| automation |
the use of machines rather than people to do work. |
| awkward |
difficult to use, deal with, or manage. [1/3 definitions] |
| badminton |
a sport in which players use rackets to hit a small rubber object back and forth across a high net. |
| baleen |
the bony, flexible strips in the upper jaws of whales that feed by filtering food from ocean water. These whales use baleen to strain large amounts of small food such as shrimp from the water. |
| barter |
to trade or exchange without the use of money. [1/3 definitions] |
| bat2 |
a small mammal that flies. Bats have small bodies and large wings covered with skin. Most bats eat at night, when they use sound to find and catch flying insects. Bats are found in most parts of the world. There are around one thousand kinds of bats. Their wingspans range from less than two inches to more than five feet. Some kinds of bats live in large colonies that roost in caves or in a section of forest. |
| batter1 |
to wear down by constant pressure or use. [1/2 definitions] |
| bayonet |
a weapon like a knife attached to the front end of a rifle for use in close fighting. |
| beaver1 |
a large rodent, up to four feet long, with thick brown fur and a wide flat tail. Beavers use their long front teeth to cut down trees for food and to build dams and lodges (beaver houses). They use the dams to keep water around their lodges. Beavers live in North America, Europe, and Asia. |
| billiards |
a game played with long sticks and hard balls on a special table covered with cloth. Players use a stick to hit the balls against each other and into pockets along the edges of the table. |
| blacksmith |
a person who forges and shapes iron. Blacksmiths soften the iron with heat and use hammers and anvils to form it into various items. |
| block |
the use of the body to stop the movement of another player in football and other sports. [1/9 definitions] |
| blood bank |
a place where blood is collected and stored for later use by people who have lost too much blood. |
| blue whale |
a mammal that lives in the ocean. Blue whales are the largest kind of animal that has ever lived. They can grow up to 100 feet long and weigh up to 150 tons. Their large mouths have baleen instead of teeth. Blue whales use baleen to filter lots of very small food such as shrimp from ocean water. |
| bobbin |
a spool on which thread or yarn is wound for use in sewing or weaving. |
| borrow |
to take and use as one's own. [1/2 definitions] |
| boycott |
to refuse to buy, use, or go to, in order to make a protest or bring about a change. [1/2 definitions] |
| break in |
to train, or to prepare for use. [1/2 definitions] |
| brush1 |
to use a brush on. [1/6 definitions] |
| budget |
to plan the use or spending of. [1/3 definitions] |
| burrow |
a hole or tunnel dug by certain animals for use as a hiding place or home. [1/3 definitions] |