Alphabetic B

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Bad / Dangerous

noun

brinkmanship - The art or practice of pursuing a dangerous policy to the limits of safety before stopping, typically in politics

At the height of the Cold War, both sides engaged in a risky brinkmanship that nearly cost millions of lives.

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Other / Sound

verb

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babble - To talk rapidly and continuously in a foolish, excited, or incomprehensible way.

Monica worked at home, and sometimes her 1 year old Charlie sat in her lap, and he babbled away about all sorts of things that she didn’t understand.

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27 of 185
Good / Strong

nounverb verb

boost - Help or encourage (something) to increase or improve

Pete bought ten lottery tickets instead of one because he figured that would boost his chances of winning.

nounverb noun

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28 of 185
Bad / Delay

verb

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balk - To hesitate or be unwilling to continue with an idea or action.

Max had made all the plans to move from his apartment to the senior citizens home, but at the last minute, he balked and just couldn’t go through with it.

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29 of 185
Bad / Disorganized

noun

blizzard - a severe snow storm with strong winds

Joe was driving on a highway in Idaho when the blizzard hit, and he was stuck without food for 2 days.

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30 of 185
Bad / Aggressive

noun

bluster - Loud, aggressive, or indignant talk with little effect

The crazy man was full of bluster, shouting at everyone, but nobody took him seriously.

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Other / Other

noun

brat - A child, typically a badly behaved one

Felicia couldn't handle the screaming brat next to her on the cross-country flight.

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32 of 185
Good / Smart

nounverb noun

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Brainstorm - A great idea that someone thinks of suddenly.

During the meeting, we had a brainstorm about how to improve our marketing strategy.

nounverb verb

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33 of 185
Bad / Dirty

noun

blemish - A mark or flaw which spoils the appearance of something.

After the accident, the plastic surgeon was able to clean up Shelly's son's face from any trace of what happened, except for a blemish on his cheek.

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34 of 185
Bad / Mistake

noun

boondoggle - Work or activity that is wasteful or pointless but gives the appearance of having value

When the funds dried up before the bridge could be finished, it turned into an expensive boondoggle that couldn't transport anybody.

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35 of 185
Bad / Attack

verb

banish - To send someone away from a country or place as an official punishment.

The man who didn’t take his hat off when the king’s carriage rode by was banished from the capital for 5 years.

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Other / Move

verb

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bandy - To mention something a lot, usually without taking care or thinking too much about what is being said

Since Charlene started posting regularly on Facebook and Twitter, she found that people she didn't know would bandy her name all over the Internet without any relation to what she actually said in her posts.