Ready for C2

so attracted by someone or something that you are always thinking about them (estar enamorado de alguien o algo)

besotted with (someone/something)

very pleased about something (sentirse orgulloso)

chuffed to bits

very unhappy because you do not believe that an unpleasant situation will improve (abatido)

despondent

idiom. unhappy or without hope (sentirse deprimida)

down in the dumps

so surprised that you do not know what to do or say (estupefacta)

dumbfounded

extremely happy and excited (emocionado)

elated

so interested or involved in something that you think about nothing else (absorto en algo)

engrossed in (something)

very surprised or shocked (estupefacto)

flabbergasted

looking at something and not paying attention to anything else (pegado a algo)

glued to (something)

(Idiom) to show a very, very strong feeling of anger (enfadado)

go apoplectic with rage

to become extremely angry (ponerse furioso)

go ballistic

if something grosses you out, it is so unpleasant that it makes you feel ill (dar asco)

gross out

(idiom) loving someone very much [Perdidamente enamorado (de alguien)]

head over heels in love (with someone)

extremely frightened, especially so that you cannot move or decide what to do (estar petrificado)

petrified

if someone or something repulses you, they are so unpleasant that you feel slightly ill when you see them or think about them (estar repugnado))

repulse

(idiom) extremely frightened (asustado de tu ingenio)

scared out of your wits

showing that you think you are not very good or important (ser modesto)

self-deprecating

allowing yourself to have or to do something special that you like very much, often something that you should not have or do (autocomplaciente)

self-indulgent

a self-made man or woman has become successful without help from other people (salir adelante por sí mismo)

self-made

someone who behaves in a calm and confident way in difficult situations (confianza en sí mismo)

self-possessed

used for talking about people who have the qualities that a particular type of person should have (apreciarse a sí mismo)

self-respecting

choosing not to have or to do something that you want in order to help other people (abnegada devoción, autosacrificio)

self-sacrificing

showing how pleased you are about your own situation in a way that annoys other people (satisfacción de sí mismo)

self-satisfied

when you make yourself believe something good that is not true, especially something about yourself (acto de autoengaño)

act of self-deception

to help someone to become able to do things for themself and not depend on other people (Fomentar la autosuficiencia)

foster self-reliance

to have doubts about whether you are as important as other people and deserve to be respected and treated well (cuestionar tu autoestima)

question your self-worth

(idiom) to spend a lot of time feeling that your situation is worse than other people’s and that people should feel sad for you (revolcarse en la autocompasión)

wallow in self-pity

to be always talking about yourself or your achievements in a way that annoys other people (Estar lleno de ti mismo)

be full of yourself

(idiom) correctly, following all the rules or systems for doing something in a strict way (por el libro)

by the book

(idiom) to stop being shy and begin to confidently show your real character and feelings (salir del caparazón)

come out of your shell

(idiom) someone who likes to do the same thing at the same time every day (criatura de costumbres))

creature of habit

someone who is determined to succeed and who works hard to achieve this (emprendedor)

go-getter

(idiom) to be likely to become angry or offended very easily, especially about something that other people think should not upset you (ser rencoroso)

have a chip on your shoulder

to be very enthusiastic about a particular activity and spend all the time you can doing it or talking about it

live and breathe (something)

someone who is unkind or unpleasant

nasty piece of work

someone who enjoys being with other people and easily becomes friends with them

people person

someone who spoils other people’s fun by being negative and complaining

wet blanket

a difficult journey involving a lot of effort

arduous journey

a different way of travelling to a place

alternative route

a quiet village which is not near to places where most things happen

backwater village

A bumpy flight is uncomfortable because of bad weather.

bumpy flight

large groups of people with lots of noise and activity

bustling crowds

a way of travelling to a place that is longer than it needs to be because it is not direct

circuitous route

the nervous or confused feeling that people sometimes get when they arrive in a place that has a very different culture from their own

culture shock

a person who shows good judgement and is able to tell whether something is good when they travel

discerning traveller

a place you travel to that is far away from your home

far-flung destination

a very short visit

fleeting visit

a very short visit

flying visit

the best place to travel to in order to do something

go-to destination

a very famous and well-known building or object that you can recognise easily and is often believed to represent a particular idea (monumento emblemático)

iconic landmark

a visit that is not planned

impromptu visit

a slow and relaxed walk (paseo tranquilo)

leisurely stroll

a flight which travels a long distance (vuelos de larga distancia)

long-haul flight

travel to a country across the sea from your country (viaje al extranjero)

overseas travel

a very dangerous journey (viaje peligroso)

perilous journey

a way of travelling to a place which provides beautiful views of nature

scenic route

work for a customer that is of a very low standard

shoddy service

A smooth flight does not shake or frighten you.

