Collocations 1
the spread of a city into the area surrounding it, often without planning
urban sprawl
dangerous behavior by people who become angry while driving a vehicle
road rage
an opportunity to legally avoid an unpleasant responsibility, usually because of a mistake in the way rules or laws have been written
a loophole
to think carefully about something for a long time:
to mull over
to begin sleeping, especially not intentionally
to nod off
the feeling that you have the right to do or have what you want without having to work for it or deserve it, just because of who you are
a sense of entiltlement
a place where you are protected from harm or danger
a safe haven
a person, thing, or fact that is very different from other people, things, or facts
an outlier
to make a number or list of things smaller, by removing the things that are least important, necessary, or suitable:
to narrow down
to become known or obvious to someone, often suddenly; to realize something
to dawn on
the level or amount of wealth and comfort people have in a particular society
standard of living
a type of crime that is not considered serious when compared with some other crimes
a petty crime
a strong, negative reaction to something, esp. to change; a strong feeling among a group of people in reaction to a change or recent events in society or politics:
a backlash
to add more details or information to something; to put meat on the bones!
to flesh out
to talk or write in a confused way, often for a long time:
to ramble on
the amount of money that people need to spend in order to buy basic goods or services such as food, clothes, and a place to live:
the cost of living
a place in which the government is not directly connected with any religion
a secular society
something that makes it more difficult for you to do something or for something to develop
a hindrance
to absorb something, literally or figuratively
to take in
to improve or review your knowledge of something already learned but partly forgotten
to brush up on
an official ceremony or informal activity that marks an important stage or occasion in a person's life, especially becoming an adult
a rite of passage
an excited or angry exchange between people
arguments or competition between members of a group for power or influence
infighting
to increase the speed, power, or cost of something
to ramp up
an occasion when a plan or an idea begins to happen, exist, or be successful
to come to fruition
houses, flats, condos, etc. that can be bought or rented by people who do not earn a lot of money:
affordable housing
a state or way of doing something that avoids being extreme, often combining the best of two opposite states or ways of doing something
a happy medium
a sudden and short period of increased activity, effort, or speed:
a spurt
the period that follows an unpleasant event or accident, and the effects that it causes
the aftermath
to make something simpler and easier for people to understand, especially in order to make it more popular
to dumb down