English dictionary — definitions & meanings

bullfighting

noun

The traditional spectacle in which a matador confronts and kills a bull at close range, historically popular in Spain and its former colonies.

bullfrog

noun

A large frog known for its deep, booming croak that resembles a bull's bellow.

bullheadedness

noun

The characteristic of being bullheaded.

bullhorn

noun

A portable device that electronically amplifies a person's voice; a megaphone.

bullied

adj

Having been the target of a bully's repeated aggressive or intimidating behaviour.

bullion

noun

Precious metal, usually gold or silver, held in bulk form such as bars or ingots and valued by weight.

bullish

adjective

Expecting the price of shares, a currency or another asset to rise, or reflecting that expectation.

bullock

noun

A castrated bull raised for work or meat; an ox.

bullocks

noun

A vulgar British term for testicles.

bullpen

noun

In baseball, the area where relief pitchers warm up before entering the game, or the group of relief pitchers on a team.

Bulls

name

A surname, derived from Bull, and a small town in New Zealand.

bullseye

noun

The very center of a target, or a shot that hits it dead-center.

bullshit

noun

A vulgar term for statements or information that are false, misleading, or exaggerated, especially when meant to impress or deceive.

bullshitter

noun

Someone who habitually lies or exaggerates, often to make themselves look better.

bullspeak

verb

To talk nonsense or boastful lies.

bully

noun

A person who deliberately mistreats, threatens, or intimidates others they see as weaker.

bullying

noun

Repeated aggressive behavior intended to intimidate, hurt, or make life difficult for someone perceived as weaker.

bulrush

noun

A plant referred to in the story of Moses as growing along the banks of the Nile, which is believed to be the papyrus (Cyperus papyrus).

bulwark

noun

A defensive wall or rampart.

bum

noun

British informal term for the buttocks.

bumble

verb

To move or speak in a clumsy, confused, or hesitant way.

bumblebee

noun

Any of several species of large, furry bee in the genus Bombus, known for their loud buzz.

bumbledom

noun

bureaucracy; mannerisms characteristic of pompous, arrogant or pretentious officials.

bumbler

noun

Someone who bumbles; a stumbler or blunderer.

bumbling

adj

Acting in a clumsy, confused, or inept way, with little skill or coordination.

bumhole

noun

A stupid or annoying person.

bummed

adj

Disappointed or upset about something.

bummer

noun

A disappointing or unfortunate situation; a shame.

bump

noun

A light collision or jolt, or the sound it makes.

bumped

adj

Having bumps or swellings on the surface.

bumper

noun

The part at the front or back of a vehicle designed to absorb the impact of a collision.

bumping

adj

Slang for excellent, exciting, or full of energy.

bumpkin

noun

An unsophisticated, awkward person from the countryside; a yokel.

bumpy

adj

Uneven and full of bumps, causing jolts or rough movement.

Bums

noun

Plural of bum: the buttocks, or lazy/homeless people.

bun

noun

A small round bread roll, often sweet, or used to hold a filling like a burger.

bunce

noun

A bonus; additional pay; money.

bunch

noun

A group of similar things gathered or fastened together.

bunches

noun

A British hairstyle with hair gathered into two separate sections, usually on either side of the head.

bunchflower

noun

A perennial herb, Melanthium virginicum, having a branched cluster of pale flowers

bunchy

adj

Growing in bunches, or gathered into clusters.

bunco

noun

A swindle or confidence trick.

buncombe

name

A village in Johnson County, Illinois, United States.

bunda

noun

The buttocks or backside, from Brazilian Portuguese and used in English chiefly in reference to Brazilian culture, dance and fitness.

bundestag

name

The federal/state parliament of Germany.

bundle

noun

A group of objects tied, wrapped, or packaged together.

bundled

adj

Grouped or packaged together, or wrapped up warmly.

Bundy

noun

Informal Australian term for a Eucalyptus tree, Eucalyptus goniocalyx.

bung

noun

A stopper, often made of rubber or cork, used to plug a hole in a barrel, bottle, or vessel.

