To play dumb

Context #1

Tony: Did you take my book?

Jack: What are you talking about? I didn't see any book.

Tony: Don't play dumb. I know you took it.

Context #2

Grace: So did you ask your boyfriend about that text he got from that girl Chrissy.

Amanda: Yeah, but he played dumb and said that she probably texted the wrong number.

Grace: So you think he was lying?

Amanda: Yeah, I could tell by the look on his face.

Meaning: "to play dumb" is used when someone pretends like they don't know something, when they really do know!

http://languagesystems.edu/ 

To blow it

Context #1 

Jim: So how did you do on your driving test yesterday?

Harry: Oh man, I totally blew it!

Jim: What happened?

Harry: I accidentally ran through a stop sign, so I failed it.

 

Context #2 

Kathy: I have that big job interview later today.

Sara: Good luck!

Kathy: Thanks, but I'm so nervous! I hope I don't blow it

Sara: Relax. I'm sure you'll do fine.

Meaning: "to blow it" is used when someone makes a mistake that leads to failure.

http://languagesystems.edu/

Munchies

Context #1 – Hanging out at home

Jo: Hurry up, the movie is starting.

Becky: I’m trying to hurry, but there’s nothing to snack on and I have the munchies.

Jo: You’re always hungry. Can’t you watch without food?

Becky: Movies are so much better with a snack to munch on.

Jo: I guess. In that case, maybe we should go buy snacks before the movie starts.

Context #2 – Taking a road trip

Charlie: Do you mind making a stop in the next gas station?  We’ve been driving for some time now and I’m starting to get the munchies.

Ana:  No problem. I’m getting hungry too.

Charlie: Do you think we should grab some food first then?

Ana: The next restaurant is way too far from our next stop, so I think snacks will have to do.  We’ll have to better prepare next time. It’s always easy to get the munchies while driving.

The “Munchies” means hunger. Usually for non nutritious foods, like fast food, pastries, snack (junk) foods, etc. Munchies can also be used as a noun to represent snacks (e.g. I need to get some munchies for later). 

http://languagesystems.edu/

To go dutch

Context #1 – Friends Having Dinner Together

Marc:That was a good dinner. Let me ask for the check.

Henry:Yeah, please do. Let me know how much I should cover.

Marc: No way man! I invited you to dinner.

Henry: I only agreed to dinner if we would go Dutch. So, no arguments. 

Marc: Okay, but next time, you have to let me pay.

Context #2 – Paying for the taxi

Vivian: It’s great to see you again. I ordered us a taxi.

Roy: How much was it? I want to cover for it.

Vivian: We never said we would go Dutch. You can pay the next taxi.

Roy: Okay, sure. But for dinner, we will go Dutch. The restaurant we’re going to is not cheap.

To “go Dutch” means to pay for one self. For example, if friends go out to dinner or planned activity, each person will pay for their own food, transportation, etc.

http://languagesystems.edu/

To Diss Someone

          

Context #1 – Two guys who like the same girl

Vinnie: Hey, Brad. What's up?

Brad: Oh, hi. I’m just getting ready to go out with my girl.

Vinnie: Nice, dude. Is she in our class?

Brad: Yeah, it's Samantha.

Vinnie: What? Samantha is my girl. 
Brad: Well, not anymore.
Vinnie: No way! She would never go out with a guy who looks like you. You’re so ugly, you have to sneak up on your mirror so you don't scare yourself.

Brad: That's a really bad joke. You are dissing me because you’re just mad that Samantha is with me now.

Vinnie: I’m not joking. If you really want a joke, look in the mirror.

Brad: You can keep dissing me, but Samantha is a with a real man now, Vinnie!

To diss someone: a shortened version of “disrespect,” to purposely disrespect someone, to put someone down, to insult someone    

Context #2 – Two roommates are talking at home

Katrina: What’s wrong Cindy. You look sad.

