ballad
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C1 noun /ˈbæləd/

ballad

chanson narrative
Meaning
a narrative song or poem, often sentimental or romantic
Example
The singer performed a moving ballad about lost love.
Le chanteur a interprété une ballade émouvante sur l'amour perdu.
C1 adjective /bɪˈriːvd/

Bereaved

endeuillé
Meaning
having lost a loved one through death
Example
The bereaved family received many condolences.
La famille endeuillée a reçu de nombreuses condoléances.
C1 adjective /bɪˈmjuːzd/

bemused

perplexe, confus
Meaning
confused, puzzled, or lost in thought
Example
She looked bemused when he asked the strange question.
Elle avait l'air perdue quand il a posé la question étrange.
C1 verb /bɒmˈbɑːrd/

bombard

bombarder
Meaning
to attack continuously with bombs, questions, or other forces
Example
Reporters bombarded the minister with difficult questions.
Les journalistes ont bombardé le ministre avec des questions difficiles.
C1 adjective /ˌboʊnəˈfaɪdi/

Bonafide

authentique; légitime; véritable
Meaning
genuine; authentic; legitimate
Example
She is a bonafide expert in her field.
Elle est une véritable experte dans son domaine.
C1 noun /ˈbɔɪənsi/ or /ˈbuːjənsi/

buoyancy

flottabilité, gaieté
Meaning
The ability to float in a liquid; cheerfulness and optimism.
Example
Her natural buoyancy lifted the mood of the group.
Sa flottabilité naturelle a remonté le moral du groupe.
C1 noun, verb /buːz/

booze

alcool
Meaning
alcoholic drink, especially strong liquor; to drink alcohol, often excessively
Example
They bought some booze for the party.
Ils ont acheté de l’alcool pour la fête.
C1 noun /ˈbɪɡ.ət/

bigot

bigot
Meaning
A person who is intolerant toward those holding different opinions or beliefs.
Example
He was called a bigot for refusing to listen to others' views.
Il a été traité de bigot pour avoir refusé d'écouter les opinions des autres.
C1 adjective /bəˈroʊk/

baroque

style baroque
Meaning
relating to a highly ornate and extravagant style of art, architecture, or music from the 17th and early 18th centuries; excessively elaborate or complex
Example
The church was decorated in a baroque style with intricate details.
L'église était décorée dans un style baroque avec des détails complexes.
C1 noun /bəˈtæljən/

battalion

bataillon
Meaning
A large body of soldiers ready for battle, typically consisting of several companies.
Example
The battalion was deployed to the front line.
Le bataillon a été déployé sur la ligne de front.
C1 noun /ˈbjuːɡəl/

Bugle

bugle
Meaning
a brass musical instrument similar to a trumpet but without valves, used especially for military calls
Example
The soldier played the bugle to signal the start of the ceremony.
Le soldat a joué du bugle pour signaler le début de la cérémonie
C1 verb /blɛər/

blare

produire un bruit fort
Meaning
to make a loud, harsh sound
Example
The car horns blared all night.
Les klaxons des voitures ont retenti toute la nuit.
C1 adjective /ˈbleɪtənt/

blatant

flagrant
Meaning
done openly and unashamedly; obvious and offensive
Example
The company's blatant disregard for safety regulations angered the public.
Le mépris flagrant de l'entreprise pour les règles de sécurité a mis en colère le public.
C1 noun /ˈbænɪstər/

banister

rampe
Meaning
a railing supported by posts at the side of a staircase or balcony
Example
She held the banister tightly while going down the stairs.
Elle tenait fermement la rampe en descendant les escaliers.
C1 noun /ˈbɛd.rɒk/

bedrock

fondation
Meaning
the solid rock layer beneath the soil; the fundamental basis of something
Example
Trust is the bedrock of a healthy relationship.
La confiance est la fondation d'une relation saine.
C1 adjective /bəˈlɪdʒ.ər.ənt/

