besmirch
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C2 verb /bɪˈsmɜːrtʃ/

besmirch

ternir
Meaning
to damage someone's reputation; to make dirty or stained
Example
He tried to besmirch her good name with false rumors.
Il a essayé de ternir son bon nom avec de fausses rumeurs.
C1 adjective /ˈbuːzi/

boozy

alcoolisé
Meaning
containing or involving a lot of alcohol; slightly drunk from alcohol
Example
The party became boozy as the night went on.
La fête est devenue très alcoolisée au fil de la nuit.
B2 noun /ˈbɛərɪŋ/

bearing

comportement / posture
Meaning
a person's way of standing or moving; relevance or connection to something
Example
Her calm bearing impressed everyone in the room.
Son comportement calme a impressionné tout le monde dans la pièce.
B2 noun, verb /bɒb/

bob

ballotter
Meaning
a short sudden movement up and down; to move quickly up and down
Example
The small boat began to bob on the waves.
Le petit bateau a commencé à ballotter sur les vagues.
B2 verb /blʌf/

bluff

tromper
Meaning
to deceive someone by pretending to have strength, knowledge, or resources that one does not actually possess
Example
He tried to bluff his way into the exclusive club.
Il a essayé de bluffer son chemin pour entrer dans le club exclusif.
C2 verb /beɪst/

baste

verser ou badigeonner de la graisse fondue, du jus ou du liquide sur la viande pendant la cuisson pour la garder humide
Meaning
to pour or brush melted fat, juices, or liquid over meat during cooking to keep it moist
Example
She basted the turkey every 30 minutes to keep it juicy.
Elle a badigeonné la dinde toutes les 30 minutes pour la garder juteuse.
A1 verb (past participle of 'bear'), adjective /bɔːrn/

born

Meaning
To come into life; brought into existence.
Example
He was born in Dhaka in 1995.
Il est né à Dhaka en 1995.
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 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.
B2 noun /ˈbiː.təl/

Beetle

scarabée
Meaning
a hard-bodied insect with wing covers
Example
The black beetle scurried across the garden path.
Le scarabée noir s'est précipité sur le chemin du jardin.
B1 noun /ˈbeɪs.mənt/

Basement

sous-sol
Meaning
the lowest floor of a building, typically below ground level
Example
We store old furniture in the basement.
Nous stockons de vieux meubles dans le sous-sol.
A1 conjunction /bɪˈkɔːz/

because

parce que
Meaning
for the reason that; since
Example
He stayed home because it was raining.
Il est resté à la maison parce qu'il pleuvait.
C2 adjective /ˈbɑː.bər.əs/

Barbarous

barbare; cruel; sauvage
Meaning
extremely cruel; uncivilized; savage
Example
The barbarous treatment of prisoners was condemned by human rights organizations.
Le traitement barbare des prisonniers a été condamné par les organisations de droits de l'homme.
C2 adjective /ˈbɔːdi/

bawdy

obscène
Meaning
humorously indecent or obscene, often in a sexual way
Example
The comedian’s bawdy jokes made the audience laugh and blush.
Les blagues obscènes du comédien ont fait rire le public et ont fait rougir certains.
A2 noun /bɔːrd/

board

conseil d'administration
Meaning
a flat, thin, rectangular piece of material such as wood; also a group of people managing an organization
Example
The board decided to increase the budget.
Le conseil d'administration a décidé d'augmenter le budget.
C2 verb /ˈbændi/

bandy

échanger
Meaning
To pass (words, ideas, or gossip) back and forth in a casual or argumentative way.
Example
They bandied jokes across the table.
Ils échangeaient des blagues à travers la table.
A2 noun /ˈbʊkɪŋ/

booking

réservation
Meaning
the act of reserving accommodations, tickets, etc.
Example
I made a booking for a hotel room in advance.
J'ai fait une réservation pour une chambre d'hôtel à l'avance.
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.
B2 adverb /ˈbrɔːdli/

broadly

généralement
Meaning
in a general or wide manner.
Example
The rules are broadly similar across all regions.
Les règles sont globalement similaires dans toutes les régions.
C2 noun /ˈbroʊmaɪd/

bromide

idée banale
Meaning
A trite or unoriginal idea or remark; also a chemical compound of bromine.
Example
His speech was full of old bromides about hard work.
Son discours était rempli de vieilles idées banales sur le travail acharné.
C2 verb /ˈbraʊˌbiːt/

browbeat

intimider / contraindre
Meaning
To intimidate or bully someone into doing something
Example
The lawyer tried to browbeat the witness.
L'avocat a essayé d'intimider le témoin.
B2 noun /buˈkeɪ/

