Babelavante
Bacampicillin Hydrochloride
Baccarat
Backgammon
Background noise
Bacon
Badminton
Badminton
Baffle
Bagpipe
Bakelite
Balalaika
Baldric
Ballad
Ballistics
Balloon
Ballot
Balun
Banjo
Bank Of England
Banns
Barge
Barium
Barometer
Baron
Barque
Barquentine
Barrel
Basalt
Baseball
Basin
Basket
Basset-horn
Bassoon
Bathometer
Baud
Bauhaus
Bay
BBS
BCD
Beat-frequency Oscillator
Beaufort scale
Becquerel Rays
Beer
Bellini-Tosi Aerial
Bellows
Belt
Benedictine
Benzene
Benzine
Beryllium
Bessemer converter
Beta Particles
Beta Rays
Betatron
Bezique
Bhang
Bicycle
Bight
Bikini
Billiards
Bise
Bitter
Bitters
Bitumen
Black Feet
Black Friday
Black Monday
Blackhead
Blanket
Bloom
Bloomer Costume
Blue peter
Bluefish
Board of Green Cloth
Boat
Bog
Bohea
Boiling To Death
Bolero
Bolometer
Bolt-ropes
Boltzmann's Constant
Book of the Dead
Boopsy
Bootikin
Bootstrap Loader
Bore
Boric acid
Boron
Bort
Boston
Bournous
Bovril
Bowline
Braccae
Bran
Brandy
Branks
Brass
Brig
Brigantine
Brocade
Bromide
Bromine
Bronchitis
Brontometer
Bronze
Brunswick Theatre
Bubo
Buckingham Palace
Buckram
Buckskin
Bude Light
Buff
Buff Leather
Bugle
Bulimia
Bulkhead
Bullion
Bum-boat
Bunion
Burking
Burl
Burnt Sienna
Burwell Fire
Busby
Bushel
Butane
Butte
Butterine
Buttress
Babelavante is an old term from the Middle Ages for a bad joke.
Bacampicillin hydrochloride is a drug used to treat upper and lower respiratory tract infections; urinary tract infections and skin infections. It has the possible side effects of: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, glossitis (inflammation of the tongue), stomatitis (inflammation of the mouth), hypersensitivity (rash) and itching.
Baccarat is a gambling card game.
Backgammon is an old board game also called tric trac, tavla or tables.
In electronics, background noise is the aggregate of random noise in a sound-reproducing system, arising from such causes as radio interference, valve and other circuit noise, record scratch, etc. and not from the signal being reproduced.
Bacon is the side or back of pork which has been preserved by salting and drying.
Badminton is a game played on a rectangular court by two players, or two pairs of players, with light rackets used to volley a shuttlecock over a high net that divides the court in half.
Badminton is a game played on a court divided in half by a 30 inch deep net five feet above the ground.
A baffle is a rigid structure, such as a sheet of sound-insulating material, used to improve the distribution of sound waves.
The bagpipe is a Scottish musical instrument.
Bakelite is a strong synthetic material resistant to heat and chemicals.
A balalaika is a stringed Russian musical instrument.
A baldric is a belt used to support a sword or bugle.
A ballad is a narrative song.
Ballistics is the theory of missile projection.
A balloon is a bag filled with gas.
A ballot is a method of secret voting.
Balun is a shortened term derived from BALanced to UNbalanced transformer. A balun is often used in radio to allow the connection of an unbalanced cable to a balanced aerial system.
A banjo is a stringed musical instrument.
The Bank Of England was projected by William Paterson, a Scottish merchant, to meet the difficulty experienced by William III in raising the supplies for the war against France. 40 merchants subscribed 500,000 pounds towards the sum of 1,200,000 pounds to be lent to the government at 8 per cent., in consideration of the sunscribers being incorporated as a bank. A royal charter was granted in 1694 appointing Sir John Houblon the first governor and the bank commenced avtive operations on the 1st of January 1695.
In the feudal law, banns were a solemn proclamation of any kind; hence arose the present custom of asking banns, or giving notice before marriage.
