Ball jointA ball inside a socket that can turn and pivot in any direction. Used to allow suspension to travel while the driver steers the car.
Ball-millingThe repeated churning action of cobbles, gravel, and sand caused by the force of water in a stilling basin or other structure by which severe concrete…
BallastA device used to control the voltage in a fluorescent lamp.
Ballast Efficacy FactorThe measure of the efficiency of fluorescent lamp ballasts. It is the relative light output divided by the power input.
Ballast FactorThe ratio of light output of a fluorescent lamp operated on a ballast to the light output of a lamp operated on a standard or reference ballast.
Ballistic CoefficientThe weight of the object divided by the product of the coefficient of drag and the projected area (W/CDA), in kilograms per square meter.
Ballistic Missile (BM)Any missile that does not rely upon aerodynamic surfaces to produce lift and consequently follows a ballistic trajectory when thrust is terminated.
Ballistic Missile Boost Intercept (BAMBI)OBSOLETE. A 1966 system concept that a Lockheed study group developed in anticipation of possible government interest in the development of an ABM…
Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD)All active and passive measures designed to detect, identify, track, and defeat attacking ballistic missiles (and entities), in both strategic and theater…
Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) CellThis facility will be located in the USSPACECOM Consolidated Command Center (CCC) and Space Control Center (SPACC) to support the Space Force Application…
Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) System(1) An integrated system that employs layered defenses to intercept missiles during their boost, midcourse, and terminal flight phases.
Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO)OBSOLETE. The former name of an agency of the Department of Defense whose mission is to manage and direct the conduct of a research program examining the…
Ballistic Missile Defense ProgramAn architecture comprising three objectives: Theater Missile Defense (TMD), National Missile Defense (NMD), and Follow-on Research Programs.
Ballistic TrajectoryThe trajectory traced after the propulsive force is terminated and the body is acted upon only by gravity and aerodynamic drag.
Ballisticsbranch of physics that deals with the flights of projectiles.
BalloonA spherical inflatable decoy used as a penetration aid to mask the location of reentry vehicles.
balloon angioplasty(buh-LOON AN-jee-oh-PLAS-tee) A procedure to enlarge the opening in a blood vessel that has become narrowed or blocked by plaque (a buildup of fat and…
Balloon Loan or MortgageA mortgage that typically offers low rates for an initial period of time (usually 5, 7, or 10) years; after that time period elapses, the balance is due…
Balloon MortgageWith a balloon mortgage, you make monthly payments over the mortgage term, which is typically five, seven, or ten years, and a final installment, or…
Balloon noteA loan calling for periodic payments which are insufficient to fully amortize the face amount of the note prior to maturity, so that a principal sum known…
Balloon PaymentA mortgage with periodic installments of principal and interest that do not fully amortize the loan.
BallotEither in paper form or electronic, the mechanism for voters to show their vote preferences.
Ballot Box Nos. 1, 2, 3, & 4A ballot box is a container for ballots that can be locked (double-locked in case of a ballot box used for early voting by personal appearance) and sealed.
Ballot EnvelopeThe envelope, usually white, in which a voter places his marked ballot when voting by mail; also called a ballot secrecy envelope.
Ballot ImageThe ballot as it appears on a direct recording electronic (DRE) voting system.
Ballot InstructionsThe wording found at the top of the ballot, but below the words “OFFICIAL BALLOT,” that instructs a voter on how to mark the ballot.
balunAbbreviation for balanced to unbalanced. In radio frequency usage, a device used to couple a balanced device or line to an unbalanced device or line.
BalusterOne of a series of short vertical posts, often ornamental, used to support a rail.
BalustradeA railing composed of balusters and a top rail running along the edge of a porch, balcony, roof, or stoop.
BAMBIOBSOLETE. See Ballistic Missile Boost Intercept.
BancoSaid when a player decides to bet his entire money. Also means bank.
bandOne layer of a multispectral image representing data values for a specific range of the electromagnetic spectrum of reflected light or heat (e.g.
Band GapIn a semiconductor, the energy difference between the highest valence band and the lowest conduction band.
Band Gap EnergyThe amount of energy (in electron volts) required to free an outer shell electron from its orbit about the nucleus to a free state, and thus promote it…
band separateAn image format that stores each band of data collected by multispectral satellite scanning instruments in a separate file.
band-stop filterA filter that attenuates, usually to very low levels, all frequencies between two non-zero, finite limits and passes all frequencies not within the limits.
BandingOrganizing people together by age groups to calculate premiums.
BANDPASS FILTERA filter whose frequencies are between given upper and lower cutoff values, while substantially attenuating all frequencies outside these values (this…
bandpass limiterA device that imposes hard limiting on a signal and contains a filter that suppresses the unwanted products (harmonics) of the limiting process.
