LETTER B Flashcards
backflow
a reverse flow; the movement (of a liquid) in the opposite direction to its previous, natural or intended direction.
Bad-tempered
- Becoming annoyed or angry very easily
- You can’t imagine what is like living with such a bad-tempered man
- The boss seems rather bad-tempered this morning
- A bad-tempered exchange
- He gave a bad tempered gesture of dismissal
Bag of nerves/bundle of nerves
Someone who is extremely anxious or tense.
- “during her debut on the show she was a bundle of nerves”
Baggies
A usually small, clear plastic bag
Bait, noun
Something (such as food) used in luring especially to a hook or trap
“the fish took the bait”
“what do you use as bait?”
“When stars light up on the big screen, do kids take the bait?”
“we use worms as bait when fishing”
Baker
- a person who makes bread and cakes, especially as a trade.
- an oven used for a particular purpose.
“a bread baker”
Ball
- a solid or hollow spherical or egg-shaped object that is kicked, thrown, or hit in a game.
“a soccer ball” - (in baseball) a pitch delivered outside the strike zone that the batter does not attempt to hit.
“the umpire called it a ball”
Barely
Only just; almost not.
“she nodded, barely able to speak”
Baseline
An imaginary starting point or basis of comparison for something.
- To test how a class’s performance improves over time, a researcher might begin with a baseline showing their current scores and grades.
- This way you’ll at least have a baseline on his health. …
-This part of the evaluation built on the work of a baseline implementation survey of 35 children’s trust pathfinders conducted in August 2004.
Basement flat/basement apartment
A flat below the ground floor of a building.
Bashing
violent physical assault. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vXzEdnImjQ
“nine incidents of gay bashing were reported to the police”
Basket
a container used to hold or carry things, typically made from interwoven strips of cane or wire.
“a laundry basket”
Bath
an act or process of immersing and washing one’s body in a large container of water.
“she took a long, hot bath”
Batty
Silly and slightly crazy.
Look out, she’s gone batty! Those things can drive a parent batty. This series is completely batty and most enjoyable. But if this sounds dry as well as batty, think again.
Bay
A broad inlet of the sea where the land curves inward. Ex: “The Bay of Biscay”
Beak
The bill of a bird, the elongated sucking mouth of some insects (such as true bugs)
Beam
- a long, sturdy piece of squared timber or metal spanning an opening or part of a building, usually to support the roof or floor above.
“there are very fine oak beams in the oldest part of the house” - a ray or shaft of light.
“a beam of light flashed in front of her”
bear (verb)
- to accept, tolerate, or endure something, especially something unpleasant.
- Carry the weight of, support
- The strain must have been enormous but she bore it well.
- She bore the pain stoically
- I can’t bear him
- I can’t bear to watch
- I thought I saw a bear
- the pain was too much to bear
Beat that
To defeat or do better than. Ex: Simon always beats me at tennis
Behemoth
a huge or monstrous creature.
“behemoths like the brontosaurus”
something enormous, especially a big and powerful organization.
“shoppers are now more loyal to their local stores than to faceless behemoths”
Behind
At or to the far side of (something), typically so as to be hidden by it.
- The recording machinery was kept behind screens
In a line or procession, following or further back than (another member of the line or procession).
- Stuck behind a slow-moving tractor
At or to the far side or the back side of something.
- Campbell grabbed him from behind
Remaining after someone or something is gone.
- Don’t leave me behind”
Belly button (informal)
a person’s navel.
Below
- at a lower level or layer than.
“just below the pocket was a stain” - extending underneath.
“the tunnel below the crags”
Betray
expose (one’s country, a group, or a person) to danger by treacherously giving information to an enemy.
“a double agent who betrayed some 400 British and French agents to the Germans”
Bike
“bike” is an abbreviation of the word bicycle or motorcycle (motorized bicycle). Cycle can mean a machine that you pedal which has one, two, three, or four wheels. The word “cycle” used this way is also an abbreviation. The correct full word is bicycle, unicycle, or tricycle.
Bin
a receptacle for storing a specified substance.
