Online English Dictionary Free Words Starting with Letter B

B 

B1  n. (pl. Bs or b's) 1 (also b) second letter of the alphabet. 2 mus. Seventh note of the diatonic scale of c major. 3 second hypothetical person or example. 4 second highest category (of roads, academic marks, etc.). 5 (usu. B) algebra second known quantity.

B2  symb. Boron.

B3  abbr. (also b.) Black (pencil-lead).

B.  Abbr. 1 born. 2 cricket a bowled by. B bye.

Ba  abbr. 1 bachelor of arts. 2 british airways.

Ba  symb. Barium.

Baa  —v. (baas, baaed or baa'd) bleat. —n. Sheep's cry. [imitative]

Babble  —v. (-ling) 1 a talk, chatter, or say incoherently or excessively. B (of a stream etc.) Murmur. 2 repeat or divulge foolishly. —n. 1 babbling. 2 murmur of voices, water, etc. [imitative]

Babe  n. 1 literary baby. 2 innocent or helpless person. 3 us slang young woman. [as +baby]

Babel  n. 1 confused noise, esp. Of voices. 2 scene of confusion. [hebrew, = babylon (gen. 11)]

Baboon  n. Large long-nosed african and arabian monkey. [french or medieval latin]

Baby  —n. (pl. -ies) 1 very young child. 2 childish person. 3 youngest member of a family etc. 4 (often attrib.) A very young animal. B small specimen. 5 slang sweetheart. 6 one's special concern etc. —v. (-ies, -ied) treat like a baby; pamper. ~ babyhood n. Babyish adj. [imitative of child's ba ba]

Baby boom  n. Colloq. Temporary increase in the birthrate.

Baby buggy  n. Propr. A kind of child's pushchair.

Baby carriage  n. Us pram.

Baby grand  n. Small grand piano.

Babygro  n. (pl. -s) propr. Stretchy all-in-one baby suit.

Babysit  v. (-tt-; past and past part. -sat) look after a child while its parents are out. ~ babysitter n.

Baccalaureate  n. Final secondary school examination in france and many international schools. [medieval latin baccalaureus bachelor]

Baccarat  n. Gambling card-game. [french]

Bacchanal  —n. 1 drunken revelry or reveller. 2 priest or follower of bacchus. —adj. 1 of or like bacchus. 2 drunkenly riotous. [latin bacchus from greek, god of wine]

Bacchanalia  n.pl. 1 roman festival of bacchus. 2 (bacchanalia) drunken revelry.

Bacchant  —n. (fem. Bacchante) 1 priest or follower of bacchus. 2 drunken reveller. —adj. 1 of or like bacchus or his rites. 2 drunkenly riotous, roistering.

Bacchic  adj. = +bacchanal adj.

Baccy  n. (pl. -ies) colloq. Tobacco. [abbreviation]

Bachelor  n. 1 unmarried man. 2 person with a university first degree. ~ bachelorhood n. [related to +baccalaureate]

Bachelor girl  n. Independent young single woman.

Bacillus  n. (pl. Bacilli) rod-shaped bacterium, esp. One causing disease. ~ bacillary adj. [latin, diminutive of baculus stick]

Back  —n. 1 a rear surface of the human body from shoulder to hip. B upper surface of an animal's body. C spine (broke his back). D keel of a ship. 2 backlike surface (back of the head, chair, shirt). 3 reverse or more distant part (back of the room; sat in the back; write it on the back). 4 defensive player in football etc. —adv. 1 to the rear (go back a bit; looked back). 2 in or into a previous state, place, or time (came back; put it back; back in june). 3 at a distance (stand back). 4 in return (pay back). 5 in check (hold him back). —v. 1 a give moral or financial support to. B bet on (a horse etc.). 2 (often foll. By up) move backwards. 3 a put or serve as a back, background, or support to. B mus. Accompany. 4 lie at the back of (beach backed by cliffs). 5 (of the wind) move anticlockwise. —adj. 1 situated to the rear; remote, subsidiary (back teeth). 2 past; not current (back pay; back issue). 3 reversed (back flow). ~ back and forth to and fro. Back down withdraw from confrontation. The back of beyond very remote place. Back off 1 draw back, retreat. 2 = back down. Back on to have its back adjoining (backs on to a field). Back out (often foll. By of) withdraw from a commitment. Back-pedal reverse one's action or opinion. Back to back with backs adjacent and facing each other (stood back to back). Back up 1 give (esp. Moral) support to. 2 computing make a backup of (data, a disk, etc.). Get (or put) a person's back up annoy a person. Get off a person's back stop troubling a person. Turn one's back on abandon; ignore. ~ backer n. (in sense 1 of v.). Backless adj. [old english]

Backache  n. Ache in the back.

Back-bencher  n. Mp not holding a senior office.

Backbiting  n. Malicious talk. ~ backbite v.

Back-boiler  n. Boiler behind a domestic fire.

Backbone  n. 1 spine. 2 chief support. 3 firmness of character.

Back-breaking  adj. (esp. Of manual work) extremely hard.

Back-burner  n. ~ on the back-burner receiving little attention.

Backchat  n. Colloq. Verbal insolence.

Backcloth  n. 1 painted cloth at the back of a stage. 2 background to a scene or situation.

Backcomb  v. Comb (the hair) towards the scalp to give it fullness.

Back-crawl  n. = +backstroke.

Backdate  v. (-ting) 1 make retrospectively valid. 2 put an earlier date to than the actual one.

Back door  n. Secret or ingenious means.

Backdrop  n. = +backcloth.

Backfire  v. (-ring) 1 (of an engine or vehicle) ignite or explode too early in the cylinder or exhaust. 2 (of a plan etc.) Rebound adversely on its originator.

Back-formation  n. 1 formation of a word from its seeming derivative (e.g. Laze from lazy). 2 word so formed.

Backgammon  n. Board-game with pieces moved according to throws of the dice. [from +back + obsolete form of +game1]

Background  n. 1 part of a scene or picture furthest from the observer. 2 (often attrib.) Inconspicuous position (kept in the background; background music). 3 person's education, social circumstances, etc. 4 explanatory or contributory information or events.

Backhand  —attrib. Adj. (of a stroke) made with the hand across one's body. —n. Such a stroke.

Backhanded  adj. 1 made with the back of the hand. 2 indirect; ambiguous (backhanded compliment).

Backhander  n. 1 a backhand stroke. B backhanded blow. 2 slang bribe.

Backing  n. 1 a support, esp. Financial or moral. B material used for a thing's back or support. 2 musical accompaniment, esp. To a pop singer.

Backing track  n. Recorded musical accompaniment.

Backlash  n. 1 violent, usu. Hostile, reaction. 2 sudden recoil in a mechanism.

Backlist  n. Publisher's list of books still in print.

Backlog  n. Arrears of work.

Back number  n. 1 out-of-date issue of a periodical. 2 slang out-of-date person or thing.

Backpack  —n. Rucksack. —v. Travel or hike with this. ~ backpacker n.

Back passage  n. Colloq. Rectum.

Backrest  n. Support for the back.

Back room  n. (often, with hyphen, attrib.) Place where secret work is done.

Back seat  n. Less prominent or important position.

Back-seat driver  n. Person eager to advise without taking responsibility.

Backside  n. Colloq. Buttocks.

Back slang  n. Slang using words spelt backwards (e.g. Yob).

Backslide  v. (-ding; past -slid; past part. -slid or -slidden) return to bad habits etc.

Backspace  v. (-cing) move a typewriter carriage etc. Back one or more spaces.

Backspin  n. Backward spin making a ball bounce erratically.

Backstage  adv. & adj. Behind the scenes.

Backstairs  —n.pl. Rear or side stairs of a building. —attrib. Adj. (also backstair) underhand; secret.

Backstitch  n. Sewing with each stitch starting behind the end of the previous one.

Back-stop  n. 1 cricket etc. A position directly behind the wicket-keeper. B fielder in this position. 2 last resort.

Backstreet  —n. Side-street, alley. —attrib. Adj. Illicit; illegal (backstreet abortion).

Backstroke  n. Swimming stroke done on the back.

Back-to-back  adj. (of houses) with a party wall at the rear.

Back to front  adj. 1 with back and front reversed. 2 in disorder.

Back-to-nature  attrib. Adj. Seeking a simpler way of life.

Backtrack  v. 1 retrace one's steps. 2 reverse one's policy or opinion.

Backup  n. (often attrib.) 1 support; reserve (back-up team). 2 computing a making of spare copies of data for safety. B copy so made.

Backward  —adv. = +backwards. —adj. 1 towards the rear or starting-point (backward look). 2 reversed (backward roll). 3 slow to develop or progress. 4 hesitant, shy.

Backwards  adv. 1 away from one's front (lean backwards). 2 a with the back foremost (walk backwards). B in reverse of the usual way (count backwards). 3 a into a worse state. B into the past. C (of motion) back towards the starting-point (roll backwards). ~ backwards and forwards to and fro. Bend (or fall or lean) over backwards colloq. Make every effort, esp. To be fair or helpful.

Backwash  n. 1 receding waves made by a ship etc. 2 repercussions.

Backwater  n. 1 peaceful, secluded, or dull place. 2 stagnant water fed from a stream.

Backwoods  n.pl. 1 remote uncleared forest land. 2 remote region. ~ backwoodsman n.

Backyard  n. Yard behind a house etc.

Bacon  n. Cured meat from the back or sides of a pig. [french from germanic]

Bacteriology  n. The study of bacteria.

Bacterium  n. (pl. -ria) unicellular micro-organism lacking an organized nucleus, esp. Of a kind causing disease. ~ bacterial adj. [greek, = little stick]

Bad  —adj. (worse, worst) 1 inadequate, defective (bad work, light). 2 unpleasant (bad weather). 3 harmful (is bad for you). 4 (of food) decayed. 5 colloq. Ill, injured (feeling bad today; a bad leg). 6 colloq. Regretful, guilty (feels bad about it). 7 serious, severe (a bad headache, mistake). 8 a morally unacceptable (bad man; bad language). B naughty. 9 not valid (a bad cheque). 10 (badder, baddest) esp. Us slang excellent. —n. Ill fortune; ruin. —adv. Us colloq. Badly. ~ not (or not so) bad colloq. Fairly good. Too bad colloq. Regrettable. [old english]

Bad blood  n. Ill feeling.

Bad books  see +book.

Bad breath  n. Unpleasant-smelling breath.

Bad debt  n. Debt that is not recoverable.

Baddy  n. (pl. -ies) colloq. Villain in a story, film, etc.

Bade  see +bid.

Bad egg  see +egg1.

Bad faith  n. Intent to deceive.

Badge  n. 1 small flat emblem worn to signify office, membership, etc., or as decoration. 2 thing that reveals a condition or quality. [origin unknown]

Badger  —n. Nocturnal burrowing mammal with a black and white striped head. —v. Pester, harass. [origin uncertain]

Badinage  n. Playful ridicule. [french]

Bad lot  n. Person of bad character.

Badly  adv. (worse, worst) 1 in a bad manner. 2 colloq. Very much (wants it badly). 3 severely (badly defeated).

Badminton  n. Game with rackets and a shuttlecock. [badminton in s. England]

Bad-mouth  v. Esp. Us slang abuse verbally, put down.

Bad news  n. Colloq. Unpleasant or troublesome person or thing.

Bad-tempered  adj. Irritable.

Baffle  —v. (-ling) 1 perplex. 2 frustrate, hinder. —n. Device that checks flow esp. Of fluid or sound waves. ~ bafflement n. [origin uncertain]

Bafta  abbr. British association of film and television arts.

Bag  —n. 1 soft open-topped receptacle. 2 a piece of luggage. B woman's handbag. 3 (in pl.; usu. Foll. By of) colloq. Large amount (bags of time). 4 slang derog. Woman. 5 animal's sac. 6 amount of game shot by one person. 7 (usu. In pl.) Baggy skin under the eyes. 8 slang particular interest (folk music is not my bag). —v. (-gg-) 1 colloq. A secure (bagged the best seat). B (often in phr. Bags i) colloq. Claim as being the first (bags i go next). 2 put in a bag. 3 (cause to) hang loosely; bulge. ~ in the bag colloq. Achieved, secured. ~ bagful n. (pl. -s). [origin unknown]

Bagatelle  n. 1 game in which small balls are struck into holes on a board. 2 mere trifle. 3 short piece of esp. Piano music. [french from italian]

Bagel  n. Ring-shaped bread roll. [yiddish]

Baggage  n. 1 luggage. 2 portable army equipment. 3 joc. Or derog. Girl or woman. 4 mental encumbrances. [french]

Baggy  adj. (-ier, -iest) hanging loosely. ~ baggily adv. Bagginess n.

Bagpipe  n. (usu. In pl.) Musical instrument consisting of a windbag connected to reeded pipes.

Baguette  n. Long thin french loaf. [french]

Bah  int. Expressing contempt or disbelief. [french]

Baha'i  n. (pl. -s) member of a monotheistic religion emphasizing religious unity and world peace. [persian bahá splendour]

Bail1  —n. 1 money etc. Pledged against the temporary release of an untried prisoner. 2 person(s) giving this. —v. (usu. Foll. By out) 1 release or secure the release of (a prisoner) on payment of bail. 2 release from a difficulty; rescue. ~ on bail released after payment of bail. [latin bajulus carrier]

Bail2  n. 1 cricket either of two crosspieces bridging the stumps. 2 bar holding the paper against a typewriter platen. 3 bar separating horses in an open stable. [french]

Bail3  v. (also bale) 1 (usu. Foll. By out) scoop water out of (a boat etc.). 2 scoop (water etc.) Out. ~ bail out var. Of bale out 1 (see +bale1). [french]

Bailey  n. (pl. -s) 1 outer wall of a castle. 2 court enclosed by it. [french: related to +bail2]

Bailey bridge  n. Prefabricated military bridge for rapid assembly. [sir d. Bailey, name of its designer]

Bailiff  n. 1 sheriff's officer who executes writs and carries out distraints. 2 landlord's agent or steward. [french: related to +bail1]

Bailiwick  n. 1 law district of a bailiff. 2 joc. Person's particular interest. [as +bailiff, obsolete wick district]

Bain-marie  n. (pl. Bains-marie pronunc. Same) pan of hot water holding a pan containing sauce etc. For slow heating. [french, translation of medieval latin balneum mariae bath of maria (a supposed alchemist)]

Bairn  n. Scot. & n.engl. Child. [old english: related to +bear1]

Bait  —n. 1 food used to entice prey. 2 allurement. —v. 1 harass, torment, or annoy (a person or chained animal). 2 put bait on (a hook, trap, etc.). [old norse]

Baize  n. Usu. Green woollen felted material, used for coverings. [french pl. Baies chestnut-coloured]

Bake  v. (-king) 1 cook or become cooked by dry heat, esp. In an oven. 2 colloq. (usu. As be baking) (of weather, a person, etc.) Be very hot. 3 harden by heat. [old english]

Baked beans  n.pl. Baked haricot beans, usu. Tinned in tomato sauce.

Bakelite  n. Propr. Plastic made from formaldehyde and phenol, used formerly for buttons, plates, etc. [german from baekeland, name of its inventor]

Baker  n. Person who bakes and sells bread, cakes, etc., esp. For a living.

Baker day  n. Colloq. Day set aside for in-service training of teachers. [baker, name of the education secretary responsible for introducing them]

Baker's dozen  n. Thirteen.

Bakery  n. (pl. -ies) place where bread and cakes are made or sold.

Bakewell tart  n. Open pastry case lined with jam and filled with almond paste. [bakewell in derbyshire]

Baking-powder  n. Mixture of sodium bicarbonate, cream of tartar, etc., as a raising agent.

Baking-soda  n. Sodium bicarbonate.

Baklava  n. Rich sweetmeat of flaky pastry, honey, and nuts. [turkish]

Baksheesh  n. Gratuity, tip. [persian]

Balaclava  n. (in full balaclava helmet) usu. Woollen covering for the whole head and neck, except for the face. [balaclava in the crimea, the site of a battle in 1854]

Balalaika  n. Guitar-like stringed instrument with a triangular body. [russian]

Balance  —n. 1 a even distribution of weight or amount. B stability of body or mind. 2 apparatus for weighing, esp. One with a central pivot, beam, and two scales. 3 a counteracting weight or force. B (in full balance-wheel) regulating device in a clock etc. 4 decisive weight or amount (balance of opinion). 5 a agreement or difference between credits and debits in an account. B amount still owing or outstanding (will pay the balance). C amount left over. 6 a art harmony and proportion. B mus. Relative volume of sources of sound. 7 (the balance) zodiacal sign or constellation libra. —v. (-cing) 1 bring into, keep, or be in equilibrium (balanced a book on her head; balanced on one leg). 2 (often foll. By with, against) offset or compare (one thing) with another (balance the pros and cons). 3 counteract, equal, or neutralize the weight or importance of. 4 (usu. As balanced adj.) Make well-proportioned and harmonious (balanced diet; balanced opinion). 5 a compare and esp

Balance of payments  n. Difference in value between payments into and out of a country.

Balance of power  n. 1 situation of roughly equal power among the chief states of the world. 2 power held by a small group when larger groups are of equal strength.

Balance of trade  n. Difference in value between imports and exports.

Balance sheet  n. Statement giving the balance of an account.

Balcony  n. (pl. -ies) 1 usu. Balustraded platform on the outside of a building with access from an upper floor. 2 upper tier of seats in a theatre etc. ~ balconied adj. [italian]

Bald  adj. 1 lacking some or all hair on the scalp. 2 lacking the usual hair, feathers, leaves, etc. 3 colloq. With a worn surface (bald tyre). 4 plain, direct (bald statement, style). ~ balding adj. (in senses 1–3). Baldly adv. (in sense 4). Baldness n. [old english]

Balderdash  n. Nonsense. [origin unknown]

Bale1  —n. Tightly bound bundle of merchandise or hay. —v. (-ling) make up into bales. ~ bale out 1 (also bail out) (of an airman) make an emergency parachute descent. 2 var. Of +bail1 v. 2. [dutch: related to +ball1]

Bale2  var. Of +bail3.

Baleen  n. Whalebone. [latin balaena whale]

Baleful  adj. 1 menacing in look, manner, etc. 2 malignant, destructive. ~ balefully adv. [archaic bale evil]

Balk  var. Of +baulk.

Balkan  adj. 1 of the region of se europe bounded by the adriatic, aegean, and black sea. 2 of its peoples or countries. [turkish]

Ball1  —n. 1 sphere, esp. For use in a game. 2 a ball-shaped object; material in the shape of a ball (ball of snow, wool). B rounded part of the body (ball of the foot). 3 cannon-ball. 4 single delivery or pass of a ball in cricket, baseball, football, etc. 5 (in pl.) Coarse slang a testicles. B (usu. As int.) Nonsense. C = +balls-up. D courage, ‘guts’. —v. Form into a ball. ~ balls up coarse slang bungle; make a mess of. On the ball colloq. Alert. [old norse]

Ball2  n. 1 formal social gathering for dancing. 2 slang enjoyable time (esp. Have a ball). [greek ballo throw]

Ballad  n. 1 poem or song narrating a popular story. 2 slow sentimental song. [provençal: related to +ball2]

Balladry  n. Ballad poetry.

Ball-and-socket joint  n. Joint in which a rounded end lies in a concave socket.

Ballast  —n. 1 heavy material stabilizing a ship, the car of a balloon, etc. 2 coarse stone etc. As the bed of a railway track or road. 3 mixture of coarse and fine aggregate for making concrete. —v. Provide with ballast. [low german or scandinavian]

Ball-bearing  n. 1 bearing in which the two halves are separated by a ring of small balls. 2 one of these balls.

Ballboy  n. (fem. Ballgirl) (in tennis) boy or girl who retrieves balls.

Ballcock  n. Floating ball on a hinged arm controlling the water level in a cistern.

Ballerina  n. Female ballet-dancer. [italian: related to +ball2]

Ballet  n. 1 dramatic or representational style of dancing to music. 2 particular piece or performance of ballet. ~ balletic adj. [french: related to +ball2]

Ballet-dancer  n. Dancer of ballet.

Ball game  n. 1 a game played with a ball. B us baseball game. 2 esp. Us colloq. Affair; matter (a whole new ball game).

Ballista  n. (pl. -stae) (in ancient warfare) catapult for hurling large stones etc. [latin from greek ballo throw]

Ballistic  adj. Of projectiles.

Ballistic missile  n. Missile that is powered and guided but falls by gravity.

Ballistics  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) Science of projectiles and firearms.

Ballocking  var. Of +bollocking.

Ballocks  var. Of +bollocks.

Balloon  —n. 1 small inflatable rubber toy or decoration. 2 large usu. Round inflatable flying bag, often carrying a basket for passengers. 3 colloq. Balloon shape enclosing dialogue etc. In a comic strip or cartoon. —v. 1 (cause to) swell out like a balloon. 2 travel by balloon. ~ balloonist n. [french or italian, = large ball]

Ballot  —n. 1 occasion or system of voting, in writing and usu. Secret. 2 total of such votes. 3 paper etc. Used in voting. —v. (-t-) 1 (usu. Foll. By for) a hold a ballot; give a vote. B draw lots for precedence etc. 2 take a ballot of (balloted the members). [italian ballotta: related to +balloon]

Ballot-box  n. Sealed box for completed ballot-papers.

Ballot-paper  n. = +ballot n. 3.

Ballpark  n. Us 1 baseball ground. 2 colloq. Sphere of activity, etc. 3 (attrib.) Colloq. Approximate. ~ in the right ballpark colloq. Approximately correct.

Ball-point  n. (in full ball-point pen) pen with a tiny ball as its writing point.

Ballroom  n. Large room for dancing.

Ballroom dancing  n. Formal social dancing.

Balls-up  n. Coarse slang bungle, mess.

Bally  adj. & adv. Slang mild form of bloody (see +bloody adj. 3). [alteration of +bloody]

Ballyhoo  n. 1 loud noise or fuss. 2 noisy publicity. [origin unknown]

Balm  n. 1 aromatic ointment. 2 fragrant oil or resin exuded from certain trees and plants. 3 thing that heals or soothes. 4 aromatic herb. [latin: related to +balsam]

Balmy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 mild and fragrant; soothing. 2 slang = +barmy. ~ balmily adv. Balminess n.

Baloney  var. Of +boloney.

Balsa  n. 1 (in full balsa-wood) tough lightweight wood used for making models etc. 2 tropical american tree yielding it. [spanish, = raft]

Balsam  n. 1 resin exuded from various trees and shrubs. 2 ointment, esp. Containing oil or turpentine. 3 tree or shrub yielding balsam. 4 any of several flowering plants. ~ balsamic adj. [latin balsamum]

Baluster  n. Short post or pillar supporting a rail. [greek balaustion wild-pomegranate flower]

Usage  baluster is often confused with banister. A baluster is usually part of a balustrade whereas a banister supports a stair handrail.

Balustrade  n. Railing supported by balusters, esp. On a balcony. ~ balustraded adj.

Bamboo  n. 1 tropical giant woody grass. 2 its stem, used for canes, furniture, etc. [dutch from malay]

Bamboo shoot  n. Young shoot of bamboo, eaten as a vegetable.

Bamboozle  v. (-ling) colloq. Cheat; mystify. ~ bamboozlement n. [origin unknown]

Ban  —v. (-nn-) forbid, prohibit, esp. Formally. —n. Formal prohibition (ban on smoking). [old english, = summon]

Banal  adj. Trite, commonplace. ~ banality n. (pl. -ies). Banally adv. [french, related to +ban: originally = compulsory, hence = common]

Banana  n. 1 long curved soft fruit with a yellow skin. 2 treelike plant bearing it. ~ go bananas slang go mad. [portuguese or spanish, from an african name]

Banana republic  n. Derog. Small state, esp. In central america, dependent on foreign capital.

Band  —n. 1 flat, thin strip or loop of paper, metal, cloth, etc., put round something esp. To hold or decorate it. 2 a strip of material on a garment. B stripe. 3 group of esp. Non-classical musicians. 4 organized group of criminals etc. 5 range of frequencies, wavelengths, or values. 6 belt connecting wheels or pulleys. —v. 1 (usu. Foll. By together) unite. 2 put a band on. 3 mark with stripes. [old norse (related to +bind) and french]

Bandage  —n. Strip of material used to bind a wound etc. —v. (-ging) bind with a bandage. [french: related to +band]

Bandanna  n. Large patterned handkerchief or neckerchief. [portuguese from hindi]

B. & b.  Abbr. Bed and breakfast.

Bandbox  n. Hatbox.

Bandeau  n. (pl. -x) narrow headband. [french]

Banderole  n. 1 long narrow flag with a cleft end. 2 ribbon-like inscribed scroll. [italian: related to +banner]

Bandicoot  n. 1 catlike australian marsupial. 2 (in full bandicoot rat) destructive rat in india. [telugu, = pig-rat]

Bandit  n. Robber or outlaw, esp. One attacking travellers etc. ~ banditry n. [italian]

Bandmaster  n. Conductor of a band.

Bandog  n. Fighting-dog bred for its strength and ferocity. [from +band, +dog]

Bandolier  n. (also bandoleer) shoulder belt with loops or pockets for cartridges. [dutch or french]

Band-saw  n. Mechanical saw with a blade formed by an endless toothed band.

Bandsman  n. Player in a band.

Bandstand  n. Outdoor platform for musicians.

Bandwagon  n. ~ climb (or jump) on the bandwagon join a popular or successful cause etc.

Bandwidth  n. Range of frequencies within a given band.

Bandy1  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 (of the legs) curved so as to be wide apart at the knees. 2 (also bandy-legged) having bandy legs. [perhaps from obsolete bandy curved stick]

Bandy2  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 (often foll. By about) a pass (a story, rumour, etc.) To and fro. B discuss disparagingly (bandied her name about). 2 (often foll. By with) exchange (blows, insults, etc.). [perhaps from french]

Bane  n. 1 cause of ruin or trouble. 2 poet. Ruin. 3 archaic (except in comb.) Poison (ratsbane). ~ baneful adj. [old english]

Bang  —n. 1 loud short sound. 2 sharp blow. 3 coarse slang act of sexual intercourse. 4 us fringe cut straight across the forehead. —v. 1 strike or shut noisily (banged the door). 2 (cause to) make a bang. 3 coarse slang have sexual intercourse (with). —adv. 1 with a bang. 2 colloq. Exactly (bang in the middle). ~ bang on colloq. Exactly right. Go bang 1 shut noisily. 2 explode. 3 (as bang goes etc.) Colloq. Be suddenly lost (bang go my hopes). [imitative]

Banger  n. 1 slang sausage. 2 slang noisy old car. 3 firework designed to go bang.

Bangle  n. Rigid bracelet or anklet. [hindi bangri]

Banian  var. Of +banyan.

Banish  v. 1 condemn to exile. 2 dismiss (esp. From one's mind). ~ banishment n. [germanic: related to +ban]

Banister  n. (also bannister) (usu. In pl.) Uprights and handrail beside a staircase. [corruption of +baluster]

Usage  see note at baluster.

