You would like to give word a happy home but with so many words in the English Language, you feel a bit lost.
Have a look at our Collins dictionary online. Here you can see for yourself every word in our database, and whether it’s available to adopt. You’ll soon feel inspired.
b
the second letter and first consonant of the modern English alphabet
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B list
a category considered to be slightly below the most socially desirable
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B-
bomber
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B-boy
a male rap-music fan, who typically can be identified by his casual style of dress
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B-cell
another name for B-lymphocyte
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B-lymphocyte
a type of lymphocyte, originating in bone marrow, that produces antibodies
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B-movie
a film originally made (esp in Hollywood in the 1940s and 50s) as a supporting film, now often considered as a genre in its own right
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B-road
(in Britain) a secondary road
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B-sample
a urine or blood sample used in doping tests in professional sports to confirm or invalidate the presence of banned substances in the first sample, the A-sample
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B-setting
a shutter setting in which the shutter remains open until the shutter control is released
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B-side
the less important side of a gramophone record
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b.
born
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B.C.S.
Bachelor of Computer Science
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B.F.A.
Bachelor of Fine Arts
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b.i.d.
bis in die
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B.J.
Bachelor of Journalism
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b.o.
back order
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B.P.E.
Bachelor of Physical Education
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b.pt.
boiling point
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B.S.
Bachelor of Science
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B.Th.
Bachelor of Theology
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B/D
bank draft
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B/E
bill of exchange
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B/F
brought forward
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B/L
bill of lading
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B/O
brought over
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B/R
bills receivable
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B/S
bags
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B/W
black and white
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B2B
business-to-business; denoting trade between commercial organizations rather than between businesses and private customers
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B2C
business to consumer: denoting an internet communication channel between a business and consumers
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B2E
business to employee: denoting an internet communication channel between a company and its employers
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B2G
business to government: referring to a business dealing with government rather than individuals or companies
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B4
before
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B4N
bye for now
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ba
Bosnia and Herzegovina
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ba'
a game somewhat like rugby played in Orkney at Christmas and New Year between two very large teams of players
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Ba'ath
a variant of Bath
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Ba'th
an Arab Socialist party, esp in Iraq and Syria, founded by Michel Aflaq in 1941. It attempts to combine Marxism with pan-Islamic nationalism
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baa
to make the cry of a sheep; bleat
Sorry this word has been given a happy home by: Ms Sandra Tutin
Reason for adoption: When my son was younger this was the word he used for grandma!
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Baal
any of several ancient Semitic fertility gods
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Baalbek
a town in E Lebanon: an important city in Phoenician and Roman times; extensive ruins. Pop: 150 000 (1998 est)
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baas
a South African word for a boss: often used by Black or Coloured people addressing a White manager or overseer
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baaskap
(formerly in South Africa) control by White people of non-White people
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baba
a small cake of leavened dough, sometimes mixed with currants and usually soaked in rum (rum baba)
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babaco
a subtropical parthenocarpic tree, Carica pentagona, originating in South America, cultivated for its fruit: family Caricaceae
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babalas
drunk; hungover
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babassu
a Brazilian palm tree, Orbignya martiana (or O. speciosa), having hard edible nuts that yield an oil used in making soap, margarine, etc
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babbitt
to line (a bearing) or face (a surface) with Babbitt metal or a similar soft alloy
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babble
to utter (words, sounds, etc) in an incoherent or indistinct jumble
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babbler
a person who babbles
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babe
a baby
Sorry this word has been given a happy home by: Mrs Debbie Mills
Reason for adoption: Because that's you X
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babe-in-a-cradle
a tall orchid, Epiblema grandiflorum, of SW Australia with lilac to mauve flowers
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Babel
a tower presumptuously intended to reach from earth to heaven, the building of which was frustrated when Jehovah confused the language of the builders (Genesis 11:1--9)
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babesiosis
a tick-borne disease of domesticated and wild mammals as well as humans, caused by a protozoan of the genera Babesia and characterized by fever, anaemia, jaundice, and in severe cases leading to death
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Babi
a disciple of the Bab, a Persian religious leader (1819--50), who was executed as a heretic of Islam
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babiche
thongs or lacings of rawhide
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babies'-breath
a variant of baby's-breath
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babirusa
a wild pig, Babyrousa babyrussa, inhabiting marshy forests in Indonesia. It has an almost hairless wrinkled skin and enormous curved canine teeth
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Babism
a pantheistic Persian religious sect, founded in 1844 by the Bab, a Persian religious leader (1819--50), who was executed as a heretic of Islam. It forbids polygamy, concubinage, begging, trading in slaves, and indulgence in alcohol and drugs
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baboon
any of several medium-sized omnivorous Old World monkeys of the genus Papio (or Chaeropithecus) and related genera, inhabiting open rocky ground or wooded regions of Africa. They have an elongated muzzle, large teeth, and a fairly long tail
Sorry this word has been given a happy home by: Mr Martin Norbury
Reason for adoption: their favourite word
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babu
(in India) a title or form of address more or less equivalent to Mr, placed before a person's full name or after his first name
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babul
any of several leguminous trees of the genus Acacia, esp A. arabica of N Africa and India, which bear small yellow flowers and are a source of gum arabic, tannin, and hardwood
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babushka
a headscarf tied under the chin, worn by Russian peasant women
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baby
a newborn or recently born child; infant
Sorry this word has been given a happy home by: Mrs Maria Holloway
Reason for adoption: I teach TinyTalk baby & toddler signing & singing classes.
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baby talk
the speech of very young children learning to talk
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baby's-breath
a tall Eurasian caryophyllaceous plant, Gypsophila paniculata, bearing small white or pink fragrant flowers
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baby-boomer
a person born during a baby boom, esp (in Britain and the US) one born during the years 1945--55
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Baby-bouncer
a seat on springs suspended from a door frame, etc, in which a baby may be placed for exercise
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baby-face
a smooth round face like a baby's
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baby-minder
a person who is paid to look after other people's babies or very young children
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baby-mother
a young mother who has been abandoned by the baby's father just before or after the birth
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baby-sit
to act or work as a baby-sitter
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baby-sitter
a person who takes care of a child or children while the parents are out
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baby-walker
a light frame on casters or wheels to help a baby learn to walk
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babydoll
a short sleeveless nightgown or dress with a loose skirt b (as modifier): e.g. a babydoll dress
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Babylon
the chief city of ancient Mesopotamia: first settled around 3000 bc
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Babylonia
the southern kingdom of ancient Mesopotamia: a great empire from about 2200--538 bc, when it was conquered by the Persians
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Babylonian
an inhabitant of ancient Babylon or Babylonia
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Bac
a city in E Romania on the River Bistrila: oil refining, textiles, paper. Pop: 128 000 (2005 est)
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Baccalauréat
(esp in France) a school-leaving examination that qualifies the successful candidates for entrance to university
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baccalaureate
the university degree of Bachelor or Arts, Bachelor of Science, etc
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baccarat
a card game in which two or more punters gamble against the banker
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baccate
like a berry in form, texture, etc
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Bacchae
the priestesses or female devotees of Bacchus
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bacchanal
a follower of Bacchus
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bacchanalia
orgiastic rites associated with Bacchus
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bacchanalian
characterized by or involving drunken revelry
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bacchant
a priest or votary of Bacchus
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bacchante
a priestess or female votary of Bacchus
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Bacchic
of or relating to Bacchus
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bacchius
a metrical foot of one short syllable followed by two long ones ()
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Bacchus
(in ancient Greece and Rome) a god of wine and giver of ecstasy, identified with Dionysus
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bacciferous
bearing berries
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bacciform
shaped like a berry
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baccivorous
feeding on berries
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baccy
an informal name for tobacco
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bach
a term of friendly address: used esp after a person's name
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bacha
a child or a young person
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bachelor
an unmarried man
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bachelor's-buttons
any of various plants of the daisy family with button-like flower heads
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bachelorette
a young unmarried professional woman
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bacillaemia
the presence of bacilli in the blood
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bacillary
of, relating to, or caused by bacilli
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bacilluria
the presence of bacilli in the urine
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bacillus
any rod-shaped bacterium, such as a clostridium bacterium
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bacitracin
an antibiotic used mainly in treating bacterial skin infections: obtained from the bacterium Bacillus subtilis
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back
the posterior part of the human body, extending from the neck to the pelvis
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back end
autumn
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back office
the administrative and support staff of a financial institution or other business
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back-pedal
to turn the pedals of a bicycle backwards
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back-slapping
energetically jovial; hearty
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back-stabbing
actions or remarks that are treacherous and likely to cause harm to a person, esp a friend or colleague
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back-to-back
facing in opposite directions, often with the backs touching
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backache
an ache or pain in one's back
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backbeat
the second and fourth beats of a bar written in even time or, in more complex time signatures, the last beat of the bar
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backbencher
a Member of Parliament who does not hold office in the government or opposition
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backbend
a gymnastic exercise in which the trunk is bent backwards until the hands touch the floor
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backbite
to talk spitefully about (an absent person)
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backblocks
bush or remote farming area far distant from city amenities
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backboard
a board that is placed behind something to form or support its back
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backbone
something that resembles the spinal column in function, position, or appearance
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backbreaker
a wrestling hold in which a wrestler uses his knee or shoulder as a fulcrum to bend his opponent's body backwards
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backbreaking
demanding great effort; exhausting
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backburn
to clear (an area of scrub, bush, etc) by creating a new fire that burns in the opposite direction to the line of advancing fire
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backchat
the act of answering back, esp impudently
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backcloth
a large painted curtain hanging at the back of a stage set
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backcomb
to comb the under layers of (the hair) towards the roots to give more bulk to a hairstyle
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backcourt
the part of the court between the service line and the baseline
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backcross
to mate (a hybrid of the first generation) with one of its parents
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backdate
to make effective from an earlier date
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backdraught
a reverse movement of air, gas, or liquid
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backdrop
the background to any scene or situation
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backed
having a back or backing
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backer
a person who gives financial or other support
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backfield
the quarterback and running backs in a team
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backfile
the archives of a newspaper or magazine
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backfill
to refill an excavated trench, esp (in archaeology) at the end of an investigation
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backfire
(of an internal-combustion engine) to emit a loud noise as a result of an explosion in the inlet manifold or exhaust system
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backgammon
a game for two people played on a board with pieces moved according to throws of the dice
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background
the part of a scene or view furthest from the viewer
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backhand
a stroke made across the body with the back of the hand facing the direction of the stroke
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backhanded
(of a blow, shot, stroke, etc) performed with the arm moving across the body
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backhander
a backhanded stroke or blow
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backie
a ride on the back of someone's bicycle
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backing
support given to a person, cause, or enterprise
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backlash
a reaction or recoil between interacting worn or badly fitting parts in a mechanism
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backless
(of a dress) low-cut at the back
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backlist
a publisher's previously published books that are still available
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backlit
illuminated from behind
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backlog
an accumulation of uncompleted work, unsold stock, etc, to be dealt with
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backlot
an area outside a film or television studio used for outdoor filming
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backmost
furthest back
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backpack
a rucksack or knapsack
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Backs
the grounds between the River Cam and certain Cambridge colleges
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backscratcher
an implement with a long handle, used for scratching one's back
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backsheesh
a variant spelling of baksheesh
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backside
the back of something
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backsight
the sight of a rifle nearer the stock
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backslash
a slash which slopes to the left \
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backslide
to lapse into bad habits or vices from a state of virtue, religious faith, etc
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backspace
to move a (typewriter carriage) backwards
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backspin
a backward spinning motion imparted to a ball to reduce its speed at impact, as by hitting it with a downward or undercutting motion
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backstage
behind the part of the theatre in view of the audience; in the dressing rooms, wings, etc
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backstairs
a secondary staircase in a house, esp one originally for the use of servants
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backstay
a stay leading aft from the upper part of a mast to the deck or stern
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backstitch
a strong sewing stitch made by starting the next stitch at the middle or beginning of the preceding one
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backstop
a screen or fence to prevent balls leaving the playing area
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backstreet
a street in a town remote from the main roads
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backstroke
a stroke performed on the back, using backward circular strokes of each arm alternately and flipper movements of the feet
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backswept
slanting backwards
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backsword
a person who uses the backsword
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backtrack
to return by the same route by which one has come
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backward
directed towards the rear
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backwardation
the difference between the spot price for a commodity, including rent and interest, and the forward price
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backwards
towards the rear
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backwash
a sucking movement of water, such as that of retreating waves
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backwater
a body of stagnant water connected to a river
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backwoods
partially cleared, sparsely populated forests
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backwoodsman
a person from the backwoods
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backword
the act or an instance of failing to keep a promise or commitment (esp in the phrase give (someone) backword)
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baclava
a variant spelling of baklava
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Bacolod
a town in the Philippines, on the NW coast of Negros Island. Pop: 468 000 (2005 est)
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bacon
meat from the back and sides of a pig, dried, salted, and usually smoked
Sorry this word has been given a happy home by: Mr Richard Anderson
Reason for adoption: Bacon is my little sister's most favorite thing in the world!