Bouquet

bouquet de fleurs
Meaning
an attractively arranged bunch of flowers, especially one presented as a gift or carried at a ceremony
Example
The bride carried a beautiful bouquet of white roses down the aisle.
La mariée a porté un magnifique bouquet de roses blanches dans l'allée.
B2 noun /ˈbækɪŋ/

Backing

soutien
Meaning
help or support; financial or material support
Example
The project received backing from several major investors.
Le projet a reçu du soutien de plusieurs investisseurs importants.
B2 noun /ˈbrɔːd.bænd/

broadband

bande passante
Meaning
a high-capacity transmission technique using a wide range of frequencies.
Example
Broadband internet has become a necessity in modern homes.
L'internet à large bande est devenu une nécessité dans les foyers modernes.
C2 noun /beɪz/

baize

un type de tissu en laine épais
Meaning
A type of coarse woolen cloth, often green, used for covering tables such as billiard tables.
Example
The old card table was covered with worn baize.
La vieille table de cartes était recouverte de baize usé.
C2 verb /bɪˈdræɡəl/

bedraggle

rendre quelque chose mouillé, sale et en désordre en le traînant dans la boue ou l'eau
Meaning
to make something wet, dirty, and untidy by dragging it through mud or water
Example
The children came home bedraggled after playing in the rain.
Les enfants sont rentrés à la maison trempés et sales après avoir joué sous la pluie.
C2 noun /ˈbɪɡ.ə.mɪst/

bigamist

bigame
Meaning
A person who commits the crime of marrying someone while already married to another.
Example
The man was arrested for being a bigamist.
L'homme a été arrêté pour être un bigame.
C2 adjective /ˈbeɪlfəl/

baleful

menaçant
Meaning
Threatening harm; menacing or expressing hatred.
Example
She gave him a baleful look after the insult.
Après l'insulte, elle lui lança un regard menaçant.
B1 adverb /ˈbraɪtli/

brightly

brillamment
Meaning
in a way that gives off a lot of light; in a vivid, cheerful, or intelligent manner
Example
The stars shone brightly in the clear night sky.
Les étoiles brillaient brillamment dans le ciel nocturne clair.
C2 noun /boʊ/

beau

amant
Meaning
a male admirer or boyfriend; a fashionable young man
Example
She arrived at the party with her beau.
Elle est arrivée à la fête avec son amant.
C2 noun /ˌbaɪ.oʊ.rɪˌmiː.diˈeɪ.ʃən/

bioremediation

biorémédiation
Meaning
The use of living organisms to neutralize or remove environmental contaminants.
Example
Bioremediation helps remove toxins from polluted soil.
La biorémédiation aide à éliminer les toxines du sol pollué.
B1 verb /bʌmp/

bump

coup
Meaning
To hit something or someone by accident; to knock against something.
Example
He accidentally bumped into the door.
Il a accidentellement heurté la porte.
A1 noun /ˈbʌt.ər/

Butter

beurre
Meaning
a pale yellow edible fatty substance made by churning cream
Example
He spread butter on his toast for breakfast.
Il a étalé du beurre sur sa tartine pour le petit déjeuner.
B2 noun, verb /ˈblækmeɪl/

blackmail

faire chanter
Meaning
the act of demanding money or advantage by threatening to reveal secrets; to force someone to act by using such threats
Example
He tried to blackmail her by threatening to reveal the documents.
Il a essayé de la faire chanter en menaçant de révéler les documents.
B1 noun /broʊˈʃʊr/

brochure

brochure
Meaning
a small booklet or pamphlet containing information or advertising
Example
The travel agent gave us a brochure about the holiday package.
L'agent de voyages nous a donné une brochure sur le paquet de vacances.
B2 verb /ˈbrɔːdən/

broaden

élargir
Meaning
to make wider or larger in scope; to expand ideas, experience, or understanding
Example
Travel can broaden your perspective on different cultures.
Voyager peut élargir votre perspective sur différentes cultures.
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.
B2 noun /bækˈtɪəriəm/

