• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

basket weave noun : a textile weave resembling the checkered pattern of a plaited basket

basmati rice noun : an aromatic long-grain rice originating in southern Asia

bas mitzvah variant of BAT MITZVAH

Basque noun 1 : a member of a people inhabiting a region bordering on the Bay of Biscay in northern Spain and southwestern France

2 : the language of the Basque people

— Basque adjective

bas–re·lief noun [ORIGIN: F]

: a sculpture in relief with the design raised very slightly from the background

1bass noun, plural bass or bass·es : any of numerous sport and food bony fishes (as a striped bass)

2bass adjective : of low pitch

Synonyms

deep, low, throaty—more at DEEP

3bass noun 1 : a deep sound or tone

2 : the lower half of the musical pitch range

3 : the lowest part in a 4-part chorus; also : a singer having this voice or part

bas·set hound noun : any of an old breed of short-legged hunting dogs of French origin having long ears and a short smooth coat

bas·si·net noun : a baby's bed that resembles a basket and often has a hood over one end

bas·so noun, plural bassos or bas·si [ORIGIN: It]

: a bass singer

bas·soon noun : a musical wind instrument lower in pitch than the oboe

bass·wood noun : any of several New World lindens or their wood

bast noun : BAST FIBER

1bastard noun 1 : an illegitimate child

2 : an offensive or disagreeable person

2bastard adjective 1 : not recognized as lawful offspring : ILLEGITIMATE

2 : of an inferior or nontypical kind, size, or form; also : SPURIOUS

— bas·tardy noun

bas·tard·ize verb -ized; -iz·ing : to reduce from a higher to a lower state : DEBASE

1baste verb bast·ed; bast·ing : to sew with long stitches so as to keep temporarily in place

2baste verb bast·ed; bast·ing : to moisten (as meat) at intervals with liquid while cooking

bast fiber noun : a strong woody plant fiber obtained chiefly from phloem and used esp. in making ropes

bas·ti·na·do or bas·ti·nade noun, plural -na·does or -nades 1 : a blow or beating esp. with a stick

2 : a punishment consisting of beating the soles of the feet

bas·tion noun 1 : a projecting part of a fortification

2 : a fortified position

Synonyms

citadel, fastness, fort, fortification, fortress, hold, stronghold—more at FORT

1bat noun 1 : a stout stick : CLUB

2 : a sharp blow

3 : an implement (as of wood) used to hit a ball (as in baseball)

4 : a turn at batting — usu. used with at

Synonyms

[1] bludgeon, club, cudgel, staff, truncheon—more at CLUB

[2] belt, blow, box, clout, crack, hit, punch, slug, wallop, whack—more at BLOW

2bat verb bat·ted; bat·ting : to hit with or as if with a bat

3bat noun : any of an order of night-flying mammals with forelimbs modified to form wings

4bat verb bat·ted; bat·ting : WINK, BLINK

batch noun 1 : a quantity (as of bread) baked at one time

2 : a quantity of material for use at one time or produced at one operation

3 : a quantity (as of persons or things) considered as a group

Synonyms

array, assemblage, block, bunch, collection, group, set

bate verb bat·ed; bat·ing : MODERATE, REDUCE

bath noun, plural baths 1 : a washing of the body

2 : water for washing the body

3 : a liquid in which objects are immersed so that it can act on them

4 : a room containing a bathtub or shower and usu. a sink and toilet : BATHROOM

5 : a financial loss

bathe verb bathed; bath·ing 1 : to wash in liquid and esp. water; also : to apply water or a medicated liquid to

2 : to take a bath; also : to take a swim

3 : to wash along, over, or against so as to wet

4 : to suffuse with or as if with light

— bath·er noun

Synonyms

[1, 3] douse, drench, soak, sop, souse, wash, water, wet—more at WET

bath·house noun 1 : a building equipped for bathing

2 : a building containing dressing rooms for bathers

bathing suit noun : SWIMSUIT

ba·thos noun [ORIGIN: Gk, lit., depth]