| bass drum |
a large drum that makes a low, booming sound. |
| bassoon |
a large woodwind instrument. The bassoon has a long wooden body attached to a curved, metal tube with a mouthpiece at its end. |
| 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. |
| bathtub |
a large tub in which a person can wash. |
| battalion |
a large group of soldiers, made up of several companies. |
| battleship |
a large military ship that has heavy armor and large guns. |
| beach ball |
a large, air-filled ball of brightly colored plastic, usually used for games played in or near the water. |
| bear2 |
a large furry mammal with a short tail. Bears are omnivorous; they may eat plants, honey, insects, fish, and small mammals. There are several kinds of bears, including black bears, brown bears, grizzly bears, and polar bears. |
| beat the tar out of |
to best or outdo by a large amount. [1/2 definitions] |
| 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. |
| biceps |
the large muscle at the front of the upper arm that bends the elbow. |
| big |
large in size, number, or weight. [1/3 definitions] |
| bighorn |
a wild sheep found in the Rocky Mountains of North America. The male has large, curved horns; the female has short, straight horns. They are also called Rocky Mountain sheep. |
| billboard |
a large board for displaying outdoor advertisements, often seen next to highways. |
| billion |
a very large number that is not named exactly. [2/4 definitions] |
| billow |
a large wave in the ocean; swell. [1/2 definitions] |
| binder |
a large, sturdy notebook cover that contains a device for holding loose papers. |
| bison |
a very large mammal with a large head, humped shoulders, and short curved horns. Bison used to roam the plains of North America in large herds, but they were hunted until they were almost extinct. North American bison are also called buffalo, but they are not related to the true buffalo of Africa and Asia. Bison have hooves and are closely related to cattle. Bison eat only plants and chew their cud. [1/2 definitions] |
| blackberry |
a dark purple or black berry that is made up of many large seeds. [1/2 definitions] |
| black hole |
a region or body in space with gravity so strong that neither light nor matter can escape it. Scientists believe that black holes form when very large stars collapse. |
| bloodhound |
a breed of dog. Bloodhounds are large dogs with baggy skin and long, drooping ears. They have an excellent sense of smell and are used to track people or animals. |