| abaca | (noun) Philippine banana tree having leafstalks that yield Manila hemp used for rope and paper etc | Synonyms: Manila hemp, Musa textilis |
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| (noun) a kind of hemp obtained from the abaca plant in the Philippines | Synonyms: Manila hemp, Manilla hemp |
| abacinate | (verb) blind by holding a red-hot metal plate before someone's eyes | - |
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| aback | (adverb) by surprise | - |
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| (adverb) having the wind against the forward side of the sails | - |
| abactinal | (adjective) (of radiate animals) located on the surface or end opposite to that on which the mouth is situated | - |
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| abacus | (noun) a calculator that performs arithmetic functions by manually sliding counters on rods or in grooves | - |
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| (noun) a tablet placed horizontally on top of the capital of a column as an aid in supporting the architrave | - |
| abbacy | (noun) the jurisdiction or office of an abbot | - |
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| ahorseback | (adjective) traveling on horseback | Synonyms: ahorse |
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| (adverb) on the back of a horse | Synonyms: ahorse, horseback |
| albacore | (noun) large pelagic tuna the source of most canned tuna; reaches 93 pounds and has long pectoral fins; found worldwide in tropical and temperate waters | Synonyms: long-fin tunny, Thunnus alalunga |
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| (noun) relatively small tuna with choice white flesh; major source of canned tuna | - |
| antibacterial | (adjective) destroying bacteria or inhibiting their growth | - |
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| (noun) any drug that destroys bacteria or inhibits their growth | Synonyms: antibacterial drug, bactericide |
| archaebacteria | (noun) considered ancient life forms that evolved separately from bacteria and blue-green algae | Synonyms: archaebacterium, archaeobacteria, archeobacteria |
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| archaebacterium | (noun) considered ancient life forms that evolved separately from bacteria and blue-green algae | Synonyms: archaebacteria, archaeobacteria, archeobacteria |
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| archaeobacteria | (noun) considered ancient life forms that evolved separately from bacteria and blue-green algae | Synonyms: archaebacteria, archaebacterium, archeobacteria |
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| archeobacteria | (noun) considered ancient life forms that evolved separately from bacteria and blue-green algae | Synonyms: archaebacteria, archaebacterium, archaeobacteria |
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| asarabacca | (noun) thick creeping evergreen herb of western Europe | Synonyms: Asarum europaeum |
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| bacca | (noun) an indehiscent fruit derived from a single ovary having one or many seeds within a fleshy wall or pericarp: e.g. grape, tomato, cranberry | Synonyms: simple fruit |
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| baccalaureate | (noun) an academic degree conferred on someone who has successfully completed undergraduate studies | Synonyms: bachelor's degree |
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| (noun) a farewell sermon to a graduating class at their commencement ceremonies | - |
| baccarat | (noun) a card game played in casinos in which two or more punters gamble against the banker; the player wins who holds 2 or 3 cards that total closest to nine | Synonyms: chemin de fer |
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| baccate | (adjective) resembling a berry | Synonyms: berrylike |
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| (adjective) producing or bearing berries | Synonyms: bacciferous, berried |
| bacchanal | (adjective) used of riotously drunken merrymaking | Synonyms: bacchanalian, bacchic, carousing, orgiastic |
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| (noun) a wild gathering involving excessive drinking and promiscuity | Synonyms: bacchanalia, debauch, debauchery, drunken revelry, orgy, riot, saturnalia |
| (noun) someone who engages in drinking bouts | Synonyms: bacchant, drunken reveler, drunken reveller |
| (noun) a drunken reveller; a devotee of Bacchus | Synonyms: bacchant |
| bacchanalia | (noun) a wild gathering involving excessive drinking and promiscuity | Synonyms: bacchanal, debauch, debauchery, drunken revelry, orgy, riot, saturnalia |
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| bacchanalian | (adjective) used of riotously drunken merrymaking | Synonyms: bacchanal, bacchic, carousing, orgiastic |
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| bacchant | (noun) (classical mythology) a priest or votary of Bacchus | - |
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| (noun) a drunken reveller; a devotee of Bacchus | Synonyms: bacchanal |
| (noun) someone who engages in drinking bouts | Synonyms: bacchanal, drunken reveler, drunken reveller |
| bacchante | (noun) (classical mythology) a priestess or votary of Bacchus | - |
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| bacchantic | (adjective) of or relating to or resembling a bacchanalian reveler | - |
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| bacchic | (adjective) used of riotously drunken merrymaking | Synonyms: bacchanal, bacchanalian, carousing, orgiastic |
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| bacciferous | (adjective) producing or bearing berries | Synonyms: baccate, berried |
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| baccivorous | (adjective) feeding on berries | - |
