Word origins

• betravailTo work at; compose (a book, etc.).
• betreadTo tread over or walk upon.
• betrustTo trust; place confidence in (a person).
• betternessThe state or quality of being better; superiority.
• beturnTo turn round or about.
• bewakeTo watch; keep watch over; guard.
• bewallowTo wallow around or about; wallow all over.
• bewardTo guard about or completely; protect.
• bewaveTo shield; hide.
• bewedTo pledge oneself to; betroth; wed; marry.
• beweepTo weep over; weep for; weep about; deplore; lament.
• beweeperOne who beweeps or laments someone or something.
• bewellTo well up.
• bewendTo turn; turn around.
• bewestTo the west of.
• bewetTo wet or moisten profusely.
• bewieldTo hold in hand; rule; control; manage; handle; wield.
• bewileTo delude; deceive; beguile.
• bewimpleTo cover with a wimple; veil.
• bewinTo gain, win, or get possession of.
• bewindTo wind (a thing) about; involve; envelop (with).
• bewistFood; provision; victual; a living.
• bewitTo bequeath.
• beworkTo work around or about; surround.
• bewrapTo wrap up or otherwise conceal; clothe; envelop.
• bewrayerA betrayer or divulger.
• bewrayingThe act or process of divulging or revealing information
• bewreakTo avenge; revenge.
• beyelpTo boast about or glory in, especially in a loud manner.
• bezantA coin made of gold or silver, minted at Byzantium and used in currency throughout mediaeval Europe.
• bezantedSynonym of bezanty.
• bezantyCovered with bezants; semé (strewn) with bezants.
• bezzleTo plunder; to lay waste to, in riot.
• bieldBoldness, courage; confidence; a feeling of security, assurance.
• biglyIn a big way, greatly; to a great extent, on a large scale.
• billettySemé (strewn) with billets.
• birchenMade from birch wood.
• birdlessWithout birds.
• birdlingA little bird; especially, a baby bird.
• bird's nestA structure built by a bird as a place to incubate its eggs and rear its young.
• birlTo spin.
• birleTo pour a drink (for).
• birthsteadThe place of one's birth, birthplace.
• birthtideThe time or season of one's birth, birthtime.
• birth timeThe time at which someone is born.
• birthtongueOne's first language, learnt in early childhood; native language.
• bishopdomSynonym of bishopric.
• bishophoodThe state, condition, or office of a bishop.
• bishoplyLike, relating to, or characteristic of a bishop
• bispelA proverb or parable.
• bissextThe bissextile intercalary day.
• biteableCapable of being bitten.
• bitterfulFull of bitterness.
• biverTo shiver; to tremble, shake, quiver.
• black and blueOf a person, having obvious bruises of the skin, typically from falling or being hit or punched.
• black as coalCompletely black.
• blacksterOne who dyes or colours things black
• black swanCygnus atratus, a swan with black plumage and a red bill which is endemic to Australia.
• blaeberryThe bilberry, Vaccinium myrtillus.
• blaenessThe state or quality of being blue-grey.
• blamableDeserving blame
• blamefulThat imputes or conveys blame
• blamefullyIn a blameful manner.
• blamerOne who blames.
• blandishTo persuade someone by using flattery; to cajole.
• blandishmentOften in the plural form blandishments: a flattering speech or action designed to influence or persuade.
• blartTo sound loudly or harshly; to cry out, wail, lament.
• blearDim; unclear from water or rheum.
• bleareyedHaving dim or rheumy eyes.
• blearinessThe characteristic of being bleary.
• bleauntA short tunic or blouse worn in the Middle Ages
• blenchTo shrink; start back; give way; flinch; turn aside or fly off.
• blessedfullFull of blessing.
• bless youSaid to someone who has just sneezed, as a polite remark.
• blicantshining; bright
• blikeTo shine; gleam.
• blindhoodThe condition or state of being blind.
• blindwormAnguis fragilis (slowworm), a small species of legless lizard.
• blissfulnessThe characteristic of being blissful.
• blissomTo be lustful; to be lascivious.
• blithefuljolly, joyous or carefree.
• blithenessThe characteristic of being blithe.
• blooderA person or creature which draws blood
• bloodingA bleeding.
• bloodletTo bleed; let blood; phlebotomise.
• blood redA dark red color.
• blossomySimilar to blossom.
• blotlessWithout blots; stainless.
• blow upUsed other than figuratively or idiomatically: see blow, up.
• blue-grayOf a bluish gray color.
• blue-greyCommonwealth standard spelling of blue-gray.
• blundererOne who blunders.
• blunketGray; grayish or light blue.
• boardenMade of boards or wood; wooden
• boatfulEnough of something to fill a boat, or a boat filled with the thing in question
• boatmasterA person officially qualified to be in charge of a vessel of a specified category.
• boatropeA rope used for the rigging of a boat.
• boatsmithA maker of boats or ships; shipbuilder.
• bobanceBoasting.
• body corporateA corporation, when viewed as a legal person.