Common American Phrases in Everyday Contexts: A Detailed Guide to Real-Life Conversation and Small Talk, Third Edition

  • 6h 16m
  • Richard A. Spears
  • McGraw-Hill
  • 2012

In this new edition of Common American Phrases in Everyday Contexts, noted lexicographer Richard A. Spears shares with you 1,900 of the most common phrases and colloquial expressions used in contemporary American English. Here you will discover the greetings, good-byes, and everyday small talk that Americans use daily. All entries have been selected with the special needs of you, the nonnative speaker of English, in mind!

Inside you'll find:

  • Examples or short dialogues with each entry that illustrate how the phrase is used in everyday speaking
  • Usage restrictions or warnings for those situations when a phrase may be inappropriate
  • Shortened or abbreviated expressions cross-referenced to their complete forms
  • A Phrase-Finder Index to help quick and easy reference

About the Author

Richard A. Spears, Ph.D., is a reference editor and former linguistics professor who has written more than 30 dictionaries, including NTC's American Idioms Dictionary and NTC's American English Learner's Dictionary.

In this Book

  • A: An A for Effort—Aw
  • B: Bar none—Bye-Bye
  • C: Call Again—Cut to the Chase
  • D: Dance on Someone’s Grave—Aw Drop the Subject!
  • E: Easy Does It—Excuse, Please
  • F: Fair to Middling—From Where I Stand
  • G: Gangway!—Guess What!
  • H: Had a Nice Time—Hush Your Mouth!
  • I: Beg your Pardon—(I’ve) Seen Worse.
  • J: Jog someone’s Memory—Just (you) Wait (and See)!
  • K: Keep a Secret—Know where all the Bodies are Buried
  • L: Ladies First—Lull Before the Storm
  • M: Ma’am?—My Word!
  • N: Name your Poison—Now you’re Talking!
  • O: Of all the Nerve!—Owing To
  • P: Pardon (me)—Put Two and Two Together
  • Q: Quite a Bit—Quite Frankly
  • R: Rain on someone’s Parade—Run that by (me) Again
  • S: Safe and Sound—Swap Something Out
  • T: Tah-Dah!—Twist someone’s Words (Around)
  • U: Under no Circumstances—Used To
  • V: Vamoose!—Very Good
  • W: Wait a Minute—Wow!
  • Y: Ye Gods (and Little Fishes)!—Yup
  • Z: Zip it up!—Zip (up) your Lip!
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