A brief history of dogs - David Ian Howe

Important Vocabulary Words From The Video

outrunning

To outrun someone is to run faster than them. When you outrun someone, you are usually able to catch up to them eventually.

  • She outran the other children by a long distance.
  • He outran the other runners by a wide margin.
bipeds

A biped is a creature that walks on two legs. This includes humans, animals like apes and monkeys, and even some birds.

  • Monkeys are bipeds because they walk on two legs.
  • A biped is a creature that walks on two legs. This includes humans, animals like apes and monkeys, and even some birds.
encampments

An encampment is a group of people who live in one place, usually in tents. They often live in the same area, and they are usually nomadic.

  • The encampment is made up of refugees who have been displaced by the war.
  • The encampment is made up of protesters who are protesting against the government.
outlasted

Outlived means to outlive someone or something. When you outlive someone, you survive them longer than they do.

  • He outlived the cancer by a few months.
  • The plant outlived the drought by a few weeks.
nipping

To nip something is to stop it from happening or to prevent it from becoming bigger. When you nip a problem in the bud, you stop it from getting worse.

  • The new law nips problems in the bud by forcing companies to disclose their environmental practices.
  • The new policy nips the problem of drug abuse in the bud by starting out with a small amount of drugs.
tameness

Tameness is the state of being gentle or mild. Animals that are tamed are usually less aggressive and more obedient than animals that are not tamed.

  • The tamed animals were much more likely to approach the humans.
  • The tamed animals were less likely to attack the humans.
neoteny

Neoteny is the tendency of some animals to retain some of the characteristics of their juvenile stage into adulthood. This can include things like a tendency to be slow and clumsy, or to have a high level of energy.

  • The neoteny of the animal is why it is so slow and clumsy.
  • The neoteny of the animal is why it is so energetic.

To be protective is to have a strong desire to keep someone safe. Sometimes people use the word to describe the feeling of being jealous or protective of someone.

  • He was very protective of her, even going so far as to attack the other man.
  • She was very protective of her home, always locking the doors and windows.
fiercest

The fiercest thing is the strongest thing. The fiercest animal is the strongest animal, and the fiercest person is the strongest person.

  • The fiercest animal is the lion.
  • The fiercest person is the emperor.