Phrases & Expressions

To decide not to do something because you are too scared.

• He chickened out at the last minute.
• Don't chicken out now.

To perform many numerical calculations, especially financial ones.

• Scott loves to crunch numbers, so he decided to become an accountant.
• Wendy spends all day at work crunching numbers and analyzing sales data.

Feeling very sad or unhappy.

• Lisa is down in the dumps because her cat died.
• It's easy to feel down in the dumps when it's raining.

To continue for a long time in a boring or unpleasant way.

• The meeting dragged on for nearly three hours.
• The court case dragged on for years.

To spend time in a silly way without a serious purpose.

• If we keep fooling around here, we'll be late to the restaurant.
• Stop fooling around — you've got a lot of work to do.

An exclamation used to express surprise, frustration, or impatience.

• Hurry up, for heaven's sake! You're going to be late for school.
• Oh, for heaven's sake! I baked three dozen cookies yesterday and there's only one left!

To regain control of your emotions and behave calmly.

• Get a grip on yourself; you're overreacting.
• Get a grip! It's only a small spider.

To control your emotions and start behaving calmly.

• Get a grip on yourself!
• You need to get a grip.

(Slang) To be fired from a job.

• After Chris got canned, it took him a year to find a new job.
• Lisa is a terrible secretary — she deserves to get canned.

To suddenly lose courage or confidence to do something you had planned.

• She got cold feet right before the wedding.
• Don't get cold feet now; we're almost there.