Irish–English dictionary

basún

A musical instrument in the woodwind family, having a double reed and playing in the tenor and bass ranges.

bata

A small, thin branch from a tree or bush; a twig; a branch.

bata croise

A device to assist in motion as a cane, especially one that provides support under the arm to reduce weight on a leg.

bata druma

A stick used to play drums. [from 16th c.]

bataiméadar

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

báúil

Of, related to, feeling, showing, or characterized by sympathy.

Baváir

A historic region, former duchy, former kingdom, and modern state of Germany; the modern state includes parts of historical Swabia and Franconia as well as historical Bavaria.

Bavárach

Of, from or relating to the state of Bavaria, Germany.

Bé

One of the nine Ancient Greek deities of the arts.

bé choille

(Greek mythology, Roman mythology) Any female nature spirit associated with water, forests, grotto, wind, etc.

béabhar

(countable) A semiaquatic rodent of the genus Castor, having a wide, flat tail and webbed feet, native to the Northern Hemisphere.

beacán

A fungus producing such fruiting bodies.

beacán bearaigh

Any inedible or poisonous mushroom, especially an amanita.

beach

(informal, proscribed) Any stinging flying insect, especially a wasp.

beach chapaill

Any of many types of stinging flying insect resembling a hornet.

beach fhiáin

Any of several species of large bee in the genus Bombus.

beach ghabhair

Any of many types of stinging flying insect resembling a hornet.

beachaire

A man-made structure in which honey bees are kept so that humans can harvest their honey.

beacht

Telling the truth or giving a true result; exact; not defective or faulty

beachtaigh

(transitive) To make something that was wrong become right; to remove error from.

beachtaíoch

Having a disposition to find fault unreasonably or to raise petty objections; cavilling, nitpicky.

beachtaíocht

(uncountable) The act of criticising; a critical judgment passed or expressed

beadaí

Fastidious and fussy, especially when eating.

beag

(preceded by another determiner) An indefinite, but usually small, number of.

beag bídeach

Of inferior significance, size, or strength; ineffective, small, weak. [from 16th c.]

beagaigh

(transitive) To lessen the authority or dignity of; to put down; to degrade; to abase; to weaken; to nerf (in gaming).

beagán

A small number of things.

beagnach

Very close to, but not quite.

beaichte

Attention to small details; accuracy.

beairic

(military, chiefly, in the plural) A building for soldiers, especially within a garrison; originally referred to temporary huts, now usually to a permanent structure or set of buildings.

béal

The end of a river out of which water flows into a sea or other large body of water; or the end of a tributary out of which water flows into a larger river.

Béal Feirste

The capital and largest city of Northern Ireland.

béal-leata

Wide open.

béala

The end of a river out of which water flows into a sea or other large body of water; or the end of a tributary out of which water flows into a larger river.

bealach

(geography) A long narrow inlet, or a strait between the mainland and an island; also, a strait connecting two seas, or connecting a sea or lake with the ocean.

bealach amach

A way out.

bealach níos éasca

A method to accomplish something that omits one or more steps.

bealach stuach

A passageway covered by an arch, particularly one made of masonry.

bealadh

(by extension) Any oily or fatty matter.

bealaigh

(transitive) To put grease or fat on something, especially in order to lubricate.

bealaíocht

Something used to enhance the flavor of food, for example, salt or pepper, especially when added by the eater to taste rather than by the cook.

bealaithe

Containing a lot of grease or fat.

bealaitheacht

(uncountable) The state of being viscous.

béalastán

(idiomatic, often, derogatory) A person who talks too much, especially by making exaggerated claims or by inappropriately revealing information.

béalbhach

A piece of metal placed in a horse's mouth and connected to the reins to direct the animal.

béalchlabach

Excessively or tiresomely talkative.

béalchráifeach

Making a show of being morally better than others, especially hypocritically pious.

béaldath

(uncountable) Makeup for the lips.

béalfhliuch

Abounding with drizzle; drizzling.

Béalgrád

The capital city of Serbia; the former capital of Yugoslavia; the former capital of Serbia and Montenegro.

béalóg

The part of a wind instrument that is held in or against the mouth.

béalráiteach

Tending to talk a lot.

béalsceiteach

Not discreet; lacking in discretion.

