This list is given according to the
lesson in which these words first appear. The Glossary in the textbook is
arranged alphabetically.
I consider words and their definitions
to be in the public domain, or at the very least to be subject to “fair
use” laws. To whatever extent that it is in my rights to do so, I hereby
grant teachers permission to use these definitions, without cost, for
academic purposes. Michael Krigline (February 2008; also see
our
Website Standards and Use Policy.)
Note that many English words have several meanings, so the definitions
provided below are intended to explain how a word is used in this book
(the definitions are not exhaustive).
Verbs are given here in their infinitive form, regardless of how they
appear in the text.
{4} {C} etc.—These references tell you in which chapter (or appendix) a
vocabulary word was introduced.
ft.—this means that a word was not a required vocabulary word, but was
introduced in the chapter some other way (usually in a footnote)
Common abbreviations:
AmE/BrE: American or British English (
(adj): adjective
(adv): adverb
ans: answer
avg: average
[c]: countable noun
EFL/ESL: English as a Foreign Language/English as a Second Language
e.g.: abbreviation for “for example,” used to introduce an illustration or
sample (from Latin: exempli gratia)
esp: especially
i.e.: abbreviation for “that is,” used to introduce an explanation (from
Latin: id est)
(n): noun
NPU, PKU, MIT, etc.: These are the abbreviations for university names.
(You can usually substitute the abbreviation for any university.) These
initials stand for Northwestern Polytechnical University (西北工业大学),
Peking University (北京大学), and
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
sb: someone/somebody
sth: something
TEFL/TESL: Teaching English as a Foreign (or Second) Language
TS: topic sentence
[u]: uncountable (or non-count) noun
[u&c]: noun that can be uncountable or countable, depending on the meaning
or usage in a particular sentence
(v): verb
[vi]: intransitive verb
[vt]: transitive verb
[vti]: verb that is transitive or intransitive, depending on the meaning
or usage in a particular sentence
Lesson by lesson
glossary:
Basic English-learner terms (things your
teacher expects you to already know IN ENGLISH)
abbreviation (缩写,
缩略词): a short form of a word
(etc. for etcetera/and so forth), expression (i.e. for "that is"), title (Dr. for Doctor), name (NBA for
National Basketball Association), and so forth {1}
adjective (or adj) (形容词):
[technical] a word that describes (i.e., modifies) a noun or pronoun (the
adjective form of this word is “adjectival”) {1}
adverb (or adv) (副词):
[technical] a word that describes a verb, adjective, another adverb, or a
whole sentence (the adjective form of this word is “adverbial”). {1}
apostrophe (‘) (省字符,所有格符号):
the punctuation mark that looks like a single inverted comma or half of a
quotation mark (“) and that is used in contractions (hadn’t = had not) and
some possessives (Kathy’s = belonging to Kathy). {1}
“be” or “to be”: “to be” is the infinitive form of
is/are/was/were {1}
capitalize (大写):
[vti] to write a letter of the alphabet as a capital letter, i.e., in its
large or “upper case” form (e.g., “A” instead of “a”; “B” instead of “b”)
(opposite: to make lower case; to write in lower case) {1}
clause (分句,从句):
[technical] group of words including a subject and verb {1}
collocation (搭配,习惯性的搭配):
[u&c, technical] the way words are used together, or a particular
combination of words that are generally used together {1}
colon (:) (冒号):
the punctuation mark that looks like a period with a dot over it {1}
comparative (比较级):
[adj & c; technical] the form of an adjective or adverb that shows a
change when something is considered in relation to something else (e.g.,
smaller is the comparative of small, and more expensive
is the comparative form of expensive) {1}
contraction (缩写):
a shorter, informal way to write some words or word pairs (e.g., hadn’t
is the contraction for “had not”; we’re = we are; int’l = international)
{1}
determiners (限定词):
[c; technical] a group of words that come before nouns to say which thing
you mean (e.g., the, a, an, some, my, your, each, this, either) {1}
direct object (直接宾语):
[technical] the person or thing that is affected by the action of a
transitive verb: e.g., “Tom” in “Mary loves Tom.” {1}
infinitive verb (不定式):
[technical] the basic form of a verb, usually used with “to” as in “to be”
or “to study” {1&C}
intransitive verb (不及物动词):
[technical] a verb that does not need an object: e.g., “They arrived” or
“He listened.” {1}
lower-case letter (小写):
a letter of the alphabet written in its small form (e.g., “a” instead of
“A”; “b” instead of “B”) (opposite: upper case) {1}
modify (to be modified by) (修饰):
[vti, technical] to describe or limit a word’s meaning (e.g., in the
phrase “Tom likes fast cars,” the adj fast modifies cars to
describe what kind of cars Tom likes; in the phrase “Lily is
wearing the dress with red dots,” the phrase “with red dots” modifies
dress) {1}
