badgers NOUN
A badger is a strongly built animal with short legs and neck. It has long grey fur and a striped head.
badly ADVERB
If something is done badly, it is done in a way that is not successful or effective.
bag bags NOUN
A bag is a soft container for carrying or holding things.
bait NOUN
Bait is food used to trap animals.
bake bakes, baking, baked VERB
When you bake food, you cook it in an oven.
baker bakers NOUN
A baker makes and sells bread, cakes and pies.
balance balances, balancing, balanced VERB
When you balance, you keep steady. She tried to balance on one leg.
balcony balconies NOUN
A balcony is a platform on the outside of a building. Balconies have a railing or wall around them.
bald balder, baldest ADJECTIVE
People who are bald have no hair on the top of their head.
ball balls NOUN
Anything round can be called a ball. You need a ball for lots of games, like tennis and football.
ballet ballets NOUN
A ballet is a sort of play where the story is told with dancing and music.
balloon balloons NOUN
A balloon is a small rubber bag. If you blow hard into it, it gets bigger and makes a very light toy or decoration.
bamboo NOUN
Bamboo is a kind of grass with strong hollow stems which are useful as garden canes or for making furniture.
ban bans, banning, banned VERB
If someone is banned from doing something, they are told by people in charge that they must not do it.
banana bananas NOUN
A banana is a long yellow fruit which grows on trees in hot countries.
See Fruit on page 260
band bands
NOUN 1 A band is a small number of people, like a gang of robbers or a group of musicians.
NOUN 2 A band can also be a strip of material such as iron, cloth or rubber.
bandage bandages NOUN
A bandage is a strip of cloth used to cover a wound.
bang bangs, banging, banged
NOUN 1 A bang is a sudden loud noise.
VERB 2 If something bangs, or you bang it, it makes a loud noise.
bank banks
NOUN 1 A bank is a business that looks after people’s money.
NOUN 2 The bank of a river is the ground either side of the water.
banner banners NOUN
A banner is a long strip of cloth or paper with a message written on it.
bar bars
NOUN 1 A bar is a long piece of something hard, like metal or wood.
NOUN 2 A bar can also be a counter where people can buy drink.
barbecue barbecues NOUN
A barbecue is a grill on which food is cooked outdoors over hot charcoal.
barber barbers NOUN
A barber is someone who cuts men’s hair.
bar code bar codes NOUN
A bar code is a pattern of numbers and lines printed on something that is for sale, so that the price can be read by a machine.
bare barer, barest
ADJECTIVE 1 If part of your body is bare, it is not covered by clothes.
ADJECTIVE 2 If something is bare, it has nothing in it or on it. It was winter and the trees were bare.
bargain bargains NOUN
A bargain is something which is sold at a low price, and which you think is good value.
bark barks, barking, barked
VERB 1 When a dog barks, it makes a sudden rough, loud noise.
NOUN 2 Bark is the outside covering of a tree.
barley NOUN
Barley is a cereal that is grown for food and drink.
bar mitzvah NOUN
A Jewish boy’s bar mitzvah is a ceremony that takes place on his 13th birthday. After this he is regarded as an adult.
barn barns NOUN
A barn is a large building where a farmer stores hay and other crops.
barrel barrels NOUN
A barrel is a large wooden, metal or plastic container for holding liquids.
barrier barriers NOUN
A barrier is something like a fence or wall, that stops people getting past.
base bases
NOUN 1 The base is the bottom of something.
NOUN 2 Number bases are a whole pattern of counting. A base ten counting system uses units, tens and hundreds.
basement basements NOUN
The basement of a building is a floor below ground level.
basic
ADJECTIVE 1 Basic is used to describe things like the food and equipment
