the flow of blood through your body
bloodthirsty
ADJECTIVE Someone who is bloodthirsty enjoys using or watching violence.
bloom blooms, blooming, bloomed
NOUN 1 a flower on a plant
VERB 2 When a plant blooms, it produces flowers.
blossom blossoms, blossoming, blossomed
NOUN 1 all the flowers that appear on a tree before the fruit
VERB 2 When a tree blossoms, it produces flowers.
blot blots
NOUN a mark made by a drop of liquid, especially ink
blouse blouses
NOUN a light shirt, worn by a girl or a woman
blow blows, blowing, blew, blown
VERB 1 When the wind blows, the air moves.
2 If you blow, you send a stream of air from your mouth.
3 If you blow your nose, you force air out of it through your nostrils in order to clear it.
NOUN 4 If you receive a blow, someone or something hits you.
blow up
VERB 1 If something blows up, it is destroyed by an explosion.
2 If you blow up a balloon or a tyre, you fill it with air.
blubber
NOUN the layer of fat beneath the skin of animals such as whales and seals that protects them from the cold
blue bluer, bluest
ADJECTIVE OR NOUN the colour of the sky on a clear, sunny day
bluebell bluebells
NOUN a woodland plant with blue, bell-shaped flowers
bluff bluffs, bluffing, bluffed
NOUN 1 an attempt to make someone believe that you will do something when you do not really intend to do it
VERB 2 If you are bluffing, you are trying to make someone believe that you are in a strong position when you are not.
[from Dutch bluffen meaning to boast]
blunder blunders, blundering, blundered
NOUN 1 a silly mistake
VERB 2 If you blunder, you make a silly mistake.
blunt blunter, bluntest
ADJECTIVE 1 A blunt object has a rounded point or edge, rather than a sharp one. • My pencil was blunt so I could not write with it.
2 If you are blunt, you say exactly what you think, without trying to be polite.
SYNONYMS: outspoken, straightforward
blur
NOUN If something is a blur, you can’t see it clearly. • The mountain was a blur through the mist.
blurb blurbs
NOUN the description of a book printed on the back cover
blurt out blurts out, blurting out, blurted out
VERB If you blurt out something, you say it suddenly, after trying to keep it a secret.
blush blushes, blushing, blushed
VERB If you blush, your face becomes red, because you are embarrassed or ashamed.
[from Old English blyscan meaning to glow]
boa boas
NOUN a large snake that kills its prey by coiling round it and crushing it
boar boars
NOUN 1 a male wild pig
2 a male domestic pig used for breeding
board boards, boarding, boarded
NOUN 1 a long, flat piece of wood
2 a flat piece of wood, plastic or cardboard, which is used for a particular purpose • a chessboard • a surfboard
3 the group of people who control a company or organization • My mum is on the board of governors.
4 the meals provided when you stay in a hotel or guesthouse • The price includes full board.
VERB 5 If you board a ship or aircraft, you get on it or in it.
PHRASE 6 If you are on board a ship or aircraft, you are on it or in it.
boarder boarders
NOUN 1 a pupil who lives at school during term
2 a lodger
boast boasts, boasting, boasted
VERB If you boast, you talk proudly about what you have or what you can do.
SYNONYM: brag
boat boats
NOUN a small vehicle for travelling across water
body bodies
NOUN 1 Your body is all of you, from your head to your feet.
2 You can say body when you mean just the main part of a human or other animal, not counting head, arms and legs.
bodyguard bodyguards
NOUN a person employed to protect someone
bog bogs
NOUN an area of wet, spongy ground
boil boils, boiling, boiled
VERB 1 When a hot liquid boils, or when you boil it, it starts to bubble and to give off steam.
2 When you boil food, you cook it in boiling water.
boiler boilers
NOUN a piece of equipment that burns fuel to provide hot water
boisterous
ADJECTIVE Someone who is boisterous is noisy and lively.
SYNONYMS: loud, rowdy
boisterously
