Collins Dictionaries - Collins English Dictionary and Thesaurus Essential

beseech vb -seeching, -soughtor -seechedto ask earnestly; begbeset vb -setting, -set 1to trouble or harass constantly 2to surround or attack from all sidesbeside prep 1next to; at, by, or to the side of ◇ SYNONYMS: next to, near, close to, neighbouring, alongside, adjacent to, at the side of, abreast of 2as compared with 3away from: beside the point 4 beside oneselfoverwhelmed; overwrought: beside oneself with grief ◇ SYNONYMS beside yourself: distraught, desperate, distressed, frantic, frenzied, unhinged, overwrought ▸ adv 5at, by, to, or along the side of something or someonebesides adv 1in addition ◇ SYNONYMS: also, too, further, otherwise, in addition, as well, moreover, furthermore ▸ prep 2apart from; even considering ◇ SYNONYMS: apart from, barring, excepting, other than, excluding, as well (as), in addition to, over and above ▸ conj 3anyway; moreoverbesiege vb -sieging, -sieged 1to surround with military forces to bring about surrender ◇ SYNONYMS: surround, enclose, blockade, encircle, hem in, shut in, lay siege to 2to hem in ◇ SYNONYMS: surround, enclose, blockade, encircle, hem in, shut in, lay siege to 3to overwhelm, as with requests ◇ SYNONYMS: harass, harry, plague, hound, hassle (informal), badger, pesterbesotted adj 1having an irrational passion for a person or thing 2stupefied with alcoholbesought vb a past of beseech bespeak vb -speaking, -spoke, -spokenor -spoke 1to indicate or suggest: imitation bespeaks admiration 2to engage or ask for in advance: she was bespoke to a family in the townbespoke adj (chiefly Brit) 1(esp. of a suit) made to the customer's specifications 2making or selling such suits: a bespoke tailorbest adj 1the superlative of good 2most excellent of a particular group, category, etc. ◇ SYNONYMS: finest, leading, supreme, principal, foremost, pre-eminent, unsurpassed, most accomplished 3most suitable, desirable, etc. ▸ adv 4the superlative of well 5in a manner surpassing all others; most attractively, etc. ◇ SYNONYMS: most highly, most fully, most deeply ▸ n 6 the bestthe most outstanding or excellent person, thing, or group in a category ◇ SYNONYMS the best: the finest, the pick, the flower, the cream, the elite, the crème de la crème 7the utmost effort: I did my best 8a person's finest clothes 9 at best Ain the most favourable interpretation Bunder the most favourable conditions 10 for the best Afor an ultimately good outcome Bwith good intentions 11 get the best ofto defeat or outwit 12 make the best ofto cope as well as possible with ▸ vb 13to defeatbestial adj 1brutal or savage 2of or relating to a beastbestiality n, pl -ties 1brutal behaviour, character, or action 2sexual activity between a person and an animalbestir vb -stirring, -stirredto cause (oneself) to become activebest man n the male attendant of the bridegroom at a weddingbestow vb to present (a gift) or confer (an honour) ◇ SYNONYMS: present, give, award, grant, commit, hand out, lavish, impart > bestowal nbestride vb -striding, -strode, -striddento have or put a leg on either side ofbestseller n a book or other product that has sold in great numbers > bestselling adjbet n 1the act of staking a sum of money or other stake on the outcome of an event ◇ SYNONYMS: gamble, risk, stake, venture, speculation, flutter (informal), punt (chiefly Brit), wager 2the stake risked 3a course of action: your best bet is to go by train 4(informal) an opinion: my bet is that you've been up to no good ▸ vb betting, betor betted 5to make or place a bet with (someone) 6to stake (money, etc.) in a bet ◇ SYNONYMS: gamble, chance, stake, venture, hazard, speculate, wager, risk money 7(informal) to predict (a certain outcome): I bet she doesn't turn up 8 you bet(informal) of coursebetel ( bee-tl) n an Asian climbing plant, the leaves and nuts of which can be chewedbête noire (bet nwahr) n, pl bêtes noiresa person or thing that one particularly dislikes or dreadsbetide vb -tiding, -tidedto happen or happen to: woe betide us if we're not ready on timebetoken vb to indicate; signifybetray vb 1to hand over or expose (one's nation, friend, etc.) treacherously to an enemy ◇ SYNONYMS: be disloyal to, dob in (Austral slang), double-cross (informal), stab in the back, be unfaithful to, inform on or against 2to disclose (a secret or confidence) treacherously ◇ SYNONYMS: give away, reveal, expose, disclose, uncover, divulge, unmask, let slip 3to reveal unintentionally: his singing voice betrays his origins > betrayal n > betrayer nbetrothed (old-fashioned) adj 1engaged to be married ▸ n 2the person to whom one is engagedbetter adj 1the comparative of good 2more excellent than others ◇ SYNONYMS: superior, finer, higher-quality, surpassing, preferable, more desirable 3more suitable, attractive, etc. ◇ SYNONYMS: superior, finer, higher-quality, surpassing, preferable, more desirable 4improved or fully recovered in health ◇ SYNONYMS: well, stronger, recovering, cured, fully recovered, on the mend (informal) 5 the better part ofa large part of ▸ adv 6the comparative of well 7in a more excellent manner ◇ SYNONYMS: in a more excellent manner, more effectively, more attractively, more advantageously, more competently, in a superior way 8in or to a greater degree ◇ SYNONYMS: to a greater degree, more completely, more thoroughly 9 better offin more favourable circumstances, esp. financially 10 had betterwould be sensible, etc. to: I had better be off ▸ n 11 the bettersomething that is the more excellent, useful, etc. of two such things 12 betterspeople who are one's superiors, esp. in social standing 13 get the better ofto defeat or outwit ▸ vb 14to improve uponbetween prep 1at a point intermediate to two other points in space, time, etc. ◇ SYNONYMS: amidst, among, mid, in the middle of, betwixt 2in combination; together: between them, they saved enough money to buy a car 3confined to: between you and me 4indicating a linking relation or comparison 5indicating alternatives, strictly only two alternatives ▸ adv also in between 6between