counselor-at-law or lawyer in the higher court of law; CF. bar
solicitor
lawyer in the lower court of law
barterer
trader; V. barter: trade; exchange good for other goods rather than money
bask
luxuriate; take pleasure in warmth
luxuriate
take pleasure in great comfort
bastion
stronghold; something seen as a source of protection; Ex. the last bastion of male chauvinism
bate
let down; lessen the force of; moderate; restrain; Ex. with bated breath; CF. abate
bauble
trinket; cheap jewel; trifle
bawdy
indecent; obscene; about sex in a rude funny way; CF. bawd
beatific
giving or showing bliss; blissful
bliss
complete happiness; ADJ. blissful
beatitude
blessedness; state of great happiness
mystic
of hidden meaning and spiritual power; Ex. mystic ceremonies; N. CF. mysticism
bedizen
dress with vulgar finery
finery
beautiful clothes for a special occasion
bedraggle
wet thoroughly; ADJ. bedraggled: draggled
beeline
direct quick route
befuddle
confuse thoroughly
fuddle
make stupid or confused as with alcholic drink; N. in a fuddle: confused
beget
father; become the father of; produce; give rise to
begrudge
envy; give or allow unwillingly; grudge; Ex. We shouldn't begrudge him his success.
grudge
deep feeling of dislike; Ex. grudge fight; V.
beguile
deceive; mislead or delude; cheat; pass time pleasantly; charm or attract; Ex. beguiling smile
behemoth
huge creature; something of monstrous size or power
beholden
obligated; indebted; owing thanks; obliged or indebted from gratitude
behoove(behove)
be suited to; be incumbent upon; be right and necessary; Ex. It behooves one to do.
belabor
harp on; dwell on tediously; explain or go over excessively or to a ridiculous degree; assail verbally; beat severely; attack physically
belated
delayed
beleaguer
besiege or attack (with an army); harass; beset
belie
contradict; give a false impression; disguise; Ex. The poor sales belied our high hopes; Ex. Her smile belies her true feeling of displeasure.
belittle
disparage; depreciate
bellicose
warlike
belligerent
quarrelsome
bemoan
lament; moan for; express sorrow or disapproval of
bemused
confused; lost in thought; preoccupied
benediction
blessing
benefactor
gift giver; patron; person who does good or who gives money for a good purpose
beneficent
kindly; doing good
beneficial
helpful; useful; advantageous
beneficiary
person entitled to benefits or proceeds of an insurance policy or will
benefit
advantage; anything that brings helpl, advantage, or profit; money provided by the government to the people; fund-raising public entertainment; Ex. unemployment benefit; V: receive benefits; be beneficial to; give benefits
benevolent
generous; charitable; having a wish to do good
benign
kindly; favorable; not malignant (disease); Ex. benign tumor
benison
blessing
bent
determined; Ex. bent on advancing in the business; N: natural talent or inclination
bequeath
leave to someone by means of a will; hand down in his will; N. bequest
berate
scold strongly
bereavement
state of being deprived of something valuable or beloved; state of being bereaved or bereft
bereaved
deprived of (someone beloved through death)
bereft
deprived of (something valuable); lacking
berserk
mad with violent anger; frenzied; madly excited
beseech
beg; plead with
beset
harass or trouble from all directions; hem in
hem
surround tightly so that movement is impossible; Ex. hem in; N.
besiege
surround with armed forces; harass (with requests); annoy continually
besmirch
soil; defile; make dirty
bestial
beastlike; brutal; inhuman; very cruel
bestow
confer
betoken
signify; indicate; be a sign of
token
outward sign; Ex. a token of our gratitude
betray
be unfaithful; reveal (unconsciously or unwillingly); Ex. Her trembling hands betray her anxiety.
betroth
become engaged to marry
bevy
large group; Ex. a bevy of starlets
bicameral
two-chambered as a legislative body
bicker
quarrel
biennial
every two years
bifurcated
divided into two branches; forked
bigotry
stubborn intolerance
bigot
one who is intolerant (in matters of religion or politics)
intolerant
not willing to accept ways of thinking different from one's own; CF. tolerant; CF. tolerate
bilious
suffering from indigestion; sick from having too much bile; irritable; easily irritated
bilk
swindle; cheat
billowing
swelling out in waves; surging
billow
large wave of water; a great swell or surge (of smoke); V: surge, swell, roll in billows
swell
long wave of water that moves continuously without breaking; V.