12-letter words containing a, b, e, c
- barge couple — either of a pair of outside rafters along the gable end of a roof
- barge course — the overhang of the gable end of a roof
- barometrical — (archaic) Relating to, or observed with, a barometer, barometric.
- baroreceptor — a collection of sensory nerve endings, principally in the carotid sinuses and the aortic arch, that monitor blood pressure changes in the body
- barrack life — the experiences, activities, etc that are characteristic of a soldier's time spent dwelling in a barracks
- barrel chair — a kind of upholstered chair with an upright, rounded back
- baseball cap — A baseball cap is a close-fitting cap with a curved part at the front that sticks out above your eyes.
- basic weight — basis weight.
- basilic vein — a large vein situated on the inner side of the arm
- basket catch — a catch made with open glove with the palm up and the wrist kept close to and in front of the body.
- basket chair — a chair made of wickerwork; a wicker chair
- basmati rice — a variety of long-grain rice with slender aromatic grains, used for savoury dishes
- bathetically — in a bathetic fashion
- bathtub race — a sailing race between bathtubs fitted with outboard motors
- bathypelagic — of, relating to, or inhabiting the lower depths of the ocean between approximately 1000 and 4000 metres
- bathyscaphes — Plural form of bathyscaphe.
- baton charge — A baton charge is an attacking forward movement made by a large group of policemen carrying batons.
- batter brace — a diagonal brace reinforcing one end of a truss.
- battery acid — acid used in batteries, esp car batteries
- batting cage — a screen with three sides and a top, in which batters practice: it keeps missed and fouled pitches within its enclosure
- battle clasp — clasp (def 4).
- battle creek — a city in S Michigan.
- beach-comber — a person who lives by gathering salable articles of jetsam, refuse, etc., from beaches.
- beach-la-mar — an English-based creole language spoken in Vanuatu and Fiji, and formerly much more widespread
- beachcombers — Plural form of beachcomber.
- beachcombing — The action of a beachcomber.
- beacon light — a light signal for shipping
- beaconsfield — a town in SE England, in Buckinghamshire. Pop: 12 292 (2001)
- beam balance — a piece of apparatus used for artistic gymnastics
- beam compass — an instrument for drawing large circles or arcs, consisting of a horizontal beam along which two vertical legs slide
- bean counter — You can describe people such as accountants and business managers as bean counters if you disapprove of them because you think they are only interested in money.
- bearded clam — mollusc eaten as seafood
- beaten track — well-trodden path or route
- beatifically — bestowing bliss, blessings, happiness, or the like: beatific peace.
- beaumarchais — Pierre Augustin Caron de (pjɛr oɡystɛ̃ karɔ̃ də). 1732–99, French dramatist, noted for his comedies The Barber of Seville (1775) and The Marriage of Figaro (1784)
- beauty cream — a cosmetic cream
- beaver cloth — beaver1 (def 8).
- bechuanaland — former British territory (1884-1966) in S Africa: now the country of Botswana
- beech marten — stone marten.
- beef extract — a soluble paste of beef or beef blood extracts.
- beggar-ticks — any of various plants, such as the bur marigold and tick trefoil, having fruits or seeds that cling to clothing, fur, etc
- behenic acid — a crystalline, saturated fatty acid, C 22 H 44 O 2 , obtained from plant sources, used chiefly in the manufacture of cosmetics, waxes, and plasticizers.
- bell captain — a person in charge of a group of bellhops
- bell the cat — to undertake a very dangerous mission
- belly dancer — A belly dancer is a woman who performs a Middle Eastern dance in which she moves her hips and abdomen about.
- belly-aching — Informal. a pain in the abdomen or bowels.
- bench-warmer — a substitute who rarely gets to play in a game.
- benchmarking — In business, benchmarking is a process in which a company compares its products and methods with those of the most successful companies in its field, in order to try to improve its own performance.
- benefactress — a female benefactor
- beneficially — conferring benefit; advantageous; helpful: the beneficial effect of sunshine.