# dict

Words: auspices
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1700-1800; Origin: auspice  ’telling the future by watching the behavior of birds, good influence’ (16-19 centuries), from  Latin auspicium, from  avis  ’bird’ +  specere  ’to look at’]//  under the auspices of sb/sth//   formal with the help and support of a particular organization or person//  --negotiations held under the auspices of the United Nations//


Words: auspicious
Meaning:
adj  formal   showing that something is likely to be successful//  → inauspicious//  auspicious start/beginning //  --Saccani’s excellent recording is an auspicious start to what promises to be a distinguished musical career.//  -- auspiciously adv //


Words: Aussie
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin: Australian]//   informal someone from Australia//  -- Aussie adj //


Words: Austen
Meaning:
Jane   (1775-1817) a British writer who wrote in a clever and amusing way about the way of life of English  middle class people of her time. Her novels, which are among the most important works of English literature, include  Pride and Prejudice , Sense and Sensibility, and  Emma.//


Words: austere
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Latin; Origin: austerus, from  Greek austeros  ’severe’]//\n  1 plain and simple and without any decoration:  --the church’s austere simplicity//\n  2 someone who is austere is very strict and serious - used to show disapproval:  --Her father is a very austere man.//\n  3 an austere way of life is very simple and has few things to make it comfortable or enjoyable:  --Cuthbert led an austere life of prayer and solitude.//  -- austerely adv //


Words: austerity
Meaning:
n   plural  austerities //\n  1 [C usually plural, U] bad economic conditions in which people do not have much money to spend:  --a time of great austerity after the war//  --the austerities of post-communist Eastern Europe//\n  2 [U] when a government has a deliberate policy of trying to reduce the amount of money it spends:  austerity programme/plan/package //  --a tough new austerity programme//  --IMF-backed austerity measures  (=reductions in government spending) //\n  3 [U] the quality of being austere:  --a life of austerity//


Words: Australasia
Meaning:
the group of islands in the southern Pacific Ocean, including Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea//  -- Australasian n  adj //


Words: Australia
Meaning:
a large island between the Indian Ocean and the southern Pacific Ocean, which is both a country and a  continent (=one of the seven main areas of land on the earth) . Population: 19,300,000 (2001). Capital: Canberra. //


Words: Australia Day
Meaning:
a national holiday in Australia on or near 26 January each year, in memory of when the British first came to Australia in 1788 //


Words: Australian Capital Territory
Meaning:
the Australian Capital Territory//  an area in southeast Australia that includes the capital city Canberra and Jervis Bay//


Words: Austria
Meaning:
a country in central Europe, southeast of Germany and northwest of Hungary. Population: 8,100,000 (2001). Capital: Vienna. //


Words: autarchy
Meaning:
especially BrE  autarky AmE   n   plural  autarchies  [U and C] //  [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Greek; Origin: autarchia, from  auto- (  AUTO-) +  -archia (  -ARCHY)]//   formal a policy in which a country or area does not want or need goods, food etc from any other country or area, or a country which has this policy//


Words: authentic
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: autentique, from  Late Latin, from  Greek authentikos, from  authentes  ’person who did a particular thing’]//\n  1 done or made in the traditional or original way:   genuine//  --authentic French food//\n  2 a painting, document, book etc that is authentic has been proved to be by a particular person:   genuine//  --an authentic work by Picasso//\n  3 based on facts:  --an authentic account//\n  4 used to describe a copy that is the same as, or as good as, the original:  --Actors dressed in authentic costumes re-enact the battle.//  -- authentically/-kli/ adv //


Words: authenticate
Meaning:
v [T]   to prove that something is true or real//  --The painting has been authenticated by experts.//  --passwords which can authenticate electronic documents//  -- authentication/[hA350][hA359][hA35F]ent[hA369]ke[hA366][hA35D][hA368]n $ [hA361][hA359]-/ n  [U] //


Words: authenticity
Meaning:
n [U]   the quality of being real or true//  authenticity of//  --Archaeological evidence may help to establish the authenticity of the statue.//


Words: author
Meaning:
W2   n [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old North French; Origin: auctour, from  Latin auctor  ’maker, writer’, from  augere;   AUGMENT]//\n  1 someone who has written a book:   writer//  --Nothomb is a Belgian author.//  author of//  --He was the author of two books on China.//  --It’s clear that the author is a woman.//\n  2  formal the person who starts a plan or idea:  author of//  --the author of the state reforms//  -- authorial/[hA350][hA359][hA35F][hA350][hA359]ri[hA353]l $ [hA361][hA359]-/ adj  [only before noun] //\nauthor 2 v [T]   to be the writer of a book, report etc//


Words: authoring
Meaning:
n [U]   the activity of writing and designing websites//  --Here are a few tips on authoring and site design.//


Words: authoritarian
Meaning:
adj   strictly forcing people to obey a set of rules or laws, especially ones that are wrong or unfair//  --an authoritarian government//  --Critics claim his management has become too authoritarian.//  -- authoritarian n  [C] //  -- authoritarianism n  [U] //


Words: authoritative
Meaning:
adj \n  1 an authoritative book, account etc is respected because the person who wrote it knows a lot about the subject:  --the most authoritative work on English surnames//\n  2 behaving or speaking in a confident, determined way that makes people respect and obey you:  --He has a commanding presence and an authoritative voice.//  -- authoritatively adv //


Words: authority
Meaning:
W1   n   plural  authorities //  ----------//\n   1 power:\n   2 the authorities:\n   3 organization:\n   4 expert:\n   5 permission:\n   6 authority figure:\n   7 personal quality:\n   8 I have it on good authority:\n   9 speak with authority:  ----------//  [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: auctorite, from  Latin auctoritas  ’opinion, decision, power’, from  auctor;   AUTHOR1]//\n  1 POWER:   [U] the power you have because of your official position//  --people in positions of authority //  in authority//  --Could I speak to someone in authority (=who has a position of power) please?//  authority over//  --Several countries claim authority over the islands.//  authority to do sth//  --The court held that school officials have the authority to dismiss teachers.//\n  2  the authorities:  the people or organizations that are in charge of a particular country or area//  --an agreement between the US and Columbian authorities//\n  3 ORGANIZATION:   [C] an official organization or a government department that has the power to make decisions, and has particular responsibilities//  --the local authority //  --East Sussex Education Authority//  --the San Diego Water Authority//  --Welsh health authorities face a [hA124]13m deficit this year.//\n  4 EXPERT:   [C] someone who knows a lot about a subject and whose knowledge and opinions are greatly respected//  authority on//  --Mr Li is a leading authority on Chinese food.//\n  5 PERMISSION:   [U and C] official permission to do something//  under the authority of sb//  --The attack took place under the authority of the UN security council.//  without sb’s authority//  --No one may enter without my authority.//\n  6  authority figure:  someone who has a position of power, especially because of their job//  --teenage rebellion against authority figures//\n  7 PERSONAL QUALITY:   [U] a quality in the way you speak or behave which makes people obey you//  --Jack’s air of quiet authority//\n  8  I have it on good authority:  used to say that you are sure that something is true because you trust the person who told you about it//\n  9  speak with authority:  to be sure of what you are saying, because of your knowledge or experience//


Words: authorization
Meaning:
also  authorisation BrE   n [U and C]   official permission to do something, or the document giving this permission//   authority//  --You need special authorization to park here.//  --Children may not leave the building without the authorization of the principal.//


Words: authorize
Meaning:
also  authorise BrE   v [T]   to give official permission for something//  --an authorized biography//  authorize sb to do sth//  --Napoleon III authorized Haussmann to rebuild Paris.//


Words: authorship
Meaning:
n [U] \n  1 the fact that you have written a particular book, document etc:  --There’s no evidence to dispute his claim to authorship.//  authorship of//  --an investigation into the authorship of the Bible//\n  2  formal the profession of writing books:


Words: autism
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1900-2000; Language: Greek; Origin: autos;   AUTO-]//  a mental disorder (=problem)  that makes people unable to communicate properly, or to form relationships//  -- autistic/[hA350][hA359]t[hA366]st[hA366]k $ [hA361][hA359]-/ adj //  --an autistic child//


Words: auto
Meaning:
n   plural  autos  [C] //  [Date: 1800-1900; Origin: automobile]//  a car//  --imported autos//  --the auto industry//  --auto insurance//


Words: auto-
Meaning:
prefix   [Language: Greek; Origin: autos  ’same, self’]//\n  1 of or by yourself:  --an autobiography//\n  2 working by itself:  --a camera with an auto-focus lens//


Words: auto-immune disease
Meaning:
n [U]   a condition in which substances that normally prevent illness in the body attack and harm parts of it instead//


Words: autobiography
Meaning:
n   plural  autobiographies //  [U and C] a book in which someone writes about their own life, or books of this type//    biography//  -- autobiographical/[hA350][hA359]t[hA353]ba[hA366][hA353]gr[zB024]f[hA366]k[hA368]l $ [hA361][hA359]-/ adj //  --an autobiographical novel (=one based on the author’s own experiences) //


Words: autocracy
Meaning:
n   plural  autocracies //  [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Greek; Origin: autokrateia, from  auto- (  AUTO-) +  -krateia (  -CRACY)]//\n  1 [U] a system of government in which one person or group has unlimited power:\n  2 [C] a country or organization that is completely controlled by one powerful person or group:


Words: autocrat
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 someone who makes decisions and gives orders to people without asking them for their opinion:\n  2 a ruler who has complete power over a country:  -- autocratic/[hA350][hA359]t[hA353]kr[zB024]t[hA366]k[hA36B] $ [hA361][hA359]-/ adj //  --an autocratic leadership style//  -- autocratically/-kli/ adv //


Words: Autocue
Meaning:
n [C]  trademark   a machine that shows the words that someone must say while they are speaking in public, especially on television//


Words: autograph
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Late Latin; Origin: autographum, from  Latin autographus  ’written with your own hand’, from  Greek, from  auto- (  AUTO-) +  -graphos  ’written’]//  a famous person’s signature that they give to someone who admires them//  --Can I have your autograph?//  --a player who would always sign autographs and chat with fans//\nautograph 2 v [T]   if a famous person autographs a book, photograph etc, they sign it//  --a shirt autographed by the whole team//


Words: automate
Meaning:
v [T]   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin: automation]//  to start using computers and machines to do a job, rather than people//  --Cash machines automate two basic functions of a bank - deposits and withdrawals.//


Words: automated
Meaning:
adj   using computers and machines to do a job, rather than people//  --a highly automated factory//  --The production process is now fully automated .//


