brave
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A2 adjective /breɪv/

brave

Meaning
showing courage in the face of danger or difficulty
Example
The brave firefighter rushed into the burning building.
A2 verb /bæt/

bat

Meaning
to hit with a bat; to flutter eyelids
Example
She bats her eyelashes flirtatiously.
C1 adjective /bəˈnɑːl/ or /ˈbeɪnəl/

banal

Meaning
Lacking originality; boringly obvious and commonplace.
Example
His speech was full of banal clichés.
C2 adjective /ˈbɒni/

Bonny

Meaning
cheerful; pretty; attractive
Example
The bonny child played happily in the garden.
B1 verb /bliːd/

bleed

Meaning
to lose blood from the body, especially due to injury
Example
She began to bleed from the cut on her arm.
A1 noun /ˈbɪldɪŋ/

building

Meaning
A structure with a roof and walls, such as a house, school, or office.
Example
The old building was renovated into a museum.
B2 noun/adjective /ˈbʌmpər/

bumper

Meaning
A protective bar at the front or back of a vehicle; also used to describe something unusually large or successful.
Example
The farmer celebrated a bumper harvest this year.
B1 adverb /ˈbraɪtli/

brightly

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.
A2 noun /bɔːrd/

board

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.
B2 noun ˈbaɪ.əs

bias

Meaning
Prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair.
Example
The judge must remain free from bias.
C2 verb /bɪˈdaɪzən/

bedizen

Meaning
to dress up or decorate in a showy or tasteless way
Example
She was bedizened with cheap jewelry.
C2 noun /ˈbɛlfri/

belfry

Meaning
A bell tower, especially one attached to a church or building.
Example
The church belfry housed a large bronze bell.
C1 noun /ˈbeɪ.zəl siːdz/

Basil Seeds

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.
A1 noun /ˈbɛdruːm/

bedroom

Meaning
A room used for sleeping in.
Example
The children were playing in the bedroom.
A2 noun /biː/

Bee

Meaning
a flying insect that produces honey and can sting
Example
The bee collected nectar from the flower.
B2 adjective /ˌben.ɪˈfɪʃ.əl/

beneficial

Meaning
Resulting in good; favorable or advantageous.
Example
Eye rubbing can be beneficial in moderation.
A1 adjective /bɛst/

best

Meaning
Of the highest quality, excellence, or standing.
Example
She is the best student in the class.
C2 noun /ˈbrɪmˌstoʊn/

brimstone

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.
A2 adverb /ˈbædli/

badly

Meaning
in a way that is not good; poorly or severely
Example
He performed badly in the exam.
B1 verb /baʊns/

bounce

Meaning
to spring back after hitting something; to rebound.
Example
The ball bounced off the wall and hit the window.
C1 noun /bɑːrb/

barb

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.
C1 noun /ˈbaɪ.lɔː/

by-law

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.
C2 noun /ˈbʌt.ə.flaɪ piː/

Butterfly Pea

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.
B1 noun /blæk ˈber.i/

Black berry

Meaning
a small dark purple or black fruit that grows on bushes
Example
We picked fresh blackberries from the garden for our pie.
B2 noun /ˈbɛriəl/

burial

Meaning
the act of placing a dead body into the ground.
Example
The burial ceremony took place in the afternoon.
B2 noun /ˈboʊlər/

bowler

Meaning
a person who delivers the ball in cricket; also a type of hard felt hat with a rounded crown
Example
The bowler took three wickets in the first over.
C2 noun /ˈbʌɡəˌbuː/

bugaboo

Meaning
An object of fear or worry; an imagined cause of anxiety.
Example
The threat of inflation became a political bugaboo.
A2 verb /beɪs/

base

Meaning
to use something as a foundation; to establish or locate something
Example
They based their decision on facts.
B2 noun ˈbænd.wɪdθ

bandwidth

Meaning
A range of frequencies within a given band, in particular that used for transmitting a signal; the maximum amount of data that can be transmitted in a fixed amount of time.
Example
Increasing bandwidth enhances internet speed.
C2 noun /ˈbɪbliəfaɪl/

bibliophile

Meaning
A person who loves or collects books.
Example
She is a true bibliophile who spends weekends at old bookstores.
C1 noun /ˈbʊzəm/

bosom

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.
C1 verb /ˈbæbəl/

babble

Meaning
to talk rapidly and continuously in a foolish way
Example
The baby babbles all day long.
B2 verb /bɪˈfrɛnd/

befriend

Meaning
to act as a friend to someone; to make friends with
Example
She befriended the new student at school.
C1 phrase ˌbaɪ.oʊ.daɪˈvɜː.sɪ.ti ˌprez.əˈveɪ.ʃən

biodiversity preservation

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.
B1 noun /ˈbæŋkər/

banker

Meaning
a person who works in or manages a bank
Example
The banker approved the loan after reviewing the documents.
A2 noun /brɪdʒ/

