Nova S41E9: English vocabulary

calm, quiet, and not lively

a flat sea animal with a long tail that can sting

in a careful way, especially to avoid danger or mistakes

more able or skilled than someone or something else

to search carefully through something, or look into something in detail

the arrangement of gears in a machine or vehicle

the activity of catching crabs

a strong-smelling substance used in perfumes

stiff, formal, and a little old-fashioned

not noticing or not paying attention to what is happening around you

the scientific study of light and how it behaves

number 100 in a sequence

something that makes a surface, line, or shape even or level

to make a short, high-pitched sound

thin and weak because it has too much water

a small bird with dark, shiny feathers that often flies in large groups

to a very great degree; deeply

a container with a lid, used for storing dry goods or other materials

the practice of selling unpaid bills to get money before they are paid

a floating object anchored in water to mark a place or help boats navigate

to fill someone's mind so much that they cannot think about much else

a messy collection of things lying around

a cloth or band tied over someone's eyes so they cannot see

dark, dirty, and hard to see through

to fill something up again

to move very slowly and carefully in a particular direction

relating to dogs or similar animals

a unit for measuring electric voltage

to force an attack, person, or thing to move back or away

the amount that a spoon can hold

locked with a key

pregnant, used about a female animal

a sudden, aggressive rush by many people to get something limited

to spend time with other people in a friendly, relaxed way

to make someone very interested or curious

to make a sound, signal, or effect stronger or louder

in a thick, tightly packed way

smoothed by rubbing with sandpaper

to give off a sound, smell, light, or gas

a state of wild, uncontrolled excitement or activity

very clever and original; showing inventiveness

to explain something in more detail

smiling broadly and showing happiness or excitement

a person whose job is to turn animal skins into leather

the equipment and setup used to make products in a factory

a process that makes cloth stiffer and stronger by coating it with a special substance

hunting and killing other animals for food

dead, in a respectful way

a scientist who studies sea life

a region around a charged object where electric and magnetic forces act

to step aside so someone or something can pass

with excitement and strong interest

a game in which a player or side must reach five points before the other side does

objects made from clay and hardened by heat

to attack someone or something, or start arguing with them

to fail after starting well

past tense and past participle of shoot

a sea animal with five or more arms, often found on rocks or the sea floor

to think of and create a plan, idea, or solution

the sound of something, especially a clock, ticking

in a careful, organized way that follows a plan or method

a device that makes a buzzing sound, often to signal something

used to say that you agree to something, often reluctantly

to make something more difficult or harder to understand

to form or imagine an idea, plan, or situation in your mind

the act of directing energy, money, or attention into something

relating to the senses, especially sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell

relating to the eyes or vision

a large water bird with a long bill and a pouch under its beak

to record that you have started work or a shift

to cause a strong reaction or feeling, especially anger, fear, or excitement

an area that is surrounded by a fence, wall, or other barrier

in a way that relates to genes or genetics

to find or discover something hidden, especially by searching carefully

to understand something fully

the quality of being new, unusual, or different