| backstay |
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noun
- (nautical) A part of the rigging of a sailing ship extending from masthead the top of the mast to the back of the ship; they support the strain on all upper masts and provide additional support to the shrouds when the wind is abaft the beam.
| | | backup |
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noun or back-up (plural backups or back-ups)
- A reserve or substitute.
- If the goalkeeper is injured, we have a .
- (computing) A copy of a file or record, stored separately from the original, that can be used to recover the original if it is destroyed or damaged.
- After the power failure, we had to restore the database from .
- An accumulation of material that halts the flow or movement of something.
- The blockage caused a in the plumbing.
adjective
- standby, reserve or extra
- I am only a player.
- (computing) That is intended as a backup.
- Make a copy of that file.
| | barrel |
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noun
- (countable) A round vessel or cask, of greater length than breadth, and bulging in the middle, made of staves bound with hoops, and having flat ends or heads. Sometimes applied to a similar cylindrical container made of metal, usually called a drum.
- a cracker
- The quantity which constitutes a full barrel. This varies for different articles and also in different places for the same article, being regulated by custom or by law. A barrel of wine is 31 1/2 gallons; a barrel of flour is 196 pounds; of beer 31 gallons; of ale 32 gallons.
- Quotations
- 1882: Again, by 28 Hen. VIII, cap. 14, it is re-enacted that the tun of wine should contain 252 gallons, a butt of Malmsey 126 gallons, a pipe 126 gallons, a tercian or puncheon 84 gallons, a hogshead 63 gallons, a tierce 41 gallons, a barrel 31.5 gallons, a rundlet 18.5 gallons. — James Edwin Thorold Rogers, A History of Agriculture and Prices in England, Volume 4, p. 205.
- 1882: 23 Hen. VIII, cap. 4... The barrel of beer is to hold 36 gallons, the kilderkin 18 gallons the firkin 9. But the barrel, kilderkin, and firkin of ale are to contain 32, 16, and 8 gallons. — James Edwin Thorold Rogers, A History of Agriculture and Prices in England, Volume 4, p. 205.
- A solid drum, or a hollow cylinder or case;
- ''the of a windlass; the barrel of a watch, within which the spring is coiled.
- A metallic tube, as of a gun, from which a projectile is discharged.
- (obsolete) A jar. Obs. 1 Kings xvii. 12.
- (archaic) A tube.
- (zoology) The hollow basal part of a feather.
- (music) The part of a clarinet which connects the mouthpiece and upper joint, and looks rather like a barrel (1).
- (context, idiomatic, surfing) A wave that breaks with a hollow compartment.
- (context, US, specifically, _, New England) A waste receptacle.
- Throw it away in the trash .
- The ribs and belly of a horse or pony.
verb (barrel, l, ed)
- to move quickly or in an uncontrolled manner
- He came barrelling around the corner and I almost hit him.
| | batten |
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noun
- A thin strip of wood used in construction to hold members of a structure together or to provide a fixing point.
- (nautical) A long strip of wood, metal, fibreglass etc used for various purposes aboard ship, esp. one inserted in a pocket sewn on the sail in order to keep the sail flat.
- In stagecraft, a long pipe, usually metal, affixed to the ceiling or fly system in a Theater.
verb
- (nautical) to fasten or secure a hatch etc using battens.
| | bearing |
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noun
- A mechanical device that supports another part and/or reduces friction.
- (nautical) The horizontal angle between the direction of an object and that of true north; subject to variation and deviation when taken by a magnetic compass
- relevance, Relevance; a relationship or connection.
- That has no on this issue.
- One's posture, demeanor, or manner.
- She walks with a confident, self-assured .
- (Often in plural:bearings) direction, Direction or relative position.
verb
- Present participle of to bear.
adjective
- Of a beam, column, or other device, carrying weight or load; as, a bearing wall.
| | belt |
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noun
- A band worn around the waist to hold clothing to one's body (usually pants), hold weapons (such as a gun or sword), or serve as a decorative piece of clothing.
- As part of the act, the fat clown's broke, causing his pants to fall down.