Words: automatic
Meaning:
S3   adj   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: Greek; Origin: automatos  ’acting by itself’, from  auto- (  AUTO-)]//\n  1 an automatic machine is designed to work without needing someone to operate it for each part of a process:  --an automatic weapon//  --an automatic gearbox//  --My camera is fully automatic .//\n  2 something that is automatic always happens as a result of something you have done, especially because of a rule or law:  --Littering results in an automatic fine.//\n  3 done without thinking, especially because you have done the same thing many times before:  --Practise the breathing techniques until they become automatic.//\nautomatic 2 n [C] \n  1 a weapon that can fire bullets continuously:\n  2 a car with a system of gears that operate themselves without the driver needing to change them:


Words: automatic pilot
Meaning:
n [U and C] \n  1 a machine that flies a plane by itself without the need for a pilot:\n  2  be on automatic pilot:  to do something without thinking about it, especially because you have done it many times before//  --Moving on automatic pilot, she tidied the room.//


Words: automatically
Meaning:
W3S3   adv \n  1 as the result of a situation or action, and without you having to do anything more:  --Join now and you will automatically receive 50% off your first purchase.//\n  2 without thinking about what you are doing:  --Of course I automatically said yes.//\n  3 by the action of a machine, without a person making it work:  --The doors opened automatically as we approached.//


Words: automation
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin: automatic]//  the use of computers and machines instead of people to do a job//    automated//


Words: automaton
Meaning:
n   plural  automata /-t[hA353]/ or  automatons  [C] //  [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Latin; Origin: Greek, from  automatos;   AUTOMATIC1]//\n  1 a machine, especially one in the shape of a human, that moves without anyone controlling it:   robot//\n  2 someone who seems unable to feel emotions or to think about what they are doing:


Words: automobile
Meaning:
n [C]   fog lamp, headlight, indicator, mirror//  [Date: 1800-1900; Language: French; Origin: auto- +  mobile]//   AmE a car//  --the automobile industry//


Words: autonomous
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Greek; Origin: autonomos  ’independent’, from  auto- (  AUTO-) +  nomos  ’law’]//\n  1 an autonomous place or organization is free to govern or control itself:   independent//  an autonomous region/state/republic etc //  --Galicia is an autonomous region of Spain.//\n  2  formal having the ability to work and make decisions by yourself without any help from anyone else:   independent//  -- autonomously adv //


Words: autonomy
Meaning:
n [U] \n  1 freedom that a place or an organization has to govern or control itself:   independence//  --campaigners who want greater autonomy for Corsica//\n  2 the ability or opportunity to make your own decisions without being controlled by anyone else:   independence//  --Teachers are given considerable individual autonomy.//


Words: autopsy
Meaning:
n   plural  autopsies  [C]  especially AmE //  [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Greek; Origin: autopsia  ’act of seeing with your own eyes’, from  auto- (  AUTO-) +  opsis  ’sight’]//  an examination of a dead body to discover the cause of death//  British Equivalent:  post mortem//  --an autopsy report//


Words: autumn
Meaning:
n  also fall  AmE [U and C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Latin; Origin: autumnus]//  the season between summer and winter, when leaves change colour and the weather becomes cooler//  --autumn mists//


Words: auxiliary
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Latin; Origin: auxiliaris, from  auxilium  ’help’]//\n  1 auxiliary workers provide additional help for another group of workers:  --an auxiliary nurse//  --auxiliary staff//\n  2 an auxiliary motor, piece of equipment etc is kept ready to be used if the main one stops working properly:  --an auxiliary power supply//  --auxiliary equipment//\nauxiliary 2   plural  auxiliaries  n [C] //\n  1 a worker who provides additional help for another group of workers:  --a nursing auxiliary//\n  2 an auxiliary verb:  --a modal auxiliary//


Words: auxiliary verb
Meaning:
n [C]   a verb that is used with another verb to show its tense, person, mood etc. In English the auxiliary verbs are ’be’, ’do’, and ’have’ (as in ’I am running’, ’I didn’t go’, ’they have gone’) and all the modals//


Words: avail
Meaning:
n   be to/of no avail//  if something you do is to no avail or of no avail, you do not succeed in getting what you want//  --We searched the whole area but all to no avail. Robbie had disappeared.//\navail 2 v   [Date: 1200-1300; Origin: vail  ’to be of use’ (13-17 centuries), from  Old French valoir]//  avail yourself of sth//   formal to accept an offer or use an opportunity to do something//  --How many schools avail themselves of this opportunity each year?//


Words: available
Meaning:
adj \n  1 something that is available is able to be used or can easily be bought or found:  --Tickets are available from the box office.//  available to//  --Not enough data is available to scientists.//  available to do sth//  --Funds are available to assist teachers who want to attend the conference.//  available for//  --No figures are available for the number of goods sold.//  available in//  --There are plenty of jobs available in the area.//  readily/widely available (=very easy to obtain) //  --Parking is readily available near the station entrance.//  --Meetings were held to update employees as soon as new information became available .//  --Further building can continue when money is made available .//  -- Every available space on the wall was covered in pictures.//\n  2 [not before noun] someone who is available is not busy and has enough time to talk to you:  --Collins was not available for comment on Thursday night.//\n  3 someone who is available does not have a wife, boyfriend etc, and therefore may want to start a new romantic relationship with someone else:  -- availability/[hA353]ve[hA366]l[hA353]b[hA366]l[hA369]ti/ n  [U] //  --the availability of affordable housing//  --Rooms are offered subject to availability.//


Words: avalanche
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: French; Origin: French dialect lavantse,  avalantse]//\n  1 a large mass of snow, ice, and rocks that falls down the side of a mountain:  --Two skiers were killed in the avalanche.//\n  2  an avalanche of sth:  a very large number of things such as letters, messages etc that arrive suddenly at the same time//  --The school received an avalanche of applications.//


Words: Avalon
Meaning:
Avallon  according to old stories about King  Arthur, a holy island, which some people believe is near Glastonbury in southwest England, where Arthur was buried.//


Words: avant-garde
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1900-2000; Language: French; Origin: ’vanguard’]//\n  1 avant-garde music, literature etc is extremely modern and often seems strange or slightly shocking:  --an avant-garde play//\n  2  the avant-garde:  the group of artists, writers etc who produce avant-garde books, paintings etc//  --a member of the avant-garde//


Words: avarice
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: Latin avaritia, from  avarus  ’avaricious’, from  avere  ’to want to have’]//   formal a desire to have a lot of money that is considered to be too strong//   greed//  -- avaricious/[zB024]v[hA353]r[hA366][hA35D][hA353]s/ adj //  -- avariciously adv //


Words: avatar
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: Sanskrit; Origin: avatara  ’descent’, from  avatarati  ’he or she comes down’]//\n  1  literary a person or animal who is really a god in human or animal form:\n  2  formal a person who represents an idea or quality:\n  3 a picture of a person or animal that represents you on a computer screen, for example in some chat rooms or when you are playing games over the Internet:


Words: avenge
Meaning:
v [T]   [Date: 1300-1400; Origin: venge  ’to avenge’ (13-20 centuries), from  Old French venger;   VENGEANCE]//   literary to do something to hurt or punish someone because they have harmed or offended you//  --He wanted to avenge his brother’s death.//  -- avenger n  [C] //


Words: avenue
Meaning:
S3   n [C]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: French; Origin: avenir  ’to come up to’, from  Latin advenire;   ADVENTURE]//\n  1  Avenue:  used in the names of streets in a town or city//  --Fifth Avenue//  --Shaftesbury Avenue//\n  2 a possible way of achieving something:  --The president wants to explore every avenue towards peace in the region.//  --There are many avenues open to researchers.//\n  3  BrE a road or broad path between two rows of trees, especially one leading to a big house:  --a tree-lined avenue//


Words: aver
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  averred present participle  averring  [T] //  [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: averer, from  Medieval Latin adverare  ’to show to be true’,  from  Latin ad-  ’to’ +  verus  ’true’]//   formal to say something firmly and strongly because you are sure that it is true//   declare//


Words: average
Meaning:
adj \n  1 the average amount is the amount you get when you add together several quantities and divide this by the total number of quantities:  --The age of the candidates ranged from 29 to 49 with an average age of 37.//  --The average cost of making a movie has risen by 15%.//  --Last winter was colder than average.//  --The cars were being sold at an average price of $11000.//\n  2 an average amount or quantity is not unusually big or small:  --They have an average-size front garden and a large rear garden.//  of average height/build/intelligence etc//  --He was in his late twenties and of average height.//\n  3 having qualities that are typical of most people or things:  --The average American has not even thought about next year’s election.//  --In an average week I drive about 250 miles.//\n  4 neither very good nor very bad:\naverage 2 S2 n   [Date: 1700-1800; Origin: average  ’(fair sharing out of costs resulting from) damage to or loss of a ship or the goods it carries’ (15-20 centuries), from  French avarie, from  Arabic ’awariyah  ’damaged goods’]//\n  1 [C] the amount calculated by adding together several quantities, and then dividing this amount by the total number of quantities:  average of//  --The average of 3, 8 and 10 is 7.//  --Each person raised an average of [hA124]60 to plant an acre of trees.//  --The December figures brought the annual average for 2001 up to 10.6 per cent.//\n  2  on average:  based on a calculation about how many times something usually happens, how much money someone usually gets, how often people usually do something etc//  --On average, men still earn more than women.//  --Nearly 80% of Swiss citizens on average turn out to vote.//\n  3 [U and C] the usual level or amount for most people or things:  --Streets in the town centre are wider than the average.//  above/below average//  --The school’s eighth-graders are above average in science.//  --The murder rate in the city has risen to four times the national average .//    law of averages at law(9)//\naverage 3 v [linking verb] \n  1 to usually do something or usually happen a particular number of times, or to usually be a particular size or amount:  --The water in the lake is not particularly deep, averaging about 12 metres.//  --The airport averages about a thousand flights a month.//  --Inflation averaged just under 2.8% per year.//\n  2 to calculate the average of figures:  --The rate of growth was averaged over a period of three years.//  average out phr v//\n  1 if something averages out at a particular figure, it has that figure as an average over a period of time:  average out at//  --Training costs for last year averaged out at [hA124]5,100 per trainee.//  --The government’s share of the cost was intended to average out at 25%.//\n  2  average sth → out:  to calculate the average of something//  --I averaged out the total increase at about 10%.//


Words: averse
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: , past participle of  avertere;   AVERT]//\n  1  not be averse to sth:  to quite enjoy something, especially something that is slightly wrong or bad for you//  --I was not averse to fighting with any boy who challenged me.//\n  2  formal unwilling to do something or not liking something:  be averse to (doing) sth//  --Jim is averse to using chemicals in the garden//  --Some banks are risk averse  (=do not like taking a risk) .//


Words: aversion
Meaning:
n [singular, U]   a strong dislike of something or someone//   hatred//  aversion to//  --Despite his aversion to publicity, Arnold was persuaded to talk to the press.//  have an aversion to sth//  --I have an aversion to housework.//


