"to make a move"

Example 1:

Jerry: Hey Ryan! So... how's it going with the new girl at Starbucks? Have you asked her out yet?

 

Ryan: No, not yet... It's hard to talk to her at work, but I think she knows I like her!

 

Jerry: Man, are you waiting for her to make a move?
                                                               

             
Ryan: Haha! Very funny! Actually, I don't like it when a woman asks me out the first time.

 

Jerry: Why not? Are you old-fashioned? If a woman makes a move, you know she's really interested.

 

Ryan: That's true, I guess--I just feel more traditional about asking someone on a first date.

 

Jerry: Well, don't wait too long, Jerry--or some other guy might make a move first!

 

Example 2:

August: So Amy... white goes first... make a move!

Cynthia: Hmm, I don't know all the chess pieces yet....

 

August: There's only one way to find out. Try one and you'll learn as we play.

 

Cynthia: Okay, I just have to protect my King and Queen, right?

 

August: Exactly! And white goes first. I'm black, so you make the first move.

 

Meaning: to try to start a romantic relationship with someone, to try to advance your position

In Example 1, Ryan likes a woman who works at Starbucks, but he's a little afraid to make a move and ask her out on a date. His friend, Jerry, is pushing him to just go for it.

 

In Example 2, August and Cynthia are playing a game of chess, but Cynthia has never played before. She doesn't know how to make a move with her chess pieces to start the game and advance. 

 

Usage notes: We make a move when we want to advance our position. We can make a move to try to get a promotion at work, win a game, and start a relationship with someone. 

 

The idiom "make a move" was taken from Unit 9 (The Speed of Romance) in LSI's textbook Reading Transitions for Level 4 Reading/Vocabulary classes.