12-letter words containing a, l, b
- balletomanes — Plural form of balletomane.
- balletomania — passionate enthusiasm for ballet
- ballhandling — skill in handling the ball
- balloon loan — a loan in respect of which interest and capital are paid off in instalments at irregular intervals
- balloon sail — a large light bellying sail used in light winds
- balloon seat — (on some 18th-century chairs) a seat having an outline resembling that of a bell.
- balloon tire — a wide, deep-walled pneumatic tire with relatively low air pressure to lessen the shock of bumps
- balloon tyre — a pneumatic tyre containing air at a relatively low pressure and having a wide tread
- balloon vine — a tropical tendril-climbing sapindaceous plant, Cardiospermum halicacabum, cultivated for its ornamental balloon-like seed capsules
- ballot paper — A ballot paper is a piece of paper on which you indicate your choice or opinion in an election or ballot.
- ballottement — a technique of feeling for a movable object in the body, esp confirmation of pregnancy by feeling the rebound of the fetus following a quick digital tap on the wall of the uterus
- balsam apple — an ornamental cucurbitaceous vine, Momordica balsamina, of the Old World tropics, with yellow flowers and orange egg-shaped fruits
- balsamaceous — any of various fragrant exudations from certain trees, especially trees of the genus Commiphora, as balm-of-Gilead. Compare balm (def 1).
- balto-slavic — the Baltic and Slavic languages, when considered as constituting a subfamily within the Indo-European family of languages: the Baltic and Slavic branches are now generally considered by scholars as independently derived from Indo-European
- baluchithere — a hornless rhinoceros of the extinct genus Baluchitherium that inhabited central Asia during the Oligocene and early Miocene epochs: the largest land mammal known.
- banalization — the process of becoming or making something banal
- banana label — (jargon) The labels used on the sides of macrotape reels, so called because they were shaped roughly like blunt-ended bananas. This term, like macrotapes themselves, is obsolete.
- banana split — A banana split is a kind of dessert. It consists of a banana cut in half along its length, with ice cream, nuts, and sauce on top.
- banderillero — a bullfighter's assistant who sticks banderillas into the bull
- bandy-legged — bow-legged
- bank balance — Your bank balance is the amount of money that you have in your bank account at a particular time.
- bank holiday — A bank holiday is a public holiday.
- bank swallow — a swallow, Riparia riparia, of the Northern Hemisphere, that nests in tunnels dug in sand or clay banks.
- banks island — an island of N Canada, in the Northwest Territories: the westernmost island of the Arctic Archipelago. Area: about 67 340 sq km (26 000 sq miles)
- banner cloud — a plume-shaped cloud extending downwind from an isolated mountain peak. Also called cloud banner. Compare cap cloud (def 1).
- barbarically — without civilizing influences; uncivilized; primitive: barbaric invaders.
- barcalounger — a type of reclinable armchair with an extendable footrest
- bardolatrous — relating to or characterized by bardolatry
- bare-knuckle — without boxing gloves
- bargain sale — an event at which goods are sold at low prices, usually to clear old stocks
- barge couple — either of a pair of outside rafters along the gable end of a roof
- barley field — a piece of land cleared of trees and undergrowth, usually enclosed with a fence or hedge and used for growing barley
- barley sugar — Barley sugar is a sweet made from boiled sugar.
- barley water — Barley water is a drink made from barley. It is sometimes flavoured with orange or lemon.
- barn swallow — the US and Canadian name for the common swallow, Hirundo rustica
- barometrical — (archaic) Relating to, or observed with, a barometer, barometric.
- barrack life — the experiences, activities, etc that are characteristic of a soldier's time spent dwelling in a barracks
- barranquilla — a port in N Colombia, on the Magdalena River. Pop: 1 918 000 (2005 est)
- barratrously — In a barratrous manner.
- barrel chair — a kind of upholstered chair with an upright, rounded back
- barrel organ — A barrel organ is a large machine that plays music when you turn the handle on the side. Barrel organs used to be played in the street to entertain people.
- barrel vault — a vault in the form of a half cylinder
- barristerial — pertaining to a barrister
- bartlesville — a city in NE Oklahoma.
- basal reader — an elementary-school textbook that teaches reading by combining stories with practice exercises: The Dick and Jane series was the most famous basal reader.
- base bullion — smelted lead containing impurities, as gold, silver, or zinc, that are later removed.
- baseball cap — A baseball cap is a close-fitting cap with a curved part at the front that sticks out above your eyes.
- baselessness — The state or quality of being baseless.
- basementless — without a basement
- basic jovial — (language) A subset of JOVIAL written ca. 1965.