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bacon-and-eggs
another name for bird's-foot trefoil
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baconer
a pig that weighs between 83 and 101 kg, from which bacon is cut
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Baconian
of or relating to Francis Bacon, Baron Verulam, Viscount St Albans (1561--1626), the English philosopher, statesman, and essayist, or to his inductive method of reasoning
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BACS
Bankers' Automated Clearing System; a method of making payments direct to a creditor's bank without using a cheque
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bacteraemia
the presence of bacteria in the blood
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bacteria
a very large group of microorganisms comprising one of the three domains of living organisms. They are prokaryotic, unicellular, and either free-living in soil or water or parasites of plants or animals
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bactericide
a substance able to destroy bacteria
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bacterin
a vaccine prepared from bacteria
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bacterio-
indicating bacteria or an action or condition relating to or characteristic of bacteria
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bacteriol.
bacteriological
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bacteriology
the branch of science concerned with the study of bacteria
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bacteriolysis
the destruction or disintegration of bacteria
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bacteriophage
a virus that is parasitic in a bacterium and multiplies within its host, which is destroyed when the new viruses are released
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bacteriostasis
inhibition of the growth and reproduction of bacteria, esp by the action of a chemical agent
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bacteriostat
any substance that arrests the growth or reproduction of bacteria but does not kill them
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bacteriotoxin
any toxin that kills bacteria
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bacterium
the singular of bacteria
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bacteriuria
the presence of bacteria in the urine
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bacteroid
resembling a bacterium
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Bactria
an ancient country of SW Asia, between the Hindu Kush mountains and the Oxus River: forms the present Balkh region in N Afghanistan
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Bactrian
of or relating to Bactria,
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baculiform
shaped like a rod
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baculum
a bony support in the penis of certain mammals, esp the carnivores
Sorry this word has been given a happy home by: Mr The Fricker Family
Reason for adoption: found it in a dictionary at the age of 12.... animal genitals haha!
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bad
not good; of poor quality; inadequate; inferior
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bad-mouth
to speak unfavourably about
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bad-tempered
angry, irritable, or ungracious
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bada-bing
an expression used to suggest that something can be done with no difficulty or delay
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Badajoz
a city in SW Spain: strategically positioned near the frontier with Portugal. Pop: 138 415 (2003 est)
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Badalona
a port in NE Spain: an industrial suburb of Barcelona. Pop: 214 440 (2003 est)
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badass
a tough or aggressive person
Sorry this word has been given a happy home by: Mr gary dawson
Reason for adoption: coz she's the No 1 Badass of course!
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baddeleyite
a mineral consisting largely of zirconium dioxide: a source of zirconium. Formula: ZrO2
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badderlocks
a seaweed, Alaria esculenta, that has long brownish-green fronds and is eaten in parts of N Europe
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baddie
a bad character in a story, film, etc, esp an opponent of the hero
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bade
past tense of bid
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Baden
a former state of West Germany, now part of Baden-Württemberg
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Baden-Baden
a spa in SW Germany, in Baden-Württemberg. Pop: 53 938 (2003 est)
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Baden-Württemberg
a state of SW Germany; formerly in West Germany. Capital: Stuttgart. Pop: 53 938 (2003 est). Area: 35 742 sq km (13 800 sq miles)
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badge
a distinguishing emblem or mark worn to signify membership, employment, achievement, etc
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badger
any of various stocky omnivorous musteline mammals of the subfamily Melinae, such as Meles meles (Eurasian badger), occurring in Europe, Asia, and North America: order Carnivora (carnivores). They are typically large burrowing animals, with strong claws and a thick coat striped black and white on the head
Sorry this word has been given a happy home by: Mr Tom Crane
Reason for adoption: It's my favourite animal!
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badinage
playful or frivolous repartee or banter
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badinerie
a name given in the 18th century to a type of quick, light movement in a suite
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badlands
any deeply eroded barren area
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badly
poorly; defectively; inadequately
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badman
a hired gunman, outlaw, or criminal
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badmash
naughty or bad
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badminton
a game played with rackets and a shuttlecock, which is hit back and forth across a high net
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Baedeker
any of a series of travel guidebooks issued by the German publisher Karl Baedeker (1801--59) or his firm
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bael
a spiny Indian rutaceous tree, Aegle marmelos
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BAF
British Athletic Federation
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baffies
slippers
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baffle
to perplex; bewilder; puzzle
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baffling
impossible to understand; perplexing; bewildering; puzzling
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BAFTA
British Academy of Film and Television Arts
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bag
a flexible container with an opening at one end
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bag lady
a woman who is homeless and wanders city streets with all her possessions in shopping bags
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Baganda
a Negroid people of E Africa living chiefly in Uganda
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bagasse
the pulp remaining after the extraction of juice from sugar cane or similar plants: used as fuel and for making paper, etc
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bagassosis
an allergic response to the dust of bagasse, causing breathlessness and fever
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bagatelle
something of little value or significance; trifle
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Bagdad
a variant spelling of Baghdad
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bagel
a hard ring-shaped bread roll, characteristic of Jewish baking
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baggage
suitcases, bags, etc, packed for a journey; luggage
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bagging
coarse woven cloth; sacking
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baggy
(of clothes) hanging loosely; puffed out
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bagh
(in India and Pakistan) a garden
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Baghdad
the capital of Iraq, on the River Tigris: capital of the Abbasid Caliphate (762--1258). Pop: 5 910 000 (2005 est)
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bagie
a turnip
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bagless
(esp of a vacuum cleaner) not containing a bag
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bagman
a travelling salesman
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bagnette
a variant of baguette
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bagnio
a brothel
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bagpipe
of or relating to the bagpipes
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bagpipes
any of a family of musical wind instruments in which sounds are produced in reed pipes supplied with air from a bag inflated either by the player's mouth, as in the Irish bagpipes or Highland bagpipes of Scotland, or by arm-operated bellows, as in the Northumbrian bagpipes
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Bagram
an air base in NE Afghanistan, near Kabul; now under the control of US forces
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bags
a lot; a great deal
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bagswinger
another term for bagman
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baguette
a narrow French stick loaf
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Baguio
a city in the N Philippines, on N Luzon: summer capital of the Republic. Pop: 287 000 (2005 est)
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bagwash
a laundry that washes clothes without drying or pressing them
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bagwig
an 18th-century wig with hair pushed back into a bag
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bagworm
the larva of moths of the family Psychidae, which forms a protective case of silk covered with grass, leaves, etc
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bah
an expression of contempt or disgust
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Baha'í
an adherent of the Baha'í Faith
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Baha
another name, not in Bahaí use, for the Bahaí Faith
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bahadur
a title formerly conferred by the British on distinguished Indians
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Bahamas
a group of over 700 coral islands (about 20 of which are inhabited) in the Caribbean: a British colony from 1783 until 1964; an independent nation within the Commonwealth from 1973. Language: English. Currency: Bahamian dollar. Capital: Nassau. Pop: 317 000 (2004 est). Area: 13 939 sq km (5381 sq miles)
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Bahamian
of or relating to the Bahamas
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Bahawalpur
an industrial city in Pakistan: cotton, soap. Pop: 563 000 (2005 est)
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Bahia
a state of E Brazil, on the Atlantic coast. Capital: Salvador. Pop: 13 323 212 (2002). Area: about 562 000 sq km (217 000 sq miles)
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Bahrain
an independent sheikhdom on the Persian Gulf, consisting of several islands: under British protection until the declaration of independence in 1971. It has large oil reserves. Language: Arabic. Religion: Muslim. Currency: dinar. Capital: Manama. Pop: 739 000 (2004 est). Area: 678 sq km (262 sq miles)
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Bahraini
of or relating to Bahrain
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baht
the standard monetary unit of Thailand, divided into 100 satang
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bahu
(in India) a daughter-in-law
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bahuvrihi
a class of compound words consisting of two elements the first of which is a specific feature of the second
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Baikal
a lake in Russia, in SE Siberia: the largest freshwater lake in Eurasia and the deepest in the world. Greatest depth: over 1500 m (5000 ft). Area: about 33 670 sq km (13 000 sq miles)
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Baikonur
a launching site for spacecraft in central Kazakhstan; formerly the centre for the Soviet space programme, now leased from Kazakhstan by Russia
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bail
a sum of money by which a person is bound to take responsibility for the appearance in court of another person or himself or herself, forfeited if the person fails to appear
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bailable
eligible for release on bail
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bailee
a person to whom the possession of goods is transferred under a bailment
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bailey
the outermost wall or court of a castle
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bailie
(in Scotland) a municipal magistrate
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bailiff
the agent or steward of a landlord or landowner
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bailiwick
the area over which a bailiff has jurisdiction
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bailment
a contractual delivery of goods in trust to a person for a specific purpose
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bailor
a person who retains ownership of goods but entrusts possession of them to another under a bailment
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Baily
one of the largest craters on the moon, about 293 kilometres in diameter, lying in the SE quadrant
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báinín
a collarless revers-less unlined man's jacket made of white close-woven wool
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bainite
a mixture of iron and iron carbide found in incompletely hardened steels, produced when austenite is transformed at temperatures between the pearlite and martensite ranges
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Bairam
either of two Muslim festivals, one (Lesser Bairam) falling at the end of Ramadan, the other (Greater Bairam) 70 days later at the end of the Islamic year
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bairn
a child
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Baisakhi
an annual Sikh festival commemorating the founding (1699) of the Order of the Khalsa by Gobind Singh
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bait
something edible, such as soft bread paste, worms, or pieces of meat, fixed to a hook or in a trap to attract fish or animals
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baize
a woollen fabric resembling felt, usually green, used mainly for the tops of billiard tables
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Bajan
a native of Barbados
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BAK
back at keyboard
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bake
to cook by dry heat in or as if in an oven
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bakeapple
the fruit of the cloudberry
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bakehouse
another word for bakery
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Bakelite
any one of a class of thermosetting resins used as electric insulators and for making plastic ware, telephone receivers, etc
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baker
a person whose business or employment is to make or sell bread, cakes, etc
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bakery
a room or building equipped for baking
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Bakhtaran
a city in W Iran, in the valley of the Qareh Su: oil refinery. Pop: 832 000 (2005 est)
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baking
the process of cooking bread, cakes, etc
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bakkie
a small truck with an open body and low sides
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baklava
a rich cake of Middle Eastern origin consisting of thin layers of pastry filled with nuts and honey
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bakra
a White person, esp one from Britain
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baksheesh
money given as a tip, a present, or alms
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Baku
the capital of Azerbaijan, a port on the Caspian Sea: important for its extensive oilfields. Pop: 1 830 000 (2005 est)
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BAL
British anti-lewisite
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Bala
a narrow lake in Gwynedd: the largest natural lake in Wales. Length: 6 km (4 miles)
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Balaam
a Mesopotamian diviner who, when summoned to curse the Israelites, prophesied future glories for them instead, after being reproached by his ass (Numbers 22--23)
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Balaclava
a close-fitting woollen hood that covers the ears and neck, as originally worn by soldiers in the Crimean War
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Balaklava
a small port in Ukraine, in S Crimea: scene of an inconclusive battle (1854), which included the charge of the Light Brigade, during the Crimean War
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balalaika
a plucked musical instrument, usually having a triangular body and three strings: used chiefly for Russian folk music
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balance
a weighing device, generally consisting of a horizontal beam pivoted at its centre, from the ends of which two pans are suspended. The substance to be weighed is placed in one pan and known weights are placed in the other until the beam returns to the horizontal
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balanced
having weight evenly distributed; being in a state of equilibrium
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balancer
a person or thing that balances
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balanitis
inflammation of the glans penis, usually due to infection
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balas
a red variety of spinel, used as a gemstone
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balata
a tropical American sapotaceous tree, Manilkara bidentata, yielding a latex-like sap
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Balaton
a large shallow lake in W Hungary. Area: 689 sq km (266 sq miles)
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balboa
the standard currency unit of Panama, divided into 100 centesimos
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balbriggan
a knitted unbleached cotton fabric
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balconette
a lightly padded bra that is designed to lift and enhance the appearance of a woman's bust
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balcony
a platform projecting from the wall of a building with a balustrade or railing along its outer edge, often with access from a door or window
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bald
having no hair or fur, esp (of a man) having no hair on all or most of the scalp
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baldachin
a richly ornamented silk and gold brocade
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Balder
a god, son of Odin and Frigg, noted for his beauty and sweet nature. He was killed by a bough of mistletoe thrown by the blind god Höd, misled by the malicious Loki