Words: avert
Meaning:
v [T]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: avertir, from  Latin avertere, from  ad-  ’to’ +  vertere  ’to turn’]//\n  1 to prevent something unpleasant from happening:  --The tragedy could have been averted if the crew had followed safety procedures.//\n  2  avert your eyes/gaze etc:  to look away from something so that you do not see it//  --Henry averted his eyes as she undressed.//


Words: Avery
Meaning:
Frederick (Tex)   (1907-1980) a US cartoon film animator famous for developing the character Bugs Bunny//


Words: aviary
Meaning:
n   plural  aviaries  [C] //  [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: aviarium, from  avis  ’bird’]//  a large cage where birds are kept//


Words: aviation
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: French; Origin: Latin avis;   AVIARY]//\n  1 the science or practice of flying in aircraft:\n  2 the industry that makes aircraft:


Words: avid
Meaning:
adj [only before noun]   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: French; Origin: avide, from  Latin avidus, from  avere;   AVARICE]//  doing something as much as possible//   keen//  --an avid collector of old jazz records//  --an avid reader//


Words: avionics
Meaning:
n [U]  technical   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin: aviation +  electronics]//  the electronic equipment used in aircraft and the science of developing it//


Words: avocado
Meaning:
n  also avocado pear   plural  avocados  [C] //  [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Spanish; Origin: aguacate  ’avocado’, from  Nahuatl ahuacatl  ’testicle, avocado’; influenced by  Spanish avocado  ’lawyer’]//  a fruit with a thick green or dark purple skin that is green inside and has a large seed in the middle//


Words: avoid
Meaning:
W1S2   v [T]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: esvuidier, from  vuidier  ’to empty’]//\n  1 to prevent something bad from happening:  --Road safety is taught to young children to avoid road accidents.//  --It is important to take measures to avoid the risk of fire.//  avoid doing sth//  --The refugees left to avoid getting bombed.//  --Alan narrowly avoided an accident.//\n  2 to stay away from someone or something, or not use something:  --Everyone seemed to be avoiding Nick.//  --She carefully avoided his eyes (=did not look directly at his face) .//  --Pregnant women should avoid certain foods such as raw eggs.//  --Why did you speak to him? You usually avoid him like the plague  (=try hard to avoid him) .//\n  3 to deliberately not do something, especially something wrong, dangerous, or harmful:  --There are ways of legally avoiding taxes.//  avoid doing sth//  --You should avoid over-spending in the first half of the year.//


Words: avoidable
Meaning:
adj   something bad that is avoidable can be avoided or prevented//  --an almost entirely avoidable cause of death//  --Nearly 1,000 children die each year from accidents in the home which are avoidable.//


Words: avoidance
Meaning:
n [U]   the act of avoiding someone or something//  avoidance of//  --the avoidance of issues such as domestic violence//  --a tax avoidance scheme (=legal way of not paying tax) //


Words: avoirdupois
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: avoir de pois  ’goods of weight’]//  the system of weighing things that uses the standard measures of the ounce, pound, and ton//    metric system//


Words: Avon
Meaning:
1 a river in south central England that flows through Stratford-upon-Avon:\n  2 a former county in south-west England:


Words: avow
Meaning:
v [T]   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: avouer, from  Latin advocare;   ADVOCATE2]//   formal to make a public statement about something you believe in//  --He avowed his commitment to Marxist ideals.//  -- avowal n  [U and C] //


Words: avuncular
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Latin; Origin: avunculus;   UNCLE]//  behaving in a kind and nice way to someone who is younger, rather like an uncle//  --an avuncular pat on the shoulder//


Words: aw shucks
Meaning:
interjection  AmE   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin:  aw  ’oh’ 1800-1900 Natural sound]//  used in a joking way to show that you feel embarrassed or sad//


Words: AWACS
Meaning:
n \n  1 Airborne Warning and Control System a type of  radar used by special US military aircraft, which makes it possible for them to find out the position of enemy aircraft and the direction they are travelling in when they are still very far away:\n  2 an aircraft that uses this system:


Words: await
Meaning:
v [T]   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old North French; Origin: awaitier, from  waitier;   WAIT1]//\n  1 to wait for something:  --Several men are awaiting trial for robbery. see usage note  wait1 //\n  2 if a situation, event etc awaits you, it is going to happen in the future:  --A terrible surprise awaited them at Mr Tumnus’ house.//


Words: awake
Meaning:
S3   adj [not before noun] \n  1 not sleeping:  --I hope he’s awake now.//  --She was still only half awake when I brought her a cup of coffee.//  --How do you stay awake during boring lectures?//  --Emma lay awake half the night, worrying.//  --The noise brought him wide awake  (=completely awake) .//  --To keep themselves awake  (=stop themselves from going to sleep) they sat on the floor and told each other stories.//\n  2  be awake to sth:  to understand a situation and its possible effects//  --Too few people are awake to the dangers of noise pollution.//\nawake 2   past tense  awoke /[hA353]w[hA353][hA35E]k $ [hA353]wo[hA35E]k/past participle  awoken /[hA353]w[hA353][hA35E]k[hA353]n $ [hA353]wo[hA35E]-/ v [I and T] //  [Language: Old English; Origin: awacan (from  wacan) and  awacian (from  wacian);   WAKE1]//\n  1  formal to wake up, or to make someone wake up:  --It was midday when she awoke.//  --We awoke to a day of brilliant sunshine.//\n  2  literary if something awakes an emotion, or if an emotion awakes, you suddenly begin to feel that emotion:  --The gesture awoke an unexpected flood of tenderness towards her.//  awake to [awake sth  to] phr v//  to begin to realize the possible effects of a situation//  --Artists finally awoke to the aesthetic possibilities of photography.//


Words: awaken
Meaning:
v  formal   [Language: Old English; Origin: aw[zB024]cnian, from  w[zB024]cnian;   WAKEN]//\n  1 [I and T] to wake up or to make someone wake up:  --She was awakened by a noise at two in the morning.//  --Bill slept a little until he was awakened to take his turn on guard.//\n  2 [T] if something awakens an emotion, interest, memory etc it makes you suddenly begin to feel that emotion etc:  --Early involvement in music can awaken an interest that will last a lifetime.//  awaken to [awaken sb → to sth] phr v//  to make someone understand a situation and its possible effects//  --We must awaken people to the dangers for the environment.//


Words: awakening
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 an occasion when you suddenly realize that you understand something or feel something:  --It was during the period of 1943-1945 that his political awakening took place.//  --Confident that he would win, he had a rude awakening  (=very unpleasant surprise) on election day.//\n  2 the act of waking from sleep:


Words: award
Meaning:
W1S2   n [C] \n  1 something such as a prize or money given to someone to reward them for something they have done:  award for//  --the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching//  win/receive an award //  --Rosie was in London to receive her award as Mum of the Year.//  --The hotel’s award-winning restaurant specializes in traditional food.//  --Magnusson presented the [hA124]1000 award to the group’s chairman.//\n  2 something, especially money, that is officially given to someone as a payment or after a legal decision:  --the teachers’ pay award//  --an award for unfair dismissal//\naward 2 W3 v [T]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old North French; Origin: eswarder, from  warder  ’to guard’]//\n  1 to officially give someone something such as a prize or money to reward them for something they have done:  --Moodie has been awarded a golf scholarship at the University of Hawaii.//  award sb sth//  --The judge awarded me first prize.//  award sth to sb//  --A Nobel Prize was awarded to Waksman in 1952.//\n  2 to officially decide that someone should receive a payment or a formal agreement:  award sb sth//  --The government awarded a German company the contract.//  award sth to sb//  --[hA124]45,000 was awarded to a typist with an injured hand.//


Words: aware
Meaning:
adj [not before noun]   [Language: Old English; Origin: gew[zB024]r, from  w[zB024]r;   WARY]//\n  1 if you are aware that a situation exists, you realize or know that it exists:  aware of//  --The children are aware of the danger of taking drugs.//  --Mr Braley has been made aware of the need for absolute secrecy.//  aware that//  --Were you aware that Joe had this problem with his knee?//  well/fully/acutely aware //  --They were well aware that the company was losing money.//  --As you are aware, a fee will be charged annually.//\n  2 if you are aware of something, you notice it, especially because you can see, hear, feel or smell it:  aware of//  --She was aware of a tall dark figure watching her.//  --He was aware of the wind in his face.//  aware that//  --Bill became aware that he was still holding his glass.//\n  3 understanding a lot about what is happening around you and paying attention to it, especially because you realize possible dangers and problems:  politically/socially/environmentally etc aware //  --the socially aware novels of Dickens//  --We should promote environmentally aware and responsible science.//\n  4  so/as far as I am aware:   spoken used when you are saying something that you think is true, although you might be wrong because you do not know all the facts//  --As far as I am aware, they are a happily married couple.//


Words: awareness
Meaning:
W3   n [U] \n  1 knowledge or understanding of a particular subject or situation:  environmental/political/social awareness //  --Health officials have tried to raise awareness  (=improve people’s knowledge) about AIDS.//\n  2 the ability to notice something using your senses:  awareness of//  --an artist’s awareness of light and color//


Words: awash
Meaning:
adj [not before noun] \n  1 covered with water or another liquid:\n  2 containing too many things or people of a particular kind:  awash with//  --All the pavements were awash with rubbish.//


Words: away
Meaning:
adv   [Language: Old English; Origin: onweg,  aweg, from  on +  weg  ’way’]//\n  1 used to say that someone leaves a place or person, or stays some distance from a place or person:  --Go away!//  --Dinah was crying as she drove slowly away.//  away from//  --Stay away from the fire.//\n  2 towards a different direction:  --She turned away and stared out of the window.//  --Charley blushed and looked away, embarrassed.//\n  3 if someone is away from school, work, or home, they are not there:   absent//  --Simon is away with flu.//  --Kate is away on holiday.//  away from//  --You must bring a note from your parents if you’ve been away from school.//\n  4 used to say how far it is to a place or thing:  five miles/10 feet etc away //  --Geneva is about 20 miles away.//  --There’s another hotel not far away.//  away from//  --She was sitting ten feet away from the microphone.//  five minutes/two hours etc away //  --The beach is only five minutes away (=it only takes five minutes to get there) .//\n  5 if an event is two days, three weeks etc away, it will happen after that period of time has passed:  --Christmas is only a month away.//\n  6 used to say how close someone is to achieving something or experiencing something:  away from//  --At one stage, they were just two points away from victory.//\n  7 into or in a safe or enclosed place:  --Put your money away, I’m paying.//  --Thousands of archaeological treasures are being kept hidden away.//\n  8 used to show that something disappears or is removed:  --The music died away.//  --Ruben gave all his money away to charity.//  --Support for the Democrats has dropped away.//  --Cut away all the dead wood.//\n  9 used to emphasize that an action continues:  --Sue was singing away to herself in the bath.//  --They’ve been hammering away all day.//\n  10 used to say that someone spends the whole of a period of time doing something:  --You can dance the night away in one of Benidorm’s many discos.//\n  11 if a team is playing away, it is playing a game at its opponent’s field or sports hall:  → at home//  --Liverpool are playing away at Everton on Saturday.//    far and away at far1 (12),  right away at right3 (2),  straight away at straight1 (7)//\naway 2 adj [only before noun]   an away game or match is played at your opponent’s field or sports hall//  → home//


