because you are awake, you can consciously engage with the figures in the dream. As with any other encounter with the inner world, you need to walk a narrow path so that you remain receptive to whatever the unconscious produces, yet are able to react with conscious intent.
In the oral technique, you engage in a dialogue with a person or object who you feel might help you with the issue at hand. You can actually talk out loud, hold the dialogue in your head, or simply write both sides of the dialogue. I normally sit at the computer, slow my breathing and stop my monkey mind as much as I can. I then type a question to, for example, an enigmatic dream figure from a recent dream. Having begun the dialogue, I remain receptive to whatever emerges from within and simply type what comes out. After allowing the inner voice to speak as long as it likes, I shift back to my own personality and react to what has been said. The dialogue continues in that manner.
You may find that you actually hear the words coming from the unconscious, or they may simply come out in the writing, without any intermediate process of hearing. When I use either the visual or oral techniques, I normally "see" only vaguely, or "hear" not at all, but somehow fill in what is missing through "feelings" in my body. Jung experienced the same thing: "Sometimes it was as if I were hearing it with my ears, sometimes feeling it with my mouth, as if my tongue were formulating words; now and then I heard myself whispering aloud. Below the threshold of consciousness everything was seething with life."[C.G. Jung, Memories, Dreams, Reflections]
Jung only came to this method after a great deal of struggle. At first, you may feel foolish trying either of these methods, but if you do, you will probably surprise yourself with how easy it is to allow this process to occur. When using the visual technique, you will find that the initial dream scene used as a starting point evolves in directions you could never have predicted. Similarly, when using the oral technique, you will find that the voice and character of the dream figure is sharply distinct from your own, and that you won't be able to predict the direction the dialogue will take. This lack of control can make you as uncomfortable as it did Jung: "One of the greatest difficulties for me lay in dealing with my negative feelings. I was voluntarily submitting myself to emotions of which I could not really approve, and I was writing down fantasies which often struck me as nonsense, and toward which I had strong resistances." [C.G. Jung, Memories, Dreams, Reflections]
I've already said that one has to walk a tightrope in using active imagination. One danger is that we don't open ourselves sufficiently to the unconscious, but instead edit what comes out before it has had a chance to really emerge. Or we may start interpreting what this all means instead of simply remaining open to what is emerging. We need to just let what wants to come out, come out.
The opposite danger is perhaps more prevalent. We can become so enamored with the fantasies or dialogues that emerge from within that we don't really take them seriously as something with which we have to struggle. This can happen equally with dreamwork. We can simply become fascinated at an aesthetic level and never realize that we are being presented with a challenge to our values.
Finally, I would be remiss if I didn't mention that active imagination is exactly the wrong method to use if one is already unstable and having a hard time separating reality from fantasy. Most active imagination is with personified aspects of your own personality. When you are encountering such figures, it is much like encountering others in the normal course of life. However, as I've already indicated, as you access deeper parts of the inner world, the people and situations become collective and cease to have anything to do with your individual personality.
It's not surprising that the ancients regarded these messages from within as coming from a god without. The unconscious often speaks like a god, which may make you feel uncomfortable or doubt that you can trust what is being said. As a modern man, Jung initially found this irritating: "Archetypes speak the language of high rhetoric, even of bombast. It is a style I find embarrassing; it grates on my nerves, as when someone draws his nails down a plaster wall, or scrapes his knife against a plate." [C.G. Jung, Memories, Dreams, Reflections]. But it is exactly that quality that indicates that you are indeed tapping truly unconscious material.
For someone who is less stable, instead of merely becoming uncomfortable, they may actually be possessed by the more-than-human energy that emerges. Jung says that sometimes "the subliminal contents already possess such a high energy that, when afforded an outlet by active imagination, they may overpower the conscious mind and take possession of the personality." [C.G. Jung, The Structure and Dynamics of the Psyche]. To the extent, however, that "active imagination" is truly active -- that is, that we engage consciously with the material, possession is highly unlikely. More likely is that we fail to remember that what is emerging is not us, but some collective power. We get inflated, puffed-up with the godlike energy that we feel. Or alternately, we may get depressed; in that case, accessing the unconscious demands so much energy that there is little left for consciousness. Cycles of inflation and depression are a normal part of life for anyone who digs into his or her inner world.
But over time, we learn both to recognize when we are inflated or depressed, and to dampen the extent of either. One excellent way to ground this process is simply to take the time to write the active imagination down in some sort of a journal so that you can refer back to it, just as you would a dream. I keep a combined journal of dreams and active imagination, with short biographical journal entries as well for each date. Active imagination is an incredibly powerful method for gaining access to information unavailable to consciousness. Those who try it will discover that each of us possesses an Oracle within who can be questioned in times of transition or difficulty.

