Nova S43E5: English vocabulary

the act of making something better or improving it

to eat something quickly and noisily

the act of hiding something so it is not easily seen or detected

in a worried or uneasy way

a plant with brightly colored flowers, often grown in gardens

to ask someone a lot of questions or try hard to get something from them

to completely cover or surround something, often suddenly

avoiding other people and preferring to live or stay alone

the process that green plants use to make food from sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide

to make a deep, hoarse sound, like a frog or a crow

to make someone feel annoyed, upset, or disappointed

a device or surface that reflects light in a chosen direction

boring because it is always the same

more able or skilled than someone or something else

to struggle to deal with something difficult

present or felt everywhere in a place or among a group of people

to impress someone very strongly, especially with beauty, skill, or style

to get off a train, bus, or other vehicle

to gently and persistently persuade someone to do something

a person who fishes with a rod and line

a nerve cell that sends signals in the body and brain

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

mysterious or hard to understand

a match that lights when struck

to make liquid, paint, or mud fly and land in small drops

a very poisonous chemical compound used in some industrial processes

to make something seem to appear from nowhere, often by using imagination or magic

the sewing of stitches, especially as a visible part of a garment

to cause a sudden shock or surprise

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

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

the wide area where a river meets the sea and the tide moves in and out

giving off a soft, bright light

giving off a bright, glowing light or color

a small fault or problem in a machine, computer, or system

a small beetle that gives off light from its body

to form an opinion or guess based on evidence

a trap, often a loop of wire or cord, used to catch animals

to make a short, high sound, especially like a small bird or insect

to hold and use a weapon, tool, or other object skillfully

covered with stars or lit by starlight

a poisonous substance produced by a living thing, especially bacteria

used to say you have suddenly found the answer or solution to something

a drive or trip in a car, especially for pleasure

to force someone to do something, or make them feel they must do it

a loud, harsh, high-pitched sound

tiny organisms that float in water and are eaten by many sea animals

to separate threads or fibers, or come apart into threads

to make something clean or pure

relating to the surrounding area or conditions

an animal that has a backbone or spinal column

a very deep hole or empty space that seems to have no bottom

to keep someone or something within limits or in one place

to figure out or read something that is hard to understand, especially a code or message

locked with a key

a solid shape with flat sides, often used to split light into colors

covered with leaves or having many leaves

to light something up or make it brighter

something that is extremely desirable but very hard to get

a symbol or idea of life, growth, and the connection between all living things

a period when something is deliberately stopped or put on hold

to make something move in a different direction

to copy the way something looks, sounds, or behaves

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

moving or walking with quick, light steps

to walk in a proud, showy way

describing a disease or tumor that is likely to spread and can cause death

to make an exact copy of something or repeat an experiment or result

the young form of an insect that hatches from an egg and changes into an adult

the act of sealing a hole or gap

something that is very hard to find or achieve

to explain something in more detail

very fierce, violent, or aggressive

clear and strong, and hard to ignore

to shine with small flashes of light

fastened with laces