belligerent

belliqueux ou agressif
Meaning
Hostile and aggressive, ready to fight or argue.
Example
His belligerent attitude often leads to conflicts.
Son attitude belliqueuse mène souvent à des conflits.
C1 adjective /ˈblaɪtɪd/

blighted

détruit
Meaning
Spoiled, damaged, or destroyed.
Example
The blighted neighborhood was abandoned by most residents.
Le quartier détruit a été abandonné par la plupart des résidents.
C1 adjective /ˈbloʊtɪd/

bloated

gonflé
Meaning
swollen or puffed up, often unpleasantly
Example
After the big meal, he felt bloated and uncomfortable.
Après le grand repas, il se sentait gonflé et inconfortable.
C1 noun /brɪm/

Brim

bord; liseré
Meaning
the projecting edge of a hat; the edge or lip of something
Example
The wide brim of his hat protected him from the scorching sun.
Le large bord de son chapeau le protégeait du soleil brûlant.
C1 verb /ˈbruːtəlaɪz/

brutalize

brutaliser
Meaning
to treat someone with extreme violence or cruelty; to make something harsh or cruel
Example
The regime was accused of brutalizing innocent civilians.
Le régime a été accusé de brutaliser des civils innocents.
C1 noun /ˈbenɪˌfæktər/

Benefactor

bienfaiteur; mécène; donateur
Meaning
a person who gives money or other help to support a person or cause; a patron
Example
The anonymous benefactor donated millions to the hospital.
Le bienfaiteur anonyme a fait un don de millions à l'hôpital.
C1 noun /bruːˈtæləti/

brutality

brutalité
Meaning
extreme cruelty or violence; savage or inhumane treatment
Example
The brutality of the attack shocked the entire community.
La brutalité de l'attaque a choqué toute la communauté.
C1 noun /brɛdθ/

breadth

largeur
Meaning
The distance or measurement from side to side; width; a wide range.
Example
The breadth of his knowledge impressed everyone.
La largeur de ses connaissances a impressionné tout le monde.
C1 noun /ˈblʌdˌbæθ/

bloodbath

bain de sang
Meaning
an event in which a lot of people are killed or injured, especially in a violent conflict
Example
The war turned into a bloody bloodbath.
La guerre est devenue un bain de sang.
C1 verb /ˈbɒɡəl/

boggle

sidérer
Meaning
to overwhelm or confuse; to be astonished or puzzled by something
Example
The complexity of the puzzle boggled his mind.
La complexité du puzzle a sidéré son esprit.
C1 adjective /bəˈzɜːrk/

berserk

fou
Meaning
Out of control with anger or excitement; wild or frenzied.
Example
The fans went berserk when their team won the championship.
Les fans sont devenus fous lorsque leur équipe a gagné le championnat.
C1 noun/adjective /ˈbaɪ.ɡɒn/

bygone

passé
Meaning
Something belonging to an earlier time; past and no longer existing.
Example
He often talks about the traditions of bygone days.
Il parle souvent des traditions des jours passés.
C1 adjective /ˈbrɪslɪŋ/

bristling

hérissé; rempli d'énergie
Meaning
full of energy, anger, or excitement; showing bristles standing up
Example
He entered the room bristling with confidence.
Il entra dans la pièce tout en confiance.
C1 adjective /ˌbaɪˈlæt.ər.əl/

bilateral

bilatéral
Meaning
An agreement or relationship between two parties that is mutual, two-sided, or reciprocal.
Example
The two countries signed a bilateral trade agreement.
Les deux pays ont signé un accord commercial bilatéral.
C1 noun /ˈbaɪ.laɪn/

byline

ligne du nom de l'écrivain
Meaning
A line in a newspaper or magazine article that names the writer.
Example
Her byline appeared on the front page of the newspaper.
Sa ligne est apparue sur la première page du journal.
C1 phrase ˌbaɪ.oʊ.daɪˈvɜː.sɪ.ti ˌprez.əˈveɪ.ʃən

biodiversity preservation

préservation de la biodiversité
Meaning
The protection and conservation of the variety of life in all its forms, including different species, genetic diversity, and ecosystems.
Example
Biodiversity preservation is critical for ecological balance.
La préservation de la biodiversité est essentielle pour l'équilibre écologique.
C1 noun /ˈbaɪoʊˌsfɪr/

