| Words | Parts of Speech | Meaning/Definition/Similar Words |
|---|---|---|
| baas | plural | of Baa |
| baal | noun | The supreme male divinity of the Phoenician and Canaanitish nations., The whole class of divinities to whom the name Baal was applied. |
| baba | noun | A kind of plum cake. |
| babe | noun | An infant; a young child of either sex; a baby., A doll for children. |
| babu | noun | A Hindoo gentleman; a native clerk who writes English; also, a Hindoo title answering to Mr. or Esquire. |
| baby | noun | An infant or young child of either sex; a babe., A small image of an infant; a doll., Pertaining to, or resembling, an infant; young or little; as, baby swans., To treat like a young child; to keep dependent; to humor; to fondle. |
| bace | noun, adjective, & verb | See Base. |
| back | noun | A large shallow vat; a cistern, tub, or trough, used by brewers, distillers, dyers, picklers, gluemakers, and others, for mixing or cooling wort, holding water, hot glue, etc., A ferryboat. See Bac, 1., In human beings, the hinder part of the body, extending from the neck to the end of the spine; in other animals, that part of the body which corresponds most nearly to such part of a human being; as, the back of a horse, fish, or lobster., An extended upper part, as of a mountain or ridge., The outward or upper part of a thing, as opposed to the inner or lower part; as, the back of the hand, the back of the foot, the back of a hand rail., The part opposed to the front; the hinder or rear part of a thing; as, the back of a book; the back of an army; the back of a chimney., The part opposite to, or most remote from, that which fronts the speaker or actor; or the part out of sight, or not generally seen; as, the back of an island, of a hill, or of a village., The part of a cutting tool on the opposite side from its edge; as, the back of a knife, or of a saw., A support or resource in reserve., The keel and keelson of a ship., The upper part of a lode, or the roof of a horizontal underground passage., A garment for the back; hence, clothing., Being at the back or in the rear; distant; remote; as, the back door; back settlements., Being in arrear; overdue; as, back rent., Moving or operating backward; as, back action., To get upon the back of; to mount., To place or seat upon the back., To drive or force backward; to cause to retreat or recede; as, to back oxen., To make a back for; to furnish with a back; as, to back books., To adjoin behind; to be at the back of., To write upon the back of; as, to back a letter; to indorse; as, to back a note or legal document., To support; to maintain; to second or strengthen by aid or influence; as, to back a friend., To bet on the success of; — as, to back a race horse., To move or go backward; as, the horse refuses to back., To change from one quarter to another by a course opposite to that of the sun; — used of the wind., To stand still behind another dog which has pointed; — said of a dog., In, to, or toward, the rear; as, to stand back; to step back., To the place from which one came; to the place or person from which something is taken or derived; as, to go back for something left behind; to go back to one’s native place; to put a book back after reading it., To a former state, condition, or station; as, to go back to private life; to go back to barbarism., (Of time) In times past; ago., Away from contact; by reverse movement., In concealment or reserve; in one’s own possession; as, to keep back the truth; to keep back part of the money due to another., In a state of restraint or hindrance., In return, repayment, or requital., In withdrawal from a statement, promise, or undertaking; as, he took back0 the offensive words., In arrear; as, to be back in one’s rent. |
| bade | A form of the pat tense of Bid., of Bid | |
| baff | noun | A blow; a stroke. |
| baft | noun | Same as Bafta. |
| bail | noun | A bucket or scoop used in bailing water out of a boat., To lade; to dip and throw; — usually with out; as, to bail water out of a boat., To dip or lade water from; — often with out to express completeness; as, to bail a boat., To deliver; to release., To set free, or deliver from arrest, or out of custody, on the undertaking of some other person or persons that he or they will be responsible for the appearance, at a certain day and place, of the person bailed., To deliver, as goods in trust, for some special object or purpose, upon a contract, expressed or implied, that the trust shall be faithfully executed on the part of the bailee, or person intrusted; as, to bail cloth to a tailor to be made into a garment; to bail goods to a carrier., Custody; keeping., The person or persons who procure the release of a prisoner from the custody of the officer, or from imprisonment, by becoming surely for his appearance in court., The security given for the appearance of a prisoner in order to obtain his release from custody of the officer; as, the man is out on bail; to go bail for any one., The arched handle of a kettle, pail, or similar vessel, usually movable., A half hoop for supporting the cover of a carrier’s wagon, awning of a boat, etc., A line of palisades serving as an exterior defense., The outer wall of a feudal castle. Hence: The space inclosed by it; the outer court., A certain limit within a forest., A division for the stalls of an open stable., The top or cross piece ( or either of the two cross pieces) of the wicket. |
