betroth

become engaged to marry

bevy

large group; Ex. a bevy of starlets

beware

be cautious (of)

bewitch

cast a spell over; captivate completely

bicameral

two-chambered as a legislative body

bicker

quarrel

bid

command; utter (a greeting); offer as a price; N: offer of a price; amount offered; earnest effort to gain something; Ex. bid for freedom

biennial

every two years

bifurcated

divided into two branches; forked

bigot

one who is intolerant (in matters of religion or politics)

bigotry

stubborn intolerance

bilious

suffering from indigestion; sick from having too much bile; irritable; easily irritated

bilk

swindle; cheat

billow

large wave of water; a great swell or surge (of smoke); V: surge, swell, roll in billows

billowing

swelling out in waves; surging

biting

sharply painful to the body or mind; Ex. biting wind/remarks

bitter

having a sharp biting taste; 敬; causing sharp pain to the body or mind; filled with resentment, disappointment, or other unpleasant feelings; Ex. bitter wind/sorrow/tears

bivouac

temporary encampment; camp without tents; V.

bizarre

fantastic; violently contrasting; noticeably odd; strikingly unconventional

blackball

vote against (an applicant); ostracize; N: negative vote

blanch

bleach; whiten; make white or pale

bland

soothing or mild (food); agreeable; causing no trouble or offence

blandishment

flattery

blare

loud or harsh roar or screech; dazzling blaze of light

blase

bored with pleasure or dissipation; uninterested or bored

blasphemy

irreverence; sacrilege; cursing; bad language about God or holy things; V. blasphem; ADJ. blasphemous; CF. sacrilege

blatant

extremely (offensively) obvious; loudly offensive; Ex. blatant lie; N. blatancy

bleak

cold or cheerless; frigid; unlikely to be favorable; depressing

blemish

mar; spoil the beauty or perfection of; N: flaw or defect (that spoils perfection); Ex. blemishes in the crystal; CF. unblemished

blight

plant disease; V: infect with blight; ruin; destroy

blighted

suffering from a disease; destroyed

bliss

complete happiness; ADJ. blissful

blithe(blithesome)

gay; joyous

bloated

(unpleasantly) swollen or puffed as with water or air

blotch

spot; blot; CF. blot botch

blowhard

talkative boaster; braggart

bludgeon

club; heavy-headed weapon; V.

blue

gloomy; depressed

blues

state of depression or melancholy; style of slow, mournful music (evolved from southern Black American songs)

bluff

pretense (of strength); deception; high cliff; ADJ: rough but good-natured

blunder

error; stupid mistake

blunt

having a dull edge; abrupt and frank in speech or manner; brusque; V: make or become blunt

blurt

utter impulsively from nervousness or excitement

blush

become red in the face (from embarrassment or shame); become red or rosy; N.

bluster

blow in heavy gusts; threaten emptily; bully; speak in a noisy or bullying manner; CF. breeze, gust, gale

bode

foreshadow; portend

bog

soft wet land; V: hinder or be hindered; Ex. bogged down in the mud

bogus

counterfeit; not authentic; intentionally false; Ex. bogus interview

Bohemian

unconventional (in an artistic way)

boisterous

violent; rough; noisy

bolster

support; reinforce

bolt

door bar; fastening pin or screw; length of fabric; large roll of cloth; V: dash or dart off; fasten (a | door); gobble down

bombardment

attack (as with missiles or bombs); V. bombard

bombast

grandiloquent, pompous speech

bombastic

pompous; using inflated language

bookish

fond of books and reading

boon

blessing; benefit; something very helpful

boor

rude, insensitive person

boorish

rude; insensitive

boost

lift by pushing up from below; increase; raise; N: push upward; increase

botch

mismanage; blow

bouillon

clear beef (or meat) soup

bound

leap or spring; limit or confine; constitute the limit of; Ex. bounded by Canada; N: leap or jumping; boundary; ADJ: certain; having a duty to do something (legally or morally); confined by bonds; Ex. We are bound to be late; Ex. I am bound to

bountiful

generous; graciously generous; showing bounty

bourgeois

middle class; selfishly materialistic; too interested in material possessions

bout

match; short period of great activity; Ex. wrestling bout; bout of drinking/flu

bovine

cowlike; placid and dull; slow-thinking; calm

bowdlerize

expurgate; CF. Thomas Bowdler

brackish

somewhat saline

brag

boast

braggadocio

boasting

braggart

boaster; bragger

braid

plait; interweave strands or lengths of; make by weaving strands together; N: braided segment (as of hair)

brand

trademark; mark burned on the hide of an animal; mark burned into the flesh of criminals; mark of disgrace; V: mark with a brand; give a lasting bad name; stigmatize; Ex. The press branded him a liar.

brandish

wave around (a weapon); flourish

bravado

swagger; assumed air of defiance; false show of bravery

brave

face courageously; Ex. brave the storm

brawl

noisy quarrel

brawn

human muscle; muscular strength; sturdiness

brawny

muscular; having well-developed muscles

brazen

insolent; without shame; bold; Ex. brazen lie; V: face with bold self-assurance or with unshamed confidence

breach

breaking of contract or duty; fissure or gap; opening; V.

breadth

width; extent

breed

produce young; rear; bring up; produce (an undesirable condition); N: kind or sort of animal or plant

brevity

conciseness; shortness of duration

bridle

harness fitted about a horse’s head (used to restrain); curb; check; V: put a bridle on; control or restrain; show anger

brim

uppermost edge of a cup; projecting rim (as on a hat); Ex. The glass was full to the brim; V: be full to the brim

brindled

tawny or grayish with streaks or spots (of animals)

brink

edge (at the top of a cliff); Ex. on the brink of the Grand Canyon

brisk

quick and active; marked by liveliness and vigor