Words: awe
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old Norse; Origin: agi]//\n  1 a feeling of great respect and liking for someone or something:  --He felt great awe for the landscape.//  with/in awe //  --Kate gazed at the statue with awe.//\n  2  be/stand in awe of sb:   also hold sb in awe //  to admire someone and have great respect for them and sometimes a slight fear of them//  --All of the neighbours were a little in awe of my mother.//  --The villagers hold them in awe and think of them as gods.//\nawe 2 v [T usually passive]    formal if you are awed by someone or something, you feel great respect and liking for them, and are often slightly afraid of them//  --The girls were awed by the splendour of the cathedral.//  -- awed adj //  --an awed silence//


Words: awe-inspiring
Meaning:
adj   extremely impressive in a way that makes you feel great respect//  --a truly awe-inspiring achievement//


Words: awesome
Meaning:
adj \n  1 extremely impressive, serious, or difficult so that you feel great respect, worry, or fear:  --an awesome responsibility//  --the awesome sweep of the scenery//\n  2  especially AmE  informal very good:  --Their last concert was really awesome.//  -- awesomely adv //


Words: awestruck
Meaning:
adj   feeling great respect for the importance, difficulty, or seriousness of someone or something//  --She gazed awestruck at the jewels.//


Words: awful
Meaning:
S1   adj \n  1 very bad or unpleasant:   terrible//  --The weather was awful.//  --He is a pretty awful driver.//  --That fridge smells awful.//  --The last six months have been awful for her.//  --I’ve stopped believing most of what he says. Isn’t that awful?//  --I’m sure Suzy is dead but the awful thing is not knowing how it happened.//\n  2 [only before noun]  spoken used to emphasize how much or how good, bad etc something is:  -- An awful lot of people (=a large number of people) died in the war.//  --He made me feel an awful fool.//\n  3  look/feel awful:  to look or feel ill//  --She’s lost a lot of weight and she looks awful.//\n  4  literary making you feel great respect or fear:  -- awfulness n  [U] //\nawful 2 adv [+ adjective/adverb]    AmE  spoken very//  --That kid’s awful cute, with her red curls.//


Words: awkward
Meaning:
S2   adj   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin: awk  ’turned the wrong way’ (15-17 centuries) (from  Old Norse [hA177]fugr) +  -ward]//\n  1 making you feel embarrassed so that you are not sure what to do or say:   difficult//  --I hoped he would stop asking awkward questions .//  --There was an awkward moment when she didn’t know whether to shake his hand or kiss his cheek.//  --an awkward silence //  --A laugh can help people over an awkward situation.//  --Philip’s remarks put her in an awkward position  (=made it difficult for her to know what to do) .//\n  2 not relaxed or comfortable:  --She liked to dance but felt awkward if someone was watching her.//  --Geoff looked uneasy and awkward.//  --Make sure that the baby is not sleeping in an awkward position.//\n  3 difficult to do, use, or deal with:  --It’ll be awkward getting cars in and out.//  --The new financial arrangements were awkward to manage.//  --A good carpenter can make a cupboard to fit the most awkward space.//  --She was afraid he was going to ask an awkward question.//\n  4 not convenient:  --I’m sorry to call at such an awkward time but I won’t keep you a minute.//\n  5 an awkward person is deliberately unhelpful:   difficult//  awkward about//  --The staff wanted to go home and they were getting awkward about a meeting starting so late.//  --an awkward customer  (=person who is difficult and unhelpful) //  -- awkwardly adv //  --’I’m very sorry about your sister,’ he said awkwardly.//  --Vera smiled awkwardly.//  -- awkwardness n  [U] //  --He tried to smooth over the awkwardness of the situation.//


Words: AWOL
Meaning:
adj   absent without leave absent from somewhere without permission, especially from the army//  --Two soldiers had gone AWOL the night before.//


Words: awry
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1300-1400; Origin: on +  wry]//\n  1  go awry:  if something goes awry, it does not happen in the way that was planned//  --My carefully laid plans had already gone awry.//\n  2 not in the correct position:  --He rushed out, hat awry.//


Words: axe
Meaning:
also  ax AmE   n [C]   1 a tool with a heavy metal blade on the end of a long handle, used to cut down trees or split pieces of wood//    pickaxe//\n  2  the axe:   informal if someone gets the axe, they are dismissed from their job//  --100 workers are facing the axe in a cost-cutting exercise.//\n  3  the axe:   informal if a plan, system, or service gets the axe, someone gets rid of it//  --MPs know there will be cuts in public spending but do not know on which department the axe will fall.//\n  4  have an axe to grind:  to have a strong personal opinion about something which is the reason why you do something//  --I need objective advice from someone with no axe to grind.//\naxe 2  also  ax AmE v [T] \n  1 to suddenly dismiss someone from their job:  --There are plans to axe 2600 staff.//\n  2 to get rid of a plan, system, or service, especially in order to save money:  --TV’s longest running show is to be axed.//


Words: axiom
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Latin; Origin: axioma, from  Greek,  ’honor’, from  axios  ’worth, worthy’]//   formal a rule or principle that is generally considered to be true//


Words: axiomatic
Meaning:
adj   something that is axiomatic does not need to be proved because you can easily see that it is true//   self-evident//  -- axiomatically/-kli/ adv //


Words: Axis
Meaning:
the  also  Axis powers, the  , Axis countries   the countries, including Germany, Italy, and Japan, who fought together during World War II against the  allies//


Words: axis
Meaning:
n   plural  axes /-si[hA359]z/ [C] //  [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Latin; Origin: ’axis, axle’]//\n  1 the imaginary line around which a large round object, such as the Earth, turns:  --The Earth rotates on an axis between the north and south poles.//\n  2 a line drawn across the middle of a regular shape that divides it into two equal parts:\n  3 either of the two lines of a graph, by which the positions of points are measured:


Words: axle
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin: axletree  ’axle’ (13-21 centuries), from  Old Norse [hA177]xultre, from  [hA177]xul  ’axle’ +  tre  ’tree’]//  the bar connecting two wheels on a car or other vehicle//


Words: ayatollah
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1900-2000; Language: Persian; Origin: Arabic ayatullah  ’sign of god’]//  a religious leader of the Shiite Muslims, especially a very powerful one//


Words: aye
Meaning:
S3   adv   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin:  Perhaps from  yea]//\n  1 used to say yes when voting:  → nay//  the ayes have it (=used to say that most people in a meeting have voted in favour of something) //\n  2 a word meaning yes, used especially in Scotland:


Words: Ayrshire
Meaning:
1 a  county in southwest Scotland, now part of Strathclyde  region:\n  2 a brown and white type of cow that is used for producing milk:


Words: azalea
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: Modern Latin; Origin: Greek, from  azaleos  ’dry’]//  a small bush that has large flowers//


Words: Azerbaijan
Meaning:
a country in the extreme southeast of Europe, west of the Caspian Sea and north of Iran. Population: 7,700,000 (2001). Capital: Baku. Azerbaijan became independent of the former Soviet Union in 1991.//  -- Azerbaijani n  adj //


Words: Azores
Meaning:
the Azores//  a group of islands in the north Atlantic Ocean, west of Portugal, which belong to Portugal//


Words: azure
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: azur, probably from  Old Spanish, from  Arabic lazaward, from  Persian lazhuward]//  having a bright blue colour like the sky//  -- azure n  [U] //


Words: B
Meaning:
b/bi[hA359]/ n   plural  B’s  b’s //\n  1 [U and C] the second letter of the English alphabet:\n  2 [U and C] the seventh note in the musical scale of C major or the musical key based on this note:\n  3 [C] a mark given to a student’s work to show that it is good but not excellent:  --I got a B in history.//\n  4 [U] used to refer in a short way to one of two different things or people. You can call the first one A.:  --the advantages and disadvantages of choosing product A or B//    plan B at plan1 (6)//\n  5  B4509/B1049 etc:  the name of a road in Britain that is smaller than an A-road//\n  6 [U] a common type of blood:    from A to B at A1 (6)//    B-movie,  B-side,  B-road//


Words: B & Q
Meaning:
trademark   a large British  DIY store (=shop selling things for decorating or repairing your house and garden) .//


Words: B and B
Meaning:
B & B/bi[hA359] [hA353]nd bi[hA359]/  the abbreviation of bed and breakfast //  --a small B and B in the Cotswolds//


Words: B’nai B’rith
Meaning:
an international organization of Jewish people that works to oppose  anti-semitism (=unfair treatment of Jewish people or violence against them)  and that helps Jewish people all over the world//


Words: B-list
Meaning:
adj [only before noun]   among the group of film stars, musicians etc who are fairly famous or popular, but are not the most popular or famous//    A-list//  --B-list celebrities//


Words: B-side
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 the side of a record that has the less well-known song on it:\n  2 the song on this side of the record:


Words: B.S.
Meaning:
n  AmE \n  1 [C]  Bachelor of Science a first university degree in a science subject:  British Equivalent:  BSc//    B.A.//  B.S. in//  --a B.S. in Biology//\n  2 [U]  not polite the abbreviation of bullshit :


Words: B2B
Meaning:
adj   business to business used to refer to business activities between companies, especially using the Internet//  --   [] //


Words: B[hA177]ll
Meaning:
Heinrich   (1917-1985) a German writer of  novels. Among his best-known works are Group Portrait with Lady and The Clown. He won the  Nobel Prize for Literature in 1972.//


Words: BA
Meaning:
BrE  B.A. AmE   n [C]   Bachelor of Arts a first university degree in a subject such as history, languages, or English literature//    BS, BSc, MA//  BA in//  --He graduated from Leeds University with a BA in French.//  --Susan Potter, BA//


Words: Baa
Meaning:
Baa, Black Sheep   a  nursery rhyme (=old song or poem for young children)  The rhyme goes: Baa, Baa, Black Sheep,/ Have you any wool?/Yes, sir, yes, sir/ Three bags full./ One for the master,/ One for the dame,/ and one for the little boy/ who lives down the lane.//


Words: baa
Meaning:
v [I]   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin:  From the sound]//  to make a sound like a sheep//  -- baa n  [C] //


Words: Babar
Meaning:
the main character in stories for children by Jean de Brunhoff. Babar is an elephant who is a king.//