Banjo  n. (pl. -s or -es) guitar-like stringed instrument with a circular body. ~ banjoist n. [us southern corruption of bandore from greek pandoura lute]

Bank1  —n. 1 sloping ground beside a river. 2 raised area, esp. In the sea; slope. 3 mass of cloud, fog, snow, etc. —v. 1 (often foll. By up) heap or rise into banks. 2 pack (a fire) tightly for slow burning. 3 a (of a vehicle, aircraft, etc.) Round a curve with one side higher than the other. B cause to do this. [old norse: related to +bench]

Bank2  —n. 1 establishment for depositing, withdrawing, and borrowing money. 2 kitty in some gambling games. 3 storage place (blood bank). —v. 1 deposit (money etc.) In a bank. 2 (often foll. By at, with) keep money (at a bank). ~ bank on colloq. Rely on (i'm banking on you). [french banque or italian banca: related to +bank1]

Banknote  n. Piece of paper money.

Bankrupt  —adj. 1 legally declared insolvent. 2 (often foll. By of) exhausted or drained (of emotion etc.). —n. Insolvent person, esp. One whose assets are used to repay creditors. —v. Make bankrupt. ~ bankruptcy n. (pl. -ies). [italian banca rotta broken bench: related to +bank2]

Banksia  n. Australian evergreen flowering shrub. [banks, name of a naturalist]

Banner  n. 1 large sign bearing a slogan or design, esp. In a demonstration or procession; flag. 2 slogan, esp. Political. [latin bandum standard]

Banner headline  n. Large, esp. Front-page, newspaper headline.

Bannister  var. Of +banister.

Bannock  n. Scot. & n.engl. Round flat loaf, usu. Unleavened. [old english]

Banns  n.pl. Notice announcing an intended marriage, read out in a parish church. [pl. Of +ban]

Banquet  —n. Sumptuous, esp. Formal, feast or dinner. —v. (-t-) attend, or entertain with, a banquet; feast. [french diminutive of banc bench]

Banquette  n. Upholstered bench, esp. In a restaurant or bar. [french from italian]

Banshee  n. Ir. & scot. Wailing female spirit warning of death in a house. [irish, = fairy woman]

Bantam  n. 1 a kind of small domestic fowl. 2 small but aggressive person. [apparently from bantan in java]

Bantamweight  n. 1 weight in certain sports between flyweight and featherweight, in amateur boxing 51–4 kg. 2 sportsman of this weight.

Banter  —n. Good-humoured teasing. —v. 1 tease. 2 exchange banter. [origin unknown]

Bantu  —n. (pl. Same or -s) 1 often offens. Member of a large group of central and southern african blacks. 2 group of languages spoken by them. —adj. Of these peoples or languages. [bantu, = people]

Bantustan  n. S.afr. Often offens. = +homeland 2.

Banyan  n. (also banian) indian fig tree with self-rooting branches. [portuguese from sanskrit, = trader]

Baobab  n. African tree with a massive trunk and large pulpy fruit. [probably african dial.]

Bap  n. Soft flattish bread roll. [origin unknown]

Baptism  n. Symbolic admission to the christian church, with water and usu. Name-giving. ~ baptismal adj. [greek baptizo baptize]

Baptism of fire  n. 1 initiation into battle. 2 painful initiation into an activity.

Baptist  n. 1 person who baptizes, esp. John the baptist. 2 (baptist) christian advocating baptism by total immersion.

Baptistery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a part of a church used for baptism. B hist. Separate building used for baptism. 2 (in a baptist chapel) receptacle used for immersion.

Baptize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 administer baptism to. 2 give a name or nickname to.

Bar1  —n. 1 long piece of rigid material, esp. Used to confine or obstruct. 2 a something of similar form (bar of soap; bar of chocolate). B band of colour or light. C heating element of an electric fire. D metal strip below the clasp of a medal, awarded as an extra distinction. E heraldry narrow horizontal stripe across a shield. 3 a counter for serving alcohol etc. On. B room or building containing it. C small shop or stall serving refreshments (snack bar). D counter for a special service (heel bar). 4 a barrier. B restriction (colour bar; bar to promotion). 5 prisoner's enclosure in a lawcourt. 6 any of the sections into which a piece of music is divided by vertical lines. 7 (the bar) law a barristers collectively. B profession of barrister. —v. (-rr-) 1 a fasten with a bar or bars. B (usu. Foll. By in, out) shut or keep in or out. 2 obstruct, prevent. 3 (usu. Foll. By from) prohibit, exclude. 4 mark with stripes. —prep. Except. ~ be called to the bar be admitted as barrister. Behind bars in prison. [french]

Bar2  n. Esp. Meteorol. Unit of pressure, 105 newtons per square metre, approx. One atmosphere. [greek baros weight]

Barathea  n. Fine wool cloth. [origin unknown]

Barb  —n. 1 secondary backward-facing projection from an arrow, fish-hook, etc. 2 hurtful remark. 3 fleshy filament at the mouth of some fish. —v. 1 fit with a barb. 2 (as barbed adj.) (of a remark etc.) Deliberately hurtful. [latin barba beard]

Barbarian  —n. 1 uncultured or brutish person. 2 member of a primitive tribe etc. —adj. 1 rough and uncultured. 2 uncivilized. [greek barbaros foreign]

Barbaric  adj. 1 uncultured; brutal, cruel. 2 primitive.

Barbarism  n. 1 barbaric state or act. 2 non-standard word or expression.

Barbarity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 savage cruelty. 2 brutal act.

Barbarous  adj. = +barbaric 1.

Barbecue  —n. 1 a meal cooked over charcoal etc. Out of doors. B party for this. 2 grill etc. Used for this. —v. (-ues, -ued, -uing) cook on a barbecue. [spanish from haitian]

Barbed wire  n. Wire with interwoven sharp spikes, used in fences and barriers.

Barbel  n. 1 freshwater fish with barbs. 2 = +barb n. 3. [latin: related to +barb]

Barbell  n. Iron bar with removable weights at each end, used for weightlifting.

Barber  n. Person who cuts men's hair etc. By profession. [medieval latin barba beard]

Barberry  n. (pl. -ies) 1 shrub with yellow flowers and red berries. 2 its berry. [french berberis]

Barber-shop  n. Colloq. Close harmony singing for four male voices.

Barber's pole  n. Pole with spiral red and white stripes as a barber's sign.

Barbican  n. Outer defence, esp. A double tower above a gate or drawbridge. [french]

Barbie  n. Austral. Slang barbecue. [abbreviation]

Bar billiards  n.pl. Form of billiards with holes in the table.

Barbiturate  n. Soporific or sedative drug from barbituric acid. [german, from the name barbara]

Barbituric acid  n. Organic acid from which barbiturates are derived.

Barbour  n. Propr. Type of green waxed jacket. [barbour, name of a draper]

Barcarole  n. 1 gondoliers' song. 2 music imitating this. [italian barca boat]

Bar code  n. Machine-readable striped code on packaging etc.

Bard  n. 1 poet. Poet. 2 a hist. Celtic minstrel. B prizewinner at an eisteddfod. ~ bardic adj. [celtic]

Bare  —adj. 1 unclothed or uncovered. 2 leafless; unfurnished; empty. 3 plain, unadorned (the bare truth; bare facts). 4 (attrib.) Scanty, just sufficient (a bare majority; bare necessities). —v. (-ring) uncover, reveal (bared his teeth; bared his soul). [old english]

Bareback  adj. & adv. Without a saddle.

Barefaced  adj. Shameless, impudent.

Barefoot  adj. & adv. (also barefooted) wearing nothing on the feet.

Bareheaded  adj. & adv. Wearing nothing on the head.

Barely  adv. 1 scarcely (barely escaped). 2 scantily (barely furnished).

Bargain  —n. 1 a agreement on the terms of a sale etc. B this from the buyer's viewpoint (a bad bargain). 2 cheap thing. —v. (often foll. By with, for) discuss the terms of a sale etc. (bargained with me; bargain for the table). ~ bargain for (or colloq. On) be prepared for; expect. Bargain on rely on. Into the bargain moreover. [french from germanic]

Barge  —n. 1 long flat-bottomed cargo boat on a canal or river. 2 long ornamental pleasure boat. —v. (-ging) 1 (foll. By in, into) a intrude rudely or awkwardly (barged in on him). B collide with (barged into her). 2 (often foll. By around) move clumsily about. [french: related to +barque]

Bargeboard  n. Board fixed to the gable-end of a roof to hide the ends of the roof timbers. [perhaps from medieval latin bargus gallows]

Bargee  n. Person sailing a barge.

Bargepole  n. ~ would not touch with a bargepole refuse to be associated or concerned with.

Baritone  n. 1 a second-lowest adult male singing voice. B singer with this voice. 2 instrument pitched second-lowest in its family. [greek barus heavy, tonos tone]

Barium  n. White soft metallic element. [from +baryta]

Barium meal  n. Mixture swallowed to reveal the abdomen in x-rays.

Bark1  —n. 1 sharp explosive cry of a dog, fox, etc. 2 sound like this. —v. 1 (of a dog etc.) Give a bark. 2 speak or utter sharply or brusquely. 3 colloq. Cough harshly. ~ bark up the wrong tree make false assumptions. [old english]

Bark2  —n. Tough outer skin of tree-trunks, branches, etc. —v. 1 graze (one's shin etc.). 2 strip bark from. [scandinavian]

Barker  n. Tout at an auction, sideshow, etc. [from +bark1]

Barley  n. 1 cereal used as food and in spirits. 2 (also barleycorn) its grain. [old english]

Barley sugar  n. Sweet made from sugar, usu. In twisted sticks.

Barley water  n. Drink made from a boiled barley mixture.

Barm  n. Froth on fermenting malt liquor. [old english]

Barmaid  n. Woman serving in a pub etc.

Barman  n. Man serving in a pub etc.

Bar mitzvah  n. 1 religious initiation ceremony of a jewish boy at 13. 2 boy undergoing this. [hebrew, = son of the commandment]

Barmy  adj. (-ier, -iest) slang crazy, stupid. [from +barm: earlier, = frothy]

Barn  n. Large farm building for storing grain etc. [old english, = barley house]

Barnacle  n. 1 marine crustacean clinging to rocks, ships' bottoms, etc. 2 tenacious attendant or follower. [french or medieval latin]

Barnacle goose  n. Arctic goose.

Barn dance  n. 1 informal gathering for country dancing. 2 a kind of country dance.

Barney  n. (pl. -s) colloq. Noisy quarrel. [perhaps dial.]

Barn-owl  n. A kind of owl frequenting barns.

Barnstorm  v. Tour rural areas as an actor or political campaigner. ~ barnstormer n.

Barnyard  n. Area around a barn.

Barograph  n. Barometer equipped to record its readings. [greek baros weight]

Barometer  n. 1 instrument measuring atmospheric pressure, used in meteorology. 2 anything which reflects change. ~ barometric adj. [related to +barograph]

Baron  n. 1 member of the lowest order of the british or foreign nobility. 2 powerful businessman, entrepreneur, etc. 3 hist. Person holding lands from the sovereign. ~ baronial adj. [medieval latin, = man]

Baroness  n. 1 woman holding the rank of baron. 2 baron's wife or widow.

Baronet  n. Member of the lowest hereditary titled british order. ~ baronetcy n. (pl. -ies).

Baron of beef  n. Double sirloin.

Barony  n. (pl. -ies) domain or rank of a baron.

Baroque  —adj. 1 highly ornate and extravagant in style, esp. Of european art etc. Of the 17th and 18th c. 2 of this period. —n. Baroque style or art. [portuguese, originally = misshapen pearl]

Bar person  n. Barmaid or barman.

Barque  n. 1 sailing-ship with the rear mast fore-and-aft rigged and other masts square-rigged. 2 poet. Boat. [provençal from latin barca]

Barrack1  —n. (usu. In pl., often treated as sing.) 1 housing for soldiers. 2 large bleak building. —v. Lodge (soldiers etc.) In barracks. [italian or spanish]

Barrack2  v. 1 shout or jeer at (players, a speaker, etc.). 2 (foll. By for) cheer for, encourage (a team etc.). [perhaps from australian slang borak banter]

Barracouta  n. (pl. Same or -s) long slender fish of southern oceans. [var. Of +barracuda]

Barracuda  n. (pl. Same or -s) large tropical marine fish. [spanish]

Barrage  n. 1 concentrated artillery bombardment. 2 rapid succession of questions or criticisms. 3 artificial barrier in a river etc. [french barrer +bar1]

Barrage balloon  n. Large anchored balloon used as a defence against low-flying aircraft.

Barratry  n. Fraud or gross negligence by a ship's master or crew. [french barat deceit]

Barre  n. Horizontal bar at waist level, used in dance exercises. [french]

Barré  n. Method of playing a chord on the guitar etc. With a finger laid across the strings at a particular fret. [french barrer bar]

Barrel  —n. 1 cylindrical usu. Convex container. 2 its contents. 3 measure of capacity (30 to 40 gallons). 4 cylindrical tube forming part of an object, e.g. A gun or a pen. —v.

Barrel-organ  n. Mechanical musical instrument with a rotating pin-studded cylinder.

Barren  adj. (-er, -est) 1 a unable to bear young. B (of land, a tree, etc.) Unproductive. 2 unprofitable, dull. ~ barrenness n. [french]

Barricade  —n. Barrier, esp. Improvised. —v. (-ding) block or defend with this. [french barrique cask]

Barrier  n. 1 fence etc. That bars advance or access. 2 obstacle (class barriers). [romanic: related to +bar1]

Barrier cream  n. Protective skin cream.

Barrier reef  n. Coral reef separated from the shore by a channel.

Barring  prep. Except, not including.

Barrister  n. Advocate entitled to practise in the higher courts. [from +bar1: cf. +minister]

Barrow1  n. 1 two-wheeled handcart. 2 = +wheelbarrow. [old english: related to +bear1]

Barrow2  n. Ancient grave-mound. [old english]

Bar sinister  n. = +bend sinister.

Bartender  n. Person serving in a pub etc.

Barter  —v. 1 trade in goods without using money. 2 exchange (goods). —n. Trade by bartering. [perhaps from french]

Baryon  n. Heavy elementary particle (i.e. A nucleon or a hyperon). [greek barus heavy]

Baryta  n. Barium oxide or hydroxide. [from +barytes]

Barytes  n. Mineral form of barium sulphate. [greek barus heavy]

Basal  adj. Of, at, or forming a base.

Basalt  n. A dark volcanic rock. ~ basaltic adj. [latin basaltes from greek]

Base1  —n. 1 a part supporting from beneath or serving as a foundation. B notional support or foundation (power base). 2 principle or starting-point. 3 esp. Mil. Headquarters. 4 main or important ingredient. 5 number in terms of which other numbers or logarithms are expressed. 6 substance capable of combining with an acid to form a salt. 7 baseball etc. Each of the four stations on a pitch. —v. (-sing) 1 (usu. Foll. By on, upon) found or establish (a theory, hope, etc.). 2 station (troops based in malta). [greek basis stepping]

Base2  adj. 1 cowardly, despicable. 2 menial. 3 alloyed (base coin). 4 (of a metal) low in value. [latin bassus]

Baseball  n. 1 game played esp. In the us with a circuit of four bases which batsmen must complete. 2 ball used in this.

Baseless  adj. Unfounded, groundless.

Baseline  n. 1 line used as a base or starting-point. 2 line marking each end of a tennis-court.

Basement  n. Floor of a building below ground level.

Base rate  n. Interest rate set by the bank of england, used as the basis for other banks' rates.

Bases  pl. Of +base1, +basis.

Bash  —v. 1 a strike bluntly or heavily. B (often foll. By up) colloq. Attack violently. C (often foll. By down, in, etc.) Damage or break by striking forcibly. 2 (foll. By into) collide with. —n. 1 heavy blow. 2 slang attempt. [imitative]

Bashful  adj. Shy, diffident. ~ bashfully adv. [as +abashed]

Basic  n. Computer programming language using familiar english words. [beginner's all-purpose symbolic instruction code]

Basic  —adj. 1 serving as a base; fundamental. 2 a simplest or lowest in level (basic pay, needs). B vulgar (basic humour). —n. (usu. In pl.) Fundamental facts or principles. ~ basically adv.

Basic slag  n. Fertilizer containing phosphates formed as a by-product in steel manufacture.

Basil  n. Aromatic herb used as flavouring. [greek basilikos royal]

Basilica  n. 1 ancient roman hall with an apse and colonnades, used as a lawcourt etc. 2 similar building as a christian church. [greek basilike (stoa) royal (portico)]

Basilisk  n. 1 mythical reptile with lethal breath and glance. 2 small american crested lizard. [greek, diminutive of basileus king]

Basin  n. 1 round open vessel for holding liquids or preparing food in. 2 = +wash-basin. 3 hollow depression. 4 sheltered mooring area. 5 round valley. 6 area drained by a river. ~ basinful n. (pl. -s). [medieval latin ba(s)cinus]

Basis  n. (pl. Bases) 1 foundation or support. 2 main principle or ingredient (on a friendly basis). 3 starting-point for a discussion etc. [greek: related to +base1]

Bask  v. 1 relax in warmth and light. 2 (foll. By in) revel in (basking in glory). [old norse: related to +bathe]

Basket  n. 1 container made of interwoven cane, reed, wire, etc. 2 amount held by this. 3 the goal in basketball, or a goal scored. 4 econ. Group or range (of currencies). [french]

Basketball  n. 1 game in which goals are scored by putting the ball through high nets. 2 ball used in this.

Basketry  n. 1 art of weaving cane etc. 2 work so produced.

Basket weave  n. Weave like wickerwork.

Basketwork  n. = +basketry.

Basking shark  n. Large shark which lies near the surface of the sea.

Basque  —n. 1 member of a people of the western pyrenees. 2 their language. —adj. Of the basques or their language. [latin vasco]

Bas-relief  n. Sculpture or carving with figures projecting slightly from the background. [french and italian]

Bass1  —n. 1 a lowest adult male singing voice. B singer with this voice. 2 instrument pitched lowest in its family. 3 colloq. Bass guitar or double-bass. 4 low-frequency output of a radio, record-player, etc. —adj. 1 lowest in musical pitch. 2 deep-sounding. ~ bassist n. (in sense 3). [from +base2 altered after italian basso]

Bass2  n. (pl. Same or -es) 1 common perch. 2 other spiny-finned fish of the perch family. [old english]

Bass clef  n. Clef placing f below middle c on the second highest line of the staff.

Basset  n. (in full basset-hound) sturdy hunting-dog with a long body and short legs. [french diminutive of bas low]

Bass guitar  n. Electric guitar tuned as a double-bass.

Bassinet  n. Child's wicker cradle, usu. Hooded. [french diminutive of bassin +basin]

Basso  n. (pl. -s) singer with a bass voice. [italian, = +bass1]

Bassoon  n. Bass instrument of the oboe family. ~ bassoonist n. [italian: related to +bass1]

Bast  n. Fibre from the inner bark of a tree (esp. The lime). [old english]

Bastard  often offens. —n. 1 person born of an unmarried mother. 2 slang a unpleasant or despicable person. B person of a specified kind (poor, lucky, bastard). 3 slang difficult or awkward thing. —attrib. Adj. 1 illegitimate by birth. 2 unauthorized, counterfeit, hybrid. ~ bastardy n. (in sense 1 of n.). [french from medieval latin]

Bastardize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 corrupt, debase. 2 declare (a person) illegitimate.

Baste1  v. (-ting) 1 moisten (meat) with fat etc. During cooking. 2 beat, thrash. [origin unknown]

Baste2  v. (-ting) sew with large loose stitches, tack. [french from germanic]

Bastinado  —n. Beating with a stick on the soles of the feet. —v. (-es, -ed) punish in this way. [spanish baston stick]

Bastion  n. 1 projecting part of a fortification. 2 thing regarded as protecting (bastion of freedom). [italian bastire build]

Bat1  —n. 1 implement with a handle, used for hitting balls in games. 2 turn with this. 3 batsman. —v. (-tt-) 1 hit with or as with a bat. 2 take a turn at batting. ~ off one's own bat unprompted, unaided. [old english from french]

Bat2  n. Mouselike nocturnal flying mammal. [scandinavian]

Bat3  v. (-tt-) ~ not (or never) bat an eyelid colloq. Show no reaction or emotion. [var. Of obsolete bate flutter]

Batch  —n. 1 group of things or persons considered or dealt with together; instalment. 2 loaves produced at one baking. 3 computing group of records processed as one unit. —v. Arrange or deal with in batches. [related to +bake]

Bated  adj. ~ with bated breath very anxiously. [as +abate]

Bath  —n. (pl. -s) 1 a (usu. Plumbed-in) container for sitting in and washing the body. B its contents. 2 act of washing in it (have a bath). 3 (usu. In pl.) Public building with baths or a swimming-pool. 4 a vessel containing liquid for immersing something, e.g. A film for developing. B its contents. —v. 1 wash (esp. A baby) in a bath. 2 take a bath. [old english]

Bath bun  n. Round spiced bun with currants, often iced. [bath in s. England]

Bath chair  n. Wheelchair for invalids.

Bath cube  n. Cube of soluble substance for scenting or softening bath-water.

Bathe  —v. (-thing) 1 immerse oneself in water, esp. To swim or wash oneself. 2 immerse in, wash, or treat with liquid. 3 (of sunlight etc.) Envelop. —n. Swim. [old english]

Bathhouse  n. Public building with baths.

Bathing-costume  n. (also bathing-suit) garment worn for swimming.

Bathos  n. Lapse in mood from the sublime to the absurd or trivial; anticlimax. ~ bathetic adj. Bathotic adj. [greek, = depth]

Bathrobe  n. Esp. Us dressing-gown, esp. Of towelling.

Bathroom  n. 1 room with a bath, wash-basin, etc. 2 us room with a lavatory.

Bath salts  n.pl. Soluble powder or crystals for scenting or softening bath-water.

Bathyscaphe  n. Manned vessel for deep-sea diving. [greek bathus deep, skaphos ship]

Bathysphere  n. Vessel for deep-sea observation. [greek bathus deep, +sphere]

Batik  n. 1 method of dyeing textiles by applying wax to parts to be left uncoloured. 2 cloth so treated. [javanese, = painted]

Batiste  n. Fine linen or cotton cloth. [french from baptiste, name of the first maker]

Batman  n. Army officer's servant. [bat pack-saddle, from french]

Baton  n. 1 thin stick for conducting an orchestra etc. 2 short stick passed on in a relay race. 3 stick carried by a drum major. 4 staff of office. [french from latin]

Baton round  n. Rubber or plastic bullet.

Batrachian  —n. Amphibian that discards its gills and tail, esp. A frog or toad. —adj. Of batrachians. [greek batrakhos frog]

Bats  predic. Adj. Slang crazy. [originally pl. Of +bat2]

Batsman  n. Person who bats, esp. In cricket.

Battalion  n. 1 army unit usu. Of 300–1000 men. 2 large group with a common aim. [italian battaglia +battle]

Batten1  —n. 1 a long flat strip of squared timber. B horizontal strip of wood to which laths, tiles, etc., are fastened. 2 strip for securing tarpaulin over a ship's hatchway. —v. Strengthen or (often foll. By down) fasten with battens. [french: related to +batter1]

Batten2  v. (foll. By on) thrive at the expense of (another). [old norse]

Battenberg  n. Oblong sponge cake, usu. Of two colours and covered with marzipan. [battenberg in germany]

Batter1  v. 1 a strike hard and repeatedly. B (often foll. By against, at, etc.) Pound insistently (batter at the door). 2 (often in passive) a subject to long-term violence (battered baby, wife). B criticize severely. ~ batterer n. [french battre beat: related to +battle]

Batter2  n. Mixture of flour, egg, and milk or water, used for pancakes etc. [french: related to +batter1]

Battered  adj. Coated in batter and deep-fried.

Battering-ram  n. Hist. Beam used in breaching fortifications.

Battery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 usu. Portable container of an electrically charged cell or cells as a source of current. 2 (often attrib.) Series of cages for the intensive breeding and rearing of poultry or cattle. 3 set of similar units of equipment; series, sequence. 4 emplacement for heavy guns. 5 law unlawful physical violence against a person. [latin: related to +battle]

Battle  —n. 1 prolonged fight between armed forces. 2 difficult struggle; contest (battle for supremacy; battle of wits). —v. (-ling) engage in battle; fight. ~ half the battle key to the success of an undertaking. [latin battuo beat]

Battleaxe  n. 1 large axe used in ancient warfare. 2 colloq. Formidable older woman.

Battlebus  n. Colloq. Bus used by a politician during an election campaign as a mobile centre of operations.

Battle-cruiser  n. Hist. Warship of higher speed and lighter armour than a battleship.

Battle-cry  n. Cry or slogan used in a battle or contest.

Battledore  n. Hist. 1 (in full battledore and shuttlecock) game played with a shuttlecock and rackets. 2 racket used in this. [perhaps from provençal batedor beater]

Battledress  n. Everyday uniform of a soldier.

Battlefield  n. (also battleground) scene of a battle.

Battlement  n. (usu. In pl.) Recessed parapet along the top of a wall, as part of a fortification. [french batailler fortify]

Battle royal  n. 1 battle of many combatants; free fight. 2 heated argument.

Battleship  n. Heavily armoured warship.

Batty  adj. (-ier, -iest) slang crazy. [from +bat2]

Batwing  attrib. Adj. (esp. Of a sleeve) shaped like a bat's wing.

Bauble  n. Showy worthless trinket or toy. [french ba(u)bel toy]

Baulk  (also balk) —v. 1 (often foll. By at) jib, hesitate. 2 a thwart, hinder. B disappoint. 3 miss, let slip (a chance etc.). —n. 1 hindrance; stumbling-block. 2 roughly-squared timber beam. [old english]

Bauxite  n. Claylike mineral, the chief source of aluminium. [french from les baux in s. France]

Bawdy  —adj. (-ier, -iest) humorously indecent. —n. Such talk or writing. [bawd brothel-keeper from french baudetrot]

Bawdy-house  n. Brothel.

Bawl  v. 1 speak or shout noisily. 2 weep loudly. ~ bawl out colloq. Reprimand angrily. [imitative]

Bay1  n. Broad curving inlet of the sea. [spanish bahia]

Bay2  n. 1 laurel with deep green leaves. 2 (in pl.) Bay wreath, for a victor or poet. [latin baca berry]

Bay3  n. 1 recess; alcove in a wall. 2 compartment (bomb bay). 3 area specially allocated (loading bay). [french baer gape]

Bay4  —adj. (esp. Of a horse) dark reddish-brown. —n. Bay horse. [latin badius]

Bay5  —v. Bark or howl loudly and plaintively. —n. Sound of this, esp. Of hounds in close pursuit. ~ at bay cornered, unable to escape. Keep at bay hold off (a pursuer). [french bayer to bark]

Bayberry  n. (pl. -ies) fragrant n. American tree.

