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About This Quiz
PIECE OF CAKE! That's what this quiz will be, right? When it comes to American slang, there are tons of words and phrases whose meaning veers far off from its actual words. From getting under one's skin to hitting the road, how well do you know American slang?
Throughout the entire world, English is the third most spoken language with more than 360 million native speakers. While that doesn't seem like a lot, this is just the number of people who speak English as their first language. Around the world, there are around 1.5 billion people who can speak English, which is 20 percent of the world!
There are dozens of countries around the world where English is the official language. You'd find it in countries like Singapore, Jamaica, Australia, Ireland, and of course, England. While all of these countries speak English, just as we do in the United States, they probably wouldn't understand most of the slang that is used even though it's English. Would you?
If someone says something is "cheesy," they're most likely not talking about a pizza! They could be referencing something that is cheap or cringe-worthy, but not in the monetary sense!ÂÂ
From "shooting the breeze" to "giving the cold shoulder," how much American slang do you know?
Are you ready to bring your A-Game or will you make it by the skin of your teeth? There's only one way to find out!
Let's find out how much American slang you know!
Finish the phrase that means to ride in the front passenger seat of a car: Ride __________
princess
cowbelle
shotgun
Many times in American culture, you'll hear someone say, "I call shotgun." This means they call the front passenger seat of a car.
laser
What does it mean to "put up your dukes?"
Put out your laundry
Put yourself on display
Get ready to fight
If someone tells you to put up your dukes, it means you're getting ready for a fight! This also comes from "duking" it out, which means fighting.
Take out your wallet
Which of these phrases is used when you want something badly?
shoot the breeze
jonesing
If you're "jonesing" for something, it means you really want it! Maybe you're jonesing for a good time. After a long day of work, you might be jonesing for a stiff drink!
get under one's skin
lighten up
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What does it mean if someone says you have nice "wheels?"
car
In American slang, if someone is complimenting you on your wheels, they are telling you that you have a nice car. This can sometimes be used for a motorcycle, bike, or any vehicle that has wheels.
shoes
house
clothes
Which of these phrases is used when you need someone's signature?
George Washington
Thomas Jefferson
John Hancock
When someone asks you for your John Hancock, they're asking for your signature. John Hancock was a popular figure in American history who is known for signing the Declaration of Independence.
Alexander Hamilton
What does "buck" mean?
cow
hug
kiss
$1
If someone tells you to give them a "buck," it means they want you to give them $1.
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Which of these phrases is used to say that you're tired?
I'm soft
I'm losing
I'm beat
While in the traditional sense, if you 'beat' someone it means you defeated them, that's not what it means in American slang! Many people use the phrase "I'm beat" to describe that they are tired.
I'm green
What does it mean to "take a rain check"?
Watch out for the rain
Write a water-proof check
Do something another time
When it comes to "taking a rain check," it means you are currently unable to take part in an activity, but you'll try again another time.
Dance in the rain
If your meal was superb, you might say "that _____ the spot."
nailed
shot
hit
If you say "that hit the spot," you're more than likely talking about a meal. It is used to say it was exactly what you needed.
punched
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Which of these phrases is used to say you're listening?
all ears
If you're speaking to someone, they might say they're "all-ears." This means they're listening to you so, talk away!
all eyes
all lips
all hips
If you're speaking badly about something you've never experienced, someone might tell you "don't ______ it 'til you try it."
hate
kick
knock
Rather than the physical act, when someone uses the word "knock" in this sense, it means to speak badly about something. That's why the common phrase, "don't knock it 'til you try it" means don't talk badly about something until you've experienced it yourself.
say
Which of these phrases is used to describe something you were just barely able to do?
drive up the wall
going dutch
by the skin of your teeth
If a passing score is 65 percent and you get a 66 percent, you could say you passed by the skin of your teeth! This phrase is used to describe something that you were just barely able to do.
around the clock
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Finish the phrase that means to ignore someone: Give the _______ shoulder
hot
cold
When you "give the cold shoulder," it means you're deliberately ignoring someone.
stiff
firm
Finish the phrase that is used to refrain from answering a question: Plead the ______.
first
fifth
This is a phrase that comes from the court system. The Fifth Amendment states that a witness can refuse to answer a question that will incriminate himself. Rather than telling people you don't want to answer, you can say "I plead the fifth."
tenth
truth
What does it mean to be a "couch potato"?
a go-getter
a sweetheart
a food critic
a lazy person
If someone were to call you a "couch potato," they're telling you that you're a lazy person. This is used for someone who just hangs around on their couch all day doing nothing productive.
