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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backstairs | (adjective) secret and sly or sordid | Synonyms: backstair, furtive |
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(noun) a second staircase at the rear of a building | - |
backstay | (noun) a stay that supports the back of something | - |
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backstitch | (noun) an overlapping stitch made by starting the next stitch at the middle of the preceding one | - |
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(verb) do backstitches | - |
backstop | (noun) a precaution in case of an emergency | - |
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(noun) (baseball) a fence or screen (as behind home plate) to prevent the ball from traveling out of the playing field | - |
(noun) (baseball) the person who plays the position of catcher | Synonyms: catcher |
(verb) act as a backstop | - |
backstroke | (noun) a swimming stroke that resembles the crawl except the swimmer lies on his or her back | - |
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(verb) swim on one's back | - |
backstroker | (noun) someone who swims the backstroke | - |
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backswept | (adjective) used of hair | Synonyms: sweptback |
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backswimmer | (noun) predaceous aquatic insect that swims on its back and may inflict painful bites | Synonyms: Notonecta undulata |
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backsword | (noun) a sword with only one cutting edge | - |
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(noun) a stick used instead of a sword for fencing | Synonyms: fencing stick, singlestick |
backtalk | (noun) an impudent or insolent rejoinder | Synonyms: back talk, lip, mouth, sass, sassing |
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backtrack | (verb) retrace one's course | Synonyms: double back, turn back |
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backup | (noun) the act of providing approval and support | Synonyms: backing, championship, patronage |
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(noun) (computer science) a copy of a file or directory on a separate storage device | Synonyms: computer backup |
(noun) a musical part (vocal or instrumental) that supports or provides background for other musical parts | Synonyms: accompaniment, musical accompaniment, support |
(noun) someone who takes the place of another (as when things get dangerous or difficult) | Synonyms: backup man, fill-in, relief, reliever, stand-in, substitute |
(noun) an accumulation caused by clogging or a stoppage | - |
backward | (adjective) directed or facing toward the back or rear | - |
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(adjective) (used of temperament or behavior) marked by a retiring nature | - |
(adjective) retarded in intellectual development | Synonyms: feebleminded, half-witted, slow-witted |
(adjective) having made less than normal progress | - |
(adverb) in a manner or order or direction the reverse of normal | Synonyms: backwards |
(adverb) in or to or toward a past time | Synonyms: back |
(adverb) at or to or toward the back or rear | Synonyms: back, backwards, rearward, rearwards |
backwardation | (noun) the market condition wherein the price of a forward or futures contract is trading below the expected spot price at contract maturity. | - |
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backwardness | (noun) lack of normal development of intellectual capacities | Synonyms: mental retardation, retardation, slowness, subnormality |
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backwards | (adverb) in a manner or order or direction the reverse of normal | Synonyms: backward |
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(adverb) at or to or toward the back or rear | Synonyms: back, backward, rearward, rearwards |
backwash | (noun) the wave that spreads behind a boat as it moves forward | Synonyms: wake |
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(noun) the flow of air that is driven backwards by an aircraft propeller | Synonyms: airstream, race, slipstream, wash |
(noun) the consequences of an event (especially a catastrophic event) | Synonyms: aftermath, wake |
backwater | (noun) a place or condition in which no development or progress is occurring | - |
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(noun) a body of water that was created by a flood or tide or by being held or forced back by a dam | - |
backwoods | (noun) a remote and undeveloped area | Synonyms: back country, boondocks, hinterland |
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backwoodsman | (noun) a man who lives on the frontier | Synonyms: frontiersman, mountain man |
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backyard | (noun) the grounds in back of a house | - |
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bacon | (noun) back and sides of a hog salted and dried or smoked; usually sliced thin and fried | - |
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bacteremia | (noun) transient presence of bacteria (or other microorganisms) in the blood | Synonyms: bacteriaemia, bacteriemia |
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bacteremic | (adjective) of or relating to or having bacteremia | - |
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bacteria | (noun) (microbiology) single-celled or noncellular spherical or spiral or rod-shaped organisms lacking chlorophyll that reproduce by fission; important as pathogens and for biochemical properties; taxonomy is difficult; often considered to be plants | Synonyms: bacterium |
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bacteriacide | (noun) any chemical agent that destroys bacteria | Synonyms: bactericide |
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bacteriaemia | (noun) transient presence of bacteria (or other microorganisms) in the blood | Synonyms: bacteremia, bacteriemia |
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bacterial | (adjective) relating to or caused by bacteria | - |
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bacterially | (adverb) by bacteria | - |
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bactericidal | (adjective) preventing infection by inhibiting the growth or action of microorganisms | Synonyms: disinfectant, germicidal |
