Barbell strategyWhen you use a barbell strategy you invest equivalent amounts in short-term and long-term bonds, creating the shape that gives the strategy its name.
Barber Pole[Slang], a thunderstorm updraft with a visual appearance including cloud striations that are curved in a manner similar to the stripes of a barber pole.
Barbiturate(bar-BICH-u-rit) A drug used to treat insomnia, seizures, and convulsions, and to relieve anxiety and tension before surgery.
barblessA hook manufactured without a barb, or one made barbless by cutting it off, filing it off or flattening the barb (typically with pliers).
bare metal environmentinstalling a virtualization hypervisor as the first layer of software on a system, before any operating system. Compare to hosted environment.
bare-metalThe term bare-metal refers to the underlying physical architecture of a computer.
Bareboat AgreementGenerally, a contractual agreement in which the lessor (owner of the vessel) does not pay operating expenses.
barewordA word sufficiently ambiguous to be deemed illegal under use strict 'subs'. In the absence of that stricture, a bareword is treated as if quotes were…
Bargaining representativeBargaining representative means an accredited, exclusive representative of a group of employees authorized by the National Labor Relations Act.
BargeA category of vessel designed as non-self-propelled units for the carriage of cargo on the weather deck or in holds or in tanks.
barium enemaA procedure in which a liquid with barium in it is put into the rectum and colon by way of the anus.
barium solutionA liquid containing barium sulfate that is used in x-rays to highlight parts of the digestive system.
barium swallowA series of x-rays of the esophagus. The x-ray pictures are taken after the person drinks a solution that contains barium.
barkThe outer protective layer of a tree including the inner bark and the outer bark.
barnaseA bacterial ribonuclease, which, when transformed into plants and expressed in the anthers, generates a male sterile phenotype.
Baroclinic leaf shieldA cloud pattern on satellite images - frequently noted in advance of formation of a low pressure center.
Baroclinic ZoneA region in which a temperature gradient exists on a constant pressure surface.
BaroclinityA measure of the state of stratification in a fluid in which surfaces of constant pressure (isobaric) intersect surfaces of constant density (isosteric).
BarogramAn analog record of pressure produced by a barograph
BarographA barometer that records its observations continuously.
BarometerAn instrument that measures atmospheric pressure.
Barometric PressureThe pressure of the atmosphere as indicated by a barometer.
Barotropic SystemA weather system in which temperature and pressure surfaces are coincident, i.e.
BarotropyThe state of a fluid in which surfaces of constant density (or temperature) are coincident with surfaces of constant pressure; it is the state of zero…
Barr bodyA condensed mass of chromatin found in the nuclei of female mammals. It is a late-replicating, inactive X-chromosome. See: dosage compensation, sex linkage
BarrageAny artificial obstruction placed in water to increase water level or divert it. Usually the idea is to control peak flow for later release.
Barrage (gate-structure dam)A barrier built across a river, comprising a series of gates which when fully open allow the flood to pass without appreciably increasing the flood level…
Barrage JammingSimultaneous electronic jamming over a broad band of frequencies.
BarrelA volumetric unit of measure for crude oil and petroleum products equivalent to 42 U.S. gallons.
barrel (of oil)A liquid measure equal to 42 U.S. gallons, or typically about 306 lb of oil. One barrel equals 5.6 ft3; for crude oil, one barrel contains about 5.
Barrel (petroleum)42 U.S. gallons (306 pounds of oil, or 5.78 million Btu).
Barrel of oil equivalentA unit of energy equal to the amount of energy contained in a barrel of crude oil. Approximately 5.78 million Btu or 1,700 kWh.
Barrett esophagus(BA-ret ee-SAH-fuh-gus) A condition in which the cells lining the lower part of the esophagus have changed or been replaced with abnormal cells that could…
barrier(BAYR-ee-er) Something that blocks, prevents, separates, or limits.
Barrier JetA jet-like wind current that forms when a stably-stratified low-level airflow approaches a mountain barrier and turns to the left to blow parallel to the…
Bartel's Rotation NumberThe serial number assigned to 27-day rotation periods of solar and geophysical parameters.
BaryonSubatomic particles comprised of three quarks. Protons (comprised of two up quarks and one down quark) and neutrons (made up of two down quarks and one up…
Baryonic MatterOrdinary matter, which is made up largely of baryons.
basal1. Located at the base of a plant or a plant organ. 2. A fundamental formulation of a tissue culture medium containing nutrients but no growth promoting…
basal cell(BAY-sul SEL) A small, round cell found in the lower part (or base) of the epidermis, the outer layer of the skin.
basal cell carcinoma(BAY-sul SEL KAR-sih-NOH-muh) A type of skin cancer that arises from the basal cells, small round cells found in the lower part (or base) of the…
basal cell nevus syndrome(BAY-sul SEL NEE-vus SIN-drome) A genetic condition that causes unusual facial features and disorders of the skin, bones, nervous system, eyes, and…
Basal MetabolismThe amount of heat given off by a person at rest in a comfortable environment; approximately 50 Btu per hour (Btu/h).
