Phrases & Expressions

A command that cabin crew shout during an evacuation, telling passengers to jump onto the escape slide.

• During the drill, we practised the 'jump and slide' command at the door.
• When the door opens, the crew will shout 'jump and slide!'

If you take to something like a duck to water, you learn it quickly and easily.

• She took to swimming like a duck to water.
• He's a natural leader and took to the new role like a duck to water.

To move a surfboard away from the shore into the sea using your arms.

• It takes effort to paddle out past the waves.
• He decided to paddle out to catch the bigger waves.

Refers to the left and right sides of a ship or aircraft.

• Check the navigation lights on port and starboard.
• Every sailor must know port and starboard before leaving the harbour.

To repeat a message or instruction you have received to show it was heard correctly.

• Pilots must read back all runway and altitude instructions to the controller.
• The controller asked the pilot to read back the new heading.

A children's game where players must freeze when the leader turns around.

• We played red light, green light at recess.
• Red light, green light is a fun game.

On a touch screen, to move your finger across the screen to the right, often to indicate liking or accepting something.

• On this app, you swipe right on profiles you like.
• Swipe right if you are interested.

To start a relationship with someone, often someone considered unsuitable.

• He started to take up with a bad crowd.
• She took up with the wrong people.

An exit that is not available for use, often because it is blocked.

• This is an unusable exit during the drill.
• The emergency exit is marked as unusable.

A swimming race where competitors swim 100 meters using any stroke, usually the crawl.

• She won the 100m freestyle.
• The 100m freestyle is a popular event.