English dictionary — definitions & meanings

burst

verb

To break open suddenly, often from internal pressure.

bursting

adjective

So full of something that it seems ready to burst.

Burt

name

A male given name and surname, also the name of several small places in the United States.

burthen

noun

Archaic form of burden.

burton

noun

A system of blocks and pulleys used to tighten rigging on a ship.

bury

verb

To place a body in the ground, typically as part of a funeral.

burying

noun

The act of interring a body, or of hiding/suppressing something.

bus

noun

A large motor vehicle that carries many passengers along a fixed route.

Busan

name

A major port city in South Korea, the country's second-largest city.

busbar

noun

An electrical conductor that carries a large current, especially one that is part of a power distribution system; typically a thick strip, or a tube, of copper or aluminium.

busboy

noun

A restaurant worker who clears and cleans tables.

busby

noun

A tall fur hat, often topped with a plume, worn by certain military units.

Busch

name

A German surname meaning "thicket" or "wood."

bush

noun

A woody plant with multiple stems, smaller than a tree.

bushed

adjective

Extremely tired; exhausted.

bushel

noun

A unit of dry volume measurement, historically used for grain and produce.

busher

noun

A major league baseball player who has recently come from a small league.

bushi

name

A dialect of Malagasy spoken in Mayotte.

bushido

noun

The traditional code of honour and conduct followed by the samurai of feudal Japan, stressing loyalty and duty above personal safety.

bushland

noun

An area of land in a natural, uncultivated state; wilderness, open forest.

bushman

noun

A man who lives in or has extensive experience of the Australian bush or outback.

bushmanship

noun

The survival skills of a bushman or any bushperson.

bushwah

noun

Nonsense; euphemistic form of bullshit.

bushwalking

noun

The activity of hiking or backpacking.

bushwhack

verb

To travel through thick wooded country, cutting away scrub to make progress.

bushy

adjective

Growing in thick, dense clumps, like the branches of a bush.

business

noun

The activity of making, buying, or selling goods or services to earn money.

businesslike

adjective

Efficient, practical, and serious in manner, the way a competent professional behaves.

businessman

noun

A man who works in or owns a commercial business, especially at a senior level.

businessperson

noun

A person in business, or one who works at a commercial institution.

businesswoman

noun

A woman who works in or owns a commercial business, especially at a senior level.

busk

verb

To solicit money by entertaining the public in the street or in public transport.

buskin

noun

A soft boot reaching to calf or knee height.

busload

noun

The number of people or amount of cargo that a bus can carry at once.

buss

verb

To kiss (either literally or figuratively).

bust

verb

To break something, especially by force.

busted

adjective

Broken or not working.

buster

noun

A person or thing that breaks, destroys, or gets rid of something specified (often as the second half of a compound word).

busting

adjective

Desperately needing to urinate.

bustle

noun

Busy, energetic activity and movement, especially of a crowd.

bustline

noun

A notional line around a woman's bust.

bustling

adjective

Full of lively, busy activity and movement.

busty

adjective

Having large breasts.

busy

adjective

Having a lot to do; occupied with work or activity.

busybody

noun

Someone who interferes in or gossips about other people's affairs.

but

conjunction

Used to introduce a contrast or exception to what was just said.

butane

noun

A flammable hydrocarbon gas, used as fuel for lighters and camping stoves and found in petroleum.

butch

adjective

Noticeably masculine in appearance or manner, especially describing a woman.

butcher

noun

A person whose trade is preparing and selling meat.

butchered

adjective

Cut apart the way a butcher would prepare meat.

butchering

noun

The process of slaughtering an animal and cutting it into meat.

butchery

noun

Extremely violent and cruel killing.

buteo

noun

Any of the broad-winged soaring raptors of the genus Buteo.

butler

noun

The chief male servant in a household, responsible for managing other staff, serving meals, and receiving guests.

butt

noun

A person's buttocks.

butte

noun

An isolated hill with steep sides and a flat top, rising abruptly from the surrounding land.

butted

adjective

Joined together end-to-end, as with a butt joint.

butter

noun

A soft, pale-yellow fatty food made by churning cream, spread on bread or used in cooking.

butterball

noun

A small North American duck (the bufflehead) known for its plump, rounded shape.

buttercup

noun

Any of many herbs, of the genus Ranunculus, having yellow flowers; the crowfoot.

buttered

adjective

Spread or coated with butter.

butterface

noun

A person who has an attractive body but an unattractive face.

