Common American Phrases in Everyday Contexts (31 page)

Cut me some slack
.
Go to Cut me a little slack.

Cut the comedy
!
AND
Cut the funny stuff
!
Stop acting silly and telling jokes!; Be serious!
J
OHN
: All right, you guys! Cut the comedy and get to work! B
ILL
: Can't we ever have any fun? J
OHN
: No
.
B
ILL
: Come on, Mary, let's throw Tom in the pool! M
ARY
: Yeah, let's drag him over and give him a good dunking! T
OM
: Okay, you clowns, cut the funny stuff! I'll throw both of you in! B
ILL
: You and what army?

Cut the funny stuff
!
Go to Cut the comedy!

cut to the chase
to get to the important matters.
Let's stop all this chatter and cut to the chase
.
I like the way you cut to the chase and don't waste my time.

dance on
someone's
grave
to celebrate someone's misfortune.
I don't know which one of us will get the promotion, but I hope that we can be noble about it. Maybe we can agree that the winner will not dance on the loser's grave
.
I don't mind losing the house as much as I will hate to see the bank dancing on my grave when it finally forecloses.

a
day late and a dollar short
unprepared; unfortunately inadequate. (A slightly humorous expression of despair at failure.)
It's the story of my life. A day late and a dollar short
.
Here is old Chuck again. Unprepared and ill equipped. A day late and a dollar short.

deal
someone
in 1
.
to bring someone into a card game (poker) by dealing that person a hand of cards.
I want to play. Deal me in
.
I
SABEL
(sitting down at the table): Can you deal me in?
2
.
to allow someone to join in.
If it's not too late to participate in the negotiations, please deal me in
.
Q: Can I still buy some of this stock? A: Sure. Shall I deal you in?

Dear me
!
an expression of mild dismay or regret.
S
UE
: Dear me, is this all there is? M
ARY
: There's more in the kitchen
.
“Oh, dear me!” fretted John, “I'm late again.
”