BasaltVolcanic rock (or lava), characteristically dark in color and containing 45 to 54% silica and generally rich in iron and magnesium (mafic composition).
baseOne of the components of nucleosides, nucleotides and nucleic acids . Four different bases are found in naturally occurring DNA - the purines A (adenine )…
base address1. An address that is used as the origin in the calculation of addresses in the execution of a computer program. [From Weik '96] 2.
base analogueA non-natural purine or pyrimidine base that differs slightly in structure from the normal bases, but can be incorporated into nucleic acids .
Base campA site occupied by several families or more on either a year round or a seasonal basis.
base caseA non-recursive route through a recursive method.
Base ClaimA claim from which another claim depends, either directly or indirectly. MPEP 608.01(n).
base classA generic "object" type; that is, a "class" from which other, more specific classes are derived genetically by "inheritance".
base communications (basecom)Communications services, such as the installation, operation, maintenance, augmentation, modification, and rehabilitation of communications networks…
Base courseA layer of specified or selected material of planned thickness constructed on the subgrade or subbase for the purpose of serving one or more functions…
BASE DATAThose digital fields of reflectivity, mean radial velocity, and spectrum width data in spherical coordinates provided at the finest resolution available…
base Earth stationAn Earth station in the fixed-satellite service or, in some cases, in the land mobile-satellite service, located at a specified fixed point or within a…
Base exchangeThe physicochemical process whereby one species of ions adsorbed on soil particles is replaced by another species.
Base FloodThe flood having a 1% chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year.
Base Flood Elevation (BFE)The elevation shown on the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) for Zones AE, AH, A1-A30, AR, AR/A, AR/AE, AR/A1-A30, AR/AH, AR/AO, V1-V30, and VE that…
Base flood plainThe flood plain innundated by the 100-year flood.
Base flowGround water inflow to the river. Portion of stream discharge that is derived from natural storage.
base keyA key used to derive (to compute cryptographically) or to decrypt transaction keys. [After X9.24]
base mapA map containing geographic features used for location reference. Roads, for example, are commonly found on base maps.
Base offense levelThe raw number or point score assigned by the sentencing guidelines to each offense.
base paircombination of 2 nucleotides (A and T or G and C) held together by weak hydrogen bonds; the DNA double helix is formed when a base pair of nucleotides in…
Base pair (bp)A pair of complementary nitrogenous bases in a DNA molecule--adenine-thymine and guanine-cytosine. Also, the unit of measurement for DNA sequences.
Base periodThe period from which the weights for a measurement series are derived. The national income and product accounts (NIPAs) currently use the year 2000 as…
Base PowerPower generated by a power generator that operates at a very high capacity factor.
Base PriceBase Price is the cost of a car without options, but includes standard equipment and factory warranty. It is also known as sticker price.
BASE PRODUCTSThose products that present some representation of the base data. This representation may not necessarily be either in full resolution or depict the full…
Base ProgramThe base program is the program described in the Future Years Defense Program base file, when updated to conform to the budget presented to Congress in…
Base ReflectivityOne of the three fundamental quantities (along with base [radial] velocity and spectrum width) that a Doppler radar measures.
Base safety condition (BSC)The level of loading above which a dam failure does not contribute an incremental loss of life.
Base sequenceThe order of nucleotide bases in a DNA molecule; determines structure of proteins encoded by that DNA.
base standardA standard or specification that is recognized as appropriate for normative reference in a profile by the body adopting that profile, but is not a profile…
Base StationA computer which accepts radio signals from ALERT gaging sites, decodes the data, places the data in a database, and makes the data available to other…
base substitutionReplacement of one base by another in a DNA molecule. See: transition; transversion.
base tableA table that is physically stored in the database. Compare with view.
base typeThe type of items which may be stored in an array - the array's defined type. For instance, in int[] numbers; the base type of numbers is int.
Base width or thicknessThe maximum thickness or width of a dam measured horizontally between upstream and downstream faces and normal to the axis or centerline crest of the dam…
Base YearA reference period, which determines a fixed price level for comparison in economic escalation calculations and cost estimates.
Base64It is a method of encoding arbitrary binary data as ASCII text. This is necessary for sending files via Internet email, which can only handle 7-bit ASCII…
basebandThe original band of frequencies produced by a transducer, such as a microphone, telegraph key, or other signal-initiating device, prior to initial…
baseband local area networkA local area network in which information is encoded, multiplexed, and transmitted without modulation of carriers.
baseband modulationIntensity modulation of an optical source, e.g., LED or ILD, directly, without first modulating the signal of interest onto an electrical carrier wave.
baseband signalingTransmission of a digital or analog signal at its original frequencies; i.e., a signal in its original form, not changed by modulation.
Baseboard RadiatorA type of radiant heating system where the radiator is located along an exterior wall where the wall meets the floor.
BaseflowStreamflow which results from precipitation that infiltrates into the soil and eventually moves through the soil to the stream channel.
baselineAn initial measurement that is taken at an early time point to represent a beginning condition, and is used for comparison over time to look for changes.