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bactericide | (noun) any drug that destroys bacteria or inhibits their growth | Synonyms: antibacterial, antibacterial drug |
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(noun) any chemical agent that destroys bacteria | Synonyms: bacteriacide |
bacteriemia | (noun) transient presence of bacteria (or other microorganisms) in the blood | Synonyms: bacteremia, bacteriaemia |
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bacteriochlorophyll | (noun) a substance in photosensitive bacteria that is related to but different from chlorophyll of higher plants | - |
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bacterioid | (adjective) resembling bacteria | Synonyms: bacterioidal, bacteroid, bacteroidal |
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bacterioidal | (adjective) resembling bacteria | Synonyms: bacterioid, bacteroid, bacteroidal |
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bacteriologic | (adjective) of or relating to bacteriology | Synonyms: bacteriological |
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bacteriological | (adjective) of or relating to bacteriology | Synonyms: bacteriologic |
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bacteriologist | (noun) a biologist who studies bacteria | - |
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bacteriology | (noun) the branch of medical science that studies bacteria in relation to disease | - |
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bacteriolysis | (noun) dissolution or destruction of bacteria | - |
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bacteriolytic | (adjective) of or relating to or causing bacteriolysis | - |
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bacteriophage | (noun) a virus that is parasitic (reproduces itself) in bacteria | Synonyms: phage |
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bacteriophagic | (adjective) of or relating to bacteriophages | Synonyms: bacteriophagous |
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bacteriophagous | (adjective) of or relating to bacteriophages | Synonyms: bacteriophagic |
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bacteriostasis | (noun) inhibition of the growth of bacteria | - |
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bacteriostat | (noun) a chemical or biological material that inhibits bacterial growth | - |
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bacteriostatic | (adjective) of or relating to or causing bacteriostasis | - |
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bacterise | (verb) subject to the action of bacteria | Synonyms: bacterize |
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bacterium | (noun) (microbiology) single-celled or noncellular spherical or spiral or rod-shaped organisms lacking chlorophyll that reproduce by fission; important as pathogens and for biochemical properties; taxonomy is difficult; often considered to be plants | Synonyms: bacteria |
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bacterize | (verb) subject to the action of bacteria | Synonyms: bacterise |
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bacteroid | (adjective) resembling bacteria | Synonyms: bacterioid, bacterioidal, bacteroidal |
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(noun) a rodlike bacterium (especially any of the rod-shaped or branched bacteria in the root nodules of nitrogen-fixing plants) | - |
bacteroidal | (adjective) resembling bacteria | Synonyms: bacterioid, bacterioidal, bacteroid |
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baculiform | (adjective) formed like a bacillus | Synonyms: bacillar, bacillary, bacilliform, rod-shaped |
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bad | (adjective) having undesirable or negative qualities | - |
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(adjective) feeling or expressing regret or sorrow or a sense of loss over something done or undone | Synonyms: regretful, sorry |
(adjective) reproduced fraudulently | Synonyms: forged |
(adjective) characterized by wickedness or immorality | - |
(adjective) capable of harming | - |
(adjective) below average in quality or performance | - |
(adjective) serious or severe | Synonyms: big |
(adjective) not capable of being collected | Synonyms: uncollectible |
(adjective) not working properly | Synonyms: defective |
(adjective) nonstandard | - |
(adjective) (of foodstuffs) not in an edible or usable condition | Synonyms: spoiled, spoilt |
(adjective) feeling physical discomfort or pain (`tough' is occasionally used colloquially for `bad') | Synonyms: tough |
(adjective) physically unsound or diseased | Synonyms: unfit, unsound |
(adjective) not financially safe or secure | Synonyms: high-risk, risky, speculative |
(noun) that which is below standard or expectations as of ethics or decency | Synonyms: badness |
(adverb) very much; strongly | Synonyms: badly |
(adverb) with great intensity (`bad' is a nonstandard variant for `badly') | Synonyms: badly |
badass | (adjective) being impressive due to extreme attitude or style | - |
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(noun) A mean or belligerent person | - |
(noun) A person considered impressive due to extreme attitudes, behavior or appearance | - |
baddeleyite | (noun) a mineral consisting of zirconium oxide | - |
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baddie | (noun) the principal bad character in a film or work of fiction | Synonyms: villain |
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badge | (noun) any feature that is regarded as a sign of status (a particular power or quality or rank) | - |
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(noun) an emblem (a small piece of plastic or cloth or metal) that signifies your status (rank or membership or affiliation etc.) | - |
(verb) put a badge on | - |
badger | (noun) sturdy carnivorous burrowing mammal with strong claws; widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere | - |
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(verb) persuade through constant efforts | - |
(verb) annoy persistently | Synonyms: beleaguer, bug, pester, tease |
badgerer | (noun) someone who tries to embarrass you with gibes and questions and objections | Synonyms: heckler |
