idioms
Idioms & Natural Expressions
Fixed expressions and idiomatic language to sound more natural and precise.
30 minC1c1idiomssmart-cities-urban-technologysmart citiestechnologyurban planning
Lesson objectives
- Use idiomatic language connected to smart cities & urban technology more naturally.
- Distinguish neutral, formal and contemporary expressions.
- Recognise when an expression improves fluency without sounding forced.
Idioms & expressions — Smart Cities & Urban Technology
To be baked into the infrastructure · formal
formalMeaning:To be an integral, inseparable part of a system or foundation.
Significado:Estar integrado de forma inseparable en la infraestructura/base.
Example:Sustainability isn't just an add-on; it is baked into the infrastructure of our new smart district.
To bridge the digital divide · neutral
neutralMeaning:To reduce the gap between those who have access to modern technology and those who do not.
Significado:Cerrar la brecha digital.
Example:The city council's new initiative aims to bridge the digital divide by providing free mesh Wi-Fi in low-income neighbourhoods.
To run on autopilot · neutral
neutralMeaning:To operate automatically without human intervention.
Significado:Funcionar en piloto automático.
Example:With the new AI-driven traffic management system, the central district's congestion control runs almost entirely on autopilot.
A seamless integration · formal
formalMeaning:The smooth and perfect combining of different technologies or systems.
Significado:Una integración fluida/perfecta.
Example:The goal of the smart city project is to achieve a seamless integration between public transport and autonomous shuttles.
To be data-driven · neutral
neutralMeaning:To make decisions based on the analysis of data rather than intuition.
Significado:Basarse en datos / Estar orientado a los datos.
Example:Urban planning has become much more efficient now that it is entirely data-driven.
To scale up · neutral
neutralMeaning:To increase the size, amount, or importance of something.
Significado:Escalar / Ampliar el alcance.
Example:The pilot programme for smart lighting was successful, so the city plans to scale up the deployment across the entire metropolitan area.
To hit a bottleneck · neutral
neutralMeaning:To reach a stage where progress is slowed down by a specific problem or limitation.
Significado:Encontrarse con un cuello de botella.
Example:The implementation of the smart grid hit a bottleneck due to unexpected delays in semiconductor supply chains.
To be hyper-connected · neutral
neutralMeaning:To live in a state where everything and everyone is constantly linked through digital networks.
Significado:Estar hiperconectado.
Example:In our hyper-connected urban environments, privacy concerns have become a central political issue.
To glitch out · informal
formalMeaning:To experience a sudden, temporary malfunction in a digital system or software.
Significado:Tener un fallo técnico / 'Glitchar'.
Example:The smart kiosk glitched out during the peak hour, causing a massive queue of confused commuters.
To be algorithmically biased · formal
formalMeaning:To reflect the prejudices or errors of the programmers within an automated system.
Significado:Tener un sesgo algorítmico.
Example:Urban planners must ensure that smart policing tools are not algorithmically biased against certain demographics.