B B (bē) is the second letter of the English alphabet. (See Guide to Pronunciation , §§ 196, 220.) It is etymologically related to p , v , f , w , and m , letters representing sounds having a close organic affinity to its own sound; as in Eng. b ursar and p urser; Eng. b ear and Lat. f erre; Eng. sil v er and German sil b er; Lat. cu b itum and Italian go m ito; Eng. se v en, Anglo-Saxon seo f on, German sie b en, Lat. se p tem, Greek "epta` , Sanskrit sa p tan. The form of letter B is Roman, from the Greek B ( Beta ), of Semitic origin. The small b was formed by gradual change from the capital B. In Music , B is the nominal of the seventh tone in the model major scale (the scale of C major), or of the second tone in its relative minor scale (that of A minor). B♭ stands for B flat, the tone a half step , or semitone, lower than B. In German, B stands for our B♭, while our B natural is called H (pronounced hä).

Bœotian Bœ·o"tian adjective [ Latin Boeotia , Greek ... , noted for its moist, thick atmosphere, and the dullness and stupidity of its inhabitants.] Of or pertaining to Bœotia; hence, stupid; dull; obtuse. -- noun A native of Bœotia; also, one who is dull and ignorant.

Ba Ba (bä) transitive verb [ Confer Old French baer to open the mouth, French bayer .] To kiss. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Baa Baa (bä) intransitive verb [ Confer German bäen ; an imitative word.] To cry baa, or bleat as a sheep.

He treble baas for help, but none can get.
Sir P. Sidney.

Baa Baa (bä) noun ; plural Baas (bäz). [ Confer German bä .] The cry or bleating of a sheep; a bleat.

Baaing Baa"ing noun The bleating of a sheep. Marryat.

Baal Ba"al (bā" a l) noun ; Hebrew plural Baalim (-ĭm). [ Hebrew ba'al lord.] 1. (Myth.) The supreme male divinity of the Phoenician and Canaanitish nations. » The name of this god occurs in the Old Testament and elsewhere with qualifying epithets subjoined, answering to the different ideas of his character; ; as, Baal -berith (the Covenant Baal), Baal -zebub (Baal of the fly). 2. plural The whole class of divinities to whom the name Baal was applied. Judges x. 6.

Baalism Ba"al·ism (-ĭz'm) noun Worship of Baal; idolatry.

Baalist, Baalite Ba"al·ist, Ba"al·ite noun A worshiper of Baal; a devotee of any false religion; an idolater.

Bab Bab noun [ Persian ] Lit., gate; -- a title given to the founder of Babism, and taken from that of Bab- ud-Din , assumed by him.

Baba Ba"ba noun [ French] A kind of plum cake.

Babbitt Bab"bitt transitive verb To line with Babbitt metal.

Babbitt metal Bab"bitt met`al [ From the inventor, Isaac Babbitt of Massachusetts.] A soft white alloy of variable composition (as a nine parts of tin to one of copper, or of fifty parts of tin to five of antimony and one of copper) used in bearings to diminish friction.

Babble Bab"ble (băb"b'l) intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Babbled (-b'ld); present participle & verbal noun Babbling .] [ Confer LG. babbeln , Dutch babbelen , German bappeln , bappern , French babiller , Italian babbolare ; probably orig., to keep saying ba , imitative of a child learning to talk.] 1. To utter words indistinctly or unintelligibly; to utter inarticulate sounds; as, a child babbles . 2. To talk incoherently; to utter unmeaning words. 3. To talk much; to chatter; to prate. 4. To make a continuous murmuring noise, as shallow water running over stones.

In every babbling brook he finds a friend.
Wordsworth.

» Hounds are said to babble , or to be babbling , when they are too noisy after having found a good scent. Syn. -- To prate; prattle; chatter; gossip.

Babble Bab"ble transitive verb 1. To utter in an indistinct or incoherent way; to repeat, as words, in a childish way without understanding.

These [ words] he used to babble in all companies.
Arbuthnot.

2. To disclose by too free talk, as a secret.

Babble Bab"ble noun 1. Idle talk; senseless prattle; gabble; twaddle. "This is mere moral babble ." Milton. 2. Inarticulate speech; constant or confused murmur.

The babble of our young children.
Darwin.

The babble of the stream.
Tennyson.

Babblement Bab"ble·ment noun Babble. Hawthorne.

Babbler Bab"bler noun 1. An idle talker; an irrational prater; a teller of secrets.

Great babblers , or talkers, are not fit for trust.
L'Estrange.

2. A hound too noisy on finding a good scent. 3. (Zoology) A name given to any one of a family ( Timalinæ ) of thrushlike birds, having a chattering note.

Babblery Bab"ble·ry noun Babble. [ Obsolete] Sir T. More.

Babe Babe (bāb) noun [ Confer Ir. bab , baban , W. baban , maban .] 1. An infant; a young child of either sex; a baby. 2. A doll for children. Spenser.

Babehood Babe"hood noun Babyhood. [ R.] Udall.

Babel Ba"bel noun [ Hebrew Bābel , the name of the capital of Babylonia; in Genesis associated with the idea of "confusion."] 1. The city and tower in the land of Shinar, where the confusion of languages took place.

Therefore is the name of it called Babel .
Gen. xi. 9.

2. Hence: A place or scene of noise and confusion; a confused mixture of sounds, as of voices or languages.

That babel of strange heathen languages.
Hammond.

The grinding babel of the street

. R. Latin Stevenson.