idioms 4

1. Green thumb
2. be all thumbs
3. times in a row
4. in arrow
5. keep your fingers crossed/ cross your fingers.
6. work like a charm .
7. roll /trip off sb's tongue
8. pop out
9. pop off
10. don't get me wrong .

angry idioms

1. To bent out of shape
2. to do a slow born./ go into a slow born.
3. loose one (your ) cool
4. take it out on sb & sth .
5. be steem up
6. gall
7. rant and rave
8. mollify
9. pacify
10. wrath
11. to bend over backward( to do sth) /bend over backward.
12. give sb the finger
13. laid back .
14. be taken with / by sb /sth .
15. relaxant

idioms 2

1. I spent two months pounding the pavement after the factory I worked for closed.
2. rumor has it that the manager is going to increase the pay.
3. for the first day, my manager and I were basically like oil and water.
4. find out what it is worth to Victoria to have the tapes destroyed.
5. the organization has over 3000 members throughout the country'from all works of life .
6. it's monkey see 'monkey do with these kids. They will say anything they hear their cartoon heroes saying on the tv.
7. it's difficult to give you an answer off the cuff 'I would have to look at the statistic .
8. speak of devil Shannon , we just speaking about you.
9. every time I looked at Gloria's eyes my legs turned to jelly.
10. I won't do that even for all tea in china.

Conquering frustration

It's a tough world and we have to be persistent. Quitting is giving into frustration. Don't turn back. Accept the frustration as a challenge - and love it!
Imagine you've just bought a brand-new sports car, and are taking it out for your first drive. As you approach a traffic light, it turns yellow, so you slow down carefully and stop. Suddenly someone bumps you from behind. As if this was not angering enough, the same driver backs up and bumps you again. Now, you're furious! Your beautiful, shiny sports car that cost a year's salary!
You jump out in a rage, ready to let the guy really have it ... when all of a sudden, a 6-foot-10 linebacker steps out of the car.
"Gee, sir," you begin in a much softer tone than originally intended. "It seems that you've hit my car. Are you okay? Do you have insurance?"
How did you shut off your anger so quickly?
On an intellectual level, we understand that anger is counterproductive. We possess the power to control our emotions. No matter how infuriating a situation is, we can put the anger aside and act civilly. Especially when standing up against a 6-foot-10 linebacker.
Erech apayim literally means "long nostrils." Do you see how someone's nostrils flare up when he gets angry? A tool for healthy living is to conquer that frustration.
An angry person is acting like a wild animal. He's given up all restraint. He may slam the door and shout obscenities. He is blind to the consequences of his actions; hence the expression, "blind rage." He has given into frustration.
A first step in controlling anger is to recognize how counterproductive it is. When you feel frustration building, and a little voice inside of you says, "Let's yell that guy off the face of the earth," ask yourself, "What benefit will there be? I'll only embarrass myself and come to regret it."
If we could see a videotape of ourselves getting angry, the humiliation might well cure us of anger for the rest of our lives!