A barge is a type of long narrow flat bottomed boat.
Barium is a metal element of the alkaline earth group with the symbol Ba.
A barometer is a device for measuring air pressure.
Baron is an English peerage title.
A barque is a type of masted sailing ship.
A barquentine is a 3 mast sailing ship.
A barrel is a dry and liquid measurement that varies with substance.
Basalt is the name given to lava. It is high in ferrous and magnesian silicates.
Baseball is the national game of USA.
In geography, a basin is a drainage area of a river and its confluents.
A basket is a woven container.
A basset-horn is a tenor clarinet.
A bassoon is a wooden double-reed wind musical instrument invented in the 16th century by Afranio.
A bathometer is an apparatus invneted by William Siemens in 1861 to measure the depth of water without submerging a sounding line. Its action depends on the diminution of the effect of gravitation on the surface of the water as compared with its effect on the earth, owing to the mass of water (of less density) which replaces earth (of greater density); which is duly registered.
Baud is a unit of computer etc. signalling speed. The speed in Baud is the number of discrete conditions or signal elements per second. If each signal event represents only one bit condition, then Baud is the same as bits per second. Baud does not equal bits per second.
Bauhaus is a German institution for training architects, artists and industrial designers founded in 1919 at Weimer.
In geography, a bay is a broad open indentation in a coast-line.
A BBS (Bulletin Board System) is a communicating computer equipped so as to provide informational messages, file storage and transfer and a degree of message exchange to dial-up data terminal or personal computer users.
BCD (Binary Coded Decimal) is a binary-coded notation in which each decimal digit of a number is expressed in binary form; Example: 23 decimal is 10111 in binary, and 0010 0011 in BCD.
A Beat-frequency Oscillator (B.F.O.) is a device for generating oscillations of approximately sinusoidal waveform by combining two radio-frequency electrical oscillations of different frequencies.
The beaufort scale measures wind speed at sea.
Becquerel Rays was a name originally given to the radiations emitted by radioactive substances, and now distinguished as Alpha Rays, Beta Rays, and Gamma Rays.
Beer is a drink of fermented hops, malt and barley.
A Bellini-Tosi aerial is an arrangement of two large fixed-frame aerials mounted at right angles to each other and used in conjunction with a radiogoniometer in radio direction finding.
Bellows are apparatus for creating a draught.
A belt is a flat strip of material worn around the waist.
Benedictine is a green liqueur.
Benzene is a distillate of petroleum used in dry cleaning.
Benzine (benzole) is a compound of hydrogen and carbon, discovered by Faraday in the oils of portable gas in 1825 and obtained by Mitscherlich from benzoic acid in 1834, and by Mansfield from coal tar in 1848 (he also died as the result of burns sustained while experimenting with benzine).
Beryllium is an alkaline metal element with the symbol Be.
The bessemer converter is a process for making cheap steel. Basically, impurities are removed from the pig iron by blasting air through the molten metal and adding lime to remove phosphorus from the metal. The process takes about twenty minutes.
Beta Particles are electrons travelling at velocities up to 99 per cent of the velocity of light, such as are emitted from the nuclei of the atoms of radioactive materials.
Beta rays are streams of high-velocity beta particles travelling at speeds approaching that of light.
A betatron is an apparatus for accelerating electrons to very high velocities by means of a periodic magnetic field, thus producing "artificial" beta rays.
Bezique is a card game using some of two packs of cards.
Bhang is an Indian drink prepared from the leave and shoots of the hemp (cannabis) plant.
A bicycle is a two wheeled vehicle.
In geography, a bight is a shallow even indentation in the sea coast, often of great width.
The Bikini is a two-piece item of women's swim-wear. It was invented in 1946 by a French designer and was called the ''bikini'' after the atom bomb test at bikini atoll, the premise being that the bikini was as small as an atom, and the results were explosive! When first revealed, no professional model could be found to model such a revealing item of clothing, and so a cabaret dancer was hired to model the first bikini.
Billiards is a game played with two white balls and one red ball and a cue on a slate bed table. One of the white balls has two black spots on it, this ball is called the spot-ball and is used to start the game.