omit (省略):
[vt] to leave out ; to fail to include something that is normally there
{1}
phrase (短语):
a group of words that have a particular meaning when used together {1}
prefix (前缀):
[technical] a group of letters added to the front of words to change the
meaning (e.g., un-, dis- and multi- in the words unfinished, dishonor
and multicolored) {1}
preposition (介词):
[technical] a word used before a noun or pronoun to show a relationship
with some other part of a clause (e.g., before, on, by, with) {1}
pronoun (代词):
[technical] a word that is used instead of a noun or noun phrase (e.g.,
“she” instead of “Mary” or instead of “the woman”) (Other pronouns include
“I,” “they,” “some,” “these,” and “which,” though not all of these words
are ALWAYS pronouns.) {1}
reflexive
(反身代词):
[technical] a word that “points back” to the person doing the action or to
a noun/pronoun in the same sentence (e.g., in “I relax” the verb relax
is reflexive because this is something I do to myself; in “Mike went by
himself” the pronoun himself is reflexive because it points back to
Mike) {1}
suffix (后缀):
[technical] a group of letters added to the end of words to change the
meaning (e.g., -ly and -ness in the words quickly and openness)
{1}
superlative (最高级):
[adj & c; technical] a term that expresses the highest degree of sth
(e.g., the smallest is the superlative of small, and the
most expensive is the superlative form of expensive) {1}
tone (语气):
[technical] general feeling or character expressed in a piece of writing
{1}
transitive verb (及物动词):
[technical] a verb that must have an object (e.g., “Molly found” is not a
complete sentence; the transitive verb found needs an object like
“Molly found her keys.”) {1}
upper-case letter (大写):
a letter of the alphabet written in its large form (e.g., “A” instead of
“a”; “B” instead of “b”) (opposite: lower case) {1}
verb tenses (时态):
(you should know the difference between present, past, perfect,
continuous, etc.) {1}
(1) The Basics
ft. real world (the real world): [c] life after college; everyday life in
business, education, research, etc., when your work is evaluated by others
or affects others (and not just a teacher); real-world (with a
hyphen) can also be used as an adjective {preface}
1. persuade: [vt] convince; cause somebody to do something by reasoning
{1}
2. boil down: [vti] to give soup a stronger flavor by reducing the water
content while cooking; to make information clearer by leaving out
unnecessary things {1}
ft. blasphemy: [u&c] disrespectful talk about sacred/holy things {1}
ft. obscenity: [u&c] language that is sexually offensive {1}
3. writer: [c] person who writes; an author {1}
4. editor: [c] person responsible for the contents of a publication {1}
5. articles: [c] things written about a particular subject for a newspaper
or magazine; GRAMMAR: the words a, an, and the, used to mark
nouns, i.e., to show that a noun is to follow and to provide a little
information about that noun. “The” is called a definite article;
“a/an” are indefinite articles. {1}
6. review: [c] an informed opinion, written to influence the reader’s
choice or appreciation of something; (AmE [vti]) to look again at
something you have studied (British equivalent: revise) {1}
7. topic sentence: [c] an interesting sentence that gets the reader’s
attention and introduces the topic of a paragraph {1}
8. implication: [c] something you believe to be demonstrated by a
particular situation or set of facts: e.g., if your essay states that
campus trees act like soldiers (defending, protecting, giving…), then (by
implication) we should respect the trees like we respect soldiers, or (by
implication) students should feel safer because of the trees. {1}
9. vague: (adj) unclear because of a lack of details or because a specific
description is not available {1}
10. colloquial: (adj) language or words that are informal, and that are
usually only used in spoken communication (口语)
{1}
11. title: [c] a short name that identifies a book, article, essay, movie,
etc.; a word that (usually) comes before someone’s family name to show
position, profession or respect (e.g., Dr., Mrs., Prof.) {1}
12. lean: (adj) without fat or waste; thin—usually in a healthy sense {1}
13. double-space: [vti] to type or write on every other line, allowing
room above your text for hand-written corrections {1}
ft. hand in (or turn in): [vt] to give an assignment to a teacher (or
sometimes a boss, official, etc.) {1}
ft. turn in (see hand in)
14. wordy/wordiness: using more words than necessary when a more concise
term, phrase or grammatical structure is possible {1}
15. Chinglish: an informal term (it’s not an official word) that refers to
an incorrect mixture of the Chinese and English languages; producing
Chinglish expressions is a natural part of the process of learning English
{1}
16. due date: [c] the time or date on which something is expected
(especially rent payments, homework assignments, or the birth of a baby);
“What are their due dates?” is the same as “When are they due?”