smooth flight

a bad situation in which a plane, train, etc. leaves or arrives late and this should not have been allowed

unacceptable delay

a situation in which a plane, train, etc. leaves or arrives late but it was impossible to stop this happening

unavoidable delay

(idiom) a journey without any problems or anything unusual or exciting happening (viaje sin incidentes)

uneventful journey

a situation in which a plane, train, etc. leaves or arrives late but no one expected this

unforeseen delay

one of the best places in the world to travel to

world-class destination

used for telling someone that you do not believe what they have just said

a likely story

used when you are telling someone something that you do not want anyone else to know about

between you and me

used when you want to make sure that someone understands your comments correctly, especially when you are criticizing something

don't get me wrong

for an extremely small amount of time

for a split second

without any doubt

hands down

to make someone feel extremely frightened

scare the wits out of (someone)

something that happens by chance and that helps you to achieve something

stroke of luck

used for saying that there are many advantages in doing something

there's a lot to be said for (something)

used for saying that you will know in the future whether something is true or right

time will tell

used for saying that the words you have chosen are not as extreme as they could have been

to put it mildly

to reduce the rate, level, or amount of something

bring down (the cost/number/rate of ...)

to change your opinion or decision because someone has persuaded you to agree with them

come round to (a way of thinking / the idea)

to think of something such as an idea or a plan

come up with (a solution/strategy)

to use something that you have gradually gained or saved

draw on (your experience/observations)

to turn the pages of a book, magazine, newspaper, etc. very quickly looking at some of the pages for a very short time

flick through (something)

to stop something from progressing or developing as it should

hold back (something)

to not have much hope that something will happen

hold out little hope

to get a particular result or reaction

meet with (criticism/opposition/resistance)

to invest a lot of money in something in order to improve it or make it successful

plough (money) into (something)

to offer an idea, opinion, reason etc, especially so that people can discuss it and make a decision

put forward (an explanation / an idea / a proposal)

if you run up against problems, difficulties etc, you have to deal with them

run up against (a difficulty/problem)

to find something by accident

stumble across (something)

if someone in authority throws out a plan, proposal etc, they refuse to accept it

throw out (charges / claims / a suggestion)

confused and not knowing what to do

at a loss

used for showing that something is not very good by emphasising that your description of it is the best thing you can say about it

at best

if things are at odds with each other, they are different or opposite when they should be the same

at odds with (something)

used about important issues that are involved in a situation or could be decided by it

at stake

if one thing exists or happens at the expense of another, the second thing suffers or is not done properly because of the first

at the expense of (something)

in a leading or important position in something

at the forefront of (something)

to be watching carefully in order to find, obtain, or avoid something or someone

be on the lookout for (something/someone)

if someone does something in a big way, they do it a lot, or they think it is important

in a big way

almost certainly

in all likelihood

feeling great respect and admiration for someone or something

in awe of (someone/something)

if a law or rule is in force, it is being applied and people must obey it

in force

likely to be damaged or destroyed

in jeopardy

rude and not at all appropriate

in poor taste

considering something that happened in the past, using knowledge or information that you did not have at that time

in retrospect

of the same quality as or at the same level as

on a par with (something/someone)

in a place that is able to be seen by many people

on display

nervous and unable to relax because you are worried

on edge

available to buy

on the market

at that exact moment or place

on the spot

strongly criticized or damaged

under attack

having formally promised to tell the truth in a court of law

under oath

carefully examined

under scrutiny

if a place is under siege, it is surrounded by soldiers in order to attack those defending it

under siege

likely to be harmed or damaged

under threat

being kept secret

under wraps

an attempt or guess that is not likely to be successful but that is worth trying

a long shot

at the most modern and advanced point in the development of something

at the leading edge

a situation in which no further progress is possible

dead end

from the beginning again, not using all the work that you have done before

from scratch

to do something for a long time without achieving any results because you always return to the same problem that you cannot solve