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If someone is charging an absurd price for an item, you might say it's a __________.
buck
wave
rip-off
If something is a rip-off, it means a seller is trying to charge you way more than what the item is worth.
crash
Which of these phrases is used to describe someone who's feeling sad?
couch potato
down-to-earth
feeling blue
When someone says they are "feeling blue" or they "have the blues," it means they are sad. This is often a popular term in regards to music. If someone is "singing the blues," they are singing a sad song.
drive up the wall
Finish the phrase that means casual conversation: ______ the breeze
shoot
"Shoot the breeze" is a popular American slang term. While it might sound a little aggressive, all it means is to have casual conversation with someone.
watch
talk
taste
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What does "around the clock" mean?
moving in a clockwise motion
going back and forth between the same tasks
doing something non-stop from day to night
When someone is doing something "around the clock," that means they are consistently doing it for hours upon hours.
watching the beach waves hit the shore
If one says "I bombed the quiz," what does bombed mean?
blew it up
failed
When someone says they "bombed" something, this isn't always in reference to an actual explosive device. If someone bombs a test or an interview, that means they didn't do well.
ripped it up
threw it out
Finish the phrase that means not very often: Once in a ______ moon
red
green
yellow
blue
People use the phrase, "once in a blue moon" to describe something that doesn't happen very often. If you rarely go on vacation, you could say that you go on a holiday "once in a blue moon."
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What does it mean to "drive up the wall"?
dance
sing
appease
irritate
The phrase "drive up the wall" is synonymous with saying to irritate. It is commonly used in the context of "That person is driving me up the wall."
Finish the phrase that means to pass on responsibility: Pass the ________
phone
torch
A common phrase you'll hear is if someone said they "pass the torch." Someone might say this about their protege, that they're passing on their responsibilities to that person.
wallet
shoes
If someone "screws up," what did they do?
tried to hammer in a screw
fell down
made a mistake
When someone "screws up," it means they made a mistake or did something wrong. While this is often used as a verb, the phrase "screw up" could be used to describe someone who is constantly making mistakes.
got into an argument
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Finish the phrase that means to reveal a secret: Spill the _______.
coffee
mashed potatoes
gravy
beans
If someone "spilled the beans," they told a secret they weren't supposed to.
If someone used the phrase "busted cheating," what does that mean?
got caught
If someone is "busted," that means that they got caught. This is also a popular slang work to use in reference to the police.: "The driver got busted speeding."
successfully cheated
created a new system
none of the above
What does "crash" mean?
fall
sleep
When it comes to going to sleep, you might hear someone say they're going to "crash." This is also used to describe someone who is extremely tired and is ready to fall asleep at the drop of a hat.
eat
binge-watch TV
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What does it mean to do something at "drop of a hat"?
slowly
begrudgedly
happily
instantly
When you say that something will happen "at the drop of a hat," it means it will happen instantly.
Which of these is not a way to say something is great?
awesome
wicked
sick
ripped
In American slang, there are many, many ways to say that something is great. Awesome is the most common. You could also say a "party was wicked" or you missed "a sick game!"
Finish the phrase that means to act tough: Put up a ______.
fight
front
When someone "puts up a front," it usually means they are trying to look tough even when it's not their nature to do so,
show
lie
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What does it mean to have a "blast"?
bad day
good time
If someone is said to "have a blast," this has nothing to do with an actual explosion. In American slang, if you have a blast, it means you're having a good time!
shooting pain
none of the above
What does it mean to cram?
crush
study
When someone says they need to "cram," it means they need to study A LOT of information in a short period of time.
wash
sleep
What does it mean if a venue is "dead"?
closed
empty/boring
If someone describes a venue as being "dead," that means not only is it boring, but it's probably also close to empty. If someone tells you a party is dead, don't even bother!
open/fun
about to pick up
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What would you call someone who is muscular?
lemon head
jacked
In American slang, jacked is used for multiple things. If you want to say someone is muscular, you might say they're "jacked." If someone got robbed, you could say "they got jacked."
hyped
buck
You Got:
/35
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