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| baccy | (noun) leaves of the tobacco plant dried and prepared for smoking or ingestion | Synonyms: tobacco |
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| bach | (verb) lead a bachelor's existence | Synonyms: bachelor |
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| bachelor | (noun) a man who has never been married | Synonyms: unmarried man |
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| (noun) a knight of the lowest order; could display only a pennon | Synonyms: bachelor-at-arms, knight bachelor |
| (verb) lead a bachelor's existence | Synonyms: bach |
| bachelorette | (noun) a young unmarried woman who lives alone | Synonyms: bachelor girl |
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| bachelorhood | (noun) the state of being an unmarried man | - |
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| (noun) the time of a man's life prior to marriage | - |
| bacillar | (adjective) relating to or produced by or containing bacilli | Synonyms: bacillary |
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| (adjective) formed like a bacillus | Synonyms: bacillary, bacilliform, baculiform, rod-shaped |
| bacillary | (adjective) relating to or produced by or containing bacilli | Synonyms: bacillar |
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| (adjective) formed like a bacillus | Synonyms: bacillar, bacilliform, baculiform, rod-shaped |
| bacilliform | (adjective) formed like a bacillus | Synonyms: bacillar, bacillary, baculiform, rod-shaped |
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| bacillus | (noun) aerobic rod-shaped spore-producing bacterium; often occurring in chainlike formations; found primarily in soil | Synonyms: B |
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| bacitracin | (noun) a polypeptide antibiotic of known chemical structure effective against several types of Gram-positive organisms; usually applied locally | - |
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| back | (adjective) related to or located at the back | - |
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| (adjective) of an earlier date | - |
| (adjective) located at or near the back of an animal | Synonyms: hind, hinder |
| (noun) (American football) the position of a player on a football team who is stationed behind the line of scrimmage | - |
| (noun) the side that goes last or is not normally seen | Synonyms: rear |
| (noun) a support that you can lean against while sitting | Synonyms: backrest |
| (noun) the part of a garment that covers the back of your body | - |
| (noun) the protective covering on the front, back, and spine of a book | Synonyms: binding, book binding, cover |
| (noun) the posterior part of a human (or animal) body from the neck to the end of the spine | Synonyms: dorsum |
| (noun) the series of vertebrae forming the axis of the skeleton and protecting the spinal cord | Synonyms: backbone, rachis, spinal column, spine, vertebral column |
| (noun) the part of something that is furthest from the normal viewer | Synonyms: rear |
| (noun) (football) a person who plays in the backfield | - |
| (adverb) at or to or toward the back or rear | Synonyms: backward, backwards, rearward, rearwards |
| (adverb) in or to or toward a past time | Synonyms: backward |
| (adverb) in repayment or retaliation | - |
| (adverb) in or to or toward a former location | - |
| (adverb) in or to or toward an original condition | - |
| (adverb) in reply | - |
| (verb) establish as valid or genuine | Synonyms: back up |
| (verb) strengthen by providing with a back or backing | - |
| (verb) shift to a counterclockwise direction | - |
| (verb) place a bet on | Synonyms: bet on, gage, game, punt, stake |
| (verb) travel backward | - |
| (verb) cause to travel backward | - |
| (verb) support financial backing for | - |
| (verb) be behind; approve of | Synonyms: endorse, indorse, plump for, plunk for, support |
| (verb) give support or one's approval to | Synonyms: endorse, indorse, second |
| (verb) be in back of | - |
| backache | (noun) an ache localized in the back | - |
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| backband | (noun) a broad band that passes over the back of a horse and supports the shafts of a vehicle | - |
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| backbeat | (noun) a loud steady beat | - |
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| backbench | (noun) any of the seats occupied by backbenchers in the House of Commons | - |
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| backbencher | (noun) a member of the House of Commons who is not a party leader | - |
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| backbend | (noun) an acrobatic feat in which the trunk is bent backward from a standing position until the hands touch the floor | - |
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| backbite | (verb) say mean things | Synonyms: bitch |
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| backbiter | (noun) one who attacks the reputation of another by slander or libel | Synonyms: defamer, libeler, maligner, slanderer, traducer, vilifier |
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| backblast | (noun) backfire from a recoilless weapon | Synonyms: back-blast |
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| backboard | (noun) a board used to support the back of someone or something | - |
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| (noun) a raised vertical board with basket attached; used to play basketball | Synonyms: basketball backboard |
| backbone | (noun) the part of a network that connects other networks together | - |
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| (noun) the part of a book's cover that encloses the inner side of the book's pages and that faces outward when the book is shelved | Synonyms: spine |