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balderdash
stupid or illogical talk; senseless rubbish
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baldhead
a person with a bald head
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baldheaded
having a bald head
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balding
somewhat bald or becoming bald
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baldmoney
another name for spignel
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baldpate
a person with a bald head
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baldric
a wide silk sash or leather belt worn over the right shoulder to the left hip for carrying a sword, etc
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baldy
bald
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bale
a large bundle, esp of a raw or partially processed material, bound by ropes, wires, etc, for storage or transportation
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baleen
whalebone
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balefire
a bonfire
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baleful
harmful, menacing, or vindictive
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baler
an agricultural machine for making bales of hay, etc
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Bali
an island in Indonesia, east of Java: mountainous, rising over 3000 m (10 000 ft). Capital: Denpasar. Pop: 2 902 200 (1995 est). Area: 5558 sq km (2146 sq miles)
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balibuntal
closely woven fine straw, used for making hats in the Philippines
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Balikpapan
a city in Indonesia, on the SE coast of Borneo. Pop: 409 023 (2000)
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Balinese
of or relating to Bali, its people, or their language
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balk
to stop short, esp suddenly or unexpectedly; jib
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Balkan
of, denoting, or relating to the Balkan States or their inhabitants, the Balkan Peninsula, or the Balkan Mountains
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Balkanize
to divide (a territory) into small warring states
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Balkh
a region of N Afghanistan, corresponding to ancient Bactria. Chief town: Mazar-i-Sharif
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Balkhash
a salt lake in SE Kazakhstan: fed by the Ili River. Area: about 18 000 sq km (7000 sq miles)
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balky
inclined to stop abruptly and unexpectedly
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ball
a spherical or nearly spherical body or mass
Sorry this word has been given a happy home by: Mrs Sheila Parry
Reason for adoption: It is part of our brand
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ballad
a narrative song with a recurrent refrain
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ballade
a verse form consisting of three stanzas and an envoy, all ending with the same line. The first three stanzas commonly have eight or ten lines each and the same rhyme scheme
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balladeer
a singer of ballads
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balladmonger
(formerly) a seller of ballads, esp on broadsheets
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balladry
ballad poetry or songs
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Ballarat
a town in SE Australia, in S central Victoria: originally the centre of a gold-mining region. Pop: 72 999 (2001)
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Ballardian
of James Graham Ballard (born 1930), the British novelist, or his works
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ballast
any dense heavy material, such as lead or iron pigs, used to stabilize a vessel, esp one that is not carrying cargo
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ballbreaker
a person, esp a woman, whose character and behaviour may be regarded as threatening a man's sense of power
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ballerina
a female ballet dancer
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ballet
a classical style of expressive dancing based on precise conventional steps with gestures and movements of grace and fluidity
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balletomania
passionate enthusiasm for ballet
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ballflower
a carved ornament in the form of a ball enclosed by the three petals of a circular flower
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ballicatter
(in Newfoundland) ice that forms along a shore from waves and spray
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ballista
an ancient catapult for hurling stones, etc
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ballistic
of or relating to ballistics
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ballistics
the study of the flight dynamics of projectiles, either through the interaction of the forces of propulsion, the aerodynamics of the projectile, atmospheric resistance, and gravity (exterior ballistics), or through these forces along with the means of propulsion, and the design of the propelling weapon and projectile (interior ballistics)
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ballistospore
a spore, esp a fungal spore, that is forcefully ejected from its source
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ballocks
a variant spelling of bollocks
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ballonet
an air or gas compartment in a balloon or nonrigid airship, used to control buoyancy and shape
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balloon
an inflatable rubber bag of various sizes, shapes, and colours: usually used as a plaything or party decoration
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ballot
the democratic practice of selecting a representative, a course of action, or deciding some other choice by submitting the options to a vote of all qualified persons
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ballotini
small glass beads used in reflective paints
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ballottement
a technique of feeling for a movable object in the body, esp confirmation of pregnancy by feeling the rebound of the fetus following a quick digital tap on the wall of the uterus
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ballpark
a stadium used for baseball games
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ballplayer
a player, esp in soccer, with outstanding ability to control the ball
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ballpoint
a pen having a small ball bearing as a writing point
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ballroom
a large hall for dancing
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balls
the testicles
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balls-up
something botched or muddled
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ballsy
courageous and spirited
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bally
a euphemism for bloody
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ballyhoo
a noisy, confused, or nonsensical situation or uproar
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Ballymena
a district in central Northern Ireland, in Co Antrim. Pop: 59 516 (2003 est). Area: 634 sq km (247 sq miles)
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Ballymoney
a district in N Northern Ireland, in Co Antrim. Pop: 27 809 (2003 est). Area: 417 sq km (161 sq miles)
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ballyrag
a variant of bullyrag
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balm
any of various oily aromatic resinous substances obtained from certain tropical trees and used for healing and soothing
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balmacaan
a man's knee-length loose flaring overcoat with raglan sleeves
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Balmoral
a laced walking shoe
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Balmung
(in the Nibelungenlied) Siegfried's sword
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balmy
(of weather) mild and pleasant
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balneal
of or relating to baths or bathing
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balneology
the branch of medical science concerned with the therapeutic value of baths, esp those taken with natural mineral waters
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balneotherapy
the treatment of disease by bathing, esp to improve limb mobility in arthritic and neuromuscular disorders
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baloney
foolish talk; nonsense
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BALPA
British Airline Pilots' Association
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balsa
a bombacaceous tree, Ochroma lagopus, of tropical America
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balsam
any of various fragrant oleoresins, such as balm or tolu, obtained from any of several trees and shrubs and used as a base for medicines and perfumes
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balsamiferous
yielding or producing balsam
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balsaminaceous
of, relating to, or belonging to the Balsaminaceae, a family of flowering plants, including balsam and touch-me-not, that have irregular flowers and explosive capsules
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Balt
a member of any of the Baltic-speaking peoples of the Baltic States
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Balthazar
a wine bottle holding the equivalent of sixteen normal bottles (approximately 12 litres)
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balti
a spicy Indian dish, stewed until most of the liquid has evaporated, and served in a woklike pot
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Baltic
denoting or relating to the Baltic Sea or the Baltic States
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Baltics
another name for the Baltic States
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Baltimore
a port in N Maryland, on Chesapeake Bay. Pop: Pop: 628 670 (2003 est)
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Balto-Slavonic
a hypothetical subfamily of Indo-European languages consisting of Baltic and Slavonic. It is now generally believed that similarities between them result from geographical proximity rather than any special relationship
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Baluchi
a member of a Muslim people living chiefly in coastal Pakistan and Iran
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Baluchistan
a mountainous region of SW Asia, in SW Pakistan and SE Iran
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balun
a device for coupling two electrical circuit elements, such as an aerial and its feeder cable, where one is balanced and the other is unbalanced
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baluster
any of a set of posts supporting a rail or coping
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balustrade
an ornamental rail or coping with its supporting set of balusters
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Bamako
the capital of Mali, in the south, on the River Niger. Pop: 1 379 000 (2005 est)
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Bambara
a member of a Negroid people of W Africa living chiefly in Mali and by the headwaters of the River Niger in Guinea
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Bamberg
a town in S Germany, in N Bavaria: seat of independent prince-bishops of the Holy Roman Empire (1007--1802). Pop: 69 899 (2003 est)
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bambi
born-again middle-aged biker: an affluent middle-aged man who rides a powerful motorbike
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bambino
a young child, esp an Italian one
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bamboo
any tall treelike tropical or semitropical fast-growing grass of the genus Bambusa, having hollow woody-walled stems with ringed joints and edible young shoots (bamboo shoots)
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bamboozle
to cheat; mislead
Sorry this word has been given a happy home by: Dr David Scanlon
Reason for adoption: One of the most satisfying words to say out loud. And defenestrate was gone!
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Bamelot
the Whitehouse during Barack Obama_s presidency. etymology a blend of Obama and Camelot, as applied to the presidency of John F Kennedy
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ban
to prohibit, esp officially, from action, display, entrance, sale, etc; forbid
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Banaba
an island in the SW Pacific, in the Republic of Kiribati. Phosphates were mined by Britain (1900--79). Area: about 5 sq km (2 sq miles). Pop: 284 (1990)
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Banaban
of or relating to the SW Pacific island of Banaba
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banak
a tree of the genus Virola, of Central America: family Myristicaceae
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banal
lacking force or originality; trite; commonplace
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banana
any of several tropical and subtropical herbaceous treelike plants of the musaceous genus Musa, esp M. sapientum, a widely cultivated species propagated from suckers and having hanging clusters of edible fruit
Sorry this word has been given a happy home by: Mr Kevin Gray
Reason for adoption: his favourite
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bananas
crazy (esp in the phrase go bananas)
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Banaras
a variant spelling of Benares
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Banat
a fertile plain extending through Hungary, Romania, and Serbia
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banausic
merely mechanical; materialistic; utilitarian
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Banbridge
a district in S Northern Ireland, in Co Down. Pop: 43 083 (2003 est). Area: 442 sq km (170 sq miles)
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Banbury
a town in central England, in N Oxfordshire: telecommunications, financial services. Pop: 43 867 (2001)
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banc
sitting as a full court
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bancassurance
the selling of insurance products by a bank to its customers
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bancassurer
a bank that sells insurance products
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banco
a call in gambling games such as chemin de fer and baccarat by a player or bystander who wishes to bet against the entire bank
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band
a company of people having a common purpose; group
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band-gala
(in India) (of a coat) closed at the neck
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bandage
a piece of material used to dress a wound, bind a broken limb, etc
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bandanna
a large silk or cotton handkerchief or neckerchief
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bandar
a male monkey
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bandari
a female monkey
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bandbox
a lightweight usually cylindrical box used for holding small articles, esp hats
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bandeau
a narrow band of ribbon, velvet, etc, worn round the head
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banderilla
a decorated barbed dart, thrust into the bull's neck or shoulder
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banderillero
a bullfighter's assistant who sticks banderillas into the bull
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banderole
a long narrow flag, usually with forked ends, esp one attached to the masthead of a ship; pennant
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bandh
(in India) a general strike
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bandicoot
any agile terrestrial marsupial of the family Peramelidae of Australia and New Guinea. They have a long pointed muzzle and a long tail and feed mainly on small invertebrates
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banding
the practice of grouping schoolchildren according to ability to ensure a balanced intake at different levels of ability to secondary school
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bandit
a robber, esp a member of an armed gang; brigand
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Bandjarmasin
variant spellings of Banjarmasin
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bandmaster
the conductor of a band
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bandobust
(in India and Pakistan) an arrangement
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bandolier
a soldier's broad shoulder belt having small pockets or loops for cartridges
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bandoline
a glutinous hair dressing, used (esp formerly) to keep the hair in place
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bandoneon
a type of square concertina, esp used in Argentina
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bandore
a 16th-century plucked musical instrument resembling a lute but larger and fitted with seven pairs of metal strings
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bandsman
a player in a musical band, esp a brass or military band
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bandspreading
an additional tuning control in some radio receivers whereby a selected narrow band of frequencies can be spread over a wider frequency band, in order to give finer control of tuning
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bandstand
a platform for a band, usually out of doors and roofed
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Bandung
a city in Indonesia, in SW Java. Pop: 2 136 260 (2000)
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bandwagon
a wagon, usually high and brightly coloured, for carrying the band in a parade
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bandwidth
the range of frequencies within a given waveband used for a particular transmission
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bandy
having legs curved outwards at the knees
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bandy-bandy
a small Australian elapid snake, Vermicella annulata, ringed with black and yellow
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Bandywallop
an imaginary town, far from civilization
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bane
a person or thing that causes misery or distress (esp in the phrase bane of one's life)
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baneberry
any ranunculaceous plant of the genus Actaea, esp A. spicata, which has small white flowers and red or white poisonous berries
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baneful
destructive, poisonous, or fatal
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Banff
a town in NE Scotland, in Aberdeenshire. Pop: 3991 (2001)
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Banffshire
(until 1975) a county of NE Scotland: formerly (1975--96) part of Grampian region, now part of Aberdeenshire
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bang
a short loud explosive noise, as of the bursting of a balloon or the report of a gun
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bang on
with absolute accuracy
Sorry this word has been given a happy home by: Mr MATTHEW PRINCE
Reason for adoption: Oh she says I say it a lot!