Bay-leaf  n. Leaf of the bay-tree, used for flavouring.

Bayonet  —n. 1 stabbing blade attachable to the muzzle of a rifle. 2 electrical fitting pushed into a socket and twisted. —v. (-t-) stab with bayonet. [french, perhaps from bayonne in sw france]

Bay rum  n. Perfume distilled orig. From bayberry leaves in rum.

Bay window  n. Window projecting outwards from a wall.

Bazaar  n. 1 oriental market. 2 fund-raising sale of goods, esp. For charity. [persian]

Bazooka  n. Anti-tank rocket-launcher. [origin unknown]

Bb  abbr. Double-black (pencil-lead).

Bbc  abbr. British broadcasting corporation.

Bc  abbr. British columbia.

Bc  abbr. Before christ.

Bcg  abbr. Bacillus calmette-guérin, an anti-tuberculosis vaccine.

Bd  abbr. Bachelor of divinity.

Bdellium  n. 1 tree yielding resin. 2 this used in perfumes. [latin from greek]

Be  symb. Beryllium.

Be  v. (sing. Present am; are; is; past was; were; pres. Part. Being; past part. Been) 1 exist, live (i think, therefore i am; there is no god). 2 a occur; take place (dinner is at eight).

Bevel  —n. 1 slope from the horizontal or vertical in carpentry etc.; sloping surface or edge. 2 tool for marking angles. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 reduce (a square edge) to a sloping edge. 2 slope at an angle. [french]

Bevel gear  n. Gear working another at an angle to it.

Beverage  n. Formal drink. [latin bibo drink]

Bevy  n. (pl. -ies) company (of quails, larks, women, etc.). [origin unknown]

Bewail  v. Lament; wail over.

Beware  v. (only in imper. Or infin.; often foll. By of) be cautious (of) (beware of the dog; beware the ides of march). [from +be, ware cautious]

Bewilder  v. Perplex, confuse. ~ bewildering adj. Bewilderment n. [from +be-, obsolete wilder lose one's way]

Bewitch  v. 1 enchant. 2 cast a spell on.

Beyond  —prep. 1 at or to the further side of. 2 outside the scope or understanding of (beyond repair; it is beyond me). 3 more than. —adv. 1 at or to the further side. 2 further on. —n. (prec. By the) the unknown after death. [old english: related to +by, +yon]

Bezel  n. 1 sloped edge of a chisel. 2 oblique faces of a cut gem. 3 groove holding a watch-glass or gem. [french]

Bezique  n. Card-game for two. [french]

B.f.  Abbr. 1 colloq. Bloody fool. 2 brought forward.

Bhang  n. Indian hemp used as a narcotic. [portuguese from sanskrit]

B.h.p.  Abbr. Brake horsepower.

Bi  symb. Bismuth.

Bi-  comb. Form forming nouns, adjectives, and verbs, meaning: 1 division into two (biplane; bisect). 2 a occurring twice in every one or once in every two (bi-weekly). B lasting for two (biennial). 3 chem. Substance having a double proportion of what is indicated by the simple word (bicarbonate). 4 bot. & zool. Having divided parts which are themselves similarly divided (bipinnate). [latin]

Biannual  adj. Occurring etc. Twice a year.

Bias  —n. 1 (often foll. By towards, against) predisposition or prejudice. 2 statistics distortion of a statistical result due to a neglected factor. 3 edge cut obliquely across the weave of a fabric. 4 sport a irregular shape given to a bowl. B oblique course this causes it to run. —v. (-s- or -ss-) 1 (esp. As biased adj.) Influence (usu. Unfairly); prejudice. 2 give a bias to. ~ on the bias obliquely, diagonally. [french]

Bias binding  n. Strip of fabric cut obliquely and used to bind edges.

Biathlon  n. Athletic contest in skiing and shooting or cycling and running. [from +bi-, after +pentathlon]

Bib  n. 1 piece of cloth etc. Fastened round a child's neck while eating. 2 top front part of an apron, dungarees, etc. [origin uncertain]

Bib-cock  n. Tap with a bent nozzle. [perhaps from +bib]

Bible  n. 1 a (prec. By the) christian scriptures of old and new testaments. B (bible) copy of these. 2 (bible) colloq. Authoritative book. ~ biblical adj. [greek biblia books]

Bible-bashing  n. (also bible-thumping) slang aggressive fundamentalist preaching. ~ bible-basher n. (also -thumper).

Bibliography  n. (pl. -ies) 1 list of books on a specific subject, by a particular author, etc.; book containing this. 2 the study of books, their authorship, editions, etc. ~ bibliographer n. Bibliographical adj. [greek: related to +bible]

Bibliophile  n. Lover or collector of books.

Bibulous  adj. Tending to drink alcohol. [latin bibo drink]

Bicameral  adj. (of a legislative body) having two chambers. [from +bi-, latin camera chamber]

Bicarb  n. Colloq. = +bicarbonate 2. [abbreviation]

Bicarbonate  n. 1 any acid salt of carbonic acid. 2 (in full bicarbonate of soda) sodium bicarbonate used as an antacid or in baking-powder.

Bicentenary  n. (pl. -ies) 1 two-hundredth anniversary. 2 celebration of this.

Bicentennial  esp. Us —n. Bicentenary. —adj. Occurring every two hundred years.

Biceps  n. (pl. Same) muscle with two heads or attachments, esp. That bending the elbow. [latin caput head]

Bicker  v. Argue pettily. [origin unknown]

Bicuspid  —adj. Having two cusps. —n. The premolar tooth in humans. [from +bi-, +cusp]

Bicycle  —n. Pedal-driven two-wheeled vehicle. —v. (-ling) ride a bicycle. [greek kuklos wheel]

Bid  —v. (-dd-; past bid, archaic bade; past part. Bid, archaic bidden) 1 (past and past part. Bid) a (esp. At an auction) make an offer (of) (bid for the vase; bid £20). B offer a service for a stated price. 2 literary command; invite (bid the soldiers shoot; bade her start). 3 literary utter (a greeting or farewell) to (i bade him welcome). 4 (past and past part. Bid) cards state before play how many tricks one intends to make. —n. 1 act of bidding. 2 amount bid. 3 colloq. Attempt; effort (bid for power). ~ bidder n. [old english]

Biddable  adj. Obedient.

Bidding  n. 1 command, request, or invitation. 2 bids at an auction or in a card-game.

Biddy  n. (pl. -ies) slang woman (esp. Old biddy). [a form of the name bridget]

Bide  v. (-ding) ~ bide one's time wait for a good opportunity. [old english]

Bidet  n. Low basin for sitting on to wash the genital area. [french, = pony]

Biennial  —adj. Lasting, or recurring every, two years. —n. Plant that grows from seed one year and flowers and dies the following. [latin annus year]

Bier  n. Movable frame on which a coffin or corpse rests. [old english]

Biff  slang —n. Sharp blow. —v. Strike (a person). [imitative]

Bifid  adj. Divided by a deep cleft into two parts. [latin findo cleave]

Bifocal  —adj. Having two focuses, esp. Of a lens with a part for distant and a part for near vision. —n. (in pl.) Bifocal spectacles.

Bifurcate  —v. (-ting) fork. —adj. Forked; branched. ~ bifurcation n. [latin furca fork]

Big  —adj. (bigger, biggest) 1 a of considerable size, amount, intensity, etc. B of a large or the largest size (big toe). 2 important (my big day). 3 adult, elder (big sister). 4 colloq. A boastful (big words). B often iron. Generous (big of him). C ambitious (big ideas). 5 (usu. Foll. By with) advanced in pregnancy (big with child). —adv. Colloq. Impressively or grandly (think big). ~ in a big way colloq. With great enthusiasm, display, etc. ~ biggish adj. [origin unknown]

Bigamy  n. (pl. -ies) crime of marrying while still married to another person. ~ bigamist n. Bigamous adj. [greek gamos marriage]

Big apple  n. Us slang new york city.

Big bang theory  n. Theory that the universe began with the explosion of dense matter.

Big brother  n. Supposedly benevolent watchful dictator.

Big end  n. (in a vehicle) end of the connecting-rod, encircling the crankpin.

Big-head  n. Colloq. Conceited person. ~ big-headed adj.

Big-hearted  adj. Generous.

Bight  n. 1 bay, inlet, etc. 2 loop of rope. [old english]

Big money  n. Large amounts of money.

Big noise  n. (also big shot) colloq. = +bigwig.

Bigot  n. Obstinate believer who is intolerant of others. ~ bigoted adj. Bigotry n. [french]

Big stick  n. Colloq. Display of force.

Big time  n. (prec. By the) slang success, esp. In show business. ~ big-timer n.

Big top  n. Main tent in a circus.

Big wheel  n. Ferris wheel.

Bigwig  n. Colloq. Important person.

Bijou  —n. (pl. -x pronunc. Same) jewel; trinket. —attrib. Adj. (bijou) small and elegant. [french]

Bike  colloq. —n. Bicycle or motor cycle. —v. (-king) ride a bike. ~ biker n. [abbreviation]

Bikini  n. (pl. -s) two-piece swimsuit for women. [bikini, pacific atoll]

Bilateral  adj. 1 of, on, or with two sides. 2 affecting or between two parties, countries, etc. ~ bilaterally adv.

Bilberry  n. (pl. -ies) 1 hardy n. European shrub of heaths and mountains. 2 its small dark-blue edible berry. [scandinavian]

Bile  n. 1 bitter digestive fluid secreted by the liver. 2 bad temper; peevish anger. [latin bilis]

Bilge  n. 1 a the almost flat part of a ship's bottom. B (in full bilge-water) filthy water that collects there. 2 slang nonsense. [probably var. Of +bulge]

Bilharzia  n. Chronic tropical disease caused by a parasitic flatworm. [bilharz, name of a physician]

Biliary  adj. Of the bile. [french: related to +bile]

Bilingual  —adj. 1 able to speak two languages. 2 spoken or written in two languages. —n. Bilingual person. ~ bilingualism n. [latin lingua tongue]

Bilious  adj. 1 affected by a disorder of the bile. 2 bad-tempered. [latin: related to +bile]

Bilk  v. Slang 1 cheat. 2 elude. 3 avoid paying (a creditor or debt). [origin uncertain]

Bill  n. Slang = +old bill. [diminutive of william]

Bill1  —n. 1 statement of charges for goods or services. 2 draft of a proposed law. 3 poster, placard. 4 programme of entertainment. 5 us banknote. —v. 1 send a statement of charges to. 2 put in the programme; announce. 3 (foll. By as) advertise as. [medieval latin bulla seal]

Bill2  —n. 1 bird's beak. 2 narrow promontory. —v. (of doves etc.) Stroke bills. ~ bill and coo exchange caresses. [old english]

Bill3  n. 1 hist. Weapon with a hooked blade. 2 = +billhook. [old english]

Billabong  n. (in australia) backwater of a river. [aboriginal]

Billboard  n. Large outdoor advertising hoarding.

Billet1  —n. 1 a place where troops etc. Are lodged. B order to provide this. 2 colloq. Job. —v. (-t-) (usu. Foll. By on, in, at) quarter (soldiers etc.). [anglo-french diminutive of +bill1]

Billet2  n. 1 thick piece of firewood. 2 small metal bar. [french diminutive of bille tree-trunk]

Billet-doux  n. (pl. Billets-doux) often joc. Love-letter. [french, = sweet note]

Billhook  n. Pruning tool with a hooked blade.

Billiards  n. 1 game played on a table, with three balls struck with cues. 2 (billiard) (in comb.) Used in billiards (billiard-ball). [french: related to +billet2]

Billion  adj. & n. (pl. Same or (in sense 3) -s) 1 a thousand million (109). 2 (now less often) a million million (1012). 3 (in pl.) Colloq. A very large number (billions of years). ~ billionth adj. & n. [french]

Billionaire  n. Person who has over a billion pounds, dollars, etc. [after +millionaire]

Bill of exchange  n. Written order to pay a sum of money on a given date to the drawer or to a named payee.

Bill of fare  n. Menu.

Bill of lading  n. Detailed list of a ship's cargo.

Billow  —n. 1 wave. 2 any large mass. —v. Rise, fill, or surge in billows. ~ billowy adj. [old norse]

Billposter  n. (also billsticker) person who pastes up advertisements on hoardings.

Billy1  n. (pl. -ies) (in full billycan) austral. Tin or enamel outdoor cooking-pot. [perhaps from aboriginal billa water]

Billy2  n. (pl. -ies) (in full billy-goat) male goat. [from the name billy]

Bimbo  n. (pl. -s or -es) slang usu. Derog. Attractive but unintelligent young woman. [italian, = little child]

Bimetallic  adj. Using or made of two metals. [french]

Bin  n. Large receptacle for rubbish or storage. [old english]

Binary  —adj. 1 of two parts, dual. 2 of the binary system. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 something having two parts. 2 binary number. [latin bini two together]

Binary star  n. System of two stars orbiting each other.

Binary system  n. System using the digits 0 and 1 to code information, esp. In computing.

Binaural  adj. 1 of or used with both ears. 2 (of sound) recorded using two microphones and usu. Transmitted separately to the two ears. [from +bi-, +aural]

Bind  —v. (past and past part. Bound) 1 tie or fasten tightly. 2 restrain forcibly. 3 (cause to) cohere. 4 compel; impose a duty on. 5 a edge with braid etc. B fasten (the pages of a book) in a cover. 6 constipate. 7 ratify (a bargain, agreement, etc.). 8 (often foll. By up) bandage. —n. Colloq. Nuisance; restriction. ~ bind over law order (a person) to do something, esp. Keep the peace. [old english]

Binder  n. 1 cover for loose papers etc. 2 substance that binds things together. 3 hist. Reaping-machine that binds grain into sheaves. 4 bookbinder.

Bindery  n. (pl. -ies) bookbinder's workshop.

Binding  —n. Thing that binds, esp. The covers, glue, etc., of a book. —adj. Obligatory.

Bindweed  n. 1 convolvulus. 2 honeysuckle or other climber.

Bine  n. 1 twisting stem of a climbing plant, esp. The hop. 2 flexible shoot. [dial. Form of +bind]

Bin end  n. One of the last bottles from a bin of wine, usu. Sold at a reduced price.

Binge  slang —n. Bout of excessive eating, drinking, etc.; spree. —v. (-ging) indulge in a binge. [probably dial., = soak]

Bingo  n. Gambling game in which each player has a card with numbers to be marked off as they are called. [origin uncertain]

Bin-liner  n. Bag for lining a rubbish bin.

Binman  n. Colloq. Dustman.

Binnacle  n. Case for a ship's compass. [latin habitaculum dwelling]

Binocular  adj. For both eyes. [latin bini two together, oculus eye]

Binoculars  n.pl. Instrument with a lens for each eye, for viewing distant objects.

Binomial  —n. Algebraic expression of the sum or the difference of two terms. —adj. Of two terms. [greek nomos part]

Binomial theorem  n. Formula for finding any power of a binomial.

Bint  n. Slang, usu. Offens. Girl or woman. [arabic]

Bio-  comb. Form 1 life (biography). 2 biological; of living things. [greek bios life]

Biochemistry  n. The study of the chemistry of living organisms. ~ biochemical adj. Biochemist n.

Biodegradable  adj. Capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms.

Bioengineering  n. 1 the application of engineering techniques to biological processes. 2 the use of artificial tissues, organs, etc. To replace parts of the body, e.g. Artificial limbs, pacemakers, etc.

Biogenesis  n. 1 hypothesis that a living organism arises only from a similar living organism. 2 synthesis of substances by living organisms.

Biography  n. (pl. -ies) 1 account of a person's life, written usu. By another. 2 these as a literary genre. ~ biographer n. Biographical adj. [french: related to +bio-]

Biological  adj. Of biology or living organisms. ~ biologically adv.

Biological clock  n. Innate mechanism controlling an organism's rhythmic physiological activities.

Biological warfare  n. Use of toxins or micro-organisms against an enemy.

Biology  n. The study of living organisms. ~ biologist n. [german: related to +bio-]

Bionic  adj. Having electronically operated body parts or the resulting superhuman powers. [from +bio- after +electronic]

Bionics  n.pl. (treated as sing.) The study of mechanical systems that function like living organisms.

Biophysics  n.pl. (treated as sing.) Science of the application of the laws of physics to biological phenomena. ~ biophysical adj. Biophysicist n.

Biopsy  n. (pl. -ies) examination of severed tissue for diagnosis. [greek bios life, opsis sight]

Biorhythm  n. Any recurring biological cycle thought to affect one's physical or mental state.

Biosphere  n. Regions of the earth's crust and atmosphere occupied by living things. [german: related to +bio-]

Biosynthesis  n. Production of organic molecules by living organisms. ~ biosynthetic adj.

Biotechnology  n. Branch of technology exploiting biological processes, esp. Using micro-organisms, in industry, medicine, etc.

Biotin  n. Vitamin of the b complex, found in egg-yolk, liver, and yeast. [greek bios life]

Bipartisan  adj. Of or involving two parties.

Bipartite  adj. 1 of two parts. 2 shared by or involving two parties. [latin bipartio divide in two]

Biped  —n. Two-footed animal. —adj. Two-footed. ~ bipedal adj. [latin bipes -edis]

Biplane  n. Aeroplane with two sets of wings, one above the other.

Bipolar  adj. Having two poles or extremities.

Birch  —n. 1 tree with pale hard wood and thin peeling bark, bearing catkins. 2 bundle of birch twigs used for flogging. —v. Beat with a birch. [old english]

Bird  n. 1 two-legged feathered winged vertebrate, egg-laying and usu. Able to fly. 2 slang young woman. 3 slang person. 4 slang prison; prison sentence. ~ a bird in the hand something secured or certain. The birds and the bees euphem. Sexual activity and reproduction. Birds of a feather similar people. For the birds colloq. Trivial, uninteresting. Get the bird slang be rejected, esp. By an audience. [old english]

Bird-bath  n. Basin with water for birds to bathe in.

Birdbrain  n. Colloq. Stupid or flighty person. ~ birdbrained adj.

Birdcage  n. Cage for birds.

Birdie  n. 1 colloq. Little bird. 2 golf hole played in one under par.

Birdlime  n. Sticky substance spread to trap birds.

Bird-nesting  n. Hunting for birds' eggs.

Bird of paradise  n. Bird, the male of which has brilliant plumage.

Bird of passage  n. 1 migrant. 2 habitual traveller.

Bird of prey  n. Bird which hunts animals for food.

Birdseed  n. Blend of seeds for caged birds.

Bird's-eye view  n. Detached view from above.

Birdsong  n. Musical cry of birds.

Bird table  n. Platform on which food for birds is placed.

Bird-watcher  n. Person who observes wild birds as a hobby. ~ bird-watching n.

Biretta  n. Square usu. Black cap worn by roman catholic priests. [latin birrus cape]

Biro  n. (pl. -s) propr. A kind of ball-point pen. [biró, name of its inventor]

Birth  n. 1 emergence of a baby or young from its mother's body. 2 beginning (birth of civilization). 3 a ancestry (of noble birth). B high or noble birth; inherited position. ~ give birth to 1 produce (young). 2 be the cause of. [old norse]

Birth certificate  n. Official document detailing a person's birth.

Birth control  n. Contraception.

Birthday  n. 1 day on which one was born. 2 anniversary of this.

Birthing pool  n. Large bath for giving birth in.

Birthmark  n. Unusual coloured mark on one's body at or from birth.

Birthplace  n. Place where one was born.

Birth rate  n. Number of live births per thousand of population per year.

Birthright  n. Inherited, esp. Property, rights.

Birthstone  n. Gem popularly associated with the month of one's birth.

Biscuit  n. 1 flat thin unleavened cake, usu. Crisp and sweet. 2 fired unglazed pottery. 3 light brown colour. [latin bis twice, coquo cook]

Bisect  v. Divide into two (strictly, equal) parts. ~ bisection n. Bisector n. [from +bi-, latin seco sect- cut]

Bisexual  —adj. 1 feeling or involving sexual attraction to people of both sexes. 2 hermaphrodite. —n. Bisexual person. ~ bisexuality n.

Bishop  n. 1 senior clergyman in charge of a diocese. 2  mitre-shaped chess piece. [greek episkopos overseer]

Bishopric  n. Office or diocese of a bishop.

Bismuth  n. 1 reddish-white metallic element used in alloys etc. 2 compound of it used medicinally. [german]

Bison  n. (pl. Same) wild hump-backed ox of europe or n. America. [latin from germanic]

Bisque1  n. Rich soup, esp. Of lobster. [french]

Bisque2  n. Advantage of one free point or stroke in certain games. [french]

Bisque3  n. = +biscuit 2.

Bister  n. (brit. Bistre) brownish pigment from wood soot. [french]

Bistre  n. (us bister) brownish pigment from wood soot. [french]

Bistro  n. (pl. -s) small informal restaurant. [french]

Bit1  n. 1 small piece or quantity. 2 (prec. By a) fair amount (sold quite a bit). 3 often colloq. Short or small time, distance, or amount (wait a bit; move up a bit; a bit tired; a bit of an idiot). ~ bit by bit gradually. Do one's bit colloq. Make a useful contribution. [old english]

Bit2  past of +bite.

Bit3  n. 1 metal mouthpiece of a bridle. 2 tool or piece for boring or drilling. 3 cutting or gripping part of a plane, pincers, etc. [old english]

Bit4  n. Computing unit of information expressed as a choice between two possibilities. [binary digit]

Bitch  —n. 1 female dog or other canine animal. 2 slang offens. Spiteful woman. 3 slang unpleasant or difficult thing. —v. 1 speak scathingly or spitefully. 2 complain. [old english]

Bitchy  adj. (-ier, -iest) slang spiteful. ~ bitchily adv. Bitchiness n.

Bite  —v. (-ting; past bit; past part. Bitten) 1 cut or puncture with the teeth. 2 (foll. By off, away, etc.) Detach thus. 3 (of an insect etc.) Sting. 4 (of a wheel etc.) Grip, penetrate. 5 accept bait or an inducement. 6 be harsh in effect, esp. Intentionally. 7 (in passive) a swindle. B (foll. By by, with, etc.) Be infected by (enthusiasm etc.). 8 colloq. Worry, perturb. 9 cause smarting pain (biting wind). 10 be sharp or effective (biting wit). 11 (foll. By at) snap at. —n. 1 act of biting. 2 wound etc. Made by biting. 3 a mouthful of food. B snack. 4 taking of bait by a fish. 5 pungency (esp. Of flavour). 6 incisiveness, sharpness. 7 position of the teeth when the jaws are closed. ~ bite the dust slang die. Bite a person's head off colloq. Respond angrily. Bite one's lip repress emotion etc. [old english]

Bit on the side  n. Slang sexual relationship involving infidelity.

Bit part  n. Minor role.

Bitter  —adj. 1 having a sharp pungent taste; not sweet. 2 causing, showing, or feeling mental pain or resentment (bitter memories). 3 a harsh; virulent (bitter animosity). B piercingly cold. —n. 1 beer flavoured with hops and tasting slightly bitter. 2 (in pl.) Liquor flavoured esp. With wormwood, used in cocktails. ~ to the bitter end to the very end in spite of difficulties. ~ bitterly adv. Bitterness n. [old english]

Bittern  n. Wading bird of the heron family. [french butor from latin butio]

Bitter-sweet  —adj. Sweet with a bitter aftertaste. —n. 1 such sweetness. 2 = +woody nightshade.

Bitty  adj. (-ier, -iest) made up of bits; scrappy.

Bitumen  n. Tarlike mixture of hydrocarbons derived from petroleum. [latin]

Bituminous  adj. Of or like bitumen.

Bituminous coal  n. Coal burning with a smoky flame.

Bivalve  —n. Aquatic mollusc with a hinged double shell, e.g. The oyster and mussel. —adj. With such a shell.

Bivouac  —n. Temporary open encampment without tents. —v. (-ck-) make, or camp in, a bivouac. [french, probably from german]

Biz  n. Colloq. Business. [abbreviation]

Bizarre  adj. Strange; eccentric; grotesque. [french]

Bk  symb. Berkelium.

Bl  abbr. British library.

Blab  v. (-bb-) 1 talk foolishly or indiscreetly. 2 reveal (a secret etc.); confess. [imitative]

Blabber  —n. (also blabbermouth) person who blabs. —v. (often foll. By on) talk foolishly or inconsequentially.

Black  —adj. 1 reflecting no light, colourless from lack of light (like coal or soot); completely dark. 2 (black) of the human group with dark-coloured skin, esp. African. 3 (of the sky etc.) Heavily overcast. 4 angry; gloomy (black look, mood). 5 implying disgrace etc. (in his black books). 6 wicked, sinister, deadly. 7 portending trouble (things look black). 8 comic but sinister (black comedy). 9 (of tea or coffee) without milk. 10 (of industrial labour or its products) boycotted, esp. By a trade union, in a strike etc. —n. 1 black colour or pigment. 2 black clothes or material (dressed in black). 3 a (in a game) black piece, ball, etc. B player of this. 4 credit side of an account (in the black).

Black  —adj. 1 reflecting no light, colourless from lack of light (like coal or soot); completely dark. 2 (black) of the human group with dark-coloured skin, esp. African. 3 (of the sky etc.) Heavily overcast. 4 angry; gloomy (black look, mood). 5 implying disgrace etc. (in his black books). 6 wicked, sinister, deadly. 7 portending trouble (things look black). 8 comic but sinister (black comedy). 9 (of tea or coffee) without milk. 10 (of industrial labour or its products) boycotted, esp. By a trade union, in a strike etc. —n. 1 black colour or pigment. 2 black clothes or material (dressed in black). 3 a (in a game) black piece, ball, etc. B player of this. 4 credit side of an account (in the black). 5 (black) member of a dark-skinned race, esp. An african. —v. 1 make black (blacked his boots). 2 declare (goods etc.) ‘black’. ~ black out 1 effect a blackout on. 2 undergo a blackout. [old english]

Black and blue  adj. Bruised.

Black and white  —n. Writing or printing (in black and white). —adj. 1 (of a film etc.) Monochrome. 2 consisting of extremes only, oversimplified.

Black art  n. = +black magic.

Blackball  v. Reject (a candidate) in a ballot.

Black beetle  n. The common cockroach.

Black belt  n. 1 highest grade of proficiency in judo, karate, etc. 2 holder of this grade, entitled to wear a black belt.

Blackberry  n. (pl. -ies) black fleshy edible fruit of the bramble.

Blackbird  n. Common thrush of which the male is black with an orange beak.

Blackboard  n. Board with a smooth dark surface for writing on with chalk.

Black box  n. Flight-recorder.

Blackcap  n. Small warbler, the male of which has a black-topped head.

Black country  n. (prec. By the) industrial area of the midlands.

Blackcurrant  n. 1 cultivated flowering shrub. 2 its small dark edible berry.

Black death  n. (prec. By the) 14th-c. Plague in europe.