- A band used as a restraint for safety purposes, such as a seat belt.
- Keep your fastened; this is going to be quite a bumpy ride.
- A band that is used in a machine to help transfer motion or power.
- The motor had a single that snaked its way back and forth around a variety of wheels.
- A powerful blow, often made with a fist.
- After the bouncer gave him a solid to the gut, Simon had suddenly had enough of barfighting.
- (usually capitalized) A geographical region known for a particular product or feature (Corn Belt, Bible Belt).
verb
- (transitive) To encircle.
- The small town was belted by cornfields in all directions.
- (transitive) To fasten a belt.
- Edgar belted himself in and turned the car's ignition.
- The rotund man had difficulting belting his pants, and generally wore suspenders to avoid the issue.
- (transitive) To hit with a belt.
- The child was remanded to state custody when the lacerations on her back where her parents had belted her in punishment were revealed.
- (transitive) To sing in a loud manner.
- He belted out the national anthem.
- (transitive) To drink quickly, often in gulps.
- He belted down a shot of whisky.
- (context, transitive, slang) To hit someone or something.
- The angry player belted the official across the face, and as a result was ejected from the game.
- (intransitive) To move very fast
- He was really belting along.
| | bit |
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noun
- A piece of metal placed in a horse's mouth and connected to reins to direct the animal.
- A rotary cutting tool fitted to a drill, used to make holes.
- An eighth of a dollar. Note that there is no coin minted worth 12.5 cents.
- A quarter is two bits.
- (context, dated, UK) A coin of a specified value.
- A threepenny .
- A small piece of something.
- There were bits of paper all over the floor.
- A portion of something.
- I'd like a big of cake, please.
- (slang) A prison sentence.
- An excerpt of material from a stand-up comedian's repertoire.
verb
- (simple past of, bite)
- Your dog me!
adverb
- To a small extent; in a small amount (usually with "a").
- That's a too sweet.
=
| | blind |
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noun
- A covering for a window to keep out light. The covering may be made of cloth or of narrow slats that can block light or allow it to pass.
- Any device intended to conceal or hide; as, a duck blind.
- (baseball) (slang) An 1800s baseball term meaning no score.
- (poker) A forced bet
- (poker) A player who is or was forced to make a bet
verb
- (transitive) To make temporarily or permanently blind.
- The light was so bright that for a moment he was blinded.
- Don't wave that pencil in my face - do you want to blind me?
adjective (blinder, blindest)
- (notcomparable) Of a person or animal, unable to see.
- 1883: w:Robert Louis Stevenson, Robert Louis Stevenson, w:Treasure Island, Treasure Island
- : He was plainly , for he tapped before him with a stick, and wore a great green shade over his eyes and nose...
- (comparable) fail, Failing to see, acknowledge, perceive.
- The lovers were to each other"s faults.
- (notcomparable) Of a place, having little or no visibility; as, a blind corner.
- (notcomparable) close, Closed at one end; having a dead end; as, a blind hole, a blind alley.
- (notcomparable) Without opening; as, a blind wall.
adverb
- In three card brag, without looking at the cards dealt.
| | blower |
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noun
- Person who blows.
- Any device that blows.
- (the blower) (context, slang, dated, mostly, British) telephone.
- Get on the blower and call headquarters right away!
- A ducted fan, usually part of some heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning system.
| | | boiler |
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noun
- An apparatus that generates heat (usually by burning fuel) and uses it to heat circulate, circulating water (or sometimes another liquid) in a closed system that is then used for space heating, swimming pool heating, or domestic hot water or industrial processes.
- Less commonly, a hot water heater.<!--
Note: the below is a more complete definition that was here previously. It borders on the encyclopedic, but I'm leaving it intact, just commented-out, in case someone thinks parts of it should be incorporated into the above definitions that were created from it.