| bain | noun | A bath; a bagnio. |
| bait | verb i. | Any substance, esp. food, used in catching fish, or other animals, by alluring them to a hook, snare, inclosure, or net., Anything which allures; a lure; enticement; temptation., A portion of food or drink, as a refreshment taken on a journey; also, a stop for rest and refreshment., A light or hasty luncheon., To provoke and harass; esp., to harass or torment for sport; as, to bait a bear with dogs; to bait a bull., To give a portion of food and drink to, upon the road; as, to bait horses., To furnish or cover with bait, as a trap or hook., To stop to take a portion of food and drink for refreshment of one’s self or one’s beasts, on a journey., To flap the wings; to flutter as if to fly; or to hover, as a hawk when she stoops to her prey. |
| bake | verb t. | To prepare, as food, by cooking in a dry heat, either in an oven or under coals, or on heated stone or metal; as, to bake bread, meat, apples., To dry or harden (anything) by subjecting to heat, as, to bake bricks; the sun bakes the ground., To harden by cold., To do the work of baking something; as, she brews, washes, and bakes., To be baked; to become dry and hard in heat; as, the bread bakes; the ground bakes in the hot sun., The process, or result, of baking. |
| bald | adjective | Destitute of the natural or common covering on the head or top, as of hair, feathers, foliage, trees, etc.; as, a bald head; a bald oak., Destitute of ornament; unadorned; bare; literal., Undisguised., Destitute of dignity or value; paltry; mean., Destitute of a beard or awn; as, bald wheat., Destitute of the natural covering., Marked with a white spot on the head; bald-faced. |
| bale | noun | A bundle or package of goods in a cloth cover, and corded for storage or transportation; also, a bundle of straw / hay, etc., put up compactly for transportation., To make up in a bale., See Bail, v. t., to lade., Misery; calamity; misfortune; sorrow., Evil; an evil, pernicious influence; something causing great injury. |
| balk | verb i. | A ridge of land left unplowed between furrows, or at the end of a field; a piece missed by the plow slipping aside., A great beam, rafter, or timber; esp., the tie-beam of a house. The loft above was called “the balks.”, One of the beams connecting the successive supports of a trestle bridge or bateau bridge., A hindrance or disappointment; a check., A sudden and obstinate stop; a failure., A deceptive gesture of the pitcher, as if to deliver the ball., To leave or make balks in., To leave heaped up; to heap up in piles., To omit, miss, or overlook by chance., To miss intentionally; to avoid; to shun; to refuse; to let go by; to shirk., To disappoint; to frustrate; to foil; to baffle; to /hwart; as, to balk expectation., To engage in contradiction; to be in opposition., To stop abruptly and stand still obstinately; to jib; to stop short; to swerve; as, the horse balks., To indicate to fishermen, by shouts or signals from shore, the direction taken by the shoals of herring. |
| ball | noun | Any round or roundish body or mass; a sphere or globe; as, a ball of twine; a ball of snow., A spherical body of any substance or size used to play with, as by throwing, knocking, kicking, etc., A general name for games in which a ball is thrown, kicked, or knocked. See Baseball, and Football., Any solid spherical, cylindrical, or conical projectile of lead or iron, to be discharged from a firearm; as, a cannon ball; a rifle ball; — often used collectively; as, powder and ball. Spherical balls for the smaller firearms are commonly called bullets., A flaming, roundish body shot into the air; a case filled with combustibles intended to burst and give light or set fire, or to produce smoke or stench; as, a fire ball; a stink ball., A leather-covered cushion, fastened to a handle called a ballstock; — formerly used by printers for inking the form, but now superseded by the roller., A roundish protuberant portion of some part of the body; as, the ball of the thumb; the ball of the foot., A large pill, a form in which medicine is commonly given to horses; a bolus., The globe or earth., To gather balls which cling to the feet, as of damp snow or clay; to gather into balls; as, the horse balls; the snow balls., To heat in a furnace and form into balls for rolling., To form or wind into a ball; as, to ball cotton., A social assembly for the purpose of dancing. |