go round in circles

being planned or prepared in order to happen or be available soon

in the pipeline

doing or thinking the right things

on the right track

a difficulty that causes mistakes or prevents progress

stumbling block

minor problems that a new company, project, product etc may have in the beginning

teething problems

to find new ways of doing things, especially of solving problems

think outside the box

someone or something that is new, interesting, and exciting

a breath of fresh air

a small amount of truth

a grain of truth

short periods when you feel very anxious

bouts of anxiety

a sudden strong feeling of anger that you cannot control

fit of anger

a sudden strong reaction of laughing

fits of laughter

a very small sign that something might improve or succeed

glimmer of hope

a soft weak light that is not steady

glimmer of light

a slight feeling of anger and unhappiness about something

hint of bitterness

a small amount of irony (= a form of humour in which you use words to express the opposite of what the words really mean)

hint of irony

a very strong, sudden feeling of regret

pang of regret

a very strong, sudden feeling of guilt

pang of guilt

a period of time when an audience reacts by clapping their hands

round of applause

a way of thinking about a particular subject or idea that is shared by a group of people

school of thought

a small amount of information that helps to prove something

scrap of evidence

a very intelligent act or idea

stroke of genius

something that happens by chance and that helps you to achieve something

stroke of luck

to be blamed for something that is not your fault, especially because someone else wants to avoid being blamed

become a scapegoat

to understand the way that another person thinks because you often have the same ideas and opinions as they do

be on the same wavelength

to stop or end a situation in which progress is impossible because the people or groups involved cannot agree

break the stalemate

a small object that you like very much and keep in order to remind you of someone or something

cherished keepsake

the rate at which employees leave an organization and new employees arrive

employee turnover

faults and problems in something or someone that make them useless or less effective

flaws and shortcomings

to carefully read something written or printed and mark any mistakes so that they can be corrected

proofread carefully

when you only use the ability to control your thoughts and behaviour in order to achieve something

sheer willpower

to cause a strong, negative, and often angry reaction to something that has happened, especially a political or social change

spark a backlash

a time when an event causes an important change to take place

watershed moment

to accept that someone else does not have the same opinion as you and agree not to argue about it any more

agree to differ

to discuss a problem or difficult situation with someone in order to make it better

clear the air

to say that you will definitely not allow or accept something

draw the line at (something)

to find something that people can agree about, especially when they disagree about other things

find common ground

to immediately establish a bad relationship with someone when you first meet them or first start working with them

get off on the wrong foot

a situation in which the rules are not clear, or in which you are not sure what is right or wrong

grey area

to agree to do something that someone wants, if they do something that you want

meet (someone) halfway

to definitely decide the details of something

nail down the finer points

something that people cannot agree on and that stops them from continuing with a discussion

sticking point

the most basic fact or issue in a situation

the bottom line

to close a business, stop providing a service, or get rid of workers that you do not need

axe

to argue very angrily with someone

clash

to say publicly that you think someone or something is bad or wrong

condemn

to say that something such as a fact is not true or correct

dispute

to give information about something, especially something that should be kept secret

divulge

to praise someone or something

laud

to tell private or secret information to journalists or to the public

leak

to remove someone from a position of power, especially in order to take that position

oust

to promise seriously and publicly to do something

pledge

to express strong approval or admiration for someone or something, especially in public

praise

to cause a reaction, especially an angry one

provoke

to stop something from continuing

quash

to decide not to continue with something such as a plan or an event

scrap

to criticise someone or something severely

slam

to make something happen, especially something involving violence or angry feelings

spark

to praise someone or something because you want other people to think they are good or important

tout

to promise that you will do something

vow

from one place to another and back again many times

back and forth

involving one idea that is clearly right and another that is clearly wrong, so that it is not difficult for you to make a moral decision

black and white

used for saying that something is generally true, but not completely

by and large

used for saying that two people or things are completely different from each other

chalk and cheese

already clearly decided or settled

cut and dried

instructions and warnings about what you should and should not do in a particular situation

dos and don’ts

used for emphasising the main point or the most important reason for something

first and foremost

if there is give and take between people, each person allows the other to get something that they want

give and take

stopping and starting again many times, rather than progressing steadily

in fits and starts

all the details or facts that you need to know in order to deal with a complicated situation, process, etc.

