Common American Phrases in Everyday Contexts (167 page)

Of all the nerve
!
Go to What (a) nerve!

Of course
.
Yes.; Certainly!; For sure.
S
ALLY
: Are you ready to go? B
OB
: Of course. S
ALLY
: Then, let's go
.
J
ANE
: Are you coming with us? J
OHN
: Of course. I wouldn't miss this for the world
.
“And you'll be there, of course?” asked Alice
.
“I would be happy to help, of course,” confided Tom, a little insincerely.

Of all things
!
How surprising! (With a sight sense of dismay.)
J
AN
: Did you hear that Fred and Mary sold their house and bought a small hotel in the Bahamas? J
OHN
: No. Of all things!
A: Good grief! The stock market's crashed again! B: Of all things!

off and running
started and continuing. (Literal with racing.)
A: It's going to be a very busy day like all Saturdays. Everyone wants to shop on Saturday. So, I guess it's time to unlock the door and let them in. B: Okay, we're off and running.
It's Monday morning, and we're off and running again.

off the subject
not concerned with the subject being discussed.
I got off the subject and forgot what I was supposed to be talking about.
The speaker was off the subject, telling about his vacation in Hawaii.

off the top of
one's
head
Go to (right) off the top of one's head.

off to a flying start
started and continuing to do well.
A: We started early this morning and are still going strong. B: Yes, we're off to a flying start. I hope we can continue at this pace
.
She's off to a flying start on her sales job. She has already sold her monthly quota in just one week.

Oh, boy. 1
.
Wow! (Usually
Oh, boy
!
An exclamation. It has nothing to do with boys.)
B
ILL
: Oh, boy! An old-fashioned circus! B
OB
: So what?
“Oh, boy!” shouted John. “When do we eat?
”
2
.
I dread this.; This is going to be awful.
“Oh, boy,” moaned Fred. “Here
we go again.
”
D
OCTOR
: It looks like something fairly serious. J
ANE
: Oh, boy. D
OCTOR
: But nothing modern medicine can't handle.