Common American Phrases in Everyday Contexts (18 page)

Boy howdy
!
an exclamation of excited surprise. (Colloquial and folksy.)
B
OB
: Well, I finally got here. F
RED
: Boy howdy! Am I glad to see you!
B
ILL
: How do you like my horse? F
RED
: That's one fine-looking filly! Boy howdy!

Boy, oh boy
!
Go to Boy!

Boys will be boys
.
That's the kind of thing that boys seem to do.; That's the kind of silly behavior that boys and men exhibit.
They really messed up the living room, but boys will be boys
.
Boys will be boys, but they can be trained.

Bravo
!
a cheer of praise for someone who has done something very well.
“Keep it up! Bravo!” cheered the audience
.
At the end of the tenor's aria, the members of the audience leapt to their feet and with one voice shouted, “Bravo!
”

Break a leg
!
a parting word of encouragement given to a performer before a performance. (It is traditionally viewed as bad luck to wish a performer good luck, so the performer is wished bad luck in hopes of causing good luck.)
B
ILL
: The big show is tonight. I hope I don't forget my lines. J
ANE
: Break a leg, Bill!
M
ARY
: I'm nervous about my solo. B
OB
: You'll do great. Don't worry. Break a leg!

break a sweat
to sweat; to break out in a sweat; to feel exhausted. (Can refer to physical, or figuratively, to mental activity. Often in the negative.)
What a lazy jerk. We work our butts off, and he never even breaks a sweat
.
It was nothing. I worked the crossword puzzle in four minutes and never broke a sweat.

Break it up
!
Stop fighting!; Stop arguing!
T
OM
: I'm going to break your neck! B
ILL
: I'm going to mash in your face! B
OB
: All right, you two, break it up!
When the police officer saw the boys fighting, he came over and hollered, “Break it up! You want me to arrest you?
”

Bully for you! 1
.
an expression that praises someone or someone's courage.
The audience shouted, “Bravo! Bully for you!
”
B
OB
: I quit my job today. S
ALLY
: Bully for you! Now what are you going to do? B
OB
: Well, I need a little loan to tide me over
.
2
.
a sarcastic phrase ridiculing someone's statement or accomplishment.
B
OB
: I managed to save three dollars last week. B
ILL
: Well, bully for you!
M
ARY
: I won a certificate good for a free meal! S
ALLY
: Bully for you!