Bunga

name

The name of several small villages (barangays) in the Philippines.

bungalow

noun

A house built on a single level, sometimes with extra rooms fitted into the roof space.

bungee

noun

An elastic cord or strap with hooks on each end, used to secure items or for bungee jumping.

bungle

verb

To perform a task badly through carelessness or lack of skill; to botch.

bungled

adj

Badly handled or ruined through incompetence.

bungler

noun

Someone who makes mistakes because of incompetence.

bungling

adj

Incompetent or clumsy in carrying out a task.

bunion

noun

A painful, swollen bump that forms at the base of the big toe, caused by the joint shifting out of position.

bunk

noun

A narrow bed, often one of a stacked pair, as found on a ship, in a cabin, or a dorm.

bunker

noun

A reinforced underground shelter built to withstand bombing or attack.

bunkhouse

noun

A building with basic sleeping quarters for workers or guests, often on a ranch or in a rural setting.

bunkmate

noun

One who sleeps in the same area as another person.

bunkum

noun

Senseless talk; nonsense; a piece of nonsense.

Bunnies

noun

Plural of bunny: young or small rabbits.

bunny

noun

A rabbit, especially a young or small one — often used as a term of endearment.

buns

adjective

Slang for bad or of poor quality.

Bunsen

noun

Short for Bunsen burner, a small gas burner used in science labs to produce a controlled open flame.

bunt

verb

In baseball, to deliberately tap the ball softly with the bat instead of swinging fully, so it stays hard to field.

bunter

noun

A baseball player who bunts, especially one skilled at it.

bunting

noun

Strips of small flags or colored triangular fabric strung up as festive decoration.

Bunty

noun

An affectionate pet name given to a girl or woman.

Bunyan

name

A surname, originally a nickname for someone with a hump or lump — most famously the 17th-century English writer John Bunyan, author of The Pilgrim's Progress.

buoy

noun

A floating marker anchored in water to warn of danger, mark a channel, or show a location.

buoyancy

noun

The upward force that lets an object float or feel lighter in a liquid or gas.

buoyant

adjective

Able to float; having buoyancy.

bupkis

noun

Absolutely nothing; nothing of value, significance, or substance.

Bur

noun

A prickly seed case or flower head that clings to fur or clothing (an alternate spelling of "burr").

Burbage

name

An English surname and the name of several villages in England.

Burbank

name

A city in the San Fernando Valley near Los Angeles, home to major film and TV studios.

burble

verb

To make a bubbling, gurgling sound, or to talk quickly and excitedly without a clear point.

burden

noun

A heavy load, or a difficult responsibility or worry someone has to carry.

burdened

adjective

Weighed down by a heavy load or responsibility.

burdensome

adj

Characteristic of a burden; arduous or demanding

burdensomeness

noun

The state or quality of being burdensome.

Burdett

name

An English surname of French origin.

burdock

noun

Any of the species of biennial thistles in the genus Arctium.

bureau

noun

A government department or agency, especially one handling a specific area of administration.

bureaucracy

noun

A system of government or organization run through many layered offices and officials following fixed rules.

bureaucrat

noun

An official who works within a bureaucracy, especially one seen as rigidly following rules.

bureaucratic

adjective

Relating to a bureaucracy, or characterized by excessive rules and procedure.

bureaugamy

noun

marriage (literal or metaphorical) to a bureaucracy

Buren

name

A city and municipality in Gelderland, Netherlands, also known as a Dutch surname (as in Martin Van Buren).

Burg

noun

An informal word for a city or town.

burgage

noun

A medieval tenure in socage under which property in England and Scotland was held under the king or a lord of a town and was maintained for a yearly rent or for rendering an inferior service (not knight's service) such as watching and warding.

burgeon

verb

To grow or expand.

burgeoning

adjective

Growing or developing rapidly.

burger

noun

A patty of ground meat (or a meatless substitute) served in a split bun, often with toppings.

burgery

noun

The governing body of a burgh or borough; burgage.

burgess

noun

Historically, a full citizen of a borough, or an elected representative of a borough in government.

burgher

noun

A citizen of a borough or town, especially one belonging to the middle class.

burglar

noun

A person who breaks into a building to steal.

burglarise

verb

Rare spelling of burglarize.

burglarproof

adj

as secure as possible against burglary

burglary

noun

The crime of breaking into a building or vehicle with intent to steal.

burgle

verb

To commit burglary.

burgomaster

noun

The mayor, or head magistrate, of a town in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and certain other countries.

burgoo

noun

A dish which originated among seafarers during the days of sail: a sort of porridge seasoned with sugar, salt and butter.

