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Comprehensive
Dictionary Suite
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bacterium any of a large group of one-celled microscopic organisms of various shapes that are often agents of fermentation and putrefaction and that may cause disease.
bagpipe (often pl.) a musical instrument, played esp. in Scotland, consisting of a double-reed melody pipe and one or more drone pipes that protrude from a flexible leather bag that is inflated through a blowpipe by the breath or by bellows. The pipes are traditionally made of wood.
bald cypress a cone-bearing tree that grows in the swamps of the southeastern United States, the wood of which is used in construction and shipbuilding.
banana republic (informal) a small, often politically unstable Central American country with a one-crop economy that is controlled by foreign capital (used as a derogatory label).
barium a chemical element of the alkaline-earth group that has fifty-seven protons in each nucleus and that is usu. found in compounds such as salts. (symbol: Ba) [1/2 definitions]
bark3 a sailing ship with between three and five masts, all but one of which are square-rigged.
barkentine a ship with three or more masts, square-rigged on the foremast, and fore-and-aft rigged on the others.
barleycorn an obsolete measure, equal to the width of a single grain of barley, or about one-third inch. [1/2 definitions]
barnacle any of a large group of marine crustaceans that are free-floating as larvae, but attach to submerged or intertidal surfaces such as wharves, rocks, ship bottoms, and the like, and form sharp-edged shells as adults. [1/3 definitions]
basalt a dense, fine-grained, dark-colored igneous rock created by lava flow that is rich in minerals containing magnesium and iron. The most common igneous rock on the Earth's surface due to its high abundance on the ocean floor.
base hit in baseball, a hit that allows the batter to get on base safely, without an error or force-out being made.
bass drum a large double-headed cylindrical drum that produces a low, reverberating sound.
bassoon a large low-pitched woodwind instrument consisting of a long doubled wooden tube fitted with a slender curved metal tube that terminates in a double-reed mouthpiece.
bathing cap a close-fitting cap of rubber, elastic, or the like, worn to keep the hair dry during swimming.
battle-ax a wide-bladed, heavy ax used in former times as a weapon.
beaker a wide-mouthed drinking cup or container. [1/3 definitions]
beignet a square-shaped piece of fried dough topped with powdered sugar, sometimes filled with chocolate, cheese, fruit, or the like. [1/2 definitions]
bell pepper the apple-sized fruit of this plant, usu. red when ripe but often eaten green; sweet pepper. [1/2 definitions]
beret a soft, round, flat cap with a close-fitting headband and no visor, usu. made of felt or wool.
Bermuda shorts shorts ending just above the knee, worn by both sexes and often with knee-length socks; bermudas.
beryllium a chemical element of the alkaline-earth group that has four protons in each nucleus and occurs in pure form as a hard, light, gray solid, chiefly used in alloys with copper and in aerospace material. (symbol: Be)