adjunct faculty: People who teach at an educational institution and are not members of the regular faculty but are hired to teach specific courses, usually on a part time basis.
book the dates: To schedule a time for something
dealt with: To have interacted with or talked with another person.
expantiate: A nonstandard construction used by the speaker. The standard word usually used in this context would be expand.
flying me in: To provide transportation by air.
gated community: A group of private residences usually surrounded by a wall, a fence, or another physical barrier, with access controlled by a gate and/or guard.
golden hour concept: The first sixty minutes after a person has been involved in a trauma or serious medical situation during which it is critically important to get him or her to emergency medical care (usually a trauma center) to ensure the person’s survival.
a good ten years: At least ten years or definitely ten years.
got ’em: A common colloquial verbal contraction for got them.
medevac (medical evacuation): The immediate transportation, usually by helicopter, of a critically or seriously ill or injured person to emergency medical care.
messed-up: Not right or as it should be. In some kind of disarray. To have made a mistake or an error.
outreach: A proactive kind of action in which one person or organization initiates contact with another person or organization in order to address a particular issue or problem.
top-notch: Among the best
what have you: Whatever
pretty bad shape: Very bad or poor condition
There but for the grace of God go I: A colloquial phrase that means “It could have happened to me.”
be all there: To be totally prepared or ready.
bogged down: To become overwhelmingly immersed in something.
boom: An interjection that means “There!” or “Now!” or “Then!” or “At that instant.”
briefing things up: To report or inform your superior about a particular matter.
day-to-day: From one day to the next day; a usual occurrence.
deal with, dealing with: To interact/interacting with in some way.
drape them out: A part of preparing a patient for surgery: the patient is covered except for the area on which the surgeon is going to operate.
get ahead of our game: To go beyond where one needs to be, or to become more prepared than is usually necessary.
get a lot of attitude: A colloquial phrase that means “to receive an expression of resentment, arrogance, anger, impatience, disrespect, or entitlement from someone when it is not appropriate.”
gonna: Going to.
gotta: Common verbal utterance of got to, which means the same as have to.
horn jock: Slang for a musician who plays a horn. (Jock is slang for an athlete.)
just plain: A colloquialism that means “simply this way” or “exactly this way” or “exactly that way.”
morning person (or afternoon person): An expression for someone who feels more alert or active in the morning (or in the afternoon).
one-on-one: A meeting or an interaction involving two people.
playbook: A list of plays (strategies) that a player has to learn for his or her sport. This term is most frequently associated with American football.
registered nurse: A licensed medical professional who usually provides patient care under the direction of a physician.
So-and-So: An indefinite term usually used to refer to a nonspecific person.
student: Students in standard usage.
Subway: A fast-food chain that specializes in submarine sandwiches.
the time between here and over there: The difference in the way people value time in the United States compared to other countries.
underestimate: To assess or estimate the value, worth, or capacity of something as less than what it is. Nonstandard usage in which the speaker uses it to mean “disrespect.”
y’know: Common colloquial pronunciation of you know.
an attitude or an ego: A negative or inappropriate, arrogant, pompous, or self-centered disposition.
customer service: In business, addressing and meeting the needs of the customers or clients.
filling the aisles: Usually stated as “filling the shelves” or “stocking the
shelves”: putting merchandise on the shelves in stores so that it is available for customers to see and purchase.
five-star hotel: The finest, most luxurious kind of hotel. Hotels are often rated on a scale of one to five stars, with five stars being the best possible rating a hotel can receive.
freelance: Employment in which the person finds his or her own work and goes from job to job without a long term work schedule.
gig: A term, frequently used by musicians, that means “job” or “performance.”
glass ceiling: In an organization, a position of advancement that can be seen or perceived but cannot be attained for various reasons, most of which have nothing to do with the person’s actual skills or qualifications for the position, such as gender, race, nationality, or ethnicity.
honor it: To fulfill a commitment. To do something that one said or promised he or she would do.
just plain: A colloquialism that means “simply this way” or “exactly this way” or “exactly that way.”
leads: Information that provides an opportunity to achieve, or a direction toward, a given end or objective.
one of the big challenge: Usually “one of the big challenges.”
one of the thing: Usually “one of the things.”
on top of my technique: To be sharp, well prepared. To have a skill that is well developed.
on top of our game: To be well prepared.
people skills: Traits or abilities used in working with people.
rule of thumb: A common or generally accepted guideline or way of doing something.
show up: To appear or be present at an appointed place.
sub: A portion of a larger entity.
tandem master: A professional skydiver who is qualified to take another person on a skydive in which that person is attached to the tandem master, and the tandem master is responsible for controlling the skydive and operating the equipment.
technical ability: Specific skills and/or knowledge needed to perform a given job or task.
technically speaking: Refers to addressing the technical aspects of a subject.
word of mouth: Information passed from one person to another through conversation or the direct contact of one person with another person.
body language: The way a person moves or positions his or her body in an interpersonal situation, from which people often infer information about what the person is actually thinking or feeling.
both ends of interviews: Being both an interviewer and an interviewee.
bud: Short for buddy, an informal term of address usually used between men.
check him up (check him out): In this context, to investigate someone’s background.
corporate America: A reference to the American business world or culture.
fire him (fire): To terminate a person from employment.
gonna: Going to.
hadda: Colloquial pronunciation of had to.
he do excellent job: In standard English grammar, he does an excellent job.