Burgos

name

A historic city and province in northern Spain, once the capital of Castile.

burgrave

noun

The military governor of a town or castle in the Middle Ages, especially in German-speaking Europe; a nobleman of the same status.

burgundy

adjective

Of a deep purplish-red color, like the wine.

burial

noun

The act of placing a dead body into the ground.

buried

adjective

Placed in the ground, as in a grave.

burin

name

A town in Newfoundland, Newfoundland and Labrador.

burk

verb

(slang) To throw up; to vomit.

burka

noun

A full-body garment, traditionally worn in parts of the Caucasus, made of felt or lambskin.

burke

verb

To kill someone by suffocation, especially in order to sell the body for dissection.

Burkett

name

An English surname, and an unincorporated community in Texas.

Burkhalter

name

A surname.

burlap

noun

A rough, sturdy woven fabric made from jute or similar fibers, often used for sacks.

burlesque

noun

A variety stage show combining comic sketches, musical numbers and striptease, associated with American theatres of the early twentieth century and revived since the 1990s as a knowingly retro, glamorous performance art.

burley

noun

A mild variety of tobacco grown mainly in Kentucky and used in cigarette blends.

burly

adjective

Large, well-built, and muscular, especially of a man.

Burma

name

A country in Southeast Asia, officially known today as Myanmar.

Burmese

adjective

Relating to Burma (Myanmar), or to its people, culture, or language.

burn

noun

An injury to skin or tissue caused by heat, fire, chemicals, or radiation.

burned

adjective

Damaged or consumed by fire, heat, or a similar destructive process.

Burner

noun

A person who attends the Burning Man festival.

burnet

noun

Any of the herbs of genus Sanguisorba (syn. Poterium), including salad burnet (Sanguisorba minor), an herb used in salads and herbal teas.

Burnham

name

An English habitational surname and place name meaning "homestead by the stream."

burning

adjective

On fire, or so hot it seems to be on fire.

burnish

verb

To make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing; to polish, to shine.

burnout

noun

A state of long-term physical and emotional exhaustion, often caused by chronic work stress.

Burns

name

A Scottish and Irish surname, most famously that of the poet Robert Burns, and the name of several towns in the United States.

Burnside

noun

A style of facial hair with thick whiskers grown down the cheeks, connected to a mustache but with the chin shaved bare.

burnt

adjective

Damaged, charred, or destroyed by fire or excessive heat.

burp

noun

A belch — an expulsion of gas from the stomach through the mouth.

burping

noun

The act of belching, or of helping a baby release swallowed air.

burqa

noun

An enveloping Central Asian garment which covers the whole body, incorporating a netted screen to cover the eyes, chiefly worn by women in fundamentalist denominations of Islam to observe sartorial hijab (the practice of wearing concealing clothing in front of adult men after the age of puberty).

burr

noun

A prickly seed case or flower head that clings to fur or clothing.

Burrell

name

An English surname of Old French origin.

Burris

name

A surname.

burrito

noun

A Mexican dish of a flour tortilla wrapped around a filling such as meat, beans, or cheese.

burro

noun

A small donkey, especially one used as a pack animal or living wild in the American Southwest.

Burroughs

name

An English topographical surname for someone who lived near a hill or fort, borne notably by writers William S. Burroughs and Edgar Rice Burroughs.

burrow

verb

To dig a tunnel or hole, typically as a home or hiding place.

burrowing

noun

The act of digging a tunnel or hole for shelter.

Burrows

name

An English topographical surname, a variant of Burroughs.

bursa

noun

Any of the many small fluid-filled sacs located at the point where a muscle or tendon slides across bone. These sacs serve to reduce friction between the two moving surfaces.

bursar

noun

An official at a university, college, or school responsible for its finances.

bursary

noun

A monetary award to university students that allows them to continue their studies.

burslem

name

A town within the city of Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England (OS grid ref SJ8749).