- (approximate definition) A fuel burning apparatus in which water is heated to be used for space heating, swimming pool heating, domestic hot water or industrial processes. <br> (more precisely) An apparatus in which a heat source other than a hot liquid or steam (most commonly burning fuel, exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine or gas turbine, waste heat from a process, solar energy or electricity) is used to heat water (or rarely another liquid), normally in a closed recirculate, recirculating system under pressure for use as a heat source in calorifiers, heat exchangers or heat emitters, or less commonly (usage synonymous with hot water heater), with partial or no recirculation, for use directly as domestic hot water or process hot water.
-->
- (approximate definition) A fuel burning apparatus in which water is boiled to produce steam for space heating, power generation, or industrial processes. <br> (more precisely) An apparatus in which a heat source other than a hot liquid or steam (most commonly burning fuel, exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine or gas turbine, waste heat from a process, solar energy or electricity) is used to boil water (or rarely another liquid), under pressure to provide steam (or other gas) for use as a heat source in calorifiers, heat exchangers or heat emitters, or for use directly for humidification, in an industrial process, or to power steam turbines.
- a kitchen vessel for steaming or boiling food
| | boilerplate |
|
noun (plural: boilerplates)
- A standard text used routinely, especially text of a legal or official nature.
- They put that on all the warning labels.
adjective
- Describing text of a standard or routine nature.
- The contract contained all the usual clauses.
| | boom |
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noun
- A period of prosperity or market activity
- (nautical) A spar extending the foot of a sail; a spar rigged outboard from a ship's side to which boats are secured in harbour
- A horizontal member of a crane or derrick, used for lifting.
- An abrupt, low-pitched sound, such as of an explosion. (The boom of the surf)
- A floating barrier across a harbour entrance used to obstruct the entry of an enemy
verb
- (intransitive) To be prosperous.
- Business was booming.
- (intransitive) To speak or make noise with an intense, low pitch.
| | bore |
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noun
- A hole drilled or milled through something, as in the bore of a cannon
- One who inspires boredom or lack of interest.
- A capped well drilled to tap artesian water. The place where the well exists.
verb (bor, ing)
- (transitive) To make a hole through something.
- (transitive) To inspire boredom in somebody; to disinterest.
| | borer |
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noun
- A person who bores, who drills
- A tool used for drilling.
- An insect or insect larva that bores into wood.
- One of the many types of mollusc that bore into soft rock.
| | boring |
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verb
- Present participle of to bore
adjective
- That causes boredom in somebody.
| | boss |
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noun
- A person in charge of a business or company.
- Chat turned to whisper when the entered the conference room.
- A person who oversees and directs the work of others; a supervisor; someone who fires people.
- My complains that I'm always late to work.
- A leader, the head of an organized group or team.
- They named him because he had good leadership skills.
- The head of a political party in a given region or district.
- He is the Republican in Kentucky.
- (context, mechanical) A protrusion, frequently a cylinder of material that extends beyond a hole.
- (architecture) A knob or projection, usually at the intersection of ribs in a vault.
- a hassock or footrest
- the strengthened area at the centre of a shield to the hand grip, which is attached to the rear of the boss. The boss is frequently made of metal even when the remainder of the shield is of wood or leather
verb (boss, es)
- To exercise authoritative control; to lord over; to boss around; to tell someone what to do, often repeatedly.
- You aren't my father. You can't me around!.
- (rare) To decorate with bosses; to emboss.
adjective
- (slang) of excellent quality, first-rate
| | brake |
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noun
- A device used to slow or stop a vehicle, by friction; often installed on the wheels.
- something that slows or stops an action
- (nautical) the handle, manned by up to six men, by which a ship's pump was worked
- a thicket, or an area overgrown with briers etc.
- A type of machine for bending sheet metal. (See wikipedia:Brake (box and pan), wikipedia.)
verb (brak, ing)
- To operate a brake.
- To be stopped or slowed, as if by a brake.
- (archaic) past tense of break
- Exodus 32:3, KJV: And all the people brake off the golden earrings...
| | brass |
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noun (es, -)
- An metallic alloy of copper and zinc used in many industrial and plumbing applications.
- (music) A class of wind instruments, usually made of metal (such as brass), that use vibrations of the player's lips to produce sound.