Biosphere

biosphère
Meaning
the regions of the surface and atmosphere of the earth occupied by living organisms
Example
Climate change is affecting the entire biosphere.
Le changement climatique affecte l'ensemble de la biosphère.
C1 adjective, noun /ˈbʊrʒ.wɑː/

bourgeois

bourgeois
Meaning
Relating to the middle class, often with materialistic values or conventional attitudes.
Example
The novel criticizes the bourgeois lifestyle of the city dwellers.
Le roman critique le mode de vie bourgeois des habitants de la ville.
C1 adjective /bɪˈfɪt.ɪŋ/

Befitting

approprié; convenable; adapté à une situation ou à une personne particulière
Meaning
appropriate; suitable; proper for a particular situation or person
Example
He wore formal attire befitting the important occasion.
Il portait une tenue formelle appropriée pour l'occasion importante.
C1 noun/verb /ˈbæntər/

banter

plaisanterie
Meaning
playful and friendly exchange of teasing remarks
Example
The colleagues enjoyed some light banter during the meeting.
Les collègues ont apprécié un peu de banter léger pendant la réunion.
C1 noun /ˈbaɪ.lɔː/

by-law

règlement
Meaning
A rule made by a company, organization, or local authority to control the actions of its members.
Example
The city council passed a new by-law regulating street vendors.
Le conseil municipal a adopté un nouveau règlement régissant les vendeurs ambulants.
C1 verb /bɔːl/

bawl

crier fort
Meaning
to shout or cry loudly
Example
The baby bawled all night, keeping everyone awake.
Le bébé a pleuré toute la nuit, empêchant tout le monde de dormir.
C1 verb; noun /beltʃ/

belch

roter
Meaning
to expel air noisily from the stomach through the mouth; to emit or pour out suddenly and forcefully
Example
After drinking the soda, he belched loudly.
Après avoir bu le soda, il a roté bruyamment.
C1 noun /ˈblæs.fə.mi/

blasphemy

blasphème
Meaning
the act of speaking disrespectfully about God or sacred things
Example
In some countries, blasphemy is a punishable offense.
Dans certains pays, le blasphème est un délit passible de punition.
C1 adjective /ˈboʊɡəs/

bogus

faux
Meaning
false, fake, or not genuine
Example
The police arrested him for using a bogus ID card.
La police l'a arrêté pour avoir utilisé une fausse carte d'identité.
C1 noun /ˈbɑːr.tər ˌsɪs.təm/

barter system

système d'échange
Meaning
A system of exchange where goods and services are traded directly without using money.
Example
Ancient civilizations used the barter system for trade.
Les civilisations anciennes utilisaient le système d'échange pour le commerce.
C1 noun /ˈbɑn.dɪdʒ/

Bondage

esclavage; captivité
Meaning
the state of being a slave; the state of being under the control of a force or influence
Example
The people fought to escape from the bondage of oppression.
Les gens se sont battus pour échapper à l'esclavage de l'oppression.
C1 noun /baɪl/

Bile

bile
Meaning
a bitter greenish-brown alkaline fluid that aids digestion and is secreted by the liver and stored in the gallbladder
Example
The liver produces bile to help digest fats.
Le foie produit de la bile pour aider à digérer les graisses.
C1 noun /bəˈnæn.zə/

Bonanza

une situation ou un événement qui entraîne une augmentation soudaine de la richesse, de la chance ou des bénéfices
Meaning
a situation or event that creates a sudden increase in wealth, good fortune, or profits
Example
The oil discovery was a bonanza for the small country.
La découverte de pétrole a été une bonanza pour le petit pays.
C1 noun /ˈbed sted/

Bed stead

cadre de lit
Meaning
the framework of a bed; a bed frame without bedding
Example
The wooden bed stead was very sturdy.
Le cadre en bois du lit était très solide.
C1 noun /ˈblɪs.tər/

