bare
bare: adj. & v. --adj.
1 (esp. of part of the body) unclothed or uncovered (with bare head).
2 without appropriate covering or contents: a (of a tree) leafless. b unfurnished; empty (bare rooms; the cupboard was bare). c (of a floor) uncarpeted.
3 a undisguised (the bare truth). b unadorned (bare facts).
4 (attrib.) a scanty (a bare majority). b mere (bare necessities). --v.tr.
1 uncover, unsheathe (bared his teeth).
2 reveal (bared his soul). øbare contract Law a contract lacking a consideration and therefore void unless under seal. bare of without. with one's bare hands without using tools or weapons. øøbareness n. [OE bór, barian f. Gmc]

boater
boater: n. a flat-topped hardened straw hat with a brim.

basement
basement: n. the lowest floor of a building, usu. at least partly below ground level. [prob. Du., perh. f. It. basamento column-base]

backscratcher
backscratcher: n.
1 a rod terminating in a clawed hand for scratching one's own back.
2 a person who performs mutual services with another for gain.

being
being: n.
1 existence.
2 the nature or essence (of a person etc.) (his whole being revolted).
3 a human being.
4 anything that exists or is imagined. øin being existing.

battery
battery: n. (pl. -ies.
1 a usu. portable container of a cell or cells carrying an electric charge, as a source of current.
2 (often attrib.) esp. Brit. a series of cages for the intensive breeding and rearing of poultry or cattle.
3 a set of similar units of equipment, esp. connected.
4 a series of tests, esp. psychological.
5 a a fortified emplacement for heavy guns. b an artillery unit of guns, men, and vehicles.
6 Law an act inflicting unlawful personal violence on another (see ASSAULT ).
7 Baseball the pitcher and the catcher. [F batterie f. batre, battre strike f. L battuere]

batting
batting: n.
1 the action of hitting with a bat.
2 cotton wadding prepared in sheets for use in quilts etc. øbatting order the order in which people act or take their turn, esp. of batsmen in cricket.

bladder
bladder: n.
1 a any of various membranous sacs in some animals, containing urine (urinary bladder), bile (gall-bladder), or air (swim-bladder). b this or part of it or a similar object prepared for various uses.
2 an inflated pericarp or vesicle in various plants.
3 anything inflated and hollow. [OE blódre f. Gmc]

biochemistry
biochemistry: n. the study of the chemical and physico-chemical processes of living organisms. øøbiochemical adj. biochemist n.

bacterium
bacterium: n. (pl. bacteria) a member of a large group of unicellular micro-organisms lacking organelles and an organized nucleus, some of which can cause disease. øøbacterial adj. [mod.L f. Gk bakterion dimin. of baktron stick]

brotherhood
brotherhood: n.
1 a the relationship between brothers. b brotherly friendliness; companionship.
2 a an association, society, or community of people linked by a common interest, religion, trade, etc. b its members collectively.
3 US a trade union.
4 community of feeling between all human beings. [ME alt. f. brotherrede f. OE brothor-róden (cf. KINDRED) after words in -HOOD, -HEAD]

blanket
blanket: n., adj., & v. --n.
1 a large piece of woollen or other material used esp. as a bed-covering or to wrap up a person or an animal for warmth.
2 (usu. foll. by of) a thick mass or layer that covers something (blanket of fog; blanket of silence).
3 Printing a rubber surface transferring an impression from a plate to paper etc. in offset printing. --adj. covering all cases or classes; inclusive (blanket condemnation; blanket agreement). --v.tr. (blanketed, blanketing.
1 cover with or as if with a blanket (snow blanketed the land).
2 stifle; keep quiet (blanketed all discussion).
3 Naut. take wind from the sails of (another craft) by passing to windward. øblanket bath a body wash given to a bedridden patient. blanket stitch a stitch used to neaten the edges of a blanket or other material. born on the wrong side of the blanket illegitimate. electric blanket an electrically-wired blanket used for heating a bed. wet blanket colloq. a gloomy person preventing the enjoyment of others. [ME f. OF blancquet, blanchet f. blanc white, BLANK]