| balm | noun | An aromatic plant of the genus Melissa., The resinous and aromatic exudation of certain trees or shrubs., Any fragrant ointment., Anything that heals or that mitigates pain., To anoint with balm, or with anything medicinal. Hence: To soothe; to mitigate. |
| banc | noun | Alt. of Bank |
| bank | noun | A bench; a high seat, or seat of distinction or judgment; a tribunal or court., A mound, pile, or ridge of earth, raised above the surrounding level; hence, anything shaped like a mound or ridge of earth; as, a bank of clouds; a bank of snow., A steep acclivity, as the slope of a hill, or the side of a ravine., The margin of a watercourse; the rising ground bordering a lake, river, or sea, or forming the edge of a cutting, or other hollow., An elevation, or rising ground, under the sea; a shoal, shelf, or shallow; as, the banks of Newfoundland., The face of the coal at which miners are working., A deposit of ore or coal, worked by excavations above water level., The ground at the top of a shaft; as, ores are brought to bank., To raise a mound or dike about; to inclose, defend, or fortify with a bank; to embank., To heap or pile up; as, to bank sand., To pass by the banks of., A bench, as for rowers in a galley; also, a tier of oars., The bench or seat upon which the judges sit., The regular term of a court of law, or the full court sitting to hear arguments upon questions of law, as distinguished from a sitting at Nisi Prius, or a court held for jury trials. See Banc., A sort of table used by printers., A bench, or row of keys belonging to a keyboard, as in an organ., An establishment for the custody, loan, exchange, or issue, of money, and for facilitating the transmission of funds by drafts or bills of exchange; an institution incorporated for performing one or more of such functions, or the stockholders (or their representatives, the directors), acting in their corporate capacity., The building or office used for banking purposes., A fund from deposits or contributions, to be used in transacting business; a joint stock or capital., The sum of money or the checks which the dealer or banker has as a fund, from which to draw his stakes and pay his losses., In certain games, as dominos, a fund of pieces from which the players are allowed to draw., To deposit in a bank., To keep a bank; to carry on the business of a banker., To deposit money in a bank; to have an account with a banker. |
| band | verb t. | A fillet, strap, or any narrow ligament with which a thing is encircled, or fastened, or by which a number of things are tied, bound together, or confined; a fetter., A continuous tablet, stripe, or series of ornaments, as of carved foliage, of color, or of brickwork, etc., In Gothic architecture, the molding, or suite of moldings, which encircles the pillars and small shafts., That which serves as the means of union or connection between persons; a tie., A linen collar or ruff worn in the 16th and 17th centuries., Two strips of linen hanging from the neck in front as part of a clerical, legal, or academic dress., A narrow strip of cloth or other material on any article of dress, to bind, strengthen, ornament, or complete it., A company of persons united in any common design, especially a body of armed men., A number of musicians who play together upon portable musical instruments, especially those making a loud sound, as certain wind instruments (trumpets, clarinets, etc.), and drums, or cymbals., A space between elevated lines or ribs, as of the fruits of umbelliferous plants., A stripe, streak, or other mark transverse to the axis of the body., A belt or strap., A bond, Pledge; security., To bind or tie with a band., To mark with a band., To unite in a troop, company, or confederacy., To confederate for some common purpose; to unite; to conspire together., To bandy; to drive away., imp. of Bind. |
| bane | noun | That which destroys life, esp. poison of a deadly quality., Destruction; death., Any cause of ruin, or lasting injury; harm; woe., A disease in sheep, commonly termed the rot., To be the bane of; to ruin. |
| bang | verb t. | To beat, as with a club or cudgel; to treat with violence; to handle roughly., To beat or thump, or to cause ( something) to hit or strike against another object, in such a way as to make a loud noise; as, to bang a drum or a piano; to bang a door (against the doorpost or casing) in shutting it., To make a loud noise, as if with a blow or succession of blows; as, the window blind banged and waked me; he was banging on the piano., A blow as with a club; a heavy blow., The sound produced by a sudden concussion., To cut squarely across, as the tail of a hors, or the forelock of human beings; to cut (the hair)., The short, front hair combed down over the forehead, esp. when cut squarely across; a false front of hair similarly worn., Alt. of Bangue |