| (noun) fortitude and determination | Synonyms: grit, gumption, guts, moxie, sand |
| (noun) the series of vertebrae forming the axis of the skeleton and protecting the spinal cord | Synonyms: back, rachis, spinal column, spine, vertebral column |
| (noun) a central cohesive source of support and stability | Synonyms: anchor, keystone, linchpin, lynchpin, mainstay |
| backbreaking | (adjective) characterized by effort to the point of exhaustion; especially physical effort | Synonyms: arduous, grueling, gruelling, hard, heavy, laborious, operose, punishing, toilsome |
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| backchat | (noun) light teasing repartee | Synonyms: banter, give-and-take, raillery |
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| backcloth | (noun) scenery hung at back of stage | Synonyms: backdrop, background |
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| backcross | (verb) mate a hybrid of the first generation with one of its parents | - |
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| backdate | (verb) make effective from an earlier date | - |
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| backdoor | (noun) a secret or underhand means of access (to a place or a position) | Synonyms: back door |
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| (noun) an entrance at the rear of a building | Synonyms: back door, back entrance |
| (noun) an undocumented way to get access to a computer system or the data it contains | Synonyms: back door |
| backdown | (noun) a retraction of a previously held position | Synonyms: climb-down, withdrawal |
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| backdrop | (noun) scenery hung at back of stage | Synonyms: backcloth, background |
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| backed | (adjective) having a back or backing, usually of a specified type | - |
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| (adjective) used of film that is coated on the side opposite the emulsion with a substance to absorb light | - |
| backer | (noun) someone who provides financial support for some venture | Synonyms: angel |
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| backfield | (noun) the offensive football players who line up behind the linemen | - |
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| backfire | (noun) a miscalculation that recoils on its maker | Synonyms: boomerang |
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| (noun) a loud noise made by the explosion of fuel in the manifold or exhaust of an internal combustion engine | - |
| (noun) the backward escape of gases and unburned gunpowder after a gun is fired | Synonyms: blowback |
| (noun) a fire that is set intentionally in order to slow an approaching forest fire or grassfire by clearing a burned area in its path | - |
| (verb) set a controlled fire to halt an advancing forest to prairie fire | - |
| (verb) emit a loud noise as a result of undergoing a backfire | - |
| (verb) come back to the originator of an action with an undesired effect | Synonyms: backlash, recoil |
| backflow | (noun) a flow that returns toward its source | Synonyms: backflowing |
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| backflowing | (noun) a flow that returns toward its source | Synonyms: backflow |
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| backgammon | (noun) a board game for two players; pieces move according to throws of the dice | - |
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| background | (noun) scenery hung at back of stage | Synonyms: backcloth, backdrop |
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| (noun) (computer science) the area of the screen in graphical user interfaces against which icons and windows appear | Synonyms: desktop, screen background |
| (noun) a person's social heritage: previous experience or training | - |
| (noun) the part of a scene (or picture) that lies behind objects in the foreground | Synonyms: ground |
| (noun) information that is essential to understanding a situation or problem | Synonyms: background knowledge |
| (noun) extraneous signals that can be confused with the phenomenon to be observed or measured | Synonyms: background signal |
| (noun) relatively unimportant or inconspicuous accompanying situation | - |
| (noun) the state of the environment in which a situation exists | Synonyms: scope, setting |
| (verb) understate the importance or quality of | Synonyms: downplay, play down |
| backgrounder | (noun) a press conference or interview in which a government official explains to reporters the background of an action or policy | - |
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| backgrounding | (noun) the execution of low priority programs while higher priority programs are not using the processing system | Synonyms: background processing |
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| backhand | (adjective) (of racket strokes) made across the body with back of hand facing direction of stroke | Synonyms: backhanded |
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| (adjective) (of handwriting) having the letters slanting backward | Synonyms: left-slanting |
| (noun) a return made with the back of the hand facing the direction of the stroke | Synonyms: backhand shot, backhand stroke |
| (verb) hit a tennis ball backhand | - |
| backhanded | (adjective) (of racket strokes) made across the body with back of hand facing direction of stroke | Synonyms: backhand |
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| (adjective) roundabout or ambiguous | - |
| backhander | (noun) a backhanded blow | - |
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| backhoe | (noun) an excavator whose shovel bucket is attached to a hinged boom and is drawn backward to move earth | - |
