Summer Vocab
I prefer to spend summer vacation with my grandparents in the dry Arizona desert instead of in humid Florida with my aunt and uncle.
What does humid mean?
Humid describes an atmosphere or climate that is very damp and usually very hot.
Although I enjoy catching some rays, I don't want to get skin cancer, so I try to remember to wear sunscreen.
What does catching some rays mean?
To catch some rays means spend time in the sun, usually to get a tan.
Math isn't my hardest class, but I wouldn't call it a day at the beach.
A day at the beach means an easy or enjoyable task or activity.
My aunt says she isn't a sun worshipper anymore because she's had too many skin cancer scares.
Sun worshipper means someone who enjoys spending a lot of time in the sun, especially to become tan.
The two million dollars the actor earned for that film is a drop in the ocean considering that the movie cost 220 million to make.
A drop in the ocean means "a relatively insignificant amount compared to the totality of something."
This idiom is biblical in origin, first appearing in a an English translation of the Bible in the 1300s.
If you plan to hike or camp in a parched landscape this summer, be sure to bring a lot of water and avoid going outside during the hottest hours of the day.
What does parched mean?
Parched means "dry."
By extension, it can also mean "thirsty," as in "The runner was parched after a day competing in the hot sun."
Anita is so smart and talented--she is good at everything under the sun.
What does everything under the sun mean?
All things (or everything) under the sun is a hyperbolic* way of saying "everything" or "lots of things."
*To use hyperbole is to deliberately exaggerate to make a point.
Teresa is such a ray of sunshine. I always feel better after I talk to her.
Ray of sunshine means a person or thing that brings joy and happiness.
Even though she always wears sunscreen, Mia looked sun-kissed after her trip to Hawai'i.
Sun-kissed means "lightly tanned."
The first day of English class, the teacher asked me to read two paragraphs aloud in front of everyone. I really felt thrown in at the deep end!
Thrown in at the deep end means that, like being in the deep end of a pool where you can’t stand up and are forced to swim, you are put in a new situation or put under pressure, without proper preparation.
This summer has been unusually cool, but if we get lucky, maybe we'll have an Indian summer in September and October.
What does Indian summer mean?
Indian summer describes the weather staying warm during the autumn when it’s supposed to be colder.
NOTE: An Indian summer can also mean happiness or success that happens late in someone’s life. Example: My aunt had an Indian summer when she founded a successful company when she was 50.
Whenever I ask my grandpa for advice about a problem, he says that there's nothing new under the sun. I guess that's because he's lived such a long and eventful life.
What does nothing new under the sun mean?
Nothing new under the sun is a famous idiom originating from the Bible. It means that no matter what we may think is a new or unique experience or situation, something just like it has happened before.
In May, my body may be at school, but my mind is already in vacation mode.
Vacation mode means “a state of mind in which you are relaxed and carefree, and is usually associated with being on vacation.”
I know you're sad about losing the game, but there are other games this season. Remember, the sun will come out tomorrow.
The sun will come out tomorrow means that although things right now may be unpleasant, difficult, or disappointing, the situation will likely be better soon.
This saying was popularized by the song of the same name in the Broadway musical Annie.
Joshua just graduated from college and doesn't have a job yet, so he's going to travel on a shoestring this summer.
To travel on a shoestring (or on a shoestring budget) means to have only a small amount of money to spend on traveling.
It’s believed the term shoestring came from traveling peddlers (street sellers) who sold small, inexpensive trinkets, like shoelaces.
Today is supposed to be a scorcher, so I don't think we should go on the hike. Let's go swimming instead.
What does a scorcher mean?
A scorcher means "a very hot day."
"To scorch" is a verb meaning "to burn." The adjective form is scorching, as in "The summer temperature in Death Valley is scorching."
I grew up in the sun belt, so when I moved to Chicago and saw snow for the first time, it was pretty awesome.
What does the sun belt refer to?
The sun belt refers to the southernmost states in the USA, known for consistently warm, sunny weather.
During summer break, Emily wanted only to sleep or play video games all day, but her dad told her, "You need to make hay while the sun shines, so you're doing to take swimming lessons and go to Science camp."
To make hay while the sun shines means making good use of your time or making the most of an opportunity while you have the chance.
This idiom dates back to Medieval times. Rain would often ruin the process of making hay. So, farmers had no choice but to make hay when the sun was shining.
When Larry graduates from high school, he wants to visit the Land of the Rising Sun because he is a huge anime fan.
The Land of the Rising Sun is a term meaning "Japan." It probably comes from the Japanese name for the country, 日本 (Nihon), which literally means "origin of the day."
If something is no picnic, it is difficult or unpleasant. (Similarly, if we say something is a picnic, that means it is easy, pleasant, or fun.)
Jacob wishes he had a public swimming pool in his neighborhood, especially during the dog days of summer.
Dog days means the hottest time of the year since in intense heat people may want to just sit around like lazy dogs.
NOTE: Since high heat makes most people want to sit around doing nothing, you can also use dog days to refer to periods of time when nothing much seems to happen.
Jonathan had his day in the sun when one of his videos went viral and he became famous, at least for a few weeks.
What does had his day in the sun mean?
To have one's day in the sun means for someone to have a brief period of time being particularly successful, popular, or famous, especially when set against an otherwise normal or unremarkable life.
My favorite thing about my little cousin is that he always has a sunny disposition, even when everyone else is stressed or unhappy.
Someone who has a sunny disposition is usually “lively, cheerful, and has a positive attitude.”
Mary performed a very complicated dance routine for the school talent show, but she flew too close to the sun and slipped and broke her ankle.
To fly too close to the sun means to do something particularly ambitious, or even reckless, that leads to one's own downfall.
This idiom alludes to the mythical figure Icarus, whose wings made of feathers and wax melted when he flew too close to the sun, so he plunged into the sea and drowned.
When I visited my cousins in Houston in July, the weather was so sultry that I began sweating as soon as I stepped outside.
Sultry means "very humid and hot."
Another meaning of sultry is "very sexy," as in "The couple's sultry dance moves attracted a lot of attention."