View the word page here.
bang-bang
war and fighting, esp involving ammunition
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bangalay
a myrtaceous Australian tree, Eucalyptus botryoides, valued for its hard red wood
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Bangalore
a city in S India, capital of Karnataka state: printing, textiles, pharmaceuticals. Pop: 4 292 223 (2001)
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bangalow
an Australian palm, Archontophoenix cunninghamiana, native to New South Wales and Queensland
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banger
a sausage
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bangin'
excellent
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Bangka
an island in Indonesia, separated from Sumatra by the Bangka Strait. Chief town: Pangkalpinang. Area: about 11 914 sq km (4600 sq miles)
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Bangkok
the capital and chief port of Thailand, on the Chao Phraya River: became a royal city and the capital in 1782. Pop: 6 604 000 (2005 est)
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Bangla
another name for Bengali
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Bangladesh
a republic in S Asia: formerly the Eastern Province of Pakistan; became independent in 1971 after civil war and the defeat of Pakistan by India; consists of the plains and vast deltas of the Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers; prone to flooding: economy based on jute and jute products (over 70 per cent of world production); a member of the Commonwealth. Language: Bengali. Religion: Muslim. Currency: taka. Capital: Dhaka. Pop: 149 665 000 (2004 est). Area: 142 797 sq km (55 126 sq miles)
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Bangladeshi
of or relating to Bangladesh
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bangle
a bracelet, usually without a clasp, often worn high up round the arm or sometimes round the ankle
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Bangor
a university town in NW Wales, in Gwynedd, on the Menai Strait. Pop: 15 280 (2001)
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bangtail
a horse's tail cut straight across but not through the bone
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Bangui
the capital of the Central African Republic, in the south part, on the Ubangi River. Pop: 732 000 (2005 est)
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Bangweulu
a shallow lake in NE Zambia, discovered by David Livingstone, who died there in 1873. Area: about 9850 sq km (3800 sq miles), including swamps
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bani
the plural of ban
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banian
a variant spelling of banyan
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banish
to expel from a place, esp by an official decree as a punishment
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banisters
the railing and supporting balusters on a staircase; balustrade
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Banjarmasin
a port in Indonesia, in SW Borneo. Pop: 527 415 (2000)
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banjo
a stringed musical instrument with a long neck (usually fretted) and a circular drumlike body overlaid with parchment, plucked with the fingers or a plectrum
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Banjul
the capital of The Gambia, a port at the mouth of the Gambia River. Pop: 392 000 (2005 est)
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bank
an institution offering certain financial services, such as the safekeeping of money, conversion of domestic into and from foreign currencies, lending of money at interest, and acceptance of bills of exchange
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Banka
a variant spelling of Bangka
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bankable
appropriate for receipt by a bank
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bankbook
a book held by depositors at certain banks, in which the bank enters a record of deposits, withdrawals, and earned interest
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banker
a person who owns or is an executive in a bank
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banket
a gold-bearing conglomerate found in South Africa
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banking
the business engaged in by a bank
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banknote
a promissory note issued by a central bank, serving as money
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bankroll
a roll of currency notes
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bankroller
the person or organization that provides the finance for a project, business, etc
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bankrupt
a person adjudged insolvent by a court, his or her property being transferred to a trustee and administered for the benefit of his creditors
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bankruptcy
the state, condition, or quality of being or becoming bankrupt
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banksia
any shrub or tree of the Australian genus Banksia, having long leathery evergreen leaves and dense cylindrical heads of flowers that are often red or yellowish: family Proteaceae
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banksman
a crane driver's helper, who signals instructions to the driver for the movement of the crane and its jib
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bankster
a banker or investor whose financial practices have been exposed as illegal. blend of banker + gangster
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banner
a long strip of flexible material displaying a slogan, advertisement, etc, esp one suspended between two points
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banneret
a knight who was entitled to command other knights and men-at-arms under his own banner
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bannerette
a small banner
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bannerol
a variant of banderole
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bannisters
a variant spelling of banisters
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bannock
a round flat unsweetened cake originating in Scotland, made from oatmeal or barley and baked on a griddle
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Bannockburn
a village in central Scotland, south of Stirling: nearby is the site of a victory (1314) of the Scots, led by Robert the Bruce, over the English. Pop: 7396 (2001)
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banns
the public declaration of an intended marriage, usually formally announced on three successive Sundays in the parish churches of both the betrothed
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banoffee
a filling for a pie, consisting of toffee and banana
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banquet
a lavish and sumptuous meal; feast
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banquette
an upholstered bench
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bans
a variant spelling of banns
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bansela
a variant of bonsela
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banshee
(in Irish folklore) a female spirit whose wailing warns of impending death
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Banstead
a town in S England, in NE Surrey. Pop: 19 332 (2001)
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bant
string
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bantam
any of various very small breeds of domestic fowl
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bantamweight
a professional boxer weighing 112--118 pounds (51--53.5 kg)
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banter
to speak to or tease lightly or jokingly
Sorry this word has been given a happy home by: Mrs Sue Clarke
Reason for adoption: Adopted for Hannah's 18th birthday - she is always having a 'banter' with mates!
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banting
slimming by avoiding eating sugar, starch, and fat
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bantling
a young child; brat
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Bantoid
denoting or relating to languages, esp in Cameroon and Nigeria, that possess certain Bantu characteristics
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Bantu
a group of languages of Africa, including most of the principal languages spoken from the equator to the Cape of Good Hope, but excluding the Khoisan family: now generally regarded as part of the Benue-Congo branch of the Niger-Congo family
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Bantustan
(formerly, in South Africa) an area reserved for occupation by a Black African people, with limited self-government; abolished in 1993
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banyan
a moraceous tree, Ficus benghalensis, of tropical India and the East Indies, having aerial roots that grow down into the soil forming additional trunks
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banzai
a patriotic cheer, battle cry, or salutation
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baobab
a bombacaceous tree, Adansonia digitata, native to Africa, that has a very thick trunk, large white flowers, and a gourdlike fruit with an edible pulp called monkey bread
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Baoding
a city in NE China, in N Hebei province. Pop: 810 000 (2005 est)
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BAOR
British Army of the Rhine
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Baotou
an industrial city in N China, in the central Inner Mongolia AR on the Yellow River. Pop: 1 367 000 (2005 est)
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bap
a large soft bread roll
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bapt.
baptism
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baptism
a Christian religious rite consisting of immersion in or sprinkling with water as a sign that the subject is cleansed from sin and constituted as a member of the Church
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Baptist
a member of any of various Christian sects that affirm the necessity of baptism (usually of adults and by immersion) following a personal profession of the Christian faith
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baptistry
a part of a Christian church in which baptisms are carried out
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baptize
to immerse (a person) in water or sprinkle water on (a person) as part of the rite of baptism
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bar
a rigid usually straight length of metal, wood, etc, that is longer than it is wide or thick, used esp as a barrier or as a structural or mechanical part
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bar chart
another name for bar graph
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Bar-
(before Jewish patronymic names) son of
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bar.
barometer
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Barabbas
a condemned robber who was released at the Passover instead of Jesus (Matthew 27:16)
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barachois
(in the Atlantic Provinces of Canada) a shallow lagoon formed by a sand bar
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baraesthesia
the ability to sense pressure
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barathea
a fabric made of silk and wool or cotton and rayon, used esp for coats
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baraza
a place where public meetings are held
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barb
a subsidiary point facing in the opposite direction to the main point of a fish-hook, harpoon, arrow, etc, intended to make extraction difficult
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Barbadian
of or relating to Barbados or its inhabitants
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Barbados
an island in the Caribbean, in the E Lesser Antilles: a British colony from 1628 to 1966, now an independent state within the Commonwealth. Language: English. Currency: Barbados dollar. Capital: Bridgetown. Pop: 271 000 (2004 est). Area: 430 sq km (166 sq miles)
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barbarian
a member of a primitive or uncivilized people
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barbaric
of or characteristic of barbarians
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barbarism
a brutal, coarse, or ignorant act
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barbarity
the state or condition of being barbaric or barbarous
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barbarize
to make or become barbarous
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barbarous
uncivilized; primitive
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Barbary
a historic name for a region of N Africa extending from W Egypt to the Atlantic and including the former Barbary States of Tripolitania, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco
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barbastelle
an insectivorous forest bat, Barbastella barbastellus, widely distributed across Eurasia, having a wrinkled face and prominent ears: roosts in trees or caves
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barbate
having tufts of long hairs; bearded
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barbecue
a meal cooked out of doors over an open fire
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barbel
any of several slender tactile spines or bristles that hang from the jaws of certain fishes, such as the catfish and carp
Sorry this word has been given a happy home by: Mrs gillian hanssen
Reason for adoption: One of a pair of words that mean something special to us
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barbell
a metal rod to which heavy discs are attached at each end for weightlifting exercises
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barbellate
(of plants or plant organs) covered with barbs, hooks, or bristles
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barber
a person whose business is cutting men's hair and shaving or trimming beards
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barberry
any spiny berberidaceous shrub of the widely distributed genus Berberis, esp B. vulgaris, having clusters of yellow flowers and orange or red berries: widely cultivated as hedge plants
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barbershop
the premises of a barber
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barbet
any small tropical brightly coloured bird of the family Capitonidae, having short weak wings and a sharp stout bill with tuftlike feathers at its base: order Piciformes (woodpeckers, etc)
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barbette
(formerly) an earthen platform inside a parapet, from which heavy guns could fire over the top
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barbican
a walled outwork or tower to protect a gate or drawbridge of a fortification
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barbicel
any of the minute hooks on the barbules of feathers that interlock with those of adjacent barbules
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barbie
short for barbecue
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barbitone
a long-acting barbiturate used medicinally, usually in the form of the sodium salt, as a sedative or hypnotic
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barbiturate
a derivative of barbituric acid, such as phenobarbital, used in medicine as a sedative, hypnotic, or auticonvulsant
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Barbuda
a coral island in the E Caribbean, in the Leeward Islands: part of the independent state of Antigua and Barbuda. Area: 160 sq km (62 sq miles)
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barbule
a very small barb
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Barca
the surname of several noted Carthaginian generals, including Hamilcar, Hasdrubal, and Hannibal
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barcarole
a Venetian boat song in a time of six or twelve quaver beats to the bar
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Barce
the Italian name for Al Marj
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Barcelona
the chief port of Spain, on the NE Mediterranean coast: seat of the Republican government during the Civil War (1936--39); the commercial capital of Spain. Pop: 1 582 738 (2003 est)
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BArch
Bachelor of Architecture
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barchan
a crescent-shaped shifting sand dune, convex on the windward side and steeper and concave on the leeward
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bard
(formerly) one of an ancient Celtic order of poets who recited verses about the exploits, often legendary, of their tribes
Sorry this word has been given a happy home by: Mr tim Bazell
Reason for adoption: Because my dad Ben likes a bit of Shakespeare.
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bardie
an edible white wood-boring grub of Australia
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bardo
(in Tibetan Buddhism) the state of the soul between its death and its rebirth
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bardolatry
idolatry or excessive admiration of William Shakespeare (1564--1616), the English dramatist and poet
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Bardolino
a light dry red wine produced around Verona in NE Italy
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bare
unclothed; exposed: used esp of a part of the body
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bare-bones
basic or simple; no-frills
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bare-knuckle
without boxing gloves
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bareback
(of horse-riding) without a saddle
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barefaced
unconcealed or shameless
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barefoot
with the feet uncovered
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barehanded
without weapons, tools, etc
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bareheaded
with head uncovered
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Bareilly
a city in N India, in N central Uttar Pradesh. Pop: 699 839 (2001)
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barely
only just; scarcely
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baresark
another word for berserk
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barf
to vomit
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barfly
a person who frequents bars
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bargain
an agreement or contract establishing what each party will give, receive, or perform in a transaction between them
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barge
a vessel, usually flat-bottomed and with or without its own power, used for transporting freight, esp on canals
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bargeboard
a board, often decorated with carved ornaments, placed along the gable end of a roof
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bargee
a person employed on or in charge of a barge
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bargepole
a long pole used to propel a barge
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bargoon
a bargain
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Bari
a port in SE Italy, capital of Apulia, on the Adriatic coast. Pop: 316 532 (2001)
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bariatric
of or relating to the treatment of obesity
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baric
of or containing barium
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barilla
an impure mixture of sodium carbonate and sodium sulphate obtained from the ashes of certain plants, such as the saltworts
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barista
a person who makes and serves coffee in a coffee bar
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barit.
