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heliocentric

having the sun at the center, with the Earth and other planets moving around it, or based on the idea that this is what the universe is like:

This was finally the first observable evidence of a heliocentric universe.

brushstroke

the way in which something, especially paint, is put on to a surface with a brush:

The artist painted this picture using tiny/vigorous/swirling brushstrokes (= movements of the brush).

bullfinch

a small European bird with a black head and a pink chest

merge

to combine or join together, or to cause things to do this:

They decided to merge the two companies into one.

esteem

respect for or a good opinion of someone:

esteem for There has been a drop in public esteem for teachers.

controversy

a lot of disagreement or argument about something, usually because it affects or is important to many people:

controversy surrounding/over There was a big controversy surrounding/over the use of drugs in track and field.

sincerity

honesty:

The priest was a man of deep sincerity.

ocean floor

the underwater surface of the ocean

crust

a hard outer covering of something:

pie crust The pie crust (= the cooked pastry on top) is golden and buttery, and gives way to a rich stew of tender meat.

stall

a large table or a small shop with an open front from which goods are sold in a public place:

In the village market, the stalls are piled high with local vegetables.

robust

(of a person or animal) strong and healthy, or (of an object or system) strong and unlikely to break or fail:

He looks robust and healthy enough.

embroider

to decorate cloth or clothing with patterns or pictures consisting of stitches that are sewn directly onto the material:

I am embroidering this picture for my mother.

plausible

seeming likely to be true, or able to be believed:

a plausible explanation/excuse

align

to put two or more things into a straight line, or to form a straight line:

align something and something Align the ruler and the middle of the paper and then cut it straight.

contend

to compete in order to win something:

contend for There are three world-class tennis players contending for this title.

grin

a wide smile:

I assumed things had gone well for him because he had a big grin on his face.