English dictionary — definitions & meanings

brutally

adverb

In a savagely violent or cruel way.

brute

noun

A rough, violent, or unthinking person.

brute force

noun

A method of breaking into an account or decoding protected data by trying enormous numbers of possible passwords or keys one after another until one works, rather than by finding a clever weakness.

brutish

adjective

Crude, savage, and lacking in refinement or feeling, like an animal.

Brutus

noun

A men's hairstyle, brushed forward or back from the forehead, popular during the French Revolution when styling oneself after ancient Romans was fashionable.

bruv

noun

Informal British slang for a close male friend or brother.

bry

name

Clipping of Bry-sur-Marne.

Bryan

name

A male given name of Irish origin, a variant spelling of Brian, and a surname, also the name of cities in Ohio and Texas.

bryanna

name

A female given name from the Celtic languages, of American usage, variant of Brianna.

Bryant

name

A surname of Irish origin derived from Brian, also used as a male given name.

Bryce

name

A male given name of Celtic origin, and a surname originating as a patronymic.

Bryn

name

A male or female given name of Welsh origin, meaning "hill."

Brynn

name

A female given name of Welsh origin, a variant of Bryn.

bryony

noun

A climbing perennial plant with small flowers and berries, some varieties of which are toxic.

bryophyte

noun

Any plant of the division Bryophyta, defined sensu lato to comprise the mosses, liverworts and hornworts and corresponding to all embryophytes that are not vascular plants.

Bryson

name

A surname originating as a patronymic, also used as a male given name.

bsf

abbreviation

Best friend; used online and in texts to refer to a very close friend.

bsod

verb

To fail critically and display a blue screen of death.

btw

abbreviation

By the way; used to introduce a small extra remark that is not the main point of the message.

bub

noun

An informal, often gruff term of address for a man or boy.

bubba

noun

An informal, affectionate name for a brother, especially used by young children.

bubbe

noun

A grandmother.

bubber

noun

Archaic or dialect term for someone who drinks heavily.

bubble

noun

A thin, round pocket of air or gas inside a liquid or solid, or floating freely.

bubblegum

noun

A sweet, stretchy chewing gum made for blowing bubbles.

bubblehead

noun

A stupid person; someone who is empty-headed or oblivious.

bubbles

noun

Informal term for sparkling wine, especially champagne.

bubbling

noun

The action of producing bubbles or rising in bubbles.

bubblingly

adv

In a bubbling manner; full of cheerfulness and energy.

bubbly

adjective

Cheerful, energetic, and enthusiastic in personality.

bubby

noun

Informal, affectionate term of address for a young boy.

bubonic

adjective

Relating to buboes — the painfully swollen lymph nodes caused by certain infections, most famously the plague.

Bubs

name

A man's nickname, sometimes a shortening of Bubbles or Bubba.

buccal

adj

Of, relating to, near, involving, or supplying the cheek.

buccaneer

noun

A pirate, especially one of the 17th-century seafarers who raided Spanish ships and settlements in the Caribbean.

buccaneering

adj

bold, reckless and unscrupulous

Buchanan

name

A Scottish surname and male given name, also the name of towns in Scotland, the United States, and Liberia.

buchannon

name

A surname from Scottish Gaelic.

Bucharest

name

The capital and largest city of Romania.

Buchenwald

name

A Nazi concentration camp in Germany, operated from 1937 to 1945.

Buchman

name

A German surname, a variant of Buchmann.

buck

noun

An adult male deer or similar animal.

buckaroo

noun

A cowboy, especially one working cattle rather than competing in rodeos.

bucket

noun

A round, open container with a handle, used to carry liquids or loose items.

bucket list

noun

A list of experiences and achievements a person wants to have before they die.

bucketful

noun

The quantity contained in a bucket.

bucketload

noun

As much as a bucket can hold

buckeye

noun

Any of several species of trees of the genus Aesculus.

bucking

noun

The act of a horse or other animal jumping with an arched back and kicking its hind legs.

Buckingham

name

An English surname and place name, most famously Buckingham Palace, the London residence of the British monarch.

