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bor·ough noun [ORIGIN: ME burgh, fr. OE burg fortified town]

1 : a British town that sends one or more members to Parliament; also : an incorporated British urban area

2 : an incorporated town or village in some U.S. states; also : any of the five political divisions of New York City

3 : a civil division of the state of Alaska corresponding to a county in most other states

bor·row verb 1 : to take or receive (something) temporarily and with intent to return

2 : to take into possession or use from another source <~ a metaphor>

Synonyms

adopt, embrace, take up—more at ADOPT

borscht or borsch noun [ORIGIN: Yiddish borsht & Ukrainian & Russ borshch]

: a soup made mainly from beets

bosh noun [ORIGIN: Turk boş empty]

: foolish talk or action : NONSENSE

bosky adjective : covered with trees or shrubs

1bosom noun 1 : the front of the human chest; especially : the female breasts

2 : the seat of secret thoughts and feelings

3 : the part of a garment covering the breast

— bos·omed adjective

2bosom adjective : closely acquainted : INTIMATE

Synonyms

chummy, close, familiar, friendly, intimate, thick—more at FAMILIAR

1boss noun : a knoblike ornament : STUD

2boss verb : to ornament with bosses

3boss noun 1 : one (as a foreman or manager) exercising control or supervision

2 : a politician who controls votes or dictates policies

Synonyms

captain, chief, foreman, head, headman, helmsman, kingpin, leader, master, taskmaster; also administrator, commander, director, executive, general, manager, overseer, principal, standard-bearer, straw boss, superintendent, superior, supervisor

4boss verb 1 : to act as a boss : SUPERVISE

2 : to give usu. arbitrary orders to — usu. used with around

Synonyms

[1] captain, head, oversee, superintend, supervise; also command, control, direct, guide, manage, order, run, shepherd, show, steer

usually boss around [2] bid, charge, command, direct, enjoin, instruct, order, tell—more at COMMAND

bossy adjective : inclined to issue orders

Synonyms

authoritarian, autocratic, despotic, dictatorial, domineering, imperious, masterful, overbearing, peremptory, tyrannical, tyrannous; also arrogant, disdainful, haughty, lofty, lordly, proud, supercilious, superior

bosun variant of BOATSWAIN

bot abbreviation botanical; botanist; botany

bot·a·ny noun, plural -nies 1 : a branch of biology dealing with plants and plant life

2 : plant life (as of a given region); also : the biology of a plant or plant group

— bo·tan·i·cal adjective

— bot·a·nist noun

— bot·a·nize verb

botch verb : to foul up hopelessly : BUNGLE

— botch noun

Synonyms

bobble, bungle, butcher, flub, foul up, fumble, mangle, mess, muff, murder; also blunder, goof (up), gum (up)

1both pronoun : both ones : the one as well as the other

2both conjunction — used as a function word to indicate and stress the inclusion of each of two or more things specified by coordinated words, phrases, or clauses <~ New York and London>

3both adjective : being the two : affecting the one and the other

1bother verb 1 a : to annoy esp. by petty provocation

b : to intrude upon : PESTER

2 a : to become concerned : become mentally troubled

b : to cause to be anxious or concerned

Synonyms

[1a] aggravate, annoy, bug, chafe, exasperate, gall, get, grate, irk, irritate, nettle, peeve, persecute, pique, put out, rasp, rile, vex—more at IRRITATE

[1b] bug, disturb, intrude, pester; also inconvenience, trouble

[2a] fear, fret, stew, sweat, trouble, worry—more at WORRY

[2b] concern, discompose, disquiet, distress, disturb, perturb, unsettle, upset, worry—more at DISTURB

2bother noun 1 a : a state of petty discomfort, annoyance, or worry

b : something that causes petty annoyance or worry

2 : needless bustle or excitement

Synonyms

[1b] aggravation, annoyance, exasperation, frustration, hassle, headache, inconvenience, irritant, nuisance, peeve, pest, problem, thorn, vexation—more at ANNOYANCE

[2]