one specified thing and anotherbetwixt prep, adv 1(archaic) between 2 betwixt and betweenin an intermediate or indecisive positionbevel n 1a slanting edge ▸ vb -elling, -elled(US) -eling, -eled 2to be inclined; slope 3to cut a bevel on (a piece of timber, etc.)beverage n any drink other than water ◇ SYNONYMS: drink, liquid, liquor, refreshmentbevy n, pl beviesa flock; a groupbewail vb to express great sorrow over; lamentbeware vb -waring, -wared(often foll. by of) to be wary (of); be on one's guard (against) ◇ SYNONYMS: be careful, look out, watch out, be wary, be cautious, take heed, guard against somethingbewilder vb to confuse utterly; puzzle ◇ SYNONYMS: confound, confuse, puzzle, baffle, perplex, mystify, flummox, bemuse > bewildering adj > bewilderment nbewitch vb 1to attract and fascinate 2to cast a spell over > bewitching adjbeyond prep 1at or to a point on the other side of: beyond those hills ◇ SYNONYMS: on the other side of 2outside the limits or scope of ◇ SYNONYMS: past ▸ adv 3at or to the other or far side of something 4outside the limits of something ▸ n 5 the beyondthe unknown, esp. life after deathBF or bf 1best friend 2boyfriendbi- combining form 1having two: bifocal 2occurring or lasting for two: biennial 3on both sides, directions, etc.: bilateral 4occurring twice during: biweekly 5(chem) Adenoting a compound containing two identical cyclical hydrocarbon systems: biphenyl Bindicating an acid salt of a dibasic acid: sodium bicarbonatebiannual adj occurring twice a year > biannually advbias n 1mental tendency, esp. prejudice ◇ SYNONYMS: prejudice, leaning, tendency, inclination, favouritism, partiality 2a diagonal cut across the weave of a fabric 3(bowls) a bulge or weight inside one side of a bowl that causes it to roll in a curve ▸ vb -asing, -asedor -assing, -assed 4to cause to have a bias; prejudice ◇ SYNONYMS: influence, colour, weight, prejudice, distort, sway, warp, slant > biased or biassed adjbib n 1a piece of cloth or plastic worn to protect a very young child's clothes while eating 2the upper front part of some aprons, dungarees, etc.Bible n 1 the Biblethe sacred writings of the Christian religion, comprising the Old and New Testaments 2bible a book regarded as authoritative: this guide has long been regarded as the hill walkers' bible > biblical adjbibliography n, pl -phies 1a list of books on a subject or by a particular author 2a list of sources used in a book, etc. 3the study of the history, etc. of literary material > bibliographer nbibliophile n a person who collects or is fond of booksbibulous adj (literary) addicted to alcoholbicarbonate n a salt of carbonic acidbicarbonate of soda n sodium bicarbonate used as medicine or a raising agent in bakingbicentenary or (US) bicentennial adj 1marking a 200th anniversary ▸ n, pl -naries 2a 200th anniversarybiceps n, pl -ceps(anatomy) a muscle with two origins, esp. the muscle that flexes the forearmbicker vb to argue over petty matters; squabblebicycle n 1a vehicle with a metal frame and two wheels, one behind the other, pedalled by the rider ▸ vb -cling, -cled 2to ride a bicyclebid vb bidding, bad, badeor bid, biddenor bid 1to offer (an amount) in an attempt to buy something ◇ SYNONYMS: make an offer, offer, propose, submit, tender, proffer 2to say (a greeting): to bid farewell ◇ SYNONYMS: wish, say, call, tell, greet 3to order: do as you are bid! ◇ SYNONYMS: tell, ask, order, require, direct, command, instruct 4(bridge, etc.) to declare how many tricks one expects to make ▸ n 5 Aan offer of a specified amount ◇ SYNONYMS: offer, price, amount, advance, proposal, sum, tender Bthe price offered ◇ SYNONYMS: offer, price, amount, advance, proposal, sum, tender 6 Athe quoting by a seller of a price Bthe price quoted 7an attempt, esp. to attain power ◇ SYNONYMS: attempt, try, effort, go (informal), shot (informal), stab (informal), crack (informal) 8(bridge, etc.) the number of tricks a player undertakes to make > bidder nbiddable adj obedientbidding n 1an order or command: she had done his bidding ◇ SYNONYMS: order, request, command, instruction, summons, beck and call 2an invitation; summons: he knew to knock and wait for bidding before he entered 3the bids in an auction, card game, etc.biddy-bid or biddy-biddy n, pl -bidsor -biddies(NZ) a low-growing plant with hooked burrsbide vb biding, bidedor bode, bided 1(archaic, or dialect) to remain 2 bide one's timeto wait patiently for an opportunitybidet ( bee-day) n a small low basin for washing the genital areabiennial adj 1occurring every two years ▸ n 2a plant that completes its life cycle in two yearsbier n a stand on which a corpse or a coffin rests before burialbifocals pl n a pair of spectacles with bifocal lensesbig adj bigger, biggest 1of great or considerable size, weight, number, or capacity ◇ SYNONYMS: large, great, huge, massive, vast, enormous, substantial, extensive, supersize 2having great significance; important ◇ SYNONYMS: important, significant, urgent, far-reaching 3important through having power, wealth, etc. ◇ SYNONYMS: powerful, important, prominent, dominant, influential, eminent, skookum (Canad) 4 Aelder: my big brother ◇ SYNONYMS: grown-up, adult, grown, mature, elder, full-grown Bgrown-up ◇ SYNONYMS: grown-up, adult, grown, mature, elder, full-grown 5generous: that's very big of you ◇ SYNONYMS: generous, good, noble, gracious, benevolent, altruistic, unselfish, magnanimous 6extravagant; boastful: big talk 7 too big for one's bootsconceited; unduly self-confident 8in an advanced stage of pregnancy: big with child 9 in a big wayin a very grand or enthusiastic way ▸ adv (informal) 10boastfully; pretentiously: he talks big 11on a grand scale: think bigbigamy n the crime of marrying a person while still legally married to someone else > bigamist n > bigamous adjbighead n (informal) a conceited person > big-headed adjbigot n a person who is intolerant, esp. regarding religion, politics, or race > bigoted adj > bigotry nbig shot n (informal) an important personbijou ( bee-zhoo) n, pl -joux(-zhooz) 1something small and