baritone
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barite
a colourless or white mineral consisting of barium sulphate in orthorhombic crystalline form, occurring in sedimentary rocks and with sulphide ores: a source of barium. Formula: BaSO4
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baritone
the second lowest adult male voice, having a range approximately from G an eleventh below middle C to F a fourth above it
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barium
a soft silvery-white metallic element of the alkaline earth group. It is used in bearing alloys and compounds are used as pigments. Symbol: Ba; atomic no: 56; atomic wt: 137.327; valency: 2; relative density: 3.5; melting pt: 729°C; boiling pt: 1805°C
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bark
the loud abrupt usually harsh or gruff cry of a dog or any of certain other animals
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barkeeper
another name (esp US) for barman
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barkentine
a sailing ship of three or more masts rigged square on the foremast and fore-and-aft on the others
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barker
an animal or person that barks
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barkhan
variant spellings of barchan
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barking
mad; crazy
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Barletta
a port in SE Italy, in Apulia. Pop: 92 094 (2001)
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barley
any of various erect annual temperate grasses of the genus Hordeum, esp H. vulgare, that have short leaves and dense bristly flower spikes and are widely cultivated for grain and forage
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barleycorn
a grain of barley, or barley itself
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barm
the yeasty froth on fermenting malt liquors
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barmaid
a woman who serves in a pub
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barman
a man who serves in a pub
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barmbrack
a loaf of bread with currants in it
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Barmecide
lavish or plentiful in imagination only; illusory; sham
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barmy
eccentric or foolish
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barn
a large farm outbuilding, used chiefly for storing hay, grain, etc, but also for housing livestock
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Barnabas
original name Joseph. a Cypriot Levite who supported Saint Paul in his apostolic work (Acts 4:36, 37). Feast day: June 11
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barnacle
any of various marine crustaceans of the subclass Cirripedia that, as adults, live attached to rocks, ship bottoms, etc They have feathery food-catching cirri protruding from a hard shell
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Barnaul
a city in S Russia, on the River Ob. Pop: 605 000 (2005 est)
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barnet
hair
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barney
a noisy argument
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Barnsley
an industrial town in N England, in Barnsley unitary authority, South Yorkshire. Pop: 71 599 (2001)
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Barnstaple
a town in SW England, in Devon, on the estuary of the River Taw: tourism, agriculture. Pop: 30 765 (2001)
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barnstorm
to tour rural districts putting on shows, esp theatrical, athletic, or acrobatic shows
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barnyard
a yard adjoining a barn, in which farm animals are kept
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baro-
indicating weight or pressure
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Baroda
a former state of W India, part of Gujarat since 1960
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barognosis
the ability to judge weight
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barogram
the record of atmospheric pressure traced by a barograph or similar instrument
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barograph
a self-recording aneroid barometer
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Barolo
a dry red wine produced in the Piedmont region of Italy
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barometer
an instrument for measuring atmospheric pressure, usually to determine altitude or weather changes
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baron
a member of a specific rank of nobility, esp the lowest rank in the British Isles
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baronage
barons collectively
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baroness
the wife or widow of a baron
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baronet
(in Britain) a commoner who holds the lowest hereditary title of honour, ranking below a baron
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baronetage
the order of baronets; baronets collectively
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baronetcy
the rank, position, or patent of a baronet
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barong
a broad-bladed cleaver-like knife used in the Philippines
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baronial
of, relating to, or befitting a baron or barons
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barony
the domain of a baron
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barophilic
(of living organisms) growing best in conditions of high atmospheric pressure
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barophoresis
the diffusion of suspended particles at a rate dependent on external forces
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baroque
a style of architecture and decorative art that flourished throughout Europe from the late 16th to the early 18th century, characterized by extensive ornamentation
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baroreceptor
a collection of sensory nerve endings, principally in the carotid sinuses and the aortic arch, that monitor blood pressure changes in the body
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baroscope
any instrument for measuring atmospheric pressure, esp a manometer with one side open to the atmosphere
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barostat
a device for maintaining constant pressure, such as one used in an aircraft cabin
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barotrauma
an injury caused by changes in atmospheric pressure, esp to the eardrums or lungs
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Barotse
a member of a Negroid people of central Africa living chiefly in SW Zambia
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barouche
a four-wheeled horse-drawn carriage, popular in the 19th century, having a retractable hood over the rear half, seats inside for two couples facing each other, and a driver's seat outside at the front
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barperson
a person who serves in a pub: used esp in advertisements
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barque
a sailing ship of three or more masts having the foremasts rigged square and the aftermast rigged fore-and-aft
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barquentine
a sailing ship of three or more masts rigged square on the foremast and fore-and-aft on the others
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Barquisimeto
a city in NW Venezuela. Pop: 1 009 000 (2005 est)
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barra
a barramundi
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barrack
to house (people, esp soldiers) in barracks
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barracks
a building or group of buildings used to accommodate military personnel
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barracoon
(formerly) a temporary place of confinement for slaves or convicts, esp those awaiting transportation
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barracouta
a large predatory Pacific fish, Thyrsites atun, with a protruding lower jaw and strong teeth: family Gempylidae
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barracuda
any predatory marine teleost fish of the mostly tropical family Sphyraenidae, esp Sphyraena barracuda. They have an elongated body, strong teeth, and a protruding lower jaw
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barrage
the firing of artillery to saturate an area, either to protect against an attack or to support an advance
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barramunda
the edible Australian lungfish, Neoceratodus forsteri, having paddle-like fins and a long body covered with large scales
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barramundi
any of several large edible Australian fishes esp the percoid species Lates calcarifer (family Centropomidae) of NE coastal waters or the freshwater species Scleropages leichardti (family Osteoglossidae) of Queensland
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barranca
a ravine or precipice
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Barranquilla
a port in N Colombia, on the Magdalena River. Pop: 1 918 000 (2005 est)
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barrator
a person guilty of barratry
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barratry
(formerly) the vexatious stirring up of quarrels or bringing of lawsuits
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barré
the act of laying the index finger over some or all of the strings of a guitar, lute, or similar instrument, so that the pitch of each stopped string is simultaneously raised
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barrel
a cylindrical container usually bulging outwards in the middle and held together by metal hoops; cask
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barrel-chested
having a large rounded chest
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barrelhouse
a cheap and disreputable drinking establishment
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barren
incapable of producing offspring, seed, or fruit; sterile
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barrens
(in North America) a stretch of usually level land that is sparsely vegetated or barren
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barrenwort
a herbaceous European berberidaceous plant, Epimedium alpinum, having red-and-yellow star-shaped flowers
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barret
a small flat cap resembling a biretta
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barrette
a clasp or pin for holding women's hair in place
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barricade
a barrier for defence, esp one erected hastily, as during street fighting
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barrie
very good; attractive
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barrier
anything serving to obstruct passage or to maintain separation, such as a fence or gate
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barrier-nurse
to tend (infectious patients) in isolation, to prevent the spread of infection
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barring
unless (something) occurs; except for
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barrio
a Spanish-speaking quarter in a town or city, esp in the US
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barrister
(in England) a lawyer who has been called to the bar and is qualified to plead in the higher courts
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barro
embarrassing
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barroom
a room or building where alcoholic drinks are served over a counter
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barrow
the amount contained in or on a barrow
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Barrow-in-Furness
an industrial town in NW England, in S Cumbria. Pop: 47 194 (2001)
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barry
a mistake or blunder; a disappointing performance
Sorry this word has been given a happy home by: Mr Barry Forbes
Reason for adoption: Its my name, no 1 else can have it!!!!
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Barsac
a sweet French white wine produced around the town of Barsac in the Gironde
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Bart.
Baronet
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bartender
a man who serves in a bar
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barter
to trade (goods, services, etc) in exchange for other goods, services, etc, rather than for money
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Barthian
of or relating to Karl Barth (1886--1968), the Swiss Protestant theologian, or his ideas
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Bartholomew
one of the twelve apostles (Matthew 10:3). Feast day: Aug 24 or June 11
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bartizan
a small turret projecting from a wall, parapet, or tower
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Bartlett
the Williams pear, used esp in the US and generally of tinned pears
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barton
a farmyard
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bartsia
any of several species of semiparasitic scrophulariaceous plants, including red bartsia (Odontites verna), a pink-flowered weed of cornfields
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Baruch
a disciple of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 32--36)
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barycentre
a centre of mass, esp of the earth-moon system or the solar system
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barye
a unit of pressure in the cgs system equal to one dyne per square centimetre. 1 barye is equivalent to 1 microbar
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baryon
any of a class of elementary particles that have a mass greater than or equal to that of the proton, participate in strong interactions, and have a spin of 1/2. Baryons are either nucleons or hyperons. The baryon number is the number of baryons in a system minus the number of antibaryons
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baryonic
of or relating to a baryon
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barysphere
a former name for core
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baryta
another name for barium oxide
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barytes
a colourless or white mineral consisting of barium sulphate in orthorhombic crystalline form, occurring in sedimentary rocks and with sulphide ores: a source of barium. Formula: BaSO4
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barytic
A derivative of baryta
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baryton
a bass viol with sympathetic strings as well as its six main strings
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barytone
a less common spelling of baritone
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bas-relief
sculpture in low relief, in which the forms project slightly from the background but no part is completely detached from it
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Bas-Rhin
a department of NE France in Alsace region. Capital: Strasbourg. Pop: 1 052 698 (2003 est). Area: 4793 sq km (1869 sq miles)
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basal
at, of, or constituting a base
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basalt
a fine-grained dark basic igneous rock consisting of plagioclase feldspar, a pyroxene, and olivine: the most common volcanic rock and usually extrusive
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basaltware
hard fine-grained black stoneware, made in Europe, esp in England, in the late 18th century
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basanite
a black basaltic rock containing plagioclase, augite, olivine, and nepheline, leucite, or analcite, formerly used as a touchstone
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bascinet
a variant spelling of basinet
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bascule
a bridge with a movable section hinged about a horizontal axis and counterbalanced by a weight
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base
the bottom or supporting part of anything
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baseball
a team game with nine players on each side, played on a field with four bases connected to form a diamond. The object is to score runs by batting the ball and running round the bases
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baseband
a transmission technique using a narrow range of frequencies that allows only one message to be telecommunicated at a time
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baseboard
a board functioning as the base of anything
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baseborn
born of humble parents
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baseburner
a stove into which coal is automatically fed from a hopper above the fire chamber
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Basel
a variant spelling of Basle
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baseless
not based on fact; unfounded
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baseline
a measured line through a survey area from which triangulations are made
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baseliner
a player who plays most of his or her shots from the back of court
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baseman
a fielder positioned near a base
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basement
a partly or wholly underground storey of a building, esp the one immediately below the main floor
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basenji
a small smooth-haired breed of dog of African origin having a tightly curled tail and an inability to bark
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bases
the plural of basis
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bash
to strike violently or crushingly
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Bashan
a region to the east of the Jordan, renowned for its rich pasture (Deuteronomy 32:14)
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bashaw
an important or pompous person
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bashful
disposed to attempt to avoid notice through shyness or modesty; diffident; timid
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bashibazouk
(in the 19th century) one of a group of irregular Turkish soldiers notorious for their brutality
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Bashkir
a member of a Mongoloid people of E central Russia, living chiefly in the Bashkir Republic
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bashment
another name for dancehall
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basho
a grand tournament in sumo wrestling
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basic
of, relating to, or forming a base or basis; fundamental; underlying
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basically
in a fundamental or elementary manner; essentially
Sorry this word has been given a happy home by: Miss Carol Jarvis
Reason for adoption: Because you say it all the time!
