Webster's Unabridged Dictionary - Letter B - Page 1

B () is the second letter of the English alphabet. (See Guide to Pronunciation, // 196, 220.) It is etymologically related to p, v, f, w and m , letters representing sounds having a close organic affinity to its own sound; as in Eng. bursar and purser; Eng. bear and Lat. ferre; Eng. silver and Ger. silber; Lat. cubitum and It. gomito; Eng. seven, Anglo-Saxon seofon, Ger. sieben, Lat. septem, Gr."epta`, Sanskrit saptan. The form of letter B is Roman, from Greek B (Beta), of Semitic origin. The small b was formed by gradual change from the capital B.

Ba (v. i.) To kiss. [Obs.] -- Chaucer.

Ba (n.) A soft silvery metallic element of the alkali earth group; found in barite [syn: barium, Ba, atomic number 56].

Ba (n.) A bachelor's degree in arts and sciences [syn: Bachelor of Arts, BA, Artium Baccalaurens, AB].

Ba () The country code for Bosnia and Herzegowina. (1999-01-27)

Bay () Is an enclosure to keep in the water for the supply of a mill or other contrivance, so that the water may be able to, drive the wheels of such mill. Stat. 27 Eliz. c. 19.

Bay () A large open water or harbor where ships may ride, is also called a bay; as, the Chesapeake Bay, the, Bay of New York.

Baa (v. i.) To cry baa, or bleat as a sheep.

He treble baas for help, but none can get. -- Sir P. Sidney.

Baa (n.) The cry made by sheep.

Baa (v.) Cry plaintively; "The lambs were bleating" [syn: bleat, blate, blat, baa].

Baas (n. pl. ) of Baa

Baa (n.) The cry or bleating of a sheep; a bleat.

Baaing (n.) The bleating of a sheep. -- Marryat.

Baalim (n. pl. ) of Baal

Baal (n.) (Myth.) (古代腓尼基人信奉的)主神,太陽神;豐饒之神;(亦作b-)邪神;偶像 The supreme male divinity of the Phoenician and Canaanitish nations.

Note: The name of this god occurs in the Old Testament and elsewhere with qualifying epithets subjoined, answering to the different ideas of his character; as, Baal-berith (the Covenant Baal), Baal-zebub (Baal of the fly).

Compare: Canaanite

Canaanite (n.) (In the Bible) 迦南人;迦南語A native or inhabitant of the area of ancient Palestine west of the River Jordan.

The king of the Canaanites.

Canaanite (a.) Relating to or characteristic of the biblical area of ancient Palestine west of the River Jordan.

The ancient Canaanite fertility god.

Baal (n.) (pl.) The whole class of divinities to whom the name Baal was applied. -- Judges x. 6.

Baalim (pl. of Baal); Images of the god Baal (Judg. 2:11; 1 Sam. 7:4).

Baalim (), Idols; masters; false gods.

Bel (n.) The Babylonian name of the god known among the Hebrews as Baal. See Baal. -- Baruch vi. 41.

Bel (n.) A thorny rutaceous tree ({[AE]gle marmelos) of India, and its aromatic, orange-like fruit; -- called also Bengal quince, golden apple, wood apple. The fruit is used medicinally, and the rind yields a perfume and a yellow dye.

Bel (n.) A unit of sound intensity equal to ten decibels.

Bel (n.) A logarithmic unit of sound intensity equal to 10 decibels [syn: Bel, B]

Bel (n.) Babylonian god of the earth; one of the supreme triad including Anu and Ea; earlier identified with En-lil.

Bell () beep; BEL; control-G; g-bell

ASCII 7, ASCII mnemonic "BEL", the character code which prodces a standard audibile warning from the computer or terminal.  In the teletype days it really was a bell, since the advent of the VDU it is more likely to be a sound sample (e.g. the sound of a bell) played through a loudspeaker.

Also called "G-bell", because it is typed as Control-G.

The term "beep" is preferred among some microcomputer hobbyists.

Compare feep, visible bell. (1997-04-08)

Bel () The Aramaic form of Baal, the national god of the Babylonians (Isa. 46:1; Jer. 50:2; 51:44). It signifies "lord." (See BAAL.)

Babylonian (n.) 巴比倫人(語) An inhabitant of Babylon or Babylonia.

Babylonian (n.) [Mass noun]  The dialect of Akkadian spoken in ancient Babylon.

Babylonian (a.) 巴比倫的;巴比倫尼亞帝國的;奢侈的;頹廢的 Relating to Babylon or Babylonia.

Baal (n.) Any of numerous local fertility and nature deities worshipped by ancient Semitic peoples; the Hebrews considered Baal a false god.

Baalism (n.) Worship of Baal; idolatry.

Baalist (n.) Alt. of Baalite

Baalite (n.) A worshiper of Baal; a devotee of any false religion; an idolater.

Baba (n.) A kind of plum cake.

Babbitt (v. t.) To line with Babbitt metal.