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| backing | (noun) the act of providing approval and support | Synonyms: backup, championship, patronage |
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| (noun) something forming a back that is added for strengthening | Synonyms: mount |
| (noun) financial resources provided to make some project possible | Synonyms: financial backing, financial support, funding, support |
| backlash | (noun) an adverse reaction to some political or social occurrence | - |
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| (noun) a movement back from an impact | Synonyms: rebound, recoil, repercussion |
| (verb) come back to the originator of an action with an undesired effect | Synonyms: backfire, recoil |
| backless | (adjective) lacking a back | - |
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| backlighting | (noun) lighting from behind | - |
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| backlog | (noun) an accumulation of jobs not done or materials not processed that are yet to be dealt with (especially unfilled customer orders for products or services) | - |
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| (noun) something kept back or saved for future use or a special purpose | Synonyms: reserve, stockpile |
| (noun) the large log at the back of a hearth fire | - |
| (verb) accumulate and create a backlog | - |
| backmost | (adjective) located farthest to the rear | Synonyms: hindermost, hindmost, rearmost |
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| backpack | (noun) a bag carried by a strap on your back or shoulder | Synonyms: back pack, haversack, knapsack, packsack, rucksack |
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| (verb) hike with a backpack | Synonyms: pack |
| backpacker | (noun) a hiker who wears a backpack | Synonyms: packer |
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| backpacking | (noun) carrying something in a pack on the back | Synonyms: packing |
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| backpedal | (verb) modify one's opinion, make it less strong | - |
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| (verb) pedal backwards on a bicycle | - |
| (verb) step backwards, in boxing | - |
| backplate | (noun) plate armor protecting the back; worn as part of a cuirass | - |
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| backrest | (noun) a support that you can lean against while sitting | Synonyms: back |
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| backroom | (noun) the meeting place of a group of leaders who make their decisions via private negotiations | - |
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| backsaw | (noun) a handsaw that is stiffened by metal reinforcement along the upper edge | Synonyms: back saw |
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| backscatter | (verb) scatter (radiation) by the atoms of the medium through which it passes | - |
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| backscratcher | (noun) a long-handled scratcher for scratching your back | - |
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| (noun) someone who is willing to trade favors or services for mutual advantage | - |
| backseat | (noun) a seat at the back of a vehicle (especially the seat at the back of an automobile) | - |
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| (noun) a secondary or inferior position or status | - |
| backsheesh | (noun) a relatively small amount of money given for services rendered (as by a waiter) | Synonyms: baksheesh, bakshis, bakshish, gratuity, pourboire, tip |
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| backside | (noun) the fleshy part of the human body that you sit on | Synonyms: arse, ass, behind, bottom, bum, buns, butt, buttocks, can, derriere, fanny, fundament, hind end, hindquarters, keister, nates, posterior, prat, rear, rear end, rump, seat, stern, tail, tail end, tooshie, tush |
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| (noun) the side of an object that is opposite its front | Synonyms: back end, rear |
| backslap | (verb) display excessive cordiality (towards) | - |
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| backslapper | (noun) someone who demonstrates enthusiastic or excessive cordiality | - |
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| backslide | (verb) drop to a lower level, as in one's morals or standards | Synonyms: lapse |
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| backslider | (noun) someone who lapses into previous undesirable patterns of behavior | Synonyms: recidivist, reversionist |
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| backsliding | (noun) a failure to maintain a higher state | Synonyms: lapse, lapsing, relapse, relapsing, reversion, reverting |
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| backspace | (noun) the typewriter key used for back spacing | Synonyms: backspace key, backspacer |
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| (verb) hit the backspace key on a computer or typewriter keyboard | - |
| backspacer | (noun) the typewriter key used for back spacing | Synonyms: backspace, backspace key |
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| backspin | (noun) spin (usually of a moving ball) that retards or reverses the forward motion | - |
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| backstage | (adjective) concealed from public view or attention | Synonyms: offstage |
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| (noun) a stage area out of sight of the audience | Synonyms: offstage, wing |
| (adverb) in or to a backstage area of a theater | - |
| (adverb) out of view of the public; behind the scenes | - |
| backstair | (adjective) secret and sly or sordid | Synonyms: backstairs, furtive |
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