Blister

ampoule
Meaning
a small bubble on the skin filled with serum and caused by friction, burning, or other damage
Example
The new shoes gave her a painful blister on her heel.
Les nouvelles chaussures lui ont causé une ampoule douloureuse au talon.
C1 noun /blæk plʌm/

Black plum

prune noire
Meaning
a dark purple or black colored edible fruit with sweet and sour taste
Example
I picked some fresh black plums from the tree in our backyard.
J'ai cueilli des prunes noires fraîches de l'arbre dans notre jardin.
C1 noun /ˌbɪbliˈɒɡrəfi/

bibliography

bibliographie
Meaning
a list of books, articles, or other sources used or referred to in scholarly work
Example
The report includes a detailed bibliography at the end.
Le rapport inclut une bibliographie détaillée à la fin.
C1 noun /ˈbʊl.ək/

Bullock

bœuf
Meaning
a young bull; a castrated bull used for farm work
Example
The farmer used a bullock to plow the field.
Le fermier a utilisé un bœuf pour labourer le champ.
C1 adjective /ˈbækˌhændɪd/

backhanded

indirect ou sarcastique
Meaning
Indirect or sarcastic, often appearing as praise but actually insulting.
Example
She gave him a backhanded compliment about his work.
Elle lui a fait un compliment indirect sur son travail.
C1 noun, verb /bʌldʒ/

bulge

gonflement / protubérance
Meaning
A swelling or protruding part; to swell outward or protrude.
Example
The bag began to bulge with too many books inside.
Le sac a commencé à gonfler avec trop de livres à l'intérieur.
C1 verb /bɪˈsɛt/

beset

assiéger, harceler
Meaning
to trouble, harass, or attack on all sides
Example
The village was beset by constant floods.
Le village était assiégé par des inondations constantes.
C1 noun /brɔːl/

brawl

bagarre
Meaning
a noisy fight in a public place
Example
A brawl broke out outside the bar late at night.
Une bagarre a éclaté dehors du bar tard dans la nuit.
C1 verb /bʌdʒ/

budge

bouger légèrement / changer d'avis ou de position
Meaning
To move slightly; to change one’s opinion or position.
Example
Despite the pressure, he refused to budge from his decision.
Malgré la pression, il a refusé de bouger de sa décision.
C1 noun /ˈbɛərnəs/

bareness

nudité
Meaning
the state of being bare or uncovered; lack of decoration, warmth, or concealment
Example
The bareness of the room made it feel cold and unwelcoming.
La nudité de la pièce la rendait froide et peu accueillante.
C1 verb /bɪˈhɛd/

behead

décapiter
Meaning
to cut off a person's or animal's head; to remove the leader or most important part
Example
The historical account describes how the traitor was beheaded as punishment.
Le récit historique décrit comment le traître a été décapité comme punition.
C1 noun /bɪˈriːvmənt/

bereavement

deuil
Meaning
The state of having lost a loved one through death.
Example
She received many letters of sympathy during her time of bereavement.
Elle a reçu de nombreuses lettres de sympathie pendant son deuil.
C1 noun /ˈbeɪsbɔːrd/

baseboard

plinthe
Meaning
A narrow board running along the bottom of an interior wall, covering the joint between wall and floor.
Example
The carpenter painted the baseboard white.
Le menuisier a peint la plinthe en blanc.
C1 verb /blæntʃ/

blanch

blêmir
Meaning
to turn pale from shock, fear, or to briefly boil food to remove skin or prepare it
Example
She blanched at the sight of blood.
Elle est devenue toute pâle en voyant le sang.
C1 verb /bɒtʃ/

botch

gâcher
Meaning
to carry out a task badly or carelessly
Example
He completely botched the repair job.
Il a complètement gâché le travail de réparation.
C1 noun /ˈblʌd.ʃed/

