Collins Dictionaries - Collins English Dictionary and Thesaurus Essential

bat1 n

1any of various types of club used to hit the ball in certain sports 2(cricket) a batsman 3 off one's own bat Aof one's own accord Bby one's own unaided efforts ▸ vb batting, batted 4to strike with or as if with a bat 5(cricket, etc.) to take a turn at battingbat2 n 1a nocturnal mouselike flying animal with leathery wings 2 blind as a bathaving extremely poor eyesightbatch n 1a group of similar objects or people dispatched or dealt with at the same time ◇ SYNONYMS: group, set, lot, crowd, pack, collection, quantity, bunch 2the bread, cakes, etc. produced at one baking ▸ vb 3to group (items) for efficient processingbated adj with bated breathin suspense or fearbath n 1a large container in which to wash the body 2the act of washing in such a container ◇ SYNONYMS: wash, cleaning, shower, soak, cleansing, scrub, scrubbing, douche 3the amount of water in a bath 4 bathsa public swimming pool 5 Aa liquid in which something is immersed as part of a chemical process, such as developing photographs Bthe vessel containing such a liquid ▸ vb 6(Brit) to wash in a bath ◇ SYNONYMS: clean, wash, shower, soak, cleanse, scrub, bathe, rinseBath chair n (old-fashioned) a wheelchair for invalidsbathe vb bathing, bathed 1to swim in open water for pleasure ◇ SYNONYMS: swim 2to apply liquid to (the skin or a wound) in order to cleanse or soothe ◇ SYNONYMS: cleanse, clean, wash, soak, rinse 3(chiefly US & Canad) to wash in a bath ◇ SYNONYMS: wash, clean, bath, shower, soak, cleanse, scrub, rinse 4to spread over: bathed in moonlight ◇ SYNONYMS: cover, flood, steep, engulf, immerse, overrun, suffuse, wash over ▸ n 5(Brit) a swim in open water > bather nbathos ( bay-thoss) n a sudden ludicrous descent from exalted to ordinary matters in speech or writing > bathetic adjbathroom n 1a room with a bath or shower, washbasin, and toilet 2(US & Canad) a toiletbatik (bat- teek) n Aa process of printing fabric in which areas not to be dyed are covered by wax Bfabric printed in this waybatman n, pl -menan officer's servant in the armed forcesbaton n 1a thin stick used by the conductor of an orchestra or choir 2(athletics) a short bar transferred from one runner to another in a relay race 3a police officer's truncheon 4a short stick or something shaped like one ◇ SYNONYMS: stick, club, staff, pole, rod, crook, cane, mace, mere (NZ), patu (NZ)batsman n, pl -men(cricket, etc.) a player who bats or specializes in battingbattalion n a military unit comprised of three or more companiesbatten n 1a strip of wood used to strengthen something or make it secure 2a strip of wood used for holding a tarpaulin in place over a hatch on a ship ▸ vb 3to strengthen or fasten with battensbatter1 vb 1to hit repeatedly ◇ SYNONYMS: beat, hit, strike, knock, bang, thrash, pound, buffet 2to damage or injure, as by blows, heavy wear, etc. 3to subject (someone, usually a close relative) to repeated physical violence > battered adj > batterer n > battering nbatter2 n a mixture of flour, eggs, and milk, used in cookingbattering ram n (esp. formerly) a large beam used to break down fortificationsbattery n, pl -teries 1two or more primary cells connected to provide a source of electric current 2a number of similar things occurring together: a battery of questions 3(criminal law) unlawful beating or wounding of a person 4(chiefly Brit) a series of cages for intensive rearing of poultry 5a fortified structure on which artillery is mounted ▸ adj 6kept in a series of cages for intensive rearing: battery hensbattle n 1a fight between large armed forces ◇ SYNONYMS: fight, attack, action, struggle, conflict, clash, encounter, combat, biffo (Austral slang), boilover (Austral) 2conflict or struggle ◇ SYNONYMS: campaign, drive, movement, push (informal), struggle ▸ vb -tling, -tled 3to fight in or as if in military combat: shop stewards battling to improve conditions at work ◇ SYNONYMS: wrestle, war, fight, argue, dispute, grapple, clamour, lock horns 4to struggle: she battled through the crowd ◇ SYNONYMS: struggle, work, labour, strain, strive, toil, go all out (informal), give it your best shot (informal)battle-axe n 1(informal, derogatory) a domineering woman 2(formerly) a large broad-headed axebattlement n a wall with gaps, originally for firing throughbattleship n a large heavily armoured warshipbatty adj -tier, -tiest(slang) 1slightly crazy ◇ SYNONYMS: eccentric, odd, peculiar, potty (Brit informal) 2eccentric: a batty scientist ◇ SYNONYMS: eccentric, odd, peculiar, potty (Brit informal)bauble n 1a trinket of little value 2a small round ornament hung from a branch of a Christmas treebauera n small evergreen Australian