beverage
beverage: n. formal a drink (hot beverage; alcoholic beverage). [ME f. OF be(u)vrage, ult. f. L bibere drink]

billion
billion: n. & adj. --n. (pl. same or (in sense 3) billions) (in sing. prec. by a or one.
1 a thousand million (1,000,000,000 or 10(9)).
2 (now less often, esp. Brit.) a million million (1,000,000,000,000 or 10(12)).
3 (in pl.) colloq. a very large number (billions of years). --adj. that amount to a billion. øøbillionth adj. & n. [F (as BI-, MILLION)]

bistro
bistro: n. (pl. -os) a small restaurant. [F]

borsch
borsch: var. of BORTSCH.

booster
booster: n.
1 a device for increasing electrical power or voltage.
2 an auxiliary engine or rocket used to give initial acceleration.
3 Med. a dose of an immunizing agent increasing or renewing the effect of an earlier one.
4 a person who boosts by helping or encouraging.

basilicanbrokerage
brokerage: n. a broker's fee or commission.

brigade
brigade: n. & v. --n.
1 Mil. a a subdivision of an army. b a British infantry unit consisting usu. o.
3 battalions and forming part of a division. c a corresponding armoured unit.
2 an organized or uniformed band of workers (fire brigade).
3 colloq. any group of people with a characteristic in common (the couldn't-care-less brigade). --v.tr. form into a brigade. [F f. It. brigata company f. brigare be busy with f. briga strife]

binary
binary: adj. & n. --adj.
1 a dual. b of or involving pairs.
2 of the arithmetical system usin.
2 as a base. --n. (pl. -ies.
1 something having two parts.
2 a binary number.
3 a binary star. øbinary code Computing a coding system using the binary digits an.
1 to represent a letter, digit, or other character in a computer (see BCD ). binary compound Chem. a compound having two elements or radicals. binary fission the division of a cell or organism into two parts. binary number (or digit) one of two digits (usu. or 1) in a binary system of notation. binary star a system of two stars orbiting each other. binary system a system in which information can be expressed by combinations of the digits an.
1 (corresponding to 'off' and 'on' in computing). binary tree a data structure in which a record is branched to the left when greater and to the right when less than the previous record. [LL binarius f. bini two together]

baseball
baseball: n.
1 a game played esp. in the US with teams of nine, a bat and ball, and a circuit of four bases which the batsman must complete.
2 the ball used in this game.

blacking
blacking: n. any black paste or polish, esp. for shoes.

biweekly
biweekly: adv., adj., & n. --adv.
1 every two weeks.
2 twice a week. --adj. produced or occurring biweekly. --n. (pl. -ies) a biweekly periodical. °See the note at bimonthly.

bridal
bridal: adj. of or concerning a bride or a wedding. øøbridally adv. [orig. as noun, = wedding-feast, f. OE bryd-ealu f. bryd BRIDE + ealu ale-drinking]

babacoote
babacoote: n. = INDRI. [Malagasy babakoto]

backslash
backslash: n. a backward-sloping diagonal line; a reverse solidus (\).

beagle
beagle: n. & v. --n.
1 a a small hound of a breed with a short coat, used for hunting hares. b this breed.
2 hist. an informer or spy; a constable. --v.intr. (often as beagling n.) hunt with beagles. øøbeagler n. [ME f. OF beegueule noisy person, prob. f. beer open wide + gueule throat]

bizarre
bizarre: adj. strange in appearance or effect; eccentric; grotesque. øøbizarrely adv. bizarreness n. [F, = handsome, brave, f. Sp. & Port. bizarro f. Basque bizarra beard]

beanie
beanie: n. a small close-fitting hat worn on the back of the head. [perh. f. BEAN 'head' + -IE]

blouse
blouse: n. & v. --n.
1 a a woman's loose, usu. lightweight, upper garment, usu. buttoned and collared. b the upper part of a soldier's or airman's battledress.
2 a workman's or peasant's loose linen or cotton garment, usu. belted at the waist. --v.tr. make (a bodice etc.) loose like a blouse. [F, of unkn. orig.]

