12-letter words containing a, l, n, c
- backlighting — Movies, Television. a light source placed behind an actor, object, or scene to create a highlight that separates the subject from the background.
- backpedaling — to retard the forward motion by pressing backward on the pedal, especially of a bicycle with coaster brakes.
- backslapping — Backslapping is noisy, cheerful behavior which people use in order to show affection or appreciation to each other.
- backslashing — Present participle of backslash.
- backsolution — The process or result of backsolving.
- bacon-slicer — a machine for cutting bacon into slices
- bahia blanca — a port in E Argentina. Pop: 276 000 (2005 est)
- 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
- 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
- ballet blanc — a ballet in which the ballerinas' skirts are white.
- 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).
- barcalounger — a type of reclinable armchair with an extendable footrest
- bare-knuckle — without boxing gloves
- basilic vein — a large vein situated on the inner side of the arm
- 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
- 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
- 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.
- beurre blanc — an emulsion of cold butter in a white wine or vinegar and shallot reduction
- bibliomaniac — excessive fondness for acquiring and possessing books.
- bicentennial — A bicentennial is the same as a bicentenary.
- bifunctional — having two functions
- bill and coo — the parts of a bird's jaws that are covered with a horny or leathery sheath; beak.
- binary color — secondary color.
- bingo caller — the person who shouts out the numbers to bingo players
- binocularity — binocular characteristics
- biotechnical — relating to biotechnology
- black bryony — a climbing herbaceous Eurasian plant, Tamus communis, having small greenish flowers and poisonous red berries: family Dioscoreaceae
- black canyon — a canyon of the Colorado River between Arizona and Nevada: site of Boulder Dam.
- black heroin — a very potent and addictive form of heroin that is dark-colored.
- black knight — a person or firm that makes an unwelcome takeover bid for a company
- black prince — Edward2 (Prince of Wales)
- black tongue — canine pellagra.
- black walnut — a North American walnut tree, Juglans nigra, with hard dark wood and edible oily nuts
- blackbirding — a common European thrush, Turdus merula, the male of which is black with a yellow bill.
- blackcurrant — In Europe, blackcurrants are a type of very small, dark purple fruits that grow in bunches on bushes.
- blank cheque — If someone is given a blank cheque, they are given the authority to spend as much money as they need or want.
- blind casing — (in a box window frame) a rough framework to which the trim is secured.
- bliss carman — (William) Bliss, 1861–1929, Canadian poet and journalist in the U.S.
- block caving — a method of mining a large block of ore by systematically undercutting so the ore will cave. Compare cave (def 5a).
- block island — an island off the coast of and a part of Rhode Island, at the E entrance to Long Island Sound.
- block signal — a fixed railroad signal governing the movements of trains entering and using a given section of track.
- bonnyclabber — clotted or curdled milk