Barron GRE word list - B

babble	chatter idly or foolishly; make continuous sounds like water running gently over rounded stone; N.
bacchanal	noisy party with a lot of drinking
bacchanalia	the ancient Roman festival in honor of Bacchus
bacchanalian	drunken
backslide	revert (to bad habits); N. reverter
backwards	and forwards; Ex. reciprocate his invitation by inviting him; N. reciprocity: reciprocal relationship; mutual interchange of advantages between two groups; Ex. reciprocity in trading rights
badger	pester; annoy continually with demands; persuade by asking again and again; Ex. The children badgered me into taking them into the cinema; N: a kind of mountain animal
badinage	teasing conversation; banter; joking talk
baffle	frustrate; perplex
bait	harass; tease; torment; Ex. badger baiting; N: food or other lure used to catch fish or trap animals
baleful	evil; malignant in intent or effect; deadly; having a malign influence; portending evil; ominous; threatening; Ex. baleful look
balk	stop short, as if faced with an obstacle, and refuse to continue; foil; stop or get in the way of; frustrate
ballast	heavy substance used to add stability or weight; V. supply with ballast
balm	something that relieves pain; oily liquid with a pleasant smell from trees
balmy	soft and mild (of air); fragrant
banal	hackneyed; commonplace; trite; lacking originality; clich\'ed
bandy	discuss lightly or glibly; discuss in a frivolous manner; exchange (words) heatedly; quarrel; Ex. bandy words with
bane	posion; cause of ruin; ADJ. baneful: harmful; poisonous
bank	heap; piled-up mass; embankment; lateral tilting (as of an aircraft in turning); V: pile up; protect with a bank; tilt in turning
bantering	joking talk; good-naturedly ridiculing; N.V. banter
bar	railing in a courtroom; legal profession; vertical line dividing a staff into equal measures; Ex. prisoner at the bar; V: shut in or out with bars; forbid; exclude; CF. barrister
barb	sharp projection from fishhook, arrow, or other object; openly cutting remark
bard	poet
barefaced	shameless and noticeable; blatant; bold; unconcealed; having no covering on the face; Ex. barefaced lie
bargain	agreement between two groups or people; something for sale at a price advantageous to the buyer; V: negotiate; trade; Ex. bargaining power
baroque	highly ornate
barrage	barrier laid down by artillery fire; overwhelming profusion; large number of questions or statements; Ex. a barrage of criticism
barrister	counselor-at-law or lawyer in the higher court of law; CF. bar
barterer	trader; V. barter: trade; exchange good for other goods rather than money
base	contemptible; morally bad; inferior in value or quality; Ex. base motives/conduct; Ex. base metal such as iron