the ins and outs

not certain and with a risk of death or serious failure

touch and go

a way of finding a good method that involves trying several possibilities and learning from your mistakes

trial and error

known to be good and effective

tried and tested

to not belong to a group that has information and makes decisions about something

be out of the loop

to spend a long time getting to the main point of what you are saying, especially because it is embarrassing

beat around the bush

to understand the basic meaning that someone is trying to express

catch (someone's) drift

to talk to someone about something that has been worrying you, so that you feel better about it

get (something) off your chest

to understand something completely wrongly

get the wrong end of the stick

if two people get their wires crossed, they become confused because they each think that the other one is talking about something else

get your wires crossed

used for saying that you did not know about something, especially when you are annoyed about this

it's news to me

to be very quiet and shy

not say boo to a goose

to tell someone something, often something that should be kept secret

spill the beans

to communicate with someone that you have not seen for some time in order to find out how they are, what is happening etc

touch base with (someone)

to say something nice about someone or to someone

pay (someone) a compliment

to bring you a lot of benefit

pay dividends

to do something kind for someone because another person has done something kind for you

pay it forward

to say that you support something although you do not really, especially when you do nothing to prove your support

pay lip service to (something)

to accept responsibility for your actions and deal with what happens because of them

pay the consequences

to have to deal with the bad effects of something that you have done

pay the price

to pay much too much for something

pay through the nose

to praise someone or something publicly

pay tribute to (someone/something)

to pay for everything that you need or use yourself, rather than allowing or expecting other people to pay for you

pay your own way

to show respect for someone by visiting them, sending them a message, or attending their funeral

pay your respects

to happen or make something happen at a faster rate

accelerate

to become less or make something become less

diminish

to become gradually less or smaller over a period of time until almost nothing remains

dwindle

to increase, especially at a fast rate that causes problems

escalate

to suddenly increase the amount or level of something

hike up

to get larger or stronger over a period of time

mount

if something such as an amount, rate, or value plummets, it suddenly becomes much lower

plummet

if an amount or level plunges, it suddenly becomes much lower

plunge

to become less strong or likely

recede

if an amount, value, or cost skyrockets, it rises quickly to a very high level

skyrocket

to be suddenly reduced to a much lower level

slump

to quickly increase to a high level

soar

to continuously become worse, more, or less

spiral

to increase a lot very quickly

surge

to increase in amount or number

swell

to become weaker or less important

wane

to have a lot of money

be made of money

to be having a lot of success or good luck

be on a roll

to have a lot of money

be rolling in it

to be something that provides your main income

be your bread and butter

to have less money than you need

feel the pinch

not having much money

hard up

to manage to live or keep a business working even though you are not earning much money

keep your head above water

money that you earn very easily without much work or effort

money for old rope

used for emphasising that something is not available or possible, or that you will not do it

not for love nor money

used for saying that someone should do something, especially spend money, to show that they mean what they say instead of just talking about it

put your money where your mouth is

to begin to have an effect on someone

catch up with (someone)

to suddenly have an idea

hit upon (an idea / a solution)

to not tell someone something, or to not show how you feel

keep (something) back

to think carefully about something over a period of time

mull over (something)

to try to find out information about someone or something

nose around (something)

to find something bad or illegal and get rid of it

root out (corruption / discrimination / a problem)

to think carefully and form an opinion about a person or a situation

size up (someone/something)

to try to find out someone’s opinions, ideas, feelings etc. by talking to them

sound out (someone)

to explain your opinion clearly and defend it in a determined way

stake out (a claim / position)

to wait outside a building and watch it, especially because something exciting or illegal is happening

stake out (a house / building)

to mark an area with fences or posts to show that it belongs to someone

stake out (territory)

to find something by accident

stumble across (something)

to find someone or something after a long search

track down (someone/something)

if a problem, someone’s behaviour etc. baffles you, you cannot understand it or solve it

baffle

to make someone give you money or do what you want by threatening to give information about them

blackmail

to deliberately give a false idea to someone about what you intend to do, or about the facts of a situation, especially in order to gain an advantage

bluff your way through (something)

to make someone believe something that is not true in order to persuade them to do something

con (someone) into (doing something)

to make someone feel confused or surprised, especially by not behaving in the way they expect

