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Words and Their StoriesLearning Expressions with VOA
Processed with VS1Compare expressions for confidential news, useful information, ethical choices, and delayed action.
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Source: VOA Learning English · Words and Their Stories
View original article & transcriptThe episode connects vertical directions with moods, information, behavior, and timing. A useful contrast is that the “low-down” is information you want to get, while “down-low” is information someone wants kept private.
Cultural note: “Down and out” describes serious financial hardship, so use it with care when speaking about a real person. “Highfalutin” is critical and can sound dismissive; use it only when that judgment is intended.
Keep exploringTwo similar-sounding phrases can point in opposite directions: one asks for the facts, the other asks for discretion. See how a few more “high” and “low” expressions work.
Phrase guide · 7 expressions
Original explanations and examples, created for learners. Save a card for later or hear the phrase spoken by your browser.
Distinguish a secret from the details someone wants to hear.
Meaning
Without enough money or resources to meet basic needs.
Tone & use
Can sound blunt when applied to a person. Choose a more specific and respectful description when discussing someone’s circumstances.
Example
“After the workshop closed, several independent artists were temporarily down and out.”
Meaning
Kept secret or shared only with discretion.
Tone & use
Informal. Use when information is intentionally private; avoid promising secrecy if you cannot keep it.
Example
“Keep the venue on the DL until the invitations go out.”
Meaning
The essential facts or details about a situation.
Tone & use
Informal; asking for “the low-down” means you want information, not that you want it hidden.
Example
“Could you give me the low-down on tomorrow’s schedule?”
Talk about principled responses and actions that are overdue.
Meaning
Choose a principled response instead of responding badly to someone else’s behavior.
Tone & use
Often approving, though it can imply that the speaker expects restraint or maturity.
Example
“The review was unfair, but she took the high road and replied with specific evidence.”
Meaning
Something should have happened already; it has been delayed too long.
Tone & use
Often followed by a complaint, reminder, or push for action; it can sound impatient.
Example
“It is high time the building replaced the broken elevator.”
Describe pompous behavior or a successful finish.
Meaning
Overly fancy or pompous in language or behavior.
Tone & use
Informal and usually critical. A plain description is kinder when you only mean that something is formal or elaborate.
Example
“The invitation used highfalutin language for a relaxed neighborhood picnic.”
Meaning
Finish an event or period in a positive or successful way.
Tone & use
Common and upbeat; it can describe a performance, meeting, project, or experience.
Example
“The team ended the conference on a high note with a lively student showcase.”
Knowledge check
Choose the expression that best fits each situation.
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