delicately worked ▸ adj 2small but tasteful: a bijou residencebike n (informal) a bicycle or motorcyclebikini n a woman's brief two-piece swimming costumebilateral adj affecting or undertaken by two parties; mutualbilberry n, pl -riesa blue or blackish edible berry that grows on a shrubbilby n, pl -biesan Australian marsupial with long pointed ears and grey furbile n 1a greenish fluid secreted by the liver to aid digestion of fats 2irritability or peevishnessbilge n 1(informal) nonsense 2(naut) the bottom of a ship's hull 3the dirty water that collects in a ship's bilgebilingual adj 1able to speak two languages 2expressed in two languages > bilingualism nbilious adj 1nauseous; sick: a bilious attack 2(informal) bad-tempered; irritable: the regime's most persistent and bilious critic 3(of a colour) harsh and offensivebill1 n 1a statement of money owed for goods or services supplied ◇ SYNONYMS: charges, rate, costs, score, account, statement, reckoning, expense 2a draft of a proposed new law presented to a law-making body ◇ SYNONYMS: act of parliament, measure, proposal, piece of legislation, projected law 3a printed notice or advertisement ◇ SYNONYMS: advertisement, notice, poster, leaflet, bulletin, circular, handout, placard 4(US & Canad) a piece of paper money; note 5any list of items, events, etc., such as a theatre programme ◇ SYNONYMS: list, listing, programme, card, schedule, agenda, catalogue, inventory ▸ vb 6to send or present an account for payment to (a person) ◇ SYNONYMS: charge, debit, invoice, send a statement to, send an invoice to 7to advertise by posters ◇ SYNONYMS: advertise, post, announce, promote, plug (informal), tout, publicize, give advance notice of 8to schedule as a future programme: next week they will discuss what are billed as new ideas for economic reform 9 fit or fill the bill(informal) to be suitable or adequatebill2 n 1the projecting jaws of a bird; beak ◇ SYNONYMS: beak, nib, neb (archaic, dialect), mandible ▸ vb 2 bill and coo(of lovers) to kiss and whisper amorouslybillabong n (Austral) a pool in the bed of a stream with an interrupted water flowbillboard n a hoardingbillet vb -leting, -leted 1to assign a lodging to (a soldier) ▸ n 2accommodation, esp. for a soldier, in civilian lodgings 3(Austral & NZ) a person who is billetedbillet-doux ( bill-ee- doo) n, pl billets-doux( bill-ee- dooz) (old-fashioned, or humorous) a love letterbillhook n a tool with a hooked blade, used for chopping, etc.billiards n a game in which a long cue is used to propel balls on a tablebillion n, pl -lionsor -lion 1one thousand million: 1 000 000 000 or 109 2(in Britain, originally) one million million: 1 000 000 000 000 or 1012 3(often pl, informal) an extremely large but unspecified number: billions of dollars > billionth adj, nbillow n 1a large sea wave 2a swelling or surging mass, as of smoke or sound ▸ vb 3to rise up or swell out > billowing adj, n > billowy adjbilly or billycan n, pl -liesor -lycansa metal can or pot for boiling water, etc. over a campfirebiltong n (S African) strips of meat dried and cured in the sunbimbo n, pl -bos(informal, offensive) an attractive but empty-headed young womanbin n 1a container for rubbish, etc. 2a large container for storing something in bulk, such as coal, grain, or bottled wine ▸ vb binning, binned 3to put in a rubbish bin: I bin my junk mail without reading itbinary ( bine-a-ree) adj 1composed of two parts 2(maths, computers) of or expressed in a system with two as its base 3(chem) containing atoms of two different elements ▸ n, pl -ries 4something composed of two partsbind vb binding, bound 1to make secure, such as with a rope ◇ SYNONYMS: tie, join, stick, secure, wrap, knot, strap, lash 2to unite with emotional ties or commitment 3to place (someone) under legal or moral obligation ◇ SYNONYMS: oblige, make, force, require, engage, compel, constrain, necessitate 4to place under certain constraints: bound by the rules 5to stick together or cause to stick: egg binds fat and flour 6to enclose and fasten (the pages of a book) between covers 7to provide (a garment) with an edging 8(foll. by up) to bandage ▸ n 9(informal) a difficult or annoying situation ◇ SYNONYMS: nuisance, inconvenience, hassle (informal), drag (informal), spot (informal), difficulty, bore, dilemma, uphill (S African)binder n 1a firm cover for holding loose sheets of paper together 2a person who binds books 3something used to fasten or tie, such as rope or twine 4(obsolete) a machine for cutting and binding grain into sheavesbinding n 1anything that binds or fastens 2the covering of a book ▸ adj 3imposing an obligation or duty ◇ SYNONYMS: compulsory, necessary, mandatory, obligatory, irrevocable, unalterable, indissolublebindweed n a plant that twines around a supportbinge n (informal) 1a bout of excessive eating or drinking ◇ SYNONYMS: bout, spell, fling, feast, stint, spree, orgy, bender (informal) 2excessive indulgence in anythingbingo n a gambling game in which numbers called out are covered by players on their individual cards. The first to cover a given arrangement is the winnerbinoculars pl n an optical instrument for use with both eyes, consisting of two small telescopes joined togetherbinomial n 1a mathematical expression consisting of two terms, such as 3x + 2y ▸ adj 2referring to two names or termsbio- combining form 1indicating life or living organisms: biogenesis 2indicating a human life or career: biographybiochemistry n the study of the chemical compounds, reactions, etc. occurring in living organisms > biochemical adj > biochemist nbiodegradable adj (of sewage and packaging) capable of being decomposed by natural means > biodegradability nbiodiesel n a biofuel intended for use in diesel enginesbiodiversity n the existence of a wide variety of plant and animal species in their natural environmentsbiofuel n fuel derived from renewable biological resourcesbiography n, pl -phies 1an account of a person's life by another person ◇ SYNONYMS: life story, life, record, account, profile, memoir, CV, curriculum vitae 2such accounts