Vocabularies

English Vocabulary Dictionary | Word Meanings, Definitions & Examples

Blockade definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
noun C1
/blɑːˈkeɪd/

an act of sealing off a place to prevent goods or people from entering or leaving

"The navy set up a blockade around the harbor."

Blockage definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
noun C1
/ˈblɒk.ɪdʒ/

an obstruction that makes movement or flow difficult or impossible

"The drain blockage caused water to overflow in the kitchen."

noun C1
/ˈblʌdˌbæθ/

an event in which a lot of people are killed or injured, especially in a violent conflict

"The war turned into a bloody bloodbath."

adjective C1
/ˈblʌdləs/

without bloodshed; lacking violence or vitality

"The revolution was surprisingly bloodless."

Bloodshed definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
noun C1
/ˈblʌd.ʃed/

the killing or wounding of people, typically in large numbers during a conflict

"The peace treaty was signed to prevent further bloodshed."

blurb definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
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blurb

noun C1
/blɜːrb/

a short promotional description of a book, product, or service

"The back cover had a blurb praising the novel."

blurt definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
😮

blurt

verb C1
/blɜːrt/

to say something suddenly and without careful consideration

"He blurted out the secret before he could stop himself."

Boa definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
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Boa

noun C1
/ˈboʊ.ə/

a large non-venomous snake that kills prey by constriction

"The boa constrictor wrapped around its prey."

bog definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
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bog

noun C1
/bɒɡ/

an area of wet, spongy ground; a swamp or marsh

"The hikers got stuck in a bog."

boggle definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
verb C1
/ˈbɒɡəl/

to overwhelm or confuse; to be astonished or puzzled by something

"The complexity of the puzzle boggled his mind."

bogus definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
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bogus

adjective C1
/ˈboʊɡəs/

false, fake, or not genuine

"The police arrested him for using a bogus ID card."

boisterous definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
adjective C1
/ˈbɔɪstərəs/

noisy, energetic, and cheerful; rowdy

"The children were boisterous during the birthday party."

bolster definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
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bolster

verb C1
/ˈboʊlstər/

To support, strengthen, or reinforce something.

"The manager bolstered the team's confidence with encouraging words."

bombard definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
verb C1
/bɒmˈbɑːrd/

to attack continuously with bombs, questions, or other forces

"Reporters bombarded the minister with difficult questions."

bombardment definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
noun C1
/bɒmˈbɑːrdmənt/

a continuous attack with bombs or other projectiles

"The city endured a heavy bombardment during the war."

adjective C1
/ˌboʊnəˈfaɪdi/

genuine; authentic; legitimate

"She is a bonafide expert in her field."

Bonanza definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
noun C1
/bəˈnæn.zə/

a situation or event that creates a sudden increase in wealth, good fortune, or profits

"The oil discovery was a bonanza for the small country."

Bondage definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
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Bondage

noun C1
/ˈbɑn.dɪdʒ/

the state of being a slave; the state of being under the control of a force or influence

"The people fought to escape from the bondage of oppression."

Book binder definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
noun C1
/bʊk ˈbaɪn.dər/

a person whose job is to fasten the pages of books together and put covers on them

"The old book binder carefully restored the antique manuscript."

Bookish definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
adjective C1
/ˈbʊkɪʃ/

Spending much time reading or studying; scholarly but lacking practical experience.

"He was too bookish to enjoy outdoor activities."

boon definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
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boon

noun C1
/buːn/

A thing that is helpful or beneficial.

"The internet is a boon to modern education."

bootstrap definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
verb/noun C1
ˈbuːt.stræp

To start and develop a business using personal resources without external funding.

"He bootstrapped his company with minimal resources."

bootstrapping definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
noun C1
ˈbuːt.stræp.ɪŋ

Self-funding business, self-reliant effort.

"The startup used bootstrapping to grow."

booze definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
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booze

noun, verb C1
/buːz/

alcoholic drink, especially strong liquor; to drink alcohol, often excessively

"They bought some booze for the party."

boozy definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
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boozy

adjective C1
/ˈbuːzi/

containing or involving a lot of alcohol; slightly drunk from alcohol

"The party became boozy as the night went on."