Buckland

name

An English surname and the name of several villages in England, derived from Old English words for "book" and "land."

buckle

noun

A clasp with a hinged pin, used to fasten a belt or strap.

buckler

noun

One who buckles something.

Buckley

name

An English surname and place name, originally meaning a woodland clearing frequented by goats.

buckling

noun

The structural failure of a material or beam that bends, bulges, or kinks under pressure instead of holding straight, often just before it collapses.

Buckman

name

An English surname, originally an occupational name for a goat-keeper or a scholar/bookbinder.

Buckner

name

An English surname.

bucko

noun

A blustering, cocky, or bullying man.

Bucks

noun

Dollars; money (informal plural of "buck").

buckshot

noun

Large lead pellets loaded into shotgun shells, bigger than birdshot and used for hunting larger game or for self-defense.

buckwheat

noun

A broad-leafed plant grown for its small, triangular seeds, which are used as a grain-like food even though it is not a true cereal or related to wheat.

bucky

noun

(slang) A gun, especially a handgun.

bucolic

adj

Rustic, pastoral, country-styled.

bud

noun

A small swelling on a plant that will develop into a leaf, flower, or shoot.

Buda

name

The historical western half of Budapest, once the capital of the Kingdom of Hungary before it merged with Pest to form the modern Hungarian capital.

Budapest

name

The capital and largest city of Hungary, formed by the union of Buda and Pest.

Budd

name

An English surname and male given name.

Buddha

name

Siddhartha Gautama, the Indian teacher and philosopher whose teachings founded Buddhism.

Buddhism

noun

A religion and philosophy based on the teachings of Gautama Buddha, centered on ending suffering through wisdom, ethical conduct, and meditation.

Buddhist

noun

A person who follows the teachings and practices of Buddhism.

budding

adj

Just starting to show promise or develop, especially in a skill, talent, or relationship.

buddy

noun

A friend or casual companion.

budge

verb

To move even slightly, especially from a fixed position.

budgereegah

noun

Archaic form of budgerigar.

budgerigar

noun

A species of small green parakeet, Melopsittacus undulatus, native to inland Australia; a common cagebird throughout the world and bred in many colour varieties.

budget

noun

An amount of money set aside for a particular purpose, project, or period of time.

budgetary

adj

Of or pertaining to a budget.

budgie

noun

A small, colorful parakeet commonly kept as a pet; short for "budgerigar."

Budweiser

name

A well-known American brand of lager beer.

Bueller

intj

(informal, humorous) Used to jokingly call out for a response that isn't coming, evoking a moment of awkward silence.

Buena

name

A feminine given name, and the name of a borough in New Jersey.

buenas noches

interjection

A Spanish greeting or farewell used after dark, meaning 'good evening' when arriving and 'good night' when leaving or going to bed.

bueno

adjective

The Spanish word for good, in the sense of being of high quality, morally good, or pleasant.

buenos días

interjection

A Spanish greeting used from waking until around midday, meaning 'good morning'.

buenos noches

phrase

A common misspelling of the Spanish buenas noches, meaning 'good evening' or 'good night'. Noche is a feminine noun, so the correct form uses buenas rather than buenos.

buff

noun

A person deeply knowledgeable or enthusiastic about a particular subject.

buffalo

verb

To intimidate, confuse, or trick someone, often to pressure them into doing something.

buffaloback

noun

The back of a buffalo (using for riding upon or carrying burdens).

buffer

noun

Something that cushions or absorbs the impact between two things, physically or figuratively.

buffet

noun

A meal set out on a table or counter for guests to serve themselves.

Buffett

name

A surname, notably borne by investor Warren Buffett.

bufflehead

noun

A duck in the goldeneye genus, Bucephala albeola.

buffoon

noun

Someone who acts in a silly, clownish way, or who behaves so foolishly that it's almost comical.

buffoonery

noun

The behavior of a buffoon; foolishness, silliness.

buffy

adj

Having a pale yellowish-brown color, like tanned leather.

Buford

name

An English surname meaning "castle ford."

bug

noun

A small insect, or loosely, any small crawling or flying creature.

