biocide
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C2 noun ˈbaɪəʊˌsaɪd

biocide

biocide
Meaning
A chemical substance or microorganism intended to destroy, deter, render harmless, or exert a controlling effect on any harmful organism.
Example
Biocides help control pests and reduce the spread of diseases.
Les biocides aident à contrôler les ravageurs et à réduire la propagation des maladies.
C2 adjective /baɪˈkæmərəl/

bicameral

bicaméral
Meaning
Having two branches or chambers, especially in a legislature.
Example
The United States has a bicameral legislature consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Les États-Unis ont une législature bicamérale composée du Sénat et de la Chambre des représentants.
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.
C2 verb /bɪˈleɪbə/

belabour

s'appesantir sur
Meaning
to explain something repeatedly or with excessive detail; to criticize or attack verbally at length
Example
The teacher did not belabour the point once the students understood it.
Le professeur ne s'est pas appesanti sur le point une fois que les élèves ont compris.
C2 noun /ˈbæs.tərd tiːk/

Bastard teak

teck bâtard
Meaning
A flowering tree with bright orange-red flowers, also known as flame of the forest
Example
The bastard teak tree blooms with vibrant orange flowers in spring.
L'arbre de teck bâtard fleurit avec des fleurs orange vibrantes au printemps.
C2 noun /ˈbʌt.ə.flaɪ piː/

Butterfly Pea

pois papillon
Meaning
a blue flowering plant with butterfly-shaped flowers, used to make herbal tea
Example
Butterfly pea flowers turn tea into a beautiful blue color.
Les fleurs de pois papillon donnent au thé une belle couleur bleue.
C2 noun /ˈblændɪʃmənt/

blandishment

flatterie
Meaning
flattering or pleasing statement or action used to persuade someone gently
Example
She used every blandishment to win his support.
Elle a utilisé toutes les flatteries pour gagner son soutien.
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.
C2 noun /bjuːt/

butte

butte
Meaning
an isolated hill with steep sides and a flat top, common in arid regions
Example
The travelers could see a tall butte rising in the desert.
Les voyageurs pouvaient voir une haute butte se dresser dans le désert.
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 noun /ˈbɑːrbərɪzəm/

Barbarism

barbarie
Meaning
extreme cruelty or brutality; absence of culture and civilization
Example
The barbarism of the war crimes shocked the entire international community.
Le barbarisme des crimes de guerre a choqué la communauté internationale.
C2 verb /bɪˈsmɪər/

besmear

maculer
Meaning
to smear or cover with a sticky or dirty substance; to soil
Example
His clothes were besmeared with mud.
Ses vêtements étaient maculés de boue.
C2 verb /bɪˈhəʊv/

behove

être approprié
Meaning
British spelling of 'behoove'; to be appropriate or necessary
Example
It would behove the company to listen to its customers.
Il serait approprié que l'entreprise écoute ses clients.
C2 noun /ˈbækənæl/

bacchanal

fête sauvage
Meaning
A noisy party involving drinking and revelry.
Example
The festival turned into a wild bacchanal by midnight.
Le festival s'est transformé en une fête sauvage à minuit.
C2 noun /ˈbloʊˌhɑrd/

blowhard

personne prétentieuse
Meaning
a person who brags a lot or talks in a boastful way
Example
Everyone avoided the blowhard at the party because he wouldn't stop bragging.
Tout le monde évitait le prétentieux à la fête car il n'arrêtait pas de se vanter.
C2 noun /bəˈnæləti/

banality

banalité
Meaning
The condition of being unoriginal, boring, or obvious; trite remark or quality.
Example
The speech was criticized for its banality and lack of originality.
Le discours a été critiqué pour sa banalité et son manque d'originalité.
C2 noun /ˈbɑːr.bər/