Black economy  n. Unofficial and untaxed trade.

Blacken  v. 1 make or become black or dark. 2 defame, slander.

Black eye  n. Bruised skin around the eye.

Black flag  n. Flag of piracy.

Blackfly  n. 1 dark coloured thrips or aphid. 2 these collectively.

Black forest gateau  n. Chocolate sponge with cherries and whipped cream.

Black friar  n. Dominican friar.

Blackguard n. Villain, scoundrel. ~ blackguardly adj. [originally = menial]

Blackhead  n. Black-topped pimple on the skin.

Black hole  n. Region of space from which matter and radiation cannot escape.

Black ice  n. Thin hard transparent ice on a road etc.

Blacking  n. Black polish, esp. For shoes.

Blackjack  n. = +pontoon1.

Blacklead  n. Graphite.

Blackleg  —n. Derog. Person refusing to join a strike etc. —v. (-gg-) act as a blackleg.

Blacklist  —n. List of people in disfavour etc. —v. Put on a blacklist.

Black magic  n. Magic supposed to invoke evil spirits.

Blackmail  —n. 1 a extortion of payment in return for silence. B payment so extorted. 2 use of threats or moral pressure. —v. 1 (try to) extort money etc. From by blackmail. 2 threaten, coerce. ~ blackmailer n. [obsolete mail rent]

Black maria  n. Slang police van.

Black mark  n. Mark of discredit.

Black market  n. Illicit trade in rationed, prohibited, or scarce commodities. ~ black marketeer n.

Black mass  n. Travesty of the mass, in worship of satan.

Blackout  n. 1 temporary loss of consciousness or memory. 2 loss of electric power, radio reception, etc. 3 compulsory darkness as a precaution against air raids. 4 temporary suppression of news. 5 sudden darkening of a theatre stage.

Black pepper  n. Pepper made by grinding the whole dried pepper berry including the outer husk.

Black power  n. Movement for black rights and political power.

Black pudding  n. Sausage of pork, dried pig's blood, suet, etc.

Black rod  n. Principal usher of the house of lords etc.

Black sheep  n. Colloq. Member of a family, group, etc. Regarded as a disgrace or failure.

Blackshirt  n. Hist.member of a fascist organization.

Blacksmith  n. Smith who works in iron.

Black spot  n. 1 place of danger or trouble. 2 plant disease producing black spots.

Black tea  n. Tea that is fully fermented before drying.

Blackthorn  n. Thorny shrub bearing white blossom and sloes.

Black tie  n. 1 black bow-tie worn with a dinner jacket. 2 colloq. Man's formal evening dress.

Black velvet  n. Mixture of stout and champagne.

Black watch  n. (prec. By the) royal highland regiment.

Black widow  n. Venomous spider of which the female devours the male.

Bladder  n. 1 a sac in some animals, esp. That holding urine. B this adapted for various uses. 2 inflated blister in seaweed etc. [old english]

Bladderwrack  n. Brown seaweed with air bladders.

Blade  n. 1 cutting part of a knife etc. 2 flattened part of an oar, propeller, etc. 3 a flat narrow leaf of grass etc. B broad thin part of a leaf. 4 flat bone, e.g. In the shoulder. [old english]

Blame  —v. (-ming) 1 assign fault or responsibility to. 2 (foll. By on) fix responsibility for (an error etc.) On (blamed it on his brother). —n. 1 responsibility for an error etc. 2 blaming or attributing of responsibility (got all the blame). ~ be to blame be responsible; deserve censure. ~ blameable adj. Blameless adj. Blameworthy adj. [french: related to +blaspheme]

Blanch  v. 1 make or become white or pale. 2 a peel (almonds etc.) By scalding. B immerse (vegetables etc.) Briefly in boiling water. 3 whiten (a plant) by depriving it of light. [french: related to +blank]

Blancmange  n. Sweet opaque jelly of flavoured cornflour and milk. [french, = white food]

Bland  adj. 1 a mild, not irritating. B tasteless; insipid. 2 gentle in manner; suave. ~ blandly adv. Blandness n. [latin blandus smooth]

Blandish  v. Flatter; coax. ~ blandishment n. (usu. In pl.). [latin: related to +bland]

Blank  —adj. 1 a (of paper) not written or printed on. B (of a document) with spaces left for a signature or details. 2 a empty (blank space). B unrelieved (blank wall). 3 a without interest, result, or expression (blank face). B having (temporarily) no knowledge etc. (mind went blank). 4 complete (a blank refusal; blank despair). —n. 1 a unfilled space, esp. In a document. B document having blank spaces. 2 (in full blank cartridge) cartridge containing gunpowder but no bullet. 3 dash written instead of a word or letter. —v. (usu. Foll. By off, out) screen, obscure. ~ draw a blank get no response; fail. ~ blankly adv. Blankness n. [french blanc white, from germanic]

Blank cheque  n. 1 cheque left for the payee to fill in. 2 colloq. Unlimited freedom of action.

Blanket  —n. 1 large esp. Woollen sheet used as a bed-covering etc. 2 thick covering mass or layer. —attrib. Adj. Covering everything; inclusive. —v. (-t-) 1 cover. 2 stifle, suppress. [french: related to +blank]

Blanket bath  n. Body wash given to a bedridden patient.

Blanket stitch  n. Stitch used to finish the edges of a blanket etc.

Blank verse  n. Unrhymed verse, esp. Iambic pentameters.

Blare  —v. (-ring) 1 sound or utter loudly. 2 make the sound of a trumpet. —n. Blaring sound. [low german or dutch, imitative]

Blarney  —n. Cajoling talk; flattery. —v. (-eys, -eyed) flatter, cajole. [blarney, castle near cork]

Blasé  adj. Bored or indifferent through over-familiarity. [french]

Blaspheme  v. (-ming) 1 use religious names irreverently; treat a religious or sacred subject irreverently. 2 talk irreverently about; use blasphemy against. [greek blasphemeo]

Blasphemy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 irreverent talk or treatment of a religious or sacred thing. 2 instance of this. ~ blasphemous adj.

Blast  —n. 1 strong gust of air. 2 a explosion. B destructive wave of air from this. 3 loud note from a wind instrument, car horn, etc. 4 colloq. Severe reprimand. —v. 1 blow up with explosives. 2 wither, blight (blasted oak; blasted her hopes). 3 (cause to) make a loud noise. —int. Expressing annoyance. ~ at full blast colloq. At maximum volume, speed, etc. Blast off take off from a launching site. [old english]

Blasted  colloq. —attrib. Adj. Damned; annoying. —adv. Damned; extremely.

Blast-furnace  n. Smelting furnace into which hot air is driven.

Blast-off  n. Launching of a rocket etc.

Blatant  adj. 1 flagrant, unashamed. 2 loudly obtrusive. ~ blatantly adv. [coined by spenser]

Blather  (also blether) —n. Foolish talk. —v. Talk foolishly. [old norse]

Blaze1  —n. 1 bright flame or fire. 2 violent outburst (of passion etc.). 3 brilliant display (blaze of scarlet, of glory). —v. (-zing) 1 burn or shine brightly or fiercely. 2 be consumed with anger, excitement, etc. ~ blaze away (often foll. By at) 1 shoot continuously. 2 work vigorously. [old english, = torch]

Blaze2  —n. 1 white mark on an animal's face. 2 mark cut on a tree, esp. To show a route. —v. (-zing) mark (a tree or a path) with blazes. ~ blaze a trail show the way for others. [origin uncertain]

Blazer  n. Jacket without matching trousers, esp. Lightweight and often part of a uniform. [from +blaze1]

Blazon  —v. 1 proclaim (esp. Blazon abroad). 2 heraldry describe or paint (arms). —n. Heraldry shield or coat of arms. ~ blazonment n. Blazonry n. [french, originally = shield]

Bleach  —v. Whiten in sunlight or by a chemical process. —n. Bleaching substance or process. [old english]

Bleak  adj. 1 exposed, windswept. 2 dreary, grim. [old norse]

Bleary  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 dim; blurred. 2 indistinct. [low german]

Bleary-eyed  adj. Having dim sight.

Bleat  —v. 1 (of a sheep, goat, or calf) make a wavering cry. 2 (often foll. By out) speak or say plaintively. —n. Bleating cry. [old english]

Bleed  —v. (past and past part. Bled) 1 emit blood. 2 draw blood from surgically. 3 colloq. Extort money from. 4 (often foll. By for) suffer wounds or violent death. 5 a emit sap. B (of dye) come out in water. 6 empty (a system) of excess air or fluid. —n. Act of bleeding. ~ one's heart bleeds usu. Iron. One is very sorrowful. [old english]

Bleeder  n. Coarse slang unpleasant or contemptible person.

Bleeding  adj. & adv. Coarse slang expressing annoyance or antipathy.

Bleep  —n. Intermittent high-pitched electronic sound. —v. 1 make a bleep. 2 summon with a bleeper. [imitative]

Bleeper  n. Small electronic device bleeping to contact the carrier.

Blemish  —n. Flaw, defect, or stain. —v. Spoil, mark, or stain. [french]

Blench  v. Flinch, quail. [old english]

Blend  —v. 1 mix together as required. 2 become one. 3 (often foll. By with, in) mingle; mix thoroughly. 4 (esp. Of colours) merge imperceptibly; harmonize. —n. Mixture. [old norse]

Blender  n. Machine for liquidizing, chopping, or puréeing food.

Blenny  n. (pl. -ies) small spiny-finned scaleless marine fish. [greek blennos mucus]

Bless  v. (past and past part. Blessed, poet. Blest) 1 ask god to look favourably on, esp. By making the sign of the cross over. 2 consecrate (food etc.). 3 glorify (god). 4 attribute one's good luck to (stars etc.); thank. 5 (usu. In passive) make happy or successful (blessed with children). ~ bless me (or my soul) exclamation of surprise etc. Bless you! Exclamation of endearment, gratitude, etc., or to a person who has just sneezed. [old english]

Blessed  adj. (also poet. Blest) 1 holy. 2 euphem. Cursed (blessed nuisance!). 3 rc ch. Beatified. ~ blessedness n.

Blessing  n. 1 invocation of (esp. Divine) favour. 2 grace said at a meal. 3 benefit.

Blether  var. Of +blather.

Blew  past of +blow1.

Blight  —n. 1 plant disease caused by insects etc. 2 such an insect etc. 3 harmful or destructive force. 4 ugly urban area. —v. 1 affect with blight. 2 harm, destroy. 3 spoil. [origin unknown]

Blighter  n. Colloq. Contemptible or annoying person.

Blighty  n. Mil. Slang england; home. [hindustani, = foreign]

Blimey  int. Coarse slang expression of surprise, contempt, etc. [(god) blind me!]

Blimp  n. 1 (also (colonel) blimp) reactionary person. 2 small non-rigid airship. 3 soundproof cover for a cine-camera. [origin uncertain]

Blind  —adj. 1 lacking the power of sight. 2 a without adequate foresight, discernment, or information (blind effort). B (often foll. By to) unwilling or unable to appreciate a factor etc. (blind to argument). 3 not governed by purpose or reason (blind forces). 4 reckless (blind hitting). 5 a concealed (blind ditch). B closed at one end. 6 (of flying) using instruments only. 7 cookery (of a flan case etc.) Baked without a filling. —v. 1 deprive of sight. 2 rob of judgement; deceive; overawe. 3 slang go recklessly. —n. 1 screen for a window; awning. 2 thing used to hide the truth. 3 obstruction to sight or light. —adv. Blindly. ~ blindly adv. Blindness n. [old english]

Blind alley  n. 1 alley closed at one end. 2 futile course.

Blind date  n. Colloq. Date between two people who have not previously met.

Blind drunk  adj. Colloq. Extremely drunk.

Blindfold  —v. Cover the eyes of (a person) with a tied cloth etc. —n. Cloth etc. So used. —adj. & adv. 1 with eyes covered. 2 without due care. [originally blindfelled = struck blind]

Blind man's buff  n. Game in which a blindfold player tries to catch others.

Blind spot  n. 1 point on the retina insensitive to light. 2 area where vision or understanding is lacking.

Blindworm  n. = +slow-worm.

Blink  —v. 1 shut and open the eyes quickly. 2 (often foll. By back) prevent (tears) by blinking. 3 shine unsteadily, flicker. —n. 1 act of blinking. 2 momentary gleam or glimpse. ~ blink at 1 look at while blinking. 2 ignore, shirk. On the blink slang not working properly; out of order. [dutch, var. Of +blench]

Blinker  —n. 1 (usu. In pl.) Each of two screens on a bridle preventing lateral vision. 2 device that blinks. —v. 1 obscure with blinkers. 2 (as blinkered adj.) Having narrow and prejudiced views.

Blinking  adj. & adv. Slang expressing annoyance etc. (it's blinking stupid).

Blip  —n. 1 minor deviation or error. 2 quick popping sound. 3 small image on a radar screen. —v. (-pp-) make a blip. [imitative]

Bliss  n. 1 perfect joy. 2 being in heaven. ~ blissful adj. Blissfully adv. [old english]

Blister  —n. 1 small bubble on the skin filled with watery fluid and caused by heat or friction. 2 similar swelling on plastic, wood, etc. —v. 1 come up in blisters. 2 raise a blister on. 3 attack sharply. [origin uncertain]

Blithe  adj. 1 cheerful, happy. 2 careless, casual. ~ blithely adv. [old english]

Blithering  attrib. Adj. Colloq. Hopeless; contemptible (esp. In blithering idiot). [blither, var. Of +blather]

Blitt.  Abbr. Bachelor of letters. [latin baccalaureus litterarum]

Blitz  colloq. —n. 1 a intensive or sudden (esp. Aerial) attack. B intensive period of work etc. (must have a blitz on this room). 2 (the blitz) german air raids on london in 1940. —v. Inflict a blitz on. [abbreviation of +blitzkrieg]

Blitzkrieg  n. Intense military campaign intended to bring about a swift victory. [german, = lightning war]

Blizzard  n. Severe snowstorm. [origin unknown]

Bloat  v. 1 inflate, swell. 2 (as bloated adj.) Inflated with pride, wealth, or food. 3 cure (a herring) by salting and smoking lightly. [old norse]

Bloater  n. Bloated herring.

Blob  n. Small drop or spot. [imitative]

Bloc  n. Group of governments etc. Sharing a common purpose. [french: related to +block]

Block  —n. 1 solid piece of hard material, esp. Stone or wood. 2 this as a base for chopping etc., as a stand, or for mounting a horse from. 3 a large building, esp. When subdivided. B group of buildings between streets. 4 obstruction. 5 two or more pulleys mounted in a case. 6 piece of wood or metal engraved for printing. 7 slang head. 8 (often attrib.) Number of things as a unit, e.g. Shares, theatre seats (block booking). 9 sheets of paper glued along one edge. —v. 1 a (often foll. By up) obstruct. B impede. 2 restrict the use of. 3 cricket stop (a ball) with a bat defensively. ~ block in 1 sketch roughly; plan. 2 confine. Block out 1 shut out (light, noise, a memory, view, etc.). 2 sketch roughly; plan. Block up confine; enclose. [low german or dutch]

Blockade  —n. Surrounding or blocking of a place by an enemy to prevent entry and exit. —v. (-ding) subject to a blockade.

Blockage  n. Obstruction.

Block and tackle  n. System of pulleys and ropes, esp. For lifting.

Blockbuster  n. Slang 1 thing of great power, esp. A very successful film, book, etc. 2 highly destructive bomb.

Block capitals  n.pl. (also block letters) letters printed without serifs, or written with each letter separate and in capitals.

Blockhead  n. Stupid person.

Blockhouse  n. 1 reinforced concrete shelter. 2 hist. Small fort of timber.

Block vote  n. Vote proportional in power to the number of people a delegate represents.

Bloke  n. Slang man, fellow. [shelta]

Blond  (of a woman usu. Blonde) —adj. (of a person, hair, or complexion) light-coloured, fair. —n. Blond person. [latin blondus yellow]

Blood  —n. 1 usu. Red fluid circulating in the arteries and veins of animals. 2 bloodshed, esp. Killing. 3 passion, temperament. 4 race, descent, parentage (of the same blood). 5 relationship; relations (blood is thicker than water). 6 dandy. —v. 1 give (a hound) a first taste of blood. 2 initiate (a person). ~ in one's blood inherent in one's character. [old english]

Blood bank  n. Store of blood for transfusion.

Blood bath  n. Massacre.

Blood count  n. Number of corpuscles in a specific amount of blood.

Blood-curdling  adj. Horrifying.

Blood donor  n. Person giving blood for transfusion.

Blood group  n. Any of the types of human blood.

Blood-heat  n. Normal human temperature, about 37 °c or 98.4 °f.

Bloodhound  n. Large keen-scented dog used in tracking.

Bloodless  adj. 1 without blood or bloodshed. 2 unemotional. 3 pale. 4 feeble.

Blood-letting  n. Surgical removal of blood.

Blood-money  n. 1 money paid as compensation for a death. 2 money paid to a killer.

Blood orange  n. Red-fleshed orange.

Blood-poisoning  n. Diseased condition caused by micro-organisms in the blood.

Blood pressure  n. Pressure of the blood in the arteries etc., measured for diagnosis.

Blood relation  n. (also blood relative) relative by birth.

Bloodshed  n. Killing.

Bloodshot  adj. (of an eyeball) inflamed.

Blood sport  n. Sport involving the killing or wounding of animals.

Bloodstain  n. Stain caused by blood. ~ bloodstained adj.

Bloodstream  n. Blood in circulation.

Bloodsucker  n. 1 leech. 2 extortioner. ~ bloodsucking adj.

Blood sugar  n. Amount of glucose in the blood.

Blood test  n. Examination of blood, esp. For diagnosis.

Bloodthirsty  adj. (-ier, -iest) eager for bloodshed.

Blood-vessel  n. Vein, artery, or capillary carrying blood.

Bloody  —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 of, like, running with, or smeared with blood. 2 a involving bloodshed. B bloodthirsty, cruel. 3 coarse slang expressing annoyance or antipathy, or as an intensifier (bloody fool; a bloody sight better). 4 red. —adv. Coarse slang as an intensifier (bloody awful). —v. (-ies, -ied) stain with blood.

Bloody mary  n. Mixture of vodka and tomato juice.

Bloody-minded  adj. Colloq. Deliberately uncooperative.

Bloom  —n. 1 a flower, esp. Cultivated. B state of flowering (in bloom). 2 one's prime (in full bloom). 3 a healthy glow of the complexion. B fine powder on fresh fruit and leaves. —v. 1 bear flowers; be in flower. 2 be in one's prime; flourish. [old norse]

Bloomer1  n. 1 slang blunder. 2 plant that blooms in a specified way.

Bloomer2  n. Long loaf with diagonal marks. [origin uncertain]

Bloomers  n.pl. 1 women's long loose knickers. 2 hist. Women's loose knee-length trousers. [mrs a. Bloomer, name of the originator]

Blooming  —adj. 1 flourishing; healthy. 2 slang an intensifier (blooming miracle). —adv. Slang an intensifier (blooming difficult).

Blossom  —n. 1 flower or mass of flowers, esp. Of a fruit-tree. 2 promising stage (blossom of youth). —v. 1 open into flower. 2 mature, thrive. [old english]

Blot  —n. 1 spot or stain of ink etc. 2 disgraceful act or quality. 3 blemish. —v. (-tt-) 1 make a blot on, stain. 2 dry with blotting-paper. ~ blot one's copybook damage one's reputation. Blot out 1 obliterate. 2 obscure (a view, sound, etc.). [probably scandinavian]

Blotch  —n. 1 discoloured or inflamed patch on the skin. 2 irregular patch of colour. —v. Cover with blotches. ~ blotchy adj. (-ier, -iest). [obsolete plotch, +blot]

Blotter  n. Pad of blotting-paper.

Blotting-paper  n. Absorbent paper for drying wet ink.

Blotto  adj. Slang very drunk. [origin uncertain]

Blouse  —n. 1 woman's garment like a shirt. 2 upper part of a military uniform. —v. (-sing) make (a bodice etc.) Full like a blouse. [french]

Blouson  n. Short blouse-shaped jacket. [french]

Blow1  —v. (past blew; past part. Blown) 1 direct a current of air (at) esp. From the mouth. 2 drive or be driven by blowing (blew the door open). 3 (esp. Of the wind) move rapidly. 4 expel by breathing (blew smoke). 5 sound or be sounded by blowing. 6 (past part. Blowed) slang (esp. In imper.) Curse, confound (i'm blowed if i know; blow it!). 7 clear (the nose) by blowing. 8 puff, pant. 9 slang depart suddenly (from). 10 shatter etc. By an explosion. 11 make or shape (glass or a bubble) by blowing. 12 a melt from overloading (the fuse has blown). B break or burst suddenly. 13 (of a whale) eject air and water. 14 break into with explosives. 15 slang a squander (blew £20). B bungle (an opportunity etc.). C reveal (a secret etc.). —n. 1 act of blowing. 2 a gust of wind or air. B exposure to fresh air. ~ be blowed if one will colloq. Be unwilling to. Blow a gasket slang lose one's temper. Blow hot and cold colloq. Vacillate. Blow in 1 break inwards by an explosion. 2 colloq. Arrive unexpectedly. Blow a person's mind slang cause to have hallucinations etc.; astound. Blow off 1 escape or allow (steam etc.) To escape forcibly. 2 slang break wind noisily. Blow out 1 extinguish by blowing. 2 send outwards by an explosion. Blow over (of trouble etc.) Fade away. Blow one's top colloq. Explode in rage. Blow up 1 explode. 2 colloq. Rebuke strongly. 3 inflate (a tyre etc.). 4 colloq. A enlarge (a photograph). B exaggerate. 5 colloq. Arise, happen. 6 colloq. Lose one's temper. [old english]

Blow2  n. 1 hard stroke with a hand or weapon. 2 sudden shock or misfortune. [origin unknown]

Blow-by-blow  attrib. Adj. (of a narrative etc.) Detailed.

Blow-dry  —v. Arrange (the hair) while drying it. —n. Act of doing this.

Blower  n. 1 device for blowing. 2 colloq. Telephone.

Blowfly  n. Bluebottle.

Blow-hole  n. 1 nostril of a whale. 2 hole (esp. In ice) for breathing or fishing through. 3 vent for air, smoke, etc.

Blow-job  n. Coarse slang instance of fellatio or cunnilingus.

Blowlamp  n. Device with a very hot flame for burning off paint, plumbing, etc.

Blown  past part. Of +blow1.

Blow-out  n. Colloq. 1 burst tyre. 2 melted fuse. 3 huge meal.

Blowpipe  n. 1 tube for blowing air through, esp. To intensify a flame or to blow glass. 2 tube for propelling poisoned darts etc. By blowing.

Blowtorch  n. Us = +blowlamp.

Blow-up  n. 1 colloq. Enlargement (of a photograph etc.). 2 explosion.

Blowy  adj. (-ier, -iest) windy.

Blowzy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 coarse-looking; red-faced. 2 slovenly. [obsolete blowze beggar's wench]

Blub  v. (-bb-) slang sob. [shortening of +blubber]

Blubber  —n. Whale fat. —v. 1 sob loudly. 2 sob out (words). —adj. Swollen, thick. [probably imitative]

Bludgeon  —n. Heavy club. —v. 1 beat with this. 2 coerce. [origin unknown]

Blue  —adj. (bluer, bluest) 1 having the colour of a clear sky. 2 sad, depressed. 3 pornographic (a blue film). 4 politically conservative. —n. 1 blue colour or pigment. 2 blue clothes or material (dressed in blue). 3 person who represents a university in a sport, esp. Oxford or cambridge. 4 conservative party supporter. —v. (blues, blued, bluing or blueing) 1 make blue. 2 slang squander. ~ once in a blue moon very rarely. Out of the blue unexpectedly. [french from germanic]

Blue baby  n. Baby with a blue complexion due to a congenital heart defect.

Bluebell  n. Woodland plant with bell-shaped blue flowers.

Blueberry  n. (pl. -ies) small blue-black edible fruit of various plants.

Blue blood  n. Noble birth.

Blue book  n. Report issued by parliament or the privy council.

Bluebottle  n. Large buzzing fly; blowfly.

Blue cheese  n. Cheese with veins of blue mould.

Blue-collar  attrib. Adj. (of a worker or work) manual; industrial.

Blue-eyed boy  n. Colloq. Favourite.

Blue funk  n. Colloq. Terror or panic.

Bluegrass  n. A kind of instrumental country-and-western music.

Blue-pencil  v. Censor or cut (a manuscript, film, etc.).

Blue peter  n. Blue flag with a white square flown by a ship about to leave port.

Blueprint  n. 1 photographic print of plans in white on a blue background. 2 detailed plan.

Blue rinse  n. Bluish dye for grey hair.

Blues  n.pl. 1 (prec. By the) bout of depression. 2 a (prec. By the; often treated as sing.) Melancholic music of black american origin, usu. In a twelve-bar sequence. B (pl. Same) (as sing.) Piece of such music (played a blues).

Bluestocking  n. Usu. Derog. Intellectual or literary woman. [18th-c. Blue stocking society]

Blue tit  n. Common tit with a blue crest.

Blue whale  n. Rorqual, the largest known living mammal.

Bluff1  —v. Pretend strength, confidence, etc. —n. Act of bluffing. ~ call a person's bluff challenge a person to prove a claim. [dutch bluffen brag]

Bluff2  —adj. 1 blunt, frank, hearty. 2 vertical or steep and broad in front. —n. Steep cliff or headland. [origin unknown]

Bluish  adj. Fairly blue.

Blunder  —n. Serious or foolish mistake. —v. 1 make a blunder. 2 move clumsily; stumble. [probably scandinavian]

Blunderbuss  n. Hist. Short large-bored gun. [dutch donderbus thunder gun]

Blunt  —adj. 1 not sharp or pointed. 2 direct, outspoken. —v. Make blunt or less sharp. ~ bluntly adv. (in sense 2 of adj.). Bluntness n. [probably scandinavian]

Blur  —v. (-rr-) make or become unclear or less distinct; smear. —n. Blurred object, sound, memory, etc. [perhaps related to +bleary]

Blurb  n. Promotional description, esp. Of a book. [coined by g. Burgess 1907]

Blurt  v. (usu. Foll. By out) utter abruptly, thoughtlessly, or tactlessly. [imitative]

Blush  —v. 1 a become pink in the face from embarrassment or shame. B (of the face) redden thus. 2 feel embarrassed or ashamed. 3 redden. —n. 1 act of blushing. 2 pink tinge. [old english]

Blusher  n. Rouge.

Bluster  —v. 1 behave pompously or boisterously. 2 (of the wind etc.) Blow fiercely. —n. Bombastic talk; empty threats. ~ blustery adj. [imitative]

Bm  abbr. 1 british museum. 2 bachelor of medicine.

Bma  abbr. British medical association.

B.mus.  Abbr. Bachelor of music.

