ESL Podcast 334 - Hiding from the Police

on the lam - hiding from the police; on the run

After he was convicted, he went on the lam. If the police find him, he'll go to jail for at least 15 years.

wanted - sought after by the police; on a list of people whom the police are looking for

Betsy Smith is wanted for bank robbery.

to bolt - to leave a place very quickly; to escape; to run away

Karina was so embarrassed when her dress ripped at the party that she bolted out of the house and started running down the street.

to confiscate - to take something away from another person; to hold something that belongs to another person for a period of time, often as a punishment

If you drink alcohol while driving, the police may confiscate your driver's license.

disguise - costume; clothing, make-up, fake hair, and/or glasses used to make one look like another person

Guillermo wore a very strange disguise, and even his own mother couldn't recognize him.

stowaway - a person who rides on a plane, train, or boat without being seen and without paying

Xia didn't have enough money for the boat ticket, so she decided to try to go as a stowaway.

to keep out of sight - to remain unseen; to hide and not let oneself be seen by anyone

Maritza's parents were very angry at her, so she tried to keep out of sight for a few days, hoping that they would calm down.

holed up - staying in a hidden and/or small place for a period of time, not leaving and not letting other people come in

Craig will be holed up in his apartment studying for the exam every day between now and the 15th .

inkling - an idea about something; a little bit of knowledge about something

Did you have any inkling that Garry wanted to move to Australia, or are you as surprised as I am?

to assume a new identity - to get a new name and identity and begin to live and act as another person

Some criminals try to assume a new identity when they are hiding from the police.

identification - documents that show who one is, such as a passport, driver's license, ID cards, and credit cards

You need to present two pieces of identification to apply for a new passport.

to go underground - to hide from the police and regulatory agencies; to live in a world where business and everything else is unofficial

The murderer disappeared and the police think he went underground, but they haven't been able to find him yet.

black market - the place where things are bought and sold illegally, often because taxes haven't been paid or because the products are illegal, stolen, or very hard to get

Helena's diamond necklace was stolen, but the police found it for sale on the black market the following week.

forged - falsified; counterfeit; an official-looking document that isn't real, or that has been signed by the wrong person

Eric presented a forged university diploma when he applied for the job, because he wanted people to think that he had a college degree.

to nab (someone) - to arrest someone; to catch someone and put him or her in jail; to catch someone who has done something illegal

The thief was nabbed after the hotel receptionist recognized his photo on TV and called the police.

to escape - to get away from where one is being held, especially by the police; to leave jail or another place without permission

The Alcatraz prison was built on an island to make it difficult for prisoners to escape.