Bloodshed

effusion de sang; massacres
Meaning
the killing or wounding of people, typically in large numbers during a conflict
Example
The peace treaty was signed to prevent further bloodshed.
Le traité de paix a été signé pour prévenir d'autres effusions de sang.
C1 verb /bɪˈlɪtl/

belittle

rabaisser
Meaning
To make someone or something seem less important or less valuable.
Example
He often belittled his coworkers to feel superior.
Il rabaissait souvent ses collègues pour se sentir supérieur.
C1 noun /beɪn/

bane

fléau
Meaning
A cause of great distress, harm, or annoyance.
Example
Traffic jams are the bane of city life.
Les embouteillages sont le fléau de la vie urbaine.
C1 noun /ˌbaɪˈlæt.ər.əl nɪˌɡəʊ.ʃiˈeɪ.ʃənz/

bilateral negotiations

négociations bilatérales
Meaning
Negotiations or discussions between two parties, typically countries or organizations.
Example
Bilateral negotiations resolve disputes.
Les négociations bilatérales résolvent les différends.
C1 adjective /ˈbed.rɪd.ən/

Bedridden

alité
Meaning
confined to bed; unable to leave one's bed due to illness or infirmity
Example
The elderly man has been bedridden for several months.
L'homme âgé est alité depuis plusieurs mois.
C1 noun /ˈbreɪkər/

breaker

disjoncteur (quelque chose qui casse, une vague de mer qui se brise en mousse près du rivage, ou un appareil qui interrompt un circuit électrique)
Meaning
A person or thing that breaks something; a large sea wave that breaks into foam near the shore; a device that interrupts an electric circuit.
Example
The breaker tripped during the storm, cutting off electricity.
Le disjoncteur a sauté pendant la tempête, coupant l'électricité.
C1 verb /broʊtʃ/

broach

aborder
Meaning
to bring up a subject for discussion
Example
She decided to broach the topic of salary with her manager.
Elle a décidé d'aborder le sujet du salaire avec son responsable.
C1 verb /bæsk/

bask

prendre un bain de soleil
Meaning
to lie in warmth and light; to enjoy something pleasurable
Example
The cat basks in the sunny window.
Le chat prend un bain de soleil dans la fenêtre ensoleillée.
C1 noun /ˈbɜːrθraɪt/

birthright

droit de naissance
Meaning
A privilege or possession that a person has from birth.
Example
Freedom is considered a birthright of every individual.
La liberté est considérée comme un droit de naissance de chaque individu.
C1 adjective /ˈbaɪtɪŋ/

Biting

morsure; froid mordant; critique acerbe
Meaning
extremely cold; sharply critical or harsh
Example
The biting cold made everyone shiver.
Le froid mordant a fait trembler tout le monde.
C1 noun /ˈbrɛvɪti/

brevity

brièveté
Meaning
Concise and exact use of words in writing or speech.
Example
The brevity of the speech kept the audience engaged.
La brièveté du discours a captivé le public.
C1 adjective /ˈbaʊn.tɪ.fəl/

bountiful

abondant / généreux
Meaning
Large in quantity; abundant; generous in giving.
Example
The farmer was grateful for the bountiful harvest.
Le fermier était reconnaissant pour la récolte abondante.
C1 verb /bɪˈmoʊn/

bemoan

déplorer
Meaning
To express discontent or sorrow over something.
Example
Critics bemoaned the lack of diversity in the film.
Les critiques ont déploré le manque de diversité dans le film.
C1 noun /bʊk ˈbaɪn.dər/

Book binder

reliure
Meaning
a person whose job is to fasten the pages of books together and put covers on them
Example
The old book binder carefully restored the antique manuscript.
Le vieux relieur a soigneusement restauré le manuscrit ancien.
C1 noun /buːn/

boon

bénédiction
Meaning
A thing that is helpful or beneficial.
Example
The internet is a boon to modern education.
Internet est une bénédiction pour l'éducation moderne.
C1 verb bɪˈkwiːð

bequeath

léguer
Meaning
Leave something to someone in a will; pass down or hand down to the next generation.
Example
The scientist bequeathed his research papers to the university.
Le scientifique a légué ses papiers de recherche à l'université.
C1 adjective /ˈbæʃ.fəl/

