Scarf Down

Context #1: 

The most embarrassing thing happened to me yesterday at lunch. My problems started in the morning. I forgot to set my alarm and woke up late, so had to rush out of the house without breakfast. By lunchtime, I was so hungry! I scarfed down my lunch like I hadn't eaten in days! The embarrassing part was that my very cute coworker saw the whole thing and I didn't notice until I was finished! Now he probably thinks I always eat like an animal. So embarrassing. 

Context #2: 

This week's party will include a formal dinner. Please use appropriate language. Please do not scarf down your food and don't forget to put your napkins in your laps.

Explanation:

to scarf down something means to eat something very quickly without regard for manners. When using this expression, a noun or name of food should follow the expression. 

He scarfed down the whole bag of potato chips by himself.

Don't scarf down your dinner. You'll upset your stomach. 

In Example 1, the speaker is recalling the embarrassing experience of being extremely hungry and so eating her food so quickly and ravenously. At lunchtime, she didn't care how she ate, or how she looked while she ate because she was very hungry. Only after, she realized that someone else had witnessed her wild eating.

In Example 2, the speaker is giving instructions for the upcoming party. Since the dinner will be formal, participants are instructed to eat slowly and politely, NOT to scarf down their food. 

http://www.languagesystems.com/

Grub/Grub on

Context #1: 

I'm so hungry! Let's get out of here and get some grub!

Context #2:

I'm so hungry! I could grub on just about anything right now!

Explanation:

the word grub can be used as a noun or a verb. 

In noun form, it means food. In verb form, it means eat. 

In example 1, grub is used as a noun. "Let's get out of here and get some food"

In example 2, grub on is used as a verb. "I could eat just about anything..!"

http://www.languagesystems.com/

Boo-boo/Booboo

Context #1

Chrissy (mother): What's wrong Billy?

Billy (Chrissy's 3-year old son): I fell down.

Chrissy: Awww! I see you've got a little boo-boo.

Context #2

Joe: Ouch! I just pinched my finger in my car door!

Sam: Oh no!  Did you get a little boo-boo? You want me to kiss it? (totally joking with his friend) 

Meaning: "a boo-boo" is a child's word for an injury.  It could be a cut, a scrape, a bruise, etc.  This word is only used with speaking with small children.  It is not used when speaking to adults.  For this reason, context #2 is two guys joking with each other.  Same is teasing Joe, as if he were a little boy, or weak.

Context #3

'The server made a boo-boo! We couldn't use our computer for hours '

or

'Josh gave you the wrong file, he made a boo-boo'

Meaning: A mistake

Context #4

'I love you BooBoo, miss you already'

Meaning: Someone dear to your heart: your babe/baby, your Boyfriend/Girlfriend. It is used for someone/something who needs to be kissed and cuddled every second of the day.

http://www.languagesystems.com/

Be/Get all wet

Context #1

Sara:  This weekend we went to Sea World in San Diego.

Tammy: Did you guys have fun?

Sara: Yeah we did!  But during the Shamu show the whale splashed water all over us and we got all wet. 

Context #2

Tim: Guess what!  Last night I left my car window down and it rained all night!

John: Oh man!  

Tim: Yeah, this morning when I got in my car, the inside was all wet! 

Meaning: "all wet" is an adjective phrase, so it is used with the verbs "be/get" just like other adjectives.  It means to become soaked with water, or to become really wet.

http://www.languagesystems.com/

To go bananas

Idiom: To go bananas

Meaning: (1) to go or act a little crazy; (2) to become very angry or lose control of your temper.

Context #1 – A man is complaining that his best friend painted a mural on his backyard wall without asking him.

 George: Hey Ted, you didn’t have to go bananas on me just because I drew a mural on your backyard wall.

Ted: George, your little art work cost me two thousand dollars.  I think I can go a little bananas.

 George: But it was a picture of you and me together.  You’re my best friend. 

Ted: The only one that went bananas here is you.  It’s easier to print a picture or poster out.  You went to buy paint and spent hours working on that.

Context #2 –

Dominic: I may have gone bananas this past weekend.

Brian: Why do you say that?  It’s not unusual for you to do crazy things.

Dominic: I spend forty thousand dollars on getting parts for my car.

Brian: Wow!  I may go bananas just from hearing what you did.

Meaning: To go bananas means to go a little crazy/wild or to lose one’s temper.  It’s not always a negative meaning.  It could be used as an expression of exaggeration.  For example, in context 2 Dominic and Brian aren’t having a negative conversation, they’re just both surprised at the actions taken by Dominic.  In context #1, George expresses to Ted that he didn’t have to become too upset about his gift, while Ted explains to George that his actions were, in his opinion, crazy.

http://www.languagesystems.com/

To Blow a Fuse

Context #1 – Two people are discussing about a broken

Bodhi: Hey bro, why didn’t you tell me that you borrowed my surf board?

Johnny: Dude, because I knew you would blow a fuse.

Bodhi: Really? I’ve never treated you bad man. 

Johnny: Yeah, but last time Tyler dropped your board you really blew a fuse.

Bodhi: That’s because she had lost my board previously.  I didn’t want her touching my property anymore.

Context #2 – Leroy is trying to explain to his younger brother why he should remain calm in all situations

Leroy: Richie, it is important that you don’t blow a fuse so easily and contain yourself.

Richie: Those guys threw me into the trash can after bullying me.  How can I not blow a fuse?

Leroy: You should spend some time meditating to help you relax.  That was an isolated incident.

Richie: Oh really?  I just saw those same guys bothering your girlfriend at her job.

Leroy: What did you say?

Richie:  Whoa, whoa! Relax, don’t blow a fuse. 

Meaning: to blow a fuse means to get very angry or to lose one’s temper to the point you lose control.  In the first situation, Johnny was worried that Bodhi would be very upset if he told him he used his surfboard.  Johnny didn’t want Bodhy losing his temper because he noticed a similar situation in the past where Bodhi did blow a fuse.  In the second situation, Leroy was trying to convince his brother Richie not to become upset so easily.  However, upon hearing that Leroy’s girlfriend was also bullied, Richie reminded Leroy of his own advice; not to blow a fuse.

http://www.languagesystems.com/

Not be born yesterday

Idiom: I (he/she, etc.) wasn’t born yesterday

Meaning: Something that you say in order to tell someone that a person is not stupid and cannot be easily deceived

Context #1

Selena: Kelly, this place is a mess! I thought you were going to clean everything up and decorate it for the party tomorrow. That is what you told mom.

Kelly: I did! I’ve been cleaning all day long. I only have a few more things to do. Please back me up on this with mom.

Selena: Seriously? She wasn’t born yesterday. She knows you’ve just been sitting around all day watching the whole season of Game of Thrones again!

Kelly: Well, that show is so addicting. I just couldn’t stop.

Selena: We might as well finish up here before mom gets home.

Context #2

Jennifer: Wait a second….Tommy, what is this on your shirt? It looks like pink lipstick.

Tommy: Huh? Oh no. Is that lipstick? Um….let me think. When I was on the bus today, a woman with really high heels stumbled while she was walking down the aisle and her face fell right on my shirt.

Jennifer: You know what? I wasn’t born yesterday. I’m surprised you couldn’t come up with a better story than that, cheater!

Meaning: In Context 1, Kelly claims that she cleaned everything up for her mother, but it is obvious that she hasn’t done anything. Selena tells Jennifer that her mom will not believe her. In Context 2, Jennifer finds lipstick on her boyfriend Tommy’s shirt and asks him about it. When he makes up a crazy story, she tells him she doesn’t believe him and is not stupid by saying “I wasn’t born yesterday.”