| beakhead | n. | projecting platform at the forwardmost part of a sailing ship, where decorated rams were mounted in ancient times | nautical | |
| bear-garden | n. | place where bear baiting was offered as entertainment; any locale where hurly-burly is condoned or accepted | ||
| beaver | n. | light snack (archaic British slang, more commonly bever) | slang | |
| beck | n. | swift running brook | British | |
| bedad | int. | euphemism for ‘By God’ | ||
| bedight | v. | to adorn, to bedeck | archaic | |
| bedizen | v. | to dress up, esp. in a vulgar manner | ||
| beetle | v. | to overhang, to project; to hang over with menace | ||
| beetlehead | n. | dolt | ||
| beg the question | v. | to assume the conclusion in a premise of a logical argument | ||
| beggar’s lice | n. | any of many plants which deposit sticky bits onto clothes | idiom | |
| behoof | n. | benefit, advantage | archaic | |
| behoovely | adj. | necessary, fitting | ||
| belap | v. | to enfold, to surround | ||
| beldame | n. | old woman; hag, witch | ||
| belletrist | n. | writer of artistic and literary criticism | ||
| belomancy | n. | divination using arrows | ||
| belt-and-braces | adj. | being doubly cautious (as in use of both belt and braces (Briticism for suspenders) to hold up the trousers) | idiom | |
| belvedere | n. | raised turret, or open-side gallery for viewing the surrounding vista, either atop a house or standing alone on a prominence | architecture | |
| bema | n. | platform for public speaking, esp. in ancient Athens | ||
| bemused | adj. | confused, utterly muddled | ||
| benedict | n. | a newly married man, esp. a former longtime bachelor | ||
| benignant | adj. | kind, particularly to inferiors | ||
| benison | n. | blessing, benediction | ||
| besom | n. | broom | ||
| betimes | adv. | early | ||
| bewray | v. | to reveal, to disclose | ||
| bezoar | n. | concretion found in the stomach of some animals, believed to have power to protect against poison | ||
| Bibendum | n. | official name of the Michelin Man, from early advertising showing the mascot drinking glass and nails, with the slogan (from Horace) “Nunc est bibendum” (Now is the time to drink) | ||
| bibliopole | n. | bookseller | ||
| bibulous | adj. | addicted to drink; of or related to drink; absorbent of moisture | ||
| biccy | n. | biscuit (i.e., cookie) | British | |
| bilboquet | n. | child’s toy consisting of stick with cup and attached string; game using such toy where player attempts to catch the ball in the cup of the toy | ||
| bilharzia | n. | schistosomiasis, disease endemic to Africa and South Africa | ||
| bilious | adj. | of or relating to bile or to excessive discharge of bile; cranky, choleric | ||
| bill of attainder | n. | legislative act declaring a person guilty of treason or felony | ||
| billhook | n. | sharp bladed hand tool with hook at end | ||
| billycock | n. | derby or bowler hat | ||
| biltong | n. | sun-dried strips of lean meat | ||
| bimble | v. | to walk about in a meandering way with no fixed purpose | British | |
| bindle | n. | bundle carried by a hobo; folded paper container | ||
| bindlestiff | n. | hobo | ||
| bine | n. | stem of a climbing plant; woodbine | ||
| bint | n. | derogatory term for girl or woman | British | |
| biotope | n. | region of ecological uniformity supporting specific grouping of plants and animals | ||
| bip | v. | to steal from a car by smashing a window and taking items left on the seats | slang | |
| biro | n. | ballpoint pen | British | |
| bittacle | n. | binnacle, box on ship’s deck for the compass | obsolete | |
| bittern | n. | wading bird related to, though smaller than, the heron | ||
| bivvy | n. | shelter, small tent | slang |
