Read The Highly Selective Dictionary for the Extraordinarily Literate for Free Online

.
     
     
     
    bravura (br e -VYUUR- e ) noun, plural bravuras
     
    1. a brilliant performance.
     
    2. a display of daring, especially in music.
     
    3. a florid passage or piece requiring great skill to perform.
     
     
    Related word: bravura adjective .
     
     
     
    brigand (BRIG- e nd) noun
     
    1. a member of a band of robbers living in forest or mountain regions.
     
    2. a bandit.
     
     
    Related words: brigandage (BRIG- e n-dij) noun , brigandish adjective , brigandishly adverb .
     
     
     
    broach (brohch) verb
     
    1. mention or suggest (a topic) for the first time.
     
    2. begin drawing (beer, whiskey, etc.) as by tapping a keg or cask.
     
     
    Related word: broacher noun .
     
     
     
    bromide (BROH-m I d) noun
     
    1. a platitude or trite remark.
     
    2. a person who is unfailingly boring.
     
     
    Related word: bromidic (broh-MID-ik) adjective .
     
     
     
    brummagem (BRUM- e -j e m) adjective
     
    1. cheap and showy but inferior and worthless.
     
    2. ( noun ) a showy but inferior thing.
     
     
    brusque (brusk) adjective
     
    1. blunt, offhand.
     
    2. abrupt in manner.
     
     
    Related words: brusquely adverb , brusqueness noun .
     
     
     
    buccal (BUK- e l) adjective
     
    of or pertaining to the cheek; of or in the mouth.
     
     
    Related word: buccally adverb .
     
     
     
    bucolic (byoo-KOL-ik) adjective , also given as bucolical
     
    1. rustic, rural.
     
    2. of or pertaining to shepherds, pastoral.
     
     
    Related word: bucolically adverb .
     
     
     
    bugaboo (BUG- e - BOO ) and bugbear (BUG- BAIR ) both nouns
     
    1. something that causes baseless fear or worry.
     
    2. a false belief used to intimidate or dissuade.
     
     
    bulimia (byoo-LIM-ee- e ) noun
     
    an unnaturally persistent hunger or voracious appetite.
     
     
    See anorexia nervosa .
     
     
     
    Related word: bulimic (byoo-LIM-ik) adjective .
     
     
     
    bulwark (BUUL-w e rk) noun
     
    1. a wall of earth or other material built for defense, rampart, fortification.
     
    2. a protection against external danger or injury.
     
    3. a person or principle that acts as a defense.
     
     
    Related word: bulwark verb .
     
     
     
    bumptious (BUMP-sh e s) adjective
     
    offensively conceited or self-assertive; pushy.
     
     
    Related words: bumptiously adverb , bumptiousness noun .
     
     
     
    burble (BUR-b e l) verb
     
    1. speak at length; babble.
     
    2. make a bubbling sound.
     
     
    Related word: burbler noun .
     
     
     
    burgeon (BUR-j e n) verb
     
    grow or develop rapidly; flourish.
     
     
    burnish (BUR-nish) verb
     
    1. polish by rubbing
     
    2. brighten; cause to glow.
     
     
    bushido (BOO-shee- DAW ) noun
     
    in feudal Japan, the ethical code of the samurai.
     
     
    Byzantine (BIZ- e n- TEEN ) adjective
     
    1. complex or intricate.
     
    2. underhanded.
     
    3. characterized by complicated scheming and intrigue.
     

C
     
     

     
    cabotage ( KAB - e -TAHZH) noun
     
    1. coastal trade or navigation.
     
    2. legal restriction of air traffic within a country's borders.
     
     
    cachet (ka-SHAY) noun, plural cachets (ka-SHAYZ)
     
    1. prestige, superior status.
     
    2. a sign of approval, especially one given by a person who is highly regarded.
     
    3. an official seal, as on a document.
     
     
    cachexia (k e -KEK-see- e ) noun
     
    general ill health causing chronic debility.
     
     
    Related word: cachectic (k e -KEK-tik), cachectical , and cachexic (k e -KEK-sik) all adjectives .
     
     
     
    cachinnate (KAK- e - NAYT ) verb
     
    laugh loudly or immoderately.
     
     
    Related words: cachinnation and cachinnator both nouns , cachinnatory (KAK- e -n e - TOR -ee) adjective .
     
     
     
    cacodemon ( KAK - e -DEE-m e n) noun
     
    an evil spirit or person.
     
     
    Related words: cacodemonic ( KAK - e -di-MON-ik) and cacodemoniac ( KAK - e -di-MOH-nee- AK ) both adjectives .
     
     
     
    cacography (k e -KOG-r e -fee) noun
     
    1. bad handwriting.
     
    2. incorrect spelling.
     
     
    Related words: cacographer noun ,