12-letter words containing u, a
- banner cloud — a plume-shaped cloud extending downwind from an isolated mountain peak. Also called cloud banner. Compare cap cloud (def 1).
- banquet room — A banquet room is a room in a hotel where large formal meals for many people can be held.
- barbados nut — an ornamental, tropical American tree, Jatropha curcas, of the spurge family, having ivylike leaves, small, yellow or greenish-yellow flowers, and olive-shaped fruit yielding a purgative, poisonous oil.
- barbary duck — the flesh of a Muscovy duck used as food
- barbecue pit — a trench in which wood or charcoal is burned for barbecuing
- barbecue set — a set of tools used for barbecuing
- barbiturates — any of a group of barbituric acid derivatives, used in medicine as sedatives and hypnotics.
- barcalounger — a type of reclinable armchair with an extendable footrest
- bardolatrous — relating to or characterized by bardolatry
- bare-knuckle — without boxing gloves
- barge couple — either of a pair of outside rafters along the gable end of a roof
- barge course — the overhang of the gable end of a roof
- barium enema — an injection into the rectum of a preparation of barium sulphate, which is opaque to X-rays, before X-raying the lower alimentary canal
- barium oxide — a white or yellowish-white poisonous heavy powder used esp as a dehydrating agent. Formula: BaO
- barium x-ray — gastrointestinal series: x-ray examination of the upper or lower gastrointestinal tract after barium sulfate is given rectally (barium enema) or orally as a contrast medium.
- barley sugar — Barley sugar is a sweet made from boiled sugar.
- barquisimeto — a city in NW Venezuela. Pop: 1 009 000 (2005 est)
- barranquilla — a port in N Colombia, on the Magdalena River. Pop: 1 918 000 (2005 est)
- barratrously — In a barratrous manner.
- barrel vault — a vault in the form of a half cylinder
- base bullion — smelted lead containing impurities, as gold, silver, or zinc, that are later removed.
- base jumping — a sport in which a participant parachutes from any of a variety of fixed objects such as high buildings, cliffs, etc
- bashi-bazouk — a member of the notoriously brutal 19th-cent. Turkish irregulars
- bashibazouks — Plural form of bashibazouk.
- basque shirt — a knitted pullover shirt having a crew neck, long or short sleeves, and a pattern of horizontal stripes.
- basset hound — A basset hound is a dog with short strong legs, a long body, and long ears. It is kept as a pet or used for hunting.
- bastel house — (on the Anglo-Scottish border) a partly fortified house, usually with a vaulted ground floor.
- bathing suit — A bathing suit is a piece of clothing which people wear when they go swimming.
- bathophilous — (of an organism) living in very deep water
- bathtub race — a sailing race between bathtubs fitted with outboard motors
- battle group — a group of warships usually consisting of at least one aircraft carrier, other surface ships, submarines, landing craft, etc
- battleground — A battleground is the same as a battlefield.
- bay of fundy — an inlet of the Atlantic in SE Canada, between S New Brunswick and W Nova Scotia: remarkable for its swift tides of up to 21 m (70 ft)
- bay rum tree — a tropical American myrtaceous tree, Pimenta racemosa, that yields an oil used in making bay rum
- bayonet bulb — an electric light bulb which is inserted into the socket against spring pressure and turned so that pins on its side engage in slots in the socket
- bean counter — You can describe people such as accountants and business managers as bean counters if you disapprove of them because you think they are only interested in money.
- bean sprouts — the sprouts of newly germinated mung beans, eaten as a vegetable, esp in Chinese dishes
- beardtongues — Plural form of beardtongue.
- bearskin rug — the pelt of a bear, used as a rug
- beat up (on) — to give a beating to; thrash
- beaufort sea — part of the Arctic Ocean off the N coast of North America
- beaumarchais — Pierre Augustin Caron de (pjɛr oɡystɛ̃ karɔ̃ də). 1732–99, French dramatist, noted for his comedies The Barber of Seville (1775) and The Marriage of Figaro (1784)
- beaumontague — a cement-like substance used to fill in and hide cracks and holes in woodwork and metalwork
- beautifulest — (dated) Most beautiful; more beautiful than anyone or anything else.
- beautifuller — (obsolete) Comparative form of beautiful.
- beauty cream — a cosmetic cream
- beauty quark — bottom quark
- beauty queen — A beauty queen is a woman who has won a beauty contest.
- beauty salon — A beauty salon is the same as a beauty parlour.
- beauty sleep — sleep, esp sleep before midnight