English dictionary — definitions & meanings

Barnett

name

An English surname and given name, derived from a place name meaning "burnt land".

Barney

noun

British slang: a noisy argument or quarrel.

barnie

noun

A barn owl or barn swallow.

barnstorming

noun

The act of one who barnstorms, or travels making political speeches.

Barnum

name

An English surname, most famously borne by circus showman P. T. Barnum.

barnyard

noun

The area of open ground surrounding a barn, often where farm animals are kept.

barometer

noun

An instrument that measures atmospheric pressure, often used to forecast weather.

baron

noun

A nobleman holding the lowest hereditary title in the British peerage.

Barone

name

An Italian surname, derived from the word for "baron".

baroness

noun

A woman married to a baron.

baronet

noun

A man holding a hereditary title that ranks below the peerage but above a knighthood.

baronetess

noun

The wife of a baronet.

Barons

name

A surname derived from the noble title "baron", or its plural form.

Baroque

adj

Extravagantly ornate and detailed, especially in art, architecture, or music.

barr

name

A common English and Scottish surname.

barra

noun

Australian informal short form of "barramundi," a large freshwater and estuarine fish prized for eating and sport fishing.

barrack

noun

A large, plain building used to house soldiers or other groups of people.

barracking

noun

An act of jeering or heckling.

barracks

noun

A building or group of buildings where soldiers live.

barracouta

noun

A snoek, any member of the species Thyrsites atun of foodfish.

barracuda

noun

A long, fast-swimming predatory fish with a projecting jaw and sharp, fang-like teeth.

barrage

noun

A sudden, heavy, and continuous stream of something, especially words, questions, or gunfire.

barred

adj

Marked with stripes or bars, or fitted with bars.

barrel

noun

A large, round wooden or metal container, usually bulging in the middle, used to store liquids or other goods.

barrelhouse

noun

A rough-and-tumble drinking establishment.

barreling

noun

In materials testing, an unwanted barrel-shaped bulge that forms in a sample under compression instead of it staying straight-sided.

barren

adj

Not producing crops, plants, or life; unproductive land.

barret

noun

A flat cap, historically worn by soldiers or clergy.

Barrett

name

An English surname and given name, possibly derived from an Old French word for "trader" or "trickster".

barrette

noun

A clasp or clip for gathering and holding the hair.

barricade

noun

A barrier hastily built across a street or passage to block movement.

barricading

noun

A barricade.

Barrie

name

A surname and given name, also a city in Ontario, Canada; notably borne by author J. M. Barrie, creator of Peter Pan.

barrier

noun

A physical structure that blocks passage or access.

barring

prep

Unless something happens; except for.

Barrington

name

An English surname and place name, also used as a given name.

barrio

noun

A neighborhood or district, especially a Spanish-speaking one within a city.

Barris

name

A surname, variant of Barris or Harris, notably borne by car customizer George Barris.

barrister

noun

(chiefly British) A lawyer qualified to argue cases in the higher courts.

Barron

name

A surname and masculine given name, a variant spelling of "baron".

barroom

noun

A room, especially in a hotel or pub, where alcoholic drinks are served.

barrow

noun

A small cart with a single wheel, pushed by hand; a wheelbarrow.

barrowful

noun

The amount that can fit in a barrow

Barry

adjective

In heraldry, describing a shield divided into an even number of horizontal bands of alternating colors.

Barrymore

name

An English surname, famously borne by an American acting dynasty including Drew Barrymore.

bars

interjection

Slang used to praise something clever, witty, or well put — especially a sharp line in rap or a killer comeback.

Barstow

name

A city in the Mojave Desert of California, and an English surname.

Bart

noun

An informal abbreviation of "baronet," placed after a person's name.

bartender

noun

A person who mixes and serves drinks at a bar.

bartending

noun

The job or skill of mixing and serving drinks at a bar.

barter

verb

To trade goods or services directly for other goods or services, without using money.

