Voice of America Broadcast Dictionary - B
This Special English Dictionary contains about 1,500 words and makes an excellent vocabulary goal for intermediate level learners.
N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z
Parts of Speech Key
n. (noun) - a name word
v. (verb) - an action word
ad. (adjective/adverb) - a describing word
prep. (preposition) - a word used to show a relation
pro. (pronoun) - a word used in place of a noun
conj. (conjunction) - a joining word
To hear the correct pronunciation, click on the audio symbol next to the word. To return to this page, click on "back" in your browser.
baby - 
n. a newly born creature
back - n. the part behind the front; ad. the other way from forward
bad - ad. wrong; acting against the law; not good
balance - v. to make two sides or forces equal
ball - n. something round
balloon - n. a device of strong, light material that rises when filled with gas lighter than air
ballot - n. a piece of paper used for voting
ban - v. to not permit; to stop; n. an official restriction
bank - n. an organization that keeps and lends money
bar - v. to prevent or block
barrier - n. anything that blocks or makes an action difficult
base - n. a military center; v. to establish as a fact ("Her research was based on experiments.")
battle - n. a fight between opposing armed forces
be - v. to live; to happen; to exist
beat - v. to hit again and again
beauty - n. that which pleases the eye, ear or spirit
because - prep. for the reason that ("He left because he was sick.")
become - v. to come to be
bed - n. a sleeping place
before - prep. earlier
begin - v. to do the first part of an action; to start
behind - ad. at the back of; in back of
believe - v. to think; to feel sure of; to accept as true; to trust
bell - n. an instrument that makes a musical sound ("a church bell")
belong - v. to be owned by; to be a member of
below - ad. lower than
best - ad. the most good
betray - v. to turn against; to be false to
better - ad. more good than
between - ad. in the space or time that separates; from one to the other ("talks between two nations")
big - ad. of great size; not small
bill - n. a legislative proposal
biology - n. the scientific study of life or living things in all their forms
bird - n. a creature that flies
bite - v. to cut with the teeth
black - ad. dark; having the color like that of the night sky
blame - v. to accuse; to hold responsible
blanket - n. a cloth cover used to keep warm
bleed - v. to lose blood
blind - ad. not able to see
block - v. to stop something from being done; to prevent movement
blood - n. red fluid in the body
blow - v. to move with force, as in air ("The wind blows.")
blue - ad. having the color like that of a clear sky
boat - n. something built to travel on water that carries people or goods
body - n. all of a person or animal; the remains of a person or animal
boil - v. to heat a liquid until it becomes very hot
bomb - n. a device that explodes with great force; v. to attack or destroy with bombs
bone - n. the hard material in the body
book - n. a long written work for reading
border - n. a dividing line between nations
born - v. to come to life; to come into existence
borrow - v. to take as a loan
both - ad. not just one of two, but the two together
bottle - n. a container, usually made of glass, to hold liquid
bottom - ad. the lowest part of something
box - n. something to put things into; a container, usually made of paper or wood
boy - n. a young male person
boycott - v. to refuse to take part in or deal with
brain - n. the control center of thought, emotions and body activity of all creatures
brave - ad. having no fear
bread - n. a food made from grain
break - v. to divide into parts by force; to destroy
breathe - v. to take air into the body and let it out again
bridge - n. a structure built over a waterway, valley or road so people and vehicles can cross from one side to the other
brief - ad. short; not long
bright - ad. giving much light; strong and clear in color
bring - v. to come with something
broadcast - v. to send information, stories or music by radio or television; n. a radio or television program
brother - n. a male with the same father or mother as another person
brown - ad. having the color like that of coffee
budget - n. a spending plan
build - v. to join materials together to make something
building - n. anything built for use as a house, factory, office, school, store or place of entertainment
bullet - n. a small piece of metal shot from a gun
burn - v. to be on fire; to destroy or damage by fire
burst - v. to break open suddenly
bury - v. to put into the ground and cover with earth
bus - n. a public vehicle to carry people
business - n. one's work; buying and selling to earn money; trade
busy - ad. doing something; very active
but - conj. however; other than; yet
buy - v. to get by paying something, usually money
by - conj. near; at; next to ("by the road"); from ("a play by William Shakespeare"); not later than ("by midnight")
This dictionary was created by the VOA (Voice of English) Special English and Voice of America. It makes an excellent starting vocabulary selection for intermediate level learners. This dictionary is used as the basis on which listening selections vocabulary is chosen and can help you understand VOA broadcasts which can be found at the Voice of America Special English site.
