B LIST

baleful – hostile; hurtful; injurious• The old witch doctor gave him a baleful

look which sent him running.

bastion – fort; rampart• This old dwelling was used as a bastion in

the civil war.

bazaar – market (place); street fair

• The Indian bazaar is the best place to buy authentic pottery.

bedlam – confusion; uproar; turmoil• It was utter bedlam in the streets when

three dangerous prisoners broke out of jail.

beguile – deceive; amuse• Susie was able to beguile her mother and

stay home from school.

bereft – bereaved; deprived of

• The bereft man lost everything and was tossed out on the streets.

bizarre – grotesque; odd• The man’s behavior at times was so

bizarre that he never learned to blend in with society.

boisterous – noisy; clamorous; unrestrained

• The crowd became so boisterous over the unfair decision that they could not be contained.

bourgeois – middle class; conservative

• The French bourgeois class was essentially people of the middleclass.

• Stella has bourgeois values because she believes in hard work, making money and self-reliance.

brigand – bandit; robber; pirate

• The brigand always

carried his trusty

parrot on his shoulder

in order to be warned

of danger.