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Synonyms

advantage, aid, boon, help—more at HELP

2benefit verb -fit·ed also -fit·ted; -fit·ing also -fit·ting 1 : to be useful or profitable to

2 : to receive benefit

Synonyms

avail, profit, serve; also succeed, work (for)

be·nev·o·lence noun 1 : charitable nature

2 : an act of kindness : CHARITY

— be·nev·o·lent·ly adverb

Synonyms

amity, cordiality, fellowship, friendliness, friendship, goodwill, kindliness—more at GOODWILL

be·nev·o·lent adjective : marked by or disposed to doing good

Synonyms

beneficent, compassionate, good-hearted, humane, kind, kindly, sympathetic, tender, tenderhearted, warmhearted—more at HUMANE

altruistic, beneficent, charitable, humanitarian, philanthropic—more at CHARITABLE

be·night·ed adjective 1 : overtaken by darkness or night

2 : living in ignorance

be·nign adjective [ORIGIN: ME benigne, fr. AF, fr. L benignus]

1 : of a gentle disposition; also : showing kindness

2 : of a mild kind; especially : not malignant <~ tumors>

— be·nig·ni·ty noun

Synonyms

balmy, bland, delicate, gentle, light, mellow, mild, soft, soothing, tender—more at GENTLE

be·nig·nant adjective : having a kind and gentle nature

ben·i·son noun : a prayer that blesses : BLESSING, BENEDICTION

bent noun 1 : strong inclination or interest

2 : power of endurance

Synonyms

devices, disposition, genius, inclination, leaning, partiality, penchant, predilection, proclivity, propensity, talent, tendency, turn—more at INCLINATION

ben·thic adjective : of, relating to, or occurring at the bottom of a body of water

ben·ton·ite noun : an absorptive clay used esp. as a filler (as in paper)

bent·wood adjective : made of wood bent into shape

be·numb verb 1 : to make inactive : DULL, DEADEN

2 : to make numb esp. by cold

ben·zene noun : a colorless volatile flammable liquid hydrocarbon used in organic synthesis and as a solvent

ben·zine noun : any of various flammable petroleum distillates used as solvents or as motor fuels

ben·zo·ate noun : a salt or ester of benzoic acid

ben·zo·ic acid noun : a white crystalline acid used as a preservative and antiseptic and in synthesizing chemicals

ben·zo·in noun : a balsamlike resin from trees of southern Asia used esp. in medicine and perfumes

be·queath verb [ORIGIN: ME bequethen, fr. OE becwethan, fr. be- + cwethan to say]

1 : to leave by will

2 : to hand down

be·quest noun 1 : the action of bequeathing

2 : something bequeathed : LEGACY

Synonyms

birthright, heritage, inheritance, legacy—more at INHERITANCE

be·rate verb : to scold harshly

Synonyms

castigate, chew out, dress down, lecture, rail, rebuke, reprimand, reproach, scold, upbraid—more at SCOLD

Ber·ber noun : a member of any of various peoples living in northern Africa west of Tripoli

ber·ceuse noun, plural berceuses [ORIGIN: F, fr. bercer to rock]

1 : LULLABY

2 : a musical composition that resembles a lullaby

1bereaved adjective : grieving the death of a loved one

— be·reave·ment noun

2bereaved noun, plural bereaved : one who is bereaved

be·reft adjective 1 : deprived of or lacking something — usu. used with of

2 : grieving the death of a loved one : BEREAVED

Synonyms

destitute, devoid, void—more at DEVOID

be·ret noun : a round soft cap with no visor

berg noun : ICEBERG

beri·beri noun : a deficiency disease marked by weakness, wasting, and nerve damage and caused by lack of thiamine

berke·li·um noun : an artificially prepared radioactive chemical element

berm noun : a narrow shelf or path at the top or bottom of a slope; also : a mound or bank of earth

Ber·mu·das noun plural : BERMUDA SHORTS

Bermuda shorts noun plural : knee-length walking shorts

ber·ry noun, plural berries 1 : a small pulpy fruit (as a strawberry)

2 : a simple fruit (as a grape, tomato, or banana) with the wall of the ripened ovary thick and pulpy

3 : the dry seed of some plants (as coffee)

1berserk adjective [ORIGIN: ON berserkr warrior frenzied