Bask (v): bask, bahsk
If you bask in the sunshine, you lie somewhere sunny and enjoy the heat = enjoy warmth
A cat was basking on the window still
Batten (v): bat-n
If something is battened in place, it is made secure by having battens fixed across it or being closed firmly = fixed
The roof was never securely battened down
Beatify (v): bee-at-uh-fahy
When the Catholic church beatifies someone who is dead, it declares officially that they were a holy person, usually as the first step towards making them a saint
In May, Pope John Paul is to beatify Gianna Beretta
Beddazzle (v): bih-daz-uhl
To dazzle so completely as to make blind. = confuse
The bright lights bedazzled her
Bedizen (v): bih-dahy-zuhn (80)
dress with vulgar finery
Her dress was bedizend with jewels
Bedraggle (v): bih-drag-uhl
looking untidy, wet, and dirty, especially because you have been out in the rain
Bedraggled soldiers crawled into camp
Befuddle (v): bih-fuhd-l
If something befuddles you, it confuses your mind or thoughts = confuse
There are number of problems which are befuddling him
Beguile (v): bih-gahyl
If something beguiles you, you are charmed and attracted by it = delude, cheat, amuse
The salesman beguiled the housewife by his smooth talk
Beget (v): bih-get
To beget something means to cause it to happen or be created = produce, give rise to
Hunger begets crime
Behoove (v): bih-hoov
If it behoves you to do something, it is right, necessary, or useful for you to do it = necessary, useful
It behoves us to think of these dangers
Belabor (v): bih-ley-ber
If you belabour someone or something, you hit them hard and repeatedly = pummel, assail verbally
There is no need to belabour the point
Belie (v): bih-lahy
If one thing belies another, it hides the true situation and so creates a false idea or image of someone or something = contradict
Her behavior belied her story
Belittle (v): bih-lit-l
If you belittle someone or something, you say or imply that they are unimportant or not very good = minimize
We mustn’t belittle her outstanding achievement
Bemoan (v): bee-muhn
If you bemoan something, you express sorrow or dissatisfaction about it = moan, lament
He was bemoaning the fact that lawyers charge so much
Berate (v): bih-reyt (90)
If you berate someone, you speak to them angrily about something they have done wrong = scold, criticise
The teacher berated him for making noise in the class
Bereave (v): bih-reev
leave sad by taking away something very close = making sad
Illness bereaved the family of their father
Beseech (v): bih-seech
If you beseech someone to do something, you ask them very eagerly and anxiously = beg
Let him go, I beseech you !
Besmirch (v): bih-smurch
If you besmirch someone or their reputation, you say that they are a bad person or that they have done something wrong, usually when this is not true = blacken, soil, defile
He besmirched the good name of the family with his wrong deeds
Bestow (v): bih-stoh
To bestow something on someone means to give or present it to them = confer
The Queen has bestowed a knighthood on him
Betroth (v): bih-trohth, -trawth
If you are betrothed to someone, you have agreed to marry them = engage
She was betrothed to a member of the royal family
Bifurcate (v): bahy-fer-keyt, bahy-fur-keyt
If something such as a line or path bifurcates or is bifurcated, it divides into two parts which go in different directions = forked, divide
As the road bifurcates ahead of the petrol pump, take the left route
Blanch (v): bleach
If you blanch, you suddenly become very pale
His face blanched as he witnessed an lethal accident
Blazon (v): bley-zuhn
be blazoned across/on/over is something to be written or shown on something in a very noticeable way
They saw the company’s name blazoned across the morning papers
Blight (v): blahyt
If something blights your life or your hopes, it damages and spoils them If something blights an area, it spoils it and makes it unattractive = ruin
The rain came this morning to blight our picnic
Bode (v): bohd (100)
If something bodes ill, it makes you think that something bad will happen in the future If something bodes well, it makes you think that something good will happen = foreshadow, portend
The opinion polls do not bode well for the TDP