Bartholomew

name

A male given name of biblical origin, borne by one of the twelve apostles.

bartholow

name

A surname transferred from the given name.

Bartlett

noun

A sweet, juicy variety of pear, green or yellow when ripe.

Bartok

name

A Hungarian surname, most famously borne by the composer Béla Bartók.

Barton

noun

(British, chiefly historical) A farmyard, or the land attached to a manor house.

Bartowski

name

A surname of Polish origin, notably the family name of the title character in the television series Chuck.

barty

name

A diminutive of the male given name Bartholomew.

Baruch

name

A masculine given name of Hebrew origin, meaning "blessed", also a surname borne by financier Bernard Baruch.

baryta

noun

Any of several compounds of barium, especially barium sulphate and barium hydroxide.

Bas

name

A short form of names such as Sebastian, or a surname in several European languages.

basal

adjective

Forming the base or starting point of something; fundamental.

basalt

noun

A dark, dense volcanic rock formed when lava cools quickly; it makes up much of the ocean floor.

base

noun

The lowest part of something, on which it stands or rests; a foundation.

baseball

noun

A bat-and-ball sport, especially popular in the US, Caribbean and parts of East Asia, in which players score by hitting a ball and running around four bases.

baseboard

noun

A panel or molding between the floor and the interior wall of a structure.

baseborn

adj

bastard, illegitimate

based

adjective

Having a particular place as one's main location or headquarters.

Basel

name

A city in northwestern Switzerland, situated on the Rhine River.

baseless

adjective

Not supported by facts or evidence; unfounded.

baseline

noun

A fixed starting point used for comparison when measuring change.

baseman

noun

In baseball, a fielder stationed at first, second, or third base.

basement

noun

A floor of a building below ground level.

baseness

noun

The quality or condition of being base.

bash

verb

To hit something hard and roughly.

basha

noun

(military slang, British) A waterproof sheet used to build a makeshift shelter.

basheer

name

A male given name from Arabic.

basher

noun

A person who attacks, criticises, or physically strikes something or someone, often habitually.

bashful

adjective

Shy and easily embarrassed, especially around other people.

bashfulness

noun

The quality or property of being bashful

bashing

noun

A harsh physical or verbal attack.

Bashir

name

A masculine given name of Arabic origin, meaning "bringer of good news".

basic

adjective

Forming the essential foundation of something; fundamental.

basically

adverb

In essence; when reduced to the most important point.

basicity

noun

The condition of being basic.

basil

noun

An aromatic herb with green leaves, widely used in cooking, especially in Italian and Thai dishes.

basilar

adj

Of, pertaining to, or located at a base, but especially at the base of the skull or an organ of Corti.

basilica

noun

A large, important church building, often granted special ceremonial status by the Pope.

basin

noun

A wide, shallow bowl or fixed sink used for washing.

basing

noun

The act of housing or storing something at a central base or location.

basis

noun

The foundation or starting point for an argument, theory, or decision.

bask

verb

To relax comfortably in warmth, especially sunlight.

Baskerville

name

An English surname, widely known from the Sherlock Holmes novel The Hound of the Baskervilles; also the name of a classic typeface.

basket

noun

A container, typically woven from cane, wicker, or plastic, used for carrying or holding things.

basketball

noun

A team sport in which players score points by throwing a ball through a raised hoop.

basking

noun

The act of lying or sitting comfortably in warmth or praise.

Basque

noun

A member of the people native to the Basque Country, a region spanning parts of northern Spain and southwestern France.

basquine

noun

A sort of basque petticoat.

Basra

name

A major port city in southern Iraq, on the Shatt al-Arab waterway.

bass

adjective

Low in pitch or frequency, referring to sound, voice, or instrument.

basset

noun

A short-legged, long-eared breed of hound known for its keen sense of smell and droopy face.