Babbitt metal () A soft white alloy of variable composition (as a nine parts of tin to one of copper, or of fifty parts of tin to five of antimony and one of copper) used in bearings to diminish friction.

Babbled (imp. & p. p.) of Babble

Babbling (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Babble

Babble (v. i.) (嬰兒)牙牙學語;模糊不清地說話;說蠢話;嘮叨;洩漏祕密 To utter words indistinctly or unintelligibly; to utter inarticulate sounds; as a child babbles.

Babble (v. i.) To talk incoherently; to utter unmeaning words.

Babble (v. i.) To talk much; to chatter; to prate.

Babble (v. i.) To make a continuous murmuring noise, as shallow water running over stones.

In every babbling brook he finds a friend. -- Wordsworth.

Note: Hounds are said to babble, or to be babbling, when they are too noisy after having found a good scent.

Syn: To prate; prattle; chatter; gossip.

Babble (v. t.) 模糊不清地說;愚蠢地說出;隨口洩漏 [+out] To utter in an indistinct or incoherent way; to repeat, as words, in a childish way without understanding.

These [words] he used to babble in all companies. -- Arbuthnot.

Babble (v. t.) To disclose by too free talk, as a secret.

Babble (n.) Idle talk; senseless prattle; gabble; twaddle. "This is mere moral babble." -- Milton.

Babble (n.) Inarticulate speech; constant or confused murmur.

The babble of our young children. -- Darwin.

The babble of the stream. -- Tennyson.

Babble (n.) Gibberish resembling the sounds of a baby [syn: {babble}, {babbling}, {lallation}].

Compare: Gibberish

Gibberish (n.) [Mass noun] 胡言亂語;無意義的聲音 Unintelligible or meaningless speech or writing; nonsense.

He talks gibberish.

Compare: Lallation

Lallation (n.) [Mass noun] 分不清是rl的發音 Imperfect speech, especially the repetition of meaningless sounds by babies.

Lallation (n.) [Mass noun]  The pronunciation of r as l.

Compare: Lullaby

Lullaby (n.) 催眠曲,搖籃曲 [C] A quiet, gentle song sung to send a child to sleep.

Lullaby (v.) [With object] [Rare]  唱搖籃曲使入睡;(以溫和的聲音)使安靜 Sing to (someone) to get them to go to sleep.

She lullabied us, she fed us.

Babble (v.) Utter meaningless sounds, like a baby, or utter in an incoherent way; "The old man is only babbling--don't pay attention".

Babble (v.) To talk foolishly; "The two women babbled and crooned at the baby" [syn: {babble}, {blather}, {smatter}, {blether}, {blither}].

Babble (v.) Flow in an irregular current with a bubbling noise; "babbling brooks" [syn: {ripple}, {babble}, {guggle}, {burble}, {bubble}, {gurgle}].

Babble (v.) Divulge confidential information or secrets; "Be careful--his secretary talks" [syn: {spill the beans}, {let the cat out of the bag}, {talk}, {tattle}, {blab}, {peach}, {babble}, {sing}, {babble out}, {blab out}] [ant: {keep one's mouth shut}, {keep quiet}, {shut one's mouth}].

Babblement (n.) Babble.

Babbler (n.) [C] 說話模糊不清的人;牙牙學語的嬰兒;嘮叨的人;胡言亂語的人;洩漏祕密的人 An idle talker; an irrational prater; a teller of secrets.

Babbler (n.) A hound too noisy on finding a good scent.

Babbler (n.) A name given to any one of family (Timalinae) of thrushlike birds, having a chattering note.

Babblery (n.) Babble.

Babe (n.) An infant; a young child of either sex; a baby.

Babe (n.) A doll for children.

Babehood (n.) Babyhood.

Babel (n.) The city and tower in the land of Shinar, where the confusion of languages took place.

Babel (n.) Hence: A place or scene of noise and confusion; a confused mixture of sounds, as of voices or languages.

Babelicious (a.) (Slang) (尤指女性)性感的;吸引人的 C onspicuously good-looking and sexually attractive.

// Like other swanky L.A. dance dwellings, MyHouse is brimming with bottle-service tables and  babelicious  waitresses …— Lina Lecaro,  LA Weekly,  29 Jan. 2009

Compare: Conspicuously

Conspicuously (adv.) 顯著地;超群地 In a clearly visible way.

The signs were conspicuously displayed inside the restaurant.

Conspicuously (adv.) In a way that attracts notice or attention.

His arguments conspicuously lack rigour.

[As submodifier] One important voice has been conspicuously absent.

Compare: Submodifier

Submodifier (n.) (Grammer) 次修飾語 An adverb used in front of an adjective or another adverb to modify its meaning, for example very in very cold or unusually in an unusually large house.

Compare: Rigour

Rigour (n.) (US Rrigor) [Mass noun] 嚴厲;困苦;苛刻;精確 The quality of being extremely thorough and careful.

