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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 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 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 /ˈbʌŋɡəl/

bungle

embrouiller
Meaning
To carry out a task clumsily or incompetently.
Example
He bungled the presentation and confused the audience.
Il a embrouillé la présentation et a confondu l'audience.
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 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 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 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 verb /bɪˈstoʊ/

bestow

accorder
Meaning
To give or present something as a gift or honor.
Example
The king bestowed honors upon the brave soldiers.
Le roi a accordé des honneurs aux braves soldats.
C1 noun /ˈbɪɡətri/

bigotry

intolérance
Meaning
Intolerance toward those who hold different opinions or lifestyles.
Example
Her bigotry prevented her from accepting people with different beliefs.
Son intolérance l'empêchait d'accepter les personnes ayant des croyances différentes.
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 adjective bəˈnev.əl.ənt

benevolent

bienveillant, généreux, compatissant
Meaning
Kind, generous, showing goodwill and kindness.
Example
His benevolent nature made him beloved.
Sa nature bienveillante l'a rendu très aimé.
C1 adjective /ˈbeɪs.ləs/

Baseless

sans fondement; infondé; sans base
Meaning
without foundation; groundless; unfounded
Example
The accusations against him were completely baseless.
Les accusations contre lui étaient complètement infondées.
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 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.
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 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, 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 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 adjective /ˈbreɪzən/

brazen

effronté
Meaning
Bold and without shame; shameless.
Example
She made a brazen attempt to lie in front of everyone.
Elle a fait une tentative effrontée de mentir devant tout le monde.
C1 verb, noun /ˈbrɪsəl/

bristle

poils raides; réagir avec colère
Meaning
to react angrily or defensively; a short stiff hair or fiber
Example
The cat bristled when it saw the dog.
Le chat s'est hérissé quand il a vu le chien.
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 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.
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 /ˈbɪtər ɡɔːrd/

Bitter Gourd

courge amère
Meaning
a green, bumpy vegetable with a very bitter taste, known for its medicinal properties
Example
Bitter gourd is excellent for controlling blood sugar levels.
La courge amère est excellente pour contrôler les niveaux de sucre dans le sang.
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 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 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 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 verb /blɜːrt/

blurt

dire quelque chose sans réfléchir
Meaning
to say something suddenly without thinking
Example
He blurts out the secret accidentally.
Il dit accidentellement le secret.
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 /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 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 /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 /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 /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 /bɪˈhoʊld/

behold

contempler; voir
Meaning
to see or observe something, especially something remarkable or impressive
Example
She stood quietly to behold the sunrise over the hills.
Elle resta silencieuse pour contempler le lever du soleil sur les collines.
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 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 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 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 /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 /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 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 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 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 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 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 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 noun /bəˈtɒn/

baton

bâton / symbole d'autorité
Meaning
A thin stick carried by a conductor to direct an orchestra, or used as a symbol of authority.
Example
The conductor raised his baton to begin the symphony.
Le chef d'orchestre leva son bâton pour commencer la symphonie.
C1 adjective ˈbɜːdʒənɪŋ

burgeoning

en plein essor
Meaning
Beginning to grow or increase rapidly; flourishing.
Example
The burgeoning tech industry has attracted many investors.
L'industrie technologique en pleine expansion a attiré de nombreux investisseurs.
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 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 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 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 /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, 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 /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 verb /ˈbɛkən/

beckon

faire signe
Meaning
to signal or call someone to come closer, often with a gesture; to attract or invite
Example
She beckoned him to come closer with a wave of her hand.
Elle lui a fait signe de s’approcher avec la main.
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 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.
C1 verb /bɪˈwɪldər/

bewilder

déstabiliser
Meaning
to cause someone to be confused or puzzled
Example
The complex instructions bewildered the students.
Les instructions complexes ont perturbé les étudiants.
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 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 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 /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 verb, noun /ˈbʌsəl/

bustle

bousculade, agitation
Meaning
to move in an energetic or noisy manner; busy activity in a place
Example
The marketplace bustled with vendors and customers.
Le marché était rempli de vendeurs et de clients.
C1 noun /ˈbʊzəm/

bosom

poitrine
Meaning
the human chest, especially a woman’s breast; also used metaphorically to refer to closeness or intimacy
Example
She kept the secret close to her bosom.
Elle a gardé le secret près de sa poitrine.
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 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 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 /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 /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 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 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 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 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 /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 /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 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 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 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 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 verb /bɪˈɡɛt/

beget

engendrer / produire
Meaning
to bring about or give rise to; to father or produce
Example
Violence begets more violence.
La violence engendre plus de violence.
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 /bəˈbuːn/