NEVER QUIT OUT OF FRUSTRATION
Did you ever undertake to learn a new skill -- like a foreign language or musical instrument -- and then quit?
"Quitting" is another form of giving in to frustration. Appreciate that this is a tough world and we have to be persistent in order to accomplish. Never turn back in midstream. Follow it through to the end.
Consider how many projects you began -- and then gave up -- because you became frustrated and lost patience. Make a list of things you started and quit because they seemed too difficult. Now calculate the disappointment and loss you suffered by not accepting the frustration.
How do we repair this fault? Look at the list of things you've quit. Choose one and resolve to see it through. And for the rest of your life, once you undertake something, resolve never to quit. (Unless you are objectively sure that it's "not worth it" -- i.e. you initially misjudged the amount of effort required relative to the final payoff.)
Every night before going to sleep, check yourself: Where did I gain and where did I lose?

LOSS OF CONFIDENCE
Beside the obvious result of quitting (i.e. not fulfilling your goal), there is a terrible side effect: A loss of self-confidence. If we quit once, then the next time we plan a project, we won't trust our ability to carry it out.
To see how destructive this pattern can be, make a list of the projects that you have thought about, but never even started, because you didn't believe you could accomplish them. See how little credibility you have in your own eyes. After a few failures, you expect that more will keep happening!
When someone stops trusting himself, he's hit a critical impasse. He begins to accept the idea that it's okay to be "mediocre." That's a self-destructive attitude.
Resolve that from now on, whenever you consider a project, you will sit down and figure out how much time, energy and effort it will take. Then decide whether or not it's worth it. If you conclude that it is, then begin with confidence -- and don't allow yourself to quit unless something happens beyond your control.
When the going gets tough, and a little voice says, "It's not worth it!" tell yourself "It is worth it!"
When you follow through, it not only gets the job done, but it builds self-confidence -- which is reason enough to stick with the task.

JUST FIVE MINUTES MORE
Frustration can result from not making progress as fast as you'd like. At times like that, it's important to monitor your success, even if it's only in microscopic increments. Accomplishment will make you feel good about yourself.
To overcome quitting, trick yourself. A 3-hour marathon may be nearly impossible to run, but 10 runs of 18 minutes each is more reasonable. Break things into small, achievable goals. Then, when you're in the heat of a project and feel yourself coming undone, just tell yourself, "Another 5 minutes, and then I'll quit!"
When the 5 minutes are up, you can bargain for another 5.
Frustration is much easier to bear in small doses. If you're struggling with a diet, decide that for "today" you're going to stick with orange juice and granola; tomorrow you can treat yourself to a greasy steak with fries! This will help convince your body to hang in there until the job is complete.
In spirituality, the Sages say; "If you work and don't succeed, it means you didn't work hard enough." Even though there is no guarantee of success in any other area, there is a guarantee of spiritual success. And that knowledge helps build confidence.
Accept pain and accept frustration, because anybody who can sit on nails has got a sense of freedom. He knows he can do whatever he wants.
No matter what the outcome, each successful step improves your self-confidence and keeps you on the road to true success.

THE FRUSTRATION OF WASTING TIME
People may say: "All I want to do is to take a vacation and soak up the sun." But what happens after a few hours of lying on the beach, thinking blissfully, "Ahh ... this is the life..." You start to feel restless and uncomfortable. You start looking to do something constructive. After two days on the beach, you're going out of your mind!
The greatest form of frustration is wasting time. When you're standing in line at a bank, watching your day tick by when you've got so much to do, that's one big frustration.
Quitting is also a major source of wasted time. If we invest in a project, and then don't see it through to completion, we've wasted a lot of time.
God created frustration in order to motivate us to accomplish something with our lives.

LIFE IS A CHALLENGE
Is it reasonable to assume that your life will always be frustration-free and a smooth ride? No way.
In the Book of Proverbs, King Solomon said: "The righteous person falls seven times and gets up. The evil person falls just once." We see that the righteous person is not defined as someone who never makes a mistake. Rather, the person who achieves greatness is one who keeps trying again and again. He sees frustration as only a passing nuisance, and therefore never gives up. In fact, his falling seven times may be precisely how he became great!
You have to distinguish between what you "hope will happen," and what "will probably happen." Life inevitably has its ups and downs -- its moments of relaxation and times of tension. When you learn to accept this reality, you come one step closer to being able to deal with frustration in a healthy way.
The next time frustration pops up, just remind yourself, "That's life!"