- Spent shell casings (usually made of brass); the part of the cartridge left over after bullets have been fired.
- The colour of brass.
- <table><tr><td>brass colour: </td><td bgcolor="
- C9AE5D?" width="80"> </td></tr></table>
- (military) (used as a singular or plural noun) High-ranking officers.
- The brass are not going to like this.
- The brass is not going to like this.
- (informal) A brave or foolhardy attitude.
- You've got a lot of brass telling me to do that!
- (slang; also brass in pocket) Money.
- (slang; from brass nail; countable) A prostitute.
adjective
- (not comparable) Made of brass.
- of the colour of brass.
- (slang) Bad, annoying.
| | breastplate |
|
noun
- A piece of armor that covers the chest.
- A piece of horse tack designed to prevent the saddle slipping backwards.
| | breather |
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noun - Something or someone that breathes.
- A short break; a rest or respite.
- After a short she was ready to continue up the hill.
| | breech |
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noun (es, -)
- The lower part of the body behind; the buttocks.
- A reference to a view of or visual aspect of the buttocks or rear lower body below the waist, from which meaning is derived the term breech birth, the word in this case apparently referring to the obvious cleavage between the buttocks .
- A garment whose purpose is to cover or clothe the buttocks, such as early 18th century undergarments.
- breeches
- The hinder part of anything; esp., the part of a cannon, or other firearm, behind the chamber.
- Nautical: The external angle of knee timber, the inside of which is called the throat
- A breech birth.
adjective - Born, or having been born, breech.
adverb - With the hips coming out before the head.
| | bridle |
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noun
- The headgear with which a horse is directed and which carries a bit and reins.
- 1961. J. A. Philip. Mimesis in the Sophistíªs. In: Proceedings and Transactions of the American Philological Association 92. p. 457
- : the horseman, who is the user of bridles and knows their use;
- A length of line or cable attached to two parts of something to spread the force of a pull, as the rigging on a kite for attaching line.
verb (bridl, ing)
- (transitive) To put a bridle on.
- (transitive) To check, restrain, or control with, or as if with, a bridle; as , bridle your tongue.
- (intransitive) To show hostility or resentment.
- Immigrant-rights and religious organizations <b>bridled</b> at the plan to favor highly skilled workers over relatives. <small>(Houston Chronicle, 6/8/2007)</small>
| | broach |
|
noun
- A series of chisel points mounted on one piece of steel.
- (alternative spelling of, brooch)
verb (broach, es)
- (transitive) To make a hole in, especially a cask of liquor, and put in a tap in order to draw the liquid.
- (transitive) (figuratively) To begin discussion about (something).
- I broached the subject of contraceptives carefully when the teenager mentioned his promiscuity.
| | buffer |
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noun
- Someone or something that buffs.
- (chemistry) A solution used to stabilize the pH (acidity) of a liquid.
- (computing) A portion of memory set aside to store data, often before it is sent to an external device or as it is received from an external device.
- (mechanical) Anything used to maintain slack or isolate different objects.
- (telecommunications) A routine or storage medium used to compensate for a difference in rate of flow of data, or time of occurrence of events, when transferring data from one device to another.
- An isolating circuit, often an amplifier, used to minimize the influence of a driven circuit on the driving circuit.
- In international relations, a buffer zone (such as a demilitarized zone) or a buffer state.
verb (buffer)
- To use a buffer or buffers; to isolate or minimize the effects of one thing on another.
- (computing) To store data in memory temporarily.
| | bur |
|
noun
- A rough, prickly husk around the seeds or fruit of some plants
- Any of several plants having such husks
- A rotary cutting implement having a selection of variously shaped heads
| | burn |
|
noun
- A physical injury caused by heat or caustic chemicals.
- She had second-degree burns from falling in the bonfire.
- The act of burning something.
- They"re doing a controlled of the fields.
- Physical sensation in the muscles following strenuous exercise, caused by build-up of lactic acid.
- One and, two and, keep moving; feel the !
