street

down the street

a short distance away on this same street. Sally lives just down the street. There is a drugstore down the street. It's very convenient.

man in the street

Fig. the ordinary person. Politicians rarely care what the man in the street thinks. The man in the street has little interest in literature.

See also: man

on easy street

Fig. in a state of financial independence and comfort. I want to live on easy street when I grow up. When I get this contract signed, I'll be on easy street.

See also: easy

on the street 

1. Fig. widely known. Sue put it on the street, and now everyone knows. It's on the street. There isn't anyone who hasn't heard it.

2. Fig. on Wall Street or elsewhere in the New York City financial districts. (Similar to {3}, except that it refers to a specific street. Usually with a capital 5.) I heard on the Street today that bank stocks are headed up. It's on the Street that the market is due to crash again.

3. Fig. at discount prices; as available at its lowest retail price. (As if some item were being sold on the street by a peddler.) It lists at $2200 and can be got for about $1650 on the street. On the street it goes for about $400.

put something on the street

Sl. to tell something openly; to spread news. There is no need to put all this gossip on the street. Keep it to yourself. Now, please don't put this on the street, but I am going to get married.

See also: put

take it to the street

Sl to tell everyone about your problems. If there's something bothering her, she's gonna take it to the street, first thing. Come on, don't take it to the street.

See also: take

two-way street

a reciprocal situation. This is a two-way street, you know. You will have to help me someday in return. Friendship is a two-way street.

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a two-way street  (mainly American)

if a situation between two people is a two-way street, both people must make an equal effort in order to achieve good results Talks with the nurses have to be a two-way street - if they want to discuss salaries, we want to discuss their performance.

be (just/right) up somebody's street

if something is right up someone's street, it is exactly the type of thing that they know about or like to do I've got a little job here which should be right up your street.

See also: up

be in Queer Street  (British old-fashioned, humorous)

to owe a lot of money to other people Now don't you go doing anything that'll land you in Queer Street!

See also: queer

be streets ahead  (British & Australian)

to be much better or more advanced than someone or something else (usually + of ) In terms of profitability, the company is streets ahead of its nearest rival. He's fairly average at English but his maths is streets ahead of any other kid in the class.

See also: ahead

street smarts  (American)

the knowledge and experience you need in order to deal with difficult and dangerous situations in a city The kids around here may not be much good at reading or writing, but they sure have a lot of street smarts.

See also: smart

the man/woman/person in the street

a typical, ordinary person Do the plans for celebrating the millennium take into account the views of the man in the street?

See also: man

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the man on the street also the man in the street

an ordinary man Maybe the man on the street doesn't think this problem is very important.

Related vocabulary: the woman on the street

See also: man

the woman on the street also the woman in the street

an ordinary woman Her research looks at what the woman on the street thinks about the police.

Related vocabulary: the man on the street

See also: woman