Barbar

coiffeur
Meaning
a person whose job is to cut men's hair and shave or trim beards
Example
The barber gave him a perfect haircut for his wedding.
Le coiffeur lui a donné une coupe de cheveux parfaite pour son mariage.
C2 noun /bɪˈhiː.mɒθ/

behemoth

colosse
Meaning
Something enormous, especially a large and powerful organization.
Example
The company grew into a corporate behemoth.
L'entreprise est devenue un colosse corporatif.
C2 noun /ˈbɑːr.kəˌroʊl/

barcarole

barcarole
Meaning
a traditional Venetian boat song, often in 6/8 time
Example
The orchestra played a beautiful barcarole that reminded me of Venice.
L'orchestre a joué une belle barcarole qui m'a rappelé Venise.
C2 noun /ˈbɛlˌwɛðər/

bellwether

indicateur de tendance
Meaning
A person or thing that leads or indicates a trend.
Example
The company is seen as a bellwether of the technology industry.
L'entreprise est considérée comme un indicateur de tendance dans l'industrie technologique.
C2 adjective /bɪˈfɒɡd/

befogged

confus, embrouillé
Meaning
Confused or clouded in mind; made unclear like being surrounded by fog.
Example
His mind felt befogged after the long and exhausting meeting.
Son esprit se sentait embrouillé après la longue réunion épuisante.
C2 noun ˌbaɪ.oʊ.əˈveɪ.lə.bɪl.ə.ti

bioavailability

capacité d'absorption du corps
Meaning
The degree to which a substance can be absorbed and used by the body.
Example
Turmeric's bioavailability increases when consumed with black pepper.
La biodisponibilité du curcuma augmente lorsqu'il est consommé avec du poivre noir.
C2 verb /biˈætɪfaɪ/

beatify

béatifier
Meaning
to make blessed or holy, especially in the Roman Catholic Church, to declare a deceased person to be among the blessed
Example
The pope decided to beatify the martyr for his faith and sacrifice.
Le pape a décidé de béatifier le martyr pour sa foi et son sacrifice.
C2 adjective /ˈbʌmblɪŋ/

bumbling

maladroit
Meaning
Acting in a clumsy, awkward, or confused way.
Example
The bumbling waiter spilled the drinks on the table.
Le serveur maladroit a renversé les boissons sur la table.
C2 adjective /ˈblɪŋkəd/

blinkered

borné
Meaning
Having a limited or narrow outlook; unable or unwilling to consider other perspectives.
Example
His blinkered attitude stopped him from seeing the bigger picture.
Son attitude bornée l'a empêché de voir le tableau d'ensemble.
C2 adjective /baɪˈɛniəl/

biennial

biannuel
Meaning
happening every two years
Example
The biennial festival attracts thousands of visitors.
Le festival biannuel attire des milliers de visiteurs.
C2 adjective /bɪˈnaɪtɪd/

benighted

obscur, ignorant
Meaning
In a state of intellectual or moral ignorance; overtaken by darkness.
Example
The explorers were lost in the benighted forest without any guide.
Les explorateurs se sont perdus dans la forêt obscure sans guide.
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.
C2 noun /ˈbɪɡ.ə.mi/

bigamy

bigamie
Meaning
The act of marrying one person while still legally married to another.
Example
He was charged with bigamy after his second marriage was discovered.
Il a été accusé de bigamie après que son second mariage ait été découvert.
C2 adjective /ˌbækəˈneɪliən/

bacchanalian

relatif à la débauche
Meaning
Characterized by or involving drunken revelry.
Example
The students threw a bacchanalian party after the exams.
Les étudiants ont organisé une fête débauchée après les examens.
C2 noun brəˈvɑː.dəʊ

bravado

un geste de courage ou de confiance qui n'est pas réel
Meaning
Show of courage or confidence that is not real.
Example
His bravado masked his nervousness before the performance.
Son bravado masquait son nervosité avant la performance.
C2 noun /brɔːn/

brawn

force physique
Meaning
physical strength in contrast to intelligence
Example
He used his brawn to lift the heavy box.
Il a utilisé sa force physique pour soulever la boîte lourde.
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.
C2 noun /ˈbrɪmˌstoʊn/

brimstone

soufre
Meaning
Sulfur, especially when considered as fiery and associated with hell or divine punishment.
Example
The preacher spoke of fire and brimstone to warn the congregation.
The preacher spoke of fire and brimstone to warn the congregation.
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.
C2 verb /ˈbleɪzən/

