Common American Phrases in Everyday Contexts (13 page)

aw 1
.
an interjection indicating dissent.
B
ILL
: Put the film in the fridge. B
OB
: Aw, that's stupid! It'll just get cold!
T
OM
: The new cars are all unsafe. B
ILL
: Aw, you don't know what you're talking about!
2
.
an interjection indicating pleading.
T
OM
: No! F
RED
: Aw, come on! Please!
M
ARY
: Get away from my door! J
OHN
: Aw, come on! Let me in!
F
RED
: You hurt my feelings. B
OB
: Aw, I didn't mean it.

bar none
with no exceptions. (Here,
bar
is a preposition with the same meaning as
except
.)
She is absolutely the best there is, bar none!
We had many dishes to choose from. The menu is quite extensive. Everything looked really good, but we chose the pineapple, radish, and asparagus pizza. It was the worst pizza I've ever had in my life, bar none!

Batter up
!
The first person should get ready to start now! (Also literal in baseball.)
Okay, everyone has to make a three-minute presentation today. Let's get started with the first one. Batter up!
Somebody has to start. Who wants to be first? Come on. Batter up!

Be careful. 1
.
an instruction to take care in a particular situation.
B
ILL
: I'm going to the beach tomorrow. S
ALLY
: Be careful. Use lots of sunscreen!
J
ANE
: Well, we're off to the Amazon. M
ARY
: Heavens! Be careful!
2
.
a way of saying
good-bye
while cautioning the hearer to take care.
J
OHN
: See you around, Fred. F
RED
: Be careful
.
A
LICE
: Well, I'm off. J
OHN
: Bye, Alice. Be careful.