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13-letter words containing h, a, b

  • 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.
  • bathurst burr — an Australian plant, Xanthium spinosum, having numerous hooked burrs that became entangled in sheep's wool
  • bathylimnetic — (of an organism) living in the depths of lakes and marshes
  • batrachotoxin — a steroidal alkaloid, C31H42N2O6, found in the skin of certain Neotropical frogs (genus Phyllobates) and used on poison arrows: one of the most powerful natural neurotoxins known
  • be hard going — If you say that something is hard going, you mean it is difficult and requires a lot of effort.
  • beached whale — large sea mammal stranded on shore
  • beacon school — a notably successful school whose methods and practices are brought to the attention of the education service as a whole in order that they may be adopted by other schools
  • beanbag chair — a chair like a large beanbag covered with vinyl, fabric, etc. and filled with foam pellets, as of polystyrene, that shift about to fit one's body
  • bear the palm — to be the winner; take the prize
  • bear's-breech — a widely cultivated S European acanthus plant, Acanthus mollis, having whitish purple-veined flowers
  • bearer cheque — a cheque payable to the person who has it
  • beat the band — a company of persons or, sometimes, animals or things, joined, acting, or functioning together; aggregation; party; troop: a band of protesters.
  • 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.
  • beehive state — Utah (used as a nickname).
  • beetle-headed — a stupid person; blockhead.
  • behavioristic — the theory or doctrine that human or animal psychology can be accurately studied only through the examination and analysis of objectively observable and quantifiable behavioral events, in contrast with subjective mental states.
  • behaviourally — from a behavioural point of view
  • 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.
  • bench warrant — a warrant issued by a judge or court directing that an offender be apprehended
  • benefit match — a sports match organized to raise money for charity, or for a particular player
  • 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.
  • benthopelagic — relating to species living at the bottom of the sea
  • benton harbor — a city in SW Michigan, on Lake Michigan.
  • berbice chair — large armchair with long arms that can be folded inwards to act as leg rests
  • berchtesgaden — a town in Germany, in SE Bavaria: site of the fortified mountain retreat of Adolf Hitler. Pop: 7667 (2003 est)
  • beta-naphthol — either of two isomeric hydroxyl derivatives, C 1 0 H 7 OH, of naphthalene (alpha-naphthol or 1-naphthol and beta-naphthol or 2-naphthol) white or yellowish crystals, with a phenolic odor, that darken on exposure to light: used chiefly in dyes, drugs, perfumes, and insecticides.
  • betamethasone — a synthetic analogue of a glucocorticoid, C 22 H 29 FO 5 , used in various forms in the treatment of inflammation, allergies, and tumors, and for replacement therapy in adrenal insufficiency.
  • bethnal green — a former borough of London, England, N of the Thames.
  • bhagavad gita — a portion of the Mahabharata, having the form of a dialogue between the hero Arjuna and his charioteer, the avatar Krishna, in which a doctrine combining Brahmanical and other elements is evolved.
  • bhagavad-gita — a sacred Hindu text composed about 200 bc and incorporated into the Mahabharata, a Sanskrit epic
  • bharat natyam — a form of Indian classical ballet
  • bharata natya — a traditional south Indian dance style, formerly performed only by devadasis.
  • bibliographer — an expert in bibliography
  • bibliographic — a complete or selective list of works compiled upon some common principle, as authorship, subject, place of publication, or printer.
  • bibliophagist — a person who devours books
  • bibliothecary — a librarian
  • bibliotherapy — the use of reading as therapy
  • bicycle chain — a chain that transmits power from the pedals to the driving wheel of a bicycle
  • big enchilada — enchilada (def 2).
  • big-heartedly — in a big-hearted manner
  • binary search — (algorithm)   A search algorithm which repeatedly divides an ordered search space in half according to how the required (key) value compares with the middle element. The following pseudo-C routine performs a binary search return the index of the element of vector "thing[first..last]" equal to "target": if (target < thing[first] || target > thing[last]) return NOT_FOUND; while (first < last) { mid = (first+last)/2; /* truncate to integer */ if (target == thing[mid]) return mid; if (target < thing[mid]) last = mid-1; else first = mid+1; } if (target == thing[last]) return last; return NOT_FOUND; (2003-01-14)
  • bio-autograph — an analytical technique in which organic compounds are separated by chromatography and identified by studying their effects on microorganisms.
  • bioautography — an analytical technique in which organic compounds are separated by chromatography and identified by studying their effects on microorganisms.
  • biobehavioral — of or relating to the application of biological methods and ideas to the study of behavior in an attempt to understand emotions and reactions in terms of brain and physiological function.
  • biochemically — the science dealing with the chemistry of living matter.
  • biogeographer — a person who is knowledgeable about biogeography
  • biomechanical — relating to biomechanics
  • biphasic pill — a drug with two dosage levels over the period taken, as an oral contraceptive.
  • bird-watching — Bird-watching is the activity of watching and studying wild birds in their natural surroundings.
  • birth parents — a child's biological parents, regardless of whether they subsequently bring up the child
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