shrubbaulk vb, n same as balk bauxite n a claylike substance that is the chief source of aluminiumbawdy adj bawdier, bawdiest(of language, writing, etc.) containing humorous references to sex > bawdily adv > bawdiness nbawl vb 1to cry noisily 2to shout loudly ▸ n 3a loud shout or cry > bawling nbay1 n a stretch of shoreline that curves inwards ◇ SYNONYMS: inlet, sound, gulf, creek, cove, fjord, bight, natural harbourbay2 n 1a recess in a wall ◇ SYNONYMS: recess, opening, corner, niche, compartment, nook, alcove 2an area set aside for a particular purpose: a sick bay; a loading bay 3an area off a road in which vehicles may park or unload 4a compartment in an aircraft: the bomb baybay3 n 1a deep howl of a hound or wolf ◇ SYNONYMS: cry, roar, bark, howl, wail, growl, bellow, clamour 2 at bay Aforced to turn and face attackers: the stag at bay Bat a safe distance: to keep his mind blank and his despair at bay ▸ vb 3to howl in deep prolonged tones ◇ SYNONYMS: howl, cry, roar, bark, wail, growl, bellow, clamourbay4 n 1a Mediterranean laurel tree with glossy aromatic leaves 2 baysa wreath of bay leavesbay5 adj 1reddish-brown ▸ n 2a reddish-brown horsebay leaf n the dried leaf of a laurel, used for flavouring in cookingbayonet n 1a blade that can be attached to the end of a rifle and used as a weapon ▸ vb -neting, -netedor -netting, -netted 2to stab or kill with a bayonetbazaar n 1a sale, esp. one in aid of charity ◇ SYNONYMS: fair, fête, gala, bring-and-buy 2(esp. in Arab countries) a market area, esp. a street of small stalls ◇ SYNONYMS: market, exchange, fair, marketplacebazooka n a portable rocket launcher that fires a projectile capable of piercing armourBBC British Broadcasting CorporationBC 1(indicating years numbered back from the supposed year of the birth of Christ) before Christ 2British ColumbiaBCE (used, esp. by non-Christians, in numbering years BC) before Common EraBCG (trademark) Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (antituberculosis vaccine)be vb present sing 1st person am, 2nd person are, 3rd person is, present pl are, past sing 1st person was, 2nd person were, 3rd person was, past pl were, present participle being, past participle been 1to exist; live: I think, therefore I am ◇ SYNONYMS: be alive, live, exist, survive, breathe, be present, endure 2to pay a visit; go: have you been to Spain? 3to take place: my birthday was last Thursday 4used as a linking verb between the subject of a sentence and its complement: Shamin is a musician; honey is sweet; the dance is on Saturday 5forms the progressive present tense: the man is running 6forms the passive voice of all transitive verbs: a good film is being shown on television tomorrow 7expresses intention, expectation, or obligation: the president is to arrive at 9.30beach n 1an area of sand or pebbles sloping down to the sea or a lake ◇ SYNONYMS: shore, coast, sands, seaside, water's edge, seashore ▸ vb 2to run or haul (a boat) onto a beachbeachhead n (military) an area of shore captured by an attacking army, on which troops and equipment are landedbeacon n 1a signal fire or light on a hill or tower, used formerly as a warning of invasion ◇ SYNONYMS: signal, sign, beam, flare, bonfire 2a lighthouse ◇ SYNONYMS: lighthouse, watchtower 3a radio or other signal marking a flight course in air navigationbead n 1a small pierced piece of glass, wood, or plastic that may be strung with others to form a necklace, rosary, etc. 2a small drop of moisture ◇ SYNONYMS: drop, tear, bubble, pearl, dot, drip, blob, droplet 3a small metal knob acting as the sight of a firearm ▸ vb 4to decorate with beads > beaded adjbeading n a narrow rounded strip of moulding used for edging furniturebeady adj beadier, beadiestsmall, round, and glittering: beady eyesbeagle n a small hound with a smooth coat, short legs, and drooping earsbeak1 n 1the projecting horny jaws of a bird 2(slang) a person's nose > beaky adjbeak2 n (Brit & Austral & NZ slang) a judge, magistrate, or headmasterbeaker n 1a tall drinking cup 2a lipped glass container used in laboratoriesbeam n 1a broad smile ◇ SYNONYMS: smile, grin 2a ray of light ◇ SYNONYMS: ray, flash, stream, glow, streak, shaft, gleam, glint 3a narrow flow of electromagnetic radiation or particles: an electron beam 4a long thick piece of wood, metal, etc. used in building ◇ SYNONYMS: rafter, support, timber, spar, plank, girder, joist 5the central shaft of a plough to which all the main parts are attached 6the breadth of a ship at its widest part 7 off (the) beam(informal) mistaken or irrelevant ▸ vb 8to smile broadly ◇ SYNONYMS: smile, grin 9to send out or radiate ◇ SYNONYMS: radiate, flash, shine, glow, glitter, glare, gleam 10to divert or aim (a radio