blazon

afficher
Meaning
to display prominently or vividly
Example
The slogan was blazoned across the banner in bold letters.
Le slogan a été affiché en lettres grasses sur la bannière.
C2 verb /bɪˈtroʊð/

betroth

se fiancer
Meaning
To formally promise to marry someone; to engage.
Example
He was betrothed to the princess at a young age.
Il a été fiancé à la princesse à un jeune âge.
C2 verb /ˈbɪloʊ/

billow

se gonfler comme des vagues
Meaning
To swell or rise in large waves or surges; to flow outward in a rolling motion.
Example
Smoke billowed from the burning building.
La fumée se gonflait comme des vagues depuis le bâtiment en feu.
C2 adjective /boʊˈhiːmiən/

bohemian

bohémien
Meaning
unconventional, artistic, and free-spirited in lifestyle or appearance
Example
She decorated her apartment in a bohemian style with colorful fabrics.
Elle a décoré son appartement dans un style bohémien avec des tissus colorés.
C2 adjective /ˈboʊvaɪn/

bovine

lié au bétail
Meaning
relating to cattle; showing a dull or sluggish nature
Example
Her bovine expression revealed no emotions.
Son expression bovine n'a révélé aucune émotion.
C2 verb /ˈbɜːrdʒən/

burgeon

croître rapidement
Meaning
To grow or develop rapidly; to flourish.
Example
The city's population began to burgeon after the new factory opened.
La population de la ville a commencé à croître rapidement après l'ouverture de la nouvelle usine.
C2 adjective /blaɪð/

blithe

insouciant
Meaning
Showing a casual and cheerful indifference considered improper or carefree happiness.
Example
She had a blithe disregard for the rules.
Elle avait un mépris insouciant pour les règles.
C2 noun /ˈbɛlfri/

belfry

clocher
Meaning
A bell tower, especially one attached to a church or building.
Example
The church belfry housed a large bronze bell.
Le clocher de l'église abritait une grande cloche en bronze.
C2 noun /bleɪn/

Blain

cloque
Meaning
an inflammatory swelling or sore on the skin; a blister or pustule
Example
The doctor examined the blain on his arm.
Le médecin a examiné la cloque sur son bras.
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.
C2 adjective /ˈbrɔːni/

brawny

musclé
Meaning
Physically strong and muscular.
Example
The brawny man lifted the heavy box with ease.
L'homme musclé a soulevé la boîte lourde avec facilité.
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.
C2 noun /ˈbed.ləm/

Bedlam

chaos; confusion bruyante
Meaning
a scene of noisy confusion; chaos and disorder
Example
The classroom was complete bedlam after the fire alarm.
La salle de classe était un véritable chaos après l'alarme incendie.
C2 adjective /ˈbʌksəm/

buxom

femme ronde et attrayante
Meaning
Plump, with a full figure and often large-breasted, especially used to describe women.
Example
The actress was described as a cheerful and buxom woman.
L'actrice a été décrite comme une femme joyeuse et ronde.
C2 noun /ˈbɜːrɡər/

burgher

bourgeois
Meaning
A citizen of a town, typically a member of the wealthy middle class.
Example
The burgher was respected as a prosperous merchant in the city.
Le bourgeois était respecté comme un marchand prospère dans la ville.
C2 verb /bɪˈteɪk/

betake

se rendre à; recourir à
Meaning
to go or resort to a place or course of action, especially as a response; to apply oneself
Example
After dinner, she betook herself to her room to read.
Après le dîner, elle se rendit dans sa chambre pour lire.
C2 noun /bɜːrˈlɛsk/

burlesque

burlesque
Meaning
A humorous and exaggerated imitation of a serious work; a type of theatrical entertainment involving comedy and parody.
Example
The play was a clever burlesque of traditional opera.
La pièce était une burlesque ingénieuse de l'opéra traditionnel.
C2 noun /bʊr/

