Day 7 Flashcards
barterer
/trader. The barterer exchanged trinkets for the natives’ furs. It seemed smarter to barter than
to pay cash.
bastion
/fortress; defense. The villagers fortified the town hall, hoping this improvised bastion could
protect them from the guerillas’ raids. .
bate
/let down; restrain. Until it was time to open the presents, the children had to bate their
curiosity. bated,ADJ.
bawdy
indecent; obscene. Jack took offense at Jill’s bawdy remarks. What kind of
young man did she think he was?
beatific
/giving bliss; blissful. The beatific smile on the child’s face made us very happy.
bedizen
/dress with vulgar finery. The witch doctors were bedizened in all their gaudiest costumes
bedraggle
/wet thoroughly; stain with mud. We were so bedraggled by the severe storm that we had
to change into dry clothing. bedraggled,ADJ.
befuddle
/confuse thoroughly. His attempts to clarify the situation succeeded only in befuddling her further
beget
/father; produce; give rise to. One good turn may deserve another; it does not necessarily
beget another.
beguile
mislead or delude; pass time. With flattery and big talk of easy money, the con
men beguiled Kyle into betting his allowance on the shell game. Broke, he beguiled himself during the
long hours by playing solitaire.
behemoth
/huge creature; monstrous animal. Sportscasters nicknamed the linebacker “The
Behemoth.”
belabor
explain or go over excessively or to a ridiculous degree; attack verbally. The
debate coach warned her student not to bore the audience by belaboring her point.
beleguer
besiege or attack; harassed. The babysitter was surrounded by a crowd of
unmanageable brats who relentlessly beleaguered her.
belie
contradict; give a false impression. His coarse, hard-bitten exterior belied his
inner sensitivity.
bemoan
/lament; express disapproval of. The widow bemoaned the death of her beloved husband.
Although critics bemoaned the serious flaws in the author’s novels, each year his latest book topped the
best-seller list.
beravement
/state of being deprived of something valuable or beloved. His friends gathered to
console him upon his sudden bereavement.
bereft
deprived of; lacking; desolate because of a loss. The foolish gambler soon
found himself bereft of funds.
beseech
beg; plead with. The workaholic executive’s wife beseeched him to spend more time
with their son.
beset
harass or trouble; hem in. Many vexing problems beset the American public school system.
Sleeping Beauty’s castle was beset on all sides by dense thickets that hid it from view.
besiege
surround with armed forces; harass (with requests). When the bandits besieged the village,
the villagers holed up in the town hall and prepared to withstand a long siege. Members of the new
administration were besieged with job applications from people who had worked on the campaign.
