ESL Podcast 965 - Meeting Your Boyfriend's-Girlfriend's Parents
as ready as (one) will ever be - a phrase used to show that one is not feeling confident about doing something, but has done as much preparation as possible and is agreeing to make it happen
After weeks of studying, Benjamin is as ready as he'll ever be to take the college entrance exam.
to work up - to generate; to create a feeling or emotion; to get excited about something
What can the public schools do to work up interest in careers in science, technology, engineering, and math?
enthusiasm - excitement; a feeling of looking forward to doing something and wanting to do it
The third interviewee had the best qualifications for the job, but he didn't show much enthusiasm for working in our company.
to pass muster - to be acceptable; to meet some minimum standard or expectation
If these designs don't pass muster with the client, we'll have to start over again.
open-minded - willing to consider and accept new ideas and opinions that may may not be what one previously thought
I really don't like the idea of painting the house bright orange, but I'm trying to remain open-minded.
nonjudgmental - not evaluating other people or things; not deciding whether something is good or bad; tolerant
A good priest has to be nonjudgmental, so that people are willing to talk about their fears and doubts.
like oil and water - not compatible; not able to get along; with many differences that make it difficult to build a relationship or reach an understanding
Even though they're brothers, they have such different personalities that they're like oil and water.
to make a good first impression - to be likeable to people the first time one meets them; for others to immediately like and respect a person after meeting him/her
The best way to make a good first impression is to dress nicely and make eye contact.
to win (someone) over - to change someone's opinion in one's favor slowly, over time; to gradually make a person like a person or thing
Nobody liked the new sales campaign at first, but we gradually won over the salespeople as they saw their commissions increase.
cakewalk - something that is very easy to do; something simple to accomplish
After taking advanced math classes this summer, algebra will be a cakewalk.
to run the gauntlet - to experience many problems or threats, based on a punishment in which a person must run between two lines of people who are hitting that person
Buying a new house was like running the gauntlet, but in the end everything worked out.
to show up - to appear, especially unexpectedly or when one does not know how many will appear
How many people showed up at the press conference?
to ambush (someone) - to attack someone unexpectedly as a surprise
The deer were ambushed by the hunters.
to back out - change one's mind and decide not to do something that one has already committed to doing
Once we sign this partnership agreement, we can't back out.
to put on (one's) game face - a facial expression used to hide one's emotions and make one seem stronger, especially when entering a competition or a difficult situation
Make sure to put on your game face before we start the negotiations.
to make a break for it - to leave unexpectedly and very quickly when one no longer wants to be in a particular situation
The boys stole a camera from the store and tried to make a break for it, but a police officer caught them.