bacterium

bactérie
Meaning
A single microscopic organism belonging to the group of bacteria.
Example
The doctor explained that a single bacterium can multiply rapidly under the right conditions.
Le médecin a expliqué qu'un seul bacterium peut se multiplier rapidement dans les bonnes conditions.
C2 noun /ˌbɪbliəʊˈmeɪniə/

bibliomania

bibliomanie
Meaning
An extreme obsession with collecting or possessing books.
Example
His bibliomania led him to fill every room with books.
Sa bibliomanie l'a poussé à remplir chaque pièce de livres.
C1 adjective/verb /ˈbæntərɪŋ/

bantering

plaisanter
Meaning
characterized by good-humored teasing or joking
Example
They had a bantering conversation at the café.
Ils ont eu une conversation en plaisantant au café.
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.
A2 noun /ˈbʊkʃɒp/

bookshop

librairie
Meaning
a retail store where books are sold
Example
She spent an hour browsing in the small bookshop.
Elle a passé une heure à parcourir la petite librairie.
C2 verb /bɪˈfɒɡ/

befog

embrouiller
Meaning
to confuse or make unclear; to cover with fog or mist
Example
His mind was befogged by exhaustion.
Son esprit était embrouillé par l'épuisement.
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.
C2 verb /bɪlk/

bilk

escroquer
Meaning
To cheat or defraud someone of money or rights.
Example
The scammer tried to bilk elderly people out of their savings.
L'escroc a essayé de soutirer de l'argent aux personnes âgées en leur volant leurs économies.
A2 noun /brʌʃ/

Brush

brosse
Meaning
a tool with bristles used for cleaning, painting, or grooming
Example
I brush my teeth every morning with a soft brush.
Je me brosse les dents chaque matin avec une brosse douce.
C2 adjective, noun /bɪˈtroʊðd/

betrothed

fiancé
Meaning
Engaged to be married; a person who is engaged.
Example
She introduced him as her betrothed.
Elle l'a présenté comme son fiancé.
B2 noun /bætʃ/

batch

une quantité d'articles produits ou traités en même temps
Meaning
a quantity of items produced or processed at one time
Example
She baked a fresh batch of cookies this morning.
Elle a cuit un nouveau lot de biscuits ce matin.
A2 noun/verb /ˈbætəl/

battle

bataille
Meaning
A fight between armed forces or a struggle to achieve or resist something.
Example
The soldiers prepared for the final battle.
Les soldats se sont préparés pour la bataille finale.
C1 noun /blɒˈkeɪd/

Blockade

blocus
Meaning
an act or means of sealing off a place to prevent goods or people from entering or leaving
Example
The naval blockade prevented supplies from reaching the port.
Le blocus naval a empêché les fournitures d'atteindre le port.
C2 noun /ˈbriːzˌweɪ/

breezeway

passage couvert
Meaning
A roofed outdoor passage, often connecting two buildings.
Example
The breezeway connected the house to the garage.
Le passage couvert reliait la maison au garage.
B2 noun /ˈbrɔːdˌkæstər/

broadcaster

diffuseur
Meaning
a person or organization that transmits a broadcast program.
Example
The broadcaster aired the match live to millions of viewers.
Le diffuseur a diffusé le match en direct à des millions de téléspectateurs.
B2 noun /bɪd/

Bid

offre; enchère
Meaning
an offer to pay a certain amount for something; an attempt to obtain or achieve something
Example
She made a bid for the antique vase at the auction.
Elle a fait une offre pour le vase ancien à la vente aux enchères.
A2 verb /ˈbɒðər/

bother

déranger
Meaning
to annoy, worry, or cause trouble to someone
Example
I don't want to bother you while you're working.
Je ne veux pas te déranger pendant que tu travailles.
C2 noun /ˈbʊljən/

bullion

or ou argent en vrac
Meaning
Gold or silver in bulk before being coined or made into jewelry.
Example
The bank stores gold bullion in its vaults.
La banque conserve de l'or en vrac dans ses coffres.
C2 verb /beɪt/

bate

réduire, atténuer
Meaning
to lessen or restrain; to diminish the force or intensity of something
Example
He spoke with bated breath as he waited for the result.
Il parla avec une respiration retenue en attendant le résultat.
C1 noun /beɪl/

bale

ballot
Meaning
A large bundle of goods tightly wrapped and bound.
Example
The workers loaded the bale of cotton onto the truck.
Les travailleurs ont chargé le ballot de coton sur le camion.
C1 noun /ˈbʌrə, ˈbʊrə/

borough

arrondissement
Meaning
A town, district, or administrative division, especially one with its own local government.
Example
Brooklyn is a borough of New York City.
Brooklyn est un arrondissement de New York.
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 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.
B2 noun /bɑnd/

