| anaconda |
a very large snake found in South America. Anacondas are not poisonous but kill other animals by squeezing them until they cannot breathe. Anacondas can grow to over twenty feet long. |
| antibody |
a protein in blood that reacts to particular toxic substances by neutralizing or destroying them. Antibodies provide immunity against these toxic substances. |
| armor |
the covering on certain animals that protects them against attack. [1/4 definitions] |
| babysitter |
a person who takes care of children when their parents are not with them. |
| bioluminescence |
light given off naturally by certain kinds of insects, fish, or bacteria. The bioluminescence of fireflies allows them to blink on and off in the dark. |
| book |
sheets of paper bound together between two covers. These pages can be blank or can have writing, printing, or pictures on them. [1/3 definitions] |
| braces |
metal wires and bands attached to the teeth to straighten them and bring them into proper position. [1/2 definitions] |
| brood |
to sit on eggs in order to hatch them. [1/4 definitions] |
| capitalism |
an economic system in which land, factories, and other resources are owned by individuals instead of the government. In this system, the prices of things we buy are decided by the people who sell them and not by the government. |
| captor |
someone who captures another person and holds them somewhere. |
| card1 |
one of a pack of small pieces of thick paper used for playing games like old maid or poker. These cards have numbers and designs printed on them. [1/4 definitions] |
| charging station |
a machine that supplies electrical energy to cars or other vehicles that use electricity to power them. |
| clearance |
the space between things that keeps them from striking against each other. [1/2 definitions] |
| cobalt |
a brittle silver-white metal that is one of the chemical elements. Cobalt is sometimes added to other metals in alloys to make them harder. It is also used in making some kinds of paint. (symbol: Co) |
| credit card |
a card from a bank or store that lets a person buy things and pay for them later. |
| crossword puzzle |
a puzzle in which a person must guess words from clues and enter them in a pattern of squares, one letter per square. |
| cymbal |
a percussion instrument that is round and made of metal. Cymbals are played by striking a pair of them together or hitting one with a drumstick or brushes. |
| deliberate |
to think about an issue or question in a careful and thorough way, sometimes by discussing them with others. [1/3 definitions] |
| diamond |
the part of a baseball field that is marked by the four bases and the paths connecting them. [1/5 definitions] |
| digest |
a collection of stories, news articles, or other written works. The items in a digest are often shortened so that more of them can fit in one book or magazine. [1/3 definitions] |
| eavesdrop |
to listen to other people talk without letting them know. |