collectively > biographer n > biographical adjbiological adj 1of or relating to biology 2(of a detergent) containing enzymes that remove natural stains, such as blood or grass > biologically advbiology n the study of living organisms > biologist nbiometric adj relating to the analysis of biological data using mathematical and statistical methods, esp. for purposes of identification: biometric passportbionic adj 1of or relating to bionics 2(in science fiction) having physical functions augmented by electronic equipmentbiopsy n, pl -siesexamination of tissue from a living body to determine the cause or extent of a diseasebiosphere n the part of the earth's surface and atmosphere inhabited by living thingsbiotechnology n the use of microorganisms, such as cells or bacteria, in industry and technologybioterrorism n the use of viruses, bacteria, etc. by terrorists > bioterrorist nbiped ( bye-ped) n 1any animal with two feet ▸ adj also bipedal 2having two feetbiplane n an aeroplane with two sets of wings, one above the otherbipolar adj 1having two poles 2having two extremes 3(psychiatry) having bipolar disorder > bipolarity nbipolar disorder n (psychiatry) a condition characterized by an alternation between extreme euphoria and deep depressionbirch n 1a tree with thin peeling bark and hard close-grained wood 2 the bircha bundle of birch twigs or a birch rod used, esp. formerly, for flogging offenders ▸ vb 3to flog with the birchbird n 1a two-legged creature with feathers and wings, which lays eggs and can usually fly. RELATED ADJECTIVE: avian◇ SYNONYMS: feathered friend, fowl, songbird 2(Brit slang, sometimes offensive) a girl or young woman 3(informal) a person: he's a rare bird 4 a bird in the handsomething definite or certain 5 birds of a featherpeople with the same ideas or interests 6 kill two birds with one stoneto accomplish two things with one actionbird flu n a form of influenza occurring in poultry caused by a virus capable of spreading to humansbirdie n 1(informal) a bird 2(golf) a score of one stroke under par for a holebiretta n (RC Church) a stiff square clerical capBiro n, pl -ros(trademark) a kind of ballpoint penbirth n 1the process of bearing young; childbirth ◇ SYNONYMS: childbirth, delivery, nativity, parturition 2the act of being born 3the beginning of something; origin 4ancestry: of noble birth ◇ SYNONYMS: ancestry, stock, blood, background, breeding, pedigree, lineage, parentage 5 give birth to Ato bear (offspring) Bto produce or originate (an idea, plan, etc.)birth control n limitation of child-bearing by means of contraceptionbirthday n 1an anniversary of the day of one's birth 2the day on which a person was bornbirthmark n a blemish on the skin formed before birthbirthright n privileges or possessions that a person has or is believed to be entitled to as soon as he or she is bornbiscuit n 1a small flat dry sweet or plain cake 2porcelain that has been fired but not glazed ▸ adj 3pale brown or yellowish-greybisect vb 1(maths) to divide into two equal parts 2to cut or split into two > bisection nbisexual adj 1sexually or romantically attracted by both men and women 2showing characteristics of both sexes ▸ n 3a bisexual person > bisexuality nbishop n 1a member of the clergy having spiritual and administrative powers over a diocese 2a chess piece capable of moving diagonallybishopric n the see, diocese, or office of a bishopbismuth n (chem) a brittle pinkish-white metallic element. Some compounds are used in alloys and in medicine. SYMBOL: Bibison n, pl -sonan animal of the cattle family with a massive head, shaggy forequarters, and a humped backbisque n a thick rich soup made from shellfishbistro n, pl -trosa small restaurantbit1 n 1a small piece, portion, or quantity ◇ SYNONYMS: slice, fragment, crumb, morsel 2a short time or distance 3 a bitrather; somewhat: a bit stupid 4 a bit ofrather: a bit of a fool 5 bit by bitgradually 6 do one's bitto make one's expected contributionbit2 n 1a metal mouthpiece on a bridle for controlling a horse ◇ SYNONYMS: curb, check, brake, restraint, snaffle 2a cutting or drilling tool, part, or head in a brace, drill, etc.bit3 vb the past tense of bite bit4 n (maths, computers) 1a single digit of binary notation, represented either by 0 or by 1 2the smallest unit of information, indicating the presence or absence of a single featurebitch n 1a female dog, fox, or wolf 2(derogatory, slang) a malicious or spiteful woman 3(informal) a difficult situation or problem ▸ vb 4(informal) to complain; grumblebitchy adj bitchier, bitchiest(informal) spiteful or malicious > bitchiness nbite vb biting, bit, bitten 1to grip, cut off, or tear with the teeth or jaws ◇ SYNONYMS: nip, cut, tear, wound, snap, pierce, pinch, chew 2(of animals or insects) to injure by puncturing (the skin) with the teeth or fangs ◇ SYNONYMS: nip, cut, tear, wound, snap, pierce, pinch, chew 3(of corrosive material) to eat away or into 4to smart or cause to smart; sting 5(angling) (of a fish) to take the bait or lure 6to take firm hold of or act effectively upon: turn the screw till it bites the wood 7(slang) to annoy or worry: what's biting her? ▸ n 8the act of biting 9a thing or amount bitten off 10a wound or sting inflicted by biting ◇ SYNONYMS: wound, sting, pinch, nip, prick 11(angling) an attempt by a fish to take the bait or lure 12a snack ◇ SYNONYMS: snack, food, piece, taste, refreshment, mouthful, morsel, titbit 13a stinging or smarting sensation > biter nbiting adj 1piercing; keen: a biting wind ◇ SYNONYMS: piercing, cutting, sharp, frozen, harsh, penetrating, arctic (informal), icy 2sarcastic; incisive ◇ SYNONYMS: sarcastic, cutting, stinging, scathing, acrimonious, incisive, virulent, causticbitter adj 1having an unpalatable harsh taste, as the peel of an orange ◇ SYNONYMS: sour, sharp, acid, harsh, tart, astringent, acrid, unsweetened 2showing or caused by hostility or resentment ◇ SYNONYMS: resentful, angry, offended, sour, sore, acrimonious, sullen, miffed (informal) 3difficult to accept: a bitter blow 4sarcastic: bitter words 5bitingly