bread
bread: n. & v. --n.
1 baked dough made of flour usu. leavened with yeast and moistened, eaten as a staple food.
2 a necessary food. b (also daily bread) one's livelihood.
3 sl. money. --v.tr. coat with breadcrumbs for cooking. øbread and butte.
1 bread spread with butter.
2 a one's livelihood. b routine work to ensure an income. bread-and-butter letter a letter of thanks for hospitality. bread and circuses the public provision of subsistence and entertainment. bread and wine the Eucharist. bread baske.
1 a basket for bread or rolls.
2 sl. the stomach. bread bin a container for keeping bread in. bread sauce a white sauce thickened with breadcrumbs. cast one's bread upon the waters do good without expecting gratitude or reward. know which side one's bread is buttered know where one's advantage lies. take the bread out of a person's mouth take away a person's living, esp. by competition etc. [OE bread f. Gmc]

bottom
bottom: n., adj., & v. --n.
1 a the lowest point or part (bottom of the stairs). b the part on which a thing rests (bottom of a saucepan). c the underneath part (scraped the bottom of the car). d the furthest or inmost part (bottom of the garden).
2 colloq. a the buttocks. b the seat of a chair etc.
3 a the less honourable, important, or successful end of a table, a class, etc. (at the bottom of the list of requirements). b a person occupying this place (he's always bottom of the class).
4 the ground under the water of a lake, a river, etc. (swam until he touched the bottom).
5 the basis; the origin (he's at the bottom of it).
6 the essential character; reality.
7 Naut. a the keel or hull of a ship. b a ship, esp. as a cargo-carrier.
8 staying power; endurance. --adj.
1 lowest (bottom button).
2 last (got the bottom score). --v.
1 tr. put a bottom to (a chair, saucepan, etc.).
2 intr. (of a ship) reach or touch the bottom.
3 tr. find the extent or real nature of; work out.
4 tr. (usu. foll. by on) base (an argument etc.) (reasoning bottomed on logic).
5 tr. touch the bottom or lowest point of. øat bottom basically, essentially. be at the bottom of have caused. bet one's bottom dollar sl. stake all. bottom dog = UNDERDOG. bottom drawer Brit. linen etc. stored by a woman in preparation for her marriage. bottom falls out collapse occurs. bottom gear see GEAR . bottom line colloq. the underlying or ultimate truth; the ultimate, esp. financial, criterion. bottom out reach the lowest level. bottoms up! a call to drain one's glass. bottom up upside-down. get to the bottom of fully investigate and explain. knock the bottom out of prove (a thing) worthless. øøbottommost adj. [OE botm f. Gmc]

buffalo
buffalo: n. & v. --n. (pl. same or -oes.
1 either of two species of ox, Synceros caffer, native to Africa, or Bubalus arnee, native to Asia with heavy backswept horns.
2 a N. American bison, Bison bison. --v.tr. (-oes, -oed) US sl. overawe, outwit. øbuffalo gras.
1 a grass, Buchloe dactyloides, of the N. American plains.
2 a grass, Stenotaphrum secundatum, of Australia and New Zealand. [prob. f. Port. bufalo f. LL bufalus f. L bubalus f. Gk boubalos antelope, wild ox]

burst
burst: v. & n. --v. (past and past part. burst.
1 a intr. break suddenly and violently apart by expansion of contents or internal pressure. b tr. cause to do this. c tr. send (a container etc.) violently apart.
2 a tr. open forcibly. b intr. come open or be opened forcibly.
3 a intr. (usu. foll. by in, out) make one's way suddenly, dramatically, or by force. b tr. break away from or through (the river burst its banks).
4 tr. & intr. fill or be full to overflowing.
5 intr. appear or come suddenly (burst into flame; burst upon the view; sun burst out).
6 intr. (foll. by into) suddenly begin to shed or utter (esp. burst into tears or laughter or song).
7 intr. be as if about to burst because of effort, excitement, etc.
8 tr. suffer bursting of (burst a blood-vessel).
9 tr. separate (continuous stationery) into single sheets. --n.
1 the act of or an instance of bursting; a split.
2 a sudden issuing forth (burst of flame).
3 a sudden outbreak (burst of applause).
4 a a short sudden effort; a spurt. b a gallop.
5 an explosion. øburst ou.
1 suddenly begin (burst out laughing).
2 exclaim. [OE berstan f. Gmc]