| barb | noun | Beard, or that which resembles it, or grows in the place of it., A muffler, worn by nuns and mourners., Paps, or little projections, of the mucous membrane, which mark the opening of the submaxillary glands under the tongue in horses and cattle. The name is mostly applied when the barbs are inflamed and swollen., The point that stands backward in an arrow, fishhook, etc., to prevent it from being easily extracted. Hence: Anything which stands out with a sharp point obliquely or crosswise to something else., A bit for a horse., One of the side branches of a feather, which collectively constitute the vane. See Feather., A southern name for the kingfishes of the eastern and southeastern coasts of the United States; — also improperly called whiting., A hair or bristle ending in a double hook., To shave or dress the beard of., To clip; to mow., To furnish with barbs, or with that which will hold or hurt like barbs, as an arrow, fishhook, spear, etc., The Barbary horse, a superior breed introduced from Barbary into Spain by the Moors., A blackish or dun variety of the pigeon, originally brought from Barbary., Armor for a horse. Same as 2d Bard, n., 1. |
| bard | noun | A professional poet and singer, as among the ancient Celts, whose occupation was to compose and sing verses in honor of the heroic achievements of princes and brave men., Hence: A poet; as, the bard of Avon., Alt. of Barde, To cover (meat or game) with a thin slice of fat bacon., The exterior covering of the trunk and branches of a tree; the rind., Specifically, Peruvian bark. |
| bare | adjective | Without clothes or covering; stripped of the usual covering; naked; as, his body is bare; the trees are bare., With head uncovered; bareheaded., Without anything to cover up or conceal one’s thoughts or actions; open to view; exposed., Plain; simple; unadorned; without polish; bald; meager., Destitute; indigent; empty; unfurnished or scantily furnished; — used with of (rarely with in) before the thing wanting or taken away; as, a room bare of furniture., Threadbare; much worn., Mere; alone; unaccompanied by anything else; as, a bare majority., Surface; body; substance., That part of a roofing slate, shingle, tile, or metal plate, which is exposed to the weather., To strip off the covering of; to make bare; as, to bare the breast., Bore; the old preterit of Bear, v., of Bear |
| bark | verb t. | To strip the bark from; to peel., To abrade or rub off any outer covering from; as to bark one’s heel., To girdle. See Girdle, v. t., 3., To cover or inclose with bark, or as with bark; as, to bark the roof of a hut., To make a short, loud, explosive noise with the vocal organs; — said of some animals, but especially of dogs., To make a clamor; to make importunate outcries., The short, loud, explosive sound uttered by a dog; a similar sound made by some other animals., Alt. of Barque |
| barm | noun | Foam rising upon beer, or other malt liquors, when fermenting, and used as leaven in making bread and in brewing; yeast., The lap or bosom. |
| barn | noun | A covered building used chiefly for storing grain, hay, and other productions of a farm. In the United States a part of the barn is often used for stables., To lay up in a barn., A child. [Obs.] See Bairn. |
| base | adjective | Of little, or less than the usual, height; of low growth; as, base shrubs., Low in place or position., Of humble birth; or low degree; lowly; mean., Illegitimate by birth; bastard., Of little comparative value, as metal inferior to gold and silver, the precious metals., Alloyed with inferior metal; debased; as, base coin; base bullion., Morally low. Hence: Low-minded; unworthy; without dignity of sentiment; ignoble; mean; illiberal; menial; as, a base fellow; base motives; base occupations., Not classical or correct., Deep or grave in sound; as, the base tone of a violin., Not held by honorable service; as, a base estate, one held by services not honorable; held by villenage. Such a tenure is called base, or low, and the tenant, a base tenant., The bottom of anything, considered as its support, or that on which something rests for support; the foundation; as, the base of a statue., Fig.: The fundamental or essential part of a thing; the essential principle; a groundwork., The lower part of a wall, pier, or column, when treated as a separate feature, usually in projection, or especially ornamented., The lower part of a complete architectural design, as of a monument; also, the lower part of any elaborate piece of furniture or decoration., That extremity of a leaf, fruit, etc., at which it is attached to its support., The positive, or non-acid component of a salt; a substance which, combined with an acid, neutralizes the latter and forms a salt; — applied also to the hydroxides of the positive elements or radicals, and to certain organic bodies resembling them in their property of forming salts with acids., The chief ingredient in a compound., A substance used as a mordant., The exterior side of the polygon, or that imaginary line which connects the salient angles of two adjacent bastions., The line or surface constituting that part of a