cold: a bitter night ◇ SYNONYMS: freezing, biting, severe, intense, raw, fierce, chill, stinging ▸ n 6(Brit) beer with a slightly bitter taste > bitterly adv > bitterness nbittern n a large wading marsh bird with a booming callbitumen n a sticky or solid substance that occurs naturally in asphalt and tar and is used in road surfacing > bituminous adjbivalve n 1a sea creature, such as an oyster or mussel, that has a shell consisting of two hinged valves and breathes through gills ▸ adj 2of these molluscsbivouac n 1a temporary camp, as used by soldiers or mountaineers ▸ vb -acking, -acked 2to make a temporary campbizarre adj odd or unusual, esp. in an interesting or amusing way ◇ SYNONYMS: strange, unusual, extraordinary, fantastic, weird, peculiar, eccentric, ludicrous, daggy (Austral & NZ informal)blab vb blabbing, blabbedto divulge (secrets) indiscreetlyblack adj 1having no hue, owing to the absorption of all or almost all light; of the colour of coal ◇ SYNONYMS: dark, raven, ebony, sable, jet, dusky, pitch-black, swarthy 2without light 3without hope; gloomy: the future looked black ◇ SYNONYMS: gloomy, sad, depressing, grim, bleak, hopeless, dismal, ominous 4dirty or soiled 5angry or resentful: black looks ◇ SYNONYMS: angry, cross, furious, hostile, sour, menacing, moody, resentful 6unpleasant in a cynical or macabre manner: black comedy 7(of coffee or tea) without milk or cream 8wicked or harmful: a black lie ◇ SYNONYMS: wicked, bad, evil, corrupt, vicious, immoral, depraved, villainous ▸ n 9the darkest colour; the colour of coal 10a dye or pigment producing this colour 11black clothing, worn esp. in mourning: she was in black, as though in mourning 12complete darkness: the black of the night 13 in the blackin credit or without debt ▸ vb 14same as blacken 15to polish (shoes or boots) with blacking 16(Brit & Austral & NZ) (of trade unionists) to organize a boycott of (specified goods, work, etc.) ▸ See also blackout > blackness n > blackish adjBlack adj 1(of a person) belonging to a race of people with dark skins 2of or relating to a Black person or Black people ▸ n 3(sometimes offensive) a member of a race of people with dark skinsblackball1 vb 1to vote against 2to exclude (someone) from a group, etc.blackball2 n (NZ) a hard boiled sweet with black-and-white stripesblackberry n, pl -riesa small blackish edible fruit that grows on a woody bush with thorny stems. Also called: brambleBlackBerry n, pl -ries(trademark) a brand of smartphoneblackbird n a common European thrush, the male of which has black plumage and a yellow billblackboard n a hard or rigid surface made of a smooth usually dark substance, used for writing or drawing on with chalk, esp. in teachingblackcurrant n a very small blackish edible fruit that grows in bunches on a bushblacken vb 1to make or become black or dirty 2to damage (someone's reputation); discredit: they planned to blacken my father's nameblackguard ( blag-gard) n an unprincipled contemptible personblackhead n 1a black-tipped plug of fatty matter clogging a pore of the skin 2a bird with black plumage on the headblackleg n (Brit) 1a person who continues to work or does another's job during a strike ▸ vb -legging, -legged 2to refuse to join a strikeblacklist n 1a list of people or organizations considered untrustworthy or disloyal ▸ vb 2to put (someone) on a blacklistblack magic n magic used for evil purposesblackmail n 1the act of attempting to obtain money by threatening to reveal shameful information ◇ SYNONYMS: threat, intimidation, ransom, extortion, hush money (slang) 2the use of unfair pressure in an attempt to influence someone ◇ SYNONYMS: threat, intimidation, ransom, extortion, hush money (slang) ▸ vb 3to obtain or attempt to obtain money by intimidation ◇ SYNONYMS: threaten, squeeze, compel, intimidate, coerce, dragoon, extort, hold to ransom 4to attempt to influence (a person) by unfair pressure ◇ SYNONYMS: threaten, squeeze, compel, intimidate, coerce, dragoon, extort, hold to ransom > blackmailer nblack market n a place or a system for buying or selling goods or currencies illegally, esp. in violation of controls or rationing > black marketeer nblackout n 1(in wartime) the putting out or hiding of all lights as a precaution against a night air attack 2a momentary loss of consciousness, vision, or memory 3a temporary electrical power failure 4the prevention of information broadcasts: a news blackout ▸ vb black out 5to put out (lights) 6to lose vision, consciousness, or memory temporarily 7to stop (news, a television programme, etc.) from being broadcastblack sheep n a person who is regarded as a disgrace or failure by his or her family or peer groupblacksmith n a person who works iron with a furnace, anvil, and hammerblack spot n 1a place on a road where accidents frequently occur 2an area where a particular situation is exceptionally bad: an unemployment black spotbladder n 1(anatomy) a membranous sac, usually containing liquid, esp. the urinary bladder 2a hollow bag made of leather, etc. which becomes round when filled with air or liquid 3a hollow saclike part in certain plants, such as seaweed > bladdery adjblade n 1the part of a sharp weapon, tool, or knife, that forms the cutting edge 2the thin flattish part of a propeller, oar, or fan 3the flattened part of a leaf, sepal, or petal 4the long narrow leaf of a grass or related plantblame vb blaming, blamed 1to consider (someone) responsible for: I blame her for the failure ◇ SYNONYMS: hold responsible, accuse, denounce, indict, impeach, incriminate, impute 2(foll. by on) to put responsibility for (something) on (someone): she blames the failure on me ◇ SYNONYMS: attribute to, credit to, assign to, put down to, impute to 3 be to blameto be at fault ▸ n 4responsibility for something that is wrong: they must take the blame for the failure ◇ SYNONYMS: responsibility, liability, accountability, onus, culpability, answerability 5an expression of condemnation: analysts lay the blame on party activists > blamable or blameable adj > blameless adjblameworthy adj deserving blame > blameworthiness nblanch vb 1to whiten 2to become pale, as with sickness or fear 3to prepare (meat or vegetables) by plunging them in boiling water 4to cause (celery, chicory, etc.) to grow white from lack of lightblancmange (blam- monzh) n a jelly-like dessert of milk, stiffened usually with cornflourbland adj 1dull and uninteresting: the bland predictability of the film ◇ SYNONYMS: dull, boring, plain, flat, dreary, run-of-the-mill, uninspiring, humdrum 2(of food, drink, etc.) flavourless ◇ SYNONYMS: tasteless, insipid, flavourless, thin 3smooth in manner: he looked at his visitor with a bland smile > blandly advblandishments pl n flattery intended to coax or cajoleblank adj 1(of a writing surface) not written on ◇ SYNONYMS: unmarked, white, clear, clean, empty, plain, bare, void 2(of a form, etc.) with spaces left for details to be filled in ◇ SYNONYMS: unmarked, white, clear, clean, empty, plain, bare, void 3without ornament or break: a blank wall ◇ SYNONYMS: unmarked, white, clear, clean, empty, plain, bare, void 4empty or void: a blank space ◇ SYNONYMS: unmarked, white, clear, clean, empty, plain, bare, void 5showing no interest or expression: a blank look ◇ SYNONYMS: expressionless, empty, vague, vacant, deadpan, impassive, poker-faced (informal) 6lacking ideas or inspiration: his mind went blank ▸ n 7an empty space ◇ SYNONYMS: empty space, space, gap 8an empty space for writing in ◇ SYNONYMS: empty space, space, gap 9the condition of not understanding: my mind went a complete blank ◇ SYNONYMS: void, vacuum, vacancy, emptiness, nothingness 10a mark, often a dash, in place of a word 11 draw a blankto get no results from something ▸ vb 12(foll. by out) to cross out, blot, or obscure 13 blank something outto refuse to think about something; clear something from one's mind 14(slang) to ignore: the crowd blanked her for the first four numbers > blankly advblanket n 1a large piece of thick cloth for use as a bed covering ◇ SYNONYMS: cover, rug, coverlet 2a concealing cover, as of smoke, leaves, or snow ◇ SYNONYMS: covering, sheet, coat, layer, carpet, cloak, mantle, thickness ▸ adj 3applying to or covering a wide group or variety of people, conditions, situations, etc.: a blanket ban on all supporters travelling to away matches ▸ vb -keting, -keted 4to cover as if with a blanket ◇ SYNONYMS: coat, cover, hide, mask, conceal, obscure, cloak 5to cover a wide area of; give blanket coverage toblank verse n unrhymed verseblare vb blaring, blared 1to sound loudly and harshly 2to proclaim loudly: the newspaper headlines blared the news ▸ n 3a loud harsh noiseblarney n flattering talkblasé (blah- zay) adj indifferent or bored, esp. through familiarityblaspheme vb -pheming, -phemed 1to speak disrespectfully of (God or sacred things) 2to utter curses > blasphemer nblasphemy n, pl -miesbehaviour or language that shows disrespect for God or sacred things > blasphemous adjblast n 1an explosion, such as that caused by dynamite ◇ SYNONYMS: explosion, crash, burst, discharge, eruption, detonation 2the charge used in a single explosion 3a sudden strong gust of wind or air ◇ SYNONYMS: gust, rush, storm, breeze, puff, gale, tempest (literary), squall 4a sudden loud sound, such as that made by a trumpet ◇ SYNONYMS: blare, blow, scream, trumpet, wail, resound, clamour, toot 5a violent verbal outburst, esp. critical 6(slang) a very enjoyable or thrilling experience: the party was a blast 7 at full blastat maximum speed, volume, etc. ▸ interj 8(slang) an exclamation of annoyance ▸ vb 9to blow up (a rock, tunnel, etc.) with explosives ◇ SYNONYMS: blow up, bomb, destroy, burst, ruin, break up, explode, shatter 10to make or cause to make a loud harsh noise 11to criticize severelyblastoff n 1the launching of a rocket under its own power ▸ vb blast off 2(of a rocket) to be launchedblatant ( blay-tant) adj 1glaringly obvious: a blatant lie ◇ SYNONYMS: obvious, clear, plain, evident, glaring, manifest, noticeable, conspicuous 2offensively noticeable: their blatant disregard for my feelings > blatantly advblaze1 n 1a strong fire or flame ◇ SYNONYMS: inferno, fire, flames, bonfire, combustion, conflagration 2a very bright light or glare ◇ SYNONYMS: flash, glow, glitter, flare, glare, gleam, brilliance, radiance 3an outburst (of passion, patriotism, etc.) ▸ vb blazing, blazed 4to burn fiercely ◇ SYNONYMS: burn, glow, flare, be on fire, go up in flames, be ablaze, fire, flame 5to shine brightly ◇ SYNONYMS: shine, flash, beam, glow, flare, glare, gleam, radiate 6to become stirred, as with anger or excitement 7 blaze awayto shoot continuouslyblaze2 n 1a mark, usually indicating a path, made on a tree 2a light-coloured marking on the face of an animal ▸ vb blazing, blazed 3to mark (a tree, path, etc.) with a blaze 4 blaze a trailto explore new territories, areas of knowledge, etc.blazer n a fairly lightweight jacket, often in the colours of a sports club, school, etc.blazon vb 1to proclaim publicly: the newspaper photographs were blazoned on the front pages 2(heraldry) to describe or colour (heraldic arms) conventionally ▸ n 3(heraldry) a coat of armsbleach vb 1to make or become white or colourless by exposure to sunlight, or by the action of chemical agents ◇ SYNONYMS: lighten, wash out, blanch, whiten ▸ n 2a bleaching agentbleak adj 1exposed and barren ◇ SYNONYMS: exposed, empty, bare, barren, desolate, windswept, weather-beaten, unsheltered 2cold and raw ◇ SYNONYMS: stormy, severe, rough, harsh, tempestuous, intemperate 3offering little hope; dismal: a bleak future ◇ SYNONYMS: dismal, dark, depressing, grim, discouraging, gloomy, hopeless, dreary > bleakly adv > bleakness nbleary adj blearier, bleariest 1with eyes dimmed, by tears or tiredness: a few bleary hacks 2indistinct or unclear > blearily advbleat vb 1(of a sheep, goat, or calf) to utter its plaintive cry 2to whine ▸ n 3the characteristic cry of sheep, goats, and calves 4a weak complaint or whinebleed vb bleeding, bled 1to lose or emit blood ◇ SYNONYMS: lose blood, flow, gush, spurt, shed blood 2to remove or draw blood from (a person