Butterfield

name

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

butterfingered

adj

Prone to dropping things; clumsy.

butterfingers

noun

A clumsy person who tends to drop things.

butterfly

noun

An insect with large, often brightly patterned wings, known for its delicate flight.

buttering

noun

The action of spreading butter onto something.

buttermilk

noun

A tangy, slightly sour liquid dairy product, traditionally the liquid left after churning butter, now usually made by fermenting milk.

butters

adjective

Ugly.

butterscotch

noun

A hard candy or sauce made from butter, brown sugar, and syrup.

Butterworth

name

An English surname, and a city in Penang, Malaysia named after a colonial governor.

buttery

adjective

Tasting of or containing a lot of butter; rich and smooth like butter.

buttface

noun

A person with an ugly face.

butthead

noun

An annoying or foolish person.

butthole

noun

The anus (vulgar slang).

butthurt

adj

Overly annoyed or bothered by a perceived insult or injustice; needlessly offended.

butting

noun

A shared boundary line between two pieces of land.

buttinsky

noun

One who is prone to butt in, interrupt, or get involved where they are not welcome; a busybody.

buttlicker

noun

A contemptible person; an ass-kisser.

buttload

noun

A regional English measure of capacity of a heavy cart (a butt), containing 6 seams, or 48 bushels, equivalent to 384 gallons.

buttmunch

noun

Term of abuse for a stupid or contemptible person.

buttock

noun

One of the two rounded fleshy parts that make up the rear of the body below the back.

button

noun

A small disc sewn onto clothing and pushed through a hole to fasten it.

buttoned

adj

Having buttons attached.

buttonhole

noun

A small slit in a garment through which a button is fastened.

buttonhook

noun

A hook for pulling the buttons of gloves and shoes through the buttonholes.

buttons

noun

Informal British slang for a police officer.

buttress

noun

A brick, concrete or stone structure built against another structure to support it.

butty

noun

A sandwich, usually with a hot or cold savoury filling buttered in a barmcake. The most common are chips, bacon, sausage and egg.

butyraceous

adj

Of, pertaining to or containing butter; buttery

buxom

adj

Having a full, voluptuous figure, especially possessing large breasts.

Buxton

name

An English surname and the name of a spa town in Derbyshire, England.

buy

verb

To get something by paying money for it.

buycott

noun

The opposite of a boycott: deliberately purchasing a company's or a country's products in support of their policies, or to counter a boycott.

buyer

noun

A person who buys something.

buying

noun

The act of purchasing something.

buyout

noun

The purchase of a controlling share of a company.

Buys

name

A Dutch surname.

buzgut

noun

A person who eats or drinks a substantial amount.

buzz

noun

A continuous humming sound, like that of an insect or low conversation.

buzzard

noun

A broad-winged bird of prey in the hawk family.

buzzed

adj

Mildly drunk or high.

buzzer

noun

An electronic device that makes a buzzing sound as a signal or alarm.

buzzing

adj

Full of lively activity or excitement.

buzzkill

noun

Someone or something that ruins the mood of an enjoyable moment.

buzzy

adj

Generating a lot of excited public attention.

bwana

noun

A term meaning "boss" or "important man," used especially in East Africa.

by

prep

Near or next to something.

by the way

adverb

Used to introduce a remark that is not part of the main subject, or to add a piece of information as an aside.

bydweller

noun

One who dwells near; a neighbour.

bye

intj

An informal way of saying goodbye.

Bye, Felicia

interjection

A dismissive farewell used to brush off someone considered irrelevant or not worth the attention, roughly meaning 'goodbye, and I don't care'.

Byers

name

A surname, and the name of several small places in the United States.

bygone

adj

Belonging to a time long past.

bygones

noun

Past disagreements or grievances, especially in the phrase "let bygones be bygones."

bylaw

noun

A local custom or law of a settlement or district.

byline

noun

The line at the top of a news article giving the author's name.

byname

noun

Any secondary name, particularly

bypass

noun

A road built to route traffic around a town or busy area.

byplay

noun

Any action, carried out onstage during a performance, apart from the main action.

Byrd

name

An English surname, notably borne by polar explorer Richard Byrd.

byre

noun

A barn, especially one used for keeping cattle in.

byrlady

intj

Used as an exclamation of surprise or anger.

Byrne

name

An Irish surname, from a name meaning "descendant of Bran (raven)."

Byrnes

name

An Irish surname, related to Byrne.

Byron

name

An English surname and male given name, famously borne by the Romantic poet Lord Byron.

bystander

noun

A person who is present at an event but does not take part in it.

Byun

name

A Korean surname.

byword

noun

A proverb or proverbial expression, common saying; a frequently used word or phrase.

byzant

noun

Alternative letter-case form of byzant.

Byzantine

adj

Relating to the Byzantine Empire or its art and architecture.

Byzantium

name

The ancient city that became Constantinople and is now Istanbul.