Boor

personne grossière; rustre
Meaning
a rough and bad-mannered person; someone who lacks refinement or culture
Example
The wealthy businessman was actually a boor who showed no respect for others.
L'homme d'affaires riche était en fait un rustre qui ne montrait aucun respect envers les autres.
C2 adjective /ˈbiːstiəl/

bestial

bestial
Meaning
Relating to beasts; showing savagery, brutality, or lacking human sensibility.
Example
The prisoners were treated in a bestial manner.
Les prisonniers ont été traités de manière bestiale.
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.
C2 verb /baɪd/

bide

attendre
Meaning
to wait patiently for the right time or opportunity
Example
He decided to bide his time before making a move.
Il a décidé d'attendre son moment avant de faire un mouvement.
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.
C2 noun /ˈbɛnɪsən/

benison

bénédiction
Meaning
A blessing or benefit.
Example
The rain was a benison for the drought-stricken farmers.
La pluie était une bénédiction pour les agriculteurs frappés par la sécheresse.
C2 noun /bɪˈnɪɡnɪti/

Benignity

bonté; douceur; la qualité d'être bienveillant ou gracieux
Meaning
kindness; gentleness; the quality of being benign or gracious
Example
Her benignity towards all people made her beloved by everyone.
Sa bonté envers tous les gens l'a rendue aimée de tous.
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.
C2 noun /ˈbuːbi/

booby

idiot
Meaning
a foolish or gullible person; a silly individual
Example
He felt like a booby after making such a simple mistake.
Il s'est senti idiot après avoir fait une erreur si simple.
C2 noun /ˈbɛnɪfɪs/

benefice

bénéfice ecclésiastique
Meaning
a permanent church appointment for which property and income are provided
Example
The bishop appointed him to a wealthy benefice.
L'évêque l'a nommé à un bénéfice ecclésiastique riche.
C2 noun /ˌbækəˈneɪliə/

bacchanalia

fête débridée
Meaning
A Roman festival of Bacchus celebrated with dancing, drinking, and revelry; any occasion of wild and drunken revelry.
Example
The novel describes the party as a bacchanalia of excess and joy.
Le roman décrit la fête comme une bacchanale d'excès et de joie.
C2 noun /ˈbrɪn.dʒəl/

Brinjal

aubergine
Meaning
a large purple vegetable that is white inside; also called eggplant
Example
My mother cooked brinjal curry for lunch.
Ma mère a cuisiné un curry d'aubergine pour le déjeuner.
C2 noun /ˈbreɪziər/

Brazier

ouvrier en laiton
Meaning
a worker in brass; a portable container for burning charcoal or coal
Example
The brazier crafted beautiful brass ornaments.
L'ouvrier en laiton a fabriqué de magnifiques bijoux en laiton.
C2 noun /ˈbrɪk ə ˌbræk/

bric-a-brac

objets décoratifs
Meaning
Small decorative objects or ornaments, often of little value.
Example
The shelves were filled with old bric-a-brac from her travels.
Les étagères étaient remplies de vieux objets décoratifs de ses voyages.
C2 adjective /ˈbɛərˌfeɪst/

barefaced

effronté
Meaning
shameless and undisguised; openly bold or unashamed
Example
He told a barefaced lie in front of everyone.
Il a raconté un mensonge effronté devant tout le monde.
C2 noun /ˈbiː.təl nʌt/

Betel-nut

noix de bétel
Meaning
seed of the areca palm tree, often chewed as a stimulant
Example
Betel-nut is commonly chewed in many South Asian countries.
La noix de bétel est couramment mâchée dans de nombreux pays d'Asie du Sud.
C2 noun /brɪˈtæniə/

britannia

Britannia
Meaning
the personification of Britain, often shown as a woman with a helmet and shield
Example
Britannia has been a symbol of Britain since Roman times.
Britania est un symbole de la Grande-Bretagne depuis l'époque romaine.
C2 noun /ˌbʌkəˈnɪər/

buccaneer

pirate
Meaning
a pirate, especially one active in the Caribbean during the 17th and 18th centuries
Example
The buccaneer sailed across the Caribbean in search of treasure.
Le pirate a navigué à travers les Caraïbes à la recherche de trésors.
C2 adjective /ˈbɛlɪˌkoʊs/

