ESL Podcast 565 - Dating a Friend's Ex
ex - a former boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, or wife
Was it really awkward when you ran into your ex at the store?
to take (something) well - to handle a negative situation very calmly and positively, without becoming upset
Francesco was scared to tell his parents that he'd crashed their car, but they surprised him by taking the news very well.
to object - to oppose something; to do or say something to show that one does not agree with what is happening or that one thinks it is a bad idea
If no one objects, I think we should end this meeting early today.
to break up - to end a romantic relationship; to decide that two people will no longer be each other's boyfriend or girlfriend
Paolo broke up with his girlfriend more than three months ago, but he still thinks about her all the time.
to move on - to stop thinking about something that happened in the past and to begin to live one's normal life again
Yes, the accident was a tragic event, but most people who were involved have moved on with their life.
to have a thing for (someone) - to be attracted to someone; to be interested in someone romantically; to want to have a romantic relationship with someone
Have you always had a thing for red-haired women?
off-limits - forbidden; prohibited; not allowed
The Gees are trying to lose weight, so ice cream, cake, and other desserts are off-limits in their home.
to sneak around behind (someone's) back - to do something without another person's knowledge; to hide what one is doing; to try not to let someone know what one is doing
You could have just told me what you were doing. You didn't have to sneak around behind my back.
to clue (someone) in - to give someone a little bit of information about something; to let someone know what is happening
How is it possible that our competitors always know what we're doing? Someone must be clueing them in.
all hell is going to break loose - an informal phrase used to mean that there will be a major problem and people will be very upset once something happens
When your parents find out that you got married without inviting them to the wedding, all hell is going to break loose
statue of limitations - the maximum period of time during which one can take legal action; the maximum period of time during which one can be punished for something that was done in the past
Is there a statue of limitation for how long you might owe interest on unpaid taxes?
fair game - something that is allowed; something that can be had or used by anyone, and not by only one person
When you left that dessert in the fridge without a note, it became fair game for anyone who wanted to eat it.
to break (something) off - to end a relationship, arrangement, or deal
They've been roommates for years, but lately they have been fighting a lot, so they've decided to break it off and live separately.
to let the chips fall where they may - to accept the consequences of one's actions and see what happens, especially when the result will probably be negative or unpleasant
As they got deeper into debt, they decided to file for bankruptcy and let the chips fall where they may.
wrath - anger; rage
In ancient times, people did many things to avoid the wrath of the gods.
to keep (something) under wraps - to keep something as a secret; to not let anyone know about something; to keep something hidden
We're planning a surprise birthday party for Marty. Do you think everyone will be able to keep it under wraps until next Saturday?
it's your funeral - an informal phrase used when one believes that another's actions are going to create very negative consequences, but one will not interfere with what the other person is doing
If you want to ask you boss for a raise, it's your funeral. Just don't mention my name when you go into his office.