TAKING THINGS IN STRIDE
Joy is one of the greatest tools for eliminating anger and frustration. If we're sad, then we have less patience and tolerance for everything and everybody.
Yesterday when someone stepped on your toe, you may have snapped at him, "Watch where you're going!" But let's say that today you won the lottery and someone steps on your toe. "No problem, friend," you say with a big smile. "Have a nice day!"
Why the difference? Feeling relaxed, confident and upbeat keeps frustration and anger in check. Plus your physical health will benefit as well -- less ulcers, high blood pressure, etc.
But don't wait until you win the lottery to do this!

ENJOYING FRUSTRATION
Being able to bear frustration is one level of dealing with it. A higher level -- often characteristic of those who achieve greatness -- is the resolve to love frustration and work with it!
If you think about it, you'll see that deep down you really do "love frustration." Imagine going out to buy a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle. You bring it home, open the box and discover that all the pieces are in numbered order! It's infuriating! Why? Because you paid good money for a box of frustration and they've taken away the challenge!
Life is like a jigsaw puzzle. When you have a complex problem, first try to build the framework, an overall sense of how you want this to ultimately resolve. Then set about solving the puzzle ... one piece at a time.
In everyday life, too, derive enjoyment from the resolution of frustrations. So many things only get accomplished through struggle. Whether childbirth or career advancement, we accept certain pains as a worthwhile price to pay for pleasure.
In truth, the greater the challenge, the taller we can rise to meet it. Consider a very sick person whose suffering is unbearable. He can decide not to let the suffering rob him of any more quality of life than it must. He can resolve to work with the pain, rather than against it. At that moment of decision, he greatly reduces the suffering -- if not physically, at least emotionally.

BELIEVING YOU CAN DO IT
There are two types of problems: Those which you know can be solved, and those which you're not sure if they can be solved or not.
The first type is obviously much easier to handle. When you know it can be done, you have greater willingness to fight the frustration.
Always try to move your problems into the "known" category of frustration. When you first rode a bicycle, you probably feared you'd fall off and break your head! But you looked around and saw the other kids staying balanced. Seeing others succeed gave you the confidence to plunge in. (And if you'd never seen anyone ride a unicycle, you'd think that was totally impossible!)
Get rid of the attitude of "It can't be done." That's defeatist and an excuse for not even trying.
Wisdom is one of the hardest skills to achieve, and is thus subject to the greatest frustrations. Next time you get stuck, look around at all the others who've succeeded. We know if they can do it, so can we. And believing we can get there is half the battle.

GOD PROVIDES THE CHALLENGE
There is a deeper metaphysical aspect to frustration: God never gives a person a challenge he cannot handle. This effectively puts every challenge into the category of the "achievable." Like a good track coach, God will not raise the hurdle higher than we can jump, because that would doom us to failure. And God desperately wants us to succeed.
Similarly, for those who believe that God spoke to mankind at Mount Sinai, and gave the Jewish people the Torah, all problems automatically move into the "known" category of frustration. If God told us that we are obligated to help humanity, to work together and to love one another, that means it can be done. God is not a sadist. If it couldn't be done, He would not have told us to do so.
That's why Judaism says that frustration and anger is the equivalent of idol worship. Because saying "I can't do it" is like saying that God is not involved in guiding our lives. "I can't" means I don't believe God can help me. That's idolatry.
Life has no problems, only opportunities.

WHY IS "CONQUERING FRUSTRATION" AN INGREDIENT IN WISDOM?
• Quitters never win, and winners never quit. Losing your temper means you're a quitter.
• When you quit because of frustration, you lose credibility and self-confidence. Adopt the motto: "I will overcome frustration."
• The best way of dealing with frustration is to accept it as a challenge -- and love it.
• Focus on your progress and take pleasure every step of the way -- even if it's only a small amount.
• Anger is called idol worship -- because we're taking marching orders from the wrong boss.
• Life is difficult and the path to greatness is paved with frustration. You can't get to heaven on roller skates.
• When we know that God provides the challenge, then we know we can succeed.