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basicity
the state of being a base
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basicranial
of or relating to the base of the skull
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basidiocarp
the fruiting body of basidiomycetous fungi; the mushroom of agarics
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basidiomycete
any fungus of the phylum Basidiomycota (formerly class Basidiomycetes), in which the spores are produced in basidia. The group includes boletes, puffballs, smuts, and rusts
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basidiospore
one of the spores, usually four in number, produced in a basidium
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basidium
the structure, produced by basidiomycetous fungi after sexual reproduction, in which spores are formed at the tips of projecting slender stalks
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basifixed
(of an anther) attached to the filament by its base
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basifugal
a less common word for acropetal
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basify
to make basic
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basil
a Eurasian plant, Ocimum basilicum, having spikes of small white flowers and aromatic leaves used as herbs for seasoning: family Lamiaceae (labiates)
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Basilan
a group of islands in the Philippines, SW of Mindanao
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basilar
of or situated at a base
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Basildon
a town in SE England, in S Essex: designated a new town in 1955. Pop: 99 876 (2001)
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Basilian
a monk of the Eastern Christian order of St Basil, founded in Cappadocia in the 4th century a.d
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basilica
a Roman building, used for public administration, having a large rectangular central nave with an aisle on each side and an apse at the end
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Basilicata
a region of S Italy, between the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Gulf of Taranto. Capital: Potenza. Pop: 596 821 (2003 est). Area: 9985 sq km (3855 sq miles)
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basilisk
(in classical legend) a serpent that could kill by its breath or glance
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basin
a round container open and wide at the top with sides sloping inwards towards the bottom or base, esp one in which liquids are mixed or stored
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basinet
a close-fitting medieval helmet of light steel usually with a visor
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Basingstoke
a town in S England, in N Hampshire. Pop: 90 171 (2001)
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basion
the midpoint on the forward border of the foramen magnum
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basipetal
(of leaves and flowers) produced in order from the apex downwards so that the youngest are at the base
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basis
something that underlies, supports, or is essential to something else, esp an abstract idea
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bask
to lie in or be exposed to pleasant warmth, esp that of the sun
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Baskerville
a style of type
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basket
a container made of interwoven strips of pliable materials, such as cane, straw, thin wood, or plastic, and often carried by means of a handle or handles
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basket-star
any of several echinoderms of the genus Gorgonocephalus, in which long slender arms radiate from a central disc: order Ophiuroidea (brittle-stars)
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basketball
a game played by two opposing teams of five men (or six women) each, usually on an indoor court. Points are scored by throwing the ball through an elevated horizontal metal hoop
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basketry
the art or practice of making baskets
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basketweaver
a person who advocates simple, natural, and unsophisticated living
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basketwork
another word for wickerwork
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Basle
a canton of NW Switzerland, divided into the demicantons of Basle-Landschaft and Basle-Stadt. Pops.: 263 200 and 186 900 (2002 est). Areas: 427 sq km (165 sq miles) and 36 sq km (14 sq miles) respectively
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basophil
(of cells or cell contents) easily stained by basic dyes
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basophilia
an abnormal increase of basophil leucocytes in the blood
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Basotho
a member of the subgroup of the Sotho people who chiefly inhabit Lesotho
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Basotho-Qwaqwa
(formerly) a Bantustan in South Africa, in the Orange Free State; the only Bantustan without exclaves: abolished in 1993
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basque
a short extension below the waist to the bodice of a woman's jacket, etc
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Basra
a port in SE Iraq, on the Shatt-al-Arab. Pop: 1 187 000 (2005 est)
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bass
the lowest adult male voice usually having a range from E a 13th below middle C to D a tone above it
Sorry this word has been given a happy home by: Ms Evie McCulloch
Reason for adoption: For the bass player extraordinaire. Happy Birthday my friend! x x x
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Basse-Normandie
a region of NW France, on the English Channel: consists of the Cherbourg peninsula in the west rising to the Normandy hills in the east; mainly agricultural
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Basse-Terre
a mountainous island in the Caribbean, in the Leeward Islands, comprising part of Guadeloupe. Area: 848 sq km (327 sq miles)
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Bassein
a city in Myanmar, on the Irrawaddy delta: a port on the Bassein River (the westernmost distributary of the Irrawaddy). Pop: 231 000 (2005 est)
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Bassenthwaite
a lake in NW England, in Cumbria near Keswick. Length: 6 km (4 miles)
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Basses-Alpes
the former name for Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
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Basses-Pyrénées
the former name for Pyrénées-Atlantiques
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basset
a long low smooth-haired breed of hound with short strong legs and long ears
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Basseterre
a port in the Caribbean, on St Kitts in the Leeward Islands: the capital of St Kitts-Nevis. Pop: 13 220 (2001)
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bassinet
a wickerwork or wooden cradle or pram, usually hooded
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bassist
a player of a double bass, esp in a jazz band
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basso
(esp in operatic or solo singing) a singer with a bass voice
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bassoon
a woodwind instrument, the tenor of the oboe family. Range: about three and a half octaves upwards from the B flat below the bass staff
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basswood
any of several North American linden trees, esp Tilia americana
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bast
fibrous material obtained from the phloem of jute, hemp, flax, lime, etc, used for making rope, matting, etc
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bastard
an obnoxious or despicable person
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bastardization
the act of bastardizing
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bastardize
to debase; corrupt
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bastardry
malicious or cruel behaviour
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bastardy
the condition of being a bastard; illegitimacy
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baste
to sew with loose temporary stitches
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basti
(in India) a slum inhabited by poor people
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Bastia
a port in NE Corsica: the main commercial and industrial town of the island: capital of Haute-Corse department. Pop: 37 884 (1999)
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Bastille
a fortress in Paris, built in the 14th century: a prison until its destruction in 1789, at the beginning of the French Revolution
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bastinado
punishment or torture in which the soles of the feet are beaten with a stick
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basting
loose temporary stitches; tacking
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bastion
a projecting work in a fortification designed to permit fire to the flanks along the face of the wall
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bastnaesite
a rare yellow to reddish-brown mineral consisting of a carbonate of fluorine and several lanthanide metals. It occurs in association with zinc and is a source of the lanthanides. Formula: LaFCO3
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Bastogne
a town in SE Belgium: of strategic importance to Allied defences during the Battle of the Bulge; besieged by the Germans during the winter of 1944--45. Pop: 14 070 (2004 est)
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Basuto
a former name for Sotho
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Basutoland
the former name (until 1966) of Lesotho
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BASW
British Association of Social Workers
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bat
any of various types of club with a handle, used to hit the ball in certain sports, such as cricket, baseball, or table tennis
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Bataan
a peninsula in the Philippines, in W Luzon: scene of the surrender of US and Philippine forces to the Japanese during World War II, later retaken by American forces
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Batangas
a port in the Philippines, in SW Luzon. Pop: 293 000 (2005 est)
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batata
another name for sweet potato
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batavia
a variety of lettuce with smooth pale green leaves
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Batavian
of or relating to Batavia (a former name for Holland or Jakarta) or its inhabitants
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batch
a group or set of usually similar objects or people, esp if sent off, handled, or arriving at the same time
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bate
holding one's breath in suspense or fear
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bateau
a light flat-bottomed boat used on rivers in Canada and the northern US
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batfish
any angler of the family Ogcocephalidae, having a flattened scaleless body and moving on the sea floor by means of fleshy pectoral and pelvic fins
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batfowl
to catch birds by temporarily blinding them with light
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bath
a large container, esp one made of enamelled iron or plastic, used for washing or medically treating the body
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bathe
to swim or paddle in a body of open water or a river, esp for pleasure
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bathers
a swimming costume
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bathetic
containing or displaying bathos
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bathhouse
a building containing baths, esp for public use
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batho-
a variant of bathy-
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bathochromic
denoting or relating to a shift to a longer wavelength in the absorption spectrum of a compound
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batholith
a very large irregular-shaped mass of igneous rock, esp granite, formed from an intrusion of magma at great depth, esp one exposed after erosion of less resistant overlying rocks
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bathometer
an instrument for measuring the depth of water
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Bathonian
of or relating to Bath
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bathophilous
(of an organism) living in very deep water
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bathos
a sudden ludicrous descent from exalted to ordinary matters or style in speech or writing
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bathrobe
a loose-fitting garment of towelling, for wear before or after a bath or swimming
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bathroom
a room containing a bath or shower and usually a washbasin and lavatory
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Bathsheba
the wife of Uriah, who committed adultery with David and later married him and became the mother of his son Solomon (II Samuel 11--12)
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bathtub
a bath, esp one not permanently fixed
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Bathurst
a city in SE Australia, in E New South Wales: scene of a gold rush in 1851. Pop: 27 036 (2001)
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bathy-
indicating depth
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bathyal
denoting or relating to an ocean depth of between 200 and 2000 metres (about 100 and 1000 fathoms), corresponding to the continental slope
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bathylimnetic
(of an organism) living in the depths of lakes and marshes
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bathymetry
measurement of the depth of an ocean or other large body of water
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bathypelagic
of, relating to, or inhabiting the lower depths of the ocean between approximately 1000 and 4000 metres
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bathyscaph
a submersible vessel having a flotation compartment with an observation capsule underneath, capable of reaching ocean depths of over 10 000 metres (about 5000 fathoms)
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bathysphere
a strong steel deep-sea diving sphere, lowered by cable
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batik
a process of printing fabric in which parts not to be dyed are covered by wax
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batiste
a fine plain-weave cotton fabric: used esp for shirts and dresses
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Batley
a town in N England, in Kirklees unitary authority, West Yorkshire. Pop: 49 448 (2001)
Sorry this word has been given a happy home by: Mrs Jean Hollings
Reason for adoption: As he is very proud to be Batle born and bred!!
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batman
an officer's personal servant in any of the armed forces
Sorry this word has been given a happy home by: Miss Hannah McLaren
Reason for adoption: So that now you can truely say "I am Batman!"
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baton
a thin stick used by the conductor of an orchestra, choir, etc, to indicate rhythm or expression
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batrachian
any amphibian, esp a frog or toad
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bats
crazy; very eccentric
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bats-in-the-belfry
a hairy Eurasian campanulaceous plant, Campanula trachelium, with bell-shaped blue-purple flowers
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batsman
a person who bats or whose turn it is to bat
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batt
a slab-shaped piece of insulating material used in building houses
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battalion
a military unit comprised of three or more companies or formations of similar size
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battels
(at some universities) the account of a member of a college for board, provisions, and other college expenses
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battement
extension of one leg forwards, sideways, or backwards, either once or repeatedly
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batten
a sawn strip of wood used in building to cover joints, provide a fixing for tiles or slates, support lathing, etc
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Battenburg
an oblong sponge cake divided longitudinally into four square sections, two coloured pink and two yellow, with an outer coating of marzipan
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batter
to hit (someone or something) repeatedly using heavy blows, as with a club or other heavy instrument; beat heavily
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battered
subjected to persistent physical violence, esp by a close relative living in the same house
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batterer
a person who batters someone
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battering
the act or practice of battering someone
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Battersea
a district in London, in Wandsworth: noted for its dogs' home, power station (now a leisure centre), and park
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battery
two or more primary cells connected together, usually in series, to provide a source of electric current
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battik
a variant spelling of batik
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batting
cotton or woollen wadding used in quilts, mattresses, etc
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battle
a fight between large armed forces; military or naval engagement; combat
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battle-axe
(formerly) a large broad-headed axe
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battlebus
the coach that transports politicians and their advisers round the country during an election campaign
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battledore
an ancient racket game
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battledress
the ordinary uniform of a soldier, consisting of tunic and trousers
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battlefield
the place where a battle is fought; an area of conflict
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battlement
a parapet or wall with indentations or embrasures, originally for shooting through
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battlepiece
a painting, relief, mosaic, etc, depicting a battle, usually commemorating an actual event
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battleship
a heavily armoured warship of the largest type having many large-calibre guns
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battue
the beating of woodland or cover to force game to flee in the direction of hunters
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battuto
a selection of chopped herbs, used in Italian cookery [Italian, past participle of battere to beat]
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batty
insane; crazy
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Batum
a city in Georgia: capital of the Adzhar Autonomous Republic; a major Black Sea port. Pop: 118 000 (2005 est)
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batwing
shaped like the wings of a bat, as a black tie, collar, etc
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batwoman
a female servant in any of the armed forces
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bauble
a showy toy or trinket of little value; trifle
Sorry this word has been given a happy home by: Ms Joy Coss
Reason for adoption: For Diana, who makes Christmas baubles for everyone else - this one's for her!
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Bauchi
a state of N Nigeria: formed in 1976 from part of North-Eastern State; tin mining. Capital: Bauchi. Pop: 446 000 (2005 est). Area: 64 605 sq km (24 944 sq miles)
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bauchle
an old worn shoe
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Baucis
a poor peasant woman who, with her husband Philemon, was rewarded for hospitality to the disguised gods Zeus and Hermes
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baud
a unit used to measure the speed of electronic code transmissions, equal to one unit interval per second
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bauera
any small evergreen Australian shrub of the genus Bauera, having pink or purple flowers
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Bauhaus
a German school of architecture and applied arts founded in 1919 by Walter Gropius on experimental principles of functionalism and truth to materials. After being closed by the Nazis in 1933, its ideas were widely disseminated by its students and staff, including Kandinsky, Klee, Feininger, Moholy-Nagy, and Mies van der Rohe
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bauhinia
any climbing or shrubby leguminous plant of the genus Bauhinia, of tropical and warm regions, widely cultivated for ornament
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baulk
(in billiards) the space, usually 29 inches deep, between the baulk line and the bottom cushion
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Bautzen
a city in E Germany, in Saxony: site of an indecisive battle in 1813 between Napoleon's army and an allied army of Russians and Prussians. Pop: 42 160 (2003 est)
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bauxite
a white, red, yellow, or brown amorphous claylike substance comprising aluminium oxides and hydroxides, often with such impurities as iron oxides. It is the chief ore of aluminium. General formula: Al2O3.nH2O
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Bavaria
a state of S Germany: a former duchy and kingdom; mainly wooded highland, with the Alps in the south. Capital: Munich. Pop: 12 155 000 (2000 est). Area: 70 531 sq km (27 232 sq miles)
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Bavarian
of or relating to Bavaria or its inhabitants
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bawbee
a former Scottish silver coin
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bawcock
a fine fellow
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bawd
a person who runs a brothel, esp a woman
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bawdry
obscene talk or language
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bawdy
(of language, plays, etc) containing references to sex, esp to be humorous
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bawdyhouse
an archaic word for brothel
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bawl
to utter long loud cries, as from pain or frustration; wail
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bawneen
a variant spelling of báinín
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bay
a wide semicircular indentation of a shoreline, esp between two headlands or peninsulas
Sorry this word has been given a happy home by: Mr Richard Steele
Reason for adoption: The pronunciation of this word always makes me think of you. Love you Sis!x
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bayadere
a dancing girl, esp one serving in a Hindu temple
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Bayamón
a city in NE central Puerto Rico, south of San Juan. Pop: 224 915 (2003 est)
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Bayard
a legendary horse that figures prominently in medieval romance
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bayberry
any of several North American aromatic shrubs or small trees of the genus Myrica, that bear grey waxy berries: family Myricaceae
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Bayern
the German name for Bavaria
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Bayesian
(of a theory) presupposing known a priori probabilities which may be subjectively assessed and which can be revised in the light of experience in accordance with Bayes' theorem. A hypothesis is thus confirmed by an experimental observation which is likely given the hypothesis and unlikely without it
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Bayeux
a town in NW France, on the River Aure: its museum houses the Bayeux tapestry and there is a 13th-century cathedral: dairy foods, plastic. Pop: 14 961 (1999)
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bayonet
a blade that can be attached to the muzzle of a rifle for stabbing in close combat
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Bayonne
a port in SW France: a commercial centre for the Basque region. Pop: 40 078 (1999)
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bayou
(in the southern US) a sluggish marshy tributary of a lake or river
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Bayreuth
a city in E Germany, in NE Bavaria: home and burial place of Richard Wagner; annual festivals of his music. Pop: 74 818 (2003 est)
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baywood
the light soft wood of a tropical American mahogany tree, Swietenia macrophylla, of the bay region of SE Mexico
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bayyan
an official declaration
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bazaar
(esp in the Orient) a market area, esp a street of small stalls
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bazoo
a US slang word for mouth
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bazooka
a portable tubular rocket-launcher that fires a projectile capable of piercing armour: used by infantrymen as a short-range antitank weapon
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bb
Barbados
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BBBC
British Boxing Board of Control
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BBC
British Broadcasting Corporation
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BBFC
British Board of Film Classification
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BBL
be back later
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BBQ
barbecue
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BBS
be back soon
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BBSRC
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
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BC
(indicating years numbered back from the supposed year of the birth of Christ) before Christ
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BCA
Bachelor of Commerce and Administration
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BCAR
British Civil Airworthiness Requirements
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BCC
British Coal Corporation (formerly the National Coal Board)
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BCD
binary-coded decimal
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BCE
Before Common Era (used, esp by non-Christians, in numbering years bc)
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BCF
British Chess Federation
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BCG
bacille Calmette-Guérin (antituberculosis vaccine)
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BCh
Bachelor of Surgery
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BCL
Bachelor of Civil Law
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BCNU
be seeing you
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BCNZ
(the former) Broadcasting Corporation of New Zealand
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BCom
Bachelor of Commerce
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bd
board
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BDA
British Dental Association
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Bde
brigade
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bdellium
any of several African or W Asian trees of the burseraceous genus Commiphora that yield a gum resin
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bdl
bundle
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bds
bundles
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be
to have presence in the realm of perceived reality; exist; live
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be-
to surround completely; cover on all sides
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BEA
British European Airways
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beach
an extensive area of sand or shingle sloping down to a sea or lake, esp the area between the high- and low-water marks on a seacoast
Sorry this word has been given a happy home by: Mrs Kate Rowlandson
Reason for adoption: Because the beach is the place where everyone gets together!
