ESL Podcast 611 - Having an Overbearing Father

grown - adult; grown-up; no longer a child

His aunt said to him: "You're a grown man! Shouldn't you act like it and get a job, instead of letting your parents pay for everything?"

overbearing - too strong, opinionated, and controlling; trying to control what other people say and do

Martin's boss is really overbearing, trying to control every little thing he does at work.

the third degree - asking someone many questions, often about things that he or she would like to hide or keep secret

When we applied for a loan, the bank's loan officer gave us the third degree, asking about our employment history, savings, debt, spending habits, and more.

under (one's) roof - in one's home, especially living in one's home

As long as you're living under our roof, you have to keep your room clean and help around the house. Once you move out on your own, you can do whatever you want.

to live by - to comply with; to follow certain rules or ideas

Imagine how nice the world would be if everyone lived by the same rules.

to hang out - to spend time doing something unimportant, having fun, especially with friends

Many teenage girls like to hang out at the mall on the weekends.

curfew - the time when one must be home in the evening; the latest one is allowed to be out

Normally, Tara has an 11:00 curfew on weekends, but for special events, her parents let her stay out until 12:30.

not good enough - inferior; not as good as someone or something else; not worth something

Ever since Harper got a good-paying job, he has been acting like his old friends aren't good enough for him anymore.

troublemaker - a person who creates many problems and isn't productive or helpful

Every classroom seems to have at least one troublemaker who takes up most of the teacher's time.

to mark (one's) words - to listen carefully to what a person is saying and remember it later, especially when he or she is making a prediction about what will happen in the future

Mark my words: The next World War will be about water rights.

to go nowhere fast - to not have any hope of having a happy, productive, or successful future; to be a loser

Your career is going nowhere fast. It's time to find a better job where you can use your knowledge and skills.

supervision - being observed by someone who makes sure that everyone is following the rules and doing what they are supposed to do

Do you prefer to work in an office with a lot of close supervision, or do you prefer to work independently?

What is this world coming to? - a phrase used when one is upset about how things are changing over time, and thinks that things were better in the past

How can gasoline cost $4 per gallon? What is this world coming to?

chaperon - a person who stays with two other people, making sure that their behavior is acceptable and that they don't do anything wrong, especially when they are on a date

Quinn's parents said she can start dating, but only if her brother is the chaperon.

to tag along - to go somewhere with someone, especially when that person does not want one to be there

Elliot's little sister always tags along, following him everywhere he goes.

humiliating - very embarrassing, uncomfortable, and upsetting; making one feel ashamed

That soccer game was humiliating! I can't believe we lost to the weakest team in the league.