2.1.9: Lesson 9

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Don Bissonnette
South Seattle Community College

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Lesson Nine

1. Back out of: NS; change one’s mind about a deal or a promise, break a promise

My friend agreed to buy a new house, but after he slept on the deal, he backed out of it. Sometimes people get very angry when you back out of a deal. When the woman promised to marry the man and then she backed out of the marriage, the man had a broken heart.

2. Deal with: NS; live with a bad situation in life and make the best of it

My brother-in-law can’t walk anymore. He will have to deal with that for the rest of his life. I have to deal with correcting homework papers every night.

3. Call off; S; cancel something that had been planned already

My sister called off the birthday party at her house when she came down with the flu. The meeting was called off when the electricity went off.

4. Shut down: S; close, stop having a business

Years ago, the Hostess Bakery shut down all of its factories in America and went into bankruptcy. My friend’s restaurant was losing a lot of money, so he and his family shut down the restaurant.

5. Pitch in: NS, I; help or help out

After a party, everyone in the family needs to pitch in and help clean the house. When a member of a family is having financial problems, other members of the family need to pitch in and help their relative survive financially.

6. Live off: NS; live on the money you earn or the food you grow

My son Alex doesn’t make a lot of money right now, but he makes enough to live off it. Most people in the world live off the money they earn from working.

7. Make off with: NS; steal something or money and then run away

The bank robbers made off with $12,000 from the bank. The monkey made off with my sister’s earring which she had put on a rock.

8. Shop around: NS, I; go to different stores and check out the prices before buying something

My wife always shops around to get the best prices on things. When we had a roof put on our house, my wife shopped around for the roofer who gave her the best service at the lowest price.

9. Do without: NS; live without having something either because it is too expensive or you don’t need or want it

My wife and I do without cell phones because we don’t want to have one, and we think they are too expensive. Sometimes poor families have to do without food because they don’t have any money. It is very sad for them.

10. Dress up: NS, I; wear particularly nice clothes for a special occasion

Next year when my son gets married, everyone who attends the wedding will have to dress up. When people dine at the White House with the U. S. president, they always dress up.

11. Stock up on: NS; get a large amount of something that will last for a long time

When people go to COSTCO, they always stock up on such items as toilet paper, rice, dish soap and laundry soap. When our office staff buys supplies for the teachers to use, they stock up on white board markers, erasers, pencils, copy paper, etc.

12. Straighten up: S; make a place look neat and orderly, clean up a place and make it look nice

My wife straightens up the house almost every day. I need to straighten up my office because it is a mess. I also need to straighten up my greenhouse pretty soon.