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Beach-la-Mar
an English-based creole language spoken in Vanuatu and Fiji, and formerly much more widespread
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beachcomber
a person who searches shore debris for anything of worth, esp a vagrant living on a beach
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beachhead
an area on a beach that has been captured from the enemy and on which troops and equipment are landed
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beacon
a signal fire or light on a hill, tower, etc, esp one used formerly as a warning of invasion
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Beaconsfield
a town in SE England, in Buckinghamshire. Pop: 12 292 (2001)
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bead
a small usually spherical piece of glass, wood, plastic, etc, with a hole through it by means of which it may be strung with others to form a necklace, etc
Sorry this word has been given a happy home by: Mrs Rachel Rowley
Reason for adoption: Because her shop Lebeado is a revolution for all things bead.
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bead-ruby
a N temperate liliaceous plant with small white bell-shaped flowers and small red berries
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beadblast
a jet of small glass beads blown from a nozzle under air or steam pressure
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beading
a narrow strip of some material used for edging or ornamentation
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beadle
(formerly, in the Church of England) a minor parish official who acted as an usher and kept order
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beadledom
petty officialdom
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beadroll
a list of persons for whom prayers are to be offered
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beadsman
a person who prays for another's soul, esp one paid or fed for doing so
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beady
small, round, and glittering: used esp of eyes
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beagle
a small sturdy breed of hound, having a smooth dense coat usually of white, tan, and black; often used (esp formerly) for hunting hares
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beak
the projecting jaws of a bird, covered with a horny sheath; bill
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beaker
a cup usually having a wide mouth
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beaky-nosed
having a nose that is large, pointed, or hooked
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beam
a long thick straight-sided piece of wood, metal, concrete, etc, esp one used as a horizontal structural member
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beam-ends
the ends of a vessel's beams
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beamer
a full-pitched ball bowled at the batsman's head
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bean
any of various leguminous plants of the widely cultivated genus Phaseolus producing edible seeds in pods
Sorry this word has been given a happy home by: Miss Jessica Walters
Reason for adoption: For the world's best Bean.
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bean-counter
an accountant
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beanbag
a small cloth bag filled with dried beans and thrown in games
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beanery
a cheap restaurant
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beanfeast
an annual dinner given by employers to employees
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beanie
a round close-fitting hat resembling a skullcap
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beano
a celebration, party, or other enjoyable time
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beanpole
a tall stick or pole used to support bean plants
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beanstalk
the stem of a bean plant
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bear
to support or hold up; sustain
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bear hug
a wrestling hold in which the arms are locked tightly round an opponent's chest and arms
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bear's-breech
a widely cultivated S European acanthus plant, Acanthus mollis, having whitish purple-veined flowers
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bear's-ear
another name for auricula
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bear's-foot
either of two Eurasian hellebore plants, Helleborus foetidus or H. viridis, having leaves shaped like the foot and claws of a bear
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bear-baiting
(formerly) an entertainment in which dogs attacked and enraged a chained bear
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bearable
endurable; tolerable
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bearberry
a trailing evergreen ericaceous shrub, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, with small pinkish-white flowers, red berries, and astringent leaves
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bearcat
another name for lesser panda
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beard
the hair growing on the lower parts of a man's face
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beard-stroking
deep thought
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beardless
without a beard
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beardy
wearing a beard
Sorry this word has been given a happy home by: Miss Alice Foster
Reason for adoption: Because it describes him
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bearer
a person or thing that bears, presents, or upholds
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bearing
a support, guide, or locating piece for a rotating or reciprocating mechanical part
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bearish
like a bear; rough; clumsy; churlish
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Béarnaise
a rich sauce made from egg yolks, lemon juice or wine vinegar, butter, shallots, herbs, and seasoning
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bearskin
the pelt of a bear, esp when used as a rug
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bearwood
another name for cascara
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beast
any animal other than man, esp a large wild quadruped
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beastie
a small animal
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beastings
a US spelling of beestings
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beastly
unpleasant; disagreeable; nasty
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beat
to strike with or as if with a series of violent blows; dash or pound repeatedly (against)
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beatbox
a drum machine
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beatboxing
a form of hip-hop music in which the voice is used to simulate percussion instruments
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beaten
defeated or baffled
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beater
a person who beats or hammers
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beatific
displaying great happiness, calmness, etc
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beatify
(of the pope) to declare formally that (a deceased person) showed a heroic degree of holiness in his or her life and therefore is worthy of public veneration: the first step towards canonization
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beating
a whipping or thrashing, as in punishment
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beatitude
supreme blessedness or happiness
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beatnik
a member of the Beat Generation (sense 1)
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beaty
(of music) having a strong rhythm
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beau
a lover, sweetheart, or escort of a girl or woman
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beaujolais
a popular fresh-tasting red or white wine from southern Burgundy in France
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Beaulieu
a village in S England, in Hampshire: site of Palace House, seat of Lord Montagu and once the gatehouse of the ruined 13th-century abbey; the National Motor Museum is in its grounds. Pop: 1200 (latest est)
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Beaumaris
a resort in N Wales, on the island of Anglesey: 13th-century castle. Pop: 1513 (2001)
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Beaumont
a city in SE Texas. Pop: 112 434 (2003 est)
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Beaune
a city in E France, near Dijon: an important trading centre for Burgundy wines. Pop: 21 923 (1999)
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beaut
a person or thing that is outstanding or distinctive
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beauteous
a poetic word for beautiful
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beauteously
A derivative of beauteous
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beautician
a person who works in or manages a beauty salon
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beautiful
possessing beauty; aesthetically pleasing
Sorry this word has been given a happy home by: Mr Luke O'Shea
Reason for adoption: As Kirsty Russell to me is the true definition of the world
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beautifully
in a beautiful manner
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beautify
to make or become beautiful
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beauty
the combination of all the qualities of a person or thing that delight the senses and please the mind
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Beauvais
a market town in N France, 64 km (40 miles) northwest of Paris. Pop: 55 392 (1999)
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beaux
a plural of beau
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beaux-arts
relating to the classical decorative style, esp that of the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris
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beaver
a large amphibious rodent, Castor fiber, of Europe, Asia, and North America: family Castoridae. It has soft brown fur, a broad flat hairless tail, and webbed hind feet, and constructs complex dams and houses (lodges) in rivers
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beaverboard
a stiff light board of compressed wood fibre, used esp to surface partitions
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bebeerine
an alkaloid, resembling quinine, obtained from the bark of the greenheart and other plants
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bebeeru
another name for greenheart
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Bebington
a town in NW England, in Wirral unitary authority, Merseyside: docks and chemical works. Pop: 57 066 (2001)
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Beboer
a user of the social-networking website Bebo.com
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bebop
the full name for bop
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bebopper
A derivative of bebop
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becalmed
(of a sailing boat or ship) motionless through lack of wind
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became
the past tense of become
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because
on account of the fact that; on account of being; since
Sorry this word has been given a happy home by: Dr Jonathan Garton
Reason for adoption: Because.
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beccafico
any of various European songbirds, esp warblers of the genus Sylvia, eaten as a delicacy in Italy and other countries
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bechance
to happen (to)
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Béchar
a city in NW Algeria: an oasis. Pop: 149 000 (2005 est)
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bêche-de-mer
another name for trepang
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Bechuana
a former name for a member of the Bantu people of Botswana
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Bechuanaland
the former name (until 1966) of Botswana
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beck
a nod, wave, or other gesture or signal
Sorry this word has been given a happy home by: Mr Ian Williams
Reason for adoption: It's her surname and that of her husband and sons
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becket
a clevis forming part of one end of a sheave, used for securing standing lines by means of a thimble
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beckon
to summon with a gesture of the hand or head
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becloud
to cover or obscure with a cloud
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become
to come to be; develop or grow into
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becoming
suitable; appropriate
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becquerel
the derived SI unit of radioactivity equal to one disintegration per second
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BECTU
Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematograph and Theatre Union
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bed
a piece of furniture on which to sleep
Sorry this word has been given a happy home by: Mr Andy McNeill
Reason for adoption: Its the best place in the world.
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bed-blocking
the use of hospital beds by elderly patients who cannot leave hospital because they have no place in a residential care home
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bed-wetting
the act or habit of involuntarily urinating in bed
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bedaub
to smear all over with something thick, sticky, or dirty
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bedazzle
to dazzle or confuse, as with brilliance
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bedbug
any of several bloodsucking insects of the heteropterous genus Cimex, esp C. lectularius of temperate regions, having an oval flattened wingless body and infesting dirty houses: family Cimicidae
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bedchamber
an archaic word for bedroom
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bedclothes
sheets, blankets, and other coverings of a bed
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beddable
sexually attractive
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bedder
(at some universities) a college servant employed to keep students' rooms in order
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bedding
bedclothes, sometimes considered together with a mattress
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bedeck
to cover with decorations; adorn
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bedel
archaic spellings of beadle
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bedesman
a variant spelling of beadsman
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bedevil
to harass or torment
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bedew
to wet or cover with or as if with drops of dew
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bedfast
an archaic word for bedridden
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bedfellow
a person with whom one shares a bed
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Bedford
a town in SE central England, administrative centre of Bedfordshire, on the River Ouse. Pop: 82 488 (2001)
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Bedfordshire
a county of S central England: mainly low-lying, with the Chiltern Hills in the south: the geographical county includes Luton, which became a separate unitary authority in 1997. Administrative centre: Bedford. Pop (excluding Luton): 388 600 (2003 est). Area (excluding Luton): 1192 sq km (460 sq miles)
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bedight
to array or adorn
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bedim
to make dim or obscure
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Bedivere
(in Arthurian legend) a knight who took the dying King Arthur to the barge in which he was carried to Avalon
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bedizen
to dress or decorate gaudily or tastelessly
Sorry this word has been given a happy home by: Mrs Deborah McGee
Reason for adoption: It's a very suitable word for someone who dresses up quite as much as Alex
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bedlam
a noisy confused place or situation; state of uproar
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bedlamite
a lunatic; insane person
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Bedouin
a member of any of the nomadic tribes of Arabs inhabiting the deserts of Arabia, Jordan, and Syria, as well as parts of the Sahara
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bedpan
a shallow vessel placed under a bedridden patient to collect faeces and urine
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bedplate
a heavy metal platform or frame to which an engine or machine is attached
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bedpost
any of the four vertical supports at the corners of a bedstead
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bedraggle
to make (hair, clothing, etc) limp, untidy, or dirty, as with rain or mud
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bedraggled
(of hair, clothing, etc) limp, untidy, or dirty, as with rain or mud
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bedrail
a rail or board along the side of a bed that connects the headboard with the footboard
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bedridden
confined to bed because of illness, esp for a long or indefinite period
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bedrock
the solid unweathered rock that lies beneath the loose surface deposits of soil, alluvium, etc
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bedroll
a portable roll of bedding, such as a sleeping bag, used esp for sleeping in the open
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bedroom
a room furnished with beds or used for sleeping
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Beds
Bedfordshire
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bedside
the space by the side of a bed, esp of a sick person
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bedsit
a furnished sitting room containing sleeping accommodation and sometimes cooking and washing facilities
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bedsore
the nontechnical name for decubitus ulcer
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bedspread
a top cover on a bed over other bedclothes
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bedstead
the framework of a bed, usually including a headboard and springs but excluding the mattress and other coverings
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bedstraw
any of numerous rubiaceous plants of the genus Galium, which have small white or yellow flowers and prickly or hairy fruits: some species formerly used as straw for beds as they are aromatic when dry
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bedtime
the time when one usually goes to bed
Sorry this word has been given a happy home by: Dr Rupert Suckling
Reason for adoption: because she doesn't seem to understand what it means!
