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— bag·gi·ness noun

bag·man noun : a person who collects or distributes illicitly gained money on behalf of another

ba·gnio noun, plural bagnios [ORIGIN: It bagno, lit., public bath]

: BROTHEL

bag·pipe noun : a musical wind instrument consisting of a bag, a tube with valves, and sounding pipes — often used in pl.

ba·guette noun [ORIGIN: F, lit., rod]

1 : a gem having the shape of a narrow rectangle; also : the shape itself

2 : a long thin loaf of French bread

Ba·ha·mi·an noun : a native or inhabitant of the Bahama Islands

1bail noun : a container for ladling water out of a boat

2bail verb : to dip and throw out water from a boat

— bail·er noun

3bail noun : security given to guarantee a prisoner's appearance when legally required; also : one giving such security or the release secured

4bail verb : to release under bail; also : to procure the release of by giving bail

— bail·able adjective

5bail noun : the arched handle (as of a pail or kettle)

bai·liff noun 1 : an aide of a British sheriff who serves writs and makes arrests; also : a minor officer of a U.S. court

2 : an estate or farm manager esp. in Britain : STEWARD

bai·li·wick noun : one's special province or domain

bail·out noun : a rescue from financial distress

bairn noun, chiefly Scottish

: CHILD

1bait verb 1 : to persecute by continued attacks

2 : to harass with dogs usu. for sport <~ a bear>

3 : to furnish (as a hook) with bait

4 : ALLURE, ENTICE

5 : to give food and drink to (as an animal)

Synonyms

bug, hassle, heckle, needle, ride, taunt, tease—more at TEASE

2bait noun 1 : a lure for catching animals (as fish)

2 : an inducement to pleasure or gain : LURE, TEMPTATION

baize noun : a coarse feltlike fabric

1bake verb baked; bak·ing 1 : to cook or become cooked in dry heat esp. in an oven

2 : to dry and harden by heat <~ bricks>

— bak·er noun

2bake noun : a social gathering featuring baked food

baker's dozen noun : THIRTEEN

bak·ery noun, plural -er·ies : a place for baking or selling baked goods

bake sale noun : a fund-raising event at which usu. homemade foods are sold

bake·shop noun : BAKERY

baking powder noun : a powder that consists of a carbonate, an acid, and a starch and that makes the dough rise in baking cakes and biscuits

baking soda noun : SODIUM BICARBONATE

bak·sheesh noun : payment (as a tip or bribe) to expedite service

bal abbreviation balance

bal·a·lai·ka noun [ORIGIN: Russ]

: a triangular 3-stringed instrument of Russian origin played by plucking or strumming

1balance noun [ORIGIN: ME, fr. AF, fr. VL *bilancia, fr. LL bilanc-, bilanx having two scalepans, fr. L bi two + lanc-, lanx plate]

1 : a weighing device : SCALE

2 : a weight, force, or influence counteracting the effect of another

3 : an oscillating wheel used to regulate a timepiece

4 : a state of equilibrium

5 : a remaining group, part, or trace : REST; especially : an amount in excess esp. on the credit side of an account

6 : mental and emotional steadiness

7 : an aesthetically pleasing integration of elements

Synonyms

[2] canceler, counterbalance, counterweight, offset

[4] equilibrium, equipoise, poise

Antonyms

imbalance

[5] leavings, leftovers, odds and ends, remainder, remains, remnant, residue, rest—more at REMAINDER

[7] coherence, consonance, harmony, proportion, symmetry, symphony, unity—more at HARMONY

2balance verb bal·anced; bal·anc·ing 1 : to compute the balance of an account

2 : to arrange so that one set of elements equals another; also : to equal or equalize in weight, number, or proportions

3 : WEIGH

4 : to bring or come to a state or position of balance; also : to bring into harmony or proportion

Synonyms

equalize, equate, even, level—more at EQUALIZE

bal·anced adjective : being in a state of balance (as physically, emotionally, or aesthetically)

Synonyms

clearheaded, lucid, normal, right, sane, stable—more at SANE

congruous, consonant, harmonious—more at HARMONIOUS