Common American Phrases in Everyday Contexts (217 page)

Very glad to meet you
.
Go to (I'm) (very) glad to meet you.

Very good. 1
.
It is good.
J
OHN
: How do you like your lobster? A
LICE
: Mmm. Very good.
J
ANE
: What did you think of the movie? F
RED
: Very good. J
ANE
: Is that all? F
RED
: Yeah
.
2
.
As you say.; Thank you for your instructions. (Typically said by someone in a serving role, such as a clerk, waiter, waitress, butler, maid, etc.)
W
AITER
: What are you drinking, madam? S
UE
: It's just soda. No more, thanks. W
AITER
: Very good
.
M
ARY
: Would you charge this to my account? C
LERK
: Very good.

Wait a minute
.
Go to Just a minute.

Wait a sec(ond)
.
Go to Just a minute.

Wait up (a minute)
!
Wait for me while I catch up with you!
Tom, who was following Mary down the street, said, “Wait up a minute! I need to talk to you.
”
J
OHN
: Hey, Sally! Wait up! S
ALLY
: What's happening?

walk
something
back
to attempt to retract one's words by careful argument, restatement, and explanation.
Be careful how you state it. It will look very weak and amateurish if you have to walk it back afterward
.
He spent twenty minutes in a news conference walking back the assertion he made in the news conference yesterday.

Want to know something?
Go to (Do you) want to know something?

Want to make something of it?
Go to (Do you) want to make something of it?

Watch
!
Go to (You) (just) watch!

Watch it! 1
.
Be careful.
R
ACHEL
: Watch it! There's a broken stair there. J
ANE
: Gee, thanks
.
M
ARY
: Watch it! There's a pothole in the street. B
OB
: Thanks
.
2
.
Do not act or talk that way.
S
ALLY
: I really hate John! S
UE
: Watch it! He's my brother!
B
ILL
: You girls always seem to take so long to do a simple thing like getting dressed. M
ARY
: Watch it!