ESL Podcast 820 - Performing Poorly at Work
to not be (oneself) - to act in a strange and unusual way; to act differently than how one normally acts
Ever since Perry started high school, he hasn't been himself.
to slip through the cracks - to not do something through neglect; to not pay attention to something, usually because one was busy doing other things
I was so busy working on these essays that somehow the math assignment slipped through the cracks and I forgot to do it.
to cut (someone) some slack - to avoid being critical of someone; to loosen the standards for someone; to not judge someone as harshly as one judges other people; to not expect as much from someone as one expects from other people
Of course it's inappropriate to cry at work, but cut her some slack! She's going through a divorce.
to fill in for (someone) - to do someone's job for a short period of time; to help someone by taking some or all of that person's responsibilities for a period of time
Trent wanted to go to his son's soccer match, so he asked me to fill in for him for a few hours.
to drop the ball - to not do something that one was supposed to do; to not meet expectations
If you drop the ball and forget to renew your driver's license on time, you'll have to pay a fee and take the test again.
rumor - something that people say, usually about another person, but that has not been proven and may not be true; gossip
I heard a rumor than J. R. and Dawn broke up. Is that true?
client - customer, especially a customer who has a long-term relationship with the company
Does your consulting firm have any clients in Australia?
off (one's) game - not performing as well as one normally does
Would you mind doing the presentation for me? I'm feeling off my game today and I don't want to make any mistakes in front of an audience.
to go up in smoke - to fail; to disappear; to not succeed
After the tornado destroyed their home, it was difficult for them to accept that everything they had worked for had gone up in smoke.
tight - in a close relationship with another person, sharing personal and private information and thoughts
We were tight as teenagers, but we grew apart in college.
to snoop around - to investigate in a secretive way; to spy; to try to find information about someone or something without letting other people know what one is doing
How could you snoop around and read my diary? That's private!
a shoulder to cry on - a phrase used to describe someone who is willing to listen to another person's problems and provide comfort without judging or providing advice
If you need a shoulder to cry on, I'm here for you.
to bare (one's) soul - to share one's most secret, personal thoughts with another person
It's a lot easier to bare your soul when your parents aren't around!
emotions - feelings like happiness, sadness, anger, joy, fear, etc.
When Freida heard the news, she experienced a range of emotions from fear and disbelief to relief, and finally, sadness.
cold-hearted - without sympathy or empathy for other people; unable or unwilling to understand or be interested in other people's feelings
This city is full of cold-hearted people who refuse to help other people.