signal, light, etc.) in a certain direction: the concert was beamed live from Geneva ◇ SYNONYMS: transmit, show, air, broadcast, cable, send out, relay, televise, streambean n 1the seed or pod of various climbing plants, eaten as a vegetable 2any of various beanlike seeds, such as coffee 3 full of beans(informal) full of energy and vitality 4 not have a bean(slang) to be without moneybeanie n (Brit & Austral & NZ) a close-fitting woollen hatbear1 vb bearing, bore, borne 1to support or hold up ◇ SYNONYMS: support, shoulder, sustain, endure, uphold, withstand 2to bring: to bear gifts ◇ SYNONYMS: carry, take, move, bring, transfer, conduct, transport, haul 3to accept the responsibility of: to bear a heavier burden of taxation 4to give birth to ◇ SYNONYMS: give birth to, produce, deliver, breed, bring forth, beget (old-fashioned) 5to produce by natural growth: to bear fruit ◇ SYNONYMS: produce, generate, yield, bring forth 6to tolerate or endure ◇ SYNONYMS: suffer, experience, go through, sustain, stomach, endure, brook, abide 7to stand up to; sustain: his story does not bear scrutiny 8to hold in the mind: to bear a grudge ◇ SYNONYMS: exhibit, hold, maintain 9to show or be marked with: he still bears the scars ◇ SYNONYMS: display, have, show, hold, carry, possess 10to have, be, or stand in (relation or comparison): her account bears no relation to the facts 11to move in a specified direction: bear left 12 bring to bearto bring into effectbear2 n, pl bearsor bear 1a large heavily-built mammal with a long shaggy coat 2a bearlike animal, such as the koala 3an ill-mannered person 4(Stock Exchange) a person who sells shares in anticipation of falling prices to make a profit on repurchase 5 like a bear with a sore head(informal) bad-tempered, irritablebearable adj endurable; tolerablebeard n 1the hair growing on the lower parts of a man's face 2any similar growth in animals ▸ vb 3to oppose boldly: I bearded my formidable employer in her den > bearded adjbearer n 1a person or thing that carries, presents, or upholds something ◇ SYNONYMS: agent, carrier, courier, herald, envoy, messenger, conveyor, emissary 2a person who presents a note or bill for paymentbearing n 1(foll. by on or upon) relevance to: it has no bearing on this problem ◇ SYNONYMS: relevance, relation, application, connection, import, reference, significance, pertinence 2a part of a machine supporting another part, and usually reducing friction 3the act of producing fruit or young 4a person's general social conduct ◇ SYNONYMS: manner, attitude, conduct, aspect, behaviour, posture, demeanour, deportment 5the angular direction of a point measured from a known position 6the position, as of a ship, fixed with reference to two or more known points 7 bearingsa sense of one's relative position: I lost my bearings in the dark ◇ SYNONYMS: way, course, position, situation, track, aim, direction, location 8(heraldry) a device on a heraldic shieldbear out vb to show to be truthful: the witness will bear me out ◇ SYNONYMS bear something out: support, prove, confirm, justify, endorse, uphold, substantiate, corroboratebearskin n 1the pelt of a bear 2a tall fur helmet worn by certain British Army regimentsbeast n 1a large wild animal ◇ SYNONYMS: animal, creature, brute 2a brutal or uncivilized person ◇ SYNONYMS: brute, monster, savage, barbarian, fiend, swine, ogre, sadist 3savage nature or characteristics: the beast in peoplebeastly adj -lier, -liest(informal) unpleasant; disagreeable ◇ SYNONYMS: unpleasant, mean, awful, nasty, rotten (informal), horrid (informal), disagreeablebeat vb beating, beat, beatenor beat 1to strike with a series of violent blows ◇ SYNONYMS: batter, hit, strike, knock, pound, smack, thrash, thump 2to move (wings) up and down ◇ SYNONYMS: flap, thrash, flutter, wag 3to throb rhythmically ◇ SYNONYMS: throb, thump, pound, quake, vibrate, pulsate, palpitate 4(cookery) to stir or whisk vigorously 5to shape (metal) by repeated blows 6(music) to indicate (time) by one's hand or a baton 7to produce (a sound) by striking a drum ◇ SYNONYMS: hit, strike, bang 8to overcome or defeat: he was determined to beat his illness ◇ SYNONYMS: defeat, outdo, trounce, overcome, crush, overwhelm, conquer, surpass 9to form (a path or track) by repeated use 10to arrive, achieve, or finish before (someone or something): she beat her team mate fair and square 11(foll. by back or down or off etc) to drive, push, or thrust 12to scour (woodlands or undergrowth) to rouse game for shooting 13(slang) to puzzle or baffle: it beats me ▸ n 14a stroke or blow 15the sound made by a stroke or blow 16a regular throb ◇ SYNONYMS: throb, pounding, pulse, thumping, vibration, pulsating, palpitation, pulsation 