Bmx  n. 1 organized bicycle-racing on a dirt-track. 2 bicycle used for this. [abbreviation of bicycle moto-cross]

Bo  abbr. Colloq. Body odour.

Boa  n. 1 large snake which kills by crushing and suffocating. 2 long stole of feathers or fur. [latin]

Boa constrictor  n. Species of boa.

Boar  n. 1 male wild pig. 2 uncastrated male pig. [old english]

Board  —n. 1 a flat thin piece of sawn timber, usu. Long and narrow. B material resembling this, of compressed fibres. C thin slab of wood etc. D thick stiff card used in bookbinding. 2 provision of regular meals, usu. With accommodation, for payment. 3 directors of a company; official administrative body. 4 (in pl.) Stage of a theatre. 5 side of a ship. —v. 1 go on board (a ship, train, etc.). 2 receive, or provide with, meals and usu. Lodging. 3 (usu. Foll. By up) cover with boards; seal or close. ~ go by the board be neglected or discarded. On board on or on to a ship, aircraft, oil rig, etc. Take on board consider, take notice of; accept. [old english]

Boarder  n. 1 person who boards, esp. At a boarding-school. 2 person who boards a ship, esp. An enemy.

Board-game  n. Game played on a board.

Boarding-house  n. Unlicensed establishment providing board and lodging, esp. To holiday-makers.

Boarding-school  n. School in which pupils live in term-time.

Boardroom  n. Room in which a board of directors etc. Meets regularly.

Boast  —v. 1 declare one's virtues, wealth, etc. With excessive pride. 2 own or have with pride (hotel boasts a ballroom). —n. 1 act of boasting. 2 thing one is proud of. [anglo-french]

Boastful  adj. Given to boasting. ~ boastfully adv.

Boat  —n. 1 small vessel propelled on water by an engine, oars, or sails. 2 any ship. 3 long low jug for sauce etc. —v. Go in a boat, esp. For pleasure. ~ in the same boat having the same problems. [old english]

Boater  n. Flat-topped straw hat with a brim.

Boat-hook  n. Long hooked pole for moving boats.

Boat-house  n. Waterside shed for housing boats.

Boating  n. Rowing or sailing as recreation.

Boatman  n. Person who hires out boats or provides transport by boat.

Boat people  n.pl. Refugees travelling by sea.

Boatswain  n. (also bosun, bo'sun) ship's officer in charge of equipment and crew.

Boat-train  n. Train scheduled to meet or go on a boat.

Bob1  —v. (-bb-) 1 move quickly up and down. 2 (usu. Foll. By back, up) bounce or emerge buoyantly or suddenly. 3 cut (the hair) in a bob. 4 curtsy. —n. 1 jerking or bouncing movement, esp. Upward. 2 hairstyle with the hair hanging evenly above the shoulders. 3 weight on a pendulum etc. 4 horse's docked tail. 5 curtsy. [imitative]

Bob2  n. (pl. Same) hist. Slang shilling (now = 5 pence). [origin unknown]

Bob3  n. ~ bob's your uncle slang expression of completion or success. [pet form of robert]

Bobbin  n. Spool or reel for thread etc. [french]

Bobble  n. Small woolly ball on a hat etc. [diminutive of +bob1]

Bobby  n. (pl. -ies) colloq. Police officer. [sir robert peel, 19th-c. Statesman]

Bob-sled  n. Us = +bob-sleigh.

Bob-sleigh  —n. Mechanically-steered and -braked racing sledge. —v. Race in a bob-sleigh.

Bobtail  n. 1 docked tail. 2 horse or dog with this.

Boche  n. Slang derog. German, esp. A soldier. [french]

Bod  n. Colloq. Person. [shortening of +body]

Bode  v. (-ding) be a sign of, portend. ~ bode well (or ill) be a good (or bad) sign. [old english]

Bodega  n. Cellar or shop selling wine. [spanish]

Bodge  var. Of +botch.

Bodice  n. 1 part of a woman's dress above the waist. 2 woman's vest-like undergarment. [originally pair of bodies]

Bodily  —adj. Of the body. —adv. 1 as a whole body (threw them bodily). 2 in the flesh, in person.

Bodkin  n. Blunt thick needle for drawing tape etc. Through a hem. [origin uncertain]

Body  n. (pl. -ies) 1 whole physical structure, including the bones, flesh, and organs, of a person or an animal, whether dead or alive. 2 = +trunk 2. 3 main or central part; bulk or majority (body of opinion). 4 a group regarded as a unit. B (usu. Foll. By of) collection (body of facts). 5 quantity (body of water). 6 piece of matter (heavenly body). 7 colloq. Person. 8 full or substantial quality of flavour, tone, etc. ~ in a body all together. [old english]

Body-blow  n. Severe setback.

Body-building  n. Exercises to enlarge and strengthen the muscles.

Bodyguard  n. Person or group escorting and protecting another.

Body language  n. Communication through gestures and poses.

Body odour  n. Smell of the human body, esp. When unpleasant.

Body politic  n. Nation or state as a corporate body.

Body shop  n. Workshop where bodywork is repaired.

Body stocking  n. Woman's undergarment covering the torso.

Bodysuit  n. Close-fitting all-in-one garment for women, worn esp. For sport.

Bodywork  n. Outer shell of a vehicle.

Boer  —n. South african of dutch descent. —adj. Of the boers. [dutch, = farmer]

Boffin  n. Colloq. Research scientist. [origin unknown]

Bog  —n. 1 a wet spongy ground. B stretch of this. 2 slang lavatory. —v. (-gg-) (foll. By down; usu. In passive) impede (bogged down by snow). ~ boggy adj. (-ier, -iest). [irish or gaelic bogach]

Bogey1  n. (pl. -eys) golf 1 score of one stroke more than par at any hole. 2 (formerly) par. [perhaps from bogey, as an imaginary player]

Bogey2  n. (also bogy) (pl. -eys or -ies) 1 evil or mischievous spirit; devil. 2 awkward thing. 3 slang piece of dried nasal mucus. [originally (old) bogey the devil]

Bogeyman  n. (also bogyman) frightening person etc.

Boggle  v. (-ling) colloq. Be startled or baffled (esp. The mind boggles). [probably dial. Boggle +bogey2]

Bogie  n. Wheeled undercarriage below a locomotive etc. [origin unknown]

Bogus  adj. Sham, spurious. [origin unknown]

Bogy  var. Of +bogey2.

Bogyman  var. Of +bogeyman.

Bohemian  —n. 1 native of bohemia, a czech. 2 (also bohemian) socially unconventional person, esp. An artist or writer. —adj. 1 of bohemia or its people. 2 (also bohemian) socially unconventional. ~ bohemianism n. [bohemia, part of czechoslovakia]

Boil1  —v. 1 a (of a liquid) start to bubble up and turn into vapour on reaching a certain temperature. B (of a vessel) contain boiling liquid (kettle is boiling). 2 a bring to boiling point. B cook in boiling liquid. C subject to boiling water, e.g. To clean. 3 a move or seethe like boiling water. B be very angry. —n. Act or process of boiling; boiling-point (on the boil; bring to the boil). ~ boil down 1 reduce in volume by boiling. 2 reduce to essentials. 3 (foll. By to) amount to. Boil over 1 spill over in boiling. 2 lose one's temper. [latin bullio to bubble]

Boil2  n. Inflamed pus-filled swelling under the skin. [old english]

Boiler  n. 1 apparatus for heating a hot-water supply. 2 tank for heating water or turning it to steam. 3 tub for boiling laundry etc. 4 fowl etc. For boiling.

Boiler-room  n. Room with a boiler and other heating equipment, esp. In a basement.

Boiler suit  n. Protective outer garment of trousers and jacket in one.

Boiling  adj. Colloq. Very hot.

Boiling point  n. 1 temperature at which a liquid begins to boil. 2 great excitement.

Boisterous  adj. 1 noisily exuberant, rough. 2 (of the sea etc.) Stormy. [origin unknown]

Bold  adj. 1 confidently assertive; adventurous, brave. 2 impudent. 3 vivid (bold colours). ~ make (or be) so bold as to presume to; venture to. ~ boldly adv. Boldness n. [old english]

Bole  n. Trunk of a tree. [old norse]

Bolero  n. (pl. -s) 1  spanish dance, or the music for it, in triple time. 2  woman's short open jacket. [spanish]

Boll  n. Round seed-vessel of cotton, flax, etc. [dutch]

Bollard  n. 1 short post in the road, esp. On a traffic island. 2 short post on a quay or ship for securing a rope. [perhaps related to +bole]

Bollocking  n. (also ballocking) coarse slang severe reprimand.

Bollocks  n. (also ballocks) coarse slang 1 (usu. As int.) Nonsense. 2 testicles. [old english: related to +ball1]

Boloney  n. (also baloney) slang nonsense. [origin uncertain]

Bolshevik  —n. 1 hist. Member of the radical faction of the russian social democratic party becoming the communist party in 1918. 2 russian communist. 3 any revolutionary socialist. —adj. 1 of the bolsheviks. 2 communist. ~ bolshevism n. Bolshevist n. [russian, = member of the majority]

Bolshie  (also bolshy) slang —adj. (usu. Bolshie) 1 uncooperative; bad-tempered. 2 left-wing. —n. (pl. -ies) bolshevik. [abbreviation]

Bolster  —n. Long cylindrical pillow. —v. (usu. Foll. By up) encourage, support, prop up. [old english]

Bolt1  —n. 1 sliding bar and socket used to fasten a door etc. 2 large metal pin with a thread, usu. Used with a nut, to hold things together. 3 discharge of lightning. 4 act of bolting. —v. 1 fasten with a bolt. 2 (foll. By in, out) keep (a person etc.) In or out by bolting a door. 3 fasten together with bolts. 4 a dash off suddenly. B (of a horse) suddenly gallop out of control. 5 gulp down (food) unchewed. 6 (of a plant) run to seed. —adv. (usu. In bolt upright) rigidly, stiffly. ~ bolt from the blue complete surprise. [old english]

Bolt2  v. (also boult) sift (flour etc.). [french]

Bolt-hole  n. Means of escape.

Bomb  —n. 1 container filled with explosive, incendiary material, etc., designed to explode and cause damage. 2 (prec. By the) the atomic or hydrogen bomb. 3 slang large sum of money (cost a bomb). —v. 1 attack with bombs; drop bombs on. 2 (usu. Foll. By along, off) colloq. Go very quickly. ~ like a bomb colloq. 1 very successfully. 2 very fast. [greek bombos hum]

Bombard  v. 1 attack with heavy guns or bombs etc. 2 (often foll. By with) question or abuse persistently. 3 physics direct a stream of high-speed particles at. ~ bombardment n. [latin: related to +bomb]

Bombardier  n. 1 non-commissioned officer in the artillery. 2 us crew member in an aircraft who aims and releases bombs.

Bombast  n. Pompous language; hyperbole. ~ bombastic adj. [earlier bombace cotton wool]

Bombay duck  n. Dried fish as a relish, esp. With curry. [corruption of bombil, native name of fish]

Bombazine  n. Twilled worsted dress-material. [greek bombux silk]

Bomber  n. 1 aircraft equipped to drop bombs. 2 person using bombs, esp. Illegally.

Bomber jacket  n. Jacket gathered at the waist and cuffs.

Bombshell  n. 1 overwhelming surprise or disappointment. 2 artillery bomb. 3 slang very attractive woman.

Bomb-site  n. Area where bombs have caused destruction.

Bona fide  —adj. Genuine; sincere. —adv. Genuinely; sincerely. [latin]

Bonanza  n. 1 source of wealth or prosperity. 2 large output (esp. Of a mine). [spanish, = fair weather]

Bon-bon  n. Sweet. [french bon good]

Bond  —n. 1 thing or force that unites or (usu. In pl.) Restrains. 2 binding agreement. 3 commerce certificate issued by a government or a company promising to repay borrowed money at a fixed rate of interest. 4 adhesiveness. 5 law deed binding a person to make payment to another. 6 chem. Linkage between atoms in a molecule. —v. 1 hold or tie together. 2 connect or reinforce with a bond. 3 place (goods) in bond.

Bondage  n. 1 slavery. 2 subjection to constraint etc. 3 sexual practices involving constraint. [anglo-latin: related to +bondsman]

Bonded  adj. 1 stored in or for storing in bond (bonded whisky, warehouse). 2 (of a debt) secured by bonds.

Bond paper  n. High-quality writing-paper.

Bondsman  n. Serf, slave. [old english bonda husbandman]

Bone  —n. 1 any piece of hard tissue making up the skeleton in vertebrates. 2 (in pl.) A skeleton, esp. As remains. B body. 3 material of bones or similar material, e.g. Ivory. 4 thing made of bone. 5 (in pl.) Essentials (the bones of an agreement). 6 strip of stiffening in a corset etc. —v. (-ning) 1 remove the bones from. 2 stiffen with bone etc. ~ bone up (often foll. By on) colloq. Study intensively. Have a bone to pick (usu. Foll. By with) have cause for dispute (with a person). Make no bones about 1 be frank about. 2 not hesitate or scruple. ~ boneless adj. [old english]

Bone china  n. Fine china made of clay mixed with bone ash.

Bone-dry  adj. Completely dry.

Bone-idle  adj. Utterly idle.

Bone-marrow  n. = +marrow 2.

Bone-meal  n. Crushed bones, esp. As a fertilizer.

Bone of contention  n. Source of dispute.

Boneshaker  n. Decrepit or uncomfortable old vehicle.

Bonfire  n. Large open-air fire, esp. For burning rubbish. [from +bone (because bones were once used), +fire]

Bongo  n. (pl. -s or -es) either of a pair of small drums usu. Held between the knees and played with the fingers. [american spanish]

Bonhomie  n. Good-natured friendliness. [french]

Bonk  —v. 1 bang, bump. 2 coarse slang have sexual intercourse (with). —n. Instance of bonking (bonk on the head). [imitative]

Bonkers  predic. Adj. Slang crazy. [origin unknown]

Bon mot  n. (pl. Bons mots) witty saying. [french]

Bonnet  n. 1 a hat tied under the chin, worn esp. By babies. B scotsman's floppy beret. 2 hinged cover over a vehicle's engine. [french]

Bonny  adj. (-ier, -iest) esp. Scot. & n.engl. 1 a physically attractive. B healthy-looking. 2 good, pleasant. [perhaps from french bon good]

Bonsai  n. (pl. Same) 1 dwarfed tree or shrub. 2 art of growing these. [japanese]

Bonus  n. Extra benefit or payment. [latin, = good]

Bon vivant  n. (pl. Bon or bons vivants pronunc. Same) person fond of good food and drink. [french]

Bon voyage  int. Expression of good wishes to a departing traveller. [french]

Bony  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 thin with prominent bones. 2 having many bones. 3 of or like bone. ~ boniness n.

Boo  —int. 1 expression of disapproval etc. 2 sound intended to surprise. —n. Utterance of boo, esp. To a performer etc. —v. (boos, booed) 1 utter boos. 2 jeer at by booing. [imitative]

Boob1  colloq. —n. 1 silly mistake. 2 foolish person. —v. Make a silly mistake. [shortening of +booby]

Boob2  n. Slang woman's breast. [origin uncertain]

Booby  n. (pl. -ies) stupid or childish person. [spanish bobo]

Booby prize  n. Prize given for coming last.

Booby trap  n. 1 practical joke in the form of a trap. 2 disguised explosive device triggered by the unknowing victim.

Boodle  n. Slang money, esp. Gained or used dishonestly. [dutch boedel possessions]

Boogie  v. (-ies, -ied, -ieing) slang dance to pop music.

Boogie-woogie  n. Style of playing blues or jazz on the piano. [origin unknown]

Book  —n. 1 a written or printed work with pages bound along one side. B work intended for publication. 2 bound blank sheets for notes, records, etc. 3 bound set of tickets, stamps, matches, etc. 4 (in pl.) Set of records or accounts. 5 main division of a large literary work. 6 telephone directory. 7 colloq. Magazine. 8 libretto, script, etc. 9 record of bets. —v. 1 a (also absol.) Reserve (a seat etc.) In advance. B engage (an entertainer etc.). 2 a take the personal details of (an offender or rule-breaker). B enter in a book or list. ~ book in register at a hotel etc. Book up 1 buy tickets in advance. 2 (as booked up) with all places reserved. Bring to book call to account. Go by the book proceed by the rules. In a person's good (or bad) books in (or out of) favour with a person. [old english]

Bookbinder  n. Person who binds books for a living. ~ bookbinding n.

Bookcase  n. Cabinet of shelves for books.

Book club  n. Society in which selected books are available cheaply.

Book-end  n. Prop used to keep books upright.

Bookie  n. Colloq. = +bookmaker. [abbreviation]

Booking  n. Reservation or engagement.

Booking-hall  n. (also booking-office) ticket office at a railway station etc.

Bookish  adj. 1 studious; fond of reading. 2 having knowledge mainly from books.

Bookkeeper  n. Person who keeps accounts, esp. For a living. ~ bookkeeping n.

Booklet  n. Small book usu. With a paper cover.

Bookmaker  n. Professional taker of bets. ~ bookmaking n.

Bookmark  n. Thing used to mark a reader's place.

Book-plate  n. Decorative personalized label stuck in a book.

Bookseller  n. Dealer in books.

Bookshop  n. Shop selling books.

Bookstall  n. Stand selling books, newspapers, etc.

Book token  n. Voucher exchangeable for books.

Bookworm  n. 1 colloq. Devoted reader. 2 larva feeding on the paper and glue in books.

Boolean  adj. Denoting a system of algebraic notation to represent logical propositions. [boole, name of a mathematician]

Boolean logic  n. Use of ‘and’, ‘or’, and ‘not’ in retrieving information from a database.

Boom1  —n. Deep resonant sound. —v. Make or speak with a boom. [imitative]

Boom2  —n. Period of economic prosperity or activity. —v. Be suddenly prosperous. [perhaps from +boom1]

Boom3  n. 1 pivoted spar to which a sail is attached. 2 long pole carrying a microphone, camera, etc. 3 barrier across a harbour etc. [dutch, = +beam]

Boomerang  —n. 1 flat v-shaped hardwood missile used esp. By australian aboriginals, able to return to its thrower. 2 plan that recoils on its originator. —v. (of a plan etc.) Backfire. [aboriginal]

Boon1  n. Advantage; blessing. [old norse]

Boon2  adj. Intimate, favourite (usu. Boon companion). [french bon from latin bonus good]

Boor  n. Ill-mannered person. ~ boorish adj. [low german or dutch]

Boost  colloq. —v. 1 promote or encourage. 2 increase, assist. 3 push from below. —n. Act or result of boosting. [origin unknown]

Booster  n. 1 device for increasing power or voltage. 2 auxiliary engine or rocket for initial speed. 3 dose, injection, etc. Renewing the effect of an earlier one.

Boot1  —n. 1 outer foot-covering reaching above the ankle. 2 luggage compartment of a car. 3 colloq. A firm kick. B (prec. By the) dismissal (got the boot). —v. 1 kick. 2 (often foll. By out) eject forcefully. 3 (usu. Foll. By up) make (a computer) ready. ~ put the boot in 1 kick brutally. 2 harm a person. [old norse]

Boot2  n. ~ to boot as well, in addition. [old english]

Bootblack  n. Us person who polishes boots and shoes.

Bootee  n. Baby's soft shoe.

Booth  n. 1 small temporary structure used esp. As a market stall. 2 enclosure for telephoning, voting, etc. 3 cubicle in a restaurant etc. [old norse]

Bootleg  —adj. (esp. Of alcohol) smuggled, illicit. —v. (-gg-) illicitly make or deal in (alcohol etc.). ~ bootlegger n.

Bootlicker  n. Colloq. Toady.

Boots  n. Hotel servant who cleans shoes etc.

Bootstrap  n. Loop used to pull a boot on. ~ pull oneself up by one's bootstraps better oneself.

Booty  n. 1 loot, spoil. 2 colloq. Prize or gain. [german]

Booze  colloq. —n. Alcoholic drink. —v. (-zing) drink alcohol, esp. To excess. ~ boozy adj. (-ier, -iest). [dutch]

Boozer  n. Colloq. 1 habitual drinker. 2 public house.

Booze-up  n. Slang drinking bout.

Bop1  colloq. —n. 1 a spell of dancing, esp. To pop music. B social occasion for this. 2 = +bebop. —v. (-pp-) dance, esp. To pop music. ~ bopper n. [abbreviation]

Bop2  colloq. —v. (-pp-) hit or punch, esp. Lightly. —n. Esp. Light blow or hit. [imitative]

Boracic  adj. Of borax.

Boracic acid  n. = +boric acid.

Borage  n. Plant with leaves used as flavouring. [french ultimately from arabic]

Borax  n. Salt used in making glass and china, and as an antiseptic. [french ultimately from persian]

Bordeaux  n. (pl. Same) wine (esp. Red) from the bordeaux district in sw france.

Border  —n. 1 edge or boundary, or the part near it. 2 a line or region separating two countries. B (the border) boundary between scotland and england (usu. The borders), or n. Ireland and the irish republic. 3 esp. Ornamental strip round an edge. 4 long narrow flower-bed (herbaceous border). —v. 1 be a border to. 2 provide with a border. 3 (usu. Foll. By on, upon) a adjoin; come close to being. B resemble. [french from germanic: related to +board]

Border collie  n. Sheepdog of the north country.

Borderer  n. Person living near a border.

Borderland  n. 1 district near a border. 2 condition between two extremes. 3 area for debate.

Borderline  —n. 1 line dividing two conditions. 2 line marking a boundary. —adj. 1 on the borderline. 2 barely acceptable.

Border terrier  n. Small rough-haired terrier.

Bore1  —v. (-ring) 1 make (a hole), esp. With a revolving tool. 2 make a hole in, hollow out. —n. 1 hollow of a firearm barrel or of a cylinder in an internal-combustion engine. 2 diameter of this. 3 deep hole made esp. To find water. [old english]

Bore2  —n. Tiresome or dull person or thing. —v. (-ring) weary by tedious talk or dullness. ~ bored adj. Boring adj. [origin unknown]

Bore3  n. High tidal wave in an estuary. [scandinavian]

Bore4  past of +bear1.

Boredom  n. State of being bored. [from +bore2]

Boric acid  n. Acid derived from borax, used as an antiseptic.

Born  adj. 1 existing as a result of birth. 2 a of natural ability or quality (a born leader). B (usu. Foll. By to + infin.) Destined (born lucky; born to be king). 3 (in comb.) Of a certain status by birth (french-born; well-born). [past part. Of +bear1] 

Born-again  attrib. Adj. Converted (esp. To fundamentalist christianity).

Borne  past part. Of +bear1. —adj. (in comb.) Carried by (airborne).

Boron  n. Non-metallic usu. Crystalline element. [from +borax, after carbon]

Borough  n. 1 a town represented in the house of commons. B town or district granted the status of a borough. 2 hist. Town with a municipal corporation conferred by a royal charter. [old english]

Borrow  v. 1 a acquire temporarily, promising or intending to return. B obtain money thus. 2 use (another's idea, invention, etc.); plagiarize. ~ borrower n. [old english]

Borstal  n. Hist. Residential institution for youth custody. [borstal in kent]

Usage  this term has now been replaced by detention centre and youth custody centre.

Bortsch  n. Russian soup of beetroot, cabbage, etc. [russian]

Borzoi  n. Large silky-coated dog. [russian, = swift]

Bosh  n. & int. Slang nonsense. [turkish, = empty]

Bosom  n. 1 a person's (esp. Woman's) breast. B colloq. Each of a woman's breasts. C enclosure formed by the breast and arms. 2 emotional centre (bosom of one's family). [old english]

Bosom friend  n. Intimate friend.

Boss1  colloq. —n. Employer, manager, or supervisor. —v. (usu. Foll. By about, around) give orders to; order about. [dutch baas]

Boss2  n. 1 round knob, stud, etc., esp. On the centre of a shield. 2 archit. Ornamental carving etc. At the junction of the ribs in a vault. [french]

Bossa nova  n. 1 dance like the samba. 2 music for this. [portuguese, = new flair]

Boss-eyed  adj. Colloq. 1 cross-eyed; blind in one eye. 2 crooked. [boss = bad shot, origin unknown]

Bossy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Domineering. ~ bossiness n.

Bosun  (also bo'sun) var. Of +boatswain.

Botany  n. The study of plants. ~ botanic adj. Botanical adj. Botanist n. [greek botane plant]

Botch  (also bodge) —v. 1 bungle; do badly. 2 patch clumsily. —n. Bungled or spoilt work. [origin unknown]

Both  —adj. & pron. The two, not only one (both boys; both the boys; both of the boys; i like both). —adv. With equal truth in two cases (is both hot and dry). [old norse]

Bother  —v. 1 trouble; worry, disturb. 2 (often foll. By about, with, or to + infin.) Take the time or trouble (didn't bother to tell me; shan't bother with dessert). —n. 1 a person or thing that bothers. B minor nuisance. 2 trouble, worry. —int. Expressing irritation. [irish bodhraim deafen]

Botheration  n. & int. Colloq. = +bother n., int.

Bothersome  adj. Causing bother.

Bottle  —n. 1 container, esp. Glass or plastic, for storing liquid. 2 amount filling it. 3 baby's feeding-bottle. 4 = +hot-water bottle. 5 metal cylinder for liquefied gas. 6 slang courage. —v. (-ling) 1 put into, or preserve in, bottles or jars. 2 (foll. By up) conceal or restrain (esp. A feeling). ~ hit the bottle slang drink heavily. [medieval latin: related to +butt4]

Bottle bank  n. Place for depositing bottles for recycling.

Bottle-feed  v. Feed (a baby) from a bottle as opposed to the breast.

Bottle green  adj. & n. (as adj. Often hyphenated) dark green.

Bottleneck  n. 1 narrow congested area, esp. On a road. 2 impeding thing.

Bottlenose dolphin  n. Dolphin with a bottle-shaped snout.

Bottle party  n. Party to which guests bring bottles of drink.

Bottom  —n. 1 a lowest point or part. B base. C underneath part. D furthest or inmost part. 2 colloq. A buttocks. B seat of a chair etc. 3 a less honourable end of a table, class, etc. B person occupying this (he's bottom of the class). 4 ground below water. 5 basis or origin. 6 essential character. —adj. Lowest, last. —v. 1 put a bottom to (a chair etc.). 2 find the extent of. 3 touch the bottom or lowest point (of). ~ at bottom basically. Be at the bottom of have caused. Bottom out reach the lowest level. Get to the bottom of fully investigate and explain. [old english]

Bottom drawer  n. Linen etc. Stored by a woman for marriage.

Bottomless  adj. 1 without a bottom. 2 inexhaustible.

Bottom line  n. Colloq. Underlying truth; ultimate, esp. Financial, criterion.

