English Vocabulary: Synonyms and Idioms

Vocabulary Building

Lectured and Harangued both mean to scold or criticize, but Harangued is more intense and aggressive.
Decided and Resolve both mean to make a decision, but Resolve implies a stronger determination.
Promise and Swear both mean to make a commitment, but Swear implies a stronger oath.

Expressions and Idioms

Live it up means to have a good time and enjoy oneself.
Live in clover means to have a life of wealth and comfort.
Live down means to let someone forget a past mistake or embarrassment.
Live by your wits means to get by as a result of deceiving people.
Learn to live with means to get used to something.
Live up to your expectations means something was everything you wanted.

Street Performances

Busking means to play music on the street.
Juggling means to perform acrobatic feats with balls or other objects.
Stilt walking means to walk on stilts.

Descriptions and Emotions

Tatty means something is of low quality or in bad condition.
Hustle means to move quickly or to do something energetically.
Hustle and bustle means there is a lot of activity.
Sartorial means related to clothes or fashion.
Lousy means something is of poor quality or unpleasant.
Ruthlessness means a lack of pity or compassion.
Jaded means to be tired or bored.

Actions and Reactions

Slinking into means to enter quietly or secretly.
Sweat themselves means to work hard or exert oneself.
Grim means something is unpleasant or scary.
Despair of means to lose hope in something.
Bland means something is uninteresting or uninspiring.
Disrobing means to remove one's clothes.
Churn means a process of change or upheaval.
Push out means to extract or remove something.
Scrounge of means to live off someone else's expenses.
Despise about means to strongly dislike something.
Leap at means to take advantage of an opportunity.
Leap at the chance means to take an opportunity without hesitation.
A leap in the dark means to do something without knowing what the outcome will be.
Jump down my throat means to scold or rebuke someone strongly.

Theatre and Performance

Fresh limb means someone who is persevering.
By leaps and bounds means something is improving or progressing rapidly.
Standing ovation means the audience applauds while standing.
Emotional recall means something reminds you of a past experience.
Curtain call means the final appearance of a performer.
Understudy means a performer who replaces another actor.
Underwriter means someone who guarantees financial support.
Play act means to pretend or fake something.
Playwright means a writer of plays.
Backtrack means to re-do a scene or action.
Doodling means to draw aimlessly.

Speech and Communication

Relish means to enjoy or take pleasure in something.
Wooden means something is unnatural or stiff.
To put a strain on means to cause stress or tension.
In time means to do something before it's too late.
Overstatement means to exaggerate or overemphasize.
Understatement means to downplay or minimize.
Gross understatement means something is unacceptable or ridiculous.
Croak means to speak in a rough or hoarse voice.
Bark means to speak loudly or harshly.
Bellow means to speak loudly or shout.
Buzz means a loud or excited noise.
Buzz around means to move quickly or excitedly.
Chatter means to talk rapidly or aimlessly.
Teeth chatter means to shiver or tremble.
Chirp means to speak in a high-pitched voice.
Growl means to speak in a low, angry voice.
To give a hoot of laughter means to laugh loudly.
Howl means to make a loud, mournful cry.
Hum means a low, steady sound.
Roar means a loud, fierce sound.
Screech means a high-pitched, loud sound.
Squawk means to make a loud, harsh cry.
Squeak means a short, high-pitched sound.
To be very chirpy means to be very happy or cheerful.

Various Expressions

Like water off a duck's back means something has no effect.
Put/set the cat among the pigeons means to say something that causes trouble.
Flog a dead horse means to try to solve a problem that is impossible.
To have kittens means to react badly to something.
To have a bee in one's bonnet means to think a lot about something important.
Crack down on means to act firmly against something.
Use up means to consume or exhaust something.
Come up against means to face or confront something.
Die out means to become extinct or disappear.
Amount to means to become or be equivalent to something.
Buy on a whim means to buy something impulsively.
Capture someone's imagination means to interest or fascinate someone.
Buy in bulk means to buy something in large quantities.
Place order means to request or order something.
Show profit means to make a profit or gain.
In captivity means something is not allowed or is restricted.
On occasion means something happens occasionally.
Hackneyed means something is overused or clichéd.
Masquerade means to pretend or disguise oneself.
Advocate means to support or recommend something.
Catch up means to reach or overtake something.
Unassailable means something is unquestionable or undeniable.
Put forward means to propose or suggest something.
Hitherto means until now or up to this point.
Winning aside means something is outside the main topic or issue.
Niggling means something is annoying or troublesome.
Surmountable means something can be overcome or overcome.
Solace means comfort or consolation.
Push through means to force or push something through.
Crippling means something is harmful or disabling.
Take on means to accept or assume responsibility.
Take it up with means to discuss or argue with someone.
Take your mind off something means to stop thinking about something.
Pick up your brain means to ask for advice or guidance.