B
- ba abbreviation (BA = Bachelor of Arts; British Airways); symbol (Ba = barium); Mandarin pinyin «bā» = eight, «ba» = suggestion particle; sheep sound «baa» — a fragment
«Bā» means «eight» in Mandarin; «ba» with no tone goes at the end of a sentence to make a suggestion: «wǒmen zǒu ba» means «let's go». - baa noun (a baa, baas); verb (baa, baas, baaed, baaing); interjection
1) The sound a sheep or lamb makes. 2) (verb) To make this sound; to bleat. 3) Baa San is a Japanese term of address meaning "old woman"… - baba noun (a baba, babas); (Ukrainian, Polish, Russian) noun (baba)
«Baba» means grandmother or granny; also an old woman. - babble verb (babble, babbles, babbled, babbling); noun (babble)
To talk quickly in a way that is hard to understand or silly: «She babbled about her holiday.». - babbling verb (babble, babbles, babbled, babbling — -ing form); adjective (babbling); noun (babbling — uncountable)
Babbling is talking quickly in a silly, excited or confusing way, so it is hard to understand or not very sensible. - babe noun (a babe, babes)
A babe is a baby: «a babe in arms», the baby Jesus «the babe in the manger». - babel noun (babel — noise); proper noun (Babel — the Tower of Babel)
1) (Bible) The Tower of Babel is a story in Genesis where people tried to build a tower up to heaven; God mixed up their language so they… - baboon noun (a baboon, baboons)
A baboon is a large monkey from Africa and Arabia with a dog-like face, long jaws and big teeth, living in large groups called troops. - baby noun (baby, babies); adjective (baby — very young or small: baby carrots)
A very young child who cannot yet walk or talk much. - babyhood noun (babyhood — uncountable)
1) Babyhood is the time in your life when you are a baby, usually the first year or two. - babyish adjective (babyish, more babyish)
Babyish means like a baby or suitable for a baby, too young for someone older. - babysit verb (babysit, babysits, babysat, babysitting)
To babysit is to look after a baby or a child for a while when their parents are out. - babysitter noun (a babysitter, babysitters)
A babysitter is a person who looks after children in their home while the parents are out, usually for a few hours and often for money. - babysitting verb (-ing form of babysit); noun (babysitting — uncountable, the job of looking after children)
Babysitting is the -ing form of «babysit»: looking after a child while their parents are out. - baccy noun (baccy — uncountable)
1) (informal, UK) Baccy is short for tobacco, the dried leaves people smoke in pipes and cigarettes. - bach proper noun (Bach); noun (a bach, baches — New Zealand)
Bach is the surname of Johann Sebastian Bach, a famous German composer of classical and church music who lived long ago (a name). - bachelor noun (a bachelor, bachelors)
1) A man who is not married and never has been. 2) (school) A first university degree, such as a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of… - back noun (the back, backs); adverb; adjective; verb (back, backs, backed, backing)
The back is the part that is last or farthest from the front: the back of the line. - backache noun (backache, backaches)
1) A pain in your back. - backbone noun (a backbone, backbones)
The backbone is the line of bones down the middle of your back, also called the spine. - backfire verb (backfire, backfires, backfired, backfiring); noun (a backfire, backfires)
If a plan backfires, it goes wrong and has the opposite result to what you wanted, often hurting you instead. - background noun (a background, backgrounds); adjective (background noise, background music)
The background of a picture or scene is the part behind the main things, furthest from you. - backhand noun (a backhand, backhands); adjective (a backhand shot); verb (backhand — hit with the back of the hand); adverb (play backhand)
1) A backhand is a shot in tennis, badminton, table tennis or squash, where you hit the ball with your arm across your body and the back… - backlighting noun (backlighting)
1) Light placed behind something, like the light behind a phone or laptop screen, or behind a person in a photo or play. - backlog noun (a backlog, backlogs)
A pile of work or jobs that should have been done already and are still waiting. - backpack noun (a backpack, backpacks); verb (backpack, backpacks, backpacked, backpacking)
A backpack is a bag with two straps that you carry on your back. - backside noun (a backside, backsides)
1) (informal) The part of the body you sit on; your bottom. 2) The back part of something (rare): the backside of the building. 3)… - backsliding noun (backsliding – uncountable); verb form (of «backslide»: backslide, backslides, backslid, backsliding)
Going back to bad old habits after you had been doing better. - backstage adverb (go backstage); adjective (a backstage pass); noun (the backstage — rare)
Backstage means in the area behind the stage of a theatre, where performers get ready and wait. - backstroke noun (backstroke, uncountable; a backstroke, backstrokes)
Backstroke is a way of swimming on your back, moving your arms backwards one after the other over your head and kicking your legs. - backup noun (a backup, backups); adjective (backup plan); verb phrase back up (back up, backs up, backed up, backing up)