Botulism  n. Poisoning caused by a bacillus in badly preserved food. [latin botulus sausage]

Bouclé  n. 1 looped or curled yarn (esp. Wool). 2 fabric made of this. [french, = curled]

Boudoir  n. Woman's private room. [french bouder sulk]

Bouffant  adj. (of a dress, hair, etc.) Puffed out. [french]

Bougainvillaea  n. Tropical plant with large coloured bracts. [bougainville, name of a navigator]

Bough  n. Main branch of a tree. [old english]

Bought  past and past part. Of +buy.

Bouillon  n. Clear broth. [french bouillir to boil]

Boulder  n. Large smooth rock. [scandinavian]

Boule  n. (also boules pronunc. Same) french form of bowls played on rough ground. [french]

Boulevard  n. 1 broad tree-lined avenue. 2 esp. Us broad main road. [french from german]

Boult  var. Of +bolt2.

Bounce  —v. (-cing) 1 (cause to) rebound. 2 slang (of a cheque) be returned by a bank when there are no funds to meet it. 3 (foll. By about, up, in, out, etc.) Jump, move, or rush boisterously. —n. 1 a rebound. B power of rebounding. 2 colloq. A swagger, self-confidence. B liveliness. ~ bounce back recover well after a setback. ~ bouncy adj. (-ier, -iest). [imitative]

Bouncer  n. 1 slang doorman ejecting troublemakers from a dancehall, club, etc. 2 = +bumper 3.

Bouncing  adj. (esp. Of a baby) big and healthy.

Bound1  —v. 1 spring, leap. 2 (of a ball etc.) Bounce. —n. 1 springy leap. 2 bounce. [french bondir from latin bombus hum]

Bound2  —n. (usu. In pl.) 1 limitation; restriction. 2 border, boundary. —v. 1 limit. 2 be the boundary of. ~ out of bounds outside a permitted area. [french from medieval latin]

Bound3  adj. 1 (usu. Foll. By for) starting or having started (bound for stardom). 2 (in comb.) In a specified direction (northbound). [old norse, = ready]

Bound4  past and past part. Of +bind. ~ bound to certain to (he's bound to come). Bound up with closely associated with.

Boundary  n. (pl. -ies) 1 line marking the limits of an area etc. 2 cricket hit crossing the limits of the field, scoring 4 or 6 runs. [related to +bound2]

Bounden duty  n. Formal solemn responsibility. [archaic past part. Of +bind]

Bounder  n. Colloq. Cad.

Boundless  adj. Unlimited.

Bounteous  adj. Poet. = +bountiful. [french: related to +bounty]

Bountiful  adj. 1 generous. 2 ample.

Bounty  n. (pl. -ies) 1 generosity. 2 reward, esp. From the state. 3 gift. [french from latin bonus good]

Bouquet  n. 1 bunch of flowers, esp. Professionally arranged. 2 scent of wine etc. 3 compliment. [french bois wood]

Bouquet garni  n. (pl. Bouquets garnis) bunch or bag of herbs for seasoning.

Bourbon  n. Us whisky from maize and rye. [bourbon county, kentucky]

Bourgeois  often derog. —adj. 1 a conventionally middle-class. B materialistic. 2 capitalist. —n. (pl. Same) bourgeois person. [french]

Bourgeoisie  n. 1 capitalist class. 2 middle class. [french]

Bourn  n. Small stream. [var. Of +burn2]

Bourse  n. 1 (bourse) paris stock exchange. 2 money-market. [french: related to +purse]

Bout  n. 1 (often foll. By of) a spell (of work or activity). B attack (bout of flu). 2 wrestling- or boxing-match. [obsolete bought bending]

Boutique  n. Small shop selling esp. Fashionable clothes. [french]

Bouzouki  n. (pl. -s) greek form of mandolin. [modern greek]

Bovine  adj. 1 of cattle. 2 stupid, dull. [latin bos ox]

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy  see +bse.

Bow1  —n. 1 a slip-knot with a double loop. B ribbon etc. So tied. 2 curved piece of wood etc. With a string stretched across its ends, for shooting arrows. 3 rod with horsehair stretched along its length, for playing the violin etc. 4 shallow curve or bend; thing of this form. —v. (also absol.) Use a bow on (a violin etc.). [old english]

Bow2  —v. 1 incline the head or body, esp. In greeting or acknowledgement. 2 submit (bowed to the inevitable). 3 cause (the head etc.) To incline. —n. Act of bowing. ~ bow and scrape toady. Bow down 1 bend or kneel esp. In submission or reverence. 2 make stoop; crush (bowed down by care). Bow out 1 exit (esp. Formally). 2 withdraw; retire. Take a bow acknowledge applause. [old english]

Bow3  n. 1 (often in pl.) Front end of a boat. 2 rower nearest this. [low german or dutch: related to +bough]

Bowdlerize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) expurgate (a book etc.). ~ bowdlerization n. [bowdler, name of an expurgator of shakespeare]

Bowel  n. 1 (often in pl.) = +intestine. 2 (in pl.) Innermost parts. [latin botulus sausage]

Bower  n. 1 arbour; summer-house. 2 poet. Inner room. [old english, = dwelling]

Bowerbird  n. Australasian bird, the male of which constructs elaborate runs.

Bowie  n. (in full bowie knife) a kind of long hunting-knife. [bowie, name of an american soldier]

Bowl1  n. 1 a usu. Round deep basin for food or liquid. B contents of a bowl. 2 hollow part of a tobacco-pipe, spoon, etc. ~ bowlful n. (pl. -s). [old english]

Bowl2  —n. 1 hard heavy ball, made with a bias to run in a curve. 2 (in pl.; usu. Treated as sing.) Game played with these on grass. 3 spell or turn of bowling in cricket. —v. 1 a roll (a ball etc.). B play bowls. 2 (also absol.) Cricket etc. A deliver (a ball, over, etc.). B (often foll. By out) dismiss (a batsman) by knocking down the wicket with a ball. 3 (often foll. By along) go along rapidly. ~ bowl out cricket etc. Dismiss (a batsman or a side). Bowl over 1 knock down. 2 colloq. Impress greatly, overwhelm. [latin bulla bubble]

Bow-legs  n.pl. Bandy legs. ~ bow-legged adj.

Bowler1  n. 1 cricket etc. Player who bowls. 2 bowls-player.

Bowler2  n. (in full bowler hat) man's hard round felt hat. [bowler, name of a hatter]

Bowline  n. 1 rope from a ship's bow keeping the sail taut against the wind. 2 knot forming a non-slipping loop at the end of a rope.

Bowling  n. The game of skittles, tenpin bowling, or bowls.

Bowling-alley  n. 1 long enclosure for skittles or tenpin bowling. 2 building with these.

Bowling-green  n. Lawn for playing bowls.

Bowman  n. Archer.

Bowsprit  n. Spar running forward from a ship's bow.

Bowstring  n. String of an archer's bow.

Bow-tie  n. Necktie in the form of a bow.

Bow-window  n. Curved bay window.

Bow-wow  —int. Imitation of a dog's bark. —n. Colloq. Dog. [imitative]

Box1  —n. 1 container, usu. Flat-sided and firm. 2 amount contained in a box. 3 compartment, e.g. In a theatre or lawcourt. 4 receptacle or kiosk for a special purpose (often in comb.: money box; telephone box). 5 facility at a newspaper office for receiving replies to an advertisement. 6 (prec. By the) colloq. Television. 7 enclosed area or space. 8 area of print enclosed by a border. 9 light shield for the genitals in cricket etc. 10 (prec. By the) football colloq. Penalty area. —v. 1 put in or provide with a box. 2 (foll. By in, up) confine. [latin buxis: related to +box3]

Box2  —v. 1 a take part in boxing. B fight (an opponent) at boxing. 2 slap (esp. A person's ears). —n. Hard slap, esp. On the ears. [origin unknown]

Box3  n. 1 small evergreen tree with dark green leaves. 2 its fine hard wood. [latin buxus, greek puxos]

Box and cox  n. Two people sharing accommodation etc. In shifts. [names of characters in a play (1847)]

Box camera  n. Simple box-shaped camera.

Boxer  n. 1 person who boxes, esp. As a sport. 2 medium-size short-haired dog with a puglike face.

Boxer shorts  n.pl. Men's loose underpants like shorts.

Box girder  n. Hollow girder square in cross-section.

Boxing  n. Fighting with the fists, esp. As a sport.

Boxing day  n. First weekday after christmas. [from +box1, from the custom of giving christmas-boxes]

Boxing glove  n. Each of a pair of heavily padded gloves worn in boxing.

Box junction  n. Road area marked with a yellow grid, which a vehicle should enter only if its exit is clear.

Box number  n. Number for replies to a private advertisement in a newspaper.

Box office  n. Ticket-office at a theatre etc.

Box pleat  n. Arrangement of parallel pleats folding in alternate directions.

Boxroom  n. Small room for storing boxes, cases, etc.

Box spring  n. Each of a set of vertical springs in a frame, e.g. In a mattress.

Boxwood  n. = +box3 2.

Boxy  adj. (-ier, -iest) cramped.

Boy  —n. 1 male child, son. 2 young man. 3 male servant etc. —int. Expressing pleasure, surprise, etc. ~ boyhood n. Boyish adj. [origin uncertain]

Boycott  —v. 1 refuse to have social or commercial relations with (a person, country, etc.). 2 refuse to handle (goods). —n. Such a refusal. [capt. Boycott, so treated from 1880]

Boyfriend  n. Person's regular male companion or lover.

Boyo  n. (pl. -s) welsh & ir. Colloq. (esp. As a form of address) boy, mate.

Boy scout  n. = +scout n. 4.

Bp  abbr. 1 boiling-point. 2 blood pressure. 3 before the present (era). 4 british petroleum. 5 british pharmacopoeia.

Bq  abbr. Becquerel.

Br  abbr. British rail.

Br  symb. Bromine.

Bra  n. Undergarment worn by women to support the breasts. [abbreviation]

Brace  —n. 1 device that clamps or fastens tightly. 2 timber etc. Strengthening a framework. 3 (in pl.) Straps supporting trousers from the shoulders. 4 wire device for straightening the teeth. 5 (pl. Same) pair (esp. Of game). 6 rope for trimming a sail. 7 connecting mark { or } in printing. —v. (-cing) 1 make steady by supporting. 2 fasten tightly to make firm. 3 (esp. As bracing adj.) Invigorate, refresh. 4 (often refl.) Prepare for a difficulty, shock, etc. [latin bracchia arms]

Brace and bit  n. Revolving tool for boring, with a d-shaped central handle.

Bracelet  n. 1 ornamental band or chain worn on the wrist or arm. 2 slang handcuff.

Brachiosaurus  n. (pl. -ruses) plant-eating dinosaur with forelegs longer than its hind legs. [latin from greek brakhion arm, sauros lizard]

Bracken  n. 1 large coarse fern. 2 mass of these. [old norse]

Bracket  —n. 1 (esp. Angled) support projecting from a vertical surface. 2 shelf fixed to a wall with this. 3 each of a pair of marks () [] {} enclosing words or figures. 4 group or classification (income bracket). —v. (-t-) 1 enclose in brackets. 2 group or classify together. [latin bracae breeches]

Brackish  adj. (of water etc.) Slightly salty. [low german or dutch]

Bract  n. Leaf-like and often brightly coloured part of a plant, growing before the flower. [latin bractea thin sheet]

Brad  n. Thin flat nail with a head on only one side. [old norse]

Bradawl  n. Small pointed tool for boring holes by hand.

Brae  n. Scot. Hillside. [old norse]

Brag  —v. (-gg-) talk boastfully. —n. 1 card-game like poker. 2 boastful statement or talk. [origin unknown]

Braggart  —n. Boastful person. —adj. Boastful.

Brahma  n. 1 hindu creator. 2 supreme divine hindu reality. [sanskrit, = creator]

Brahman  n. (also brahman) (pl. -s) 1 (also brahmin) member of the highest or priestly hindu caste. 2 = +brahma 2. ~ brahmanic adj. Brahmanism n.

Braid  —n. 1 woven band as edging or trimming. 2 us plait of hair. —v. 1 us plait. 2 trim with braid. ~ braiding n. [old english]

Braille  —n. System of writing and printing for the blind, with patterns of raised dots. —v. (-ling) print or transcribe in braille. [braille, name of its inventor]

Brain  —n. 1 organ of soft nervous tissue in the skull of vertebrates, the centre of sensation and of intellectual and nervous activity. 2 a colloq. Intelligent person. B (often in pl.) Intelligence. 3 (usu. In pl.; prec. By the) colloq. Cleverest person in a group; mastermind. 4 electronic device functioning like a brain. —v. 1 dash out the brains of. 2 colloq. Strike hard on the head. ~ on the brain colloq. Obsessively in one's thoughts. [old english]

Brainchild  n. Colloq. Person's clever idea or invention.

Brain death  n. Irreversible brain damage causing the end of independent respiration, regarded as indicative of death. ~ brain-dead adj.

Brain drain  n. Colloq. Loss of skilled personnel by emigration.

Brainless  adj. Foolish.

Brainpower  n. Mental ability or intelligence.

Brainstorm  n. 1 sudden mental disturbance. 2 colloq. Mental lapse. 3 us brainwave. 4 pooling of spontaneous ideas about a problem etc. ~ brainstorming n. (in sense 4).

Brains trust  n. Group of experts answering questions, usu. Publicly and impromptu.

Brainwash  v. Implant ideas or esp. Ideology into (a person) by repetition etc. ~ brainwashing n.

Brainwave  n. 1 (usu. In pl.) Electrical impulse in the brain. 2 colloq. Sudden bright idea.

Brainy  adj. (-ier, -iest) intellectually clever.

Braise  v. (-sing) stew slowly with a little liquid in a closed container. [french braise live coals]

Brake1  —n. 1 (often in pl.) Device for stopping or slowing a wheel, vehicle, etc. 2 thing that impedes. —v. (-king) 1 apply a brake. 2 slow or stop with a brake. [probably obsolete brake = curb]

Brake2  n. Large estate car. [var. Of +break]

Brake3  —n. 1 toothed instrument for crushing flax and hemp. 2 (in full brake harrow) heavy harrow. —v. (-king)  crush (flax or hemp). [low german or dutch: related to +break]

Brake4  n. Thicket or clump of brushwood. [old english]

Brake drum  n. Cylinder attached to a wheel, on which the brake shoes press to brake.

Brake horsepower  n. Power of an engine measured by the force needed to brake it.

Brake lining  n. Strip of fabric increasing the friction of a brake shoe.

Brake shoe  n. Long curved block which presses on a brake drum to brake.

Bramble  n. Wild thorny shrub, esp. The blackberry. ~ brambly adj. [old english]

Brambling  n. The speckled finch. [german: related to +bramble]

Bran  n. Grain husks separated from flour. [french]

Branch  —n. 1 limb of a tree or bough. 2 lateral extension or subdivision, esp. Of a river, road, or railway. 3 subdivision of a family, knowledge, etc. 4 local office etc. Of a large business. —v. (often foll. By off) 1 diverge. 2 divide into branches. ~ branch out extend one's field of interest. [latin branca paw]

Brand  —n. 1 a particular make of goods. B identifying trade mark, label, etc. 2 (usu. Foll. By of) characteristic kind (brand of humour). 3 identifying mark burned esp. On livestock. 4 iron used for this. 5 piece of burning or charred wood. 6 stigma; mark of disgrace. 7 poet. Torch. —v. 1 mark with a hot iron. 2 stigmatize (branded him a liar). 3 impress unforgettably. 4 assign a trademark etc. To. [old english]

Brandish  v. Wave or flourish as a threat or display. [french from germanic]

Brand-new  adj. Completely new.

Brandy  n. (pl. -ies) strong alcoholic spirit distilled from wine or fermented fruit juice. [dutch brandewijn]

Brandy butter  n. Mixture of brandy, butter, and sugar.

Brandy-snap  n. Crisp rolled gingerbread wafer usu. Filled with cream.

Bran-tub  n. Lucky dip with prizes hidden in bran.

Brash  adj. Vulgarly self-assertive; impudent. ~ brashly adv. Brashness n. [dial.]

Brass  —n. 1 yellow alloy of copper and zinc. 2 brass objects collectively. 3 brass wind instruments. 4 slang money. 5 brass memorial tablet. 6 colloq. Effrontery. —adj. Made of brass. ~ brassed off slang fed up. [old english]

Brass band  n. Band of brass instruments.

Brasserie  n. Restaurant, orig. One serving beer with food. [french brasser brew]

Brassica  n. Plant of the cabbage family. [latin, = cabbage]

Brassière  n. = +bra. [french]

Brass monkey  n. Coarse slang used in various phrases to indicate extreme cold.

Brass-rubbing  n. 1 practice of taking impressions by rubbing heelball etc. Over paper laid on engraved brasses. 2 impression obtained by this.

Brass tacks  n.pl. Slang essential details.

Brassy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 of or like brass. 2 impudent. 3 vulgarly showy. 4 loud and blaring.

Brat  n. Usu. Derog. Child, esp. An ill-behaved one. [origin unknown]

Bravado  n. Show of boldness. [spanish]

Brave  —adj. 1 able or ready to face and endure danger, disgrace, or pain. 2 formal splendid, spectacular. —n. American indian warrior. —v. (-ving) face bravely or defiantly. ~ bravely adv. Braveness n. Bravery n. [ultimately latin barbarus barbarian]

Bravo  —int. Expressing approval. —n. (pl. -s) cry of ‘bravo’. [french from italian]

Bravura  n. 1 brilliance of execution. 2 (often attrib.) Passage of (esp. Vocal) music requiring brilliant technique. [italian]

Brawl  —n. Noisy quarrel or fight. —v. 1 engage in a brawl. 2 (of a stream) run noisily. [provençal]

Brawn  n. 1 muscular strength. 2 muscle; lean flesh. 3 jellied meat made from a pig's head. ~ brawny adj. (-ier, -iest). [french from germanic]

Bray  —n. 1 cry of a donkey. 2 harsh sound like this. —v. 1 make a bray. 2 utter harshly. [french braire]

Braze  v. (-zing) solder with an alloy of brass and zinc. [french braser]

Brazen  —adj. 1 shameless; insolent. 2 of or like brass. 3 harsh in sound. —v. (foll. By out) face or undergo defiantly (brazen it out). ~ brazenly adv. [old english]

Brazier1  n. Metal pan or stand holding burning coals etc. [french: related to +braise]

Brazier2  n. Worker in brass. [probably from +brass]

Brazil  n. 1 tall s. American tree. 2 (in full brazil nut) its large three-sided nut. [brazil in s. America]

Breach  —n. 1 (often foll. By of) breaking or non-observation of a law, contract, etc. 2 breaking of relations; quarrel. 3 opening, gap. —v. 1 break through; make a gap in. 2 break (a law, contract, etc.). ~ step into the breach help in a crisis, esp. As a replacement. [germanic: related to +break]

Breach of promise  n. Breaking of a promise, esp. To marry.

Breach of the peace  n. Crime of causing a public disturbance.

Bread  —n. 1 baked dough of flour and water, usu. Leavened with yeast. 2 necessary food. 3 slang money. —v. Coat with breadcrumbs for cooking. [old english]

Bread and butter  —n. One's livelihood. —attrib. Adj. (bread-and-butter) done or produced to earn a basic living.

Breadboard  n. 1 board for cutting bread on. 2 board for making an experimental model of an electric circuit.

Breadcrumb  n. Small fragment of bread, esp. (in pl.) For use in cooking.

Breadfruit  n. 1 fruit which resembles new bread when roasted. 2 tropical evergreen tree bearing it.

Breadline  n. Subsistence level (esp. On the breadline).

Bread sauce  n. White sauce thickened with breadcrumbs.

Breadth  n. 1 distance or measurement from side to side of a thing. 2 freedom from prejudice or intolerance. [old english: related to +broad]

Breadwinner  n. Person who works to support a family.

Break  —v. (past broke; past part. Broken) 1 a separate into pieces under a blow or strain; shatter. B make or become inoperative. C break a bone in or dislocate (part of the body). 2 a interrupt (broke our journey). B have an interval (broke for tea). 3 fail to keep (a law, promise, etc.). 4 a make or become subdued or weak; (cause to) yield; destroy. B weaken the effect of (a fall, blow, etc.). C = break in 3c. 5 surpass (a record). 6 (foll. By with) end a friendship with (a person etc.). 7 a be no longer subject to (a habit). B (foll. By of) free (a person) from a habit (broke them of their addiction). 8 reveal or be revealed (broke the news; story broke). 9 a (of fine weather) change suddenly. B (of waves) curl over and foam. C (of the day) dawn. D (of clouds) move apart. E (of a storm) begin violently. 10 electr. Disconnect (a circuit). 11 a (of the voice) change with emotion. B (of a boy's voice) change at puberty. 12 a (often foll. By up) divide (a set etc.). B change (a banknote etc.) For coins. 13 ruin financially (see also +broke adj.). 14 penetrate (e.g. A safe) by force. 15 decipher (a code). 16 make (a way, path, etc.) By force. 17 burst forth (sun broke through). 18 a (of troops) disperse in confusion. B rupture (ranks). 19 a (usu. Foll.

Breakable  —adj. Easily broken. —n. (esp. In pl.) Breakable thing.

Breakage  n. 1 a broken thing. B damage caused by breaking. 2 act or instance of breaking.

Breakaway  n. (often attrib.) Breaking away; secession (breakaway group).

Break-dancing  n. Acrobatic style of street-dancing.

Breakdown  n. 1 a mechanical failure. B loss of (esp. Mental) health. 2 collapse (breakdown of communication). 3 analysis (of statistics etc.).

Breaker  n. 1 heavy breaking wave. 2 person or thing that breaks something, esp. Disused machinery.

Breakfast  —n. First meal of the day. —v. Have breakfast.

Break-in  n. Illegal forced entry, esp. With criminal intent.

Breaking and entering  n. (formerly) the illegal entering of a building with intent to commit a felony.

Breaking-point  n. Point of greatest strain.

Breakneck  attrib. Adj. (of speed) dangerously fast.

Break-out  n. Forcible escape.

Breakthrough  n. 1 major advance or discovery. 2 act of breaking through an obstacle etc.

Breakup  n. 1 disintegration or collapse. 2 dispersal.

Breakwater  n. Barrier breaking the force of waves.

Bream  n. (pl. Same) 1 yellowish arch-backed freshwater fish. 2 (in full sea bream) similar marine fish. [french from germanic]

Breast  —n. 1 a either of two milk-secreting organs on a woman's chest. B corresponding part of a man's body. 2 a chest. B corresponding part of an animal. 3 part of a garment that covers the breast. 4 breast as a source of nourishment or emotion. —v. 1 contend with. 2 reach the top of (a hill). ~ make a clean breast of confess fully. [old english]

Breastbone  n. Thin flat vertical bone in the chest between the ribs.

Breast-feed  v. Feed (a baby) from the breast.

Breastplate  n. Armour covering the breast.

Breast-stroke  n. Swimming stroke made by extending both arms forward and sweeping them back.

Breastwork  n. Low temporary defence or parapet.

Breath  n. 1 a air drawn into or expelled from the lungs. B one respiration of air. C breath as perceived by the senses. 2 a slight movement of air. B whiff (of perfume etc.). 3 whisper, murmur (esp. Of scandal). ~ catch one's breath 1 cease breathing momentarily in surprise etc. 2 rest to restore normal breathing. Hold one's breath cease breathing temporarily. Out of breath gasping for air, esp. After exercise. Take one's breath away surprise, delight, etc. Under one's breath in a whisper. [old english]

Breathalyser  n. (also -lyzer) propr. Instrument for measuring alcohol levels in the breath exhaled into it. ~ breathalyse v. (also -lyze) (-sing or -zing). [from +breath, +analyse]

Breathe  v. (-thing) 1 draw air into and expel it from the lungs. 2 be or seem alive. 3 a utter or sound (esp. Quietly). B express (breathed defiance). 4 pause. 5 send out or take in (as if) with the breath (breathed new life into them; breathed whisky). 6 (of wine etc.) Be exposed to the air. ~ breathe again (or freely) feel relief.

Breather  n. 1 colloq. Brief pause for rest. 2 brief period in the fresh air.

Breathing-space  n. Time to recover; pause.

Breathless  adj. 1 panting, out of breath. 2 holding the breath. 3 still, windless. ~ breathlessly adv.

Breathtaking  adj. Astounding; awe-inspiring. ~ breathtakingly adv.

Breath test  n. Test with a breathalyser.

Bred  past and past part. Of +breed.

Breech  n. Back part of a rifle or gun barrel. [old english]

Breech birth  n. (also breech delivery) delivery of a baby with the buttocks or feet foremost.

Breeches  n.pl. Short trousers, esp. Fastened below the knee.

Breeches buoy  n. Lifebuoy with canvas breeches for the user's legs.

Breed  —v. (past and past part. Bred) 1 (of animals) produce young. 2 propagate; raise (animals). 3 yield; result in. 4 arise; spread. 5 bring up; train. 6 create (fissile material) by nuclear reaction. —n. 1 stock of similar animals or plants within a species, usu. Developed by deliberate selection. 2 race; lineage. 3 sort, kind. ~ breeder n. [old english]

Breeder reactor  n. Nuclear reactor creating surplus fissile material.

Breeding  n. 1 raising of offspring; propagation. 2 social behaviour; ancestry.

Breeze1  —n. 1 gentle wind. 2 colloq. Quarrel. 3 esp. Us colloq. Easy task. —v. (-zing) (foll. By in, out, along, etc.) Colloq. Saunter casually. [probably spanish and portuguese briza]

Breeze2  n. Small cinders. [french: related to +braise]

Breeze-block  n. Lightweight building block, esp. Of breeze mixed with sand and cement.

Breezy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 slightly windy. 2 colloq. Cheerful, light-hearted, casual.

Bren  n. (in full bren gun) lightweight quick-firing machine-gun. [brno in czechoslovakia, enfield in england]

Brent  n. (in full brent-goose) small migratory goose. [origin unknown]

Brethren  see +brother.

Breton  —n. 1 native of brittany. 2 celtic language of brittany. —adj. Of brittany, its people, or language. [french, = +briton]

Breve  n. 1 mus. Note twice the length of a semibreve. 2 mark (  ) indicating a short or unstressed vowel. [var. Of +brief]

Breviary  n. (pl. -ies) book containing the roman catholic daily office. [latin: related to +brief]

Brevity  n. 1 economy of expression; conciseness. 2 shortness (of time etc.). [anglo-french: related to +brief]

Brew  —v. 1 a make (beer etc.) By infusion, boiling, and fermentation. B make (tea etc.) By infusion. 2 undergo these processes. 3 gather force; threaten (storm is brewing). 4 concoct (a plan etc.). —n. 1 liquid or amount brewed; concoction. 2 process of brewing. ~ brew up make tea. ~ brewer n. [old english]

Brewery  n. (pl. -ies) factory for brewing beer etc.

Brew-up  n. Instance of making tea.

Briar1  var. Of +brier1.

Briar2  var. Of +brier2.