Cindy: Oh, hey Katrina. I don’t know what to do. This woman at work is dissing me like every day. And I’m not good with a comeback.*

Katrina: Why don’t you tell her to stop? What does she say?

Cindy: She is so subtle about it that I look foolish if I tell her to stop dissing me. She will say things like “Oh no, Cindy, you look so pale today. Are you OK?” She said this to me after I came back from a Hawaii vacation and I looked great with my tan.

Katrina: Well, she is obviously just jealous. Why don’t you diss her back? The next time you see her, get a look of surprise on your face and say something like, “Was anyone else hurt in the accident that did this to you?"

Cindy: Ha, ha, ha!! That would be so funny, but I could never diss someone like that.

Katrina: OK. Well, I guess you will just have to ignore her every time she disses you. Instead, pretend you are talking about her until you have her attention and then just ignore everything she says!

Cindy: Sounds good to me!

Meaning: "To diss someone” is short for “to disrespect someone.” It usually involves insulting someone directly or indirectly. In context 1, Vinnie and Brad are both dating Samantha, so Vinnie starts dissing Brad by insulting his looks. In Context 2, Cindy is being dissed by a woman at work and does not have a good comeback (reply to the critical remark). Katrina gives Cindy an idea of how to diss the woman at work, but Cindy decides to just ignore that person. Please note that dissing someone should not frequently be used in daily situations and people should always be careful. Unless it's a joke, dissing someone could provoke a very extreme reaction in a person.

*Comeback – a quick reply to a critical remark

http://languagesystems.edu/

To Luck Out

Context #1 – Two friends talking

Victoria:  Hey, Billy! I just lucked out and got tickets to see the Dodgers tonight at 6:00 PM. Do you want to join me?

Billy: Wow! You got playoff tickets? That’s amazing!

Victoria: I know! I just happened to tell my classmate how much I love the Dodgers and he is a season ticket holder. He offered me two tickets for free since he can’t go to the game.

Billy: That is so awesome. And I guess I lucked out too since you are inviting me!

To gain success or to gain something that was desired by chance; experience good luck. 

Context #2 – Two friends at school in the hallway

Perry: Hello, Gino. You look relieved. What’s up?

Gino: Well, I forgot about my final exam in Math today and I didn’t study at all. I only realized there would be a test when I got to class.

Perry:  Seriously? Why are you so calm about it? You must have bombed* that test.

Gino: No, that is why I’m so relieved. I totally lucked out because Professor Daniels was sick today, so the test was postponed until Monday. I have the whole weekend to study!

Perry: Oh, I see. I guess you really did luck out after all.

Meaning: "To luck out” means to get something good that you want by chance when least expecting it. In Context 1, Victoria was surprised that she got two free tickets to the Dodger playoff game because generally those tickets would be hard to get or just too expensive. In Context 2, Gino didn’t study at all for the test and would have probably failed it if the teacher had not been sick and postponed the test until Monday. He lucked out because now he can study for the test over the weekend and do much better.

*to fail at something

http://languagesystems.edu/

To be stoked

Context #1: Marco and Cindy are siblings (brother and sister).

Marco: We have only 5 days left before our three month summer vacation.

Cindy: I know! I can't wait for us to go to Hawaii and surf all summer.

Marco: Me too! I'm so stoked about it.

Cindy: So are mom and dad. They are counting the days.

Marco: So are we!!

Cindy: Hahaha! That's true!

Context #2: Rafael and Juan are classmates

Juan: I'm so worried about the third class!!

Rafael: Why?

Juan: What do you mean "Why?" We have a test on 5 chapters!

Rafael: No, we don't.

Juan: Huh?

Rafael: Weren't you in class yesterday?

Juan: No, why?

Rafael: Professor Smith said that he won't test us until Monday, so we have the weekend to study for it.

Juan: Oh man! I'm so stoked about that. I was freaking out.

Meaning - To be very excited about something

http://languagesystems.edu/