17an assigned route, as of a police officer ◇ SYNONYMS: route, way, course, rounds, path, circuit 18the basic rhythmic unit in a piece of music 19pop or rock music characterized by a heavy rhythmic beat ▸ adj 20(slang) totally exhausted ▸ See also beat up > beating nbeatbox n 1a drum machine ▸ vb 2to simulate percussion instruments with the voice, esp. in hip-hop music > beatboxing nbeatific adj (literary) 1displaying great happiness 2having a divine aurabeatify (bee- at-if-fie) vb -fies, -fying, -fied 1(RC Church) to declare (a deceased person) to be among the blessed in heaven: the first step towards canonization 2to make extremely happy > beatification nBeatitude n (Christianity) any of the blessings on the poor, meek, etc. in the Sermon on the Mountbeat up (informal) vb 1to inflict severe physical damage on (someone) by striking or kicking repeatedly ◇ SYNONYMS beat someone up: assault, attack, batter, thrash, set about, set upon, lay into (informal), beat the living daylights out of (informal) ▸ n 2(Austral & NZ) a small matter deliberately exaggerated ▸ adj beat-up 3dilapidatedbeau ( boh) n, pl beauxor beaus( bohz) 1(chiefly US) a boyfriend 2a man who is greatly concerned with his appearanceBeaufort scale n (meteorol) a scale for measuring wind speeds, ranging from 0 (calm) to 12 (hurricane)beautician n a person who works in a beauty salonbeautiful adj 1very attractive to look at ◇ SYNONYMS: attractive, pretty, lovely, charming, tempting, pleasant, handsome, fetching (informal), hot (informal), fit (Brit informal) 2highly enjoyable; very pleasant > beautifully advbeautify vb -fies, -fying, -fiedto make beautiful > beautification nbeauty n, pl -ties 1the combination of all the qualities of a person or thing that delight the senses and mind ◇ SYNONYMS: attractiveness, charm, grace, glamour, elegance, loveliness, handsomeness, comeliness (old-fashioned) 2a very attractive woman ◇ SYNONYMS: good-looker, lovely (slang), belle, stunner (informal), beaut (Austral & NZ slang) 3(informal) an outstanding example of its kind 4(informal) an advantageous feature: the beauty of this job is the short hoursbeaver n 1a large amphibious rodent with soft brown fur, a broad flat tail, and webbed hind feet 2its fur 3a tall hat made of this fur ▸ vb 4 beaver awayto work very hard and steadilybecalmed adj (of a sailing ship) motionless through lack of windbecame vb the past tense of become because conj 1on account of the fact that: because it's so cold we'll go home ◇ SYNONYMS: since, as, in that 2 because ofon account of: I lost my job because of her ◇ SYNONYMS because of: as a result of, on account of, by reason of, thanks to, owing tobeck1 n at someone's beck and callhaving to be constantly available to do as someone asksbeck2 n (in N England) a streambeckon vb 1to summon with a gesture ◇ SYNONYMS: gesture, sign, wave, indicate, signal, nod, motion, summon 2to lure: fame beckonedbecome vb -coming, -came, -come 1to come to be: she became Prime Minister in 2016 ◇ SYNONYMS: come to be, develop into, be transformed into, grow into, change into, alter to, mature into, ripen into 2(foll. by of) to happen to: what became of him? 3to suit: that dress becomes you ◇ SYNONYMS: suit, fit, enhance, flatter, embellish, set offbecoming adj suitable or appropriate: his conduct was not becoming to the rank of officer ◇ SYNONYMS: appropriate, seemly, fitting, suitable, proper, worthy, in keeping, compatiblebed n 1a piece of furniture on which to sleep ◇ SYNONYMS: bedstead, couch, berth, cot, divan 2a plot of ground in which plants are grown ◇ SYNONYMS: plot, area, row, strip, patch, ground, land, garden 3the bottom of a river, lake, or sea 4any underlying structure or part ◇ SYNONYMS: base, footing, basis, bottom, foundation, underpinning, groundwork, bedrock 5a layer of rock 6 get out of bed on the wrong side(informal) to begin the day in a bad mood 7 go to bed withto have sexual intercourse with ▸ vb bedding, bedded 8(foll. by down) to go to or put into a place to sleep or rest 9to have sexual intercourse with 10to place firmly into position: the poles were bedded in concrete 11(geol) to form or be arranged in a distinct layer 12to plant in a bed of soilbedding n 1bedclothes, sometimes with a mattress 2litter, such as straw, for animals 3the distinct layered deposits of rocksbedevil (bid- dev-ill) vb -illing, -illed(US) -iling, -iled 1to harass or torment 2to throw into confusion > bedevilment nbedlam n a noisy confused situationbedpan n a shallow container used as a toilet by people who are not well enough to leave bedbedraggled adj with hair or clothing that is untidy, wet, or dirtybedridden adj unable to leave bed because of illnessbedrock n 1the solid rock