English Vocabulary and Idioms Lecture Review

A complete set of vocabulary words and idiomatic expressions extracted from the lecture notes, including definitions and usage context provided in the transcript.

demolish

to knock down or destroy (often a building)

pull down

to demolish or destroy (e.g., an old wall)

at the turn of the century

at the point in time when one century ends and another begins

gripping

highly exciting or fascinating (e.g., a story)

grip

a firm hold or control

affluent

wealthy or well-off (e.g., a neighborhood)

expropriate

to nationalize or confiscate (e.g., land)

explore a possibility

to investigate or study a potential option

allegation

an accusation that has not yet been proven

feeble attempt

a weak or unsuccessful effort

dome

a rounded vault forming the roof of a building

stool

a seat without a back or arms

uppermost

of the highest importance or predominantly in one's mind

in the meantime

during the intervening time or meanwhile

hassle

a struggle, bother, or minor fight

hustle

busy movement or bustling activity

decipher

to decode or interpret (e.g., a code)

indecipherable

not able to be read or understood

slap

to hit with an open palm

whack

a sharp blow against an object

aggravate

to make a situation worse or more intense

instigate

to provoke or stir up (e.g., a fight)

monger

a person who encourages or trades in something specific (e.g., a warmonger)

incite

to provoke or encourage (e.g., violence)

exude

to radiate or display a quality strongly (e.g., confidence)

expunge

to erase or remove completely (e.g., a record)

extricate from

to free or release from a difficult situation or trouble

curfew

a regulation requiring people to remain indoors during specified hours

sumptuous

splendid and expensive-looking (e.g., a meal)

copious

abundant in supply or quantity

impede

to delay or prevent by obstructing progress

obstruct

to block or get in the way of a path

bar

to prevent or prohibit access

entrust

to assign a responsibility or task to someone

consign

to deliver something to a person's custody or to banish/doom

resign

to voluntarily leave a job or position

burden

a heavy load or responsibility (e.g., financial weight)

shoulder the burden

to take on or accept a heavy responsibility

legacy

something handed down from a predecessor or from the past

aftermath

the consequences or aftereffects of a disastrous event

liaise

to cooperate or maintain connection/communication

dawn ON

to suddenly become clear or be realized by someone

be lost on smb

to fail to be understood or appreciated by someone

entice into

to attract or tempt someone into a situation (e.g., a trap)

hard hat

a helmet worn for safety on construction sites

on demand

available as soon as it is requested

to a certain extent

in some degree or partially

prone to

having a natural tendency or being likely to (e.g., mistakes)

propensity

an inclination or natural tendency to behave in a particular way

entitle

to give someone a legal right or claim to something

apply oneself

to put maximum effort into a task or work

exert oneself

to put forth physical or mental effort

out/up and about

to be out of bed and active again after an illness

make a splash

to become very popular or cause a stir/sensation

back of the envelope calculations

quick, rough estimates or informal brainstorming

Runners-up

competitors who finish in second place

run for office

to be a candidate in an election

bottle up emotions

to repress or suppress one's feelings

vindicate

to clear of blame or prove to be right

flat tyre

a tyre that has lost its air pressure

flat soda

a carbonated beverage that has lost its carbonation (bubbles)

interest rate

the proportion of a loan that is charged as interest

stagger

to walk unsteadily or sway under weight

disperse

to distribute or spread over a wide area (e.g., a crowd)

slip

to slide accidentally and lose one's footing

curb

to restrain or keep in check (e.g., inflation)

black ice

a transparent coating of ice on a surface

fuss

unnecessary excitement or activity over something minor

shed light on

to clarify or provide an explanation for something

don't give up your day job

a humorous way to tell someone they are not good at something new

deal a blow to smb

to cause harm or damage to someone or their plans

off the cuff

without preparation; spontaneously

off the top of one's head

giving information from memory without checking facts

fit of anger

a sudden outburst of rage

humbug

deceptive talk, nonsense, or a hoax

all Sir Garnet

meaning everything is in order or perfectly fine

Joe bloggs

a name used to refer to a hypothetical average person

John Bull

a personification representing the typical Englishman

at the drop of a hat

immediately or without any hesitation

All my eye and Betty Martin

an expression meaning something is total nonsense or rubbish

Smart Alec

a person who thinks they are very clever or a know-it-all

Daniel come to judgement

an allusion to an exceptionally honest or wise judge

Johnny-one-note

a person who focuses on one single subject or has a limited range

Jolly Roger

the traditional name for the flag of a pirate ship

Jonah

a person believed to bring bad luck

like the dickens

extremely fast or with great intensity

faithful Adam

a term for a very loyal servant

wishy-washy

feeble, indecisive, or lacking in character

big-wigs

important people or high-ranking officials

pell-mell

in a confused, rushed, or disorderly manner

prime-time

the most popular time for television viewing

higgledy-piggledy

in a disordered or messy state

humdrum

lacking excitement; dull and monotonous

brain-drain

the emigration of highly trained or intelligent people from a country

culture-vulture

a person with a voracious interest in the arts

silly-billy

a person who behaves in a childish or foolish way

mumbo-jumbo

confusing or meaningless language

hanky-panky

dishonest or suspicious behavior; trickery

sob-story

a tale used to elicit sympathy or pity

pitter-patter

the sound of light, rapid taps (e.g., rain falling)