Bashful

timide; réservé; modeste; facilement gêné
Meaning
shy; timid; modest; easily embarrassed
Example
The bashful child hid behind her mother when meeting strangers.
L'enfant timide s'est caché derrière sa mère quand elle a rencontré des étrangers.
C1 noun /ˈboʊ.ə/

Boa

boa constrictor
Meaning
a large non-venomous snake that kills prey by constriction
Example
The boa constrictor wrapped around its prey.
Le boa constrictor s'est enroulé autour de sa proie.
C1 noun /blæk sɔːlt/

Black Salt

sel noir
Meaning
a type of rock salt with a distinctive sulfuric flavor, commonly used in Indian cuisine
Example
Add a pinch of black salt to enhance the flavor of the fruit salad.
Ajoutez une pincée de sel noir pour rehausser la saveur de la salade de fruits.
C1 noun /bɒɡ/

bog

marais
Meaning
an area of wet, spongy ground; a swamp or marsh
Example
The hikers got stuck in a bog.
Les randonneurs se sont retrouvés coincés dans un marais.
C1 noun /ˈblɛm.ɪʃ/

blemish

imperfection
Meaning
A small mark or flaw that spoils the appearance of something.
Example
The mirror had a small blemish on the surface.
Le miroir avait une petite imperfection sur la surface.
C1 noun /bʌm/

bum

fesses
Meaning
informal term for the buttocks; also a homeless or lazy person
Example
He sat on his bum all day doing nothing.
Il est resté assis sur ses fesses toute la journée sans rien faire.
C1 noun /bəˈrɒmɪtər/

barometer

baromètre de pression atmosphérique
Meaning
an instrument that measures atmospheric pressure
Example
The barometer indicated a storm was approaching.
Le baromètre a indiqué qu'une tempête approchait.
C1 verb /bɪˈsiːdʒ/

besiege

assiéger
Meaning
to surround a place with armed forces to capture it; to overwhelm with requests or attention
Example
The city was besieged by enemy troops.
La ville a été assiégée par des troupes ennemies.
C1 verb /bɔːk/

balk

refuser
Meaning
to hesitate or refuse to proceed or comply
Example
She balked at signing the contract without reading it fully.
Elle a hésité à signer le contrat sans le lire complètement.
C1 noun /blaɪt/

blight

fléau
Meaning
A disease or condition that causes plants to wither; something that spoils or damages.
Example
The drought was a blight on the farmer’s crops.
La sécheresse a été un fléau pour les cultures du fermier.
C1 verb /ˈbædʒər/

badger

importuner, harceler
Meaning
To repeatedly ask or annoy someone with demands or questions.
Example
The reporter kept badgering the politician with questions.
Le journaliste a continué à importuner le politicien avec des questions.
C1 verb, noun /ˈbreɪnˌwɒʃ/

brainwash

lavage de cerveau
Meaning
to manipulate someone into adopting certain beliefs by repeated pressure or propaganda; the act or process of such manipulation
Example
The group tried to brainwash new members with constant propaganda.
Le groupe a essayé de faire un lavage de cerveau aux nouveaux membres.
C1 verb /bɪˈriːv/

bereave

perdre un être cher
Meaning
to deprive someone of a loved one through death
Example
She was bereaved of her husband last year.
Elle a perdu son mari l'année dernière.
C1 noun /bəˈrɑːʒ/

barrage

barrage ou attaque rapide
Meaning
a concentrated outpouring of questions, criticisms, or blows; a rapid, continuous attack
Example
The politician faced a barrage of tough questions from reporters.
Le politicien a fait face à un barrage de questions difficiles de la part des journalistes.
C1 verb /bɪˈɡrʌdʒ/

begrudge

en vouloir à quelqu'un d'avoir quelque chose / donner quelque chose à contrecœur
Meaning
to resent someone for having something; to give reluctantly
Example
She did not begrudge him his success.
Elle ne lui en voulut pas pour son succès.
C1 adjective /ˈbʊkɪʃ/