The bise is a dry north wind prevalent in Switzerland and southern France.
Bitter is a taste sensation caused by stimulation of the gustatory nerve.
Bitters is an alcoholic beverage of sugar herbs and alcohol.
Bitumen is a natural inflammable pitchy hydrocarbon.
The Black Feet are a north American Indian tribe.
Black Friday was the name given to a commercial panic in London on the 11th May 1866 through the stoppage of Overend, Gurney and Co. who were committed to trial for conspiracy to defraud. On Friday 21st November 1890 a temporary panic was produced by the embarrassments of the Baring Brothers.
There have been many dates dubbed ''Black Monday'', but the first was Easter Monday, 14th April 1360, ''so full dark of mist and hail, and so bitter cold that many men died on their horsebacks with the cold.'' The day on which a number of English were slaughtered at a village near Dublin in 1209. The day of panic in 1745 when the Scottish rebels were reported to have arrived at Derby, and the Bank of England paid in sixpences.
A blackhead is dirt blocking a pore that often causes acne.
A blanket is an extensive covering. Often a warm bed covering.
A bloom is a lump of puddled iron, which leaves the furnace in a rough state, to be subsequently rolled into bars or whatever.
The Bloomer costume was a style of dress adopted around 1849 by Mrs Bloomer of New York. It consisted of a jacket with close sleeves, a skirt reaching a little below the knee, and a pair of Turkish pantaloons secured by bands around the ankles.
The blue peter is a flag flown by ships as they are about to sail.
The bluefish is a fish found off the east coast of north America.
The Board of Green Cloth was an ancient court in the department of the lord-steward of the household with jurisdiction of all offences committed in the verge of the court. It was abolished in 1849.
A boat is transport for conveyance across water.
Bog is the name given to soft spongy land.
Bohea is an inferior kind of black tea.
Boiling To Death was made a capital punishment in England by Henry VIII in 1531 as a result of seventeen people being poisoned by Richard Rosse, the bishop of Rochester's cook, two of whom died. Margaret Davy, a young woman was similarly executed in 1542 for a similar crime. The act was repealed in 1547.
The bolero is a Spanish dance of the ballet class for couples or a single female dancer. It is a slow step with much waving of the arms.
A bolometer is an electrical instrument, invented by Langley, which is sensitive to radiant heat, and who used it to make discoveries in the utra red rays of the spectrum.
Bolt-ropes were ropes used to strengthen the sails of a ship.
Boltzmann's constant is the ratio of the mean total enery in a molecule to its absolute temperature.
The Book of the Dead was an ancient Egyptian collection of religious texts for guiding the departed soul safely through the dangers of the Amenti, the lower world. A copy of the work was placed with the mummy in his tomb.
Boopsy is a Jamaican term for a man who supports a woman materially, and yet receives no sexual gratification in return (being boopsed). Hence the expression; ''Mi a no boops!'' which translates as ''I am not a boopsy''.
A bootikin was a wood and iron boot used in torture to extract confessions from the victim. Wooden wedges were hammered between the leg and the boot with a mallet so as to crush the victims bone.
A bootstrap loader is a computer input routine in which pre-set operations are placed into a computer that enable it to get into operation whenever a reset condition occurs; in electronic PBXs this may be called Automatic Program Loading or a similar term; in personal computers it is the sequence that searches predetermined disks for a Command Interpreter program, then a Configure System file; finally an Autoexecution Batch file.
In geography, a bore is a tidal wave produced in river estuaries by the rapid narrowing of the channel.
Boric acid is an acid of borax found naturally.
Boron is an element with the symbol B found in borax.
Bort is a powdered form of diamond.
The Boston is variation of the waltz danced in very slow time against the rhythm of the music.
A bournous is a hooded garment worn in Algeria, and introduced to England and France in a modified form in 1847.
Bovril (Ox-strength) is a preparation of lean beef from which the water, about 75 per cent., has been excluded; and the albumen and fibrine, the nutritive parts retained by processes gradually invented by Lawson Johnston, who began his experimental researches in Canada in 1872.
