ESL Podcast 513 - Snooping and Eavesdropping
to talk (someone) into (something) - to get another person to agree to do something that he or she doesn't really want to do
How did you talk Mousari into buying your car at that price?
to rifle through - to quickly look through many pieces of paper, usually while searching for a particular page or piece of information
If I were more organized, I wouldn't have to spend so much time rifling through papers on my desk to find what I want.
to snoop - to spy; to look at things that one shouldn't see, or that don't belong to oneself, usually when trying to learn a secret
Mark snoops on his older sister by reading her diary.
suspicion - a thought or feeling that something is wrong, or that someone is doing something wrong, but without having any proof
He has a suspicion that the cashier is stealing money from the store, but he hasn't yet seen her do it.
to confront - to deal with something that is difficult or unpleasant; to speak with another person about something that is difficult to talk about, especially when one wants to tell another person that what he or she is doing is wrong
I think we should confront Silvana about her drinking problem.
height of stupidity - extremely stupid and foolish; something that is not a good idea
When we were teenagers, we used to drive as fast as we could on dark highways. It was the height of stupidity.
to be holed up - to be trapped in a small space, unable to get out; to be stuck in one place, not able to leave
We were holed up in our house for almost a week during the snowstorm.
to sit tight - to stay in one place, being patient and without moving
We all wanted to know when the flight would leave, but the airline employees just kept telling us to sit tight, even though we had already been waiting in the plane for more than two hours.
confined - without very much room; without allowing someone to move or stretch
I don't know how people can wear such tight clothing. I'd feel too confined.
to make a break for it - to escape; to leave a place, especially when one is trapped there and cannot or should not leave it
The prisoners decided to make a break for it while the guards weren't paying attention.
to suffocate - to die because one cannot breathe; to feel as though one will die because there is not enough fresh air
Doctors say that babies should never sleep with pillows or heavy blankets, because they might suffocate under them.
to kvetch - to complain loudly and repeatedly
Please stop kvetching about the weather! There's nothing we can do to change it.
to eavesdrop - to listen to something that one is not supposed to hear; to secretly listen to another person's conversation, not letting that person know that one is listening
Have you ever eavesdropped on your wife while she talks on the phone?
to lose (one's) mind - to go crazy; to do something very strange, irrational, or illogical
Liam got really mad while driving and lost his mind, screaming at the other cars and almost getting into an accident.
no guts, no glory - a phrase meaning that if one doesn't do things that are difficult or frightening, one won't be able to win; a phrase meaning that one needs to be brave and do something difficult in order to get what one wants
Michelle was scared to sing on stage in front of so many people, but she told herself, "No guts, no glory."