figure on which it is supposed to stand., The number from which a mathematical table is constructed; as, the base of a system of logarithms., A low, or deep, sound. (Mus.) (a) The lowest part; the deepest male voice. (b) One who sings, or the instrument which plays, base., A place or tract of country, protected by fortifications, or by natural advantages, from which the operations of an army proceed, forward movements are made, supplies are furnished, etc., The smallest kind of cannon., That part of an organ by which it is attached to another more central organ., The basal plane of a crystal., The ground mass of a rock, especially if not distinctly crystalline., The lower part of the field. See Escutcheon., The housing of a horse., A kind of skirt ( often of velvet or brocade, but sometimes of mailed armor) which hung from the middle to about the knees, or lower., The lower part of a robe or petticoat., An apron., The point or line from which a start is made; a starting place or a goal in various games., A line in a survey which, being accurately determined in length and position, serves as the origin from which to compute the distances and positions of any points or objects connected with it by a system of triangles., A rustic play; — called also prisoner’s base, prison base, or bars., Any one of the four bounds which mark the circuit of the infield., To put on a base or basis; to lay the foundation of; to found, as an argument or conclusion; — used with on or upon., To abase; to let, or cast, down; to lower., To reduce the value of; to debase. |
| bash | verb t. & i. | To abash; to disconcert or be disconcerted or put out of countenance. |
| bask | verb t. | To lie in warmth; to be exposed to genial heat., To warm by continued exposure to heat; to warm with genial heat. |
| bass | plural | of Bass, An edible, spiny-finned fish, esp. of the genera Roccus, Labrax, and related genera. There are many species., The two American fresh-water species of black bass (genus Micropterus). See Black bass., Species of Serranus, the sea bass and rock bass. See Sea bass., The southern, red, or channel bass (Sciaena ocellata). See Redfish., The linden or lime tree, sometimes wrongly called whitewood; also, its bark, which is used for making mats. See Bast., A hassock or thick mat., A bass, or deep, sound or tone., The lowest part in a musical composition., One who sings, or the instrument which plays, bass., Deep or grave in tone., To sound in a deep tone. |
| bast | noun | The inner fibrous bark of various plants; esp. of the lime tree; hence, matting, cordage, etc., made therefrom., A thick mat or hassock. See 2d Bass, 2. |
| bate | noun | Strife; contention., To lessen by retrenching, deducting, or reducing; to abate; to beat down; to lower., To allow by way of abatement or deduction., To leave out; to except., To remove., To deprive of., To remit or retrench a part; — with of., To waste away., To attack; to bait., imp. of Bite., To flutter as a hawk; to bait., See 2d Bath., An alkaline solution consisting of the dung of certain animals; — employed in the preparation of hides; grainer., To steep in bate, as hides, in the manufacture of leather. |
| bath | noun | The act of exposing the body, or part of the body, for purposes of cleanliness, comfort, health, etc., to water, vapor, hot air, or the like; as, a cold or a hot bath; a medicated bath; a steam bath; a hip bath., Water or other liquid for bathing., A receptacle or place where persons may immerse or wash their bodies in water., A building containing an apartment or a series of apartments arranged for bathing., A medium, as heated sand, ashes, steam, hot air, through which heat is applied to a body., A solution in which plates or prints are immersed; also, the receptacle holding the solution., A Hebrew measure containing the tenth of a homer, or five gallons and three pints, as a measure for liquids; and two pecks and five quarts, as a dry measure., A city in the west of England, resorted to for its hot springs, which has given its name to various objects. |
| batz | noun | A small copper coin, with a mixture of silver, formerly current in some parts of Germany and Switzerland. It was worth about four cents. |
| bauk | noun & verb | Alt. of Baulk |
| bawd | noun | A person who keeps a house of prostitution, or procures women for a lewd purpose; a procurer or procuress; a lewd person; — usually applied to a woman., To procure women for lewd purposes. |
| bawl | verb i. | To cry out with a loud, full sound; to cry with vehemence, as in calling or exultation; to shout; to vociferate., To cry loudly, as a child from pain or vexation., To proclaim with a loud voice, or by outcry, as a hawker or town-crier does., A loud, prolonged cry; an outcry. |
| bawn | noun | An inclosure with mud or stone walls, for keeping cattle; a fortified inclosure., A large house. |
| baya | noun | The East Indian weaver bird (Ploceus Philippinus). |
| bays | noun | Alt. of Bayze |