confound

to choose to believe something that is not true

delude yourself

to cheat someone, usually when you and this person are doing something illegal together or planning to cheat someone else together

double-cross

to trick someone into believing something that is not true or into doing something that is stupid or illegal

dupe (someone) into (doing something)

to make someone believe something that is not true

hoodwink

to make someone do what you want them to do, especially buy something, before they are sure or ready

hustle

to make someone feel confused

perplex

to trick someone in order to get money or something from them

scam

if you are stumped by something, you cannot explain or answer it

stump

to cheat someone in order to get their money

swindle (someone/something) out of (something/someone)

to be doing something that will not get the result that you want

be barking up the wrong tree

to be caught doing something wrong

be caught red-handed

to keep something secret

keep (something) under wraps

to tell someone something that was intended to be secret

let the cat out of the bag

to discover or understand exactly why a situation is the way it is, especially when something is wrong

put your finger on (something)

something that is not relevant that makes you confused or takes your attention away from what you should be concentrating on

red herring

something that rings a bell sounds familiar to you, although you cannot remember the exact details

ring a bell

an embarrassing secret about your past that you do not want anyone to know

skeleton in the/your cupboard

to believe that something dishonest, illegal, or wrong has happened

smell a rat

used for saying that someone or something is more interesting, impressive, complicated etc. than they seem to be

there's more to (someone/something) than meets the eye

an extreme event caused by weather, for example a flood, that causes a lot of damage and serious problems for the people who live where it happens

climate catastrophe

the process by which the surface of land or rock near the sea is gradually damaged by the sea and begins to disappear

coastal erosion

an event which causes a lot of damage to the natural world and serious problems for people or animals living there

ecological catastrophe

an event which causes a lot of damage to the natural world and serious problems for people or animals living there

environmental catastrophe

the process of the natural word changing into a worse condition

environmental degradation

the process by which the surface of land or rock is gradually damaged by water, wind etc. and slowly begins to disappear

gradual erosion

the process of working to protect the places that particular animals or plants usually live or grow in so that these places are not damaged or destroyed

habitat preservation

waste that is dangerous to people's health or safety

hazardous waste

used food, packaging or other things that people throw away from their homes

household waste

an event that causes a very large amount of people to die, suffer or live in very bad conditions

humanitarian catastrophe

useless materials, substances, or parts that are left after the production of goods in factories

industrial waste

the type of place that particular sea creatures or plants usually live or grow in

marine habitat

the type of place that a particular animal or plant usually lives or grows in, for example a desert, forest or lake

natural habitat

a place in the sea where wind turbines are used for producing electricity from the power of the wind (parque eólico marino)

offshore windfarm

waste that decays naturally and does not harm the environment

organic waste

when the type of place that a particular animal or plant usually lives or grows in is becoming smaller

shrinking habitat

the process by which soil is gradually removed by the rain, wind, or sea

soil erosion

the development of a country or region that does not use more natural resources than can be replaced and so does not harm the environment

sustainable development

tourism that does not harm the environment

sustainable tourism

when used food, packaging or other things that people have thrown away is removed from homes or public buildings

waste collection

the process of getting rid of waste

waste disposal

the process by which the surface of land or rock is gradually damaged by wind and begins to disappear

wind erosion

an area of land filled with trees that particular animals or plants usually live or grow in

woodland habitat

to be in a position in which you have to choose between two things that are not good

be stuck between a rock and a hard place

in a difficult situation

in a tight spot

no longer believed to be guilty of something bad or illegal

in the clear

to make someone feel suddenly very frightened or worried

make (someone's) blood run cold

to cause problems by making suggestions or criticisms

make waves

to make you feel very angry

make your blood boil

used for saying that a situation is still difficult although it has improved

not be out of the woods yet

not well controlled

out of hand

behaving in a way that other people do not approve of

out of line

to cause problems by changing a situation that is considered satisfactory

rock the boat

using any method that is needed to do or achieve something

by any means necessary

compared to any level of quality or achievement used for judging someone or something

by any standard

available only to people who have been formally invited

by invitation only

appropriate and not at all rude

in good taste

something that is in its infancy has only just started to develop

in its infancy

if you can see someone or something in your mind’s eye, you can imagine or remember what they look like