An extra copy of computer files kept safe in case the first copy is lost. - backward adverb, adjective (backward; adverb also backwards)
Backward means toward the back, or in the direction behind you. - backwater noun (a backwater, backwaters)
A part of a river where the water is still or slow, away from the main current, often behind a bend or a weir. - backyard noun (backyard, backyards; also back yard)
1) A backyard is the yard behind a house, often with grass; in the UK and Australia it is often called the back garden. - bacon noun (bacon — uncountable)
Bacon is salty meat from the back or sides of a pig, cut in thin slices and usually fried or grilled. - bacteria noun (plural; one is a bacterium)
Bacteria are tiny living things, each made of just one cell, too small to see without a microscope. - bacterial adjective (bacterial)
1) Bacterial means caused by bacteria or to do with bacteria, the tiny living things too small to see. - bacteriophage noun (bacteriophage, bacteriophages) — science
1) (science) A virus that infects and kills bacteria; often shortened to «phage». - bacterium noun (a bacterium, bacteria)
A bacterium is one tiny living thing made of a single cell, so small you need a microscope to see it. - bad adjective (bad, worse, worst); adverb (bad — informal); noun (the bad)
1) Not good; of low quality: "bad weather". 2) Wrong or naughty: "bad behaviour". 3) Harmful: "Smoking is bad for you." 4) Serious or… - baddie noun (a baddie, baddies)
A baddie is a bad person or villain in a story, film or game. - bade verb (past of «bid»; bid, bade, bidden)
Bade means told or ordered someone to do something. - badge noun (a badge, badges)
A small piece of metal, plastic or cloth with a picture or words on it, worn to show who you are, what you belong to or what you have done. - badger noun (a badger, badgers); verb (badger, badgers, badgered, badgering)
1) A badger is a wild animal with grey fur, short legs and a black and white striped face that lives in tunnels underground and comes out… - badly adverb (badly, worse, worst)
1) Badly means in a bad, poor or wrong way: «He played badly». 2) Badly means seriously or very much: «badly hurt», «I badly want a dog». - badminton noun (badminton — uncountable)
1) A game in which players use light rackets to hit a shuttlecock over a high net. - baffle verb (baffles, baffled, baffling)
To baffle someone is to puzzle them so they cannot understand or work out what to do. - baffled adjective (baffled); verb past form of baffle (baffle, baffles, baffled, baffling)
1) Completely confused, not able to understand or explain something. 2) (past form of baffle) Made someone confused. - bag noun (bag, bags); verb (bag, bags, bagged, bagging — to put in a bag; to grab; to criticise)
A bag is a soft container you carry things in, made of paper, plastic, cloth or leather. - bagel noun (a bagel, bagels)
1) A ring-shaped bread roll with a hole in the middle, boiled before it is baked, so it is chewy. - bagful noun (bagfuls)
1) A bagful is as much as a bag will hold. - baggage noun (baggage — uncountable)
The bags and suitcases you take when you travel. - bagging verb form (bag, bags, bagged, bagging); noun (bagging — uncountable)
Putting things into bags: «bagging groceries». - baggy adjective (baggy, baggier, baggiest); noun (baggies — loose trousers, informal)
Baggy clothes are big and loose, not tight on your body. - bagpipe noun (a bagpipe, bagpipes — usually «the bagpipes»)
1) The bagpipes are a musical instrument with a bag that the player fills with air and squeezes, and pipes that make a loud, buzzing sound. - bagpiper noun (bagpipers)
1) A bagpiper is a person who plays the bagpipes, an instrument with a bag and pipes. - baguet noun (baguet, baguets) — a variant spelling
Another spelling of «baguette»: a long, thin loaf of French bread. - baguette noun (a baguette, baguettes)
1) A long, thin loaf of white bread with a crisp crust, first made in France. 2) A sandwich made with this bread. - bai noun (Mandarin, pinyin: bái, bǎi, bài); name (Bai)
"bái" (白) means "white"; "bǎi" (百) means "hundred". - bail noun (bail, bails); verb (bail, bails, bailed, bailing)
noun (law): Money paid to a court so a person accused of a crime can stay out of prison until the trial; «on bail» means released this way. - bailiff noun (a bailiff, bailiffs)
An official who has the legal power to take goods from someone's home, or make them leave it, when they have not paid money they owe. - bailiwick noun (bailiwick, bailiwicks)
A person's area of skill, interest or responsibility: «Maths is her bailiwick». - bairn noun (a bairn, bairns) (Scotland, northern England)
1) (Scotland, northern England) A bairn is a child or a baby. 2) (Scotland) «Your bairns» means your children, your own family's kids. - bait noun (bait, uncountable; a bait, rare); verb (bait, baits, baited, baiting)
Food put on a hook or in a trap to catch fish or animals. - bake verb (bake, bakes, baked, baking); noun (a bake)
To bake is to cook food in an oven with dry heat, like bread, cakes or cookies. - baked verb (bake: baked — past form); adjective (baked)
Baked is the past form of bake: «She baked a cake». - baker noun (baker, bakers); noun bakery
1) A baker is a person who makes bread, cakes and pies to sell. 2) A baker can be anyone who likes to bake at home. - bakery noun (bakery, bakeries)
