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frequently_asked_questions_files/Oxford Thesaurus.pdf

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article has blackened my reputation.<br />

blackleg n. scab, strikebreaker: Despite the strike, the plant is being<br />

operated by blackleg labour.<br />

blackmail n. 1 extortion, ransom, tribute, US graft: Even if you pay the<br />

blackmail, that is no guarantee that he won't demand more later.<br />

--v. 2 extort money from; force, coerce, compel, make: They<br />

had discovered his indiscretions and were blackmailing him. He<br />

blackmailed her into signing the alimony settlement.<br />

blade n. 1 knife, cutting edge: Don't hold the knife by the blade.<br />

2 Literary sword, rapier, sabre, dagger, poniard, stiletto,<br />

cutlass, bayonet, knife, penknife, jackknife: She plunged the<br />

blade in up to the hilt. 3 leaf, leaflet, frond, shoot: The<br />

blades of grass were flattened where he had walked. 4 Rather<br />

old-fashioned playboy, ladies' man, man about town, fop, dandy:<br />

He was quite a gay blade in his youth.<br />

blame v. 1 find fault with, censure, criticize, fault; accuse,<br />

charge, indict, condemn, point to, point (the finger) at,<br />

rebuke, reprimand, recriminate, reproach, scold, reprehend,<br />

reprove: Don't blame me if you can't get to school on time. 2<br />

hold responsible, fix (the) responsibility upon or on, put or<br />

place or lay (the) blame on, lay at someone's door, denounce,<br />

incriminate: Why blame Carol for the mess?<br />

--n. 3 censure, criticism, reproof, rebuke, recrimination,<br />

disapproval, disapprobation, reproach, objurgation,<br />

condemnation, reprehension: The cyclist put the blame for the<br />

accident on me. 4 culpability, responsibility; guilt, Slang<br />

rap: Why should you take the blame for something that Donald<br />

did?<br />

blameless adj. faultless, guiltless, innocent, irreproachable,<br />

unimpeachable: Hugh has led a blameless life.<br />

bland adj. 1 gentle, soothing, smooth, mild, suave, urbane, cool,<br />

unruffled, calm, composed, unemotional, nonchalant, insouciant:<br />

His reaction to the news of the invasion was bland indifference.<br />

2 insipid, boring, dull, uninteresting, ennuyant, tasteless,<br />

Colloq US plain vanilla; Slang US blah: The play is a bland

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