Nova S43E10: English vocabulary

a person born during the baby boom after World War II

in a way that is not normal or usual

to reveal who someone really is, or what something really means

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 spread or cause something to spread

to have a close relationship or connection with something, often so that one changes when the other changes

a doctor who specializes in the brain, nerves, and nervous system

a nerve cell that sends signals in the body and brain

to spoil something by adding a harmful or unwanted substance or influence

to make someone suddenly feel shocked or alarmed

to make someone feel extreme fear

to show or suggest that someone is involved in something bad or illegal

the act of combing hair

having false beliefs that are not based in reality

the act of keeping horses in stables

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

the study of family history and relationships between family members

to twist or become twisted into a messy mass

a harmless substance given to some patients in a test to compare its effects with a real medicine

not changed or influenced by something

no longer valid because it has expired or was not renewed

a small mistake or failure in concentration, memory, or judgment

the sound made by bells or similar metal tubes

made invalid or no longer legally effective

to walk or move in an unsteady way, as if you might fall

a condition in which a body part, ability, or function is damaged or weaker than normal

intended to stop something from happening or coming back

to turn your eyes, attention, or thoughts away from something

to gather people together for a meeting or event

a large bird that cannot fly, with a long neck and long legs

continuing without stopping or weakening

having no legal force; not valid

a small, tight group or mass of things

the use of magic, especially spells and evil magic

locked with a key

not able to be cured

a liquid drink used as a medicine or in magic

to write a letter or word with a capital letter

a person who is very energetic, wild, or hard to control

to make someone less likely to do something by making it seem difficult, risky, or unpleasant

extremely shocking, violent, or upsetting

to have sex

smoothed by rubbing with sandpaper

a neighborhood or district, especially in a Spanish-speaking area

a style of small, simple house with a steep roof and a central chimney

to make something more steady and less likely to change suddenly

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

past tense and past participle of shoot

the act of postponing a proposal or motion for later discussion

not feeling sure or ready to do something

to make something more difficult or harder to understand

a small waterfall, or a series of small waterfalls

to keep a student at school after class as a punishment

a protein in the blood that helps the body fight infection

to do something with full effort or confidence

relating to thinking, learning, memory, and understanding

to make a word or phrase shorter by leaving out letters or using a shorter form

to record that you have started work or a shift

to build on the work or ideas of people who came before you

the person who did a crime or caused a problem

a serious illness that slowly damages the brain and causes problems with memory and thinking

a way of deciding between two choices by tossing a coin

the present time, especially compared with the past

to discover or learn something, especially by asking or checking

a fixed and oversimplified idea about a group of people or things

far away; at a great distance

the very large majority of people or things

a lot of damage, destruction, or confusion

to try hard to do or achieve something

a group of wild boars

making a loud, deep, rumbling sound

having a strong effect or influence

a sudden or noticeable change in someone's mood

careful planning for the future

a gradual change or development toward a more advanced stage