His analysis is lacking in rigour.

Rigour (n.) (US Rrigor) [Mass noun] Severity or strictness.

The full rigour of the law.

 Rigour (n.) (US Rrigor) [Mass noun] (Rigours) Harsh and demanding conditions.

The rigours of a harsh winter.

Babery (n.) Finery of a kind to please a child.

Babian (n.) Alt. of Babion

Babion (n.) A baboon.

Babillard (n.) The lesser whitethroat of Europe; -- called also babbling warbler.

Babingtonite (n.) A mineral occurring in triclinic crystals approaching pyroxene in angle, and of a greenish black color. It is a silicate of iron, manganese, and lime.

Babiroussa (n.) Alt. of Babirussa

Babirussa (n.) A large hoglike quadruped (Sus, / Porcus, babirussa) of the East Indies, sometimes domesticated; the Indian hog. Its upper canine teeth or tusks are large and recurved.

Babish (a.) Like a babe; a childish; babyish.

Babism (n.) The doctrine of a modern religious sect, which originated in Persia in 1843, being a mixture of Mohammedan, Christian, Jewish and Parsee elements.

Babist (n.) A believer in Babism.

Bablah (n.) The ring of the fruit of several East Indian species of acacia; neb-neb. It contains gallic acid and tannin, and is used for dyeing drab.

Baboo (n.) Alt. of Babu

Babu (n.) A Hindoo gentleman; a native clerk who writes English; also, a Hindoo title answering to Mr. or Esquire.

Baboon (n.) One of the Old World Quadrumana, of the genera Cynocephalus and Papio; the dog-faced ape. Baboons have dog-like muzzles and large canine teeth, cheek pouches, a short tail, and naked callosities on the buttocks. They are mostly African. See Mandrill, and Chacma, and Drill an ape.

Baboonery (n.) Baboonish behavior.

Baboonish (a.) Like a baboon.

Babies (n. pl. ) of Baby

Babushka (n.) 頭巾 A woman's headscarf folded into a triangle and tied under the chin; worn by Russian peasant women.

Baby (n.) An infant or young child of either sex; a babe.

Baby (n.) A small image of an infant; a doll.

Baby (a.) Pertaining to, or resembling, an infant; young or little; as, baby swans.

Babied (imp. & p. p.) of Baby

Babying (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Baby

Baby (v. i.) To treat like a young child; to keep dependent; to humor; to fondle.

Baby farm () A place where the nourishment and care of babies are offered for hire.

Baby farmer () One who keeps a baby farm.

Baby farming () The business of keeping a baby farm.

Babyhood (n.) The state or period of infancy.

Babyhood (n.) [ U ] The period of time when you are a baby.

Babyhouse (a.) A place for children's dolls and dolls' furniture.

Babyish (a.) Like a baby; childish; puerile; simple.

Babyism (n.) The state of being a baby.

Babyism (n.) A babyish manner of acting or speaking.

Baby jumper () A hoop suspended by an elastic strap, in which a young child may be held secure while amusing itself by jumping on the floor.

Babylonian (a.) Of or pertaining to the real or to the mystical Babylon, or to the ancient kingdom of Babylonia; Chaldean.

Babylonian (n.) An inhabitant of Babylonia (which included Chaldea); a Chaldean.

Babylonian (n.) An astrologer; -- so called because the Chaldeans were remarkable for the study of astrology.

Babylonic (a.) Alt. of Babylonical

Babylonical (a.) Pertaining to Babylon, or made there; as, Babylonic garments, carpets, or hangings.

Babylonical (a.) Tumultuous; disorderly.

Babylonish (n.) Of or pertaining to, or made in, Babylon or Babylonia.

Babylonish (n.) Pertaining to the Babylon of Revelation xiv. 8.

Babylonish (n.) Pertaining to Rome and papal power.

Babylonish (n.) Confused; Babel-like.

Babyroussa (n.) Alt. of Babyrussa

Babyrussa (n.) See Babyroussa.

Babyship (n.) The quality of being a baby; the personality of an infant.

Bac (n.) A broad, flatbottomed ferryboat, usually worked by a rope.

Bac (n.) A vat or cistern. See 1st Back.

Baccalaureate (n.) The degree of bachelor of arts. (B.A. or A.B.), the first or lowest academical degree conferred by universities and colleges.

Baccalaureate (n.) A baccalaureate sermon.

Baccalaureate (a.) Pertaining to a bachelor of arts.

Baccara (n.) Alt. of Baccarat

Baccarat (n.) A French game of cards, played by a banker and punters.

Baccare (interj.) Alt. of Backare

Backare (interj.) Stand back! give place! -- a cant word of the Elizabethan writers, probably in ridicule of some person who pretended to a knowledge of Latin which he did not possess.

Baccate (a.) Pulpy throughout, like a berry; -- said of fruits.

Baccated (a.) 【植物學】漿果似的;漿果狀的 Having many berries.

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