Nova S48E11: English vocabulary

in a steady, regular rhythm

to destroy something badly or cause it to fail completely

a state of emptiness, ruin, or severe damage

to make a substance or place dirty or unsafe by adding harmful material

not typical or usual for a person, thing, or situation

the act of moving a boat by pushing a pole against the bottom of the water

old and in bad condition because of neglect or age

singing Christmas carols, often while going from house to house

a unit of power equal to 1,000 watts

used to describe something that is well known or typical, often in a fixed phrase

very difficult and needing a lot of effort

to make a series of short, sharp rattling sounds

to live in or fill a place with people or animals

to happen afterward, especially as a result of something else

able to recover quickly from problems or difficult changes

in a diagonal direction

running away suddenly and quickly

good at finding quick and clever ways to solve problems

something that discourages people from doing something

the work of measuring land and recording its features, often for a map or building plan

to make someone feel extreme fear

a device that sprays water over grass or plants

to move around in a busy, energetic way

having sharp corners or a lot of angles

to cause a sudden shock or surprise

to fall or make something fall over, especially suddenly

the act of keeping horses in stables

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

the work of building with stone, brick, or concrete

a strong spinning current of water that can pull things down or around

a mass of air or water that spins around very fast

a death caused by an accident, war, or disease

in a way that is far away or not very clearly

a large open area inside a building, often with a glass roof

to make a train or tram leave its tracks

to move in a circular or spiraling motion

to become stronger, more serious, or more intense

happening as a small part of something else, not the main thing

the sound made by bells or similar metal tubes

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

dressed in something, or covered with something

to appear as a large, often threatening shape, especially in the distance

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

past tense of ski

relating to earthquakes or other movements in the earth

a piece of clothing with trousers and a bib front, worn over a shirt for work or casual wear

likely to catch fire easily

to move very slowly and carefully in a particular direction

a rapid increase in the number or amount of something

helpful and willing to make things easier for other people

to change direction suddenly

a small room or cupboard used for storing food and kitchen items

moving with quick, light jumps

locked with a key

to fill something too full by pushing things in

in a direction that is parallel to the ground or horizon

relating to harmony in music or sound

extremely shocking, violent, or upsetting

in a thick, tightly packed way

at the same time that something else is happening

smoothed by rubbing with sandpaper

to talk in a casual, lively way

a deep, rich sound that continues for a moment

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

to continue to exist or be remembered

a computer-based model that imitates a real process or situation

spending or using more money or resources than is sensible

the quality of being honest and willing to share thoughts and feelings

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

to start burning, or make something start burning

the act of putting things into a pile or piles

strongly affected by something, especially a problem or change

the use of several layers, especially in clothing

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