Bridge

Meaning
a structure carrying a road, path, railway, etc. across a river, road, or other obstacle
Example
The old stone bridge has connected the two towns for over a century.
B1 noun /bʊʃ/

bush

Meaning
a plant with many small branches growing close to the ground; a shrub
Example
A rabbit was hiding under the bush.
C2 verb /ˈblækˌbɔːl/

blackball

Meaning
to exclude someone socially or vote against their membership in a group or club
Example
He was blackballed from the club after the controversy.
A2 noun /biːf/

Beef

Meaning
meat from a cow or bull
Example
The restaurant serves the best beef steak in town.
C2 noun /bɜːrˈlɛsk/

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.
B1 adverb /ˈbeɪsɪkli/

basically

Meaning
in the most important or fundamental way; essentially
Example
Basically, the project was a success despite some small issues.
C1 noun /bɪz/

Biz

Meaning
business (informal); commercial enterprise or activity
Example
He's been in the restaurant biz for twenty years.
B2 noun /biːt/

Beet

Meaning
a plant with a round dark red root that is eaten as a vegetable
Example
Roasted beet with goat cheese makes a delicious salad.
C2 verb /ˈbɪloʊ/

billow

Meaning
To swell or rise in large waves or surges; to flow outward in a rolling motion.
Example
Smoke billowed from the burning building.
A2 verb /baɪt/

bite

Meaning
to cut with teeth; to have a sharp effect
Example
The dog might bite if it feels threatened.
C2 adjective /ˌbiːəˈtɪfɪk/

beatific

Meaning
blissfully happy or showing great joy
Example
She had a beatific smile after hearing the good news.
A2 preposition /bɪˈloʊ/

below

Meaning
At a lower level or position than something else.
Example
The basement is below the ground floor.
C2 noun /ˈbɑːrbərɪzəm/

Barbarism

Meaning
extreme cruelty or brutality; absence of culture and civilization
Example
The barbarism of the war crimes shocked the entire international community.
B1 noun /ˈbæɹɪəz/

barriers

Meaning
Something that prevents progress or access; obstacles or hindrances.
Example
Language barriers can make communication difficult.
B1 verb /bɜːrst/

burst

Meaning
to break open suddenly; to be full of something
Example
The balloon bursts with a loud pop.
B2 noun, verb /ˈbʌŋkər/

bunker

Meaning
a reinforced underground shelter; to place or store something in a protected place
Example
They hid in a bunker during the air raid.
C2 noun /ˈbɔːbəl/

bauble

Meaning
A small, decorative trinket or ornament, often of little value.
Example
She wore a shiny bauble around her neck.
A2 verb; adjective /broʊk/

broke

Meaning
past tense of break; having no money or being financially poor
Example
I broke my phone last night and now I’m completely broke.
C1 noun /bɪˈriːvmənt/

bereavement

Meaning
The state of having lost a loved one through death.
Example
She received many letters of sympathy during her time of bereavement.
B1 adverb /ˈber.li/

Barely

Meaning
scarcely; only just; almost not
Example
I barely passed the exam.
C2 noun /brəˈkeɪd/

brocade

Meaning
a rich fabric woven with a raised pattern, often in gold or silver thread
Example
She wore a beautiful brocade dress to the wedding.
A1 adjective /ˈbɪɡɪst/

biggest

Meaning
largest in size, amount, degree, or importance; superlative form of big
Example
This is the biggest challenge we have ever faced.
B2 noun /ˈbækˌsaɪd/

backside

Meaning
the rear part or surface of something; informal term for the buttocks
Example
The kids slid down the hill on their backside.
B2 adjective /ˈbraʊn.ɪʃ/

Brownish

Meaning
having a color somewhat like brown; tending toward brown
Example
The old paper had a brownish tint from age.
C1 noun /bɜːrθ/

Berth

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.
A2 noun /ˈbækɡraʊnd/

Background

Meaning
the circumstances or situation that form the setting; a person's education, experience, or social circumstances
Example
She has a strong background in mathematics and computer science.
A1 adjective /braʊn/

