Barron GRE word list - B
babble
chatter idly or foolishly; make continuous sounds like water running gently over rounded stone; N.
bacchanal
noisy party with a lot of drinking
bacchanalia
the ancient Roman festival in honor of Bacchus
bacchanalian
drunken
backslide
revert ; N. reverter
backwards
and forwards; Ex. reciprocate his invitation by inviting him; N. reciprocity: reciprocal relationship; mutual interchange of advantages between two groups; Ex. reciprocity in trading rights
badger
pester; annoy continually with demands; persuade by asking again and again; Ex. The children badgered me into taking them into the cinema; N: a kind of mountain animal
badinage
teasing conversation; banter; joking talk
baffle
frustrate; perplex
bait
harass; tease; torment; Ex. badger baiting; N: food or other lure used to catch fish or trap animals
baleful
evil; malignant in intent or effect; deadly; having a malign influence; portending evil; ominous; threatening; Ex. baleful look
balk
stop short, as if faced with an obstacle, and refuse to continue; foil; stop or get in the way of; frustrate
ballast
heavy substance used to add stability or weight; V. supply with ballast
balm
something that relieves pain; oily liquid with a pleasant smell from trees
balmy
soft and mild ; fragrant
banal
hackneyed; commonplace; trite; lacking originality; cliched
bandy
discuss lightly or glibly; discuss in a frivolous manner; exchange heatedly; quarrel; Ex. bandy words with
bane
posion; cause of ruin; ADJ. baneful: harmful; poisonous
bank
heap; piled-up mass; embankment; lateral tilting ; V: pile up; protect with a bank; tilt in turning
bantering
joking talk; good-naturedly ridiculing; N.V. banter
bar
railing in a courtroom; legal profession; vertical line dividing a staff into equal measures; Ex. prisoner at the bar; V: shut in or out with bars; forbid; exclude; CF. barrister
barb
sharp projection from fishhook, arrow, or other object; openly cutting remark
bard
poet
barefaced
shameless and noticeable; blatant; bold; unconcealed; having no covering on the face; Ex. barefaced lie
bargain
agreement between two groups or people; something for sale at a price advantageous to the buyer; V: negotiate; trade; Ex. bargaining power
baroque
highly ornate
barrage
barrier laid down by artillery fire; overwhelming profusion; large number of questions or statements; Ex. a barrage of criticism
barrister
counselor-at-law or lawyer in the higher court of law; CF. bar
barterer
trader; V. barter: trade; exchange good for other goods rather than money
base
contemptible; morally bad; inferior in value or quality; Ex. base motives/conduct; Ex. base metal such as iron
bask
luxuriate; take pleasure in warmth
bastard
illegitimate child
bastion
stronghold; something seen as a source of protection; Ex. the last bastion of male chauvinism
bate
let down; lessen the force of; moderate; restrain; Ex. with bated breath; CF. abate
battalion
army unit made up of four or more companies
bauble
trinket; cheap jewel; trifle
bawdy
indecent; obscene; about sex in a rude funny way; CF. bawd
bearing
deportment; connection
beatific
giving or showing bliss; blissful
beatitude
blessedness; state of great happiness
bedizen
dress with vulgar finery
bedraggle
wet thoroughly; ADJ. bedraggled: draggled
beeline
direct quick route
befuddle
confuse thoroughly
beget
father; become the father of; produce; give rise to
begrudge
envy; give or allow unwillingly; grudge; Ex. We shouldnt begrudge him his success.
beguile
deceive; mislead or delude; cheat; pass time pleasantly; charm or attract; Ex. beguiling smile
behemoth
huge creature; something of monstrous size or power
beholden
obligated; indebted; owing thanks; obliged or indebted from gratitude
behoove
be suited to; be incumbent upon; be right and necessary; Ex. It behooves one to do.
belabor
harp on; dwell on tediously; explain or go over excessively or to a ridiculous degree; assail verbally; beat severely; attack physically
belated
delayed
beleaguer
besiege or attack ; harass; beset
belie
contradict; give a false impression; disguise; Ex. The poor sales belied our high hopes; Ex. Her smile belies her true feeling of displeasure.
belittle
disparage; depreciate
bellicose
warlike
belligerent
quarrelsome
bemoan
lament; moan for; express sorrow or disapproval of
bemused
confused; lost in thought; preoccupied
benediction
blessing
benefactor
gift giver; patron; person who does good or who gives money for a good purpose
beneficent
kindly; doing good
beneficial
helpful; useful; advantageous
beneficiary
person entitled to benefits or proceeds of an insurance policy or will
benefit
advantage; anything that brings helpl, advantage, or profit; money provided by the government to the people; fund-raising public entertainment; Ex. unemployment benefit; V: receive benefits; be beneficial to; give benefits
benevolent
generous; charitable; having a wish to do good
benign
kindly; favorable; not malignant ; Ex. benign tumor
benison
blessing
bent
determined; Ex. bent on advancing in the business; N: natural talent or inclination
bequeath
leave to someone by means of a will; hand down in his will; N. bequest
berate
scold strongly
bereaved
deprived of
bereavement
state of being deprived of something valuable or beloved; state of being bereaved or bereft
bereft
deprived of ; lacking
berserk
mad with violent anger; frenzied; madly excited
beseech
beg; plead with
beset
harass or trouble from all directions; hem in
besiege
surround with armed forces; harass ; annoy continually
besmirch
soil; defile; make dirty
bestial
beastlike; brutal; inhuman; very cruel
bestow
confer
betoken
signify; indicate; be a sign of
betray
be unfaithful; reveal ; Ex. Her trembling hands betray her anxiety.
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