Baboon

babouin
Meaning
a large African and Arabian primate with a dog-like snout and colorful buttocks
Example
The baboon troop gathered around the watering hole in the savanna.
Le groupe de babouins s'est réuni autour du trou d'eau dans la savane.
C1 noun /braɪn/

brine

eau salée
Meaning
Water saturated with salt, often used for preserving food.
Example
The olives were stored in brine to keep them fresh.
Les olives ont été conservées dans de l'eau salée pour les garder fraîches.
C1 verb /ˈbæbəl/

babble

babiller
Meaning
to talk rapidly and continuously in a foolish way
Example
The baby babbles all day long.
Le bébé babille toute la journée.
C1 verb /ˈbæfəl/

baffle

déconcerter
Meaning
to confuse; to be too difficult to understand
Example
The math problem baffles me completely.
Le problème de mathématiques me déconcerte complètement.
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 /bɑːm/

balm

baume
Meaning
A soothing ointment or something that provides comfort or relief.
Example
The balm helped relieve the pain from her sunburn.
Le baume a aidé à soulager la douleur de son coup de soleil.
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 /ˈbraɪ.dəl/

Bridle

bride; mors
Meaning
the headgear used to control a horse, consisting of buckled straps and a bit
Example
The rider adjusted the horse's bridle before mounting for the race.
Le cavalier a ajusté le filet du cheval avant de le monter pour la course.
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 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 noun /bɑːrˈbeəriən/

Barbarian

barbare; sauvage;
Meaning
a person from an uncivilized group; someone who is cruel or brutal
Example
The ancient Romans considered anyone outside their empire to be barbarians.
Les anciens Romains considéraient comme des barbares tous ceux qui étaient hors de leur empire.
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 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 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 verb /ˈbɑːrtər/

barter

troc
Meaning
To exchange goods or services without using money.
Example
They bartered their crops for handmade tools.
Ils ont échangé leurs récoltes contre des outils faits à la main.
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 noun /ˈbæs.ti.ən/

bastion

bastion, forteresse
Meaning
a stronghold or fortification; a place or institution strongly defending particular principles
Example
The castle stood as a bastion against enemy attacks.
Le château se tenait comme un bastion contre les attaques ennemies.
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 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 /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 /ˈbuːt.stræp.ɪŋ/

bootstrapping

autofinancement
Meaning
Starting a business with personal resources or small investments without external funding or venture capital.
Example
Many entrepreneurs rely on bootstrapping to launch their businesses.
Beaucoup d'entrepreneurs dépendent du bootstrapping pour lancer leurs entreprises.
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 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 /ˈbɑːmi/

balmy

doux et agréablement chaud; apaisant.
Meaning
Mild and pleasantly warm; soothing.
Example
We enjoyed a walk on a balmy summer evening.
Nous avons apprécié une promenade lors d'une douce soirée d'été.
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 /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 /beɪl/

bail

caution
Meaning
the temporary release of an accused person awaiting trial, often with a financial guarantee
Example
He was granted bail after his arrest.
Il a obtenu une caution après son arrestation.
C1 adjective /ˈbrɪtl/

brittle

fragile
Meaning
easily broken or cracked; hard but liable to break
Example
The glass was so brittle that it cracked easily.
Le verre était tellement fragile qu'il s'est cassé facilement.
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 /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 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 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.
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 noun/adjective/verb /bʌf/

buff

passionné / polir
Meaning
A fan or enthusiast; also to polish or shine something.
Example
He is a movie buff who watches films every weekend.
Il est un passionné de cinéma qui regarde des films chaque week-end.
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 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.