Words: Babbage
Meaning:
Charles   (1792-1871) a British mathematician who designed a type of calculating machine which modern computers are based on//


Words: Babbitt
Meaning:
a book by Sinclair Lewis about a businessman called George Babbitt who lives in a small US town. People think he is a boring man, because he thinks only about his own business and his position in local society, and he is not interested in other things in life. //


Words: babble
Meaning:
v   [Date: 1200-1300; Origin:  Probably from the sound]//\n  1 [I and T] to speak quickly in a way that is difficult to understand or sounds silly:  --I have no idea what he was babbling on about.//\n  2 [I] to make a sound like water moving over stones:  -- babbler n  [C] //\nbabble 2 n [singular] \n  1 the confused sound of many people talking at the same time:  --the babble of a crowded party//\n  2 a sound like water moving over stones:


Words: babe
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Origin:  Probably from the sounds made by a baby]//\n  1  literary a baby:  babe in arms (=one that has to be carried) //\n  2  spoken  informal a word for an attractive young woman:\n  3  spoken  informal a way of speaking to a young woman, often considered offensive:\n  4  spoken a way of speaking to someone you love, especially your wife or husband:\n  5  babe in the woods:   AmE someone who can be easily deceived//  --He was like a babe in the woods when he first came to New York.//


Words: babel
Meaning:
n [singular, U]   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin:  Tower of  Babel, (in the Bible) tower in ancient Babylon whose builders made God angry, so he made them unable to understand each other’s speech]//  the confusing sound of many voices talking together//  --a babel of French and Italian//


Words: Babes in the Wood
Meaning:
an old story for children about a young brother and sister who are left in the woods by their evil uncle, who wants to get control of their property//


Words: baboon
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: French; Origin: babouin, from  baboue  ’ugly face’]//  a large monkey that lives in Africa and South Asia//


Words: baby
Meaning:
n   plural  babies  [C] //  ----------//\n   1 young child:\n   2 young animal:\n   3 vegetable:\n   4 youngest:\n   5 woman:\n   6 silly person:\n   7 responsibility:\n   8 thing:  ----------//  [Date: 1300-1400; Origin: babe]//\n  1 YOUNG CHILD:  a very young child who has not yet learned to speak or walk//  --The baby is crying.//  --Julie’s second baby was born when they lived in Washington.//  --She  gave birth to a baby  on Thursday. //  --It’s hard work moving house when you’re  expecting a baby . //  --Dr Coleman has delivered hundreds of babies .//  -- How do you recognize pain in a  newborn baby ? //  -- premature babies  needing special medical care //  -- Jane had a  baby boy  this morning. //  -- What do you think of your new  baby sister ? //  -- the effects of alcohol on the  unborn baby  //    test-tube baby//\n  2 YOUNG ANIMAL:  a very young animal//  --baby birds//  --a baby elephant//\n  3 VEGETABLE:  a type of vegetable which is grown to be much smaller than usual or is eaten before it has grown to its normal size//  --baby carrots//  --baby sweetcorn//\n  4 YOUNGEST:  a younger child in a family, often the youngest//  --Clare is the baby of the family.//\n  5 WOMAN:   spoken //  a) used to address someone that you love//  --Relax baby, we’re on holiday.//  b)  not polite used to address a young woman that you do not know//\n  6 SILLY PERSON:  someone, especially an older child, who is not behaving in a sensible way//  --Don’t be such a baby!//\n  7 RESPONSIBILITY:  something special that someone has developed or is responsible for//  --Don’t ask me about the building contract - that’s Robert’s baby.//\n  8 THING:   informal something, especially a piece of equipment or a machine, that you care about a lot//  --This baby can reach speeds of 130 miles per hour.//    throw the baby out with the bathwater at throw1 (37)//  ----------//  COLLOCATES for sense 1 //  have a baby  (=give birth to a baby) //  give birth to a baby  (=used when you are talking about the act of childbirth) //  be expecting a baby  (=be pregnant) //  deliver a baby  (=help a woman to give birth to a baby) //  newborn/new baby //  premature baby  (=a baby that is born too early) //  unborn baby  (=a baby still inside its mother) //  baby boy/girl //  baby son/daughter //  baby brother/sister //  ----------//\nbaby 2   past tense and past participle  babied present participle  babying third person singular  babies  v [T] //  to be too kind to someone and look after them as if they were a baby//


Words: baby boom
Meaning:
n [C]   an increase in the number of babies born during a particular period, compared to other times - used especially about people born between 1946 and 1964//  --the baby boom generation//


Words: baby boomer
Meaning:
n [C]   someone born during a period when a lot of babies were born, especially between 1946 and 1964//


Words: baby carriage
Meaning:
n [C]    AmE a thing like a small bed with four wheels, used for taking a baby from one place to another//  British Equivalent:  pram//    pushchair//


Words: baby milk
Meaning:
n [U]  BrE   dried milk that is mixed with water and fed to babies instead of breast milk//  American Equivalent:  formula//


Words: baby tooth plural
Meaning:
baby teeth  n [C]   a tooth from the first set of teeth that young children have//  British Equivalent:  milk tooth//


Words: Babycham
Meaning:
trademark   a type of sweet alcoholic drink with bubbles that is sold in the UK. It is a little like champagne but is much less expensive.//


Words: Babygro
Meaning:
n   plural  Babygros  [C]  BrE  trademark //  a piece of clothing for a baby, that covers their whole body//


Words: Babylon
Meaning:
an ancient Middle Eastern city that was the capital of Babylonia and was famous for its great wealth. People sometimes use the name Babylon to mean a place of pleasure and immoral behaviour.//


Words: babysit
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  babysat /-s[zB024]t/present participle  babysitting  [I and T] //  to take care of children while their parents are away for a short time//  -- babysitting n  [U] //  --a babysitting service//  -- babysitter n  [C] //


Words: Bacall
Meaning:
Lauren   (1924- ) a US actress who was married to Humphrey  Bogart. She appeared with him in the films  To Have and Have Not and  The Big Sleep, and in many other films and plays.//


Words: Bacardi
Meaning:
trademark   a type of white rum (=strong alcoholic drink) , which people often drink with Coca Cola//


Words: baccalaureate
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Medieval Latin; Origin: baccalaureatus, from  baccalaureus  ’bachelor’, from  baccalarius (  BACHELOR); influenced by  Latin bacca  ’berry’ and  laureus  ’laurel’]//\n  1 an examination in a range of subjects that students do in their final school year in France and some other countries, and in some international schools:\n  2  AmE  formal a bachelor’s degree:


Words: bacchanalian
Meaning:
Bacchanalian/b[zB024]k[hA353]ne[hA366]li[hA353]n[hA36B]/ adj  literary   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: bacchanalis  ’of Bacchus’]//  a bacchanalian party involves a lot of alcohol, sex, and uncontrolled behaviour//  --a bacchanalian orgy//


Words: Bach
Meaning:
Johann Sebastian   (1685-1750) a German musician, one of the most famous and admired European  composers. He is especially famous for his  organ music and his religious  choral music (=for musicians and singers) , which is typical of the  baroque style.//


Words: Bacharach
Meaning:
Burt   (1929- ) a US songwriter whose music is in the  easy listening style and has been recorded by many different singers and musicians.//


Words: bachelor
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: bacheler, probably from  Medieval Latin baccalarius  ’farmer, squire, student’]//\n  1 a man who has never been married:  --Gerald was 38, and a confirmed bachelor  (=a man who has decided that he will never marry) .//  --The Crown Prince was Japan’s most eligible bachelor  (=a rich young man who has not yet married) .//\n  2  Bachelor of Arts/Science/Education etc:  a first university degree in an arts subject, a science subject etc//    BA, BSc, BEd//


Words: bachelor party
Meaning:
n [C]  AmE   a party for a man and his male friends before he gets married, especially on the night before his wedding//  British Equivalent:  stag night//


Words: bacillus
Meaning:
n   plural  bacilli /-la[hA366]/ [C]  technical //  [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Modern Latin; Origin: Latin baculus  ’stick, rod’]//  a type of bacteria. Some types of bacillus cause diseases.//