Bealtaine

The fifth month of the Gregorian calendar, following April and preceding June.

béalteann

Having excessive pride in oneself, often with contempt or disrespect for others.

bean

A female person, usually an adult: a (generally adult) female sentient being, whether human, supernatural, elf, alien, etc.

bean an tí

The person responsible for governing a group that lives together, such as a family.

bean bhreá

(slang) An attractive person, especially a young woman. [from Template:SAFESUBST: c.]

bean chabhrach

(obstetrics) A person, usually a woman, who is trained to assist women in childbirth, but who is not a physician.

bean choimhdeachta

An older person who accompanies other younger people to ensure the propriety of their behaviour, often an older woman accompanying a young woman.

bean choiteann

A person who does, or offers to do, a demeaning or dishonourable activity for money or personal gain; someone who acts in a dishonourable way for personal advantage. [from 17th c.]

bean dhonn

A person, especially female, with brown hair.

bean díolacháin

A woman whose occupation it is to sell things.

bean faire

Someone who takes care of a place or thing; someone looking after a place, or responsible for keeping it in good repair.

bean feasa

A person who professes to predict the future in return for money.

bean fuála

A woman who works with a needle; a female embroiderer, sewer, etc.

bean ghlúine

(obstetrics) A person, usually a woman, who is trained to assist women in childbirth, but who is not a physician.

bean ionaid

(sports) A player who is available to replace another if the need arises, and who may or may not actually do so.

bean leapa

A woman who lives with a man, but who is not a wife.

bean léinn

A senior member of an academy, college, or university; a person who attends an academy; a person engaged in scholarly pursuits; one who is academic in practice. [First attested in the late 16th century.]

bean luí

A woman who lives with a man, but who is not a wife.

bean rua

A person with red hair.

bean sabhdáin

A wife or mistress of a sultan.

bean shingil

(sometimes, derogatory) A woman who has never been married, especially one past the typical marrying age according to social traditions.

bean sí

(Scotland, Ireland, , folklore) A female spirit, usually taking the form of a woman whose mournful wailing warns of an impending death.

bean siopa

A woman whose occupation it is to sell things.

bean snáthaide

A woman who works with a needle; a female embroiderer, sewer, etc.

bean sráide

A person who does, or offers to do, a demeaning or dishonourable activity for money or personal gain; someone who acts in a dishonourable way for personal advantage. [from 17th c.]

bean tí

Someone (traditionally a woman) employed to look after the home, typically by managing domestic servants or superintending household management; also someone with equivalent duties in a hotel, institution etc. [from 16th c.]

bean uasal

(historical) A woman of the nobility.

bean Ultach

A woman from Ulster, Ireland.

bean Wicca

A follower of Wicca.

Beangáilis

A language spoken in Bangladesh and the states of Assam, Tripura and West Bengal, India.

Beangál

A geographic region in the northeast of South Asia today divided between Bangladesh and India (particularly the state of West Bengal).

Beangálach

Of, from or pertaining to Bengal or the Bengalis.

beangán

A descendant, especially a first-generation descendant of a distinguished family.

beannach

Having antlers.

beannacht

A short invocation for help, blessing and guidance from God, said on behalf of another person or persons (sometimes at the end of a church worship service).

beannacht Dé leat

Farewell; a formula used to another person or persons when the speaker, writer, or person addressed is departing.

beannaíocht

(uncountable, religion) Reverence and devotion to God.

beannaithe

Dedicated to a religious purpose or a god.

beannaitheacht

(uncountable) Supreme, utmost bliss and happiness.

beannán

(historical) A hood; a close-fitting cap covering much of the head, widespread until the 18th century; after that worn only by small children and country women.

Beannchar

A town in County Offaly, Ireland.

beár

The counter of such premises.

bearach

A young female cow, (particularly) one over one year old but which has not calved.

bearbóir

A person whose profession is cutting the hair and beards of usually male customers.

Béarla

English-language; of or pertaining to the language, descended from Anglo-Saxon, which developed in England.