Bond

lien; obligation
Meaning
a close connection joining two or more people; a certificate of debt issued by a government or corporation
Example
The strong bond between the mother and child was evident.
Le lien fort entre la mère et l'enfant était évident.
B2 noun, verb /blæst/

blast

explosion, coup fort
Meaning
a strong gust of wind, an explosion, or a loud sound; to destroy or shatter by explosion
Example
The explosion sent a powerful blast through the building.
L'explosion a envoyé un coup puissant à travers le bâtiment.
B1 noun /beɪkt miːt/

Baked meat

viande cuite
Meaning
meat that has been cooked in an oven using dry heat
Example
The baked meat was tender and flavorful.
La viande cuite au four était tendre et savoureuse.
C2 verb /bɪˈtəʊkən/

betoken

présager
Meaning
to be a sign or indication of something
Example
Dark clouds betoken an approaching storm.
Les nuages sombres présagent une tempête qui approche.
B2 noun /braɪb/

Bribe

pot-de-vin
Meaning
a sum of money or something valuable given to someone to persuade them to do something dishonest or illegal
Example
The corrupt official was caught accepting a bribe from the construction company.
Le fonctionnaire corrompu a été pris en train d'accepter un pot-de-vin de la part de l'entreprise de construction.
C1 noun /brəˈzɪər/

Brassiere

soutien-gorge
Meaning
a woman's undergarment designed to support the breasts
Example
She bought a comfortable brassiere for daily wear.
Elle a acheté un soutien-gorge confortable pour tous les jours.
B1 noun, verb /ˈbændɪdʒ/

bandage

bandage
Meaning
a strip of material used to cover or protect a wound; to cover or wrap a wound with such material
Example
The nurse carefully bandaged his injured arm.
L’infirmière a bandagé son bras blessé.
A2 adverb /bɪˈsaɪdz/

Besides

en plus
Meaning
in addition to; moreover; furthermore
Example
Besides being smart, he is also kind.
En plus d'être intelligent, il est aussi gentil.
C1 noun /blɜːrb/

blurb

description promotionnelle
Meaning
a short promotional description of a book, product, or service
Example
The back cover had a blurb praising the novel.
Le dos de couverture avait une description promotionnelle louant le roman.
C2 verb /bɪˈhuːvz/

behooves

il est nécessaire
Meaning
third person singular form of 'behoove'; means it is proper or necessary
Example
It behooves every citizen to follow the law.
Il est nécessaire que chaque citoyen suive la loi.
C1 noun /bɜːrθ/

Berth

couchette; un endroit pour dormir dans un bateau, un train ou un autre véhicule
Meaning
a sleeping place in a ship, train, or other vehicle; a place where a ship can dock
Example
I booked an upper berth on the overnight train.
J'ai réservé une couchette supérieure dans le train de nuit.
B2 adjective /bəˈtænɪkəl/

botanical

botanique
Meaning
relating to plants or plant life
Example
She works at the botanical garden.
Elle travaille au jardin botanique.
C2 noun /ˈbɛvi/

bevy

troupe, groupe
Meaning
A large group of people or things of a particular kind.
Example
A bevy of swans floated on the lake.
Un groupe de cygnes flottait sur le lac.
B2 verb /briːd/

breed

élever, reproduire
Meaning
to produce young animals; to reproduce; to keep animals for producing young
Example
They breed horses on their farm.
Ils élèvent des chevaux à la ferme.
B2 noun /ˈbætʃələr/

Bachelor

célibataire; titulaire d'un diplôme universitaire
Meaning
an unmarried man; a person who holds a first degree from a university
Example
He remained a bachelor all his life and earned a bachelor's degree in engineering.
Il est resté célibataire toute sa vie et a obtenu un diplôme d'ingénieur.
C2 noun /broʊɡ/

brogue

chaussure robuste; accent
Meaning
A strong outdoor shoe; also a marked accent, especially Irish or Scottish.
Example
He bought a pair of stylish brogues for the wedding.
Il a acheté une paire de brogues élégantes pour le mariage.
B2 verb /blʌʃ/

blush

rougir
Meaning
to become red in the face due to embarrassment or shyness
Example
She blushed when he complimented her.
Elle rougit lorsqu'il lui fait un compliment.
B2 noun /ˈbel.i/

