Nova S42E19: English vocabulary

the spiral grooves inside a gun barrel that make a bullet spin

a narrow valley or channel cut by running water

too great or shocking to be described

covering something completely, especially with a layer of snow, smoke, or other material

causing fear or dread

making it hard to breathe because the air is hot, thick, or smoky

to stop someone from breathing, or to die because there is not enough air

relating to areas just outside the tropics, usually warm and humid

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

a very small living thing, such as a bacterium or virus

the process of removing bones from meat or fish

greedy and always wanting more money or possessions

a sharp point or hook with a backward-facing point

very dry because there is little rain

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

a poisonous chemical element

extremely large

a photo taken quickly and casually

a machine with a moving belt that carries things from one place to another

an animal such as a frog, toad, salamander, or newt that can live both in water and on land

a large fish that lives in warm ocean waters and is known for swimming very fast

a hard mineral often used in jewelry and clocks

to make something more varied or different

to separate threads or fibers, or come apart into threads

to move very slowly and carefully in a particular direction

continuing without stopping or weakening

a large North American brown bear with a hump on its shoulders

the act of moving along without using power

melted by heat and in a liquid state

in Irish English, bought on credit or paid for later

locked with a key

covered with leaves or having many leaves

blood, especially when it is seen after violence or an accident

to make someone very interested or curious

the act of following someone closely in order to watch them or spy on them

moving or walking with quick, light steps

smoothed by rubbing with sandpaper

to talk in a casual, lively way

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

to continue to exist or be remembered

a person whose job is to study rocks, the earth, and how they change over time

to do your best and put a lot of energy into something

to start or develop among ordinary people rather than among leaders or officials

having a lot of flesh; plump or soft

the act of putting things into a pile or piles

a deep crack or split in something

a small round object with a hole through it, used in jewelry or decoration

the use of several layers, especially in clothing

beautiful, impressive, and grand in a way that inspires admiration

sea animals with shells or hard outer coverings that people eat, such as clams, mussels, and lobster

to keep a student at school after class as a punishment

a thick, wet, slippery substance that is unpleasant to touch

a mammal in the group that includes monkeys, apes, and humans

to record that you have started work or a shift

a colorless, odorless gas that burns easily and is found in natural gas

to shoot and kill someone with a gun

a hole or tunnel dug by an animal, especially a rabbit, for living in

a person who moves to a new place and starts living there

a thin layer of material on a surface

to use someone or something as a way to avoid blame or responsibility

producing fruit

used to say that something is not believable

not obvious; hidden or not shown openly

very gradually; little by little

a small area or role that is especially suitable for someone or something

to discover or learn something, especially by asking or checking

far away; at a great distance

a sudden burst or outbreak of something, especially a volcano or strong emotion

to walk or travel around without a fixed direction or purpose

an obscene gesture made by raising the middle finger

a group of wild boars

used in questions to express surprise, emphasis, or strong curiosity

the process of gradually collecting or building up something

to fall or come down in large amounts

the study of plants, animals, and other living things in the natural world

to fit together or connect in a useful way