Baby (infant)
Handshape: Open Hands
Memory Aide: cradling a baby in your arms
Example of sentence usage: The baby is one week old.
Synonyms to start matching your sign to English now: babe, little one, newborn
Back Out (recoil, withdraw)
Handshape: 5 Hands
Memory Aide: backing away from someone or something
Example of sentence usage: I am backing out on buying a new car.
Synonyms to start matching your sign to English now: back away, pull back, retreat
Banana
Handshape: A Hand (dominant) and Index Finger Hand (nondominant)
Memory Aide: mime peeling a banana
Example of sentence usage: The monkey loves bananas!
Banjo
Handshape: Curved 5 Hands
Memory Aide: mime playing a banjo
Example of sentence usage: I love banjo music.
Barrette
Handshape: G Hand
Memory Aide: clasping a barrette in your hair
Example of sentence usage: She wore a barrette in her hair.
Synonyms to start matching your sign to English now: hair bar, hair clasp, hair pin
Baseball (softball)
Handshape: S Hands
Memory Aide: gripping a bat and swinging it
Example of sentence usage: Baseball is an American sport.
Synonyms to start matching your sign to English now: batting, swing a bat
Basketball
Handshape: Curved 5 Hand
Memory Aide: dribble and shoot a basket
Example of sentence usage: The high school has a basketball team.
Synonyms to start matching your sign to English now: hoops (slang)
Batter (beat, mix, stir)
Handshape: C Hand (nondominant) and A Hand (dominant)
Memory Aide: holding a bowl and stirring the contents
Example of sentence usage: She made cookie batter.
Synonyms to start matching your sign to English now: mixture
Beat (batter, mix, stir)
Handshape: C Hand (nondominant) and A Hand (dominant)
Memory Aide: holding a bowl and beating the contents
Example of sentence usage: You need to beat the eggs.
Synonyms to start matching your sign to English now: scramble, stir vigorously
Beckon (come on, recruit)
Handshape: Index Finger Hand curls to X Hand
Memory Aide: motioning for someone to come closer
Example of sentence usage: The teacher beckoned the student to come to her.
Synonyms to start matching your sign to English now: signal
Bed
Handshape: Open Hands
Memory Aide: resting your head on a pillow
Example of sentence usage: She laid down on the bed.
Synonyms to start matching your sign to English now: sack (slang)
Bicycle (bike, pedal, ride a bicycle)
Handshape: S Hands
Memory Aide: pedals of a bike moving
Example of sentence usage: She bought a new bicycle.
Synonyms to start matching your sign to English now: cycle, wheel
Bid (auction)
Handshape: Open Hand
Memory Aide: hands raising at an auction
Example of sentence usage: They bid at the fundraiser.
Billiards (pool)
Handshape: F Hand (nondominant) and A Hand (dominant)
Memory Aide: playing billiards
Example of sentence usage: Their house has a billiards room.
Binoculars
Handshape: C Hands
Memory Aide: focusing the lens on binoculars
Example of sentence usage: She brought her binoculars to the races.
Synonyms to start matching your sign to English now: field glasses
Biscuit (cookie)
Handshape: C Hand (dominant) and Open Hand (nondominant)
Memory Aide: using a biscuit cutter on dough
Example of sentence usage: She made biscuits and eggs for breakfast.
Blend (complex, complicate, confuse, disorder, mix, scramble, stir)
Handshape: Curved 5 Hands
Memory Aide: things getting mixed and blended
Example of sentence usage: It’s hard to know the truth when it is all blended
together.
Synonyms to start matching your sign to English now: confound, disarrangement,
fuse, garble, intermingle, intermix, muddle
Blow-dry (blow-dryer, hairdryer)
Handshape: L Hand
Memory Aide: the action of blow – drying your hair
Example of sentence usage: I am going to the salon for a blow-dry.
Synonyms to start matching your sign to English now: dry hair
Blow Nose (head cold)
Handshape: A Hand
Memory Aide: the action of blowing your nose
Example of sentence usage: I need to blow my nose!
Book
Handshape: Open Hands
Memory Aide: the action of opening a book
Example of sentence usage: I am reading a book.
Synonyms to start matching your sign to English now: volume
Bow (hail, worship)
Handshape: Open Hands
Memory Aide: your arms moving to hail/bow down to someone
Example of sentence usage: Bow and long live the King!
Synonyms to start matching your sign to English now: bend, bow down, reverence
Bowling (bowl)
Handshape: Curved 3 Hand
Memory Aide: action of throwing a bowling ball down the lane
Example of sentence usage: Bowling is a fun American sport.
Boxing (box, fight)
Handshape: S Hands
Memory Aide: fists boxing
Example of sentence usage: Boxing is a sport with different weight classifications.
Synonyms to start matching your sign to English now: fistfight, punches, slugfest,
throw punches
Break (tear apart)
Handshape: S Hands
Memory Aide: hands breaking something in half
Example of sentence usage: The toy broke from rough playing.
Synonyms to start matching your sign to English now: break apart, dismantle, go to
pieces
Bride (bridesmaid)
Handshape: S Hands
Memory Aide: hands holding a bridal/bridesmaid bouquet
Example of sentence usage: The bride looked beautiful at the wedding ceremony.
Bridesmaid (bride)
Handshape: S Hands
Memory Aide: hands holding a bridal/bridesmaid bouquet
Example of sentence usage: The bride looked beautiful at the wedding ceremony.
Broom (sweep)
Handshape: S Hands
Memory Aide: hands holding a broom and sweeping
Example of sentence usage: She used a broom on the dirty floor.
Synonyms to start matching your sign to English now: sweep up
Brownies (Cub Scouts)
Handshape: H Hand
Memory Aide: a Scout salute
Example of sentence usage: The Brownies meet on Tuesday.
Synonyms to start matching your sign to English now: Scout
Brush (brush hair)
Handshape: A Hand
Memory Aide: the action of using a brush
Example of sentence usage: A brush is used for grooming.
Synonyms to start matching your sign to English now: groom (as in brush)
Note: Modify the sign to make the movement in the air if you are brushing an animal
or object
Brush (paintbrush)
Handshape: Open Hands
Memory Aide: movement of brush bristles
Example of sentence usage: The handyman bought a new brush.
Synonyms to start matching your sign to English now: bristles
Brush hair
Handshape: A Hand
Memory Aide: the action of using a brush
Example of sentence usage: A brush is used for grooming.
Synonyms to start matching your sign to English now: groom (as in brush)
Note: Modify the sign to make the movement in the air if you are brushing an animal
or object
Buckle (seat belt)
Handshape: Bent V Hands
Memory Aide: clasping a buckle on a belt
Example of sentence usage: Be sure your belt is buckled.
Synonyms to start matching your sign to English now: clasp, fasten
Bye (goodbye, farewell)
Handshape: Open Hand
Memory Aide: wave bye
Example of sentence usage: She waved bye and left.
Synonyms to start matching your sign to English now: bye-bye, cheerio, so long, and
all the well-known goodbyes in foreign languages (adios, au revoir, sayonara, etc.)