- (slang) An intense non-physical sting, as left by an effective insult
verb (burns, burning, burnt or burned)
- (intransitive) To be consumed by fire, or at least in flames.
- He watched the house .
- (intransitive) To feel hot, e.g. due to embarrassment.
- Her cheeks burned with shame.
- (context, intransitive, curling) To accidentally touch a moving stone.
- (transitive) (ergative) To cause to be consumed by fire.
- He burned his manuscript in the fireplace.
- (transitive) To injure (a person or animal) with heat or caustic chemicals.
- She burned the child with an iron, and was put in jail for ten years.
- (context, transitive, slang) To betray.
- The informant burned him.
- (context, transitive, computing) To write data to a permanent storage medium like a compact disc or a ROM chip.
- We'll this program onto an E-PROM one hour before the demo begins.
- (transitive) To waste (time).
- We have an hour to .
- (context, transitive, slang) To insult badly, leaving no possible comeback.
- I just burned you again.
- (context, transitive, cards) In pontoon, to swap a pair of cards for another pair.
| | butt |
|
noun
- The rear end of an animal or human; rear end.
- (slang) The buttocks; used as a euphemism, less objectionable than arse/[[ass
- Get up off your and get to work.
- (slang) Body; self.
- Get your to the car.
- We can't chat today. I have to get my to work before I'm late.
- The larger or thicker end of anything; the blunt end, in distinction from the sharp end; as, the butt of a rifle. Formerly also spelled but.
- A limit; a bound; a goal; the extreme bound; the end.
- 1604, William Shakespeare, Othello, Act V, Scene II, line 267.
- :Here is my journey's end, here is my / And very sea-mark of my utmost sail.
- A mark to be shot at; a target.
- 1598, William Shakespeare, Henry V, Act I, Scene II, line 186.
- :To which is fixed, as an aim or ...
- 1786, Francis Grose, A Treatise on Ancient Armour and Weapons, page 37.
- :The inhabitants of all cities and towns were ordered to make butts, and to keep them in repair, under a penalty of twenty shillings per month, and to exercise themselves in shooting at them on holidays.
- A piece of land left unplowed at the end of a field.
- A person at whom ridicule, jest, or contempt is directed; as, the butt of the company.
- A push, thrust, or sudden blow, given by the head of an animal; as, the butt of a ram.
- A thrust in fencing.
- (lacrosse) The plastic or rubber cap used to cover the open end of a lacrosse stick's shaft in order to prevent injury.
- The portion of a half-coupling fastened to the end of a hose.
- The end of a connecting rod or other like piece, to which the boxing is attached by the strap, cotter, and gib.
- (context, mechanical) A joint where the ends of two objects come squarely together without scarfing or chamfering; " also called a butt joint.
- (context, carpentry) A kind of hinge used in hanging doors, etc.; so named because fastened on the edge of the door, which butts against the casing, instead of on its face, like the strap hinge; also called butt hinge.
- (context, shipbuilding) The joint where two planks in a strake meet.
- (context, leather trades) The thickest and stoutest part of tanned oxhides, used for soles of boots, harness, trunks.
- The hut or shelter of the person who attends to the targets in rifle practice.
- (context, English units) An English measure of capacity for liquids, containing 126 wine gallon]s; [[equivalent to the pipe.
- 1882, James Edwin Thorold Rogers, A History of Agriculture and Prices in England, p. 205.
- : Again, by 28 Hen. VIII, cap. 14, it is re-enacted that the tun of wine should contain 252 gallons, a of Malmsey 126 gallons, a pipe 126 gallons, a tercian or puncheon 84 gallons, a hogshead 63 gallons, a tierce 41 gallons, a barrel 31.5 gallons, a rundlet 18.5 gallons. "
- A wooden cask for storing wine, usually containing 126 gallons.
- 1611, William Shakespeare, The Tempest, Act II, Scene II, line 121.
- : ...I escap'd upon a of sack which the sailors heav'd o'erboard...
verb (butts, butting, butted, butted)
- To strike bluntly, particularly with the head.
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