{1}
(2) Don't Copy: Learn to Paraphrase
1. plagiarism (to plagiarize): [u] presenting someone else’s artistic or
literary work as if it were one’s own {2}
2. inadvertent: (adj) not intentional; done without knowing what you are
doing {2}
3. expulsion: [u&c] forcing someone to leave a school without permission
to return {2}
4. quotation (direct quotation/quote): [c] writing that tells what someone
says in that person’s own words; quotations are placed inside quotation
marks
(“ ”), also called inverted commas
in British English {2}
5. documentation: [u] the practice of adding notes to a piece of writing
in order to reveal the source of your information (the verb form [vt]
would be to document; also see footnote) {2}
ft. document (see documentation)
6. automatic: (adj) done without thinking about an action; an automatic
machine works without a person’s help {2}
7. intellectual property (IP): [u&c] creative works that can be protected
by copyright or other legal means, and which can often be easily copied
illegally (such as software discs, published material, essays written by
other students, or music/movie discs) {2}
8. tarnished: [n, adj, vti] metal (like silver) that has lost its color
and brightness (or the process of becoming like this); a
reputation/record/etc., that has become worse in the eyes of others (the
opposite of a shining reputation) {2}
9. paraphrase: [vt] to express in a shorter or clearer way what someone
has said or written {2}
10. footnote: [c] a note at the bottom of a page of writing that offers an
explanation or reference information (an endnote is a similar note
placed at the end of a chapter instead) {2}
ft. endnote (see footnote)
11. ellipsis: a punctuation mark (…) used to show that something is
missing from a sentence (especially a quotation) {2}
12. emphasize (-ise BrE): [vt] to give additional importance to
something (the noun form is “to give emphasis”) {2}
ft. emphasis (see emphasize and emphatic) {2}
13. idiom: [c] a fixed group of words with a different meaning from the
meanings of its words {2}
14. in which case: [also “in this case”, “in some cases”, etc.] (case is
[c], usually singular) “if this happens”; an idiomatic expression that
refers to a particular situation, example or circumstance {2}
ft. optional: (adj) indicating a choice; not required, but acceptable or
possible {2}
ft. attribute: [vt] to give credit to someone for writing or creating
something {2}
(3) Before You Get Started
1. typical person: someone who has the usual or average characteristics of
a group of people {3}
2. sufficient: (adj) as much as is needed; enough {3}
3. measure of: “A/the measure of” refers to a sign of something’s
strength or importance {3}
ft. sloppy: (adj) careless, messy or dirty (often because sth is
not done thoroughly or carefully) {3}
ft. fuzzy: (adj) unclear, confused; the hairy way a kitten feels {3}
4. gibberish: [u] something you write or say that has no meaning or that
is too difficult to understand; meaningless or unintelligible talk {3}
5. free-writing: a technique used to loosen up a writer’s brain; putting
on paper anything that comes into your head {3}
6. prose: [u] written language in its usual form (i.e., not poetry) {3}
7. obvious: (adj) easy to notice or understand {3}
ft. sequence: [c] a series of events, sentences, etc., where one follows
another {3}
ft. direct-mail: advertising that is sent to individual addresses through
the post (as opposed to advertising that appears on TV or in a newspaper
for a general audience) {3}
8. copywriter: [c] someone who composes the text for advertisement or
other printed things {3}
9. anecdote: [c] a story, often used to illustrate a point {3}
10. echo: [c] a sound that bounces so you hear it more than once; a repeat
of something, esp. an idea {3}
11. opener: [c] (AmE) the first sentence or point in a paragraph,
speech, explanation, etc.; an “opener” implies that additional points will
follow {3}
12. headline: [c] five to eight words that tell the main idea of an
article {3}
ft. pun (to make a pun): [c] words that sound alike, in such a way that
the result has two meanings and is often amusing (also called a “play on
words”); example: “Seven days without food makes one weak/week.” (“one”
could mean “someone” or the number; orally, “weak” could mean “lacking
strength” or “seven days”) {3}
(4) Type of Writing: Documented Academic Essays
1. thesis statement: [c] (sometimes abbreviated thesis, esp. AmE)
the topic sentence of an academic paper’s introduction (usually the final
sentence), which concisely previews the main argument or content of the
essay {4}
2. thesis: [c, theses] (chapter 4) an idea or opinion about something you
