Bottom TrackThe slanting, stationary, inner area of a roulette wheel down which the ball slides before bouncing onto the wheel head and into a pocket.
Bottom-up investingWhen you use a bottom-up investing strategy, you focus on the potential of individual stocks, bonds, and other investments.
Bottom-Up Review (BUR)A comprehensive review, initiated in March 1993, of the nations defense strategy, force structure, modernization, infrastructure, and foundations.
Bottoming cycleA means to increase the thermal efficiency of a steam electric generating system by converting some waste heat from the condenser into electricity.
BoulderA rock fragment, usually rounded by weathering or abrasion, with an average dimension of 12 inches or more: will not pass a 12-inch screen.
Boulder clayA geological term used to designate glacial drift that has not been subjected to the sorting action of water and therefore contains particles from…
Boule (La Boule)Originally referred to as the "little game", Boule is basically a simplified version of Roulette, popular in French casinos.
bounceTo return, to the sender, e-mail that is, for whatever reason, undeliverable to its intended destination.
bounce messageA non-delivery receipt that is sent to an e-mail sender when a message cannot be delivered to the intended recipient temporarily or permanently.
boundThe upper or lower limit in a permitted range of values. [Exchange 2007]
bound modeIn an optical fiber, a mode that (a) has a field intensity that decays monotonically in the transverse direction everywhere external to the core and (b)…
Bound supplementA supplement to a book or books which updates the material in permanent form. See pocket part.
bound waterCellular water not released into the intercellular space upon freezing and thawing. Opposite: free water.
boundary[In security,] Software, hardware, or a physical barrier that limits access to a system or part of a system. [INFOSEC-99] 2.
boundary errorErrors that arise from programming mistakes made at the edges of a problem - indexing off the edge of an array, dealing with no items of data, loop…
Boundary LayerIn general, a layer of air adjacent to a bounding surface. Specifically, the term most often refers to the planetary boundary layer, which is the layer…
Boundary matchThe ability to limit a query term/phrase to the start and/or end of an indexed field/parameter.
boundary networkA logical portion of a network that can be accessed by computers that are in the restricted network or the secure network.
Boundary ProtectionMonitoring and control of communications at the external boundary between information systems completely under the management and control of the…
Boundary RouterA boundary router is located at the organizations boundary to an external network.
bounded repetitionRepetition where the statements within a loop's body are performed a fixed number of times and the number of times is established when the loop is started.
Bounded Weak Echo Region (BWER)(Also known as a vault.) Radar signature within a thunderstorm characterized by a local minimum in radar reflectivity at low levels which extends upward…
boundsThe limits of an array or collection. In Java, the lower limit is always zero. In the case of an array, the upper bound is one less than then length of…
bountya reward offered for a piece of fugitive information.
bounty hunterinformation holders and sharers. People who respect and appreciate the power and value of knowledge.
bounty posterinformation seekers. People looking for a valuable piece of fugitive information and willing to pay a generous reward for its location.
BourseBourse is the French term for a stock exchange, meaning, literally, purse. The national stock market of France, a totally electronic market, is known as…
bovine somatotrophin(Abbreviation: BST) A natural protein in cattle. It has been cloned, using recombinant DNA technology, expressed in large amounts and marketed as an…
Bow EchoA radar echo which is linear but bent outward in a bow shape. Damaging straight-line winds often occur near the "crest" or center of a bow echo.
bow-fishingUsing a bow and arrow, typically with a reel attached to the bow, to harvest fish.
bowel(BOW-ul) The long, tube-shaped organ in the abdomen that completes the process of digestion. The bowel has two parts, the small bowel and the large bowel.
bowel function(BOW-ul FUNK-shun) The way the intestines work in terms of how often there are bowel movements, the ability to control when to have a bowel movement, and…
Bowen disease(BOH-en dih-ZEEZ) A skin disease marked by scaly or thickened patches on the skin and often caused by prolonged exposure to arsenic.
Bowen RatioFor any moist surface, the ratio of heat energy used for sensible heating (conduction and convection) to the heat energy used for latent heating…
Box girderA hollow steel beam with a square or rectangular cross section.
Box ModelA computer model used to calculate air pollution concentrations. A box model is based on the assumption that pollutants are emitted into a box through…
Boyle's lawWhen the temperature is held constant, the pressure and density of an ideal gas are directly proportional.
bp (Basis Point)The smallest measure used in quoting yields or returns. One basis point is 0.01% of yield, 100 basis points equals 1%. A yield that changed from 8.
BPA- Bonneville Power Administration, blanket purchase agreement.
BPA-FA substance used in a type of radiation therapy called boron neutron capture therapy.
brachial plexopathy(BRAY-kee-ul pleks-AH-pah-thee) A condition marked by numbness, tingling, pain, weakness, or limited movement in the arm or hand.
brachial plexus(BRAY-kee-ul PLEKS-us) A network of nerves that sends signals from the spine to the arm and hand.
brachytherapy(BRAY-kee-THAYR-uh-pee) A type of radiation therapy in which radioactive material sealed in needles, seeds, wires, or catheters is placed directly into or…
BracketA projecting angled or curved form used as a support, found in conjunction with balconies, lintels, pediments, cornices, etc.
Bracket SignA rigid outdoor sign, with two display faces, installed perpendicular to a building facade and hanging from an armature, used as an announcement for an…
BrackishWater of intermediate salinity between seawater and freshwater.
bractA modified leaf that subtends flowers or inflorescences and may appear to be a petal.
Brady bondThese bonds of Latin American countries, named for former US Secretary of the Treasury Nicholas Brady, are issued in US dollars and backed by US Treasury…
Brady materialIn Brady v. Maryland, the Supreme Court held that evidence or other information known to the prosecution which is material to a case and favorable to the…
BRAF geneA gene that makes a protein called B-RAF, which is involved in sending signals in cells and in cell growth.
braidAn essential part of many fiber-optic cable designs, consisting of a layer of woven yarn.
Braided StreamCharacterized by successive division and rejoining of streamflow with accompanying islands. A braided stream is composed of anabranches.
Braided streamsBraided streams have multiple channels that are interlaced in a braided pattern, with very low stream gradient (<0.
BRAINBureau of Reclamation Acquisition Information Network.
brain metastasis(...meh-TAS-tuh-sis) Cancer that has spread from the original (primary) tumor to the brain.
brain stemThe part of the brain that is connected to the spinal cord.
brain stem glioma(...glee-OH-muh) A tumor located in the part of the brain that connects to the spinal cord (the brain stem).
brain stem tumorA tumor in the part of the brain that connects to the spinal cord (the brain stem).
brain tumorThe growth of abnormal cells in the tissues of the brain. Brain tumors can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).
Brake caliperThe part of the braking system that, when applied by the driver, clamps the brake disk/rotor to slow or stop the car.
Brake horsepowerThe brake horsepower of a pump is the actual motor input horsepower required to produce the hydraulic horsepower from a pump (flow and head) taking into…
BranchAn addition to the main pipe in a piping system.
Branch Early Voting LocationEither Permanent or Temporary – a location other than the main early voting site where voters can vote early by personal appearance.
branch instructionStores a new instruction address into the program counter. The effect of this is the next instruction to be fetched will not usually be the one…