Bugatti

noun

A car made by the French luxury automaker Bugatti, known for high-performance sports and hypercars.

bugbear

noun

An ongoing problem; a recurring obstacle or adversity.

bugged

adj

Fitted with a hidden listening or recording device.

bugger

noun

A mild but crude term for a person, often used affectionately or with irritation, especially in British and Australian English.

buggered

adj

Broken or not working, especially in British slang.

buggery

noun

A crude, dated term historically used in legal contexts for anal sex.

Buggin

name

A surname.

bugging

noun

The act of secretly planting listening or recording devices to spy on someone.

buggish

adj

Characteristic of or resembling a bug; buglike.

buggy

noun

A small, light carriage pulled by a horse.

bughouse

noun

A flea-infested hotel, lodging-house etc.

bugle

noun

A brass wind instrument without valves, used mainly for military calls, played by adjusting lip pressure to move between notes.

bugler

noun

A person whose job or role is to play the bugle.

bugleweed

noun

Any of the aromatic herbs in genus Lycopus, especially Lycopus virginicus, water horehound

bugs

adj

Crazy; mentally unhinged (informal).

bugsy

adj

Crawling with insects; infested with bugs.

Buick

noun

A car made by Buick, an American automobile brand owned by General Motors.

build

verb

To make something by putting materials or parts together according to a plan.

builder

noun

One who builds or constructs things.

building

noun

A structure with walls and a roof, such as a house, office, or factory.

buildout

noun

The construction and implementation of a system.

buildup

noun

A gradual increase or accumulation of something over time.

built

adj

Muscular and well-toned in physique (informal).

buirdly

adj

Sturdy, well-built; solid, stocky.

Bukowski

name

A Polish surname, notably associated with the American writer Charles Bukowski.

bulb

noun

The rounded glass part of an electric light that produces light when current passes through it.

bulbhead

noun

A dull or unintelligent person.

Bulgaria

name

A country in southeastern Europe, on the Black Sea, whose capital is Sofia.

Bulgarian

adj

Relating to Bulgaria, its people, or the Bulgarian language.

bulge

noun

A part that swells or sticks out from an otherwise flat or smooth surface.

bulger

noun

Something that bulges outward, such as a golf club with a convex face or a swollen electronic component.

bulging

adj

Swelling or sticking out noticeably.

bulimia

noun

An eating disorder marked by cycles of binge eating followed by purging, such as self-induced vomiting.

bulimic

adj

Relating to or suffering from bulimia.

bulk

noun

The overall size, volume, or mass of something, especially when large.

bulkhead

noun

A dividing wall inside a ship, aircraft, or other vehicle, often built to prevent flooding or contain damage.

bulky

adj

Large, heavy, or awkward in size and difficult to move or store.

bull

noun

An adult male of cattle, or of certain other large animals such as elephants and whales.

bull market

noun

A period in which the prices of shares or other investments rise strongly and keep rising over months or years, and buyers generally expect that to continue.

Bullard

name

An English surname of Old French origin, and the name of several small communities in the United States.

bullbat

noun

A New World bird, common nighthawk (Chordeiles minor).

bullcrap

noun

Nonsense; foolish or dishonest talk (a milder alternative to a cruder synonym).

bulldog

noun

A stocky dog breed with a flat face, wrinkled cheeks, and a distinctive short muzzle, originally bred in England.

bulldoze

verb

To flatten or clear something using a bulldozer.

bulldozer

noun

A heavy tracked vehicle fitted with a large blade at the front, used for clearing or levelling ground.

bulldust

noun

Fine red dust, found in desert regions of Australia.

buller

verb

To boil, bubble, or seethe noisily (dialectal, chiefly Scots).

bullet

noun

A small metal projectile fired from a gun.

bulletin

noun

A short official announcement or news report, especially one broadcast quickly.

bulletproof

adj

Able to stop a bullet fired from a gun.

bullets

noun

A pair of aces dealt as a starting hand in Texas hold 'em poker.

bullfight

noun

A public event, traditional in Spain and some other countries, in which a matador provokes and typically kills a bull.

bullfighter

noun

A person who fights bulls in a bullfight; a matador or toreador.