Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[Vera2007]

Ross: Okay, hey, that's okay with me. Two down and I have exactly twelve minutes....

1. What does "down" mean here?
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(Rachel comes out from her room wearing sweat pants and a sweatshirt)

Ross: Um. I know it says black tie optional, but, um this may be pushing it a little, um.

2. "pushing it a little" means exaggerating a little?

Thanks a lot to teachers!

[CP]

1. Whenever there is a list of things to do, or there are more than one of anything, you can keep track of how many are completed, saying, "X down, Y to go." If you have four final exams, and you have just finished the first one, you might say to your roomie, "One down, three to go." Here, Ross just didn't finish the sentence, but he finished two of something and he has 12 minutes left to finish the rest.

2. Pushing it can be exaggerating or it can be falling short in some way. If the dress for some function is black tie optional, that means you should wear a tux or at least a very nice suit. If Ross is dressed in a purple leisure suit, he's really pushing the definition of black tie optional.

What was he wearing, anyway?
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You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb

[Vera2007]

Thanks,CP.
Yes. Ross was wearing a tux and waiting for the guys to get dressed.