71. “Slumped”
being run down; generally following a lot of effort.
“Should we attend the dinner party tonight? I’m slouching.”
72. “Smarmy”
It’s possible to call someone “smarmy” if they give off the impression of being cunning or unreliable.
Early documented usage of the adjective appear to use it interchangeably with “smear,” implying that someone who is “smarmy” is also “slick” or “slippery” even though the adjective’s roots are still mostly unclear.
He’s a smarmy geezer, so don’t trust him.
73. “Sod’s law”
“If anything can go wrong, it absolutely will go wrong,” is a British proverb that basically means.
It’s common to invoke “Sod’s law” to explain unlucky situations or bizarre instances of disaster. In the US, this is more frequently referred to as “Murphy’s law.”
“My bread had to fall to the ground butter-side down, of course. It is Sod’s rule.”
74. “Spanner in the works”
A “spanner in the works” is a circumstance that alters the normal, predetermined sequence of events.
The expression alludes to the chaos that results when anything is carelessly dumped into a machine’s complex gears and workings.
“Mary threw a wrench in the works by becoming pregnant.”
75. “Spend a penny”
Going to the bathroom is referred to as “spend a dime” in polite society.
The expression dates back to Victorian public restrooms, where patrons had to insert a single coin to unlock the lock.
Despite its vulgar tone, the expression is actually regarded as a polite way to indicate that you are going to the restroom. Since only women’s public restrooms required a coin to lock, historically only women would say they were going to “pay a penny.” The use of the men’s restroom was free.
“I’ll spend one cent.”
76. “Splash out”
To “splash out” implies to spend a lot of money on a certain thing or activity.
Spending money on a treat to honor a particular occasion or celebration is implied if you’re “splashing out.”
You’ve really splurged on this celebration, wow!
77. “Swot”
Someone who takes academic studies very seriously may be referred to as a “swot,” a term that is similar to “nerd” or “geek” but is less pejorative.
The word “swot” can also be a verb.
“Tom started studying for his exams and I haven’t seen him since. He’s developed into such a wonderful cat!”
He had indeed been studying hard for his Spanish exam.
78. “Take the biscuit”
You may claim that someone has “taken the biscuit” if they did something really irksome or unexpected in an annoying way.
Taking the biscuit is the same as accepting the fictitious award for stupidity or disbelief.
I could just about put up with the dog barking at 5:30 in the morning, but the lawnmower at 3 in the morning really gets to me.