Bribe  —v. (-bing) (often foll. By to + infin.) Persuade to act improperly in one's favour by a gift of money etc. —n. Money or services offered in bribing. ~ bribery n. [french briber beg]

Bric-à-brac  n. (also bric-a-brac) cheap ornaments, trinkets, etc. [french]

Brick  —n. 1 a small usu. Rectangular block of fired or sun-dried clay used in building. B material of this. 2 child's toy block. 3 brick-shaped thing. 4 slang generous or loyal person. —v. (foll. By in, up) close or block with brickwork. —adj. 1 built of brick (brick wall). 2 (also brick-red) dull red. [low german or dutch]

Brickbat  n. 1 piece of brick, esp. As a missile. 2 insult.

Brickie  n. Slang bricklayer.

Bricklayer  n. Person who builds with bricks, esp. For a living. ~ bricklaying n.

Brickwork  n. Building or work in brick.

Brickyard  n. Place where bricks are made.

Bridal  adj. Of a bride or wedding. [old english]

Bride  n. Woman on her wedding day and during the period just before and after it. [old english]

Bridegroom  n. Man on his wedding day and during the period just before and after it. [old english]

Bridesmaid  n. Girl or unmarried woman attending a bride at her wedding.

Bridge1  —n. 1 a structure providing a way across a river, road, railway, etc. B thing joining or connecting. 2  operational superstructure on a ship. 3 upper bony part of the nose. 4 piece of wood on a violin etc. Over which the strings are stretched. 5 = +bridgework. —v. (-ging) 1 be or make a bridge over. 2 reduce (a gap, deficiency, etc.). [old english]

Bridge2  n. Card-game derived from whist. [origin unknown]

Bridgehead  n. Fortified position held on the enemy's side of a river etc.

Bridge roll  n. Small soft bread roll.

Bridgework  n. Dentistry dental structure covering a gap, joined to the teeth on either side.

Bridging loan  n. Loan to cover the interval between buying a house etc. And selling another.

Bridle  —n. 1 headgear for controlling a horse, including reins and bit. 2 restraining thing. —v. (-ling) 1 put a bridle on. 2 curb, restrain. 3 (often foll. By up) express anger, offence, etc., esp. By throwing up the head and drawing in the chin. [old english]

Bridle-path  n. (also bridle-way) rough path for riders or walkers.

Brie  n. A kind of soft cheese. [brie in n. France]

Brief  —adj. 1 of short duration. 2 concise; abrupt, brusque. 3 scanty (brief skirt). —n. 1 (in pl.) Short pants. 2 a summary of a case drawn up for counsel. B piece of work for a barrister. 3 instructions for a task. 4 papal letter on discipline. —v. 1 instruct (a barrister) by brief. 2 inform or instruct in advance. ~ hold a brief for argue in favour of. In brief to sum up. ~ briefly adv. Briefness n. [latin brevis short]

Briefcase  n. Flat document case.

Brier1  n. (also briar) wild rose or other prickly bush. [old english]

Brier2  n. (also briar) 1 white heath of s. Europe. 2 tobacco pipe made from its root. [french bruyère]

Brig.  Abbr. Brigadier.

Brig1  n. Two-masted square-rigged ship. [abbreviation of +brigantine]

Brig2  n. Scot. & n.engl. Bridge. [var. Of +bridge1]

Brigade  n. 1 military unit, usu. Three battalions, as part of a division. 2 group organized for a special purpose. [italian briga strife]

Brigadier  n. 1 officer commanding a brigade. 2 staff officer of similar standing.

Brigand  n. Member of a robber band; bandit. ~ brigandage n. [italian brigante: related to +brigade]

Brigantine  n. Two-masted ship with a square-rigged foremast and a fore-and-aft rigged mainmast. [french or italian: related to +brigand]

Bright  —adj. 1 emitting or reflecting much light; shining. 2 intense, vivid. 3 clever. 4 cheerful. —adv. Esp. Poet. Brightly. ~ brightly adv. Brightness n. [old english]

Brighten  v. Make or become brighter.

Bright's disease  n. Kidney disease. [bright, name of a physician]

Brill1  n. (pl. Same) european flat-fish. [origin unknown]

Brill2  adj. Colloq. = +brilliant adj. 4. [abbreviation]

Brilliant  —adj. 1 very bright; sparkling. 2 outstandingly talented. 3 showy. 4 colloq. Excellent. —n. Diamond of the finest cut with many facets. ~ brilliance n. Brilliantly adv. [french briller shine, from italian]

Brilliantine  n. Dressing for making the hair glossy. [french: related to +brilliant]

Brim  —n. 1 edge or lip of a vessel. 2 projecting edge of a hat. —v. (-mm-) fill or be full to the brim. ~ brim over overflow. [origin unknown]

Brim-full  adj. (also brimful) filled to the brim.

Brimstone  n. Archaic sulphur. [from +burn1, +stone]

Brindled  adj. (esp. Of domestic animals) brown or tawny with streaks of another colour. [scandinavian]

Brine  n. 1 water saturated or strongly impregnated with salt. 2 sea water. [old english]

Bring  v. (past and past part. Brought) 1 come carrying; lead, accompany; convey. 2 cause or result in (war brings misery). 3 be sold for; produce as income. 4 a prefer (a charge). B initiate (legal action). 5 cause to become or to reach a state (brings me alive; cannot bring myself to agree). 6 adduce (evidence, an argument, etc.). ~ bring about cause to happen. Bring back call to mind. Bring down 1 cause to fall. 2 lower (a price). Bring forth 1 give birth to. 2 cause. Bring forward 1 move to an earlier time. 2 transfer from the previous page or account. 3 draw attention to. Bring home to cause to realize fully. Bring the house down receive rapturous applause. Bring in 1 introduce. 2 yield as income or profit. Bring off achieve successfully. Bring on cause to happen, appear, or make progress. Bring out 1 emphasize; make evident. 2 publish. Bring over convert to one's own side. Bring round 1 restore to consciousness. 2 persuade. Bring through aid (a person) through adversity, esp. Illness. Bring to restore to consciousness (brought him to). Bring up 1 rear (a child). 2 vomit. 3 call attention to. 4 (absol.) Stop suddenly. [old english]

Bring-and-buy sale  n. Charity sale at which people bring items for sale and buy those brought by others.

Brink  n. 1 extreme edge of land before a precipice, river, etc. 2 furthest point before danger, discovery, etc. ~ on the brink of about to experience or suffer; in imminent danger of. [old norse]

Brinkmanship  n. Pursuit (esp. Habitual) of danger etc. To the brink of catastrophe.

Briny  —adj. (-ier, -iest) of brine or the sea; salty. —n. (prec. By the) slang the sea.

Briquette  n. Block of compressed coal-dust as fuel. [french diminutive: related to +brick]

Brisk  —adj. 1 quick, lively, keen (brisk pace, trade). 2 enlivening (brisk wind). —v. (often foll. By up) make or grow brisk. ~ briskly adv. Briskness n. [probably french +brusque]

Brisket  n. Animal's breast, esp. As a joint of meat. [french]

Brisling  n. Small herring or sprat. [norwegian and danish]

Bristle  —n. Short stiff hair, esp. One on an animal's back, used in brushes. —v. (-ling) 1 a (of hair) stand upright. B make (hair) do this. 2 show irritation. 3 (usu. Foll. By with) be covered or abundant (in). ~ bristly adj. (-ier, -iest). [old english]

Brit  n. Colloq. British person. [abbreviation]

Britannia  n. Personification of britain, esp. As a helmeted woman with shield and trident. [latin]

Britannia metal  n. Silvery alloy of tin, antimony, and copper.

Britannic  adj. (esp. In his or her britannic majesty) of britain.

Briticism  n. Idiom used only in britain. [after gallicism]

British  —adj. Of great britain, the british commonwealth, or their people. —n. (prec. By the; treated as pl.) The british people. [old english]

British english  n. English as used in great britain.

British legion  n. = +royal british legion.

British summer time  n. = +summer time.

British thermal unit  n. Amount of heat needed to raise 1 lb of water through one degree fahrenheit, equivalent to 1.055 x 103 joules.

Briton  n. 1 inhabitant of s. Britain before the roman conquest. 2 native or inhabitant of great britain. [latin britto -onis]

Brittle  adj. Hard and fragile; apt to break. ~ brittlely adv. (also brittly). [old english]

Brittle-bone disease  n. = +osteoporosis.

Broach  —v. 1 raise for discussion. 2 pierce (a cask) to draw liquor. 3 open and start using. —n. 1 bit for boring. 2 roasting-spit. [latin broccus projecting]

Broad  —adj. 1 large in extent from one side to the other; wide. 2 in breadth (two metres broad). 3 extensive (broad acres). 4 full and clear (broad daylight). 5 explicit (broad hint). 6 general (broad intentions, facts). 7 tolerant, liberal (broad view). 8 coarse (broad humour). 9 markedly regional (broad scots). —n. 1 broad part (broad of the back). 2 us slang woman. 3 (the broads) large areas of water in e. Anglia, formed where rivers widen. ~ broadly adv. Broadness n. [old english]

Broad bean  n. 1 bean with large edible flat seeds. 2 one such seed.

Broadcast  —v. (past and past part. Broadcast) 1 transmit by radio or television. 2 take part in such a transmission. 3 scatter (seed etc.). 4 disseminate (information) widely. —n. Radio or television programme or transmission. ~ broadcaster n. Broadcasting n.

Broadcloth  n. Fine cloth of wool, cotton, or silk.

Broaden  v. Make or become broader.

Broad gauge  n. Railway track with a wider than standard gauge.

Broad-leaved  adj. (of a tree) deciduous and hard-timbered.

Broadloom  adj. (esp. Of carpet) woven in broad widths.

Broad-minded  adj. Tolerant, liberal.

Broadsheet  n. 1 large-sized newspaper. 2 large sheet of paper printed on one side only.

Broadside  n. 1 vigorous verbal attack. 2 simultaneous firing of all guns from one side of a ship. 3 side of a ship above the water between the bow and quarter. ~ broadside on sideways on.

Broadsword  n. Broad-bladed sword, for cutting rather than thrusting.

Brocade  —n. Rich fabric woven with a raised pattern. —v. (-ding) weave in this way. [italian brocco twisted thread]

Broccoli  n. Brassica with greenish flower-heads. [italian]

Brochure  n. Pamphlet or booklet, esp. With descriptive information. [french brocher stitch]

Broderie anglaise  n. Open embroidery on white linen etc. [french, = english embroidery]

Brogue1  n. 1 strong outdoor shoe with ornamental perforations. 2 rough shoe of untanned leather. [gaelic and irish brog from old norse]

Brogue2  n. Marked accent, esp. Irish. [perhaps related to +brogue1]

Broil  v. Esp. Us 1 grill (meat). 2 make or become very hot, esp. From the sun. [french bruler burn]

Broiler  n. Young chicken for broiling or roasting.

Broke  past of +break. —predic. Adj. Colloq. Having no money.

Broken  past part. Of +break. —adj. 1 having been broken. 2 reduced to despair; beaten. 3 (of language) badly spoken, esp. By a foreigner. 4 interrupted (broken sleep).

Broken-down  adj. 1 worn out by age, use, etc. 2 not functioning.

Broken-hearted  adj. Overwhelmed with grief.

Broken home  n. Family disrupted by divorce or separation.

Broker  n. 1 agent; middleman. 2 member of the stock exchange dealing in stocks and shares. 3 official appointed to sell or appraise distrained goods. ~ broking n. [anglo-french]

Usage  in sense 2, brokers have officially been called broker-dealers in the uk since oct. 1986, and entitled to act as agents and principals in share dealings.

Brokerage  n. Broker's fee or commission.

Brolly  n. (pl. -ies) colloq. Umbrella. [abbreviation]

Bromide  n. 1 any binary compound of bromine. 2 trite remark. 3 reproduction or proof on paper coated with silver bromide emulsion.

Bromine  n. Poisonous liquid element with a choking smell. [greek bromos stink]

Bronchial  adj. Of the bronchi (see +bronchus) or of the smaller tubes into which they divide.

Bronchitis  n. Inflammation of the mucous membrane in the bronchial tubes.

Bronchus  n. (pl. -chi) either of the two main divisions of the windpipe. [latin from greek]

Bronco  n. (pl. -s) wild or half-tamed horse of the western us. [spanish, = rough]

Brontosaurus  n. (pl. -ruses) large plant-eating dinosaur with a long whiplike tail. [greek bronte thunder, sauros lizard]

Bronze  —n. 1 alloy of copper and tin. 2 its brownish colour. 3 thing of bronze, esp. A sculpture. —adj. Made of or coloured like bronze. —v. (-zing) make or become brown; tan. [french from italian]

Bronze age  n. Archaeol. Period when weapons and tools were usu. Made of bronze.

Bronze medal  n. Medal, usu. Awarded as third prize.

Brooch  n. Ornamental hinged pin. [french broche: related to +broach]

Brood  —n. 1 young of esp. A bird born or hatched at one time. 2 colloq. Children in a family. —v. 1 worry or ponder (esp. Resentfully). 2 (of a bird) sit on eggs to hatch them. [old english]

Broody  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 (of a hen) wanting to brood. 2 sullenly thoughtful. 3 colloq. (of a woman) wanting pregnancy.

Brook1  n. Small stream. [old english]

Brook2  v. (usu. With neg.) Literary tolerate, allow. [old english]

Broom  n. 1 long-handled brush for sweeping. 2 shrub with bright yellow flowers. [old english]

Broomstick  n. Handle of a broom.

Bros.  Abbr. Brothers (esp. In the name of a firm).

Broth  n. Thin soup of meat or fish stock. [old english]

Brothel  n. Premises for prostitution. [originally = worthless fellow, from old english]

Brother  n. 1 man or boy in relation to his siblings. 2 close male friend or associate. 3 (pl. Also brethren) a member of a male religious order, esp. A monk. B fellow christian etc. 4 fellow human being. ~ brotherly adj. [old english]

Brother german  see +german.

Brotherhood  n. 1 relationship between brothers. 2 association of people with a common interest. 3 community of feeling between human beings.

Brother-in-law  n. (pl. Brothers-in-law) 1 one's wife's or husband's brother. 2 one's sister's or sister-in-law's husband.

Brought  past and past part. Of +bring.

Brouhaha  n. Commotion; sensation. [french]

Brow  n. 1 forehead. 2 eyebrow. 3 summit of a hill etc. 4 edge of a cliff etc. [old english]

Browbeat  v. (past -beat; past part. -beaten) intimidate, bully.

Brown  —adj. 1 having the colour of dark wood or rich soil. 2 dark-skinned or suntanned. 3 (of bread) made from wholemeal or wheatmeal flour. —n. 1 brown colour or pigment. 2 brown clothes or material. —v. Make or become brown. ~ browned off colloq. Fed up, disheartened.

Brown bear  n. Large n. American brown bear.

Brown coal  n. = +lignite.

Brownie  n. 1 (in full brownie guide) junior guide. 2 (brownie) small square of chocolate cake with nuts. 3 (brownie) benevolent elf.

Brownie point  n. Colloq. Notional mark awarded for good conduct etc.

Browning  n. Additive to colour gravy.

Brown owl  n. 1 any of various owls, esp. The tawny owl. 2 (brown owl) adult leader of brownie guides.

Brown rice  n. Unpolished rice.

Brown sugar  n. Unrefined or partially refined sugar.

Browse  —v. (-sing) 1 read desultorily or look over goods for sale. 2 (often foll. By on) feed on leaves, twigs, etc. —n. 1 twigs, shoots, etc. As fodder. 2 act of browsing. [french brost bud]

Brucellosis  n. Bacterial disease, esp. Of cattle. [sir d. Bruce, name of a physician]

Bruise  —n. 1 discolouration of the skin caused esp. By a blow. 2 similar damage on a fruit etc. —v. (-sing) 1 a inflict a bruise on. B hurt mentally. 2 be susceptible to bruising. [originally = crush, from old english]

Bruiser  n. Colloq. 1 large tough-looking person. 2 professional boxer.

Bruit  v. (often foll. By abroad, about) spread (a report or rumour). [french, = noise]

Brunch  n. Combined breakfast and lunch. [portmanteau word]

Brunette  n. Woman with dark brown hair. [french diminutive]

Brunt  n. Chief impact of an attack, task, etc. (esp. Bear the brunt of). [origin unknown]

Brush  —n. 1 implement with bristles, hair, wire, etc. Set into a block, for cleaning, painting, arranging the hair, etc. 2 act of brushing. 3 (usu. Foll. By with) short esp. Unpleasant encounter. 4 fox's bushy tail. 5 piece of carbon or metal as an electrical contact esp. With a moving part. 6 = +brushwood 2. —v. 1 sweep, scrub, treat, or tidy with a brush. 2 remove or apply with a brush. 3 graze in passing. ~ brush aside dismiss curtly or lightly. Brush off dismiss abruptly. Brush up 1 clean up or smarten. 2 revise (a subject). [french]

Brush-off  n. Abrupt dismissal.

Brush-up  n. Act of brushing up.

Brushwood  n. 1 undergrowth, thicket. 2 cut or broken twigs etc.

Brushwork  n. 1 use of the brush in painting. 2 painter's style in this.

Brusque  adj. Abrupt or offhand. ~ brusquely adv. Brusqueness n. [italian brusco sour]

Brussels sprout  n. 1 brassica with small cabbage-like buds on a stem. 2 such a bud. [brussels in belgium]

Brutal  adj. 1 savagely cruel. 2 harsh, merciless. ~ brutality n. (pl. -ies). Brutally adv. [french: related to +brute]

Brutalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 make brutal. 2 treat brutally.

Brute  —n. 1 a brutal or violent person. B colloq. Unpleasant person or difficult thing. 2 animal. —attrib. Adj. 1 unthinking (brute force). 2 cruel; stupid; sensual. ~ brutish adj. Brutishly adv. Brutishness n. [latin brutus stupid]

Bryony  n. (pl. -ies) climbing plant with red berries. [latin from greek]

Bs  abbr. 1 bachelor of surgery. 2 british standard(s).

B.sc.  Abbr. Bachelor of science.

Bse  abbr. Bovine spongiform encephalopathy, a usu. Fatal cattle disease.

Bsi  abbr. British standards institution.

Bst  abbr. 1 british summer time. 2 bovine somatotrophin, a growth hormone added to cattle-feed to boost milk production.

Bt  abbr. British telecom.

Bt.  Abbr. Baronet.

B.th.u.  Abbr. (also b.t.u., btu, b.th.u.) British thermal unit(s).

Bubble  —n. 1 a thin sphere of liquid enclosing air etc. B air-filled cavity in a liquid or solidified liquid. 2 transparent domed canopy. 3 visionary or unrealistic project. —v. (-ling) 1 rise in or send up bubbles. 2 make the sound of boiling. ~ bubble over (often foll. By with) be exuberant. [imitative]

Bubble and squeak  n. Cooked cabbage etc. Fried with cooked potatoes.

Bubble bath  n. Foaming preparation for adding to bath water.

Bubble car  n. Small domed car.

Bubble gum  n. Chewing-gum that can be blown into bubbles.

Bubbly  —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 having or like bubbles. 2 exuberant. —n. Colloq. Champagne.

Bubo  n. (pl. -es) inflamed swelling in the armpit or groin. [greek boubon groin]

Bubonic plague  n. Contagious disease with buboes.

Buccaneer  n. 1 pirate. 2 unscrupulous adventurer. ~ buccaneering n. & adj. [french]

Buck1  —n. 1 male deer, hare, rabbit, etc. 2 archaic dandy. 3 (attrib.) Slang male. —v. 1 (of a horse) jump upwards with its back arched. 2 (usu. Foll. By off) throw (a rider) in this way. 3 (usu. Foll. By up) colloq. A cheer up. B hurry up; make an effort. [old english]

Buck2  n. Us slang dollar. [origin unknown]

Buck3  n. Slang (in poker) article placed before the next dealer. ~ pass the buck colloq. Shift responsibility (to another). [origin unknown]

Bucket  —n. 1 a round open container with a handle, for carrying or drawing water etc. B amount contained in this. 2 (in pl.) Colloq. Large quantities, esp. Of rain or tears. 3 scoop in a water wheel, dredger, etc. —v. (-t-) colloq. 1 (often foll. By down) (esp. Of rain) pour heavily. 2 (often foll. By along) move or drive fast or bumpily. [anglo-french]

Bucket seat  n. Seat with a rounded back for one person, esp. In a car.

Bucket-shop  n. 1 unregistered broking agency. 2 colloq. Travel agency specializing in cheap air tickets.

Buckle  —n. Clasp with a hinged pin for securing a belt, strap, etc. —v. (-ling) 1 (often foll. By up, on, etc.) Fasten with a buckle. 2 (often foll. By up) (cause to) crumple under pressure. ~ buckle down make a determined effort. [latin buccula cheek-strap]

Buckler  n. Hist. Small round shield.

Buckram  n. Coarse linen etc. Stiffened with paste etc. [french boquerant]

Buck's fizz  n. Cocktail of champagne and orange juice. [buck's club in london]

Buckshee  adj. & adv. Slang free of charge. [corruption of +baksheesh]

Buckshot  n. Coarse lead shot.

Buckskin  n. 1 leather from a buck's skin. 2 thick smooth cotton or woollen cloth.

Buckthorn  n. Thorny shrub with berries formerly used as a purgative.

Buck-tooth  n. Upper projecting tooth.

Buckwheat  n. Seed of a plant related to rhubarb, used to make flour, or as an alternative to rice. [dutch, = beech-wheat]

Bucolic  —adj. Of shepherds; rustic, pastoral. —n. (usu. In pl.) Pastoral poem or poetry. [greek boukolos herdsman]

Bud  —n. 1 a knoblike shoot from which a stem, leaf, or flower develops. B flower or leaf not fully open. 2 asexual outgrowth from an organism separating to form a new individual. —v. (-dd-) 1 form buds. 2 begin to grow or develop (budding artist). 3 graft a bud of (a plant) on to another. [origin unknown]

Buddha  n. 1 title of the indian philosopher gautama (5th c. Bc) and his successors. 2 sculpture etc. Of buddha. [sanskrit, = enlightened]

Buddhism  n. Asian religion or philosophy founded by gautama buddha. ~ buddhist n. & adj.

Buddleia  n. Shrub with fragrant flowers attractive to butterflies. [buddle, name of a botanist]

Buddy  —n. (pl. -ies) esp. Us colloq. Friend or mate. [perhaps from +brother]

Budge  v. (-ging) (usu. With neg.) 1 move slightly. 2 (cause to) change an opinion. ~ budge up (or over) make room for another person by moving. [french bouger]

Budgerigar  n. Small parrot, often kept as a cage-bird. [aboriginal]

Budget  —n. 1 amount of money needed or available. 2 a (the budget) government's annual estimate or plan of revenue and expenditure. B similar estimate by a company etc. 3 (attrib.) Inexpensive. —v. (-t-) (often foll. By for) allow or arrange for in a budget. ~ budgetary adj. [latin bulga bag]

Budgie  n. Colloq. = +budgerigar. [abbreviation]

Buff  —adj. Of a yellowish beige colour (buff envelope). —n. 1 this colour. 2 (in comb.) Colloq. Enthusiast (railway buff). 3 velvety dull-yellow ox-leather. —v. 1 polish (metal etc.). 2 make (leather) velvety. ~ in the buff colloq. Naked. [originally = buffalo, from french buffle]

Buffalo  n. (pl. Same or -es) 1 wild ox of africa or asia. 2 n. American bison. [greek boubalos ox]

Buffer1  n. 1 thing that deadens impact, esp. A device on a train or at the end of a track. 2 substance that maintains the constant acidity of a solution. 3 computing temporary memory area or queue for data. [imitative]

Buffer2  n. Slang silly or incompetent old man. [perhaps from +buffer1]

Buffer state  n. Small state between two larger ones, regarded as reducing friction.

Buffet1  n. 1 room or counter where refreshments are sold. 2 self-service meal of several dishes set out at once. 3 also sideboard or recessed cupboard. [french, = stool]

Buffet2  —v. (-t-) 1 strike repeatedly. 2 contend with (waves etc.). —n. 1 blow, esp. Of the hand. 2 shock. [french diminutive of bufe blow]

Buffet car  n. Railway coach serving refreshments.

Buffoon  n. Clownish or stupid person. ~ buffoonery n. [latin buffo clown]

Bug  —n. 1 a any of various insects with mouthparts modified for piercing and sucking. B esp. Us small insect. 2 slang virus; infection. 3 slang concealed microphone. 4 slang error in a computer program or system etc. 5 slang obsession, enthusiasm, etc. —v. (-gg-) 1 slang conceal a microphone in. 2 slang annoy. [origin unknown]

Bugbear  n. 1 cause of annoyance. 2 object of baseless fear. [bug = bogey]

Bugger  coarse slang (except in sense 2 of n. And 3 of v.) —n. 1 a unpleasant or awkward person or thing. B person of a specified kind (clever bugger!). 2 person who commits buggery. —v. 1 as an exclamation of annoyance (bugger it!). 2 (often foll. By up) a ruin; spoil. B exhaust. 3 commit buggery with. —int. Expressing annoyance. ~ bugger-all nothing. Bugger about (or around) (often foll. By with) mess about. Bugger off (often in imper.) Go away. [latin bulgarus bulgarian heretic]

Buggery  n. 1 anal intercourse. 2 = +bestiality 2.

Buggy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 small, sturdy, esp. Open, motor vehicle. 2 lightweight push-chair. 3 light, horse-drawn vehicle for one or two people. [origin unknown]

Bugle  —n. Brass military instrument like a small trumpet. —v. (-ling) 1 sound a bugle. 2 sound (a call etc.) On a bugle. ~ bugler n. [latin buculus young bull]

Bugloss  n. Plant with bright blue tubular flowers, related to borage. [french buglosse from greek, = ox-tongued]

Build  —v. (past and past part. Built) 1 construct or cause to be constructed. 2 a (often foll. By up) establish or develop (built the business up). B (often foll. By on) base (hopes, theories, etc.). 3 (as built adj.) Of specified build (sturdily built). —n. 1 physical proportions (slim build). 2 style of construction; make. ~ build in incorporate. Build on add (an extension etc.). Build up 1 increase in size or strength. 2 praise; boost. 3 gradually become established. [old english]

Builder  n. Person who builds, esp. A building contractor.

Building  n. 1 permanent fixed structure e.g. A house, factory, or stable. 2 constructing of these.

Building society  n. Public finance company paying interest to investors and lending capital for mortgages etc.

Build-up  n. 1 favourable advance publicity. 2 gradual approach to a climax. 3 accumulation or increase.

Built  past and past part. Of +build.

Built-in  adj. Integral.

Built-up  adj. 1 (of a locality) densely developed. 2 increased in height etc. By addition. 3 made of prefabricated parts.

Bulb  n. 1 a globular base of the stem of some plants, sending roots downwards and leaves upwards. B plant grown from this, e.g. A daffodil. 2 = +light-bulb. 3 object or part shaped like a bulb. [latin bulbus from greek, = onion]

Bulbous  adj. Bulb-shaped; fat or bulging.

