Elevate your English skills with an in-depth analysis of a scene from 'Reacher.' In this lesson, we'll explore advanced words and expressions used by Karla Dixon and Reacher until they share their stories. We'll discover the context and nuances of expressions like "our little filly" and "a stick and a bindle". This lesson is designed to boost your comprehension of complex language used in real-life scenarios, offering valuable insights for English learners.
Move on!
New words and phrases
"Our little filly" is a phrase that is often used metaphorically to describe a young girl or daughter. The term "filly" is traditionally used to describe a young female horse, and it is sometimes playfully extended to girls. It's a term that shows liking and may be used in a familial or informal context.
"Unsave the date" is a play on the common phrase "save the date", which is typically used to inform people about a future event and request that they mark their calendars for it. So, "unsave the date" humorously suggests canceling or reversing plans for a previously scheduled event. It's a playful way of indicating that an event is no longer happening.
"Numbers gal" typically refers to someone, often a woman, who is skilled in dealing with numerical data, such as statistics, finances, or calculations. Calling someone a "numbers gal" suggests that they are good at working with numbers and may have a preference for tasks that involve numbers or data interpretation.
"Step out on someone" means being unfaithful or cheating on a romantic partner by being involved with someone else. It's a way of breaking trust in a relationship.
"cheat" means to behave in a dishonest way in order to get what you want.
"relieved" means happy that something unpleasant has not happened or has ended.
"jolt" means a sudden, strong, and often unexpected movement, shock, or impact, that can be physical or metaphorical. Here, it's as a kind of reason for Dixon to change her behavior or way of thinking.
"settle" here means to reach a decision or an agreement about something, or to end a disagreement.
"awfully" means very or extremely, when used before an adjective or adverb, here, before "quiet". "quiet" here means making no noise and not talk very much.
"appeal" here means the quality in someone or something that makes him, her, or it attractive or interesting.
"freight" means goods, but not passengers, that are carried from one place to another, by ship, aircraft, train, or truck. So, "freight train" is a train that carries goods rather than people.
"hitchhike" means to travel by getting a free ride in someone else’s road vehicle
"drifter" means someone who does not have a permanent home or job and moves from one place to another or from one job to another.
"windowsill" means a shelf below a window, either inside or outside a building.
"unattended" means not being watched or taken care of.
"a stick and a bindle" is a phrase that creates the image of a simple and mobile lifestyle. It refers to a person who is a traveler and carries their belongings with him. In this context, "bindle" is a small collection of clothes or possessions, tied together and carried over the shoulder on the end of a stick.