“a vegetable bin”
Birdsong
The musical vocalizations of a bird or birds, typically uttered by a male songbird in characteristic bursts or phrases for territorial purposes
- Listen to birdsong instead of the traffic outside your window
Bite
Use the teeth to cut into or through something
Blackmail
the action, treated as a criminal offense, of demanding payment or another benefit from someone in return for not revealing compromising or damaging information about them.
“they were acquitted of charges of blackmail”
“he was jailed for eight years for blackmail”
“we do not pay blackmail”
“blackmail is a crime”
“Frank frowned at him and growled slightly, ‘Are you trying to blackmail me, assassin?’”
Blank
(Of a surface or background) unrelieved by decorative or other features; bare, empty, or plain.
- A blank wall
Showing incomprehension or no reaction.
- We were met by blank looks
A space left to be filled in a document
- Leave blanks to type in the appropriate names
Blast
- To knock down or shatter by explosion; smash.
- To play or sound loudly: The amplifiers blasted the music.
- To cause to move with great force; hurl: The volcanic eruption blasted rock far and wide. b. To make or open by explosion: blast a tunnel through the mountains.
block the view
When the piles grew too high, they were moved to the oriel window shelf, eventually blocking the view.
Except that there used to be a row of beach huts blocking the view.
Bless you
Said to a person who has just sneezed
Blink
Shut and open the eyes quickly.
“he blinked his eyes nervously”
Bloom
To grow or flourish with vigor
“the bloom on a plum”
“I am no longer in the bloom of youth”
“the apple trees were in bloom”
“the lilac was in full bloom”
Boating
Rowing or sailing in boats as a sport or form of recreation
- He was the happiest with his family and friends and enjoyed boating
Bookcase
a set of shelves for books set in a surrounding frame or cabinet.
* First, a bookcase full of “long form” reports which confirmed the bookcase full of certified annual accounts which we already had. …
* One day I saw some books on a small bookcase on wheels.
* I kept the pillars, the sofa and the bookcase.
Bore
Make a hole in something especially with a revolving tool
- the drill can bore through rock
Bowling
The game of tenpin bowling as a sport or recreation
- So I took that picture when we took the kids bowling last night
- My friends and I were bowling the night of the attack
- She was bowling to the batter
- If you hate him, well, you’ll probably go bowling that night instead
Blossom noun and verb
A flower or a mass of flowers, specially on a tree or bush
- Tiny white blossoms
(Of a tree or bush) produce flowers or masses of flowers
- The mango trees have shed their fruit and blossomed again
Bossy
Inclined to domineer: dictatorial
bottle opener
a tool used to remove metal tops from some bottles.
Bounce
Move quickly up, back, or away from a surface after hitting it. Ex: the ball bounced away and he chased it
“a pitch of low bounce”
“there’s not much bounce left in this ball”
“the bounce was now back in Jenny’s step”
“But there was no bounce and cheerfulness in her voice like there used to be.
Bouquet
an attractively arranged bunch of flowers, especially one presented as a gift or carried at a ceremony.
* swirl the wine in the glass to release the bouquet”
* “a little girl stepped forward to present the princess with a large bouquet”
* “it had a dark, smoky bouquet of ripe blackberries laced with cocoa”
“It has a freshly scented bouquet of pared Granny Smith apples, pears and ripe berries.”
Bragging
excessively proud and boastful talk about one’s achievements or possessions.
“she interrupted their endless bragging”
“they were bragging about how easy it had been”
“a little honest bragging doesn’t hurt anyone”
“they’re always bragging about their high-class connections”
Brainchild
A product of one´s creative effort
Bright
Radiating or reflecting light. Shining, Dazzling
broad jump
/ˈbrôd ˌjəmp/
another term for long jump.
Blood pump
To cause to flow by means of a pump or pumplike organ or device: Derricks pumped oil out of the ground. The heart pumps blood throughout the body.
Borrow
take and use (something that belongs to someone else) with the intention of returning it.
“he had borrowed a car from one of his colleagues”
Boycott
withdraw from commercial or social relations with (a country, organization, or person) as a punishment or protest.
“we will boycott all banks which take part in the loans scheme”
branch
*a division or subdivision of the stem or axis of a tree, shrub, or other plant.
*a limb, offshoot, or ramification of any main stem:
the branches of a deer’s antlers.
*verb (used without object)
to put forth branches; spread in branches.
*to divide into separate parts or subdivisions; diverge:
The main road branches off to the left.