A bakery is a shop where bread, cakes, buns and pies are baked and sold. - baking verb (bake: baking); noun (baking); adjective (baking — very hot)
1) Baking is cooking in an oven. 2) Baking is the bread and cakes that are baked. 3) Baking hot means very hot. 4) A baking-oven is an… - balance noun (balance, balances); verb (balance, balances, balanced, balancing)
Balance is being steady so you do not fall: «keep your balance». - balancing verb form of balance (balance, balances, balanced, balancing); adjective (balancing)
Balancing means keeping something steady so it does not fall, like balancing on one foot. - balcony noun (balcony, balconies)
A balcony is a small floor with a railing on the outside of a building, where you can stand or sit above the ground. - bald adjective (bald, balder, baldest); verb (bald, balds, balded, balding — rare, mostly "balding")
Bald means having little or no hair on the head: "my grandad is bald". - baldness noun (baldness, uncountable); adjective bald
1) Having little or no hair on the head. 2) The state of a surface being bare, without its usual covering (the baldness of a worn tyre). - bale noun (a bale, bales); verb (bale, bales, baled, baling); also verb bale out (UK) = bail out
A bale is a large tightly packed bundle of hay, straw, cotton or wool, tied up with string or wire. - baleen noun (baleen, uncountable; baleen plates); adjective (baleen whale)
1) Baleen is a strong, bendy material growing in long plates from the top jaw of some whales, used like a giant sieve or comb to filter… - balkan adjective (Balkan); noun (the Balkans)
To do with the Balkans, a mountainous region in south-east Europe. - ball noun (ball, balls)
A ball is a round thing used in games, for throwing, kicking, hitting or bouncing. - ballad noun (ballads)
1) A ballad is a song or poem that tells a story, often in short verses. - ballast noun (ballast, uncountable); verb (ballast, ballasts, ballasted, ballasting — rare)
Heavy material, such as stones, sand or water, put low in a ship or balloon to keep it steady. - ballerina noun (a ballerina, ballerinas)
A female ballet dancer, especially a leading one in a ballet company. - ballet noun (ballet — uncountable; a ballet, ballets)
Ballet is a kind of graceful dance that tells a story or shows feelings, with exact steps, jumps and turns, often on the tips of the toes. - balloon noun (balloon, balloons); verb (balloon — to swell up fast)
A balloon is a thin rubber bag that you fill with air or gas; it floats if filled with helium. - ballot noun (a ballot, ballots); verb (ballot, ballots, balloted, balloting)
A way of voting secretly by writing on a paper or using a machine. - ballpoint noun (a ballpoint, ballpoints); adjective (ballpoint)
A pen with a tiny metal ball at its tip that rolls and spreads ink as you write; also called a ballpoint pen. - ballroom noun (ballrooms)
1) A ballroom is a large room, often in a grand house or hall, where people dance. - balm noun (a balm, balms; balm — uncountable); lip balm
A balm is a thick, oily cream or ointment that soothes, heals or protects the skin. - balmoral proper noun (Balmoral; Balmoral Castle)
Balmoral Castle is a large castle in the Highlands of Scotland, a private holiday home of the British royal family. - balmy adjective (balmier, balmiest)
Balmy describes weather or air that is warm, soft and gentle, pleasant to be outside in. - balsam noun (balsam, balsams; balsam is often uncountable)
A sweet-smelling sticky oil or resin that comes from certain trees and is used in creams and medicines. - baltic adjective, a name (Baltic; the Baltic Sea, the Baltic states)
1) The Baltic Sea is a sea in northern Europe, surrounded by countries such as Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland… - balustrade noun (balustrades)
A balustrade is a low railing along the edge of a balcony, bridge or staircase, held up by short posts called balusters. - bamboo noun (bamboo — uncountable; a bamboo, bamboos for kinds)
Bamboo is a very tall, fast-growing plant, a kind of giant grass, with hard hollow stems divided into sections. - ban verb (ban, bans, banned, banning); noun (a ban, bans)
1) To ban something is to officially say that it is not allowed. 2) A ban is a rule that stops something from being done. - banana noun (banana, bananas)
A banana is a long curved fruit with a yellow skin that you peel; inside it is soft and sweet. - band noun (band, bands); verb (band together — to join together)
A band is a group of musicians who play together: a rock band, a school band. - bandage noun (a bandage, bandages); verb (bandage, bandages, bandaged, bandaging)
A bandage is a strip of cloth or soft material wrapped around a part of the body to cover and protect a wound or support an injury. - bandit noun (bandits)
A bandit is a robber, often one of a gang, who attacks travellers and steals from them, usually in wild or lonely places. - bandmaster noun (bandmasters)
A bandmaster is the person who leads and trains a band of musicians, and often writes or chooses the music they play. - bandwagon noun (a bandwagon, bandwagons)
Something that suddenly becomes popular, which many people join just because others do: «jump on the bandwagon».
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