Brown

Meaning
having the color of earth or wood; dark colored
Example
She has beautiful brown eyes that sparkle in the sunlight.
C2 noun /ˈbʌt.ər fɪʃ/

Butter-fish

Meaning
a small, smooth-skinned marine fish
Example
The butter-fish is popular in Bengali cuisine.
B2 verb /ˈbɔɪkɑt/

boycott

Meaning
to refuse to buy, use, or participate in something as a protest
Example
They decided to boycott the company's products.
C1 noun /ˈbrɛvɪti/

brevity

Meaning
Concise and exact use of words in writing or speech.
Example
The brevity of the speech kept the audience engaged.
B1 noun /bɪˈheɪvjər/

behavior

Meaning
The way in which one acts or conducts oneself, especially toward others.
Example
The teacher praised her good behavior in class.
C1 adjective /bəˈzɜːrk/

berserk

Meaning
Out of control with anger or excitement; wild or frenzied.
Example
The fans went berserk when their team won the championship.
B2 noun /ˈbɪʃəp/

bishop

Meaning
a senior member of the Christian clergy, usually in charge of a diocese and empowered to confer holy orders.
Example
The bishop delivered a powerful sermon during Sunday service.
B2 noun /ˈbækɪŋ/

Backing

Meaning
help or support; financial or material support
Example
The project received backing from several major investors.
C1 adjective, noun /ˈbʊrʒ.wɑː/

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.
B2 noun /biːk/

Beak

Meaning
the hard pointed part of a bird's mouth
Example
The eagle has a sharp beak for tearing meat.
A2 noun /ˈbʌdi/

buddy

Meaning
a close friend or companion, used informally
Example
He went to the movies with his best buddy.
B2 verb /buːst/

boost

Meaning
To increase, improve, or raise something.
Example
The company launched a campaign to boost sales.
C2 noun /ˈbaɪəˌɡræf/

biograph

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.
C2 noun /ˈbroʊmaɪd/

bromide

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.
C1 verb /bɪˈɡɛt/

beget

Meaning
to bring about or give rise to; to father or produce
Example
Violence begets more violence.
C2 verb /bɪˈθɪŋk/

bethink

Meaning
to cause oneself to consider or remember something
Example
He bethought himself of the promise he had made.
A2 noun /bentʃ/

Bench

Meaning
a long seat for several people, typically made of wood or stone
Example
The students sat on the bench.
B1 verb /bæn/

ban

Meaning
to officially forbid something; to prohibit
Example
The government banned smoking in public places.
B2 noun ˈbɛntʃˌmɑːr.kɪŋ

benchmarking

Meaning
Comparing with a specific industry or competitor to set the best standards.
Example
Companies use benchmarking to assess their performance.
C1 noun /brʌnt/

brunt

Meaning
the worst part or main impact of something unpleasant
Example
The small town bore the brunt of the storm.
B2 verb /buːm/

boom

Meaning
to make a loud deep sound; to grow or increase rapidly
Example
The thunder boomed across the sky.
B2 noun /brɪŋk/

brink

Meaning
The edge or point just before a significant event or change.
Example
The company was on the brink of bankruptcy.
C1 noun /ˈbɑn.dɪdʒ/

Bondage

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.
C2 noun /ˈbɜːrɡər/

burgher

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.
C1 verb /ˈbædʒər/

badger

Meaning
To repeatedly ask or annoy someone with demands or questions.
Example
The reporter kept badgering the politician with questions.
C2 verb /ˈbækˌslaɪd/

backslide

Meaning
To relapse into bad habits, undesirable practices, or moral decline.
Example
After months of progress, he began to backslide into old habits.
A1 noun /boʊt/

Boat

Meaning
a small vessel for traveling over water
Example
We took a small boat to cross the river.
C2 adjective /ˈbɔːlki/

balky

Meaning
difficult, uncooperative, or stubborn
Example
The balky printer refused to work when needed most.
C1 noun /brɛdθ/

breadth

Meaning
The distance or measurement from side to side; width; a wide range.
Example
The breadth of his knowledge impressed everyone.
A1 noun /biːtʃ/

beach

Meaning
An area of sand or small stones beside the sea or a lake.
Example
They spent the day relaxing on the beach.
C2 verb /ˈbætn/

batten

Meaning
To fasten or secure something tightly.
Example
They battened down the hatches before the storm.
A2 verb /bɪˈlɒŋ/

belong

Meaning
to be in the right place or to be a member of a group
Example
She felt she truly belonged to the team.
C2 verb /ˈbleɪzən/

blazon

Meaning
to display prominently or vividly
Example
The slogan was blazoned across the banner in bold letters.
A2 adverb /bɪˈsaɪdz/