in your mind's eye

if something looks out of place, it is in a position where it does not belong or look good

out of place

unusual or different

out of the ordinary

used for saying that something is definitely not a possibility

out of the question

designed to attract a lot of attention, often by being brightly coloured or decorated

flamboyant

very bright and colourful in an ugly way

garish

large and impressive

imposing

using a style of design in architecture or interior decorating that is extremely simple and avoids using decoration or crowding an area with unnecessary objects

minimalistic

intended to impress people or attract their admiration, in a way that you think is extreme and unnecessary

ostentatious

famous and admired for a special skill or achievement

renowned

fashionable and expensive

swanky

not wanting to attract attention or appear better or more important than others

unassuming

not trying to impress people or to attract their attention, and therefore attractive or effective

understated

designed to be useful rather than attractive

utilitarian

showing a lack of ability to judge what is attractive, suitable, etc.

vulgar

made or done for fun, not seriously

whimsical

something that can be developed or changed in many different ways

a blank canvas

someone or something that is new, interesting, and exciting

a breath of fresh air

a thing that slowly develops into something interesting or powerful

a slow burner

to look completely different to someone or something

bear no resemblance to (someone/something)

to change a situation completely, or to do something in a completely new way

break the mould

if something catches your eye, you suddenly notice it

catch (someone's) eye

a rare or valuable object that collectors want to own

collector's item

to become very good at doing something, especially something difficult

get (something) down to a fine art

to try to think of a completely new idea because the one that you tried before was not successful

go back to the drawing board

to be very popular

go down a storm

to have a very strong and noticeable effect on someone or something, usually a bad one that lasts for a long time

leave your mark

to waste time and effort trying to do something that someone else has already done well

reinvent the wheel

a film that is very successful and earns a lot of money because of the number of tickets that are sold

box office hit

admired by people whose job is to give their opinion of things such as new books, plays, or films

critically acclaimed

a book, film, television programme etc. that is very good and has been popular and had a lot of influence for a long time

cult classic

difficult to believe because it is very unlikely (inverosimil)

far-fetched

making criticisms in a very strong, honest, and direct way. This word usually shows that you approve of this type of criticism.

hard-hitting

making you feel very sad or emotional

heart-wrenching

a long-awaited event has been expected for a long time

long-awaited

a book that is very interesting or exciting

page-turner

so interesting that it holds your attention completely

spellbinding

very exciting or frightening in a way that you enjoy

spine-tingling

including a lot of famous people

star-studded

a sad film or story that makes you cry

tearjerker

very difficult to understand.

as clear as mud

very boring

as dull as ditchwater

if someone is as mad as a box of frogs, they are extremely silly or strange

as mad as a box of frogs

if someone is as sly as a fox, they are very clever and sometimes dishonest

as sly as a fox

very strong and able to deal with difficult situations or pain easily

as tough as old boots

to fight or argue often or with a lot of anger

fight like cat and dog

to become good friends very quickly and have a lot to talk to each other about

get on like a house on fire

to sleep very well

sleep like a log

to be very noticeable because of being different

stick out like a sore thumb

to watch someone very carefully, especially in order to make sure that they do not do something bad

watch (someone) like a hawk

someone or something that you are very pleased to see

a sight for sore eyes

a weak feature of someone or something that is otherwise strong, which makes them open to attack or failure

Achilles heel

completely dead or not working

as dead as a doornail

a set of problems that is impossible to escape from because each problem must be solved first before you can solve any of the others

Catch 22 situation

an exciting end to part of a book or television programme that makes you want to read or watch the next part

cliff-hanger

used for referrring to a situation in which you become so interested in something that you cannot stop trying to find out about it or doing it

down the rabbit hole

freelance work is done by a person who is not permanently employed by a particular company but who sells their services to more than one company

freelance

to make someone feel nervous or frightened

give (someone) the creeps

used for saying that when you love someone, it is difficult to see their faults

love is blind

used for saying that someone is criticizing another person for a fault that they also have

the pot calling the kettle black

used for emphasising that you can go anywhere or do anything that you want to

the world is your oyster

an attempt to find something that does not exist or that you are very unlikely to discover

wild goose chase

an area in a city or town where people have a lot of money and there are very nice houses

affluent neighbourhood

homes for which people on low incomes can afford the rent or mortgage costs

affordable housing

behaving in a way which shows a lack of care for other people or for society in general