The bowline is a non-slip knot.
Braccae were an early trouser-like garment worn by the ancient Britons at the time of the Roman Invasion.
Bran is the outer covering of wheat grains.
Brandy is an alcoholic beverage of distilled wine.
A branks was a kind of bridle constructed of iron bands, acting as a gag, formerly used in England and Scotland as an instrument of punishment for scolds and slanderous women. The culprit was paraded through the streets by the bellman, beadle, or constable, or chained to the market cross where she was exposed to public ridicule.
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc.
A brig is a two masted sailing ship.
A brigantine is a 2 mast sailing ship.
Brocade is a silken stuff, variegated with gold or silver, and enriched with flowers and figures. It was originally made by the Chinese, a manufacturing plant was established in Lyons in 1757.
see "Potassium Bromide"
Bromine is a non-metallic element with the symbol Br. It is a poisonous voltaile liquid which was first discovered in salt water by Balard in 1826.
Bronchitis is a chronic inflammation of the bronchial mucous membrane.
A brontometer is an apparatus for measuring thunderstorms invented by Richard, of Paris in 1890.
Bronze is an alloy of copper and tin.
The Brunswick Theatre was a theatre in Well-street, east London. It was built in 1828 to replace the Royalty which burned down in 1826. Four days after opening it was destroyed by the walls falling in as a result of too much weight being attached to the heavy iron roof. The catastrophe occured during a rehearsal of ''Guy Mannering'' killing twelve people.
Bubo is a swelling in the groin due to inflammed lymph nodes.
Buckingham Palace is the London residence of the British royal family. It was built by John Sheffield, duke of Buckingham, in 1703. In 1761 it was bought by George III who in 1775 settled it on his queen, Charlotte who made it her town residence.
Buckram was a coarse textile fabric stiffened with glue and used in garments to give them and to keep them in the form intended.
Buckskin is a soft form of leather.
The bude light was a very bright gas lamp invented by Mr Gurney who lived in Bude, Cornwall. The bude lamp fed a stream of oxygen into the flame of an argand-lamp or gas-burner.
Buff is the stout velvety dull-yellow leather of buffalo or ox hide.
Buff leather is a type of leather made from the skin of buffalo and other oxen. It is dressed with oil and used for making bandoliers, belts, pouches and gloves amongst other items.
A bugle is a brass musical instrument.
Bulimia is a disorder in which the patient has a morbidly voracious appetite. It is certainly not a new disorder, for it was known of in 1906.
A bulkhead is an upright partition dividing watertight compartments of a ship.
Bullion is gold or silver in bars, plates or other masses which has not been minted
A bum-boat is a small boat used to sell produce to ships lying at a distance from the shore
A bunion is an inflamed swelling on the foot, especially at the joint of the great toe.
Burking is a form of murder involving killing the victim by pressure or other modes of suffocation so as to leave no mark of violence on the body. It was first known to be used by Burke who was executed in 1829.
A burl is a knot. The term is used in veneering to refer to an overgrown knot in the wood.
Burnt Sienna is the popular name for Terra di Sienna, a brown ferruginous ochre used in painting, and obtained from Italy. Before being used as a pigment it is calcined, and hence the name Burnt Sienna.
The Burwell Fire occured in a barn at Burwell, near Newmarket on 8th September 1727. A number of people had assembled to see a puppet-show in the barn when a candle set fire to a heap of straw. Seventy-six people died at the scene and others died later of their injuries.
A busby is a head-dress worn by British army hussars.
The bushel is a unit of capacity measurement equivalent to 4 pecks, 8 gallons or 3.637 dekalitres. It is also used a measure of weight for apples, equivalent to about 40 lbs. Henry VIII ordered that a bushel should hold eight gallons of wheat in 1520.
Butane is an alkane inflammable gas by product of petroleum.
A butte is an isolated abrupt flat-topped hill found in the west USA.
Butterine, a composition of fats as a substitute for butter was first sold in London in 1885. By the Margerine Act of 1887 it changed its name to margerine.
A buttress in architecture is a pier built against the exterior of a wall.