12-letter words containing a, l, b, c
- backup light — Backup lights are the white lights on the back of a vehicle that shine when the vehicle moves backward.
- bacon-slicer — a machine for cutting bacon into slices
- bactericidal — any substance capable of killing bacteria.
- bacteriology — Bacteriology is the science and the study of bacteria.
- bahia blanca — a port in E Argentina. Pop: 276 000 (2005 est)
- baklava code — (humour, programming) Code with too many layers. Also known as Lasagne Code.
- balance beam — a long, narrow, horizontal wooden beam raised about 4 feet (1.2 m) above the floor, on which women gymnasts perform balancing routines consisting of jumps, tumbles, turns, running steps, etc.
- balance pipe — a pipe between two points used to equalize pressure
- bald cypress — a tree, Taxodium distichum, of swampy areas of the southern U.S., having featherlike needles and cone-shaped projections growing up from the roots, yielding a hardwood used in construction, shipbuilding, etc.
- balinese cat — a breed of cat with medium-length silky hair, a plumed tail, blue eyes, large ears, and a dark mask, tail, and paws
- ball control — the skill of controlling the ball in a game such as football or tennis
- ball-carrier — the offensive player having the ball and attempting to gain ground.
- ballet blanc — a ballet in which the ballerinas' skirts are white.
- balletically — in a balletic fashion; gracefully
- 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.
- bank balance — Your bank balance is the amount of money that you have in your bank account at a particular time.
- 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
- bare-knuckle — without boxing gloves
- barge couple — either of a pair of outside rafters along the gable end of a roof
- 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
- 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 jovial — (language) A subset of JOVIAL written ca. 1965.
- basic salary — base pay.
- basilic vein — a large vein situated on the inner side of the arm
- bathetically — in a bathetic fashion
- bathypelagic — of, relating to, or inhabiting the lower depths of the ocean between approximately 1000 and 4000 metres
- battle clasp — clasp (def 4).
- battle creek — a city in S Michigan.
- battological — tending to repeat words unnecessarily
- beach-la-mar — an English-based creole language spoken in Vanuatu and Fiji, and formerly much more widespread
- 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
- bearded clam — mollusc eaten as seafood
- beatifically — bestowing bliss, blessings, happiness, or the like: beatific peace.
- beaver cloth — beaver1 (def 8).
- bechuanaland — former British territory (1884-1966) in S Africa: now the country of Botswana
- 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.
- beneficially — conferring benefit; advantageous; helpful: the beneficial effect of sunshine.
- bespectacled — Someone who is bespectacled is wearing glasses.
- beta blocker — A beta blocker is a drug which is used to treat people who have high blood pressure or heart problems.