| axilla |
an armpit or a corresponding part, such as the area under a bird's wing. [1/2 definitions] |
| axillar |
(usu. pl.) any of the feathers that grow under a bird's wing. [1/2 definitions] |
| axillary |
(usu. pl.) any of the feathers that grow under a bird's wing; axillar. [1/3 definitions] |
| babushka |
a woman's scarf, usu. triangle-shaped, that is worn on the head and tied under the chin. |
| bail1 |
to secure or allow the release of (a person under arrest) by providing bail (often fol. by "out"). [1/5 definitions] |
| ballast |
gravel or crushed rock under the rails and ties of a railway to increase stability. [1/4 definitions] |
| baptism of fire |
a soldier's first experience of being in combat and under fire. [1/2 definitions] |
| bark beetle |
a small weevil, the adults and larvae of which burrow under the bark of conifers and other trees to feed on the inner bark, often causing great damage. |
| bathyscaph |
a small, self-contained deep-sea research submarine with a spherical observation chamber mounted under the hull. |
| behavior |
the actions and reactions of a group, person, animal, or thing, either characteristically or under specific circumstances. [1/2 definitions] |
| below |
under; beneath. [1/6 definitions] |
| bib |
a piece of cloth tied under the chin and worn esp. by babies to protect the clothing during a meal. [1/2 definitions] |
| big brother |
(sometimes cap.) a man who befriends and guides a disadvantaged boy, often under the auspices of a social agency. [1/3 definitions] |
| biome |
a major type of global region, such as forest, desert, or grassland, characterized by the community of plants and animals that have adapted to life under the particular soil and climatic conditions that a particular region presents. [1/2 definitions] |
| birdie |
in golf, a score of one stroke under par for a hole. [2/3 definitions] |
| black-and-blue |
discolored or covered with discolorations from blood coagulated under the skin; bruised. |
| blacklist |
a list of persons or groups that are under suspicion, censure, or investigation, as by government, employers, or the like. [1/2 definitions] |
| blackmail |
to force or attempt to force (someone) to pay money or perform some action under the threat of having damaging information revealed. [1/3 definitions] |
| blind trust |
certain personal assets, such as stocks, placed under the confidential management of an independent trustee, as in an effort to avoid conflict of interest during one's term of public office. [1/2 definitions] |
| bloomer1 |
an outfit formerly worn by girls and women consisting of billowy trousers, gathered at the ankle and worn under a skirt and often with a jacket and wide-brimmed hat. [1/3 definitions] |
| blowout |
the sudden bursting of a vessel containing air or liquid under pressure, esp. an automobile tire. [1/2 definitions] |