Bassett

name

An English surname, also the name of a short-legged dog breed, the basset hound.

bassist

noun

A musician who plays a bass instrument, especially the bass guitar or double bass.

bassoon

noun

A large woodwind instrument with a double reed, playing in the tenor and bass range.

basswood

noun

Any of several trees of the genus Tilia; the lindens, especially Tilia americana, the American basswood.

bast

noun

The fibrous inner bark of certain trees, such as lime, used to make rope, cord, and matting.

basta

interjection

Enough!; stop! — used to demand that something end.

bastard

noun

(offensive or informal) A thoroughly unpleasant, spiteful, or contemptible person.

bastardly

adj

Having been born out of marriage.

baste

verb

To drip melted fat, butter, or juices over food (usually meat) while it cooks, to keep it moist.

Bastian

adjective

Relating to the city of Bastia in Corsica, France.

bastid

noun

Pronunciation spelling of bastard.

Bastille

noun

A fortress or prison, especially one associated with harsh or unjust treatment of its inmates.

bastion

noun

A projecting section of a fort or castle wall, built to give defenders a better line of fire.

bat

noun

A small, flying, mostly nocturnal mammal with wings made of skin stretched between its fingers.

batch

noun

A quantity of something made, baked, or produced together at one time.

batchy

adj

Of unsound mind, crazy; lacking good sense or judgment, silly.

batcrap

adj

Too irrational to be dealt with sanely.

bate

verb

To reduce the force of something; to abate.

bateless

adj

Not to be abated or subdued; impossible to blunt, curtail, or reduce to anything other than full strength or intensity.

Bateman

name

An English surname, historically an occupational name for a boatman.

Bates

name

An English surname, a patronymic form derived from the given name Bartholomew.

bateson

name

A surname originating as a patronymic.

batey

name

A surname transferred from the given name.

batful

adj

Rich; fertile, as in reference to land or soil.

batgirl

noun

A female superhero counterpart to Batman, in DC Comics and related media.

bath

noun

A large tub used for washing the whole body, or the act of washing in one.

bathe

verb

To wash yourself, or someone else, using water.

bathed

adjective

Clean and refreshed after washing in water.

bather

noun

One who bathes (cleans oneself with water, for example in a bathtub).

bathers

noun

A swimsuit; a bathing costume.

bathhouse

noun

A building containing shared bathing or washing facilities, or a changing area for swimmers.

bathing

noun

The activity of taking a bath or swimming.

bathometer

noun

An instrument that measures the depth of water, used especially to measure the depth of ocean water.

bathos

noun

Overdone or treacly attempts to inspire pathos.

bathrobe

noun

A loose, absorbent robe worn before or after a bath or shower.

bathroom

noun

A room containing a bath or shower, usually also with a toilet and sink.

baths

noun

A building with a public swimming pool or shared washing facilities.

Bathsheba

name

A feminine given name of Hebrew origin, meaning "daughter of the oath", borne by a biblical figure who became King David's wife.

bathshua

name

A female given name from Hebrew of biblical origin.

bathtub

noun

A large tub, usually fixed in place, that you fill with water to bathe in.

bathwater

noun

The water that has been used to fill a bath for washing.

bathyscaphe

noun

A self-propelled deep-sea diving submersible for exploring the ocean depths, consisting of a crew cabin similar to a bathysphere suspended below a float filled with a buoyant liquid such as petrol.

Batista

name

A surname of Portuguese and Spanish origin, meaning "baptist".

batman

noun

Historically, a soldier assigned as a personal servant or aide to a military officer.

batmobile

noun

The armoured, gadget-laden car driven by the superhero Batman in comics, film, and TV.

baton

noun

A short stick used by a police officer as a weapon or by a conductor to lead an orchestra.

batpoop

adj

Too irrational to be dealt with sanely.

batrachian

noun

Any frog (narrow sense) or toad.

bats

adj

Informal: crazy or mentally unstable.