IT (Information Technology): Equipment, devices, or infrastructure used for transmitting, storing, or processing electronic data.
like a family: Usually like family, meaning to treat a person the same way one would treat a member of his or her own family.
messin’: Messing.
nervous to death: Extremely nervous.
off-topic: A subject in a conversation, discussion, or meeting that is different from the main subject of interest.
pocketbook: An older term for a woman’s purse.
pouring down rain: Raining very hard or heavily.
pull this off: To do something or accomplish something, often when there is some uncertainty about the outcome.
puts everything at ease: Creates a relaxed or comfortable atmosphere or feeling.
skill set: A group of skills relevant to a particular job or task.
sociolinguistics: A field of linguistics (the study of language) that focuses on the intersection of language forms and social interaction.
square: Very conventional in outlook, dress, attitude, and/or behavior. Rigid or out of touch with conventional or current social norms.
strong suit: The thing at which a person is most skilled or does best. (This term comes from the card game bridge. It is the suit for which the person has the most cards.)
wanna: Want to.
ya: You.
dabble: To do something or participate in something in a less-than-serious or fully committed way.
diabetic crisis: A medical emergency caused by too much or too little blood sugar in a person’s body.
’em: Common shortened pronunciation of them.
I gotchu: In standard speech, I got you. A colloquialism that means “I’ll take care of you” or “I understand what you mean.”
probationary period: In the employment world, some predefined period of time at the beginning of a person’s employment during which the person has to demonstrate that he or she can do the job for which he or she was hired.
refresher course: A course designed to update a person’s knowledge of a particular subject.
signing: The use of sign language.
these’re: Contraction of these are.
vocational-technical high school: A kind of secondary educational facility that specializes in teaching skills and crafts that will facilitate helping the student obtain employment in some kind of trade, such as carpentry, auto mechanics, welding, plumbing, or electricity.
adding weight: Usually expressed as gaining weight or having gained weight.
all’s (all): A colloquialism that is a contraction of all is.
antsy: Slang for restless, nervous.
attitude: In this context, a preconceived idea or disposition, usually negative.
brainstorm: To say or present ideas as they are thought of or as they come to mind.
brief up: To give a briefing or report to superiors.
cause no stink (usually cause a stink): To create a disturbance or disruption.
chameleon: A kind of lizard that can change its color to match its surroundings; also used to mean a person who is able to readily adapt to his or her surroundings or different situations.
classifiers: Signs used in American Sign Language to show the movement, location, or appearance of an entity.
corporate ladder: Metaphor for the path that leads to promotion and advancement in the business world.
customer service: In business, addressing and meeting the needs of the customers or clients.
doesn’t come to me that easy: There are some things that the speaker doesn’t understand immediately.
dragging on: Continuing for an extended period of time in a less-than-desirable way.
e-mail: Electronic communication sent over the Internet or local computer networks. (Often compared with snail mail, which is regular paper communication sent through the postal system.)
gonna: Going to.
in tune with: Being aware of another person’s needs or feelings; empathetic.
land line: A telephone connection made over a wired network instead of a wireless one.
let it go: To dismiss or ignore something without taking any action concerning the situation or what happened.
NGO: Nongovernmental organization.
the players: In this case, the phrase means “the participants.” It does not mean members of a sports team or competition.
the point: The purpose or the objective.
pretty interesting: Very interesting.
reading between the lines: Inferring meaning or obtaining information from something that is said or written beyond the literal meaning of the message.
sign: To use sign language.
sorta: A common colloquial pronunciation of sort of.
street smarts: Education (not formal), knowledge, and awareness that come from experience or living or “being on the street.”
stumble upon: To find or to become aware of something by chance or by accident, rather than intentionally or by design.
sub: Substitution; substitute (here, a substitute teacher).
team building: A process of developing camaraderie and cooperation among people who work together.
tire iron (or lug wrench): A tool used to remove the nuts that hold a tire on a vehicle.
took that to heart: To have taken something very seriously and remembered it to use as a point of reference or guiding principle.
turn taking: Exchanging opportunities to talk, one person after another.
wanna: Want to.
whatta (or whadda): Slang for what do.
y’know: Colloquial pronunciation of you know.
business casual: Dress attire that is not completely formal, but not totally casual. For men, this usually means a dress shirt and slacks (but not a coat and tie or a suit). For women this usually means a blouse and slacks, blouse and skirt, or an average dress (but not a suit).
button-down shirt: A dress shirt, specifically one on which the tips of the collar are buttoned down.
casual Friday: In some organizations, a policy that allows employees to dress informally on Friday.
