Collins Dictionaries - Collins First Dictionary

We have always been good friends.

beetle noun beetles

A beetle is an insect with hard wings that cover its body when it is not flying.

before

If one thing happens before another thing, it happens earlier than it.

My birthday is just before his.

began

Look at begin.

She began to laugh.

begin verb begins, beginning, began, begun

If you begin to do something, you start to do it.

You can begin to write now.

begun

Look at begin.

He has begun to play the piano.

behave verb behaves, behaving, behaved

1 The way you behave is the way that you do and say things.

She behaves like a baby.

2 If you behave yourself, you are good.

You can come if you behave yourself.

behind

If something is behind another thing, it is at the back of it.

He stood behind his desk.

believe verb believes, believing, believed

If you believe something, you think that it is true.

I don’t believe that story.

bell noun bells

A bell is a piece of metal in the shape of a cup that rings when you shake it or hit it.

belong verb belongs, belonging, belonged

1 If something belongs to you, it is yours.

The book belongs to her.

2 If you belong to a group of people, you are one of them.

He belongs to our team.

3 If something belongs somewhere, that is where it should be.

Your toys belong in your room.

below

If something is below another thing, it is lower down than it.

His shoes were below his bed.

belt noun belts

A belt is a band of leather or cloth that you wear around your waist.

bench noun benches

A bench is a long seat that two or more people can sit on.

bend verb bends, bending, bent

When you bend something, you change its shape so that it is not straight any more.

Bend your legs when you do this exercise.

beneath

If something is beneath another thing, it is below it.

The dog was beneath the table.

bent

Look at bend.

He bent to pick up the bags.

berry noun berries

A berry is a small, soft fruit that grows on a bush or a tree.

beside

If something is beside another thing, it is next to it.

He sat down beside me.

best

If you say that something is best, you mean that it is better than all the others.

You are my best friend.

better

1 You use better to mean that a thing is very good compared to another thing.

His painting is better than mine.

2 If you feel better, you do not feel ill any more.

I feel much better today.

between

If you are between two things, one of them is on one side of you and the other is on the other side.

She stood between her two brothers.

bicycle noun bicycles

A bicycle is a vehicle with two wheels. You push the pedals with your feet to make the wheels turn.

big adjective bigger, biggest

A person or thing that is big is large in size.

She lives in a big house.

bike noun bikes

A bike is a bicycle or motorbike.

bin noun bins

A bin is a container that you put rubbish in.

bird noun birds

A bird is an animal with feathers, wings, and a beak. Most birds can fly.

birthday noun birthdays

Your birthday is the date that you were born.

She gave me a present on my birthday.

biscuit noun biscuits

A biscuit is a kind of small, hard, dry cake.

bit noun bits

A bit of something is a small amount of it, or a small part of it.

I ate a bit of bread.

bite verb bites, biting, bit, bitten

If you bite something, you use your teeth to cut into it.

The dog tried to bite him.

black noun/adjective

Black is the colour of the sky at night.

The car is black.

blackboard noun blackboards

A blackboard is a flat, black surface that you write on with chalk in a classroom.

blade noun blades

A blade is the flat, sharp part of a knife that you use to cut things.

blame verb blames, blaming, blamed

If you blame someone for something bad, you think that they made it happen.

Mum blamed me for making the mess.

blanket noun blankets

A blanket is a large, thick piece of cloth that you put on a bed to keep you warm.

blew

Look at blow.

The wind blew outside.

blind adjective

Someone who is blind cannot see.

block noun blocks

A block of something is a large piece of it with straight sides.

We made a house with blocks of wood.

blood noun

Blood is the red liquid that moves around inside your body.

blouse noun blouses

A blouse is something a girl or woman can wear. It covers the top part of the body and has buttons down the front.

blow verb blows, blowing, blew, blown

1 When the wind blows, it moves the air.

2 When you blow, you push air out of your mouth.

He blew on his hands to keep them warm.

blue noun/adjective

Blue is the colour of the sky on a sunny day.

Her dress is blue.

blunt adjective blunter, bluntest

Something that is blunt does not have a sharp point or edge.

My pencil is blunt.

boat noun boats

A boat is a small vehicle that carries people on water.

body noun bodies