bellicose

belliqueux
Meaning
Showing a tendency to argue or fight; aggressive.
Example
His bellicose attitude often got him into unnecessary conflicts.
Son attitude belliqueuse le mettait souvent dans des conflits inutiles.
C2 adjective /ˈbʌmpʃəs/

bumptious

prétentieux
Meaning
Arrogantly self-assertive or conceited.
Example
The bumptious student interrupted the teacher several times.
L'étudiant prétentieux a interrompu le professeur plusieurs fois.
C2 noun /ˈbeɪleɪ/

Bele

poisson bele
Meaning
a type of freshwater fish found in South Asian rivers, known for its distinctive appearance
Example
The bele fish is commonly caught in the rivers of Bangladesh.
Le poisson bele est couramment pêché dans les rivières du Bangladesh.
C2 noun /bɑːrd/

bard

poète
Meaning
a poet, traditionally one reciting epics and associated with oral traditions
Example
Shakespeare is often called the Bard of Avon.
Shakespeare est souvent appelé le poète de l'Avon.
C2 adjective /ˈbʊərɪʃ/

boorish

rude
Meaning
Rude, insensitive, and lacking manners or refinement.
Example
His boorish behavior ruined the dinner party.
Son comportement rude a ruiné la fête du dîner.
C2 adjective /bɪˈnɪɡnənt/

benignant

bienveillant, généreux
Meaning
Kindly and benevolent in nature.
Example
The teacher’s benignant attitude made the students feel comfortable.
L'attitude bénigne du professeur a rendu les étudiants à l'aise.
C2 verb /bɪˈwɪtʃ/

bewitch

envoûter
Meaning
to enchant or fascinate someone as if by magic
Example
The dancer's performance bewitched the audience.
La performance de la danseuse a enchanté le public.
C2 verb /ˈblʌstər/

bluster

vantes
Meaning
to speak loudly in an aggressive or threatening way, often without real power
Example
The manager blustered about firing people but did nothing.
Le manager a menacé de renvoyer des gens mais n'a rien fait.
C2 noun /ˈbɒdɪs/

bodice

corsage
Meaning
the part of a woman's dress that covers the body from the neck to the waist
Example
She wore a dress with an embroidered bodice.
Elle portait une robe avec un corsage brodé.
C2 adjective /ˈbrɪndl̩d/

brindled

bringé
Meaning
Having a brownish or tawny color with streaks or spots of another color.
Example
The farmer owned a brindled cow with distinctive stripes.
L'agriculteur possédait une vache bringée avec des rayures distinctes.
C2 noun /ˈbrɒŋkəs/

bronchus

bronche
Meaning
either of the two main branches of the trachea that lead directly into the lungs
Example
The left bronchus carries air into the left lung.
Le bronchus gauche transporte l'air dans le poumon gauche.
C2 verb /bɪˈfʌdəl/

befuddle

embrouiller
Meaning
to confuse someone completely; to make someone unable to think clearly
Example
The complex instructions befuddled the students.
Les instructions complexes ont embrouillé les étudiants.
C2 noun /bəˈlɛəroʊ/

bolero

boléro (une danse espagnole ou une veste courte ouverte à l'avant)
Meaning
A Spanish dance in slow triple time, or a short jacket open at the front.
Example
The dancers performed a passionate bolero at the festival.
Les danseurs ont exécuté un boléro passionné lors du festival.
C2 noun /ˌbædɪˈnɑːʒ/

badinage

badinage, conversation plaisante
Meaning
Playful and humorous conversation; banter.
Example
The friends enjoyed a light badinage over coffee.
Les amis ont apprécié une légère badinage autour du café.
C2 adjective /ˈbɒni/