beneath the surface soil 2basic principles or factsbedroom n 1a room used for sleeping ▸ adj 2containing references to sex: a bedroom comedybedsit or bedsitter n a furnished sitting room with a bedbee1 n 1a four-winged insect that collects nectar and pollen to make honey and wax 2 have a bee in one's bonnetto be obsessed with an ideabee2 n a social gathering to carry out a communal task: quilting beebeech n 1a tree with smooth greyish bark 2the hard wood of this treebeef n 1the flesh of a cow, bull, or ox 2(slang) a complaint ▸ vb 3(slang) to complainbeefburger n a flat fried or grilled cake of minced beef; hamburgerbeefeater n a yeoman warder of the Tower of Londonbeefy adj beefier, beefiest 1(informal) muscular 2like beef > beefiness nbeehive n a structure in which bees are housedbeen vb the past participle of be beep n 1a high-pitched sound, like that of a car horn or some electronic devices ▸ vb 2to make or cause to make such a noisebeer n 1an alcoholic drink brewed from malt, sugar, hops, and water 2a glass, can, or bottle containing this drinkbeery adj beerier, beeriestsmelling or tasting of beerbeeswax n 1a wax produced by honeybees for making honeycombs 2this wax after refining, used in polishes, etc.beet n a plant with an edible root and leaves, such as the sugar beet and beetrootbeetle n 1an insect with a hard wing-case closed over its back for protection ▸ vb -tling, -tled 2(foll. by along or off etc) (informal) to scuttle or scurrybeetroot n a variety of the beet plant with a dark red root that may be eaten as a vegetable, in salads, or pickledbefall vb -falling, -fell, -fallen(archaic, or literary) to happen tobefit vb -fitting, -fittedto be appropriate to or suitable for > befitting adjbefore conj 1earlier than the time when 2rather than: she'll resign before she agrees to it ▸ prep 3preceding in space or time; in front of; ahead of: they stood before the altar ◇ SYNONYMS: earlier than, ahead of, prior to, in advance of 4in the presence of: to be brought before a judge ◇ SYNONYMS: in the presence of, in front of 5in preference to: to put friendship before money ▸ adv 6previously ◇ SYNONYMS: previously, earlier, sooner, in advance, formerly 7in frontbeforehand adj, adv early; in advance ◇ SYNONYMS: in advance, before, earlier, already, sooner, ahead, previously, in anticipationbefriend vb to become a friend tobeg vb begging, begged 1to ask for money or food in the street ◇ SYNONYMS: scrounge (informal), bum (informal), touch (someone) for (slang), cadge, sponge on (someone) for, freeload (slang), seek charity, solicit charity 2to ask formally, humbly, or earnestly: I beg forgiveness; I beg to differ ◇ SYNONYMS: implore, plead with, beseech, request, petition, solicit, entreat 3 beg the question Ato put forward an argument that assumes the very point it is supposed to establish, or that depends on some other questionable assumption B(not standard) to suggest that a question needs to be asked 4 go beggingto be unwanted or unusedbegan vb the past tense of begin beget vb -getting, -gotor -gat, -gottenor -got(old-fashioned) 1to cause or create: repetition begets boredom 2to fatherbeggar n 1a person who lives by begging ◇ SYNONYMS: vagrant (old-fashioned), tramp (old-fashioned), bum (informal), derelict (old-fashioned), drifter, down-and-out, pauper (old-fashioned), bag lady, derro (Austral slang) 2(chiefly Brit) a fellow: lucky beggar! ▸ vb 3 beggar descriptionto be impossible to describe > beggarly adjbegin vb -ginning, -gan, -gun 1to start (something) ◇ SYNONYMS: start, commence, proceed 2to bring or come into being ◇ SYNONYMS: come into existence, start, appear, emerge, arise, originate, come into being 3to start to say or speak ◇ SYNONYMS: start talking, start, initiate, commence 4to have the least capacity to do something: it doesn't even begin to address the problem > beginner nbeginning n 1a start ◇ SYNONYMS: start, opening, birth, origin, outset, onset, initiation, inauguration 2 beginningsan early part or stage 3the place where or time when something starts ◇ SYNONYMS: outset, start, opening, birth, onset, commencement 4an origin; sourcebegonia n a tropical plant with ornamental leaves and waxy flowersbegrudge vb -grudging, -grudged 1to envy (someone) the possession of something 2to give or allow unwillingly: he begrudged her an apologybeguile (big- gile) vb -guiling, -guiledto charm (someone) into doing something he or she would not normally dobeguiling adj charming, often in a deceptive waybegun vb the past participle of begin behalf n onor (US & Canad) in behalf ofin the interest of or for the benefit ofbehave vb -having, -haved 1to act or function in a particular way 2to conduct oneself in a particular way: the baby behaved very well ◇ SYNONYMS: act 3to conduct oneself properly ◇ SYNONYMS: be well-behaved, mind your manners, keep your nose clean, act correctly, conduct yourself properlybehaviour or (US) behavior n 1manner of behaving ◇ SYNONYMS: conduct, ways, actions, bearing, attitude, manner, manners, demeanour 2(psychol) the response of an organism to a stimulus > behavioural or (US) behavioral adjbehead vb to remove the head frombeheld vb the past of behold behest n an order or earnest request: I came at her behestbehind prep 1in or to a position further back than ◇ SYNONYMS: at the rear of, at the back of, at the heels of 2in the past in relation to: I want to leave the past behind me 3late according to: running behind schedule ◇ SYNONYMS: later than, after 4concerning the circumstances surrounding: the reasons behind his departure ◇ SYNONYMS: causing, responsible for, initiating, at the bottom of, instigating 5supporting: I'm right behind you in your application ◇ SYNONYMS: supporting, for, backing, on the side of, in agreement with ▸ adv 6in or to a position further back ◇ SYNONYMS: after, next, following, afterwards, subsequently, in the wake (of) 7remaining after someone's departure: she left her books behind 8in arrears: to fall behind with payments ◇ SYNONYMS: overdue, in debt, in arrears, behindhand ▸ adj 9in a position further back ◇ SYNONYMS: after, next, following, afterwards, subsequently, in the wake (of) ▸ n 10(informal) the buttocks ◇ SYNONYMS: bottom (informal), butt (informal), buttocks, posteriorbehold vb -holding, -held(archaic, or literary) to look (at); observe > beholder nbeholden adj indebted; obliged: I am beholden to youbehove vb -hoving, -hoved(archaic) to be necessary or fitting for: it behoves me to warn youbeige adj pale creamy-brownbeing n 1the state or fact of existing ◇ SYNONYMS: life, reality 2essential nature; self ◇ SYNONYMS: soul, spirit, substance, creature, essence, organism, entity 3something that exists or is thought to exist: a being from outer space ◇ SYNONYMS: individual, creature, human being, living thing 4a human being ◇ SYNONYMS: individual, creature, human being, living thingbelabour or (US) belabor vb to attack verbally or physicallybelated adj late or too late: belated greetings > belatedly advbelch vb 1to expel wind from the stomach noisily through the mouth 2to expel or be expelled forcefully: smoke belching from factory chimneys ▸ n 3an act of belchingbeleaguered adj 1struggling against difficulties or criticism: the country's beleaguered health system ◇ SYNONYMS: harassed, troubled, plagued, hassled (informal), badgered, persecuted, pestered, vexed 2besieged by an enemy: a ship bringing food to the beleaguered capital of Monrovia ◇ SYNONYMS: besieged, surrounded, blockaded, beset, encircled, assailed, hemmed inbelfry n, pl -fries 1the part of a tower or steeple in which bells are hung 2a tower or steeplebelgium sausage n (Austral & NZ) a large smooth bland sausagebelie vb -lying, -lied 1to show to be untrue: the facts belied the theory 2to misrepresent: the score belied the closeness of the match 3to fail to justify: the promises were soon beliedbelief n 1trust or confidence: belief in the free market ◇ SYNONYMS: trust, confidence, conviction 2opinion; conviction: it's my firm belief ◇ SYNONYMS: opinion, feeling, idea, impression, assessment, notion, judgment, point of view 3a principle, etc. accepted as true, often without proof ◇ SYNONYMS: faith, principles, doctrine, ideology, creed, dogma, tenet, credo 4religious faithbelieve vb -lieving, -lieved 1to accept as true or real: I believe God exists ◇ SYNONYMS: accept, trust, credit, depend on, rely on, have faith in, swear by, be certain of 2to think, assume, or suppose: I believe you know my father ◇ SYNONYMS: think, judge, suppose, estimate, imagine, assume, gather, reckon 3to accept the statement or opinion of (a person) as true ◇ SYNONYMS: accept, trust, credit, depend on, rely on, have faith in, swear by, be certain of 4to have religious faith 5 believe into be convinced of the truth or existence of: I don't believe in ghosts > believable adj > believer nbelittle vb -tling, -tledto treat (something or someone) as having little value or importancebell n 1a hollow, usually metal, cup-shaped instrument that emits a ringing sound when struck 2the sound made by such an instrument 3an electrical device that rings or buzzes as a signal 4something shaped like a bell 5(Brit slang) a telephone call 6 ring a bellto sound familiar; recall to the mind something previously experiencedbelladonna n 1a drug obtained from deadly nightshade 2same as deadly nightshadebelle n a beautiful woman, esp. the most attractive woman at a function: the belle of the ballbellicose adj warlike; aggressivebelligerence n the act or quality of being belligerent or warlikebelligerent adj 1marked by readiness to fight 2relating to or engaged in war ▸ n 3a person or country engaged in warbellow vb 1to make a loud deep cry like that of a bull ◇ SYNONYMS: shout, cry (out), scream, roar, yell, howl, shriek, bawl 2to shout in anger ▸ n 3the characteristic noise of a bull 4a loud deep roar ◇ SYNONYMS: shout, cry, scream, roar, yell, howl, shriek, bawlbellows n 1a device consisting of an air chamber with flexible sides that is used to create and direct a stream of air 2a flexible corrugated part, such as that connecting the lens system of some cameras to the bodybelly n, pl -lies 1the part of the body of a vertebrate containing the intestines and other organs ◇ SYNONYMS: stomach, insides (informal), gut, abdomen, tummy (informal), paunch, potbelly, corporation (informal), puku (NZ) 2the stomach ◇ SYNONYMS: stomach, insides (informal), gut, abdomen, tummy (informal), paunch, potbelly, corporation (informal), puku (NZ) 3the front, lower, or inner part of something 4 go belly up(informal) to die, fail, or end ▸ vb -lies, -lying, -lied 5to swell out; bulgebellyful n 1(slang) more than one can tolerate 2as much as one wants or can eatbelong vb 1(foll. by to) to be the property of 2(foll. by to) to be bound to (a person, organization, etc.) by ties of affection, association, membership, etc.: the nations concerned belonged to NATO 3(foll. by to or under or with etc) to be classified with: it belongs to a different class of comets 4(foll. by to) to be a part of: this lid belongs to that tin ◇ SYNONYMS: go with, fit into, be part of, relate to, be connected with, pertain to 5to have a proper or usual place 6(informal) to be acceptable, esp. sociallybelongings pl n the things that a person owns or has with him or her ◇ SYNONYMS: possessions, goods, things, effects, property, stuff, gear, paraphernaliabeloved adj 1dearly loved ◇ SYNONYMS: dear, loved, valued, prized, admired, treasured, precious, darling ▸ n 2a person who is dearly lovedbelow prep 1at or to a position lower than; under ◇ SYNONYMS: under, underneath, lower than 2less than ◇ SYNONYMS: less than, lower than 3unworthy of; beneath ▸ adv 4at or to a lower position ◇ SYNONYMS: lower, down, under, beneath, underneath 5at a later place in something written 6(archaic) on earth or in hellbelt n 1a band of leather or cloth worn around the waist ◇ SYNONYMS: waistband, band, sash, girdle, girth, cummerbund 2an area where a specific thing is found; zone: a belt of high pressure ◇ SYNONYMS: zone, area, region, section, district, stretch, strip, layer 3same as seat belt 4a band of flexible material between rotating shafts or pulleys to transfer motion or transmit goods: a fan belt; a conveyer belt ◇ SYNONYMS: conveyor belt, band, loop, fan belt, drive belt 5(informal) a sharp blow 6 below the belt(informal) unscrupulous or cowardly 7 tighten one's beltto reduce expenditure 8 under one's beltas part of one's experience: he had a string of successes under his belt ▸ vb 9to fasten with or as if with a belt 10to hit with a belt 11(slang) to give (someone) a sharp blow 12(foll. by along) (slang) to move very fastbemoan vb to lament: he's always bemoaning his fatebemused adj puzzled or confused ◇ SYNONYMS: puzzled, confused, baffled, at sea, bewildered, muddled, perplexed, mystifiedbench n 1a long seat for more than one person ◇ SYNONYMS: seat, stall, pew 2 the bench Aa judge or magistrate sitting in court ◇ SYNONYMS the bench: court, judges, magistrates, tribunal, judiciary, courtroom Bjudges or magistrates collectively ◇ SYNONYMS the bench: court, judges, magistrates, tribunal, judiciary, courtroom 3a long and strong worktable ◇ SYNONYMS: worktable, stand, table, counter, trestle table, workbenchbenchmark n 1a mark on a fixed object, used as a reference point in surveying 2a criterion by which to measure something: the speech was a benchmark of his commitment ◇ SYNONYMS: reference point, gauge, yardstick, measure, level, standard, model, parbend vb bending, bent 1to form a curve ◇ SYNONYMS: twist, turn, wind, lean, hook, bow, curve, arch 2to turn from a particular direction: the road bends right 3(often foll. by down etc) to incline the body 4to submit: to bend before public opinion 5to turn or direct (one's eyes, steps, or attention) 6 bend someone's ear(informal) to complain (to someone) for a long time 7 bend the rules(informal) to ignore or change rules to suit oneself ▸ n 8a curved part ◇ SYNONYMS: curve, turn, corner, twist, angle, bow, loop, arc 9the act of bending 10 round the bend(Brit slang) foolish or silly > bendy adjbeneath prep 1below; under ◇ SYNONYMS: under, below, underneath, lower than 2too trivial for: beneath his dignity ◇ SYNONYMS: unworthy of, unfitting for, unsuitable for, inappropriate for, unbefitting ▸ adv 3below; underneath ◇ SYNONYMS: underneath, below, in a lower placeBenedictine n 1a monk or nun of the Christian order of Saint Benedict 2a liqueur first made by Benedictine monks ▸ adj 3of Saint Benedict or his orderbenediction n 1a prayer for divine blessing 2a Roman Catholic service in which the congregation is blessed with the sacrament > benedictory adjbenefaction n 1the act of doing good, particularly donating to charity 2the donation or help givenbenefactor or (fem) benefactress n a person who supports a person or institution by giving moneybeneficent (bin- eff-iss-ent) adj charitable; generous > beneficence nbeneficial adj helpful or advantageous ◇ SYNONYMS: favourable, useful, valuable, helpful, profitable, benign, wholesome, advantageousbeneficiary n, pl -ciaries 1a person who gains or benefits ◇ SYNONYMS: recipient, receiver, payee 2(law) a person entitled to receive funds or property under a trust, will, etc. ◇ SYNONYMS: heir, inheritorbenefit n 1something that improves or promotes ◇ SYNONYMS: good, help, profit, favour 2advantage or sake: I'm doing this for your benefit ◇ SYNONYMS: advantage, aid, favour, assistance 3a payment made by an institution or government to a person who is ill, unemployed, etc. ◇ SYNONYMS: good, help, profit, favour 4a theatrical performance or sports event to raise money for a charity ▸ vb -fiting, -fited(US) -fitting, -fitted 5to do or receive good; profit ◇ SYNONYMS: profit from, make the most of, gain from, do well out of, reap benefits from, turn to your advantagebenevolence n 1inclination to do good 2an act of kindness > benevolent adjbenighted adj lacking cultural, moral, or intellectual enlightenmentbenign (bin- nine) adj 1showing kindliness ◇ SYNONYMS: benevolent, kind, kindly, warm, friendly, obliging, sympathetic, compassionate 2favourable: a stroke of benign fate 3(pathol) (of a tumour, etc.) able to be controlled ◇ SYNONYMS: harmless, innocent, innocuous, curable, inoffensive, remediable > benignly advbent adj 1not straight; curved ◇ SYNONYMS: misshapen, twisted, angled, bowed, curved, arched, crooked, distorted 2(slang) Adishonest; corrupt: bent officials B(Brit & Austral offensive, slang) homosexual 3 bent ondetermined to pursue (a course of action) ◇ SYNONYMS bent on: intent on, set on, fixed on, predisposed to, resolved on, insistent on ▸ n 4personal inclination or aptitude: he had a strong practical bent in his nature ◇ SYNONYMS: inclination, ability, leaning, tendency, preference, penchant, propensity, aptitudebento or bento box n a thin box, made of plastic or lacquered wood, divided into compartments, which contain small separate dishes comprising a Japanese meal, esp. lunchbenzene n a flammable poisonous liquid used as a solvent, insecticide, etc.bequeath vb 1(law) to dispose of (property) as in a will ◇ SYNONYMS: leave, will, give, grant, hand down, endow, bestow, entrust 2to hand down: the author bequeaths no solutions ◇ SYNONYMS: give, accord, grant, afford, yield, lend, pass on, conferbequest n 1the act of gifting money or property in a will 2money or property that has been gifted in a willberate vb -rating, -ratedto scold harshlybereaved adj having recently lost a close relative or friend through death > bereavement nbereft adj (foll. by of) deprived: a government bereft of ideasberet ( ber-ray) n a round flat close-fitting brimless capberg1 n short for icebergberg2 n (S African) a mountainbergamot n 1a small Asian tree with sour pear-shaped fruit 2 essence of bergamota fragrant essential oil from the fruit rind of this plant, used in perfumeryberi-beri n a disease caused by a dietary deficiency of thiamine (vitamin B1)berk or burk n (Brit & Austral & NZ slang) a stupid person; foolberm n (NZ) a narrow grass strip between the road and the footpath in a residential areaberry n, pl -riesa small round fruit that grows on bushes or trees and is often edibleberserk adj go berserkto become violent or destructiveberth n 1a bunk in a ship or train ◇ SYNONYMS: bunk, bed, hammock, billet 2(naut) a place assigned to a ship at a mooring ◇ SYNONYMS: anchorage, haven, port, harbour, dock, pier, wharf, quay 3(naut) sufficient room for a ship to manoeuvre 4 give a wide berth toto keep clear of ▸ vb 5(naut) to dock (a ship) ◇ SYNONYMS: anchor, land, dock, moor, tie up, drop anchor 6to provide with a sleeping place 7(naut) to pick up a mooring in an anchorageberyl n a transparent hard mineral, used as a source of beryllium and as a gemstoneberyllium n a toxic silvery-white metallic element. SYMBOL: Be