bêtise, n.f., silliness, stupidity, tomfoolery, silly thing, absurdity. C’est sa — qui l’a perdu; his stupidity was the ruin of him. Il a fait une —; he did a stupid thing. Quelle —! what an absurdity! Il a dit une —; he said a silly thing. Il ne dit que des —s; he talks nothing but nonsense. C’est de la —; it’s all nonsense. Faire des —s; to play pranks.
bétoine, n.f., (bot.) betony.
bétoire, n.m., drain-pit, drain-hole.
béton, n.m., beton, concrete.
bette, n.f., (bot.) beet.
betterave (-rav), n.f., beet, beet-root, mangold-wurzel.
bétyle, n.f., (myth.) idol-stone.
beuglement, n.m., bellowing, lowing.
beugler, v.n., to bellow, to low. Il se mit à —; he began to roar like a bull.
beurre, n.m., butter. — fondu; butter melted. Pot de —; jar of butter. Pot à —; butter-jar. — noir; brown butter. Faire son —; to make nice pickings. Promettre plus de — que de pain; to promise more than one can perform. On ne peut manier le — qu’on ne se graisse les doigts; you cannot touch pitch without soiling your fingers.