Common American Phrases in Everyday Contexts (189 page)

(
Someone or something
is) supposed to
(do something). Someone or something was meant to do something. (Frequently, in speech,
supposed
is reduced to
'sposed
. The words
someone
or
something
can be replaced with nouns or pronouns, or used themselves.)
M
ARY
: They didn't deliver the flowers we ordered. S
UE
: Supposed to. Give them a call
.
S
ALLY
: This screw doesn't fit into hole number seven in the way the instructions say it should. B
ILL
: It's supposed to. Something's wrong.

(
Someone
will) be with you in a minute
.
AND
With you in a minute
.
Please be patient, someone will help you very soon. (The
someone
can be any person's name or a pronoun, typically
I
. If there is no one mentioned,
I
is implied. The
minute
can be replaced by
moment
or
second
.)
S
UE
: Oh, Miss? C
LERK
: Someone will be with you in a minute
.
B
ILL
: Please wait here. I'll be with you in a minute. B
OB
: Please hurry.

(
Someone's
) not supposed to
.
Go to (It's) not supposed to.

Something's got to give
.
Emotions or tempers are strained, and there is going to be an outburst.
A
LICE
: There are serious problems with Mary and Tom. They fight and fight. S
UE
: Yes, something's
got to give. It can't go on like this.
B
ILL
: Things are getting difficult at the office. Something's got to give. M
ARY
: Just stay clear of all the bickering.

(somewhere) in the neighborhood of
something approximately a particular measurement.
I take somewhere in the neighborhood of ten pills a day for my various ailments
.
My rent is in the neighborhood of $700 per month.

Sooner than you think
.
Sooner rather than later.
S
ALLY
: I'm going to have to stop pretty soon for a rest. M
ARY
: Sooner than you think, I'd say. I think one of our tires is low
.
T
OM
: The stock market is bound to run out of steam pretty soon. B
OB
: Sooner than you think from the look of today's news.

The
sooner the better
.
The sooner something gets done, the better things will be. (A cliché.)
B
OB
: When do you need this? M
ARY
: The sooner the better
.
B
OB
: Please get the oil changed in the station wagon. The sooner the better. A
LICE
: I'll do it today.