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bal·brig·gan noun : a knitted cotton fabric used esp. for underwear

bal·co·ny noun, plural -nies 1 : a platform projecting from the side of a building and enclosed by a railing

2 : a gallery inside a building

bald adjective 1 : lacking a natural or usual covering (as of hair)

2 : lacking embellishment or decoration : PLAIN

— bald·ly adverb

— bald·ness noun

Synonyms

[1] bare, exposed, naked, open, uncovered—more at NAKED

[2] plain, simple, unadorned, undecorated, unvarnished—more at PLAIN

bal·da·chin or bal·da·chi·no noun, plural -chins or -chinos : a canopylike structure over an altar

bald cypress noun : either of two large swamp trees of the southern U.S. with hard red wood

bald eagle noun : an eagle of No. America that when mature has white head and neck feathers and a white tail

bal·der·dash noun : NONSENSE

bald·ing adjective : getting bald

bal·dric noun : a belt worn over the shoulder to carry a sword or bugle

1bale noun : a large or closely packed bundle

2bale verb baled; bal·ing : to pack in a bale

— bal·er noun

ba·leen noun : a horny substance attached in plates to the upper jaw of some large whales (baleen whales)

bale·ful adjective 1 : likely to cause or capable of producing harm or death

2 : foreboding or foreshadowing evil : OMINOUS

Synonyms

[1] adverse, bad, baneful, damaging, deleterious, detrimental, evil, harmful, hurtful, pernicious—more at HARMFUL

[2] dire, foreboding, menacing, ominous, portentous, sinister—more at OMINOUS

1balk noun 1 : HINDRANCE, CHECK, SETBACK

2 : an illegal motion of the pitcher in baseball while in position

2balk verb 1 : to hinder the passage, progress, or accomplishment of : THWART

2 : to stop short and refuse to go on

3 : to commit a balk in sports

Synonyms

baffle, beat, checkmate, foil, frustrate, thwart—more at FRUSTRATE

balky adjective : refusing or likely to refuse to proceed, act, or function as directed or expected

1ball noun 1 : a rounded body or mass (as at the base of the thumb or for use as a missile or in a game)

2 : a game played with a ball

3 : a pitched baseball that misses the strike zone and is not swung at by the batter

4 : a hit or thrown ball in various games

— on the ball

: COMPETENT, KNOWLEDGEABLE, ALERT

Synonyms

orb, sphere

2ball verb : to form into a ball

Synonyms

agglomerate, conglomerate, roll, round, wad—more at WAD

3ball noun : a large formal dance

Synonyms

dance, formal, prom—more at DANCE

bal·lad noun 1 : a narrative poem of strongly marked rhythm suitable for singing

2 : a simple song : AIR

3 : a slow romantic song

bal·lad·eer noun : a singer of ballads

1ballast noun 1 : heavy material used to stabilize a ship or control a balloon's ascent

2 : crushed stone laid in a railroad bed or used in making concrete

2ballast verb : to provide with ballast

ball bearing noun : a bearing in which the revolving part turns upon steel balls that roll easily in a groove; also : one of the balls in such a bearing

ball·car·ri·er noun : the football player carrying the ball in an offensive play

bal·le·ri·na noun : a female ballet dancer

bal·let noun 1 : dancing in which fixed poses and steps are combined with light flowing movements often to convey a story; also : a theatrical art form using ballet dancing

2 : a company of ballet dancers

bal·let·o·mane noun : a devotee of ballet

bal·lis·tic missile noun : a missile that is guided during ascent and that falls freely during descent

bal·lis·tics noun singular or plural 1 : the science of the motion of projectiles (as bullets) in flight

2 : the flight characteristics of a projectile

— ballistic adjective

1balloon noun 1 : a bag filled with gas or heated air so as to rise and float in the atmosphere

2 : a toy consisting of an inflatable bag

— bal·loon·ist noun

2balloon verb 1 : to swell or puff out

2 : to travel in a balloon

3 : to increase rapidly

Synonyms

[1, 3] appreciate, build, burgeon, enlarge,