Besides

Meaning
in addition to; moreover; furthermore
Example
Besides being smart, he is also kind.
C1 adjective /ˈbɛndi/

bendy

Meaning
Easily curved or flexible.
Example
The bendy straw made it easier to drink from the cup.
A1 noun /bʌs/

Bus

Meaning
a large motor vehicle carrying passengers by road
Example
I take the bus to work every morning.
A1 noun /ˈbaɪ.sɪ.kəl/

Bicycle

Meaning
A vehicle with two wheels that you pedal to make it move
Example
She rides her bicycle to work every day.
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.
C2 noun /ˈbrɪn.dʒəl/

Brinjal

Meaning
a large purple vegetable that is white inside; also called eggplant
Example
My mother cooked brinjal curry for lunch.
A2 noun ˈbʌt.ən

button

Meaning
A small disk or knob sewn onto a garment, either to fasten it by being pushed through a slit made for the purpose, or for decoration.
Example
Press the button to activate the device.
C2 noun /ˈbræɡərt/

braggart

Meaning
a person who boasts about achievements or possessions
Example
No one liked him because he was such a braggart.
C2 adjective /ˈbiːstiəl/

bestial

Meaning
Relating to beasts; showing savagery, brutality, or lacking human sensibility.
Example
The prisoners were treated in a bestial manner.
B2 noun, verb /blæst/

blast

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.
C1 noun /bəˈnæn.zə/

Bonanza

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.
C2 noun /ˌbræɡəˈdoʊʃioʊ/

braggadocio

Meaning
boastful or arrogant behavior; empty boasting
Example
His endless braggadocio annoyed everyone at the party.
C1 verb /ˈbɒɡəl/

boggle

Meaning
to overwhelm or confuse; to be astonished or puzzled by something
Example
The complexity of the puzzle boggled his mind.
B2 adverb /ˈbɪt.ə.li/

Bitterly

Meaning
in an angry, hurt, or resentful way; extremely; severely
Example
She complained bitterly about the unfair treatment.
C2 verb /bɪˈsiːtʃ/

beseech

Meaning
To ask someone urgently and fervently to do something; to beg.
Example
He beseeched the judge for mercy.
C1 noun /bəˈrɑːʒ/

barrage

Meaning
a concentrated outpouring of questions, criticisms, or blows; a rapid, continuous attack
Example
The politician faced a barrage of tough questions from reporters.
B2 adjective /blʌnt/

blunt

Meaning
not sharp; direct and straightforward in speech
Example
Her blunt remarks offended some people.
C1 noun /brɔːl/

brawl

Meaning
a noisy fight in a public place
Example
A brawl broke out outside the bar late at night.
C2 adjective /bjuːˈkɒlɪk/

bucolic

Meaning
Relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside and country life.
Example
They enjoyed a bucolic picnic by the river.
B2 verb /bleɪz/

blaze

Meaning
to burn brightly or powerfully
Example
The fire blazed for hours before it was brought under control.
C1 noun /ˈbæs.ti.ən/

bastion

Meaning
a stronghold or fortification; a place or institution strongly defending particular principles
Example
The castle stood as a bastion against enemy attacks.
C1 verb /bɪˈmoʊn/

bemoan

Meaning
To express discontent or sorrow over something.
Example
Critics bemoaned the lack of diversity in the film.
C2 noun /ˌbuː.ɡənˈvɪl.i.ə/

Bougainvillea

Meaning
a tropical climbing plant with colorful bracts surrounding small flowers
Example
The bougainvillea climbing over the garden wall creates a beautiful purple display.
B2 adverb /bɪˈfɔːr.hænd/

Beforehand

Meaning
in advance; ahead of time; earlier
Example
We prepared everything beforehand.
A2 noun /ˈbɑt.əm/

Bottom

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.
A1 preposition/adverb/conjunction /bɪˈfɔːr/

before

Meaning
At an earlier time; in front of in order or place.
Example
She arrived before the meeting started.
A1 adjective /blæk/

Black

Meaning
having the darkest color; the opposite of white
Example
She wore a beautiful black dress to the party.