*verb (used with object)
to divide into branches or sections.
*to adorn with needlework; decorate with embroidery, as in textile fabrics.
Brief
- short in duration, extent, or length
a brief meeting - CONCISE
gave a brief description of events
promises to be brief
b: CURT, ABRUPT
Briefcase
a flat, rectangular container, typically made of leather, for carrying books and papers.
* Though he had few clients, he dressed impressively and carried a leather briefcase, co-workers said
Broad
Having an ample distance from side to side; wide.
- A broad staircase
- He sat on the horse’s broad back
- She wore a white top, with broad light blue sleeves
- The valley is three miles long and half a mile broad
- His face broke into a broad grin
Broadcast
Transmit (a program or some information) by radio or television.
- The announcement was broadcast live
Broom
a long-handled brush of bristles or twigs, used for sweeping.
BTW
By the way
Brush
an implement with a handle, consisting of bristles, hair, or wire set into a block, used for cleaning or scrubbing, applying a liquid or powder to a surface, arranging the hair, or other purposes. ex: a paint brush, brush your teeth
Breed
a stock of animals or plants within a species having a distinctive appearance and typically having been developed by deliberate selection.
“the big continental breeds are eagerly being imported by British farmers”
Bullshit
Complete nonsense or something that is not true
Bum body part
The buttocks
the part of the body that you sit on. Synonym. bottom (BODY PART) SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases. The
Bump into
Meet someone by chance.
“I bumped into her on the way back from the hospital”
1. Wherever I go I always seem to bump into him.
2. I happened to bump into Mervyn Johns in the hallway.
3. They would bump into one another and laugh softly.
4. When ions floating in the water happen to bump into the hard surface of the crystal, they tend to stick.
5. You drop into his or her office, or bump into each other in the hall.
bundle
a: a group of things fastened together for convenient handling
a bundle of newspapers
b: PACKAGE, PARCEL
arrived with several bundles under his arms
c: a considerable number : LOT
a bundle of contradictions
d: a sizable sum of money
will cost you a bundle
e: a person embodying a specified quality or characteristic
She’s a little bundle of energy.
was a bundle of nerves before his speech
f: BUNCH sense 2
a bundle of friends
2 a biology : a small band of mostly parallel fibers (as of nerve or muscle)
botany : VASCULAR BUNDLE
3: a package offering related products or services at a single price
software bundles
Buns, bread rolls
A sweet or plain small
Burst
(of a container) break suddenly and violently apart, spilling the contents, typically as a result of an impact or internal pressure.
“we inflated dozens of balloons and only one burst”
Bush
A low densely branched shrub
Busted
- (Slang) Broke; having no money.
Ex: I’d like to help you, but I’m busted. - (Slang) Caught in the act of doing something one shouldn’t do.
Ex: I saw you take that cookie from the cookie jar! You’re busted!
Body shape
The shape of an object, person, or an area is the appearance of their outside edges or surfaced
- it’s far more useful to accept your body shape and eat healthily
- The body shape of the modern fighter is very different to the early fighters, there were much more brutal, more savage
Bloodshot
(Of the eyes) inflamed or tinged with blood, typically as a result of tiredness
- He look tired and his eyes were bloodshot
- Her mascara had made black rivers down her cheeks and her eyes were bloodshot
- She lifted her head and revealed her bloodshot eyes and her tearstained cheeks
B&B
Bed and breakfast in Hospitality
- Bed and breakfast is a sistema of accommodations in a hotel or guest house, in which you pay for a room for the night and for breakfast the following morning
Beat
Strike ( a person or animal) repeatedly and violently, so as to hurt or injure them, typically with an implement such as a club or whip
- If we were caught we were beaten
Defeat (someone) in a game or other competitive situation
- She beat him easily at chess
A main accent or rhythmic unit in music or poetry
- The glissando begins in the second beat
The movement of a bird’s wings
- The beat of the swallow’s wings as they dive after midges
Completely exhausted
- I’m beat, I need an hour or so to rest
Break through
Make or force a way through a barrier
- The crowd tried to break through the gates
(Of the sun or moon) appear from behind clouds
- The sun might break through in a few spots
Achieve success in a particular area
- So many talented players are struggling to break through