Belly

ventre
Meaning
the front part of the human trunk below the ribs, containing the stomach and bowels; abdomen
Example
The baby kicked in her belly during pregnancy.
Le bébé a donné un coup de pied dans son ventre pendant la grossesse.
B1 adjective /blɒnd/

blond

blond
Meaning
having light-colored hair, typically pale yellow or golden.
Example
She has long blond hair that shines in the sunlight.
Elle a de longs cheveux blonds qui brillent sous le soleil.
C2 noun /ˈbʌskɪn/

buskin

botte épaisse
Meaning
A type of thick-soled boot that reaches halfway to the knee; also associated with tragic drama in ancient times.
Example
The actor wore a buskin as part of his classical costume.
L'acteur portait un buskin comme partie de son costume classique.
B1 noun ˈbæl.ənst daɪ.ət

balanced diet

régime équilibré
Meaning
A diet consisting of the proper quantities and proportions of foods needed to maintain health or growth.
Example
A balanced diet is essential for maintaining good health.
Un régime équilibré est essentiel pour maintenir une bonne santé.
C2 noun /ˈbʌɡəˌbuː/

bugaboo

fantôme / crainte
Meaning
An object of fear or worry; an imagined cause of anxiety.
Example
The threat of inflation became a political bugaboo.
La menace de l'inflation est devenue un bugaboo politique.
A2 noun; gerund /ˈbɒksɪŋ/

boxing

boxe
Meaning
the sport of fighting with fists using padded gloves; the act of putting something into a box
Example
He has been training hard for a professional boxing match.
Il s'entraîne dur pour un match de boxe.
A1 noun /bʌs/

Bus

autobus
Meaning
a large motor vehicle carrying passengers by road
Example
I take the bus to work every morning.
Je prends le bus pour aller au travail chaque matin.
C2 noun /bɒmˈbeɪ dʌk/

Bombay duck

poisson Bombay
Meaning
a type of lizardfish found in coastal waters, commonly eaten dried and salted in South Asia
Example
Bombay duck is a popular delicacy when dried and fried.
Le poisson Bombay est un mets populaire lorsqu'il est séché et frit.
C2 noun /ˈbræɡərt/

braggart

vaniteux
Meaning
a person who boasts about achievements or possessions
Example
No one liked him because he was such a braggart.
Personne ne l'aimait car c'était un vaniteux.
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.
B2 adjective /bɪˈlʌvɪd/

beloved

bien-aimé
Meaning
dearly loved, highly regarded
Example
She was the beloved queen of the kingdom.
Elle était la reine bien-aimée du royaume.
A1 noun /ˈbrek.fəst/

Breakfast

petit-déjeuner
Meaning
the first meal of the day, usually eaten in the morning
Example
I had cereal and toast for breakfast this morning.
Ce matin, j'ai mangé des céréales et des toasts pour le petit-déjeuner.
A1 noun /bəˈnæn.ə/

Banana

banane
Meaning
a long curved fruit with yellow skin and soft sweet flesh
Example
Bananas are a good source of potassium.
Les bananes sont une bonne source de potassium.
B1 noun /ˈbriːðɪŋ/

breathing

bonheur
Meaning
the process of taking air into and expelling it from the lungs.
Example
Deep breathing can help you relax.
Elle ne pouvait pas cacher son bonheur quand elle a reçu le prix.
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.
B2 verb /buːst/

boost

augmenter
Meaning
To increase, improve, or raise something.
Example
The company launched a campaign to boost sales.
L'entreprise a lancé une campagne pour augmenter les ventes.
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 /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 adjective /ˈblʌdləs/

bloodless

sans effusion de sang
Meaning
without bloodshed; lacking violence or vitality
Example
The revolution was surprisingly bloodless.
La révolution était étonnamment sans effusion de sang.
A2 noun /ˈbɑt.əm/

Bottom

fond; bas
Meaning
the lowest point or part of something; the ground under a body of water
Example
The treasure chest was lying at the bottom of the ocean.
Le coffre au trésor était au fond de l'océan.
A2 noun /ˈbɪz.nəs/

