ESL Podcast 672 - Asking for More Time
status - the current condition; the most up-to-date information about the quality, timing, or progress of something
All of the employees are supposed to send weekly reports on the status of their work.
on schedule - on time; making enough progress so that something will be completed when it should be; expected to meet one's deadline
The buses are usually on schedule, but for some reason, my bus was 20 minutes late this morning.
slight - very small, minor, and unimportant
We saw a slight increase in sales last month, but not enough to really make a difference.
delay - something that causes one to become behind schedule; something that slows one down and makes it difficult or impossible to finish something when it was planned to be finished
When there's a lot of snow and ice, expect a delay when driving across town.
deadline - the date and time when something is due or must be turned in; the time by which something needs to be completed
The deadline for this grant proposal is Friday at 3:00 p.m. Do you think we can finish everything before then?
to grant - to officially give something to someone, especially giving permission or authority
If the board of directors grants approval, we'll be able to hire two new employees next month.
extension - the act of making something bigger or longer in space or time
We are proposing a bridge extension that would reach to Main Street.
tops - maximum; at most
We can pay you $11 per hour, tops.
snag - a problem; something that causes a problem or a delay, but that one probably will be able to find a solution for
When the lead actress lost her voice, it was a snag for the show, but fortunately they were able to find another actress who could play her role.
up and running - operational; functioning normally
The mechanic promised to have their car up and running again by the end of the day.
to come to a grinding halt - to completely stop; to no longer be able to work or operate at all
Traffic came to a grinding halt during the snowstorm.
tight schedule - a situation when a lot of work needs to be done in a very short period of time
The engineers are on a tight schedule to design the new freeway by the end of the month.
to spare - to have an extra amount of something
Do we have any food to spare? I brought a few friends home for dinner.
all too well - very well; very familiar and very clearly understood
Did you know this town is expected to flood after tomorrow's storm?
Yes, I know it all too well.
to spell (something) out - to explain something in great detail; to be explicit
Let me spell it out for you: if you don't make your mortgage payments, your bank will take away your home.
for (one's) head to be on the chopping block - for one to be at risk of losing one's job or otherwise suffering negative consequences if something does not go well, or if some result is not achieved
Could you please help me with these preparations? My head is on the chopping block if the conference isn't a success.
the clock is ticking - a phrase meaning that very little time is left before something else happens, implying that one should hurry up and do something
Her birthday is tomorrow! I can't believe you still haven't bought her a gift. Hurry up and go to the store! The clock is ticking.