Bonny

joli; charmant; joyeux
Meaning
cheerful; pretty; attractive
Example
The bonny child played happily in the garden.
L'enfant joli a joué joyeusement dans le jardin.
C2 noun /ˌbæstərdaɪˈzeɪʃən/

bastardization

dégénérescence / altération
Meaning
the act of corrupting, degrading, or misrepresenting something
Example
Critics called the remake a bastardization of the original film.
Les critiques ont qualifié le remake de bastardisation du film original.
C2 noun /ˈbuː.jɒ̃/

bouillon

bouillon
Meaning
A clear, seasoned broth made by simmering meat, fish, or vegetables in water.
Example
She added vegetables to the bouillon for extra flavor.
Elle a ajouté des légumes au bouillon pour plus de saveur.
C2 noun /ˈbaɪəˌɡræf/

biograph

biographie
Meaning
A written account of a person's life; an early motion-picture projector (historical use).
Example
The library holds an old biograph of the poet.
La bibliothèque possède une ancienne biographie du poète.
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 adjective /ˈbrætɪʃ/

brattish

gâté
Meaning
acting like a spoiled child; behaving in an annoying, self-centered way
Example
The brattish boy threw a tantrum when he didn’t get his toy.
Le garçon gâté a fait une crise de colère lorsqu'il n'a pas eu son jouet.
C2 noun /ˌbrɪɡ.əˈdɪər/

brigadier

brigadier
Meaning
A military officer rank, usually commanding a brigade.
Example
The brigadier inspected the troops before the parade.
Le brigadier a inspecté les troupes avant le défilé.
C2 adjective /ˈbaɪ.fərˌkeɪ.tɪd/

bifurcated

divisé en deux parties
Meaning
Divided into two branches or parts.
Example
The river became bifurcated as it flowed around the island.
Le fleuve est devenu bifurqué en deux parties lorsqu'il a traversé l'île.
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 /ˌbɒmbərˈdɪər/

bombardier

bombardier
Meaning
a member of a bomber crew responsible for releasing bombs
Example
The bombardier released the bombs with precision.
Le bombardier a largué les bombes avec précision.
C2 noun /bɪˈtroʊðəl/

betrothal

fiançailles
Meaning
The formal engagement to be married.
Example
Their betrothal was announced to the whole village.
Leurs fiançailles ont été annoncées à tout le village.
C2 adjective /beɪˈkoʊniən/

baconian

baconien
Meaning
Relating to the philosopher Francis Bacon or his method of scientific reasoning.
Example
The researcher followed a Baconian approach to observation and experimentation.
Le chercheur a suivi une approche baconienne de l'observation et de l'expérimentation.
C2 noun /ˈbæn.jən/

Banian

sous-vêtement sans manches
Meaning
a sleeveless undergarment worn next to the skin; vest
Example
He put on a cotton banian under his shirt.
Il a mis un banian en coton sous sa chemise.
C2 verb /bɪˈliːɡər/

beleaguer

assiéger, harceler
Meaning
to cause difficulties, troubles, or harassment; to surround with military forces
Example
The company was beleaguered by constant complaints from its customers.
L'entreprise était assiégée par des plaintes constantes de ses clients.
C2 verb /ˈbɜːrnɪʃ/

burnish

lustrer
Meaning
To polish something by rubbing; to enhance or improve.
Example
He burnished the old table until it shone.
Il a lustré la vieille table jusqu'à ce qu'elle brille.
C2 verb /bɪˈleɪbər/

belabor

insister
Meaning
to argue or elaborate on a subject in excessive detail; to attack verbally or physically
Example
The professor belabored the point until the students grew restless.
Le professeur a insisté sur le point jusqu'à ce que les étudiants deviennent agités.
C2 noun /bænˈdænə/

bandanna

grand foulard coloré
Meaning
A large, often brightly colored handkerchief, typically worn on the head or around the neck.
Example
He tied a red bandanna around his neck.
Il a attaché un foulard rouge autour de son cou.
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.
C2 adjective /bɪˈhoʊldən/

beholden

reconnaissant ou endetté
Meaning
indebted or obliged to someone for a service or help
Example
He felt beholden to his mentor for all the guidance.
Il se sentait reconnaissant envers son mentor pour toute l'orientation.
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.
C2 noun /ˈbiːlaɪn/

