Shakespeare, Environment, Technology, and British Culture Vocabulary

Flashcards covering Shakespearean idioms and theater terminology, environmental and technological vocabulary, and British cultural terms and slang from the lecture notes.

all that glitters is not gold

A phrase meaning that not everything that looks valuable or true is actually so.

good riddance

An expression used to say that one is glad that someone or something unpleasant has gone.

in your heart of hearts

In your most secret and true thoughts.

it's all Greek to me

A way of saying that one does not understand something at all.

someone's own flesh and blood

A person who is a close relative.

star-crossed lovers

Lovers whose relationship is frustrated by outside forces, often leading to a tragic end.

the devil incarnate

Someone who is the very essence of evil.

the green-eyed monster

A personification of jealousy.

the world is your oyster

You have the freedom and opportunity to do whatever you want.

to be cruel to be kind

To cause someone pain for their own future good.

to be in a pickle

To be in a difficult situation.

to break the ice

To say or do something to make people feel more relaxed.

to have seen better days

To be old and in poor condition.

to not sleep a wink

To not sleep at all.

to send someone packing

To make someone leave abruptly.

to wear your heart on your sleeve

To make your feelings or emotions obvious to others.

what's done is done

Something that has happened and cannot be changed.

wild-goose chase

A foolish and hopeless search for or pursuit of something unattainable.

without rhyme or reason

Without any logical explanation.

blank verse

The unrhymed verse, typically iambic pentameter, in which most of Shakespeare's plays are written.

couplet

Two lines of verse, usually in the same meter and joined by rhyme, that form a unit.

epic poem

A long, narrative poem that is usually about heroic deeds and events significant to a culture.

feet

The basic rhythmic units in poetry that create rhythm.

Globe Theatre

The theatre where many of Shakespeare's plays were performed.

iambic pentameter

A line of verse with five metrical feet, each consisting of one short/unstressed syllable followed by one long/stressed syllable.

Lord Chamberlain's Men

The playing company of which Shakespeare was a member.

meter

The rhythmic structure of a poem that gives it a musical quality.

narrative poem

A form of poetry that tells a story, such as Beowulf.

octave

An eight-line stanza or poem that often introduces the main theme of a sonnet.

prose

Written or spoken language in its ordinary form, without metrical structure.

quatrain

A stanza of four lines, commonly found in Shakespearean sonnets.

rhyme royal

A stanza form of seven lines in iambic pentameter, popularised by Chaucer.

sestet

The last six lines of a sonnet that develop ideas from the octave.

Shakespearean tragedy

A category of Shakespeare's plays involving serious subject matter and tragic endings, such as Macbeth.

sonnet

A fourteen-line poem; Shakespeare wrote 154 of these during his lifetime.

The Dark Lady

A figure in Shakespeare's sonnets whose identity remains a mystery.

The Fair Youth

The subject to whom many of Shakespeare’s sonnets are addressed.

The Rape of Lucrece

A work by Shakespeare published in 1594.

Venus and Adonis

One of Shakespeare's most popular poems.

volta

The turn or change in the speaker's argument within a poem.

activist

A person who organises protests or campaigns for social or environmental change.

attention span

The length of time a person can concentrate on a specific activity.

carbon footprint

The total amount of greenhouse gases generated by our actions, often reduced by cycling or recycling.

climate crisis

An urgent problem related to global environmental changes.

deforestation

The clearing of wide areas of trees, destroying animal habitats.

game changer

An event, idea, or procedure that effects a significant shift in the current way of doing or thinking about something.

innovation

The action or process of innovating; essential for economic growth.

sceptic

A person inclined to question or doubt all accepted opinions or evidence.

cutting-edge

At the latest or most advanced stage of development.

indispensable

Absolutely necessary.

tech-savvy

Well informed about or proficient in the use of modern technology.

viral

An image, video, or piece of information that circulates rapidly and widely on the internet.

to binge-watch

To watch multiple episodes of a television programme in rapid succession.

ancestor

A person from whom one is descended, typically more remote than a grandparent.

atrocity

An extremely wicked or cruel act, typically involving physical violence.

banter

The playful and friendly exchange of teasing remarks.

famine

Extreme scarcity of food.

insurrection

A violent uprising against an authority or government.

monarchy

A form of government with a monarch (such as a King or Queen) at the head.

Received Pronunciation (RP)

The standard accent of Standard English in the United Kingdom.

bonkers

A slang term meaning completely crazy or mad.

cheeky

Showing a lack of respect or politeness in a way that is amusing or appealing.

chuffed

A British slang term meaning very pleased or delighted.

gobsmacked

A British slang term meaning utterly astonished or surprised.

knackered

A British slang term meaning extremely tired.

peckish

A British term meaning slightly hungry.

to fancy

To feel a desire or liking for something.

cheers!

A multi-purpose British expression used for 'thank you' or when drinking.

barking up the wrong tree

To be pursuing a mistaken line of thought or course of action.

out of the blue

Without warning; unexpectedly.

to bite the bullet

To accept something difficult or unpleasant.

to feel under the weather

To feel slightly ill or not as well as usual.

to let the cat out of the bag

To accidentally reveal a secret.

not someone's cup of tea

Something that is not to one's liking or interest.

to take the piss

A British slang expression meaning to mock or make fun of someone.

to turn over a new leaf

To start to act or behave in a better or more responsible way.