Bookish

étudieux; érudit
Meaning
studious; scholarly; devoted to reading and studying
Example
She was known for her bookish nature and love of literature.
Elle était connue pour sa nature studieuse et son amour de la littérature.
C1 adjective /bəˈnɑːl/ or /ˈbeɪnəl/

banal

banal
Meaning
Lacking originality; boringly obvious and commonplace.
Example
His speech was full of banal clichés.
Son discours était plein de clichés banals.
C1 verb /bloʊt/

bloat

gonfler
Meaning
to swell or cause to swell, often due to fluid or gas
Example
Eating too much junk food can bloat your stomach.
Manger trop de malbouffe peut faire gonfler votre estomac.
C1 adjective /bɪˈleɪtɪd/

belated

tardif
Meaning
coming or happening later than expected or usual
Example
She sent me a belated birthday card.
Elle m'a envoyé une carte d'anniversaire tardive.
C1 adjective /bɪˈnaɪn/

benign

bénin, inoffensif
Meaning
Gentle, kind, or not harmful (especially of a disease or tumor).
Example
The doctor assured her that the tumor was benign.
Le médecin lui a assuré que la tumeur était inoffensive.
C1 verb /bɪˈreɪt/

berate

gronder
Meaning
to scold or criticize angrily
Example
The teacher berated the student for being late.
Le professeur gronda l'élève pour être en retard.
C1 verb /bruːd/

brood

ruminer, groupe de petits oiseaux nouvellement nés
Meaning
to think deeply about something that makes one unhappy; also, a group of young birds hatched at the same time
Example
He sat alone, brooding over his failures.
Il s'assit seul, en train de ruminer sur ses échecs.
C1 noun /brɪˈɡeɪd/

brigade

brigade
Meaning
A large group of people organized for a specific purpose, especially a military unit.
Example
The fire brigade arrived quickly to put out the flames.
La brigade de pompiers est arrivée rapidement pour éteindre les flammes.
C1 noun /bɒmˈbɑːrdmənt/

bombardment

bombardement
Meaning
a continuous attack with bombs or other projectiles
Example
The city endured a heavy bombardment during the war.
La ville a enduré un bombardement intense pendant la guerre.
C1 noun/adjective /ˈbæstərd/

bastard

bâtard
Meaning
a child born to unmarried parents (offensive); also used informally as an insult or to describe something unpleasant
Example
He called him a bastard in anger.
Il l'a traité de bâtard avec colère.
C1 noun /baʊt/

Bout

combat; lutte; période;
Meaning
a short period of intense activity of a specified kind; a wrestling or boxing match
Example
After a bout of illness, she finally recovered and returned to work.
Après une période de maladie, elle s'est finalement rétablie et est retournée au travail.
C1 adjective /bɪˈrɛft/

bereft

privé
Meaning
Deprived of or lacking something, especially a nonmaterial asset.
Example
After the betrayal, he felt bereft of hope and trust.
Après la trahison, il se sentit privé d'espoir et de confiance.
C1 adjective /ˈbɛndi/

bendy

flexible
Meaning
Easily curved or flexible.
Example
The bendy straw made it easier to drink from the cup.
La paille flexible a facilité la consommation de la boisson.
C1 verb/noun ˈbuːt.stræp

bootstrap

démarrer une entreprise avec des ressources personnelles sans financement extérieur
Meaning
To start and develop a business using personal resources without external funding.
Example
He bootstrapped his company with minimal resources.
Il a démarré son entreprise avec des ressources minimales.
C1 verb /ˈblækən/

blacken

noircir
Meaning
to make something black or darker; to stain, soil, or tarnish
Example
Smoke from the fire began to blacken the walls.
La fumée du feu a commencé à noircir les murs.
C1 adjective /ˈbɒt.əl ɡriːn/