or animal) 3(of plants) to exude (sap or resin), esp. from a cut 4(informal) to obtain money, etc. from (someone), esp. by extortion ◇ SYNONYMS: extort, milk, squeeze, drain, exhaust, fleece 5to draw liquid or gas from (a container or enclosed system) 6 my heart bleeds for youI am sorry for you: often used ironicallybleep n 1a short high-pitched signal made by an electronic device 2same as bleeper ▸ vb 3to make a bleeping signal 4to call (someone) by means of a bleeperbleeper n a small portable radio receiver that makes a bleeping signalblemish n 1a defect; flaw; stain ▸ vb 2to spoil or tarnishblench vb to shy away, as in fearblend vb 1to mix or mingle (components) ◇ SYNONYMS: mix, join, combine, compound, merge, unite, mingle, amalgamate 2to mix (different varieties of tea, whisky, etc.) 3to look good together; harmonize ◇ SYNONYMS: go well, match, fit, suit, go with, correspond, complement, coordinate 4(esp. of colours) to shade gradually into each other ▸ n 5a mixture produced by blending ◇ SYNONYMS: mixture, mix, combination, compound, brew, union, synthesis, alloyblender n an electrical kitchen appliance for pureeing vegetables, etc.bless vb blessing, blessedor blest 1to make holy by means of a religious rite ◇ SYNONYMS: sanctify, dedicate, ordain, exalt, anoint, consecrate, hallow 2to give honour or glory to (a person or thing) as holy 3to call upon God to protect ◇ SYNONYMS: sanctify, dedicate, ordain, exalt, anoint, consecrate, hallow 4to worship or adore (God) 5 be blessed withto be endowed with: she is blessed with immense energy 6 bless me!an exclamation of surprise 7 bless you!said to a person who has just sneezedblessed adj 1made holy ◇ SYNONYMS: holy, sacred, divine, adored, revered, hallowed, sanctified, beatified 2(RC Church) (of a person) beatified by the pope 3bringing great happiness or good fortune: he was blessed with good looks 4(euphemistic) damned: I'm blessed if I knowblessing n 1the act of invoking divine protection or aid ◇ SYNONYMS: benediction, grace, dedication, thanksgiving, invocation, commendation, consecration, benison 2approval; good wishes ◇ SYNONYMS: approval, backing, support, agreement, favour, sanction, permission, leave 3a happy eventblether (Scot) vb 1to speak foolishly at length ▸ n 2foolish talk 3a person who blethersblew vb the past tense of blow blight n 1a person or thing that spoils or prevents growth ◇ SYNONYMS: curse, suffering, evil, corruption, pollution, plague (informal), hardship, woe 2any plant disease characterized by withering and shrivelling without rotting ◇ SYNONYMS: disease, pest, fungus, mildew, infestation, pestilence, canker 3a fungus or insect that causes blight in plants ◇ SYNONYMS: disease, pest, fungus, mildew, infestation, pestilence, canker 4an ugly urban district ▸ vb 5to cause to suffer a blight ◇ SYNONYMS: frustrate, destroy, ruin, crush, mar, dash, wreck, spoil, crool or cruel (Austral slang) 6to frustrate or disappoint: blighted love 7to destroy: the event blighted her lifeblighter n (Brit & Austral & NZ informal) a despicable or irritating person or thingblimp n 1a small nonrigid airship 2(films) a soundproof cover fixed over a camera during shootingblind adj 1unable to see ◇ SYNONYMS: sightless, unsighted, unseeing, visionless 2unable or unwilling to understand: she is blind to his faults ◇ SYNONYMS: unaware of, unconscious of, ignorant of, indifferent to, insensitive to, oblivious of, unconcerned about, inconsiderate of 3not determined by reason: blind hatred ◇ SYNONYMS: unquestioning, prejudiced, wholesale, indiscriminate, uncritical, unreasoning, undiscriminating 4acting or performed without control or preparation 5done without being able to see, relying on instruments for information 6hidden from sight: a blind corner 7closed at one end: a blind alley 8completely lacking awareness or consciousness: a blind stupor 9having no openings: a blind wall ▸ adv 10without being able to see ahead or using only instruments: flying blind 11without adequate information: we bought the house blind 12 blind drunk(informal) very drunk ▸ vb 13to deprive of sight permanently or temporarily 14to deprive of good sense, reason, or judgment 15to darken; conceal 16to overwhelm by showing detailed knowledge: he tried to blind us with science ▸ n 17a shade for a window 18any obstruction or hindrance to sight, light, or air 19a person, action, or thing that serves to deceive or conceal the truth > blinding adj > blindly adv > blindness nblindfold vb 1to prevent (a person or animal) from seeing by covering the eyes ▸ n 2a piece of cloth used to cover the eyes ▸ adj, adv 3having the eyes covered with a clothblink vb 1to close and immediately reopen (the eyes), usually involuntarily ◇ SYNONYMS: flutter, wink, bat 2to shine intermittently or unsteadily ◇ SYNONYMS: flash, flicker, wink, shimmer, twinkle, glimmer ▸ n 3the act or an instance of blinking 4a glance; glimpse 5 on the blink(slang) not working properly ◇ SYNONYMS on the blink: not working (properly), faulty, defective, playing up, out of action, malfunctioning, out of orderblinkers pl n (Brit & Austral) leather side pieces attached to a horse's bridle to prevent sideways visionblip n 1a repetitive sound, such as the kind produced by an electronic device 2the spot of light on a radar screen indicating the position of an object 3a temporary irregularity in the performance of somethingbliss n 1perfect happiness; serene joy ◇ SYNONYMS: joy, ecstasy, euphoria, rapture, nirvana, felicity, gladness, blissfulness 2the joy of heaven ◇ SYNONYMS: beatitude, blessedness > blissful adj > blissfully advblister n 1a small bubble on the skin filled with a watery fluid ◇ SYNONYMS: sore, boil, swelling, cyst, pimple, carbuncle, pustule 2a swelling containing air or liquid, such as on a painted surface ▸ vb 3to have or cause to have blisters 4to attack verbally with great scorn > blistering adjblithe adj 1heedless; casual and indifferent 2very happy or cheerful > blithely advblitz n 1a violent and sustained attack by enemy aircraft ◇ SYNONYMS: attack, strike, assault, raid, offensive, onslaught, bombardment, bombing campaign 2any intensive attack or concerted effort ▸ vb 3to attack suddenly and intensivelyblizzard n a blinding storm of wind and snowbloat vb 1to cause to swell, as with a liquid or air 2to cause to be puffed up, as with conceit 3to cure (fish, esp. herring) by half drying in smoke > bloated adjbloater n (Brit) a herring that has been salted in brine, smoked, and curedblob n 1a soft mass or drop 2a spot of colour, ink, etc. 3an indistinct or shapeless form or objectbloc n a group of people or countries combined by a common interest ◇ SYNONYMS: group, union, league, alliance, coalition, axisblock n 1a large solid piece of wood, stone, etc. ◇ SYNONYMS: piece, bar, mass, brick, lump, chunk, hunk, ingot 2such a piece on which particular tasks may be done, as chopping, cutting, etc. 3a large building of offices, flats, etc. 4a group of buildings in a city bounded by intersecting streets on each side 5an obstruction or hindrance: a writer with a block ◇ SYNONYMS: obstruction, bar, barrier, obstacle, impediment, hindrance 6one of a set of wooden or plastic cubes as a child's toy 7(slang) a person's head 8a piece of wood, metal, etc. engraved for printing 9a casing housing one or more freely rotating pulleys 10a quantity considered as a single unit ▸ vb 11to obstruct or impede by introducing an obstacle: lorry drivers had blocked the routes to Paris ◇ SYNONYMS: obstruct, close, stop, plug, choke, clog, stop up, bung up (informal) 12to impede, retard, or prevent (an action or procedure) 13to stamp (a title or design) on (a book cover, etc.) 14(cricket) to play (a ball) defensively > blockage nblockade n 1(military) the closing off of a port or region to prevent the passage of goods ◇ SYNONYMS: stoppage, block, barrier, restriction, obstacle, barricade, obstruction, impediment ▸ vb -ading, -aded 2to impose a blockade onblockhead n a stupid person > blockheaded adjblockie n (Austral) an owner of a small property, esp. a farmblock letter n a plain capital letter. Also called: block capitalblog n 1a journal written online and accessible to users of the internet. Full name: weblog▸ vb blogging, blogged 2to write a blog > blogger n > blogging nblogosphere n (informal) a collective term for the weblogs on the internetbloke n (Brit & Austral & NZ informal) a man ◇ SYNONYMS: man, person, individual, character (informal), guy (informal), fellow (old-fashioned), chap > blokeish or blokey adjblonde or (masc) blond adj 1(of hair) fair ◇ SYNONYMS: fair, light, flaxen 2(of a person) having fair hair and a light complexion ◇ SYNONYMS: fair-haired, golden-haired, tow-headed ▸ n 3a person having light-coloured hair and skin > blondeness or (masc) blondness nblood n 1a reddish fluid in vertebrates that is pumped by the heart through the arteries and veins. RELATED ADJECTIVE: haemal◇ SYNONYMS: lifeblood, gore, vital fluid 2bloodshed, esp. when resulting in murder: they were responsible for the spilling of blood throughout the country 3lifeblood 4relationship through being of the same family, race, or kind; kinship ◇ SYNONYMS: family, relations, birth, descent, extraction, ancestry, lineage, kinship 5 the bloodroyal or noble descent: a prince of the blood 6 flesh and blood Anear kindred or kinship, esp. that between a parent and child Bhuman nature: it's more than flesh and blood can stand 7 in one's bloodas a natural or inherited characteristic or talent 8newcomers viewed as an invigorating force: new blood 9 in cold bloodshowing no passion; ruthlessly 10 make one's blood boilto cause one to be angry or indignant 11 make one's blood run coldto fill one with horror ▸ vb 12(hunting) to cause (young hounds) to taste the blood of a freshly killed quarry 13to initiate (a person) to war or huntingblood bath n a massacrebloodhound n a large hound, formerly used in tracking and police workbloodless adj 1without blood: bloodless surgery 2conducted without violence: a bloodless coup 3anaemic-looking; pale 4lacking vitality; lifeless: the bloodless ambience of supermarketsbloodshed n slaughter; killing ◇ SYNONYMS: killing, murder, massacre, slaughter, slaying, carnage, butchery, blood-lettingbloodshot adj (of an eye) inflamedblood sport n any sport involving the killing of an animalbloodstream n the flow of blood through the vessels of a living bodybloodsucker n 1an animal that sucks blood, esp. a leech 2(informal) a person who preys upon another person, esp. by extorting moneybloodthirsty adj -thirstier, -thirstiesttaking pleasure in bloodshed or violencebloody adj bloodier, bloodiest 1covered with blood ◇ SYNONYMS: bloodstained, raw, bleeding, blood-soaked, blood-spattered 2marked by much killing and bloodshed: a bloody war 3cruel or murderous: a bloody tyrant ◇ SYNONYMS: cruel, fierce, savage, brutal, vicious, ferocious, cut-throat, warlike ▸ adj, adv 4(slang) extreme or extremely: a bloody fool; a bloody good idea ▸ vb bloodies, bloodying, bloodied 5to stain with bloodbloody-minded adj (Brit & NZ informal) deliberately obstructive and unhelpfulbloom n 1a blossom on a flowering plant ◇ SYNONYMS: flower, bud, blossom 2the state or period when flowers open 3a healthy or flourishing condition; prime ◇ SYNONYMS: prime, flower, beauty, height, peak, flourishing, heyday, zenith 4a youthful or healthy glow ◇ SYNONYMS: glow, freshness, lustre, radiance 5a fine whitish coating on the surface of fruits or leaves ▸ vb 6(of flowers) to open ◇ SYNONYMS: flower, blossom, open, bud 7to bear flowers 8to flourish or grow ◇ SYNONYMS: succeed, flourish, thrive, prosper, fare well 9to be in a healthy, glowing conditionbloomer n (Brit informal) a stupid mistake; blunderbloomers pl n 1(informal) women's baggy knickers 2(formerly) loose trousers gathered at the knee, worn by womenblossom n 1the flower or flowers of a plant, esp. producing edible fruit ◇ SYNONYMS: flower, bloom, bud, efflorescence, floret 2the period of flowering ▸ vb 3(of plants) to flower ◇ SYNONYMS: flower, bloom, bud 4to come to a promising stage ◇ SYNONYMS: succeed, progress, thrive, flourish, prosper