13-letter words containing a, u, b, e
- barium yellow — a yellow, crystalline compound, BaCrO 4 , used as a pigment (barium yellow)
- baroque organ — a pipe organ dating from or built to the specifications of the baroque period at the time of J. S. Bach.
- barrel cactus — any of several large, cylindrical, ribbed, spiny cacti of the genera Echinocactus and Ferocactus.
- barrier-nurse — to tend (infectious patients) in isolation, to prevent the spread of infection
- baryon number — the number of baryons in a system minus the number of antibaryons
- basic plumage — the plumage assumed by an adult bird at its complete, usually annual, molt.
- basket clause — an all-inclusive or comprehensive clause in a contract
- bathtub curve — Common term for the curve (resembling an end-to-end section of one of those claw-footed antique bathtubs) that describes the expected failure rate of electronics with time: initially high, dropping to near 0 for most of the system's lifetime, then rising again as it "tires out". See also burn-in period, infant mortality.
- battle it out — If one group or person battles it out with another, they take part in a fight or contest against each other until one of them wins or a definite result is reached. You can also say that two groups or two people battle it out.
- battlecruiser — A large warship of a type built in the early 20th century, carrying similar armament to a battleship but faster and more lightly armored.
- battlegrounds — Plural form of battleground.
- be nuts about — to be greatly in love with
- be upstanding — (in a court of law) a direction to all persons present to rise to their feet before the judge enters or leaves the court
- be wild about — If you are wild about someone or something, you like them very much.
- beacon status — a ranking awarded by the government to an organization, rendering it eligible for extra funding, and aimed at encouraging organizations to share good practice with each other
- bearer cheque — a cheque payable to the person who has it
- beat the drum — a musical percussion instrument consisting of a hollow, usually cylindrical, body covered at one or both ends with a tightly stretched membrane, or head, which is struck with the hand, a stick, or a pair of sticks, and typically produces a booming, tapping, or hollow sound.
- beau brummell — any dandy or fop
- beauteousness — The state or quality of being beauteous.
- beautifulness — having beauty; possessing qualities that give great pleasure or satisfaction to see, hear, think about, etc.; delighting the senses or mind: a beautiful dress; a beautiful speech.
- beauty editor — the person in charge of a section of newspaper or magazine devoted to cosmetics, etc
- beauty parlor — A beauty parlor is a place where women can go to have beauty treatments, for example, to have their hair, nails, or makeup done.
- beaux esprits — bel esprit
- beaux-esprits — plural of bel-esprit.
- bedaux system — a system of payment for work on the basis of the number of points of work done in a given amount of time, each point representing one minute of work on a given job at a normal rate of speed.
- behaviourally — from a behavioural point of view
- beleaguerment — a blockade or siege
- bell purchase — a tackle consisting of two standing single blocks, two running single blocks, a fall, and a runner, so arranged that it gives a mechanical advantage of six, neglecting friction.
- benefit fraud — the illegal activity of claiming benefit payments which a person is not entitled to
- bengal quince — bael.
- benito juarez — Benito (Pablo) [be-nee-taw pah-vlaw] /bɛˈni tɔ ˈpɑ vlɔ/ (Show IPA), 1806–72, president of Mexico 1857–72.
- benjamin-bush — Also called spice-wood. a yellow-flowered, North American shrub, Lindera benzoin, of the laurel family, whose bark and leaves have a spicy odor.
- bermuda grass — a widely distributed grass, Cynodon dactylon, with wiry creeping rootstocks and several purplish spikes of flowers arising from a single point: used for lawns, pasturage, binding sand dunes, etc
- bermuda onion — a large white or yellow onion with a mild flavor, grown in Texas, California, etc.
- beta function — a function of two variables, usually expressed as an improper integral and equal to the quotient of the product of the values of the gamma function at each variable divided by the value of the gamma function at the sum of the variables.
- beta globulin — a blood plasma protein that is separable from other globulins by electrophoresis.
- bidenticulate — having two small teeth or toothlike processes.
- bignoniaceous — of, relating to, or belonging to the Bignoniaceae, a chiefly tropical family of trees, shrubs, and lianas, including jacaranda, bignonia, and catalpa
- bimolecularly — in a bimolecular fashion
- binary number — a number expressed in binary notation, as 1101.101 = 1 × 23 + 1 × 22 + 0 × 21 + 1 × 20 + 1 × 2–1 + 0 × 2–2 + 1 × 2–3 = 13 5⁄8
- bioaccumulate — (of substances, esp toxins) to build up within the tissues of organisms
- bioequivalent — the condition in which different formulations of the same drug or chemical are equally absorbed when taken into the body.
- birectangular — having two right angles.
- biscuit bread — biscuits or a biscuit: I like biscuit bread more than corn bread for supper.
- black quarter — blackleg (def 1).
- black studies — a program of studies in black history and culture offered by a school or college, often including Afro-American history and black literature.
- black vulture — the Eurasian vulture, Aegypius monachus, of the family Accipitridae
- blaenau gwent — a county borough of SE Wales, created in 1996 from NW Gwent. Administrative centre: Ebbw Vale. Pop: 68 900 (2003 est). Area: 109 sq km (42 sq miles)
- blame culture — the tendency to look for one person or organization that can be held responsible for a bad state of affairs, an accident, etc
- blanchisseuse — a washer-woman