antisocial behaviour

an area surrounding a large city where many people who work in that city live

commuter belt

an unpleasant part of a city where there are a lot of ugly buildings close together

concrete jungle

a system of making payments each day for the right to drive into a city centre, introduced as a way of reducing traffic

congestion charging

a building that is empty, not used and in bad condition

derelict building

an area of a city that vehicles producing more than a low level of waste gases must pay to drive into

low-emissions zone

the quality of being pleasant, attractive and typical of the simple style of the countryside

rustic charm

a group of people living in an area who know each other very well and support each other

tight-knit community

a street which has a row of trees on each side

tree-lined street

care provided by the state or another organization for people in need

welfare system

to be sent something in large numbers

be flooded with (something)

to say publicly that something must happen

call for (something)

to reduce the number of possibilities or choices

narrow down (something)

to accept that something unpleasant must happen and that you cannot change it

resign yourself to (something)

to do something extreme or unpleasant in order to solve a problem

resort to (something)

to return to a previous state or way of behaving, often one that is not good

revert (back) to (something)

to stop considering something as a possibility

rule out (something)

if you run up against problems, difficulties etc, you have to deal with them

run up against (something)

to give someone something that is difficult to deal with

saddle (someone) with (something)

to speak in support of a person or an idea, belief, or plan, especially when no one else will

stick up for (someone/something)

to persuade someone not to do something

talk (someone) out of (something)

used for saying what you think is true when you think that there may be facts that you or others do not know

as far as anyone can tell

used for saying that someone does not listen or react to you when you talk to them

like talking to a brick wall

informal conversation about things that are not important

small talk

to talk to someone for a long time, often in a loud or boring way

talk (someone's) ear off

to talk about your work, especially in a way that is boring for other people

talk shop

to talk confidently about something in a way that makes people think you are good at it, know a lot about it, etc.

talk the talk

used for saying in a slightly angry way that you do not want to listen to what someone is saying

talk to the hand

to tell someone some useful or interesting information about someone or something

tell (someone) a thing or two

used for saying in a slightly angry way that you already know about something that a person is talking to you about, often because it is obvious

tell me something I don't know

to tell someone very rudely that you are not interested in them or in what they are saying

tell (someone) where to get off

to give the real facts about something, even if they are unpleasant

tell it like it is

used for saying that you already know about something unpleasant that someone has just described because you have experienced it yourself

tell me about it

very strong pain

acute pain

the continuous movement of air inside a system or area

air circulation

a different way of thinking about something

alternative perspective

a form of treatment for an illness or medical condition that is used instead of or together with treatments based on science

alternative therapy

when the continuous movement of blood around your body is not efficient and sometimes causes problems

bad circulation

the correct types and amounts of different foods which help a person or animal to stay healthy

balanced diet

a way of thinking about something which considers all arguments, opinions, or aspects fairly and equally

balanced perspective

the continuous movement of blood around your body

blood circulation

great physical strength

brute strength

pain in the upper front part of your body between your neck and your stomach

chest pain

serious pain that lasts for a long time

chronic pain

a form of treatment for an illness or medical condition that is used together with treatments based on science

complementary therapy

continuous or regular pain over a long period of time

constant pain

the strength of the muscles in the upper part of your body, not including your head, arms or legs

core strength

the system of organs and processes in the body of humans and animals that deals with the digestion of food

digestive system

help from God to change a situation

divine intervention

an effective way of doing something

effective practice

someone’s ability to feel happy again after an illness, disappointment, or other problem

emotional resilience

a way of doing something that has existed for a long time, and is therefore recognised as good or successful

established practice

a new and different way of thinking about something

fresh perspective

the combination of genes (= patterns of chemicals within a cell that carry information about the qualities passed to a living thing from its parents) belonging to a particular person

genetic makeup

the services that look after people's health

healthcare system

a way of thinking about something from the point of view of history or the past

historical perspective

the system in your body that protects you against diseases

immune system

when the continuous movement of blood around your body becomes more efficient

increased circulation

if a person has inner strength, they have the ability to achieve something despite what they feel, especially something difficult

inner strength

when medicine is used to treat an illness or injury

medical intervention

someone’s ability to feel happy again after an illness, disappointment, or other problem

mental resilience