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bedwarmer
a metal pan containing hot coals, formerly used to warm a bed
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Bedworth
a town in central England, in N Warwickshire. Pop: 30 001 (2001)
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bee
any hymenopterous insect of the superfamily Apoidea, which includes social forms such as the honeybee and solitary forms such as the carpenter bee
Sorry this word has been given a happy home by: Mr Mark McKellier
Reason for adoption: I'm a beekeeper
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bee's knees
an excellent or ideally suitable person or thing
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bee-eater
any insectivorous bird of the family Meropidae of tropical and subtropical regions of the Old World, having a long downward-curving bill and long pointed wings and tail: order Coraciiformes (kingfishers, etc)
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bee-stung
(of the lips) pouting and sensuous
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Beeb
an informal name for BBC
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beebread
a mixture of pollen and nectar prepared by worker bees and fed to the larvae
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beech
any N temperate tree of the genus Fagus, esp F. sylvatica of Europe, having smooth greyish bark: family Fagaceae
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beechnut
the small brown triangular edible nut of the beech tree. Collectively, the nuts are often termed beech mast, esp when lying on the ground
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beef
the flesh of various bovine animals, esp the cow, when killed for eating
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beefburger
a flat fried cake of minced beef; hamburger
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beefcake
men displayed for their muscular bodies, esp in photographs
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beefeater
a nickname often applied to the Yeomen of the Guard and the Yeomen Warders at the Tower of London
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Beefheartian
of or recalling the music of Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band, an avant-garde rock/blues band (1966--1982); incorporating strange rhythms, free jazz elements, bizarre lyrics, and growling vocals
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beefsteak
a piece of beef that can be grilled, fried, etc, cut from any lean part of the animal
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beefwood
any of various trees that produce very hard wood, esp the Australian tree Casuarina equisetifolia, widely planted in warm regions
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beefy
like beef
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beehive
a man-made receptacle used to house a swarm of bees
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beekeeper
a person who keeps bees for their honey; apiarist
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beeline
the most direct route between two places (esp in the phrase make a beeline for)
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Beelzebub
a god of the Philistines (2 Kings 1:2)
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been
the past participle of be
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beento
a person who has resided in Britain, esp during part of his or her education
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beep
a short high-pitched sound, esp one made by the horn of a car, bicycle, etc, or by electronic apparatus
Sorry this word has been given a happy home by: Mrs Louise Cavalier
Reason for adoption: I say it all the time.
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beer
an alcoholic drink brewed from malt, sugar, hops, and water and fermented with yeast
Sorry this word has been given a happy home by: Miss Joanna Dring
Reason for adoption: As the 'Drink of England' Wells Bombardier is delighted to adopt the word 'beer.'
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beer goggles
seeing people and things as becoming increasingly attractive as one's alcohol intake rises
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beer-up
a drinking bout
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Beersheba
a town in S Israel: commercial centre of the Negev. In biblical times it marked the southern limit of Palestine. Pop: 183 000 (2003 est)
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beery
smelling or tasting of beer
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beestings
the first milk secreted by the mammary glands of a cow or similar animal immediately after giving birth; colostrum
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beeswax
a yellowish or dark brown wax secreted by honeybees for constructing honeycombs
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beeswing
a light filmy crust of tartar that forms in port and some other wines after long keeping in the bottle
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beet
any chenopodiaceous plant of the genus Beta, esp the Eurasian species B. vulgaris, widely cultivated in such varieties as the sugar beet, mangelwurzel, beetroot, and spinach beet
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beetfly
a muscid fly, Pegomyia hyoscyami: a common pest of beets and mangel-wurzels
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beetle
any insect of the order Coleoptera, having biting mouthparts and forewings modified to form shell-like protective elytra
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beetle-browed
having bushy or overhanging eyebrows
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beetroot
a variety of the beet plant, Beta vulgaris, that has a bulbous dark red root that may be eaten as a vegetable, in salads, or pickled
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beeves
the plural of beef
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beezer
a person or chap
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BEF
British Expeditionary Force, the British armies that served in France and Belgium 1914--18 and in France 1939--40
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befall
to take place; come to pass
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befit
to be appropriate to or suitable for
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befog
to surround with fog
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befool
to make a fool of
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before
earlier than the time when
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beforehand
early; in advance; in anticipation
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beforetime
formerly
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befoul
to make dirty or foul; soil; defile
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befriend
to be a friend to; assist; favour
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befuddle
to confuse, muddle, or perplex
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beg
to solicit (for money, food, etc), esp in the street
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begad
an emphatic exclamation
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began
the past tense of begin
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begat
a past tense of beget
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beget
to father
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beggar
a person who begs, esp one who lives by begging
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beggar's-lice
any of several plants, esp the stickseed, having small prickly fruits that adhere to clothing, fur, etc
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beggar-my-neighbour
a card game in which one player tries to win all the cards of the other player
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beggar-ticks
any of various plants, such as the bur marigold and tick trefoil, having fruits or seeds that cling to clothing, fur, etc
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beggarly
meanly inadequate; very poor
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beggarweed
any of various leguminous plants of the genus Desmodium, esp D. purpureum of the Caribbean, grown in the southern US as forage plants and to improve the soil
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beggary
extreme poverty or need
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Beghard
a member of a Christian brotherhood that was founded in Flanders in the 13th century and followed a life based on that of the Beguines
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begin
to start or cause to start (something or to do something)
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beginner
a person who has just started to do or learn something; novice
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beginning
a start; commencement
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begird
to surround; gird around
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begone
go away!
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begonia
any plant of the genus Begonia, of warm and tropical regions, widely cultivated for their ornamental leaves and waxy flowers: family Begoniaceae
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begorra
an emphatic exclamation, regarded as a characteristic utterance of Irish people
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begot
a past tense and past participle of beget
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begotten
a past participle of beget
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begrime
to make dirty; soil
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begrudge
to give, admit, or allow unwillingly or with a bad grace
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begrudgery
resentment of any person who has achieved success or wealth
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beguile
to charm; fascinate
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beguiling
charming or fascinating
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Beguin
another word for Beghard
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beguine
a dance of South American origin in bolero rhythm
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begum
(in Pakistan and certain other Muslim countries) a woman of high rank, esp the widow of a prince
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begun
the past participle of begin
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behalf
interest, part, benefit, or respect (only in the phrases on (someone's) behalf, on or US and Canadian in behalf of, in this (or that) behalf)
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behave
to act or function in a specified or usual way
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behaviour
manner of behaving or conducting oneself
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behaviourism
a school of psychology that regards the objective observation of the behaviour of organisms (usually by means of automatic recording devices) as the only proper subject for study and that often refuses to postulate any intervening mechanisms between the stimulus and the response
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behead
to remove the head from; decapitate
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beheld
the past tense and past participle of behold
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behemoth
a gigantic beast, probably a hippopotamus, described in Job 40:15
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behest
an authoritative order or earnest request
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behind
in or to a position further back than; at the rear of; at the back of
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behindhand
remiss in fulfilling an obligation
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Behistun
a village in W Iran by the ancient road from Ecbatana to Babylon. On a nearby cliff is an inscription by Darius in Old Persian, Elamite, and Babylonian describing his enthronement
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behold
to look (at); observe
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beholden
indebted; obliged; under a moral obligation
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behoof
advantage or profit
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behove
to be necessary or fitting for
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beige
a very light brown, sometimes with a yellowish tinge, similar to the colour of undyed wool
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beigel
a variant spelling of bagel
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beignet
a square deep-fried pastry served hot and sprinkled with icing sugar
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Beijing
the capital of the People's Republic of China, in the northeast in central Hebei province: dates back to the 12th century bc; consists of two central walled cities, the Outer City (containing the commercial quarter) and the Inner City, which contains the Imperial City, within which is the Purple or Forbidden City; three universities. Pop: 10 849 000 (2005 est)
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being
the state or fact of existing; existence
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Beira
a port in E Mozambique: terminus of a transcontinental railway from Lobito, Angola, through the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaïre), Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Pop: 566 000 (2005 est)
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Beirut
the capital of Lebanon, a port on the Mediterranean: part of the Ottoman Empire from the 16th century until 1918; four universities (Lebanese, American, French, and Arab). Pop: 1 875 000 (2005 est)
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bejesus
an exclamation of surprise, emphasis, etc, regarded as a characteristic utterance of Irish people
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bejewel
to decorate with or as if with jewels
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bejewelled
decorated with or as if with jewels
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Bekaa
a broad valley in central Lebanon, between the Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains
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bel
a unit for comparing two power levels, equal to the logarithm to the base ten of the ratio of the two powers
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belabour
to beat severely; thrash
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belah
an Australian casuarina tree, Casuarina glauca, yielding a useful timber
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Belarus
a republic in E Europe; part of the medieval Lithuanian and Polish empires before occupied by Russia; a Soviet republic (1919--91); in 1997 formed a close political and economic union with Russia: mainly low-lying and forested. Languages: Belarussian; Russian. Religion: believers are mostly Christian. Currency: rouble. Capital: Minsk. Pop: 9 851 000 (2004 est). Area: 207 600 sq km (80 134 sq miles)
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Belarussian
of, relating to, or characteristic of Belarus, its people, or their language
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belated
late or too late
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Belau
an alternative name for the (Republic of) Palau
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belay
to make fast (a line) by securing to a pin, cleat, or bitt
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belch
to expel wind from the stomach noisily through the mouth; eructate
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beldam
an old woman, esp an ugly or malicious one; hag
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beleaguer
to trouble persistently; harass
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Belém
a port in N Brazil, the capital of Pará state, on the Pará River: major trading centre for the Amazon basin. Pop: 2 097 000 (2005 est)
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belemnite
any extinct marine cephalopod mollusc of the order Belemnoidea, related to the cuttlefish
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belemnoid
shaped like a dart
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Belfast
the capital of Northern Ireland, a port on Belfast Lough in Belfast district, Co Antrim and Co Down: became the centre of Irish Protestantism and of the linen industry in the 17th century; seat of the Northern Ireland assembly and executive. Pop: 276 459 (2001)
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Belfort
a department of E France, now in Franche-Comté region: the only part of Alsace remaining to France after 1871. Capital: Belfort. Pop: Pop: 139 383 (2003 est). Area: 608 sq km (237 sq miles)
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belfry
the part of a tower or steeple in which bells are hung
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Belg.
Belgian
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belga
a former Belgian monetary unit worth five francs
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Belgae
an ancient Celtic people who in Roman times inhabited present-day Belgium and N France
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Belgaum
a city in India, in Karnataka: cotton, furniture, leather. Pop: 399 600 (2001)
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Belgian
a native, citizen, or inhabitant of Belgium
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Belgium
a federal kingdom in NW Europe: at various times under the rulers of Burgundy, Spain, Austria, France, and the Netherlands before becoming an independent kingdom in 1830. It formed the Benelux customs union with the Netherlands and Luxembourg in 1948 and and was a founder member of the Common Market, now the European Union. It consists chiefly of a low-lying region of sand, woods, and heath (the Campine) in the north and west, and a fertile undulating central plain rising to the Ardennes Mountains in the southeast. Languages: French, Flemish (Dutch), German. Religion: Roman Catholic majority. Currency: euro. Capital: Brussels. Pop: 10 339 000 (2004 est). Area: 30 513 sq km (11 778 sq miles)
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Belgorod-Dnestrovski
a port in SW Ukraine, on the Dniester estuary: belonged to Romania from 1918 until 1940; under Soviet rule (1944--91). Pop: 56 800 (1991 est)
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Belgrade
the capital of the Union of Serbia and Montenegro and of Serbia, in the E part at the confluence of the Danube and Sava Rivers: became the capital of Serbia in 18