BandwidthThe amount of information or data that can be sent over a network connection in a given period of time.
bandwidth (BW)1. The difference between the limiting frequencies within which performance of a device, in respect to some characteristic, falls within specified limits.
bandwidth (of an optical fiber)The lowest modulation frequency at which the RMS peak-to-valley amplitude (optical power) difference of an intensity-modulated monochromatic signal…
bandwidth balancing mechanismIn a distributed-queue dual-bus network, a procedure in which a node occasionally skips the use of empty queued arbitrated slots, and which procedure…
bandwidth compressionThe reduction of the bandwidth needed to transmit a given amount of data in a given time. 2.
Bandwidth ThrottlingIn Snap EDR, the ability to limit the bandwidth used by replication to maintain bandwidth for business-critical applications.
bandwidth•distance productOf an optical fiber, under specified launching and cabling conditions, at a specified wavelength, a figure of merit equal to the product of the fiber's…
bandwidth-limited operationThe condition prevailing when the system bandwidth limits performance. Note: Bandwidth-limited operation occurs when the system distorts the signal…
bangThe exclamation point character (!) used in early addressing schemes to separate the names of individual machines.
BankAmerica has a "dual banking system" which means that both states and the federal government issue bank charters for the need and convenience of their…
bank and trust companyAlso known as commercial banks, bank and trust companies historically concentrated on short-term business loans that were funded with demand deposits.
Bank CustodianA bank custodian is responsible for maintaining the safety of clients' assets held at one of the custodian's premises, a sub-custodian facility or an…
Bank ExaminationExamination of a bank's assets, income, and expenses-as well as operations by representatives of Federal and State bank supervisory authority-to ensure…
Bank fullAn established river stage at a given location along a river which is intended to represent the maximum safe water level that will not overflow the river…
bank holding companyA bank holding company controls, directly or indirectly, at least twenty-five percent of any class of voting securities of a bank and meets various other…
Bank ReconciliationA formal comparison of the balance in the checking account as shown on the bank statement with the balance of the cash account in the general ledger, at a…
Bank StatementPeriodically the bank provides a statement of a customer's deposit account. It shows all deposits made, all checks paid, and other debits posted during…
Bank StorageWater that has inflitrated from a reservoir into the surrounding land where it remains in storage until water level in the reservoir is lowered.
BankerIn a card game, dealer or the players who books the action of the other bettors at the table.
Banker/Player BetBetting on the dealer or the player (not betting a tie).
bankers' bankAn institution owned exclusively by any combination of banks or credit unions and that is organized to do business solely with other banks or credit…
Banker’s Acceptance (BA)A high-quality, short-term negotiable discount note, drawn on and accepted by banks that are obligated to pay the amount at maturity.
BankfullThe water level, or stage, at which a stream, river or lake is at the top of its banks and any further rise would result in water moving into the flood…
Bankfull StageAn established river stage at a certain point along a river which is intended to represent the maximum safe water level which will not overflow the river…
Bankfull Stage/ElevationAn established river stage/water surface elevation at a given location along a river which is intended to represent the maximum water level that will not…
BankingThe slope of a racetrack specifically at a curve or a corner. The angle of degree of banking refers to the height of a racetrack's slope at the outside…
Banking DayA business day during which an office of a bank is open to the public for substantially all of its banking functions.
Banking InteriorThe area of the designated interior historically used for banking operations and any associated interior spaces including, without limitation, entrance…
BankruptA bankrupt person, firm, or corporation has insufficient assets to cover their debts.
BankruptcyThe legal proceedings by which the affairs of a bankrupt person are turned over to a trustee or receiver for administration under the bankruptcy laws.
bankruptcy administratorAn officer of the judiciary serving in the judicial districts of Alabama and North Carolina who, like the U.S.
bankruptcy administratorsHandle administrative matters in bankruptcy cases in Alabama and North Carolina; appointed by the U.S. Court of Appeals; take the place of U.S. trustees.
Bankruptcy appellate panels (BAPS)In the circuits that have them, BAPs share the appellate role of the district court in bankruptcy filings; composed of three bankruptcy judges.
Bankruptcy CodeThe informal name for title 11 of the United States Code (11 U.S.C. §§ 101-1330), the federal bankruptcy law.
bankruptcy courtThe bankruptcy judges in regular active service in each district; a unit of the district court.
bankruptcy estateAll legal or equitable interests of the debtor in property at the time of the bankruptcy filing.
Bankruptcy JudgeA judicial officer of the United States district court who is the court official with decision-making power over federal bankruptcy cases.
Bankruptcy lawThe area of federal law dealing with bankrupt persons or businesses.
bankruptcy petitionThe document filed by the debtor (in a voluntary case) or by creditors (in an involuntary case) by which opens the bankruptcy case.