City Vocabulary and Urban Living Flashcards

A comprehensive set of vocabulary terms and definitions related to urban environments, city life, and social conditions derived from the lecture notes.

affluent

Having a lot of money and being able to live comfortably; as a district, having expensive houses and shops with rich residents.

bring up

To raise or care for a child until they are grown.

buzz

A place where lots of exciting and interesting things happen, or the feeling of excitement and happiness from doing something exciting.

chaotic

A situation where many things are happening at the same time in a very confused and disorganized way.

choke

To have difficulty breathing because you cannot get air into your lungs easily.

congested

Roads that have a lot of traffic on them, causing everyone to move very slowly.

crammed

Too full of people or things.

crawl

When vehicles move very slowly because of traffic, or when people move slowly on their hands and knees.

crumble

To break apart into small pieces.

deprived

Lacking the things needed for a good or healthy life.

derelict

A building that is abandoned, falling apart, and not being taken care of.

development

A new building or set of buildings, often residential.

dingy

A place that is dark, not clean, and a bit depressing.

drawback

A disadvantage or problem.

dull

A place or thing that is boring or not interesting.

fine

To make someone pay money as a punishment for something.

flash

To shine brightly for a short time, then stop, then shine again.

fume

Gases and smoke from fires, chemicals, or engines that are unhealthy and unpleasant to breathe.

gated

A place surrounded by a fence with a gate, usually to keep people out.

gentrification

The process of richer people moving into a poor area and making it more upscale.

grand

Something that is big and impressive.

grind

To slowly stop or get stuck, often used in the phrase "grind to a halt."

halt

To stop something from happening or developing; a formal word for stop.

horn

A device on a vehicle that makes a loud noise.

humid

Air that has a lot of water in it, making it feel wet.

infrastructure

The basic systems and structures, such as roads and power supplies, that a place needs to work well.

insane

Having a serious mental illness, or informally, behaving in a wild, foolish, or extreme way.

littering

The act of leaving rubbish around instead of putting it in a bin.

lively

A place full of life, energy, or activity.

mask

Something worn over the face for protection or disguise.

metro system

A network of electric trains that run underground in a city.

neglected

Someone or something that has not been looked after properly and is not in a good condition.

neon

Bright, glowing colours often used in signs.

outskirts

The parts of a town or city that are furthest from the centre.

packed

A place that is very crowded.

residential

Related to an area where people live.

run-down

A place in bad condition because no one has been looking after it for a while.

seek

To try to find or get something.

settle down

To start living a more settled life, often in one place or with one person.

smog

Dirty air that looks like fog, created by pollution.

smoothly

Something happening without problems or interruptions.

spotless

Something that is very clean.

sprawling

A place or building that spreads out over a large area in an untidy or uncontrolled way.

spring up

To suddenly start to exist somewhere.

take someone by surprise

To shock or surprise someone unexpectedly.

trace

A very small amount of something, or a sign that shows it had existed or been somewhere.

tram

A vehicle that runs on tracks in the street and carries people.

unbearably

To an extreme or intolerable degree.

up-and-coming

An area or person that is becoming more popular or successful.

utter

Complete or absolute.

vibrant

A place where exciting things are always happening or people who have a lot of energy.

well-run

Something that is properly organized.