something on tap

1. I'm looking forward to a relaxing weekend. There's a little bit of work on tap, but not too much.
2. Every Friday, the teacher always tells us what's on tap for the next week.
3. He has something really important on tap for tonight, so he can't join us for the concert.
4. What do you have on tap for your business this year?
5. They always have something on tap for their employees for the holidays, and it's always a surprise.


Having something on tap means that you have something planned or scheduled for a future time.


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Pull off something

1. They pulled off a tough assignment and was able to turn it in on time. Kudos to the whole team!
2. No one thought she could do the job on her own, but she pulled it off and proved everyone wrong.
3. Throwing a surprise party for their boss is difficult to pull off. It's almost impossible to keep anything a secret from him.
4. It's a really difficult job, and she's having a hard time, but she's pulling it off.
5. The criminal wore a wig and a mustache to disguise himself, but he wasn't able to pull it off. The cops caught him eventually.


When you pull something off, you are able to do something difficult successfully.


vocabulary:
turn something in - submit something
kudos - praise; congratulations (from Dec. 28 post)


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kudos (n)

1. Great job on the project! Kudos to you and your team, John.
2. We heard the actors were difficult to work with. Kudos to the director for making it happen.
3. They received some kudos for their excellent customer service.
4. Kudos should go to his secretary, who caught the huge mistake that could have gotten him fired.
5. Kudos to everyone who volunteered. Your hard work made the program a success.


We give kudos to people when we praise, congratulate, or give them credit for a job well done. This word tends to be used informally.


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hit the road

1. It's almost 6; I've been working since 7 this morning. It's time for me to hit the road.
2. Let's hit the road early tomorrow so we can get there before sundown.
3. We planned on hitting the road early, but we overslept.
4. He has a two-hour commute to work everyday. He hits the road as early as 6 a.m.
5. If you start causing trouble, the bartender will probably tell you to hit the road.

When you hit the road, you start a trip or a journey. You can also tell someone to hit the road if you're angry and you want that person to leave.

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What's with the something

1. What's with the anger? I thought you didn't mind doing a little bit of work.
2. What's with the new outfit? I thought you weren't going to buy any more clothes.
3. What's with the delay? I need to be at work in 15 minutes.
4. What's with all the commotion in front of Macy's? Did someone spot a celebrity?
5. What's with all the empty boxes? Are you getting ready to move?

What's with the something is a colloquial way of asking what the meaning of something is. We usually follow this question with a follow-up question to confirm, sometimes jokingly, what we think might be the reason.

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come down with something

1. Sue left early today. She felt like she was coming down with something.
2. He had a horrible weekend; he came down with something. Luckily he's feeling much better.
3. I hate being sick. I came down with the flu last year; it was horrible.
4. It's cold outside. Dress warm. You don't want to come down with something.
5. She had to call in sick today. She came down with a really bad cold. She was feeling awful.

When you come down with something, you become sick.

call in sick - call your job to tell them you're not feeling well and you can't go to work.

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from here on out

1. From here on out, the teacher won't let latecomers enter the classroom 15 minutes after the class starts.
2. He said he'll watch his spending and stick to his budget from here on out in order to improve his financial situation.
3. She won't take a taxi from here on out to save money. She'll take the train or the bus, instead.
4. She got so angry with Tom, she said she would never invite him to a party from here on out.
5. I'm so sorry I broke your camera. I'll never use it without your permission from here on out. 


The expression from here on out means starting now or from now on. When you decide to do (or not to do) something from here on out, you decide to start doing it (or not doing it) now and into the future. 


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It's a cinch.

1. For him, learning languages is a cinch. He can speak French, German, and Chinese fluently, and he's now studying Russian.
2. Driving used to scare her; now, she thinks it's a cinch.
3. Climbing steps used to be a cinch when he was younger.
4. Making stew is a cinch; it just takes long to cook.
5. Her classmates hate to write, but for her, writing essays is a cinch. She loves to do it.


Saying that something is a cinch is an informal way of saying it's easy.


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