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borough

noun C1
/ˈbʌrə, ˈbʊrə/

A town, district, or administrative division, especially one with its own local government.

"Brooklyn is a borough of New York City."

💓

bosom

noun C1
/ˈbʊzəm/

the human chest, especially a woman’s breast; also used metaphorically to refer to closeness or intimacy

"She kept the secret close to her bosom."

botch definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
verb C1
/bɒtʃ/

to carry out a task badly or carelessly

"He completely botched the repair job."

Bottle-green definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
adjective C1
/ˈbɒt.əl ɡriːn/

a dark green color similar to that of a green glass bottle

"She wore a beautiful bottle-green dress to the evening party."

bountiful definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
adjective C1
/ˈbaʊn.tɪ.fəl/

Large in quantity; abundant; generous in giving.

"The farmer was grateful for the bountiful harvest."

bourgeois definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
adjective, noun C1
/ˈbʊrʒ.wɑː/

Relating to the middle class, often with materialistic values or conventional attitudes.

"The novel criticizes the bourgeois lifestyle of the city dwellers."

Bout definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
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Bout

noun C1
/baʊt/

a short period of intense activity or a contest, especially in sports or illness

"He had a severe bout of flu last winter."

brainwash definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
verb, noun C1
/ˈbreɪnˌwɒʃ/

to manipulate someone into adopting certain beliefs by repeated pressure or propaganda; the act or process of such manipulation

"The group tried to brainwash new members with constant propaganda."

brandish definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
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brandish

verb C1
/ˈbrændɪʃ/

to wave or flourish something, especially a weapon, in a threatening or showy way

"He brandished a sword to scare off the intruders."

brash definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
😏

brash

adjective C1
/bræʃ/

self-assertive in a rude, noisy, or overconfident way

"His brash comments offended many people at the meeting."

Brassiere definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
noun C1
/brəˈzɪər/

a woman's undergarment designed to support the breasts

"She bought a comfortable brassiere for daily wear."

brawl definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
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brawl

noun C1
/brɔːl/

a noisy fight in a public place

"A brawl broke out outside the bar late at night."

brazen definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
adjective C1
/ˈbreɪzən/

Bold and without shame; shameless.

"She made a brazen attempt to lie in front of everyone."

breadth definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
noun C1
/brɛdθ/

The distance or measurement from side to side; width; a wide range.

"The breadth of his knowledge impressed everyone."

breaker definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
noun C1
/ˈbreɪkər/

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.

"The breaker tripped during the storm, cutting off electricity."

brevity definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
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brevity

noun C1
/ˈbrɛvɪti/

Concise and exact use of words in writing or speech.

"The brevity of the speech kept the audience engaged."

Bridle definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
noun/verb C1
/ˈbraɪ.dəl/

A bridle is a piece of equipment used to control a horse; as a verb, it means to show anger or to restrain.

"The rider tightened the bridle before setting off."

brigade definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
noun C1
/brɪˈɡeɪd/

A large group of people organized for a specific purpose, especially a military unit.

"The fire brigade arrived quickly to put out the flames."

Brim definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
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Brim

noun/verb C1
/brɪm/

The edge of a container; as a verb, to be full to the point of overflowing.

"Her eyes brimmed with tears of joy."

brine definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
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brine

noun C1
/braɪn/

Water saturated with salt, often used for preserving food.

"The olives were stored in brine to keep them fresh."

bristle definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
verb, noun C1
/ˈbrɪsəl/

to react angrily or defensively; a short stiff hair or fiber

"The cat bristled when it saw the dog."

bristling definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
adjective C1
/ˈbrɪslɪŋ/

full of energy, anger, or excitement; showing bristles standing up

"He entered the room bristling with confidence."

brittle definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
adjective C1
/ˈbrɪtl/

easily broken or cracked; hard but liable to break

"The glass was so brittle that it cracked easily."

broach definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
verb C1
/broʊtʃ/

to bring up a subject for discussion

"She decided to broach the topic of salary with her manager."

broil definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
🔥

broil

verb C1
/brɔɪl/

To cook food by direct heat, usually under a grill or over a fire.

"She broiled the chicken until it was golden brown."