Béarlach

English-language; of or pertaining to the language, descended from Anglo-Saxon, which developed in England.

béarlagair

(uncountable) A technical terminology unique to a particular subject.

béarmhargadh

(finance) A stock market where a majority of investors are selling ("bears"), causing overall stock prices to drop. Often operationally defined as a market value drop of 20% or more on some specific stock market index.

bearna

A gap or opening made by breaking or battering, as in a wall, fortification or levee / embankment; the space between the parts of a solid body rent by violence.

bearna bhaoil

A gap or opening made by breaking or battering, as in a wall, fortification or levee / embankment; the space between the parts of a solid body rent by violence.

bearnach

having breaks or interruptions; intermittent

Bearnárd

A en given name.

bearr

(transitive) To remove the outer parts of a photograph or other image, typically in order to frame the subject better.

bearradh

(countable, linguistics) A short form (of a longer word) created by removing syllables, often terminal ones.

bearradh dlúth

A short haircut.

bearradh gairid gruaige

A short haircut.

bearránach

Causing irritation or annoyance; troublesome; vexatious.

beart

Specifically, such a tactic or artifice in military operation.

beartach

(pejorative) Tending to scheme; forming underhand plots.

beartaíocht

A maneuver, or action calculated to achieve some end.

beartas

(in plural) Actions designed to achieve some purpose; plans. [from 17th c.]

Beartlaidh

An Apostle, identified with Nathanael. (biblical character)

Bearú

A river in eastern Ireland, which flows from County Laois, via County Kildare, County Kilkenny, County Carlow, County Wexford and County Waterford to Waterford Harbour.

béarúil

(stock market, of the price of financial instruments) Characterized by or expecting falling prices.

béas

A slightly yellowish gray colour, as that of unbleached wool.

béasa

Having a slightly yellowish gray colour, as that of unbleached wool.

béasach

(comparable) Behaving in a reasonable or polite manner; avoiding displays of hostility.

beatha

(uncountable) The state of organisms preceding their death, characterized by biological processes such as metabolism and reproduction and distinguishing them from inanimate objects; the state of being alive and living.

beathaigh

(transitive) To cause (a person or animal) to be fat or fatter.

beathaisnéis

A person's life story, especially one published.

beathaisnéisí

The writer of a biography; a professional writer of biographies.

beathaitheacht

The state, quality, or condition of being fat.

beathú cíche a thabhairt

(transitive, intransitive) To feed (a baby) milk via the breasts; to suckle; to nurse.

beathúil

That provides nourishment; nutritious.

béic

The cry of an animal, now chiefly that of animals related to the ass or donkey, or the camel.

béiceach

Creating a loud noise. (of people, animals or things)

Beidiúnach

A member of nomadic Arab tribes dwelling in the desert.

béile

(countable) Food that is prepared and eaten, usually at a specific time, and usually in a comparatively large quantity (as opposed to a snack).

béile maidine

The first meal of the day, usually eaten in the morning.

Beilgeach

Of, from, or pertaining to Belgium or the Belgian people.

Beilís

An English-speaking country in Central America, formerly called British Honduras.

béim

(music) A pulse on the beat level, the metric level at which pulses are heard as the basic unit. Thus a beat is the basic time unit of a piece.

béim a chur ar

(transitive) To stress, give emphasis or extra weight to (something).

béim a leagan ar

(transitive) To emphasize or draw attention to.

Beinidict

(countable) A en given name, particularly of the sixth-century founder of the Benedictine order, and of several popes.

Beinin

A country in West Africa, formerly Dahomey.

beinséin

(organic compound) An aromatic hydrocarbon of formula C6H6 whose structure consists of a ring of alternate single and double bonds.

Beirbeireach

Of the Berber people, their culture, or their language.

Beirbeiris

A group of closely related Afroasiatic languages spoken in northern Africa, particularly Morocco and Algeria.

beiré

(headwear) A type of round, brimless cap with a soft top and a headband to secure it to the head; usually culturally associated with France.

beirigh

(transitive, of liquids) To heat to the point where it begins to turn into a gas.

beirilliam

(uncountable) The chemical element (symbol Be) with an atomic number of 4; a soft silvery-white low density alkaline earth metal with specialist industrial applications.

beiriste

(card games) A card game played with four players playing as two teams of two players each.

Béiriút

The capital and largest city of Lebanon.

Beirmiúda

An archipelago and overseas territory of the United Kingdom in the North Atlantic Ocean, 580 nautical miles (1074 kilometers) east-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.

Beirmiúdach

Of, from, or pertaining to Bermuda, or the Bermudian people.

Beirmiúdaí

An archipelago and overseas territory of the United Kingdom in the North Atlantic Ocean, 580 nautical miles (1074 kilometers) east-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.