Words: back
Meaning:
adv   ----------//\n   1 return to place:\n   2 as before:\n   3 previous place:\n   4 backwards:\n   5 reply/reaction:\n   6 return something to somebody:\n   7 in the past:\n   8 again:\n   9 sit/lie/lean back:\n  10 away:\n  11 back and forth:\n  12  towards beginning:  ----------//\n  1 RETURN TO PLACE:  in, into, or to the place or position where someone or something was before//  --I’ll be back in a minute.//  --Put that book back where you found it!//  back in/to/into etc//  --Rory plugged the cable back into the socket.//  --I feel like going back to bed.//  go/get/head etc back//  --We ought to try and get back before it gets dark.//  --He was back home by half-past eleven.//  --It’s possible to travel there and back in a day.//\n  2 AS BEFORE:  in or into the condition or situation you were in before//  --Gary woke at 4am and couldn’t get back to sleep.//  --It took me a long time to get my confidence back.//  --If you decide to marry him, there will be no going back  (=you will not be able to get back to your previous situation) .//  go/get back to (doing) sth//  --There’s no way I’m going back to being poor.//  --It’ll take a while for things to get back to normal.//\n  3 PREVIOUS PLACE:  in or to a place where you lived or worked before//  back in/at//  --She was the one who had fired him from his first job back in South Africa.//  back home (=in the place that you come from and think of as your home) //  --It reminded me of evenings back home.//\n  4 BACKWARDS:  in the opposite direction from the way you are facing//  → forwards//  --He glanced back at the house.//  --Kirov stepped back a pace.//  --She tilted her head back to look at him.//\n  5 REPLY/REACTION:  if you do something back, you do it as a reply or reaction to what someone has said or done//  --Can I call you back later?//  --I’ll pay you back on Friday.//  --’No, thanks!’ he shouted back.//  --If he hits you, you just hit him back.//\n  6 RETURN SOMETHING TO SOMEBODY:  if you give something, get something etc back, you return it to the person who first had it or you have it returned to you//  --Can we have our ball back, please?//  --I want all my books back as soon as you’ve finished with them.//  --Give me back that letter! It’s none of your business!//\n  7 IN THE PAST:  in or towards a time in the past//  --a pile of newspapers dating back to the 1970s//  --A lot of emotional problems can be traced back to childhood.//  --Looking back on it, I should have known he was unhappy.//  --At times, I think back to my life in Moscow.//  back in//  --The house was built back in 1235.//  three years/two months etc back (=three years ago etc) //  --His wife died a couple of years back.//  --He called me a while back .//\n  8 AGAIN:  once again//  --Go back over your work to check for any mistakes.//  --Liverpool were back level again two minutes later with a superb goal.//\n  9  sit/lie/lean back:  to sit or lie in a comfortable relaxed way//  --Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show!//\n  10 AWAY:  away from a surface, person, or thing//  --She pulled the bandage back very carefully.//  --Her hair was brushed back from her face.//  --The woman nodded and stood back, allowing Patrick to enter.//\n  11  back and forth:  going in one direction and then in the opposite direction, and repeating this several times//  --We travel back and forth all the time between Canada and England.//  --He was pacing back and forth across the room.//\n  12  TOWARDS BEGINNING:  towards the beginning of a book, tape, document etc//  --Turn back to the summaries at the end of section 1.5.//  --Wind the tape back to the beginning.//  --Clicking on the icon will take you back to the previous web page.//\nback 2 n [C]   ----------//\n   1 part of your body:\n   2 not at front:\n   3 less important side:\n   4 part of seat:\n   5 book/newspaper:\n   6 at/in the back of your mind:\n   7 back to back:\n   8 back to front:\n   9 behind somebody’s back:\n  10 when/while somebody’s back is turned:\n  11 get/put somebody’s back up:\n  12 get (somebody) off somebody’s back:\n  13 be on somebody’s back:\n  14 on the back of something:\n  15 on the backs of somebody:\n  16 sports:\n  17 the back of beyond:\n  18 be (flat) on your back:\n  19 put your back into it:\n  20 be glad/delighted/pleased etc to see the back of somebody/something:\n  21 have your back to/against the wall:\n  22 at your back:\n  23 on your back:\n  24 high-backed/straight-backed/low-backed etc:  ----------//  [Language: Old English; Origin: b[zB024]c]//\n  1 PART OF YOUR BODY:  a) the part of the body between the neck and legs, on the opposite side to the stomach and chest//  --The cat arched its back and hissed.//  --My feet were sore and my back was aching.//  --Keep your head up and your back straight.//  --To avoid back problems, always bend your knees when you lift heavy objects.//  --He lay on his back and gazed at the ceiling.//  --Johnny was lying flat on his back in the middle of the floor.//  --Anna stood with her back to the window.//  on sb’s back (=carried on someone’s back) //  --The girl appeared again, now with a little baby on her back.//  b) the bones between your neck and the top of your legs//   spine//  --He broke his back in a motorbike accident.//  2 NOT AT FRONT//   [usually singular] the part of something that is furthest from the front//  → front//  --a T-shirt with a picture of a snake on the back //  back of//  --He kissed her on the back of her head.//  --Her window faced the backs of the houses on the other side of the river.//  in the back (of sth)//   (=used especially about the back of a vehicle) //  --Two men were sitting in the back of the car.//  at the back (of sth)//  --a small shop with an office at the back//  in back (of sth)  AmE  (=in or at the back of something) //  --Kids should always wear seatbelts even in back.//  out back  AmE  (=behind a house or other building) //  --Tom’s working on the car out back.//  round/out the back  BrE  (=behind a house or building) //  --Have you had a good look round the back?//\n  3 LESS IMPORTANT SIDE:   [usually singular] the less important side or surface of something such as a piece of paper or card//  → front//  --Paul scribbled his address on the back of an envelope.//  --The credits are listed on the back of the album.//\n  4 PART OF SEAT:  the part of a seat that you lean against when you are sitting//  back of//  --He rested his arm on the back of the sofa.//\n  5 BOOK/NEWSPAPER:   [usually singular] the last pages of a book or newspaper//  → front//  at the back (of)//  --The sports pages are usually at the back.//  in the back (of)//  --The answers are in the back of the book.//\n  6  at/in the back of your mind:  a thought that is at the back of your mind is one you try to ignore because you do not want it to be true//  --At the back of her mind was the thought that he might be with someone else.//  put/push sth to the back of your mind //  --He tried to push these uncomfortable thoughts to the back of his mind.//\n  7  back to back:  a) with the backs towards each other//  --Stand back to back and we’ll see who’s tallest.//  b) happening immediately one after the other//  --a couple of back to back wins for the team//    back-to-back1 //\n  8  back to front:   BrE //  a) in an incorrect position so that what should be at the back is at the front//  --You’ve got your sweater on back to front.//  b) doing something the wrong way round and starting with the part that should be at the end//  --He got the commands back to front and the program didn’t work.//\n  9  behind sb’s back:  if you do something behind someone’s back, you do it without them knowing//  --I don’t like the idea of the two of them talking about me behind my back.//  --I should have realized that he’d go behind my back  (=do something without telling me) .//\n  10  when/while sb’s back is turned:  if something happens when your back is turned, it happens when you are not able to see or know what someone is doing//  --Do you know what your kids are up to when your back is turned?//\n  11  get/put sb’s back up:   BrE  informal to annoy someone//  --Simone was the kind of person who was always putting people’s backs up.//\n  12  get (sb) off sb’s back:   spoken to stop annoying someone with a lot of questions, criticisms etc or to make someone stop annoying you in this way//  --Maybe the only way to get him off my back is to tell him the truth.//  --Do me a favour and get off my back !//\n  13  be on sb’s back:   spoken to be trying to make someone do something they do not want to do//  --Why are you and Dad always on my back?//\n  14  on the back of sth:  as a result of something that already exists or something you have already done//  --The company should be able to generate business on the back of existing contracts.//\n  15  on the backs of sb:  using the work of a particular group to achieve something that they will not get any advantage from//  --Economic prosperity was won on the backs of the urban poor.//\n  16 SPORTS:  a defending player in a sports team//   defender//\n  17  the back of beyond:   informal a place that is a long way from other places and is difficult to get to//  --It’s a nice little cottage but it really is in the back of beyond.//\n  18  be (flat) on your back:  a) to be lying on your back - used to emphasize that someone seems unlikely to get up soon//  --He was drunk and flat on his back on the street.//  b) to be so ill that you cannot get out of bed//  --Their best player was flat on his back in hospital.//  c) if a business, country, economy etc is on its back, it is not successful//  --The UK market was flat on its back.//\n  19  put your back into it:   informal to work extremely hard at something//  --If we really put our backs into it, we could finish today.//\n  20  be glad/delighted/pleased etc to see the back of sb/sth:  to be happy that someone is leaving or because you no longer have to deal with something//  --No, I’m not too upset that he left - in fact, I was glad to see the back of him.//  --I can’t wait to see the back of this project, I can tell you (=I will be happy when it ends) .//\n  21  have your back to/against the wall:   informal to be in a difficult situation with no choice about what to do//\n  22  at your back:  a) behind you//  --They had the wind at their backs as they set off.//  b) supporting you//  --Caesar marched into Rome with an army at his back.//\n  23  on your back:   informal  not polite if someone achieves something on their back, they achieve it by having sex with someone//\n  24  high-backed/straight-backed/low-backed etc:  with a high, straight, low etc back//  --a high-backed chair//  --a tall straight-backed man//    know sth like the back of your hand at know1 (3),  turn your back on sb/sth at turn1 (7)//\nback 3 W3S2 v   ----------//\n   1 support:\n   2 move backwards:\n   3 put something on the back:\n   4 be behind something:\n   5 music:\n   6 risk money:\n   7 back the wrong horse:  Phrasal verbs//   back away//   back down//   back off//   back onto something//   back out//   back up//  ----------//\n  1 SUPPORT:   [T usually passive] //  a) to support someone or something, especially by giving them money or using your influence//  --The scheme has been backed by several major companies in the region.//  --Some suspected that the rebellion was backed and financed by the US.//  --government-backed loans//  b)  also back up //  to support an idea by providing facts, proof etc//  --His claims are not backed by any scientific evidence.//\n  2 MOVE BACKWARDS:   [I always + adverb/preposition, T] to move backwards, or make someone or something move backwards//  back into/out of/away from etc//  --She backed into a doorway to let the crowds pass by.//  back sb into/towards/out of etc sth//  --He began to back her towards the open door.//  back sth into/towards/out of etc sth//  --I backed the car into the garage.//\n  3 PUT SOMETHING ON THE BACK:   [T usually passive] to put a material or substance onto the back of something, in order to protect it or make it stronger//  --Back the photo with strong cardboard.//  --a plastic-backed shower curtain//\n  4 BE BEHIND SOMETHING:   [T usually passive] to be at the back of something or behind it//  --The Jandia Peninsula is a stretch of white sands backed by a mountain range.//\n  5 MUSIC:   [T usually passive] to play or sing the music that supports the main singer or musician//  --They performed all their hits, backed by a 40-piece orchestra.//\n  6 RISK MONEY:   [T] to risk money on whether a particular horse, dog, team etc wins something//\n  7  back the wrong horse:  to support someone or something that is not successful//  back away phr v//\n  1 to move backwards and away from something, especially because you are frightened:  back away from//  --She backed away from the menacing look on his face.//\n  2 to stop supporting a plan or idea, or stop being involved in something:  back away from//  --The government has backed away from its nuclear weapons strategy.//  back down phr v//  to admit that you are wrong or that you have lost an argument//  --Both sides have refused to back down.//  back off phr v//\n  1 to move backwards, away from someone or something:  --She backed off and then turned and ran.//\n  2 to stop telling someone what to do, or stop criticizing them, especially so that they can deal with something themselves:  --I think you should back off for a while.//  --Back off, Marc! Let me run my own life!//\n  3 to stop supporting something, or decide not to do something you were planning to do:  --Jerry backed off when he realized how much work was involved.//  back off from//  --The company has backed off from investing new money.//  back onto [back onto sth] phr v//  if a building backs onto something, its back faces it//  --The hotel backs onto St Mark’s Square.//  back out phr v//  to decide not to do something that you had promised to do//  --It’s too late to back out now.//  --After you’ve signed the contract, it will be impossible to back out.//  back out of//  --The government is trying to back out of its commitment to reduce pollution.//  back up phr v//\n  1  back sb/sth → up:  to say or show that what someone is saying is true//  --Jane would back me up if she were here.//  --There’s no evidence to back up his accusations.//  --These theories have not been backed up by research.//\n  2  back sb/sth → up:  to provide support or help for someone or something//  --The plan’s success depends on how vigorously the UN will back it up with action.//  --The police officers are backed up by extra teams of people at the weekend.//    backup//\n  3 to make a copy of information stored on a computer:  --Make sure you back up every day.//  back sth → up//  --These devices can back up the whole system.//  back sth → up onto sth//  --Back all your files up onto floppy disks.//    backup//\n  4  especially AmE to make a vehicle move backwards:  --The truck stopped and then backed up.//  back sth → up//  --I backed the car up a little.//\n  5 to move backwards:  --Back up a bit so that everyone can see.//    backup//\n  6 if traffic backs up, it forms a long line of vehicles that cannot move:  --The traffic was starting to back up in both directions.//\n  7 if a toilet, sink etc backs up, it becomes blocked so that water cannot flow out of it:\nback 4 W3S2 adj [only before noun] \n  1 at or in the back of something:  → front//  --You’ll be sleeping in the back bedroom.//  --Turn to the back page.//  --I normally keep my keys in my back pocket.//  --There was the sound of giggling from the back row of the hall.//  --The rabbit had one of its back legs caught in a trap.//    back door//\n  2 behind something, especially a building:  → front//  --the back garden//  --We left by the back gate.//\n  3 from the back:  --The back view of the hotel was even less appealing than the front.//\n  4  back street/lane/road etc:  a street etc that is away from the main streets//  --a short cut down a back lane//\n  5  back rent/taxes/pay etc:  money that someone owes from an earlier date//\n  6  back issue/copy/number:  a copy of a magazine or newspaper from an earlier date//\n  7  technical a back vowel sound is made by lifting your tongue at the back of your mouth:


Words: back country
Meaning:
n [U] \n  1  especially AusE a country area where few people live:\n  2  AmE an area, especially in the mountains, away from roads and towns:


Words: back door
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 a door at the back or side of a building:\n  2  get in through the back door:  to achieve something by having an unfair secret advantage//  --His father works for the company so he got in through the back door.//


Words: back formation
Meaning:
n [C]  technical   a new word formed from an older word, for example ’televise’, which is formed from ’television’//


Words: back office
Meaning:
n [C]   the department of a bank or other financial institution that manages or organizes the work of the institution, but that does not deal with customers//  -- back-office adj  [only before noun] //  --back-office operations//


Words: back seat
Meaning:
n \n  1 [C] a seat at the back of a car, behind where the driver sits:\n  2  back seat driver:   informal //  a) a passenger in the back of a car who gives unwanted advice to the driver about how to drive//  b) someone in business or politics who tries to control things that they are not really responsible for//\n  3  take a back seat:  to accept a less important position than someone or something else//  --Finally, Bryant decided to take a back seat and let his son run the company.//


Words: back story
Meaning:
n [C]   the things that happened to a character in a book or film before the beginning of the story being told in the book or film//  --The back story of why she hates her father is a bit too contrived.//


Words: back-burner
Meaning:
backburner/b[zB024]kb[hA362][hA359]n[hA353] $ -b[hA362][hA359]rn[hA353]r/ v [T]  informal   to delay doing something, because it does not need your attention immediately or because it is not as important as other things that you need to do immediately//  --Allison back-burnered her prestigious law career when she had a baby.//  --The project has been backburnered due to technical problems.//


Words: backbench
Meaning:
adj [only before noun]  BrE   a backbench Member of Parliament is an ordinary British Member of Parliament who does not have an important official position//  --He has the support of a lot of backbench MPs.//  --a backbench revolt//


Words: backbencher
Meaning:
n [C]  BrE   an ordinary British Member of Parliament who does not have an important official position//


Words: backbenches
Meaning:
n   the backbenches [plural]  BrE the seats in the British parliament where ordinary Members of Parliament sit//


Words: backbiting
Meaning:
n [U]   unpleasant or cruel talk about someone who is not present//  --All this backbiting is destroying company morale.//


Words: backbone
Meaning:
n   backbone, breastbone, collarbone, kneecap, pelvis, skull, spine, rib//\n  1 [C] the row of connected bones that go down the middle of your back:   spine//\n  2  the backbone of sth:  the most important part of an organization or group of people//  --Farmers are the backbone of this community.//\n  3 [U] courage and determination:  --Stuart doesn’t have the backbone to be a good manager.//


Words: backchat
Meaning:
n [U]  BrE  informal   a rude reply to someone who is telling you what to do//  American Equivalent:  backtalk//  --None of your backchat, do your homework!//


Words: backcomb
Meaning:
v [T]  BrE   to comb your hair against the way it grows in order to make it look thicker and shape it into a style//  American Equivalent:  tease//


Words: backdate
Meaning:
v [T] \n  1 to make something have its effect from an earlier date:  backdate sth from/to sth//  --The pay increase will be backdated to January.//\n  2  AmE to write an earlier date on a document or cheque than when it was actually written:


Words: backdoor
Meaning:
adj [only before noun]   secret, or not publicly stated as your intention//  --a backdoor tax rise//


Words: backdrop
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1  literary the scenery behind something that you are looking at:  backdrop to//  --The sea made a splendid backdrop to the garden.//\n  2 the conditions or situation in which something happens:  against a backdrop of sth//  --a love story set against a backdrop of war and despair//\n  3 a painted cloth hung across the back of a stage:


Words: backer
Meaning:
n [C]   someone who supports a plan, especially by providing money//  --We’re still trying to find backers for the housing development scheme.//


Words: backfire
Meaning:
v [I] \n  1 if a plan or action backfires, it has the opposite effect to the one you intended:  --The company’s new policy backfired when a number of employees threatened to quit.//\n  2 if a car backfires, it makes a sudden loud noise because the engine is not working correctly:


Words: backgammon
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1600-1700; Origin:  Probably from   BACK2 +  gamen, an early form of  game]//  a game for two players, using flat round pieces and dice on a special board//


Words: background
Meaning:
n \n  1 [C] someone’s family, education, previous work etc:  --Steve  has a background in  computer engineering.//  --Students  with a background in  chemistry will probably find the course easier.//  -- It’s important to understand other people, people  from different backgrounds . //  --people from different  ethnic  and social backgrounds  //  -- Cultural background  might account for some of the variations noted in the studies. //  -- the  educational background  of top executives //  -- They told me everything there was to know about the child’s  family background . //  -- a program that helps students from  disadvantaged backgrounds //\n  2 [U and C] the situation or past events that explain why something happens in the way that it does:  background to//  --Without knowing the background to the case, I couldn’t possibly comment.//  against a background of sth//  --The peace talks are being held against a background of increasing violence.//  background information/details/data etc //  --The author included a new chapter of background material for the second edition of the book.//\n  3 [C usually singular] the area that is behind the main thing that you are looking at, especially in a picture:  --The background looks a little out of focus.//  in the background//  --In the background you can see a few of my old college friends.//\n  4 [C] the pattern or colour on top of which something has been drawn, printed etc:  --red lettering on a white background//\n  5  in the background:  someone who keeps or stays in the background tries not to be noticed//  --The President’s advisors are content to remain in the background.//\n  6 [U and C] the sounds that you can hear apart from the main thing that you are listening to:  in the background//  --In the background I could hear the sound of traffic.//  --All of the background noise made it difficult to have a phone conversation.//  ----------//  COLLOCATES for sense 1 //  have a background (in something) //  with a background (in something) //  (be/come) from different backgrounds //  social background //  cultural background //  educational background //  ethnic background //  family background //  class background //  deprived/disadvantaged background  (=not having many advantages) //  privileged background  (=having many advantages) //  working-class/middle-class background //  ----------//


Words: backhand
Meaning:
n [C usually singular]   a way of hitting the ball in tennis and some other games in which the back of your hand is turned in the direction of the ball when you hit it//    forehand//  -- backhand adj //


Words: backhanded
Meaning:
adj \n  1 a backhanded remark or compliment seems to express praise or admiration but in fact is insulting:\n  2 a backhanded shot is a backhand shot:


Words: backhander
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 a hit or shot that you do using the back of your hand:\n  2  BrE  informal money that you pay illegally and secretly to get something done:   bribe//  --Investigators estimate that [hA124]35m had been spent on bribes and backhanders.//


Words: backing
Meaning:
n \n  1 [U] support or help, especially with money:  --She flew to New York to try to raise some financial backing for the project.//\n  2 [C] material that is used to make the back of an object:\n  3 [C] the music that is played at the same time as a singer’s voice:  -- backing adj //  --backing singers//


Words: backlash
Meaning:
n [C]   a strong negative reaction by a number of people against recent events, especially against political or social developments//  backlash against//  --The 1970s saw the first backlash against the emerging women’s movement.//  backlash from//  --The management fear a backlash from angry fans over the team’s recent poor performances.//


Words: backlog
Meaning:
n [C usually singular]   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin: backlog  ’large piece of wood placed at the back of a fire’ (17-21 centuries)]//  a large amount of work that you need to complete, especially work that should already have been completed//  backlog of//  --a backlog of requests//  --It’s going to take us months to clear the backlog .//


Words: backpacker
Meaning:
n [C]   someone who is travelling for pleasure, usually with not very much money, and who walks or uses public transport and carries a backpack//


Words: backpacking
Meaning:
n [U]   the activity of travelling for pleasure, usually without very much money, and carrying a backpack//


Words: backpedal
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  backpedalled present participle  backpedalling  BrE //  past tense and past participle  backpedaled present participle  backpedaling  AmE  [I] //\n  1 to change your opinion or not do something that you had promised to do:    backtrack//  --They are backpedalling on the commitment to cut taxes.//\n  2 to pedal backwards on a bicycle:\n  3 to run or walk backwards:


Words: backroom boy
Meaning:
n [C usually plural]  BrE  informal   someone such as an engineer or scientist whose work is important but who does not get much attention or fame//


Words: backside
Meaning:
n [C]  informal \n  1 the part of your body that you sit on:   bottom//\n  2  get off your backside:  to start doing something or taking action, instead of not doing anything//    be a pain in the backside at pain1 (3)//


Words: backslide
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  backslid /-sl[hA366]d/ [I] //  to start doing the bad things that you used to do, after having improved your behaviour//  -- backslider n  [C] //


Words: backspace
Meaning:
n [C usually singular]   a button on a computer keyboard or typewriter that you press to move backwards towards the beginning of the line//


Words: backspin
Meaning:
n [U]   a turning movement in a ball that has been hit so that the top of the ball turns backwards as the ball travels forwards//    topspin//


Words: backstabbing
Meaning:
n [U]   the act of secretly doing bad things to someone else, especially saying bad things about them, in order to gain an advantage for yourself//  -- backstabber n  [C] //


Words: backstage
Meaning:
adj, adv \n  1 behind the stage in a theatre, especially in the actors’ dressing rooms:\n  2 in private, especially within the secret parts of an organization:  --intensive backstage negotiations//


Words: backstreet
Meaning:
adj [only before noun]   backstreet activities are done in a secret or illegal way, and are often done badly//  --a backstreet abortion//\nbackstreet 2  also  back street n [C]   a small quiet street that is away from the main part of a town//  --the back streets of Brighton//


Words: backstroke
Meaning:
n [singular, U]   a way of swimming on your back by moving first one arm then the other backwards while kicking your feet//


Words: backtalk
Meaning:
n [U]  AmE  informal   a rude reply to someone who is telling you what to do//  British Equivalent:  backchat//


Words: backtrack
Meaning:
v [I] \n  1 to change an opinion or promise that you gave so that it is not as strong as it was earlier:    backpedal//  backtrack on//  --The President is backtracking on his promise to increase healthcare spending.//\n  2 to return by the same way that you came:  --We had to backtrack about a mile.//