beeline

ligne droite
Meaning
a straight, direct route to a destination
Example
He made a beeline for the food table as soon as he entered the party.
Il a fait une ligne droite vers la table de nourriture dès qu'il est entré à la fête.
C2 verb /ˈbaɪfərˌkeɪt/

bifurcate

diviser en deux parties
Meaning
to divide into two branches or parts
Example
The road bifurcates into two separate paths at the hill.
La route bifurque en deux chemins séparés au sommet de la colline.
C2 noun /bɛl/

belle

belle femme
Meaning
A beautiful woman, especially the most attractive woman at a gathering.
Example
She was the belle of the ball that evening.
Elle était la belle du bal ce soir-là.
C2 noun /ˈbrɪɡ.ənd/

brigand

brigand
Meaning
A member of a gang that ambushes and robs people in forests or mountains; a bandit.
Example
The travelers were attacked by brigands in the mountains.
Les voyageurs ont été attaqués par des brigands dans les montagnes.
C2 adjective /ˈblaɪðsəm/

blithesome

joyeux
Meaning
cheerful, carefree, and full of joy
Example
She entered the room with a blithesome smile that lifted everyone's spirits.
Elle entra dans la pièce avec un sourire joyeux qui remonta le moral de tout le monde.
C2 verb /ˈbætn/

batten

fixer
Meaning
To fasten or secure something tightly.
Example
They battened down the hatches before the storm.
Ils ont fixé les écoutilles avant la tempête.
C2 verb /bɪˈnʌm/

benumb

engourdir
Meaning
to make physically numb or without sensation; to make mentally dull or insensitive
Example
The freezing wind seemed to benumb his fingers within minutes.
Le vent glacial semblait lui engourdir les doigts en quelques minutes.
C2 noun /ˈbɜːrsər/

bursar

trésorier
Meaning
An official in a school or college responsible for financial affairs.
Example
The bursar approved the budget for the new library.
Le trésorier a approuvé le budget pour la nouvelle bibliothèque.
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.
C2 verb /bɪˈdɛk/

bedeck

décorer
Meaning
to decorate or adorn something in a showy way
Example
The hall was bedecked with flowers for the wedding.
La salle a été décorée de fleurs pour le mariage.
C2 noun /boʊl/

boll

capsule arrondie de graines (comme celles de coton ou de lin)
Meaning
The rounded seed capsule of plants such as cotton or flax.
Example
The farmer examined the cotton boll to check its quality.
L'agriculteur a examiné le bol de coton pour vérifier sa qualité.
C2 verb /breɪ/

bray

braiment
Meaning
To make a loud, harsh sound like a donkey.
Example
The donkey began to bray loudly in the field.
L'âne a commencé à braire fort dans le champ.
C2 noun /briːtʃ/

breech

La partie arrière du canon d'une arme; une position d'un bébé dans l'utérus où les fesses ou les pieds sortent en premier à la naissance.
Meaning
The back part of a gun barrel; a position of a baby in the womb where the buttocks or feet come out first at birth.
Example
The rifle was loaded through the breech.
Le fusil a été chargé par la culasse.
C2 noun /ˈbɑːr.nɪ.kəl/

Barnacle

balane
Meaning
a marine crustacean that attaches itself permanently to underwater surfaces
Example
The old ship's hull was covered with barnacles.
La coque du vieux navire était couverte de balanes.
C2 verb /ˈblændɪʃ/

blandish

flatter
Meaning
to flatter or coax someone with kind words or praise in order to influence them
Example
He blandished the officials with compliments to gain their support.
Il a flatté les responsables pour obtenir leur soutien.
C2 noun /brəˈvjʊrə/

bravura

virtuosité
Meaning
a display of great skill and brilliance, especially in music or performance
Example
The pianist delivered a bravura performance that left the audience spellbound.
Le pianiste a offert une prestation virtuose qui a laissé le public ébloui.
C2 adjective /bjuːˈkɒlɪk/

bucolic

bucolique
Meaning
Relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside and country life.
Example
They enjoyed a bucolic picnic by the river.
Ils ont apprécié un pique-nique bucolique au bord de la rivière.