English dictionary — definitions & meanings

beau

noun

A boyfriend or male romantic partner, especially in slightly old-fashioned or playful use.

Beauchamp

name

An English surname of Norman French origin, meaning "beautiful field".

beaucoup

adv

A great deal; a lot (used informally, often for emphasis).

Beaufort

noun

A firm, nutty French cheese made from cow's milk in the Alps, similar to Gruyère.

Beaujolais

noun

A light, fruity red wine made from Gamay grapes, traditionally from the Beaujolais region of France.

Beaulieu

name

A surname and place name of French origin, meaning "beautiful place", also a village in Hampshire, England.

beauly

name

A village in Inverness-shire, Highland council area, Scotland (OS grid ref NH5246).

Beaumont

name

A surname and place name of French origin, meaning "beautiful hill", also a city in Texas.

Beauregard

noun

A variety of sweet potato with reddish-orange skin, popular for its sweetness and reliable yield.

beaut

noun

Something or someone impressively good-looking or outstanding of its kind (informal, chiefly Australian/NZ and older American slang).

beauteous

adj

Beautiful — a literary or poetic way of saying so.

beauteousness

noun

The state or quality of being beauteous.

beautician

noun

A professional who provides beauty treatments such as skincare, manicures, and hairstyling.

beautifool

adj

Pronunciation spelling of beautiful.

beautiful

adj

Having qualities that give great pleasure to look at, hear, or experience.

beautifully

adv

In a beautiful, skillful, or highly pleasing way.

beautifulness

noun

The quality of being beautiful; beauty.

beautify

verb

To make beautiful; to increase the beauty of.

beautifying

adj

That beautifies; tending to make beautiful.

beauty

noun

The quality of being pleasing to look at or otherwise highly attractive.

beav

noun

A crude slang clipping of "beaver," referring to pubic hair or the vulva.

beaver

noun

A large semi-aquatic rodent known for gnawing down trees and building dams with the wood.

Beavers

name

An English surname, historically an occupational or nickname-based surname referencing the animal.

Beavis

name

A surname, widely known from the animated character Beavis in the television series Beavis and Butt-Head.

bebay

verb

To bay around or about; embay; hem in; surround.

Bebe

name

A feminine given name and nickname, derived from the French and Spanish word for "baby".

bebop

noun

A fast, complex style of jazz that emerged in the 1940s, known for improvisation and intricate harmonies.

Bec

name

A feminine given name, a short form of Rebecca.

becall

verb

To call upon; call forth; challenge.

becalm

verb

To make calm or still; make quiet; calm.

became

verb

Past tense of become: began to be something, or changed into a different state or condition.

becare

verb

To care about; care for; provide or administer care to; take care of.

because

conj

For the reason that; introduces an explanation or cause.

Becca

name

A feminine given name, a short form of Rebecca.

bechance

verb

To happen; chance.

becharm

verb

To charm; fascinate; hold by a charm or spell.

bechat

verb

To chat over or about; discuss.

beck

noun

A small stream or brook, especially in Northern England.

Becker

noun

A common surname originating from occupational names for a baker or a maker of mattocks/pickaxes, depending on the language of origin.

becket

noun

A small loop or ring of rope, cord, or braid used to hold something in place — such as an oar, a pulley hook, or a medal on a jacket.

Beckett

name

An English surname and given name, notably borne by playwright Samuel Beckett.

Beckham

name

An English surname, famously borne by footballer David Beckham.

Beckman

name

A surname of German and Dutch origin, historically denoting someone who lived by a stream.

beckon

verb

To signal someone, usually with the hand or a nod, to come closer.

beckoning

adj

Inviting or summoning, especially through a gesture.

Becks

name

A nickname derived from surnames such as Beckham or Beck, also a German beer brand.

Beckwith

name

An English surname derived from a place name meaning "stream by the wood".

Becky

noun

(US slang, often disparaging) A stereotype of a clueless or entitled white woman, especially one seen as oblivious to her own privilege.

beclap

verb

To grasp, insnare, ensnare, catch, to trap suddenly, to grab suddenly.

beclart

verb

To besmear; bedaub; bemire; smear all over with dirt.

beclip

verb

To fold in the arms; embrace; clasp.

beclothe

verb

To clothe about; put clothes on someone or something; wrap or cover in clothing.

becloud

verb

To cause to become obscure or muddled.

become

verb

To start being something different; to change into.

becoming

adj

Flattering or suitable in appearance; fitting.

becquerel

noun

In the International System of Units, the derived unit of radioactive activity; the activity of a quantity of radioactive material in which one nucleus decays per second. Symbol: Bq

becry

verb

To cry about; cry over; lament; bemourn.

becurtain

verb

To curtain; bedeck or cover with a curtain; (by extension, figurative) to shroud.

becut

verb

To cut about; cut around; cut up; cut off; sever.

bed

noun

A piece of furniture for sleeping or resting on.

bedaft

adj

Stupid; foolish; dim-witted.

bedaub

verb

To smear upon; to soil.

bedaze

verb

To cause to become dazed.

bedazzle

verb

To confuse or disarm by dazzling.

bedazzled

adj

Covered in spangles, glitter, jewels, or similar shiny decorations.

bedboard

noun

The headboard or footboard of a bed.

bedchamber

noun

A bedroom (formal or old-fashioned term).

bedclothes

noun

Sheets, blankets, quilts or other coverings used on a bed.

bedcover

noun

The topmost cover of a bed, often functioning as a blanket.

bedded

adj

Fitted or furnished with a specified type or number of beds.

bedding

noun

The sheets, blankets, pillowcases, and other soft coverings used on a bed.

bedear

verb

To make or hold dear; endear.

bedeck

verb

To deck, ornament, or adorn

bedevil

verb

To harass or cause trouble for; to plague.

bedevilment

noun

The characteristic of being bedeviled.

bedew

verb

To make wet with or as if with dew.

