Barron GRE word list - B

babble

chatter idly or foolishly; make continuous sounds like water running gently over rounded stone; N.

bacchanal

noisy party with a lot of drinking

bacchanalia

the ancient Roman festival in honor of Bacchus

bacchanalian

drunken

backslide

revert (to bad habits); N. reverter

backwards

and forwards; Ex. reciprocate his invitation by inviting him; N. reciprocity: reciprocal relationship; mutual interchange of advantages between two groups; Ex. reciprocity in trading rights

badger

pester; annoy continually with demands; persuade by asking again and again; Ex. The children badgered me into taking them into the cinema; N: a kind of mountain animal

badinage

teasing conversation; banter; joking talk

baffle

frustrate; perplex

bait

harass; tease; torment; Ex. badger baiting; N: food or other lure used to catch fish or trap animals

baleful

evil; malignant in intent or effect; deadly; having a malign influence; portending evil; ominous; threatening; Ex. baleful look

balk

stop short, as if faced with an obstacle, and refuse to continue; foil; stop or get in the way of; frustrate

ballast

heavy substance used to add stability or weight; V. supply with ballast

balm

something that relieves pain; oily liquid with a pleasant smell from trees

balmy

soft and mild (of air); fragrant

banal

hackneyed; commonplace; trite; lacking originality; clich’ed