are presenting in a formal way; short for “thesis statement,” referring to
the main idea of your paper; (chapter 14) long piece of writing about a
particular academic subject, written as part of a university degree
program {4}{14}
ft. spew: [vti] to flow out in large quantities, generally in a negative
sense (spew must be followed by a preposition) {4}
3. sound: (adj) sensible; based on valid reasoning or principles; healthy
{4}
4. subtle: (adj) say something in an indirect (and sometimes clever) way;
to understand a subtle statement you must pay attention {4}
5. prone: (adj) likely (to do), especially something bad or harmful {4}
6. intriguing: (adj) interesting because it is strange, mysterious or
unexpected {4}
7. provocative: (adj) something that provokes a response, i.e., will make
people angry/excited or create a lot of discussion {4}
ft. query: [c] a question asked in order to get information or check that
something is true {4}
8. rhetorical question: [c] a question asked for effect—no direct answer
is expected {4}
9. parenthesis: [c, parentheses] (AmE) a form of punctuation, namely a
pair of moon-shaped signs put around words or symbols to show extra
information: ( ); called rounded brackets or brackets in BrE
{4}
ft. brackets (see parenthesis)
ft. rounded brackets (see parenthesis)
10. bibliography: [c, bibliographies] a list of books and articles
(especially those you consulted) on a particular subject, appearing at the
end of a book or paper {4}
11. superscript: [u&c, adj] a letter or number written slightly above (and
often slightly smaller than) a normal line of type: e.g., a footnote
reference number {4}
12. defaults (or default settings): the options automatically chosen by a
computer (e.g., font size and style), unless the user selects something
different {4}
13. cut and paste: a common action on a computer, where the user deletes
text (ctrl+x) from one place and inserts it (ctrl+v) in another place {4}
14. block quote: [c] a direct quotation that is longer than one sentence,
and which is printed with wider margins than its surrounding text; block
quotes do not need quotation marks {4}
15. brackets: [c] (AmE) a form of punctuation, namely a pair of square
signs put around words or symbols to show extra information: [ ]; called
square brackets in BrE; in BrE, brackets are this symbol: (
) {4}
16. reputable: (adj) having a good reputation; known to be true,
believable, or reliable (e.g., as a source of information) {4}
(5) How to “Talk” to Them
1. double standard: [c] when you have one rule for something or somebody,
but a different rule for something or somebody similar {5}
2. monologue: [c] a speech given by one person, or when one person
dominates a conversation so others cannot participate {5}
3. nebulous: (adj) something that is vague or without a definite shape {5}
ft. Madison Avenue: synonym for “the advertising industry”; a street in
New York City considered to be the center of the US advertising and public
relations industry {5}
4. potent: (adj) something that has a powerful effect on your body or mind
{5}
5. jargon: [u] special words used by people in the same profession, group,
hobby, etc. {5}
6. exaggerate: [vti] to make something sound better than it really is {5}
ft. be suspect (see suspect)
7. suspect: (adj) not to be quickly trusted, believed, or depended on:
e.g., “Wearing dark glasses at night makes you look suspect.” “If your
friend finds out you lied, your words will always be suspect.” {5}
(6) Type of Writing: Product Descriptions
1. product description (or PD in this book): a written introduction
(often very short) intended to persuade a reader to buy a product or
service {6}
2. catchy: (adj) something (often a song or phrase) that is easy to
remember {6}
3. testimonial: [c] a statement that supports a claim or praises the
qualities of someone or something {6}
4. labeling (labelling BrE): the business practice of including
instructions or warning on packages, particularly to protect consumers {6}
5. shelf life: the time a product can sit unopened before it becomes
unsafe or unhealthy to use {6}
6. competitor: [c] a business that sells a similar product to yours, and
thus which is trying to influence the same customers your company is
trying to influence {6}
7. gimmick: [c] a trick, special technique, or offer used to get someone’s
attention (this word usually has a negative implied meaning, as in
advertising gimmick) {6}
8. put sth on the market: (idiomatic) to publicly introduce a
product so that people can begin to buy it {6}
9. scorn: [u] deep criticism or contempt based on the feeling that
something is inferior or stupid {6}
10. literal: (adj) word for word; according to something’s original, basic
or technical meaning {6}