’cause: Common shortened pronunciation of because.
corporate America: A reference to the American business world or culture.
dress: In this context, the kind of clothes that people wear, not specifically a woman’s garment.
dress code: Guidelines for how someone should dress or what kind of clothes a person should wear in a given place or situation.
eased up: Became more relaxed or less strict.
’em: Common shortened pronunciation of them.
flip-flops: A sandal-type of footwear.
goatee: A short, often pointed beard covering only the chin.
IT (Information Technology): Equipment, devices, or infrastructure used for transmitting, storing, or processing electronic data.
mirror the environment: To dress or behave in a manner that is appropriate for a given situation.
mirror what the client does: To do what the client does, or behave and dress as the client does.
nonprofits: Companies that do not attempt to make money (profits) from what they do.
scrubs: Lightweight clothing often worn by medical personnel, usually in a hospital setting.
such and such: An indefinite term usually used to refer to a nonspecific thing or topic.
take it up one little notch (often take it up a notch): A slang expression that means “to improve a little,” “to make a little more of an effort,” or “to increase in intensity a little.”
Wall Street: The main financial district of New York City, often used to signify the American business and/or financial world as a whole.
wash ’em: Common pronunciation of wash them.
beat myself to death: To berate or blame oneself excessively.
bend to the will: To do what another person wants, usually achieved by pressure or coercion.
CAT scan (or CT scan; Computerized Axial Tomography): A diagnostic x-ray procedure that combines, with the aid of a computer, many x-ray images taken from different angles to generate cross-sectional or three dimensional views of specific parts of the human body.
’cause: Common shortened pronunciation of because.
clearify: In standard English, clarify.
cover yourself: To protect yourself, to be able to justify your actions.
crooked: In this context, dishonest or unethical, even criminal.
deal with it: To take care of the problem or situation at hand.
’em: Common shortened pronunciation of them.
emergency room: The department of a hospital that provides urgent care to seriously ill or injured persons, now more frequently referred to as the emergency department in many places.
escalate a situation: To make a situation more intense or worse.
fall short: To fail to meet expectations or to have a result or outcome that did not meet the desired goal or requirements.
fire: To terminate a person from employment.
follow up: To check on a situation after an initial action was taken to determine if the desired result was achieved.
font: A style of typeface.
fork in the road: A point at which a choice or decision has to be made between two alternatives.
a handful: A common expression meaning a small number, or “a few.”
I’da: Common contraction and pronunciation of I would have.
in tune: In this context, to be aware of something or someone’s needs.
it’s my fault: I’m responsible for what happened or went wrong.
kinda: Kind of.
lead: The person directing the project
maintain positivity: To keep a positive outlook or attitude.
mixed up: Confused, in a state of disarray, out of order.
nub: This speaker’s description of a bump or swelling.
on the up and up: Legitimate or trustworthy.
one rotten apple: A person who is the only unhappy or dissatisfied person among a group of people, or a troublemaker.
one-stone kill: Solving a problem with one single effort, technique, or approach. (Not a common American expression.)
painkillers: Medication designed to reduce pain.
primary care physicians: Doctors who are responsible for overseeing the general health care needs of people.
shape up or ship out: To do what is correct or expected or leave.
show up: In this context, to appear.
snotty: Slang for indignant, nasty, unpleasant.
sorta: Sort of.
team approach: A group of individuals working to achieve the same goal or objective.
told ’em: Common pronunciation of told them.
turnover: Change in the employees who work at a business due to employees being hired and fired, or leaving by their own choice.
unheard of: Unusual or uncommon.
wholistic care: All-inclusive health care (not standard and not to be confused with holistic).
witchu: A colloquial pronunciation of with you.
work ethic: A person’s disposition, attitude, or approach to his or her work.
working out: In this context, succeeding, or having the desired result or outcome.
awfully nice: A common colloquial expression that means “very nice.”
break our backs: To do difficult physical labor.
burning down: Being consumed by fire.
computers is: In standard grammatical English, this would be computers are.
connected: Here used in the sense of being accessible by various digital communication technologies.
deaf-friendly: Something that accommodates deaf people or is easy for deaf people to use.
DVD: digital versatile disk.
EKG (also ECG; Electrocardiogram): A diagnostic test used to evaluate the performance of the heart by monitoring its electrical activity and producing a graphic trace of that electrical activity on paper.
e-
mail (electronic mail): Printed matter that is transmitted electronically.
EMT (Emergency Medical Technician): An allied health professional who is responsible for responding to medical emergencies and providing initial first-aid care and transportation of the sick or injured persons to a medical facility.
fetch: Means “to get.” Most Americans say “get.” This term is more commonly used in the southern United States. However, it is not limited to non-American English or southern American speech.
fresh and bushy-tailed (or bright-eyed and bushytailed): Alert and ready.
Palm Pilot: A specific brand of PDA.
PC: Personal computer.
PDA: personal digital assistant.
PowerPoint: Brand of digital slide presentation.
the thing with the thumbs: This is a reference to the way people usually use their thumbs when entering information or sending messages from a PDA or BlackBerry.
VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol): Technology that allows a person’s voice to be transmitted over the Internet.
y’know: Colloquial pronunciation of you know.