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baby boom noun : a marked rise in birthrate

— baby boom·er noun

ba·by·ish adjective : resembling a baby : CHILDISH, INFANTILE

Synonyms

childish, immature, infantile, juvenile, kiddish—more at CHILDISH

baby's breath noun : any of a genus of herbs that are related to the pinks and have small delicate flowers

ba·by·sit verb -sat ; -sit·ting : to care for children usu. during a short absence of the parents

ba·by·sit·ter noun : a person usu. hired for relatively short periods of time to take care of a child or children while the parents are away from the home

bac·ca·lau·re·ate noun 1 : the degree of bachelor conferred by colleges and universities

2 : a sermon delivered to a graduating class

bac·ca·rat noun : a card game in which three hands are dealt and players may bet either or both hands against the dealer's

bac·cha·nal noun 1 : ORGY

2 : REVELER

bac·cha·na·lia noun, plural bacchanalia : a drunken orgy

— bac·cha·na·lian adjective or noun

bach·e·lor noun 1 : a person who has received the usu. lowest degree conferred by a 4-year college

2 : an unmarried man

— bach·e·lor·hood noun

bach·e·lor·ette noun : a young unmarried woman

bachelor's button noun : a European plant related to the daisies and having blue, pink, or white flower heads

ba·cil·lus noun, plural -li [ORIGIN: NL, fr. ML, small staff, dim. of L baculus staff]

: any of numerous rod-shaped bacteria; also : a disease-producing bacterium

— bac·il·lary adjective

1back noun 1 : the rear or dorsal part of the human body; also : the corresponding part of a lower animal

2 : the part or surface opposite the front

3 : a player in the backfield in football

— back·less adjective

2back adverb 1 : to, toward, or at the rear

2 : AGO

3 : so as to be restrained or retarded

4 : to, toward, or in a former place or state

5 : in return or reply

Synonyms

[1, 4] about, around, round—more at AROUND

3back adjective 1 : located at or in the back

2 : OVERDUE

3 : moving or operating backward

4 : not current

Synonyms

hind, hindmost, posterior, rear

Antonyms

anterior, fore, forward, front

4back verb 1 : to assist by material, moral, or financial assistance : SUPPORT

2 : to go or cause to go backward or in reverse

3 : to furnish with a back : form the back of

Synonyms

advocate, champion, endorse, patronize, support—more at SUPPORT

abet, aid, assist, help, prop, support—more at HELP

back·ache noun : a pain in the lower back

back away verb : to move away (as from a stand on an issue or from a commitment)

Synonyms

fall back, recede, retire, retreat, withdraw—more at RETREAT

back–bench·er noun : a rank-and-file member of a British legislature

back·bite verb -bit ; -bit·ten ; -bit·ing : to say mean or spiteful things about someone who is absent

— back·bit·er noun

back·board noun : a board placed at or serving as the back of something

back·bone noun 1 : the bony column in the back of a vertebrate that is the chief support of the trunk and consists of a jointed series of vertebrae enclosing and protecting the spinal cord

2 : firm resolute character

Synonyms

[1] spine, vertebral column—more at SPINE

[2] fiber, fortitude, grit, guts, pluck, spunk—more at FORTITUDE

back down verb : to withdraw from a commitment or position

Synonyms

cop out, renege—more at RENEGE

back·drop noun 1 : a painted cloth hung across the rear of a stage

2 : the scenery or ground behind something : BACKGROUND

back·er noun : one that supports

Synonyms

advocate, apostle, booster, champion, exponent, friend, promoter, proponent, supporter—more at EXPONENT

guarantor, patron, sponsor, surety—more at SPONSOR

back·field noun : the football players whose positions are behind the line

1backfire noun : a loud noise caused by the improperly timed explosion of fuel in the cylinder of an internal combustion engine

2backfire verb 1 : to make or undergo a backfire

2 : to have a result opposite to what was intended