11. redundant: (adj) not necessary because something else does the same
thing {6}
12. bland: (adj) tasteless; dull; sth that does not stir up
excitement, opinions or emotions {6}
13. synonym: [c] two words with nearly the same meaning {6}
14. bullets (in word processing): [c] dots or other designs that indicate
the beginning of a new item in a list {6}
(7) Writing is a Process
1. modifiers: [c, technical] words (like adj. and adv.) and phrases
(especially prepositional phrases) that limit or give details about other
words {7}
2. composition: [c] a short piece of writing (especially for a class); a
piece of music, art, or poetry {7}
3. illuminate: [vti] to give light to; to make something bright, light,
happy or clear {7}
4. contrived: [vti] arranged or written in a way that seems false or
unnatural {7}
5. ruthlessly: (adv) without pity or heart; harsh; very strict {7}
6. forget it (one of many colloquial uses): “don’t do this”; “that is not
a worthwhile option”; it is used to say that sth is not very
important or not worth considering {7}
7. bigoted: (adj) strongly prejudiced against everyone of a different
race, religion, political viewpoint, etc., esp. when such prejudice keeps
you from listening to anyone with these differences {7}
8. critique: [vt] to make comments about the good and bad qualities of a
piece of writing or artwork {7}
(8) Better Writing Study Guide (Part 2)
1. connective: [c, technical] a word used to join phrases, clauses and
sentences {8}
2. compound sentence: [c] a sentence made of two or more independent
clauses, joined by a comma + conjunction or a semi-colon {8}
3. parallelism: [u] the state in which there is a balanced relationship or
similarity between two things (e.g., the grammar structure before and
after the word “and”) {8}
4. syllable: [c] word or part of a word that contains a single vowel sound
{8}
5. dependent clause: [c, technical] a clause that gives information about
the main clause but that can not stand alone as a sentence (also see
clause and independent clause) {8}
6. conjugate (a verb): [vti] to change the form of a verb to show person
(I, you, he…), number (singular or plural), mood (showing doubt, commands,
etc.), voice (active/passive), and tense (present, past…). {8}
7. singular: (adj) the form of a word used when writing about only one
person or thing {8}
8. plural: (adj) the form of a word used when writing about more than one
person or thing {8}
9. vigilance: [u] careful attention to details in order to avoid problems
or to notice them as soon as they appear (a soldier on guard duty must
have vigilance at all times) {8}
10. referent: [c, technical] (AmE) the thing or idea that a symbol, word
or phrase (such as a pronoun) points to {8}
11. interchangeable: (adj) two or more things (e.g., words) that can be
used in place of each other {8}
12. technically: according to specific rules (such as grammar rules); in a
strict sense {8}
13. independent clause: [c, technical] part of a sentence that could stand
alone as a sentence if other words were taken away (also see clause
and dependent clause) {8}
14. parenthetical: (adj) an extra explanation or comment about your point
(often written in parentheses) {8}
15. fluff: [u] soft bits of material that have come from wool, cotton,
feathers, etc., especially when used as padding for toys and warm clothes;
words or phrases that make a sentence longer without giving useful
information {8}
(9) The Simple Sentence
1. tinker: [vi] to make small changes in something, hoping that it will
work or look better {9}
ft. doodad: [c] a minor decoration, often added without originally
planning to do so; doodad is also used to refer to something you can’t
remember the name of {9}
2. monotony: [u] a boring lack of variety {9}
ft. the __ industry (see industry)
3. industry; the __ industry: all of the companies which make up a
particular type of trade, service or factory-based kind of work (e.g., the
airline industry includes those who make and fly airplanes, sell tickets,
operate airports, etc.) {9}
4. critics: [c] people who make judgments about the good and bad qualities
in art or performances; by extension, people who express strong dislike or
disapproval {9}
5. clutter & to clutter: [u] things scattered somewhere in an untidy way;
junk (in writing, clutter can also be called wordiness or
fluff); [vt] to fill a space in an untidy or messy way {9}
ft. aggrieved: (adj) showing unhappiness (or anger) when you think someone
has treated you in an unfair way {9}
6. tangent: [c] something that makes a sudden turn or change from a line
of thought {9}
7. postpone: [vt] to put something off; to delay an event or action until
a later time {9}
8. drive home (sth) (or drive sth home): (idiomatic) to make