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badgering | (noun) the act of harassing someone | Synonyms: bedevilment, torment, worrying |
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badinage | (noun) frivolous banter | - |
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badlands | (noun) deeply eroded barren land | - |
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badly | (adverb) (`ill' is often used as a combining form) in a poor or improper or unsatisfactory manner; not well | Synonyms: ill, poorly |
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(adverb) to a severe or serious degree | Synonyms: gravely, seriously, severely |
(adverb) very much; strongly | Synonyms: bad |
(adverb) with great intensity (`bad' is a nonstandard variant for `badly') | Synonyms: bad |
(adverb) in a disobedient or naughty way | Synonyms: mischievously, naughtily |
(adverb) evilly or wickedly | - |
(adverb) unfavorably or with disapproval | Synonyms: ill |
(adverb) with unusual distress or resentment or regret or emotional display | - |
(adverb) in a disadvantageous way; to someone's disadvantage | Synonyms: disadvantageously |
(adverb) without skill or in a displeasing manner | - |
badminton | (noun) a game played on a court with light long-handled rackets used to volley a shuttlecock over a net | - |
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badmouth | (verb) speak unfavorably about | Synonyms: drag through the mud, malign, traduce |
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badness | (noun) that which is below standard or expectations as of ethics or decency | Synonyms: bad |
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(noun) used of the degree of something undesirable e.g. pain or weather | Synonyms: severeness, severity |
(noun) an attribute of mischievous children | Synonyms: mischievousness, naughtiness |
baedeker | (noun) any of a series of travel guidebooks published by the German firm founded by Karl Baedeker | - |
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baffle | (noun) a flat plate that controls or directs the flow of fluid or energy | Synonyms: baffle board |
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(verb) restrain the emission of (sound, fluid, etc.) | Synonyms: regulate |
(verb) be a mystery or bewildering to | Synonyms: amaze, beat, bewilder, dumbfound, flummox, get, gravel, mystify, nonplus, perplex, pose, puzzle, stick, stupefy, vex |
(verb) hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of | Synonyms: bilk, cross, foil, frustrate, queer, scotch, spoil, thwart |
baffled | (adjective) perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements; filled with bewilderment | Synonyms: at sea, befuddled, bemused, bewildered, confounded, confused, lost, mazed, mixed-up |
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(noun) people who are frustrated and perplexed | - |
bafflement | (noun) confusion resulting from failure to understand | Synonyms: befuddlement, bemusement, bewilderment, mystification, obfuscation, puzzlement |
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baffling | (adjective) making great mental demands; hard to comprehend or solve or believe | Synonyms: elusive, knotty, problematic, problematical, tough |
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bag | (noun) an activity that you like or at which you are superior | Synonyms: cup of tea, dish |
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(noun) mammary gland of bovids (cows and sheep and goats) | Synonyms: udder |
(noun) a flexible container with a single opening | - |
(noun) a portable rectangular container for carrying clothes | Synonyms: grip, suitcase, traveling bag, travelling bag |
(noun) a container used for carrying money and small personal items or accessories (especially by women) | Synonyms: handbag, pocketbook, purse |
(noun) a place that the runner must touch before scoring | Synonyms: base |
(noun) an ugly or ill-tempered woman | Synonyms: old bag |
(noun) the quantity that a bag will hold | Synonyms: bagful |
(noun) the quantity of game taken in a particular period (usually by one person) | - |
(verb) put into a bag | - |
(verb) capture or kill, as in hunting | - |
(verb) take unlawfully | Synonyms: pocket |
(verb) bulge out; form a bulge outward, or be so full as to appear to bulge | Synonyms: bulge |
(verb) hang loosely, like an empty bag | - |
bagascosis | (noun) alveolitis caused by inhaling bagasse (sugarcane dust) | Synonyms: bagassosis |
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bagasse | (noun) the dry dusty pulp that remains after juice is extracted from sugar cane or similar plants | - |
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bagassosis | (noun) alveolitis caused by inhaling bagasse (sugarcane dust) | Synonyms: bagascosis |
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bagatelle | (noun) a table game in which short cues are used to knock balls into holes that are guarded by wooden pegs; penalties are incurred if the pegs are knocked over | Synonyms: bar billiards |
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(noun) something of little value or significance | Synonyms: fluff, frippery, frivolity |
(noun) a light piece of music for piano | - |
bagel | (noun) (Yiddish) glazed yeast-raised doughnut-shaped roll with hard crust | Synonyms: beigel |
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bagful | (noun) the quantity that a bag will hold | Synonyms: bag |
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baggage | (noun) cases used to carry belongings when traveling | Synonyms: luggage |
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(noun) the portable equipment and supplies of an army | - |
(noun) a worthless or immoral woman | - |
baggageman | (noun) an attendant who takes care of baggage | - |
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bagger | (noun) a machine for putting objects or substances into bags | - |
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(noun) a workman employed to pack things into containers | Synonyms: boxer, packer |
bagging | (noun) coarse fabric used for bags or sacks | Synonyms: sacking |
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baggy | (adjective) not fitting closely; hanging loosely | Synonyms: loose-fitting, sloppy |
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