Definitions of
sound-alike words:B
- bail
- security given for release from jail, as in: The bail was set at $100,000.00
- bale
- a large bundle, as in: The hay was collected together and compressed into a bale.
- bare
- exposed to view, as in: The bare branches of the trees made lacy patterns against the winter sky.
- bear
- (1) carry or transport, as in: I bear a gift for you.
- (2) tolerate, stand or endure, as in: I can't bear to hear another word.
- (3) a large mammal, as in: At the zoo we saw a bear.
- base
- the bottom part which supports that above it, as in: We camped overnight at the base of the mountain.
- bass
- deep or low in sound, as in: You sing the high notes, and I'll sing the bass.
- bases
- (1) plural of base, as in: The Army is closing down its bases in that country.
- (2) plural of basis, as in: The bases of all his theories were flawed.
- basis
- fundamental principal, as in: Your accusation has no basis in fact.
- bazaar
- marketplace, as in: The charity held a fund-raising bazaar.
- bizarre
- very odd, as in: Her outfit was too bizarre for the workplace.
- beat
- (1) strike repeatedly, as in: Percussion bands beat their drums at an unbelievable tempo.
- (2) defeat, as in: Your team will never beat the champions.
- beet
- root vegetable, as in: The common red beet can be cooked and eaten.
- berry
- small, pulpy fruit with many seeds, as in: I love berry pie.
- bury
- put in the ground and cover, as in: If we bury the treasure no one will find it.
- berth
- a resting place, as in: When we go on the train, which berth do you want, upper or lower?
- birth
- being born, as in: The birth of our first child was a happy occasion.
- beside
- by the side of, as in: Sit down beside the fire and get warm.
- besides
- moreover or else, as in: I'm not hungry; besides, I'm allergic to nuts.
- among
- in the midst of three or more, as in: The four older children decided among themselves to surprise Mother and Father with breakfast in bed.
- between
- in the midst of two, as in: The two younger ones decided between themselves to clean the kitchen.
- autobiography
- one's own life story, as in: I am writing my autobiography.
- bibliography
- list of books about a subject, as in: Please include a bibliography with your research report.
- biography
- a person's life story, as in: She is writing a biography of Marie Sklodowska Curie, the chemist and physicist who with her husband discovered radium in 1898.
- billed
- sent a statement of money owed, as in: Would you like to pay cash now or be billed?
- build
- construct or assemble, as in: You can build good credit by paying bills on time.
- blew
- sent forth a current of air, as in: The wind blew across the desert.
- blue
- a color, as in: The editor marked corrections with a blue pencil.
- bloc
- group with a shared purpose, as in: The measure was opposed by the farm bloc.
- block
- (1) a chunk, as in: He is going to carve an animal from that block of wood.
- (2) hinder, as in: The police lined up their cars to block the bankrobbers' escape.
- board
- (1) piece of wood, as in : The diver hit his head on the board.
- (2) council, as in: I'll make your suggestion to the board of trustees.
- bored
- tired of the monotony, as in: After ten speeches, I got bored because every speaker said the same thing.
- boarder
- a lodger who receives meals regularly at a fixed price, as in: To earn extra money, we took in a boarder.
- border
- boundary, as in: Be sure to have your passport when you cross the border.
- bolder
- more daring, as in: If you want to be noticed, perhaps you need to be a little bolder.
- boulder
- a large rock, as in: The road was blocked by a boulder.
- born
- brought into existence, as in: A new nation was born from the ashes of the old one.
- borne
- (1) carried, as in: All their belongings were borne on their shoulders.
- (2) tolerated, as in: Any more outbursts like that simply will not be borne.
- boy
- male child, as in: Is your new baby a boy or a girl?
- buoy
- a floating marker in the water, as in: When they saw the buoy, they knew they were entering the channel.
- brake
- device that helps you stop, as in: When the driver saw the cow in the road, he hit the brake.
- break
- rupture, fracture, or crack, as in: Don't play ball in the house, because you'll break something.
- bread
- food made of grain, as in: I love to eat homemade soup and fresh bread.
- bred
- past tense of breed, as in: Some dogs are bred for strength, some for intelligence.
- breadth
- width or broadness, as in: The breadth of his knowledge of world history surprised everyone.
- breath
- respiration, as in: Hold your breath while I take the X-ray.
- breathe
- inhale and exhale, as in: Breathe in that fresh air!
- bridal
- having to do with a marriage ceremony, as in: The bridal bouquet was made of daisies and wildflowers.
- bridle
- (1) having to do with horseback riding, as in: The bridle path was crowded this morning with weekend riders.
- (2) restrain or control, as in: I wish I could learn to bridle my tongue.
- broach
- introduce, as in: While the boss was in a good mood, I decided to broach the subject of a raise.
- brooch
- ornamental pin, as in: She wore a beautiful diamond brooch.
- bouillon
- clear soup with a strong flavor, as in: For the first course I'll have beef bouillon.
- bullion
- precious metals, formed into bars, as in: The coach was loaded with hundreds of bars of gold bullion.
- buy
- purchase, as in: More and more customers are willing to buy goods from an online storefront.
- by
- through the action of, as in: This Web page designed by P. Sato Design.
- bye
- short form of goodbye, as in: Bye for now.
This list of definitions can't replace your dictionary. Rather
than discussing every possible meaning of the words on this list,
I try to show how one word differs from another in a group of words that sound or
look very much alike.
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