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?’”