Babery Bab"er·y noun [ Perh. orig. for baboonery . Confer Baboon , and also Babe .] Finery of a kind to please a child. [ Obsolete] "Painted babery ." Sir P. Sidney.

Babian, Babion Ba"bi·an, Ba"bi·on noun [ See Baboon .] A baboon. [ Obsolete] B. Jonson.

Babillard Bab"il·lard noun [ French, a babbler.] (Zoology) The lesser whitethroat of Europe; -- called also babbling warbler .

Babingtonite Bab"ing·ton·ite noun [ From Dr. Babbington .] (Min.) A mineral occurring in triclinic crystals approaching pyroxene in angle, and of a greenish black color. It is a silicate of iron, manganese, and lime.

Babiroussa Bab`i·rous"sa Bab`i*rus"sa noun [ French babiroussa , from Malay bābī hog + rūsa deer.] (Zoology) A large hoglike quadruped ( Sus, or Porcus, babirussa ) of the East Indies, sometimes domesticated; the Indian hog. Its upper canine teeth or tusks are large and recurved.

Babish Bab"ish adjective Like a babe; a childish; babyish. [ R.] " Babish imbecility." Drayton. - - Bab"ish*ly , adverb -- Bab"ish*ness , noun [ R.]

Babism Bab"ism noun [ From Bab (Pers. bab a gate), the title assumed by the founder, Mirza Ali Mohammed.] The doctrine of a modern religious sect, which originated in Persia in 1843, being a mixture of Mohammedan, Christian, Jewish, and Parsee elements.

Babism, Babiism Bab"ism, Bab"i·ism noun The doctrine of a modern religious pantheistical sect in Persia, which was founded, about 1844, by Mirza Ali Mohammed ibn Rabhik (1820 -- 1850), who assumed the title of Bab- ed-Din (Per., Gate of the Faith). Babism is a mixture of Mohammedan, Christian, Jewish, and Parsi elements. This doctrine forbids concubinage and polygamy, and frees women from many of the degradations imposed upon them among the orthodox Mohammedans. Mendicancy, the use of intoxicating liquors and drugs, and slave dealing, are forbidden; asceticism is discountenanced. -- Bab"ist , noun

Babist Bab"ist noun A believer in Babism.

Bablah Bab"lah noun [ Confer Persian babūl a species of mimosa yielding gum arabic.] The rind of the fruit of several East Indian species of acacia; neb-neb. It contains gallic acid and tannin, and is used for dyeing drab.

Baboo Ba"boo Ba"bu (bä"bō) noun [ Hind. bābū .] A Hindoo gentleman; a native clerk who writes English; also, a Hindoo title answering to Mr. or Esquire . Whitworth.

Baboon Bab·oon" noun [ Middle English babewin , baboin , from French babouin , or Late Latin babewynus . Of unknown origin; confer Dutch baviaan , German pavian , baboon, French babine lip of ape, dogs, etc., dial. German bäppe mouth.] (Zoology) One of the Old World Quadrumana, of the genera Cynocephalus and Papio ; the dog-faced ape. Baboons have dog- like muzzles and large canine teeth, cheek pouches, a short tail, and naked callosities on the buttocks. They are mostly African. See Mandrill , and Chacma , and Drill an ape.

Baboonery Bab·oon"ery noun Baboonish behavior. Marryat.

Baboonish Bab·oon"ish adjective Like a baboon.

Babul, Babool Ba·bul", Ba·bool" noun [ See Bablah .] (Botany) Any one of several species of Acacia , esp. A. Arabica , which yelds a gum used as a substitute for true gum arabic.

In place of Putney's golden gorse
The sickly babul blooms.

Kipling.

Baby Ba"by (bā"bȳ) noun ; plural Babies (-bĭz). [ Dim. of babe .] An infant or young child of either sex; a babe. 2. A small image of an infant; a doll. Babies in the eyes , the minute reflection which one sees of one's self in the eyes of another.

She clung about his neck, gave him ten kisses,
Toyed with his locks, looked babies in his eyes .
Heywood.

Baby Ba"by adjective Pertaining to, or resembling, an infant; young or little; as, baby swans. " Baby figure" Shak.

Baby Ba"by transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Babied (-bĭd); present participle & verbal noun Babying .] To treat like a young child; to keep dependent; to humor; to fondle. Young.

Baby farm Ba"by farm` A place where the nourishment and care of babies are offered for hire.

Baby farmer Ba"by farm`er One who keeps a baby farm.

Baby farming Ba"by farm`ing The business of keeping a baby farm.

Baby jumper Ba"by jump`er A hoop suspended by an elastic strap, in which a young child may be held secure while amusing itself by jumping on the floor.

Babyhood Ba"by·hood noun The state or period of infancy.

Babyhouse Ba"by·house` noun A place for children's dolls and dolls' furniture. Swift.

Babyish Ba"by·ish adjective Like a baby; childish; puerile; simple. -- Ba"by*ish*ly , adverb -- Ba"by*ish*ness , noun

Babyism Ba"by·ism noun 1. The state of being a baby. 2. A babyish manner of acting or speaking.

Babylonian Bab`y·lo"ni·an adjective Of or pertaining to the real or to the mystical Babylon, or to the ancient kingdom of Babylonia; Chaldean.

Babylonian Bab`y·lo"ni·an noun 1. An inhabitant of Babylonia (which included Chaldea); a Chaldean. 2. An astrologer; -- so called because the Chaldeans were remarkable for the study of astrology.