Bedford

name

A town in England and its associated surname, also several places in the United States named after it.

bedhead

noun

The condition of having unkempt hair, generally as a result of having just woken up from sleep.

bedight

adj

That has been equipped or bedecked.

bedirty

verb

to dirty, soil; make dirty.

bedizen

verb

To dress or ornament (someone or something), especially in a gaudy, showy, or tasteless manner.

bedizened

adj

Dressed or ornamented in a gaudy, showy, or tasteless manner; ostentatious.

bedlam

noun

A scene of wild, noisy chaos and confusion.

Bedouin

noun

A member of a nomadic Arab people traditionally living in the desert.

bedpan

noun

A shallow pan used by a bedridden person for going to the toilet in bed.

bedpost

noun

One of the upright corner posts supporting a bed frame.

bedrench

verb

To drench thoroughly; to make extremely wet; saturate with moisture; soak.

bedridden

adj

Unable to get out of bed due to illness, injury, or old age.

bedrink

verb

To drink in; drink up; drink to the fullest

bedrock

noun

The solid layer of rock beneath the soil and loose material on the earth's surface.

bedroom

noun

A room used mainly for sleeping.

bedroomy

adj

Resembling or characteristic of a bedroom; thus, intimate or sleepy.

bedside

noun

The space or area right next to a bed, especially someone's.

bedspread

noun

A decorative top cover for a bed, laid over the sheets and blankets.

bedtime

noun

The time when someone usually goes to bed to sleep.

bedwell

verb

To dwell around or about (a place); inhabit.

bee

noun

A flying insect that collects pollen and nectar, and in many species produces honey and wax.

beebread

noun

Bee pollen with added honey and bee secretions, made and stored in brood cells by forager bees, and used as food for worker bees and larvae.

beech

noun

A tree with smooth grey bark and oval pointed leaves, or the pale wood it produces.

Beecham

name

An English surname, notably borne by conductor Thomas Beecham; also a pharmaceutical brand name.

Beecher

name

An English surname, historically denoting someone who lived near beech trees, also borne by author Harriet Beecher Stowe.

beechwood

noun

The wood of beech trees (Fagus spp.).

beef

noun

The meat of cattle, used as food.

beefburger

noun

Synonym of hamburger (a cooked ground beef sandwich)

beefcake

noun

Images of muscular, physically attractive men, or a man seen as such.

beefeater

noun

An African bird of the genus Buphagus, which feeds on the larvae of botflies hatched under the skin of oxen, antelopes, etc.

beefer

noun

A cow used for beef and not milk.

Beefs

name

Nickname for Ibiza: an island of the Balearic Islands, Spain.

beefy

adj

Muscular and solidly built.

beehive

noun

A structure, natural or built, in which bees live and produce honey.

beej

noun

Slang abbreviation for a blowjob.

beekeeper

noun

A person who keeps and manages bee colonies, usually for honey.

beeline

noun

A straight, direct route taken quickly to reach something.

Beelzebub

name

A Canaanite deity worshipped at Ekron.

Beeman

noun

A person who keeps bees; a beekeeper.

beemer

noun

A BMW car or motorcycle.

been

verb

The past participle of "be," used to form perfect and passive verb tenses.

Beene

name

A surname.

beep

noun

A short, high-pitched electronic sound.

beeper

noun

A small wireless device that beeps to alert the wearer to a message; a pager.

beeping

noun

The act or sound of something beeping repeatedly.

beer

noun

An alcoholic drink made by fermenting malted grain, usually flavored with hops.

beeswax

noun

The wax bees produce to build honeycomb, later used in candles, polish, and cosmetics.

beet

noun

A plant grown for its edible root, often deep red, or that root used as a vegetable.

Beethoven

name

A German surname, famously borne by composer Ludwig van Beethoven.

beetle

noun

An insect with hard, protective forewings that cover its flying wings.

beetlehead

noun

A stupid person; a blockhead.

beetroot

noun

The deep-red edible root of the beet plant.

Beets

name

A surname of Dutch origin, also the plural of the vegetable "beet".

befall

verb

To happen to someone, especially something unfortunate.

befalling

noun

A happening; occurrence; chance; event.

befeathered

adj

Feathered; covered or augmented with feathers.

befile

verb

To make filthy; befoul; soil.

befilth

verb

To cover with filth; make filthy; begrime.

befitting

adjective

Suitable or appropriate for a particular person, role, or occasion.

befog

verb

To envelop in fog or smoke.

befool

verb

To make a fool out of (someone); to fool, trick, or deceive (someone).

before

preposition

Earlier than a particular time or event.

beforehand

adverb

In advance; ahead of the time something is needed or expected to happen.

beforemath

noun

What precedes or produces a particular outcome; events that have yet to occur, or are in the process of occurring.

befoul

verb

To make foul; to soil; to contaminate, pollute.

befree

verb

To make or set free; liberate; deliver; release.

befriend

verb

To become someone's friend, or to act in a friendly, supportive way toward them.

befuddle

verb

To perplex, confuse (someone).

befuddlement

noun

The state of being befuddled; a feeling of being dazed and perplexed due to confusion.

beg

verb

To ask urgently for something, often money, food, or a favor.

began

verb

Past tense of begin: started to happen, or started to do something.

begat

verb

An old-fashioned past tense of "beget," meaning to father a child or bring something into existence.

begather

verb

To gather about; gather round; assemble.

beget

verb

To father a child, or more broadly, to be the cause or origin of something.