Bottle-green

vert bouteille
Meaning
a dark green color similar to that of a green glass bottle
Example
She wore a beautiful bottle-green dress to the evening party.
Elle portait une belle robe vert bouteille à la soirée.
C1 noun /bɪˈtreɪər/

Betrayer

traître; déloyal
Meaning
a person who betrays someone or something; one who is disloyal
Example
The betrayer was exposed and faced severe consequences.
Le traître a été exposé et a affronté de graves conséquences.
C1 noun /bɑːrb/

barb

dard, remarque acerbe
Meaning
a sharp projection such as on a fishhook; a cutting remark
Example
The fishhook has a small barb to keep the fish from escaping.
L'hameçon a une petite barb pour empêcher le poisson de s'échapper.
C1 adjective /ˈbær.ən/

Barren

stérile; aride; désert; improductif
Meaning
sterile; unable to produce; desolate; unproductive
Example
The barren desert stretched for miles without any vegetation.
Le désert stérile s'étendait sur des kilomètres sans aucune végétation.
C1 adjective /bræʃ/

brash

effronté
Meaning
self-assertive in a rude, noisy, or overconfident way
Example
His brash comments offended many people at the meeting.
Ses commentaires effrontés ont offensé de nombreuses personnes à la réunion.
C1 adjective /ˈbɔɪstərəs/

boisterous

bruyant
Meaning
noisy, energetic, and cheerful; rowdy
Example
The children were boisterous during the birthday party.
Les enfants étaient bruyants pendant la fête d'anniversaire.
C1 noun /ˈbeɪlɪf/

bailiff

officier de justice
Meaning
An official who keeps order in a court, carries out court orders, or collects debts.
Example
The bailiff asked everyone to rise as the judge entered the courtroom.
L'officier de justice a demandé à tout le monde de se lever lorsque le juge est entré dans la salle d'audience.
C1 noun/verb /ˈbɔɪ/ or /ˈbuːi/

buoy

bouée, maintenir à flot
Meaning
A floating marker on water; to keep something afloat or encourage someone.
Example
The news buoyed their spirits after the loss.
Les nouvelles ont élevé leur esprit après la perte.
C1 noun/verb /brʊk/

brook

ruisseau / tolérer
Meaning
As a noun: a small natural stream; As a verb: to tolerate or endure something
Example
The village was built near a clear brook.
Le village a été construit près d'un ruisseau clair.
C1 noun /ˈbroʊkərɪdʒ/

brokerage

courtage
Meaning
A firm that acts as an intermediary between buyers and sellers, often charging a fee.
Example
The real estate brokerage helped them find a new home.
Le courtage immobilier les a aidés à trouver une nouvelle maison.
C1 adjective ˌbjʊə.rəˈkræt.ɪk

bureaucratic

bureaucratique
Meaning
Involving or characterized by complex rules and procedures that can delay the achievement of goals.
Example
Bureaucratic red tape often delays project approvals.
Les lourdeurs bureaucratiques retardent souvent l’approbation des projets.
C1 noun /brɒŋˈkaɪtɪs/

bronchitis

bronchite
Meaning
inflammation of the lining of the bronchial tubes, which carry air to and from the lungs
Example
The doctor diagnosed him with acute bronchitis.
Le médecin lui a diagnostiqué une bronchite aiguë.
C1 noun /ˈbeɪ.zəl siːdz/

Basil Seeds

graines de basilic
Meaning
small black seeds from the basil plant, often used in drinks and desserts
Example
I added basil seeds to my lemonade for a refreshing drink.
J'ai ajouté des graines de basilic à ma limonade pour une boisson rafraîchissante.
C1 verb /ˈbɪkər/

bicker

se disputer pour des futilités
Meaning
To argue or quarrel about trivial matters.
Example
The children began to bicker over the last piece of cake.
Les enfants ont commencé à se disputer pour le dernier morceau de gâteau.
C1 preposition /ˈbɑːrɪŋ/

barring

sauf, à l'exception de
Meaning
except for; if not for
Example
Barring a miracle, the team will not win the championship.
À l'exception d'un miracle, l'équipe ne gagnera pas le championnat.