Bulge  —n. 1 irregular swelling. 2 colloq. Temporary increase (baby bulge). —v. (-ging) swell outwards. ~ bulgy adj. [latin bulga bag]

Bulimia  n. (in full bulimia nervosa) disorder in which overeating alternates with self-induced vomiting, fasting, etc. [greek bous ox, limos hunger]

Bulk  —n. 1 a size; magnitude (esp. Large). B large mass, body, etc. C large quantity. 2 (treated as pl. & usu. Prec. By the) greater part or number (the bulk of the applicants are women). 3 roughage. —v. 1 seem (in size or importance) (bulks large). 2 make (a book etc.) Thicker etc. ~ in bulk in large quantities. [old norse]

Bulk buying  n. Buying in quantity at a discount.

Bulkhead  n. Upright partition in a ship, aircraft, etc.

Bulky  adj. (-ier, -iest) awkwardly large. ~ bulkiness n.

Bull1  n. 1 a uncastrated male bovine animal. B male of the whale, elephant, etc. 2 (the bull) zodiacal sign or constellation taurus. 3 bull's-eye of a target. 4 person who buys shares hoping to sell them at a profit. ~ take the bull by the horns face danger or a challenge boldly. ~ bullish adj. [old norse]

Bull2  n. Papal edict. [latin bulla seal]

Bull3  n. 1 slang a nonsense. B unnecessary routine tasks. 2 absurdly illogical statement. [origin unknown]

Bulldog  n. 1 short-haired heavy-jowled sturdy dog. 2 tenacious and courageous person.

Bulldog clip  n. Strong sprung clip for papers.

Bulldoze  v. (-zing) 1 clear with a bulldozer. 2 colloq. A intimidate. B make (one's way) forcibly.

Bulldozer  n. Powerful tractor with a broad vertical blade at the front for clearing ground.

Bullet  n. Small pointed missile fired from a rifle, revolver, etc. [french diminutive of boule ball]

Bulletin  n. 1 short official news report. 2 society's regular list of information etc. [italian diminutive: related to +bull2]

Bulletproof  adj. Designed to protect from bullets.

Bullfight  n. Public baiting, and usu. Killing, of bulls. ~ bullfighter n. Bullfighting n.

Bullfinch  n. Pink and black finch.

Bullfrog  n. Large n. American frog with a booming croak.

Bull-headed  n. Obstinate, blundering.

Bullion  n. Gold or silver in bulk before coining, or valued by weight. [french: related to +boil1]

Bullock  n. Castrated male of domestic cattle. [old english diminutive of +bull1]

Bullring  n. Arena for bullfights.

Bull's-eye  n. 1 centre of a target. 2 hard minty sweet. 3 hemispherical ship's window. 4 small circular window. 5 a hemispherical lens. B lantern with this. 6 boss of glass in a blown glass sheet.

Bullshit  coarse slang —n. (often as int.) Nonsense; pretended knowledge. —v. (-tt-) talk nonsense or as if one has specialist knowledge (to). ~ bullshitter n. [from +bull3]

Bull-terrier  n. Cross between a bulldog and a terrier.

Bully1  —n. (pl. -ies) person coercing others by fear. —v. (-ies, -ied) persecute or oppress by force or threats. —int. (foll. By for) often iron. Expressing approval (bully for you). [dutch]

Bully2  (in full bully off) —n. (pl. -ies) start of play in hockey in which two opponents strike each other's sticks three times and then go for the ball. —v. (-ies, -ied) start play in this way. [origin unknown]

Bully3  n. (in full bully beef) corned beef. [french: related to +boil1]

Bulrush  n. 1 a kind of tall rush. 2 bibl. Papyrus. [perhaps from +bull1 = coarse + +rush2]

Bulwark  n. 1 defensive wall, esp. Of earth. 2 protecting person or thing. 3 (usu. In pl.) Ship's side above deck. [low german or dutch]

Bum1  n. Slang buttocks. [origin uncertain]

Bum2  us slang —n. Loafer or tramp; dissolute person. —v. (-mm-) 1 (often foll. By around) loaf or wander around. 2 cadge. —attrib. Adj. Of poor quality. [german bummler loafer]

Bum-bag  n. Slang small pouch worn on a belt round the waist or hips.

Bumble  v. (-ling) 1 (foll. By on) speak in a rambling way. 2 (often as bumbling adj.) Be inept; blunder. [from +boom1]

Bumble-bee  n. Large bee with a loud hum.

Bumf  n. Colloq. Usu. Derog. Papers, documents. [abbreviation of bum-fodder = toilet-paper]

Bump  —n. 1 dull-sounding blow or collision. 2 swelling or dent so caused. 3 uneven patch on a road etc. 4 prominence on the skull thought to indicate a mental faculty. —v. 1 a hit or come against with a bump. B (often foll. By against, into) collide. 2 (often foll. By against, on) hurt or damage by striking (bumped my head, the car). 3 (usu. Foll. By along) move along with jolts. —adv. With a bump; suddenly; violently. ~ bump into colloq. Meet by chance. Bump off slang murder. Bump up colloq. Increase (prices etc.). ~ bumpy adj. (-ier, -iest). [imitative]

Bumper  n. 1 horizontal bar at the front or back of a motor vehicle, reducing damage in a collision. 2 (usu. Attrib.) Unusually large or fine example (bumper crop). 3 cricket ball rising high after pitching. 4 brim-full glass.

Bumper car  n. = +dodgem.

Bumpkin  n. Rustic or socially inept person. [dutch]

Bumptious  adj. Offensively self-assertive or conceited. [from +bump, after fractious]

Bun  n. 1 small sweet bread roll or cake, often with dried fruit. 2 hair coiled and pinned to the head. [origin unknown]

Bunch  —n. 1 things gathered together. 2 collection; lot (best of the bunch). 3 colloq. Group; gang. —v. 1 make into a bunch; gather into close folds. 2 form into a group or crowd. [origin unknown]

Bundle  —n. 1 things tied or fastened together. 2 set of nerve fibres etc. 3 slang large amount of money. —v. (-ling) 1 (usu. Foll. By up) tie or make into a bundle. 2 (usu. Foll. By into) throw or move carelessly. 3 (usu. Foll. By out, off, away, etc.) Send away hurriedly. ~ be a bundle of nerves (or fun etc.) Be extremely nervous (or amusing etc.). Go a bundle on slang admire; like. [low german or dutch]

Bun fight  n. Slang tea party.

Bung  —n. Stopper, esp. For a cask. —v. 1 stop with a bung. 2 slang throw. ~ bunged up blocked up. [dutch]

Bungalow  n. One-storeyed house. [gujarati, = of bengal]

Bungee  n. (in full bungee cord, rope) elasticated cord or rope used for securing baggage or in bungee jumping.

Bungee jumping  n. Sport of jumping from a height while secured by a bungee from the ankles or a harness.

Bungle  —v. (-ling) 1 mismanage or fail at (a task). 2 work badly or clumsily. —n. Bungled attempt or work. [imitative]

Bunion  n. Swelling on the foot, esp. On the big toe. [french]

Bunk1  n. Shelflike bed against a wall, esp. In a ship. [origin unknown]

Bunk2  slang —v. (often foll. By off) play truant (from). —n. (in do a bunk) leave or abscond hurriedly. [origin unknown]

Bunk3  n. Slang nonsense, humbug. [shortening of +bunkum]

Bunk-bed  n. Each of two or more tiered beds forming a unit.

Bunker  n. 1 container for fuel. 2 reinforced underground shelter. 3 sandy hollow in a golf-course. [origin unknown]

Bunkum  n. Nonsense, humbug. [buncombe in us]

Bunny  n. (pl. -ies) 1 child's name for a rabbit. 2 (in full bunny girl) club hostess, waitress, etc., wearing rabbit ears and tail. [dial. Bun rabbit]

Bunsen burner  n. Small adjustable gas burner used in a laboratory. [bunsen, name of a chemist]

Bunting1  n. Small bird related to the finches. [origin unknown]

Bunting2  n. 1 flags and other decorations. 2 loosely-woven fabric for these. [origin unknown]

Buoy  —n. 1 anchored float as a navigation mark etc. 2 lifebuoy. —v. 1 (usu. Foll. By up) a keep afloat. B encourage, uplift. 2 (often foll. By out) mark with a buoy. [dutch, perhaps from latin boia collar]

Buoyant  adj. 1 able or apt to keep afloat. 2 resilient; exuberant. ~ buoyancy n. [french or spanish: related to +buoy]

Bupa  abbr. British united provident association, a private health insurance organization.

Bur  n. 1 a prickly clinging seed-case or flower-head. B any plant having these. 2 clinging person. 3 var. Of +burr n. 2. [scandinavian]

Burble  v. 1 talk ramblingly. 2 make a bubbling sound. [imitative]

Burbot  n. (pl. Same) eel-like freshwater fish. [french]

Burden  —n. 1 load, esp. A heavy one. 2 oppressive duty, expense, emotion, etc. 3 bearing of loads (beast of burden). 4 a refrain of a song. B chief theme of a speech, book, etc. —v. Load with a burden; oppress. ~ burdensome adj. [old english: related to +birth]

Burden of proof  n. Obligation to prove one's case.

Burdock  n. Plant with prickly flowers and docklike leaves. [from +bur, +dock3]

Bureau  n. (pl. -x or -s) 1 a desk with drawers and usu. An angled hinged top. B us chest of drawers. 2 a office or department for specific business. B government department. [french, originally = baize]

Bureaucracy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a government by central administration. B state etc. So governed. 2 government officials, esp. Regarded as oppressive and inflexible. 3 conduct typical of these.

Bureaucrat  n. 1 official in a bureaucracy. 2 inflexible administrator. ~ bureaucratic adj. Bureaucratically adv.

Buret  n. (brit. Burette) graduated glass tube with an end-tap for measuring liquid in chemical analysis. [french]

Burette  n. (us buret) graduated glass tube with an end-tap for measuring liquid in chemical analysis. [french]

Burgeon  v. Literary grow rapidly; flourish. [latin burra wool]

Burger  n. Colloq. Hamburger. [abbreviation]

Burgher  n. Citizen of a continental town. [german or dutch]

Burglar  n. Person who commits burglary. [anglo-french]

Burglary  n. (pl. -ies) 1 illegal entry with intent to commit theft, do bodily harm, or do damage. 2 instance of this.

Usage  before 1968 in english law, burglary was a crime under statute and common law; since 1968 it has been a statutory crime only; cf. +housebreaking.

Burgle  v. (-ling) commit burglary (on).

Burgomaster  n. Mayor of a dutch or flemish town. [dutch]

Burgundy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 (also burgundy) a red or white wine from burgundy in e. France. B hist. Similar wine from elsewhere. 2 dark red colour of this.

Burial  n. 1 a burying of a corpse. B funeral. 2 archaeol. Grave or its remains.

Burin  n. 1 tool for engraving copper or wood. 2 archaeol. Chisel-pointed flint tool. [french]

Burk  var. Of +berk.

Burlesque  —n. 1 a comic imitation, parody. B this as a genre. 2 us variety show, esp. With striptease. —adj. Of or using burlesque. —v. (-ques, -qued, -quing) parody. [italian burla mockery]

Burly  adj. (-ier, -iest) large and sturdy. [old english]

Burn1  —v. (past and past part. Burnt or burned) 1 (cause to) be consumed or destroyed by fire. 2 blaze or glow with fire. 3 (cause to) be injured or damaged by fire, heat, radiation, acid, etc. 4 use or be used as fuel etc. 5 char in cooking. 6 produce (a hole, mark, etc.) By fire or heat. 7 a heat (clay, chalk, etc.). B harden (bricks) by fire. 8 colour, tan, or parch with heat or light. 9 (be) put to death by fire. 10 cauterize, brand. 11 make, be, or feel hot, esp. Painfully. 12 (often foll. By with) (cause to) feel great emotion or passion (burn with shame). 13 slang drive fast. —n. Mark or injury caused by burning. ~ burn one's boats (or bridges) commit oneself irrevocably. Burn the candle at both ends work etc. Excessively.

Burn2  n. Scot. Brook. [old english]

Burner  n. Part of a gas cooker, lamp, etc. That emits the flame.

Burning  adj. 1 ardent, intense. 2 hotly discussed, vital, urgent.

Burning-glass  n. Lens for concentrating the sun's rays to produce a flame.

Burnish  v. Polish by rubbing. [french brunir from brun brown]

Burnous  n. Arab or moorish hooded cloak. [arabic from greek]

Burn-out  n. Exhaustion. ~ burnt-out adj.

Burnt  see +burn1.

Burnt ochre  n. (also burnt sienna or umber) pigment darkened by burning.

Burnt offering  n. Offering burnt on an altar as a sacrifice.

Burp  colloq. —v. 1 belch. 2 make (a baby) belch. —n. Belch. [imitative]

Burr  —n. 1 a whirring sound. B rough sounding of the letter r. 2 (also bur) a rough edge on metal or paper. B surgeon's or dentist's small drill. 3 var. Of +bur 1, 2. —v. Make a burr. [imitative]

Burrow  —n. Hole or tunnel dug by a rabbit etc. As a dwelling or shelter. —v. 1 make a burrow. 2 make (a hole, one's way, etc.) (as) by digging. 3 (foll. By into) investigate, search. [apparently var. Of +borough]

Bursar  n. 1 treasurer, esp. Of a college. 2 holder of a bursary. [medieval latin bursarius from bursa purse]

Bursary  n. (pl. -ies) grant, esp. A scholarship. [medieval latin: related to +bursar]

Burst  —v. (past and past part. Burst) 1 (cause to) break violently apart; open forcibly from within. 2 a (usu. Foll. By in, out) make one's way suddenly or by force. B break away from or through (river burst its banks). 3 be full to overflowing. 4 appear or come suddenly (burst into flame). 5 (foll. By into) suddenly begin to shed (tears) or utter. 6 seem about to burst from effort, excitement, etc. —n. 1 act of bursting. 2 sudden issue or outbreak (burst of flame; burst of applause). 3 sudden effort, spurt. ~ burst out 1 suddenly begin (burst out laughing). 2 exclaim. [old english]

Burton  n. ~ go for a burton slang be lost, destroyed, or killed. [origin uncertain]

Bury  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 place (a corpse) in the earth, a tomb, or the sea. 2 lose by death (buried two sons). 3 a put or hide under ground. B cover up; conceal. 4 consign to obscurity; forget. 5 (refl. Or passive) involve deeply (buried in a book). ~ bury the hatchet cease to quarrel. [old english]

Bus  —n. (pl. Buses or us busses) 1 large esp. Public passenger vehicle, usu. Travelling a fixed route. 2 colloq. Car, aeroplane, etc. —v. (buses or busses, bussed, bussing) 1 go by bus. 2 us transport by bus, esp. To aid racial integration. [abbreviation of +omnibus]

Busby  n. (pl. -ies) tall fur hat worn by hussars etc. [origin unknown]

Bush1  n. 1 shrub or clump of shrubs. 2 thing like a bush, esp. A clump of hair. 3 (esp. In australia and africa) uncultivated area; woodland or forest. [old english and old norse]

Bush2  —n. 1 metal lining for a hole enclosing a revolving shaft etc. 2 sleeve giving electrical insulation. —v. Fit with a bush. [dutch busse box]

Bush-baby  n. (pl. -ies) small african lemur.

Bushed  adj. Colloq. Tired out.

Bushel  n. Measure of capacity for corn, fruit, etc. (8 gallons or 36.4 litres). [french]

Bushfire  n. Forest or scrub fire often spreading widely.

Bushman  n. 1 traveller or dweller in the australian bush. 2 (bushman) member or language of a s.african aboriginal people.

Bush telegraph  n. Rapid spreading of information, rumour, etc.

Bushy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 growing thickly like a bush. 2 having many bushes.

Business  n. 1 one's regular occupation or profession. 2 one's own concern. 3 task or duty. 4 serious work or activity. 5 (difficult or unpleasant) matter or affair. 6 thing(s) needing attention or discussion. 7 buying and selling; trade. 8 commercial firm. ~ mind one's own business not meddle. [old english: related to +busy]

Businesslike  adj. Efficient, systematic.

Businessman  n. (fem. Businesswoman) man or woman engaged in trade or commerce.

Business park  n. Area designed for commerce and light industry.

Business person  n. Businessman or businesswoman.

Busk  v. Perform esp. Music in the street etc. For tips. ~ busker n. [obsolete busk peddle]

Bus lane  n. Part of a road mainly for use by buses.

Busman  n. Bus driver.

Busman's holiday  n. Holiday spent in an activity similar to one's regular work.

Bus shelter  n. Shelter beside a bus-stop.

Bus station  n. Centre where buses depart and arrive.

Bus-stop  n. 1 regular stopping-place of a bus. 2 sign marking this.

Bust1  n. 1 human chest, esp. Of a woman; bosom. 2 sculpture of a person's head, shoulders, and chest. ~ busty adj. (-ier, -iest). [french from italian]

Bust2  —v. (past and past part. Busted or bust) colloq. 1 break, burst. 2 a raid, search. B arrest. —adj. (also busted) 1 broken, burst. 2 bankrupt. ~ bust up 1 collapse. 2 (esp. Of a married couple) separate. [var. Of +burst]

Bustard  n. Large land bird that can run very fast. [latin avis tarda slow bird (‘slow’ unexplained)]

Buster  n. Esp. Us slang mate; fellow. [from +bust2]

Bustier  n. Strapless close-fitting bodice. [french]

Bustle1  —v. (-ling) 1 (often foll. By about) (cause to) move busily and energetically. 2 (as bustling adj.) Active, lively. —n. Excited or energetic activity. [perhaps from obsolete busk prepare]

Bustle2  n. Hist. Padding worn under a skirt to puff it out behind. [origin unknown]

Bust-up  n. 1 quarrel. 2 collapse.

Busy  —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 occupied or engaged in work etc. 2 full of activity; fussy (busy evening, street; busy design). 3 esp. Us (of a telephone line) engaged. —v. (-ies, -ied) (often refl.) Keep busy; occupy. ~ busily adv. [old english]

Busybody  n. (pl. -ies) meddlesome person.

Busy lizzie  n. Plant with abundant esp. Red, pink, or white flowers.

But  —conj. 1 a nevertheless, however (tried but failed). B on the other hand; on the contrary (i am old but you are young). 2 except, otherwise than (cannot choose but do it; what could we do but run?). 3 without the result that (it never rains but it pours). —prep. Except; apart from; other than (all cried but me; nothing but trouble). —adv. 1 only; no more than; only just (we can but try; is but a child; had but arrived). 2 in emphatic repetition; definitely (would see nobody, but nobody). —rel. Pron. Who not; that not (not a man but feels pity). —n. Objection (ifs and buts). ~ but for without the help or hindrance etc. Of (but for you i'd be rich). But one (or two etc.) Excluding one (or two etc.) From the number (next door but one; last but one). But then however (i won, but then i am older). [old english]

Butane  n. Gaseous alkane hydrocarbon, used in liquefied form as fuel. [from +butyl]

Butch  adj. Slang masculine; tough-looking. [origin uncertain]

Butcher  —n. 1 a person who deals in meat. B slaughterer. 2 brutal murderer. —v. 1 slaughter or cut up (an animal) for food. 2 kill wantonly or cruelly. 3 colloq. Ruin through incompetence. [french boc +buck1]

Butchery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 needless or cruel slaughter (of people). 2 butcher's trade.

Butler  n. Principal manservant of a household. [french bouteille bottle]

Butt1  —v. 1 push or strike with the head or horns. 2 (cause to) meet edge to edge. —n. 1 push with the head. 2 join of two edges. ~ butt in interrupt, meddle. [french from germanic]

Butt2  n. 1 (often foll. By of) object of ridicule etc. 2 a mound behind a target. B (in pl.) Shooting-range. [french but goal]

Butt3  n. 1 thicker end, esp. Of a tool or weapon. 2 stub of a cigarette etc. 3 esp. Us slang buttocks. [dutch]

Butt4  n. Cask. [latin buttis]

Butter  —n. 1 solidified churned cream, used as a spread and in cooking. 2 substance of similar texture (peanut butter). —v. Spread, cook, or serve with butter. ~ butter up colloq. Flatter. [greek bouturon]

Butter-bean  n. 1 flat, dried, white lima bean. 2 yellow-podded bean.

Butter-cream  n. Mixture of butter, icing sugar, etc., as a filling etc. For a cake.

Buttercup  n. Wild plant with yellow cup-shaped flowers.

Butterfat  n. Essential fats of pure butter.

Butter-fingers  n. Colloq. Person prone to drop things.

Butterfly  n. (pl. -flies) 1 insect with four usu. Brightly coloured wings. 2 (in pl.) Colloq. Nervous sensation in the stomach.

Butterfly nut  n. A kind of wing-nut.

Butterfly stroke  n. Stroke in swimming, with arms raised and lifted forwards together.

Butter-icing  n. = +butter-cream.

Buttermilk  n. Liquid left after churning butter.

Butter muslin  n. Thin loosely-woven cloth, orig. For wrapping butter.

Butterscotch  n. Brittle toffee made from butter, brown sugar, etc.

Buttery1  n. (pl. -ies) food store, esp. In a college; snack-bar etc. [related to +butt4]

Buttery2  adj. Like or containing butter.

Buttock  n. 1 each of the two fleshy protuberances at the rear of the human trunk. 2 corresponding part of an animal. [butt ridge]

Button  —n. 1 small disc etc. Sewn to a garment as a fastener or worn as an ornament. 2 small round knob etc. Pressed to operate electronic equipment. —v. = button up 1. ~ button up 1 fasten with buttons. 2 colloq. Complete satisfactorily. 3 colloq. Be silent. [french from germanic]

Buttonhole  —n. 1 slit in cloth for a button. 2 flower etc. Worn in a lapel buttonhole. —v. (-ling) colloq. Accost and detain (a reluctant listener).

Button mushroom  n. Young unopened mushroom.

Buttress  —n. 1 projecting support built against a wall. 2 source of help etc. —v. (often foll. By up) 1 support with a buttress. 2 support by argument etc. (buttressed by facts). [related to +butt1]

Butty  n. (pl. -ies) n.engl. Sandwich. [from +butter]

Butyl  n. The univalent alkyl radical c4h9. [latin butyrum +butter]

Buxom  adj. (esp. Of a woman) plump and rosy; busty. [earlier = pliant: related to +bow2]

Buy  —v. (buys, buying; past and past part. Bought) 1 a obtain for money etc. B serve to obtain (money can't buy happiness; the best that money can buy). 2 a procure by bribery etc. B bribe. 3 get by sacrifice etc. 4 slang believe in, accept. 5 be a buyer for a store etc. —n. Colloq. Purchase. ~ buy in buy a stock of. Buy into pay for a share in (an enterprise). Buy off pay to get rid of. Buy oneself out obtain one's release (esp. From the armed services) by payment. Buy out pay (a person) for ownership, an interest, etc. Buy up 1 buy as much as possible of. 2 absorb (a firm etc.) By purchase. [old english]

Buyer  n. 1 person employed to purchase stock for a large store etc. 2 purchaser, customer.

Buyer's market  n. (also buyers' market) trading conditions favourable to buyers.

Buyout  n. Purchase of a controlling share in a company etc.

Buzz  —n. 1 hum of a bee etc. 2 sound of a buzzer. 3 a low murmur as of conversation. B stir; hurried activity (buzz of excitement). 4 slang telephone call. 5 slang thrill. —v. 1 hum. 2 a summon with a buzzer. B slang telephone. 3 a (often foll. By about) move busily. B (of a place) appear busy or full of excitement. ~ buzz off slang go or hurry away. [imitative]

Buzzard  n. Large bird of the hawk family. [latin buteo falcon]

Buzzer  n. Electrical buzzing device as a signal.

Buzz-word  n. Colloq. Fashionable technical or specialist word; catchword.

By  —prep. 1 near, beside (sit by me; path by the river). 2 through the agency or means of (by proxy; poem by donne; by bus; by cheating; divide by two; killed by robbers). 3 not later than (by next week). 4 a past, beyond (drove by the church). B through; via (went by paris). 5 during (by day; by daylight). 6 to the extent of (missed by a foot; better by far). 7 according to; using as a standard or unit (judge by appearances; paid by the hour). 8 with the succession of (worse by the minute; day by day). 9 concerning; in respect of (did our duty by them; smith by name). 10 used in mild oaths (by god). 11 expressing dimensions of an area etc. (three feet by two). 12 avoiding, ignoring (passed us by). 13 inclining to (north by north-west). —adv. 1 near (sat by). 2 aside; in reserve (put £5 by). 3 past (marched by). —n. (pl. Byes) = +bye1. ~ by and by before long; eventually. By and large on the whole. By the by (or bye) incidentally. By oneself 1 a unaided. B unprompted. 2 alone. [old english]

By-  prefix subordinate, incidental (by-effect; byroad).

Bye1  n. 1 cricket run scored from a ball that passes the batsman without being hit. 2 status of an unpaired competitor in a sport, who proceeds to the next round by default. [from +by as a noun]

Bye2  int. (also bye-bye) colloq. = +goodbye. [abbreviation]

By-election  n. Election to fill a vacancy arising between general elections.

Byelorussian  (also belorussian) —n. Native or language of byelorussia in eastern europe. —adj. Of byelorussia, its people, or language. [russian from belyi white, russiya russia]

Bygone  —adj. Past, antiquated. —n. (in phr. Let bygones be bygones) forgive and forget past quarrels.

By-law  n. Regulation made by a local authority or corporation. [obsolete by town]

Byline  n. 1 line naming the writer of a newspaper article etc. 2 secondary line of work. 3 goal-line or touch-line.

Bypass  —n. 1 main road passing round a town or its centre. 2 a secondary channel or pipe etc. Used in emergencies. B alternative passage for the circulation of blood through the heart. —v. Avoid, go round (a town, difficulty, etc.).

Byplay  n. Secondary action, esp. In a play.

By-product  n. 1 incidental product made in the manufacture of something else. 2 secondary result.

Byre  n. Cowshed. [old english]

Byroad  n. Minor road.

Byssinosis  n. Lung disease caused by textile fibre dust. [greek bussinos made of linen]

Bystander  n. Person present but not taking part; onlooker.

Byte  n. Computing group of eight binary digits, often representing one character. [origin uncertain]

Byway  n. 1 byroad or secluded path. 2 minor activity.

Byword  n. 1 person or thing as a notable example (is a byword for luxury). 2 familiar saying.

Byzantine  —adj. 1 of byzantium or the e. Roman empire. 2 of its highly decorated style of architecture. 3 (of a political situation etc.) Complex, inflexible, or underhand. —n. Citizen of byzantium or the e. Roman empire. ~ byzantinism n. Byzantinist n. [latin byzantium, now istanbul]

Online English Dictionary Free Words Starting with Letter B

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