8-letter words containing n, a, b
- bindable — capable of being tied by a rope
- binnacle — a housing for a ship's compass
- binomial — a mathematical expression consisting of two terms, such as 3x + 2y
- binormal — the normal to a curve, lying perpendicular to the osculating plane at a given point on the curve.
- bioclean — free from harmful bacteria
- bismanol — a highly ferromagnetic alloy of bismuth and manganese, having a high degree of magnetic force.
- bit bang — Transmission of data on a serial line accomplished by rapidly changing a single output bit, in software, at the appropriate times. The technique is a simple loop with eight OUT and SHIFT instruction pairs for each byte. Input is more interesting. And full-duplex (doing input and output at the same time) is one way to separate the real hackers from the wannabees. Bit bang was used on certain early models of Prime computers, presumably when UARTs were too expensive, and on archaic Zilog Z80 micros with a Zilog PIO but no SIO. In an interesting instance of the cycle of reincarnation, this technique is now (1991) coming back into use on some RISC architectures because it consumes such an infinitesimal part of the processor that it actually makes sense not to have a UART.
- bithynia — an ancient country on the Black Sea in NW Asia Minor
- bivalent — (of homologous chromosomes) associated together in pairs
- blabbing — to reveal indiscreetly and thoughtlessly: They blabbed my confidences to everyone.
- blackfin — a type of tuna, Thunnus atlanticus
- blacking — any preparation, esp one containing lampblack, for giving a black finish to shoes, metals, etc
- blackmun — Harry Andrew1908-99; associate justice, U.S. Supreme Court (1970-94)
- blagging — informal conversation in a public place, often deceitful.
- blanched — to force back or to one side; head off, as a deer or other quarry.
- blancher — someone who blanches
- blandest — pleasantly gentle or agreeable: a bland, affable manner.
- blandish — to seek to persuade or influence by mild flattery; coax
- blankety — a euphemism for any taboo word
- blanquet — a variety of French pear
- blantyre — a city in S Malawi: includes the former town of Limbe.
- blasting — a distortion of sound caused by overloading certain components of a radio system
- blatancy — a blatant quality or thing
- blatting — bleat.
- blaxican — (sometimes initial capital letter) a person of mixed-race heritage who self-identifies racially and culturally as both African American and Mexican-American.
- blazoned — to set forth conspicuously or publicly; display; proclaim: The pickets blazoned their grievances on placards.
- blazonry — the art or process of describing heraldic arms in proper form
- bleating — to utter the cry of a sheep, goat, or calf or a sound resembling such a cry.
- blindage — (esp formerly) a protective screen or structure, as over a trench
- blindcat — any of several catfishes, as Satan eurystomus (widemouth blindcat) of Texas, that inhabit underground streams and have undeveloped eyes and unpigmented skin.
- blinkard — an idiot or stupid person
- bloating — Bloating is the swelling of a body or part of a body, usually because it has a lot of gas or liquid in it.
- bluesman — a musician who plays the blues
- blumenau — a city in Santa Catarina state, S Brazil.
- boarding — Boarding is an arrangement by which children live at school during the school term.
- boardman — a member of a board
- boasting — to speak with exaggeration and excessive pride, especially about oneself.
- boatneck — a wide, high neckline that follows the curve of the collarbone and ends in points on the shoulder seams.
- boatsman — boatman.
- bodanzky — Artur [ahr-too r] /ˈɑr tʊər/ (Show IPA), 1877–1939, Austrian opera director and orchestra conductor: in the U.S. after 1915.
- bodleian — the principal library of Oxford University: a copyright deposit library
- boehmian — of or relating to Boehmenism.
- boeotian — a native or inhabitant of Boeotia, a region of ancient Greece
- boethian — Anicius Manlius Severinus [uh-nish-ee-uh s man-lee-uh s sev-uh-rahy-nuh s] /əˈnɪʃ i əs ˈmæn li əs ˌsɛv əˈraɪ nəs/ (Show IPA), a.d. 475?–525? Roman philosopher and statesman.
- bogeyman — A bogeyman is someone whose ideas or actions are disapproved of by some people, and who is described by them as evil or unpleasant in order to make other people afraid.
- bohemian — Bohemian means belonging or relating to Bohemia or its people.
- bolivian — Bolivian means belonging or relating to Bolivia or its people.
- boltonia — any North American plant of the genus Boltonia, having daisy-like flowers with white, violet, or pinkish rays: family Compositae (composites)
- bona dea — an ancient Roman goddess of chastity and fertility.
- bonafide — made, done, presented, etc., in good faith; without deception or fraud: a bona fide statement of intent to sell.