Business

affaires; entreprise; commerce
Meaning
work relating to the production, buying, and selling of goods or services
Example
He started his own business after graduating from university.
Il a commencé son propre business après avoir obtenu son diplôme universitaire.
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.
C2 verb /ˈbækˌslaɪd/

backslide

rétrograder
Meaning
To relapse into bad habits, undesirable practices, or moral decline.
Example
After months of progress, he began to backslide into old habits.
Après des mois de progrès, il a commencé à revenir à ses anciennes habitudes.
B2 verb /ˈbætər/

batter

frapper violemment
Meaning
To strike repeatedly with force.
Example
The waves battered the shoreline all night.
Les vagues ont battu le rivage toute la nuit.
C2 noun /ˈbroʊmiːn/

bromine

brome
Meaning
a dark red, dense, toxic liquid element used in making dyes, flame retardants, and medications
Example
Bromine is commonly used in water treatment chemicals.
Le brome est couramment utilisé dans les produits chimiques pour le traitement de l'eau.
B2 adjective /bliːk/

bleak

désolé
Meaning
cold, miserable, or without hope
Example
The future seemed bleak after the economic downturn.
L'avenir semblait désolé après la récession économique.
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.
C2 verb /bɪˈfaʊl/

befoul

souiller
Meaning
to make dirty or polluted; to disgrace or corrupt
Example
The factory waste befouled the river.
Les déchets de l’usine ont souillé la rivière.
B1 adverb /ˈber.li/

Barely

à peine; juste; presque pas
Meaning
scarcely; only just; almost not
Example
I barely passed the exam.
J'ai à peine réussi l'examen.
B2 noun/verb /ˈbrækɪt/

bracket

support métallique
Meaning
A support attached to a wall for holding something; also, to group things together.
Example
The shelf was held up by a strong metal bracket.
L'étagère était maintenue par un support métallique solide.
C2 noun /ˈbɒmbæst/

bombast

langage pompeux
Meaning
speech or writing that is overly pompous and inflated
Example
His campaign speech was full of bombast but lacked real substance.
Son discours de campagne était rempli de bombast mais manquait de véritable substance.
C2 verb /bɪˈfɪt/

befit

convenir à
Meaning
to be suitable for; to be appropriate to
Example
Formal attire befits the seriousness of the occasion.
Une tenue formelle convient au sérieux de l’occasion.
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.
C2 noun /ˈbɪvuˌæk/

bivouac

bivouac
Meaning
a temporary camp without tents or cover, usually used by soldiers or mountaineers
Example
The climbers set up a bivouac on the mountainside.
Les grimpeurs ont installé un bivouac sur le flanc de la montagne.
A1 adjective, adverb, verb /ˈbɛtər/

better

mieux
Meaning
of a more excellent or effective type or quality; to surpass or improve
Example
He felt better after taking the medicine.
Il se sentait mieux après avoir pris le médicament.
A1 noun /ˈbɒdi/

body

corps
Meaning
the physical structure of a person or animal
Example
Exercise helps keep the body healthy.
L'exercice aide à garder le corps en bonne santé.
B2 noun /ˈblæk.smɪθ/

Blacksmith

forgeron
Meaning
a person who makes and repairs things made of iron
Example
The blacksmith hammered the hot iron into a horseshoe.
Le forgeron a martelé le fer chaud en un fer à cheval.
B2 noun /ˈbʌn.dəl/

Bundle

paquet; bundle
Meaning
a collection of things or quantity of material tied or wrapped up together
Example
The mailman delivered a bundle of letters to our house.
Le facteur a livré un colis de lettres chez nous.
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.
C2 noun /ˌbeɪt ˈnwɑːr/

bete noire

une chose détestée
Meaning
A person or thing that one particularly dislikes or fears.
Example
Grammar has always been his bete noire.
La grammaire a toujours été sa bête noire.
B1 verb /breɪk/

brake

freiner
Meaning
to slow down or stop a vehicle by applying a brake
Example
He braked suddenly to avoid hitting the dog.
Il a freiné soudainement pour éviter de heurter le chien.
C1 noun /ˈbærɪstər/

barrister

avocat
Meaning
A type of lawyer in certain legal systems who specializes in courtroom advocacy and litigation.
Example
The barrister argued the case passionately before the judge.
L'avocat a plaidé l'affaire avec passion devant le juge.
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.
A2 noun breɪn

brain

cerveau
Meaning
The organ inside the head that controls thought, memory, feelings, and activity
Example
The brain can only focus on one thing at a time.
Le cerveau ne peut se concentrer que sur une seule chose à la fois.