something (often a point or example) completely clear (in
this idiomatic expression, “drive” refers to using force/forcefulness,
and “home” means the center or the position desired) {9}
9. propel: [vt] to push or drive forward {9}
10. string out: [vt] to spread things in a line; to be “strung out” also
means to be very upset or tired, or to be under the influence of illegal
drugs {9}
11. typographical: (adj) related to preparing written material for
printing; “typo” has come to represent
a “typographical error”—such as pushing the “f” key instead of the
neighboring “g” key {9}
(10) Be Specific, Precise and Brief
1. detective: [c] sb whose job is to discover information about
crime (many work as police officers, though “private detectives” like
Sherlock Holmes[福尔摩斯]
work independently) {10}
2. AP: abbreviation for the Associated Press, a well-known and highly
respected news agency {10}
3. tumbler: [c] a drinking glass with a flat bottom and no handles (the
name comes from a drinking glass that is no longer used—it had a round or
pointed bottom so that it couldn’t be put down until it was empty; to
tumble means to fall) {10}
4. imply: [vt] to suggest that sth is true; to make sth
clear without saying it directly {10}
5. concrete: (adj) definite; real; specific (opposite of abstract)
{10}
6. knead: [vti] to fold, press or work with sth like dough or clay
in order to remove lumps; to massage muscles in a similar way to reduce
pain or help someone relax {10}
ft. the end-all (see end-all)
7. end-all; the end-all: the most important part of sth, especially
of someone’s life {10}
8. royalties: [c, usually plural] money earned after creating a book,
song, invention, etc., depending on how many CDs, books, movies, etc. are
sold {10}
9. plot (of a movie or story): [c] the events that make up the main story
of a film, book, etc. {10}
(11) Type of Writing: Reviews
1. entity: [c, entities] (formal) something that exists as a single and
complete unit (an entity can be a person, place, thing, group,
idea, etc.) {11}
2. constructive: (adj) in a way that builds up; i.e., that gives helpful
suggestions instead of trying to make someone upset {11}
3. proprietor: [c] (formal) someone who owns a business, esp. a
restaurant, hotel or retail store {11}
4. anticipate: [vt] to be ready for something you expect to happen {11}
ft. in a rut: (idiomatic) sth that never changes or is always done
the same way, so you are bored with it (a “rut” is the path that wheels
make in the mud—if enough vehicles go the same way, then all that follow
“fall” into their rut and the path keeps getting deeper) {11}
5. user friendly: (adj) easy to use or operate (especially applied to
electronics and computers); user friendliness is the degree to
which sth is user friendly {11}
6. explicit: (adj) stated or shown in a particularly direct and clear way
{11}
7. implicit: (adj) something that is suggested or understood without being
stated directly {11}
8. forgo [or forego]: [vt] to omit or do without something, esp. by choice in order to get to
something more important {11}
9. digress: [vi] to temporarily move away from the central topic or
argument when speaking or writing {11}
10. metaphor: [c] a figure of speech containing an implied comparison {11}
(12) People Like Stories about People
1. abstraction: [c] something that is general or theoretical instead of
being specific; [u] the mental state of being too distracted to
concentrate {12}
2. controversial: (adj) causing argument or disagreement because many
people have strong yet different opinions on the subject {12}
3. nuance: [c] a slight difference in color, meaning, etc., that is hard
to notice without help {12}
4. cliché: [c] an over-used expression that has lost its meaning or power;
tired words {12}
ft. DIY, do-it-yourself: (adj) describing the practice of changing or
repairing things yourself (esp. around the house) instead of paying
someone else to do it {12}
5. shift gears: (idiomatic) the gears in a car’s motor are the metal
pieces that transmit motion from the motor to the wheels, so to shift
gears means to enable the car to continue increasing speed; to
Americans (by analogy), to shift gears means to help something keep
moving forward {12}
6. patch together: [vt] to make something quickly or carelessly by joining
various different ideas, pieces, etc. Note that “to patch together” is
often negative, while “to patch” is positive, meaning to fix old clothing
(or a tire, roof, etc.) by adding a piece of material (i.e., instead of
buying a replacement) {12}
7. gerund: [c] a noun—often describing an action, state or process—that is
formed by adding “ing” to a verb (e.g., running, enjoying, lifting) {12}