bleach
bleach: v. & n. --v.tr. & intr. whiten by exposure to sunlight or by a chemical process. --n.
1 a bleaching substance.
2 the process of bleaching. øbleaching-powder calcium hypochlorite used esp. to remove colour from materials. [OE blócan f. Gmc]

brew
brew: v. & n. --v.
1 tr. a make (beer etc.) by infusion, boiling, and fermentation. b make (tea etc.) by infusion or (punch etc.) by mixture.
2 intr. undergo either of these processes (the tea is brewing).
3 intr. (of trouble, a storm, etc.) gather force; threaten (mischief was brewing).
4 tr. bring about; set in train; concoct (brewed their fiendish scheme). --n.
1 an amount (of beer etc.) brewed at one time (this year's brew).
2 what is brewed (esp. with regard to its quality) (a good strong brew).
3 the action or process of brewing. øbrew up make tea. brew-up n. an instance of making tea. øøbrewer n. [OE breowan f. Gmc]

bathroom
bathroom: n.
1 a room containing a bath and usu. other washing facilities.
2 esp. US a room containing a lavatory.

bedding
bedding: n.
1 a mattress and bedclothes.
2 a litter for cattle, horses, etc.
3 a bottom layer.
4 Geol. the stratification of rocks, esp. when clearly visible. øbedding plant a plant suitable for a garden bed.

broadcastingbinding
binding: n. & adj. --n. something that binds, esp. the covers, glue, etc., of a book. --adj. (often foll. by on) obligatory.

blakey
blakey: n. (also Blakey) (pl. -eys) a metal cap on the heel or toe of a shoe or boot. [Blakey, name of the manufacturer]

beacon
beacon: n.
1 a a fire or light set up in a high or prominent position as a warning etc. b Brit. (now often in place-names) a hill suitable for this.
2 a visible warning or guiding point or device (e.g. a lighthouse, navigation buoy, etc.).
3 a radio transmitter whose signal helps fix the position of a ship or aircraft.
4 Brit. = BELISHA BEACON. [OE beacn f. WG]

barbecue
barbecue: n. & v. --n.
1 a a meal cooked on an open fire out of doors, esp. meat grilled on a metal appliance. b a party at which such a meal is cooked and eaten.
2 a the metal appliance used for the preparation of a barbecue. b a fireplace, usu. of brick, containing such an appliance. --v.tr. (barbecues, barbecued, barbecuing) cook (esp. meat) on a barbecue. øbarbecue sauce a highly seasoned sauce, usu. containing chillies, in which meat etc. may be cooked. [Sp. barbacoa f. Haitian barbacèa wooden frame on posts]

before
before: conj., prep., & adv. --conj.
1 earlier than the time when (crawled before he walked).
2 rather than that (would starve before he stole). --prep.
1 a in front of (before her in the queue). b ahead of (crossed the line before him). c under the impulse of (recoil before the attack). d awaiting (the future before them).
2 earlier than; preceding (Lent comes before Easter).
3 rather than (death before dishonour).
4 a in the presence of (appear before the judge). b for the attention of (a plan put before the committee). --adv.
1 a earlier than the time in question; already (heard it before). b in the past (happened long before).
2 ahead (go before).
3 on the front (hit before and behind). øBefore Christ (of a date) reckoned backwards from the birth of Christ. before God a solemn oath meaning 'as God sees me'. before time see TIME . [OE beforan f. Gmc]

biography
biography: n. (pl. -ies.
1 a a written account of a person's life, usu. by another. b such writing as a branch of literature.
2 the course of a living (usu. human) being's life. øøbiographer n. biographic adj. biographical adj. [F biographie or mod.L biographia f. med.Gk]