ESL Podcast 702 - Finding Other Singles
single - not involved in a romantic relationship; not married or dating anyone
Which bar in town is the best place to meet other singles?
to pair up - to become involved in a romantic relationship with another person and no longer be alone
When Janet was younger, she was never very interested in dating, but once she turned 30, she became very interested in pairing up.
to be left hanging - to remain wanting to have, do, or know something, especially if other people have, do, or know it; to be unsatisfied in some way, especially when everyone else is satisfied
We went to a book reading, but the author only read the first part and left us hanging. She said we'd have to buy the book and read it if we wanted to find out what happens at the end.
to cruise for - to go to a nightclub, dance hall, bar, or a similar place, looking for a new romantic partner or sexual partner
Are you going to go cruising for women dressed like that? You'd have more luck if you wore nicer clothes and combed your hair.
lonely heart - a person who is single but feels alone and unsatisfied and wants to find a romantic partner
Not everyone who is single is a lonely heart. Some people just prefer not to date.
needle in a haystack - something that is very difficult to find, usually because it is very rare or uncommon
Searching for a lost wallet at Disneyland is like looking for a needle in a haystack. There's no way you'll find it.
strategy - a plan for how one will do something
The company is trying to develop a creative marketing strategy for its newest product.
to hit on - to suddenly find, discover, or realize something
After thinking about the math problem for hours, Sebastian finally hit on the correct answer.
to congregate - for large numbers of people or animals to meet in one place; to gather
About 3,000 people congregated at the federal building, protesting the new proposed taxes.
to show up - to appear; to attend something, especially without planning it ahead of time or making special arrangements
Is it okay to just show up at the dinner even thought I forgot to tell them I was coming?
wild goose chase - an effort to do something when one cannot succeed because it is too difficult, foolish, or impossible
He spent his life on a wild goose chase, looking for the fountain of youth.
to give (something) a shot - to try to do something even though one is unlikely to succeed; to try to do something even though one doesn't expect to succeed
I'm a horrible baker, but I'm going to try to make her a birthday cake anyway. I'll at least give it a shot.
grand entrance - the act of entering a room at a certain time or in a certain way so that one can attract everyone else's attention and make a strong impression
Meghan's grand entrance was ruined when she accidentally tripped and fell while walking through the door.
shock of (one's) life - a very strong, powerful, and unexpected surprise
Winning one million dollars in the lottery was the shock of his life!
all right - a phrase used to emphasize that something is true, correct, and believable
Are you sure you saw Greg?
It was him all right. There's no doubt about it.
dinner date - an invitation to eat dinner at a restaurant with another person, usually in the hopes of beginning or strengthening a romantic relationship
Over the past month, Damian has asked 13 women to go out with him on a dinner date, but none of them have said yes.