| bat mitzvah |
a Jewish ceremony that celebrates a girl becoming an adult and the beginning of her religious duties. The bat mitzvah usually takes place when the girl is thirteen years old. |
| baton |
a thin rod or stick used by a conductor in leading an orchestra. [3 definitions] |
| battalion |
a large group of soldiers, made up of several companies. |
| batter1 |
to beat hard again and again, or to damage by beating. [2 definitions] |
| batter2 |
a thick mixture of liquid, flour, eggs, and other ingredients, often baked into bread or cake. |
| batter3 |
the person who stands in to bat the ball in baseball, softball, or cricket. |
| battering ram |
a heavy beam once used in war to break through doors, walls, or gates. |
| battery |
a device that makes electricity by using chemical reactions. Batteries are used to power many things, including cars, flashlights, toys, and watches. [3 definitions] |
| battle |
a fight between two armed persons or forces during a war. [4 definitions] |
| battlefield |
the area in which a battle takes place. |
| battleground |
a battlefield. |
| battlement |
(often plural) a wall along the top of a castle, fort, or tower that has openings for people to shoot through. |
| battleship |
a large military ship that has heavy armor and large guns. |
| bawl |
to cry loudly or strongly; wail. [2 definitions] |
| bawl out |
(informal) to scold loudly. |
| bay1 |
a part of a sea or lake that cuts into a coastline and is partly surrounded by land. |
| Bay of Bengal |
a bay of the Indian Ocean bordered mostly by India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. |
| bayonet |
a weapon like a knife attached to the front end of a rifle for use in close fighting. |
| bayou |
a stream that moves slowly through a swamp or marsh. Bayous are found in the southern United States. |
| bazaar |
an outdoor street market made up of rows of little shops or stalls where people buy and sell things. [2 definitions] |
| B.C.1 |
abbreviation of "before Christ." These letters are placed after a date that is earlier than the birth of Christ. |