Nova S42E8: English vocabulary

likely to have a serious and important effect on what happens next

the state of being very unusual or unique

more able or skilled than someone or something else

a very small, thin piece of something that has broken off or been cut from a larger piece

to agree with someone or with a statement

showing disrespect or contempt

a small piece of snow

able to be seen, noticed, or measured

clean, fresh, and in perfect condition, as if new

the scientific study of light and how it behaves

the quality of being subtle, especially when something is not obvious at first

shaped like a sphere; round like a ball

the ability to think of clever, original solutions

intended to correct a problem or improve something

a thin layer or small amount of soft, light fibers or fluff

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

very careful about small details and exactness

to delay or slow something down

a cloud of gas and dust in space

willing to give in, agree, or be flexible

to crowd or gather closely together

to think carefully about something for a while

a sharp piece of broken glass, pottery, or rock

in a joking way; not seriously

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

to make a stupid or careless mistake

a long, soft feather, or a bunch of feathers used for decoration

to gather people together for a meeting or event

a small shapeless mass or lump

to block a place or path, or make movement difficult

to move away from a usual course, rule, or pattern

to make something brighter or lighter in color

to repair a hole in knitted cloth by sewing yarn through it

to move very slowly and carefully in a particular direction

a written promise to repair or replace a product if it breaks within a set time

a difference between two things that should match

relating to the main point or center of something

in a way that uses science or scientific methods

locked with a key

to make something longer or last longer

relating to planets

a device that lets two pieces of equipment connect when they do not fit directly

used to ask what something really means or is, especially in British English

the sound an owl makes

to copy the way something looks, sounds, or behaves

relating to space and the position of things in it

to have sex

very unusual, unconventional, or extreme

smoothed by rubbing with sandpaper

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

lasting or appealing across different times and styles; not easily dated

to change the shape of something so it looks twisted or unclear

to talk in a casual, lively way

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

to make it possible for something to happen

a sarcastic way of saying someone does not have to wait

to find out the truth about something by investigating it

the ability to keep trying to do something even when it is hard or takes a long time

the act of leaving a place

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

the act of postponing a proposal or motion for later discussion

in a very thorough way; completely

the sound of something, especially a clock, ticking

a group of stars that forms a pattern in the sky

having original ideas about the future and how things could be improved

to end up in a situation by accident or because of circumstances

a harsh scolding or reprimand

to do something with full effort or confidence

a brief flash of light that appears and disappears repeatedly

to practice a play, speech, or performance before presenting it

very detailed and complicated

to record that you have started work or a shift

relating to ownership, or owned and controlled by one company or person

a rounded swelling that sticks out from a surface

to shoot and kill someone with a gun