ESL Podcast 507 - Guarding One's Privacy

drawn - closed, used when talking about curtains or drapes

They always sleep with the curtains drawn.

privacy - the ability to be alone and keep one's personal information and actions secret, so that other people do not know about oneself or one's activities

She goes into her room and closes the door whenever she wants a few minutes of privacy.

peeping Tom - a person who looks through windows to watch women when they undress

I heard a noise at the window and thought it was a cat, but when I went looked outside, I found a peeping Tom!

to peek - to quickly look at something, especially if it is difficult to see or if one is not supposed to see it

The little boy carefully opened the wrapping paper so he could peek at the present, even though his birthday wouldn't be for another three days.

voluntarily - willingly; meaning or wanting to do something; with a specific intention or desire

Why would you voluntarily offer to clean the bathrooms? That's my least favorite thing to do.

to invade (one's) privacy - to learn something about another person or his or her activities, especially when that person would like to keep those things secret

Is it an invasion of my daughter's privacy if I go into her bedroom and look through her closet and drawers when she isn't home?

anonymity - used to describe a situation where other people do not know who one is or what one is doing

Clarke hates the anonymity of moving to a new city, so he's working hard to meet people and make friends.

to be on guard - to be alert; to be very careful or cautious, especially to prevent something from happening

Xena has dangerous allergic reactions, so she's always on guard against bees.

need-to-know basis - a phrase used to describe a situation where people are given only the information that they absolutely must have, and no additional unnecessary information is shared

The United States government lets people view classified data only on a need- to-know basis.

paranoid - too worried, believing that other people want to hurt oneself, or that other people are looking for oneself

The mental hospital is full of paranoid patients who think other people are trying to kill them.

to be out to (do something) - to be trying to do something

All of the players are out to win the most important game of the year.

to get (someone) - to attack, hurt, or kill someone

The young men are creating a plan to get the other gang's leader.

to disclose - to share secret or private information

Interviewers should never ask job candidates to disclose their marital status.

seclusion - living alone, without seeing or speaking to other people; keeping oneself alone, away from other people

They spent their vacation far away in the mountains, seeking seclusion where they knew there wouldn't be other people.

hermit - a person who lives alone and doesn't speak to anyone else

One of her uncles is a hermit who lives in a house in the mountains and hasn't spoken to anyone in more than eight years.

rest assured - a phrase used to tell another person not to worry, or that there is no problem and everything is under control

Rest assured, we have enough money in the bank to pay our bills for months, even if we both lose our jobs.

to breathe a word - to say something, especially to share a secret

Our boss told us not to breathe a word of anything discussed at the meeting.