Words: backup
Meaning:
n \n  1 [C] something that you can use to replace something that does not work or is lost:  --Always have a backup plan.//  --a backup generator//\n  2 [C] a copy of a computer document, program etc, which is made in case the original becomes lost or damaged:  --Make a backup of any work you do on the computer.//\n  3 [U] people or things that can be used to provide support and help if they are needed:  --Army units can only operate if they have sufficient backup.//  --a backup team//\n  4 [C]  AmE someone who will play in a sports team if one of the other players is injured or ill:   reserve//  --a backup goalie//


Words: backward
Meaning:
adj \n  1 [only before noun] looking or facing in the direction that is behind you:  → forward//  --She went without a backward glance.//\n  2 developing slowly and less successfully than most others:  --It will take decades to bring this backward country into the modern age.//  --a backward child//  -- backwardness n  [U] //


Words: backward-looking
Meaning:
adj   using the methods and ideas of the past rather than modern ones - used to show disapproval//  → forward-looking//  --Darwin transformed a backward-looking organisation into a respected art school.//


Words: backwards
Meaning:
S2   AmE \n  1 in the direction that is behind you:  → forwards//  --Hannah took a step backward.//  --She pushed me and I fell backwards into the chair.//\n  2 towards the beginning or the past:  → forwards//  --Count backwards from 100.//\n  3 with the back part in front:  --Your T-shirt is on backwards.//\n  4 towards a worse state:  → forwards//  --The new measures are seen by some as a major step backwards.//\n  5  backwards and forwards:  first in one direction and then in the opposite direction, usually many times//  --Kip stumbled backwards and forwards before falling down.//\n  6  bend/lean over backwards (to do sth):  to try as hard as possible to help or please someone//  --City officials bent over backwards to help downtown businesses.//\n  7  know sth backwards:   BrE  know sth backwards and forwards//   AmE to know something very well or perfectly//  --She practiced her part until she knew it backwards and forwards.//


Words: backwash
Meaning:
n [U] \n  1 a backward flow of water, caused by an oar, wave etc:\n  2 the bad situation that remains after something bad has happened:  --the backwash of the company’s failure//


Words: backwater
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 a very quiet place not influenced by outside events or new ideas - used to show disapproval:  --a rural backwater//\n  2 a part of a river away from the main part, where the water does not move:


Words: backwoodsman
Meaning:
n   plural  backwoodsmen /-m[hA353]n/ [C] //\n  1 someone who lives in the backwoods:\n  2  BrE a member of a political party or parliament, especially the House of Lords, who is not very active politically and only sometimes votes, attends meetings etc:


Words: backyard
Meaning:
also  back yard/b[zB024]kj[hA35A][hA359]d[hA36B] $ -j[hA35A][hA359]rd[hA36B]/ n [C] \n  1  BrE a small area behind a house, covered with a hard surface:\n  2  AmE an area of land behind a house, often covered with grass:  --The old man grew vegetables in his backyard.//\n  3  in sb’s own backyard:   informal very near where someone lives, works etc//  --Americans would probably react differently to the war if it was in their own back yard.//\n  4  not in my backyard:  used to say that you do not want something to happen near where you live//  -- backyard adj  [only before noun] //  --a backyard pool//


Words: Bacon
Meaning:
Francis   (1909-92) an Irish artist who is famous for painting people and animals in twisted shapes with dark, strong colours//\n Sir Francis   (1561-1626) an English politician,  philosopher, and writer//


Words: bacon
Meaning:
S3   n [U]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: , from an ancient  Germanic word meaning  ’back’]//\n  1 salted or smoked meat from the back or sides of a pig, often served in narrow thin pieces:  --bacon and eggs//  rasher of bacon  BrE  (=piece of bacon) //\n  2  bring home the bacon:   informal to provide enough money to support your family//    save sb’s bacon at save1 (11)//


Words: bacteria
Meaning:
n    singular  bacterium /-ri[hA353]m/ [plural] //  [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Modern Latin; Origin: Greek bakterion  ’stick, rod’; because of their shape]//  very small living things, some of which cause illness or disease//    virus//  -- bacterial adj //  --a bacterial infection//


Words: bacteriology
Meaning:
n [U]   the scientific study of bacteria//  -- bacteriologist n  [C] //  -- bacteriological/b[zB024]kt[hA366][hA353]ri[hA353]l[hA361]d[hA360][hA366]k[hA368]l $ -t[hA366]ri[hA353]l[hA35A][hA359]-/ adj //


Words: bad
Meaning:
adj   comparative  worse /w[hA362][hA359]s $ w[hA362][hA359]rs/superlative  worst /w[hA362][hA359]st $ w[hA362][hA359]rst///  ----------//\n   1 not good:\n   2 low quality:\n   3 not sensible:\n   4 morally wrong:\n   5 wrong behaviour:\n   6 serious:\n   7 a bad time/moment etc:\n   8 harmful:\n   9 food:\n  10 no skill:\n  11 bad heart/leg/back etc:\n  12 language:\n  13 be in a bad mood:\n  14 feel bad:\n  15 not bad:\n  16 not too/so bad:\n  17 too bad:\n  18 go from bad to worse:\n  19 be in a bad way:\n  20 a bad name:\n  21 bad lot/sort/type:\n  22 bad penny:\n  23 be taken bad:\n  24 in bad faith:\n  25 bad news:\n  26 bad form:\n  27 bad blood:\n  28 not have a bad word to say about/against somebody:\n  29 it’s bad enough.....:\n  30 something can’t be bad:\n  31 :  ----------//  [Date: 1200-1300; Origin:  Perhaps from  Old English b[zB024]ddel  ’male homosexual’]//\n  1 NOT GOOD:  unpleasant or likely to cause problems//  → good//  --I have some bad news for you.//  --I thought things couldn’t possibly get any worse.//  --The plane was delayed for several hours by bad weather.//  --It’s difficult to break bad habits.//  --a bad smell//\n  2 LOW QUALITY:  low in quality or below an acceptable standard//  → good//  --The failure of the company was due to bad management.//  --Your handwriting is so bad I can hardly read it.//  --That was the worst movie I’ve ever seen.//\n  3 NOT SENSIBLE:   [usually before noun] not sensible, or not suitable in a particular situation//  → good//  --Cutting spending at this time is a bad idea.//  --Making big changes in your diet all at once is a bad thing to do .//\n  4 MORALLY WRONG:  morally wrong or evil//  → good//  --He’s a bad man - keep away from him.//    bad guy//\n  5 WRONG BEHAVIOUR:   spoken doing something you should not do, or behaving in a wrong way - used especially about children or pets//   naughty//  --Katie was very bad today! //  bad girl/dog etc //  --Bad cat! Get off the table!//\n  6 SERIOUS:  serious or severe//  --He is recovering from a bad accident.//  --The pain in my side is worse than it was yesterday.//\n  7  a bad time/moment etc:  a time that is not suitable or causes problems//  --It’s a bad time to have to borrow money, with interest rates so high.//  --You’ve come at the worst possible moment. I have a meeting in five minutes.//\n  8 HARMFUL:  damaging or harmful//  --Pollution is having a bad effect on fish stocks.//  bad for//  --Smoking is bad for your health.//  --Too much salt can be bad for you .//  -- It is bad for kids to be on their own so much.//\n  9 FOOD:  food that is bad is not safe to eat because it has decayed//  --bad fish//  --This milk has gone bad .//\n  10 NO SKILL:  having no skill or ability in a particular activity//  bad at (doing) sth//  --I’m really bad at chess.//  --They have got to be the worst band on the planet.//\n  11  bad heart/leg/back etc:  a heart, leg etc that is injured or does not work correctly//  --I haven’t been able to do much because of my bad back.//  --Ouch, that was my bad foot!//\n  12 LANGUAGE:  bad language is rude or offensive//  --We were shocked to hear the little boy using bad language in front of his mother.//  --Jacky said a bad word!//\n  13  be in a bad mood:   also  be in a bad temper BrE to feel annoyed or angry//  --Be careful. The boss is in a bad mood today.//\n  14  feel bad:  a) to feel ashamed or sorry about something//  feel bad about (doing) sth//  --I felt bad about not being able to come last night.//  feel bad for//  --I feel bad for Ann - she studied so hard for that test and she still didn’t pass.//  b) to feel ill//\n  15  not bad:   spoken used to say that something is good, or better than you expected//  --’How are you?’ ’Oh, not bad.’//  --That’s not a bad idea.//\n  16  not too/so bad:   spoken used to say that something is not as bad as expected//  --The exams weren’t so bad.//\n  17  too bad:   spoken //  a) used to say that you do not care that something bad happens to someone//  --’I’m going to be late now!’ ’Too bad, you should have gotten up earlier.’//  b) used to say that you are sorry that something bad has happened to someone//  --It’s too bad that you couldn’t come to the party last night.//\n  18  go from bad to worse:  to become even more unpleasant or difficult//  --The schools have gone from bad to worse in this area.//\n  19  be in a bad way:   informal to be very ill, unhappy, or injured, or not in a good condition//  --She was in a bad way after the funeral.//\n  20  a bad name:  if something has a bad name, people do not respect or trust it//  have/get a bad name //  --The bar had a bad name and was avoided by all the locals.//  give sb/sth a bad name //  --These annoying tourists give all Americans a bad name.//\n  21  bad lot/sort/type:   BrE  old-fashioned someone who is morally bad or cannot be trusted//\n  22  bad penny:   BrE someone or something that causes trouble and is difficult to avoid//  --Sure enough, Steve turned up like the proverbial bad penny  (=suddenly appeared) .//\n  23  be taken bad:   BrE  informal to become ill//  --He was taken bad in the middle of the night.//\n  24  in bad faith:  if someone does something in bad faith, they are behaving dishonestly and have no intention of keeping a promise//  --In order to sue, you have to prove that the company was acting in bad faith .//\n  25  bad news:   spoken  informal someone or something that always causes trouble//  --I’d avoid her if I were you. She’s bad news.//\n  26  bad form:   BrE  old-fashioned socially unacceptable behaviour//  --It’s bad form to argue with the umpire.//\n  27  bad blood:  angry or bitter feelings between people//  bad blood between//  --There’s too much bad blood between them.//\n  28  not have a bad word to say about/against sb:  if no one has a bad word to say about a particular person, everyone likes and respects that person//\n  29  it’s bad enough.....:   spoken used to say that you already have one problem, so that you do not want to worry about or deal with another one//  --It’s bad enough having to bring up three kids on your own without having to worry about money as well!//\n  30  sth can’t be bad:   spoken used to persuade someone that something is good or worth doing//  --You only pay [hA124]10 deposit and no interest: that can’t be bad, can it?//\n  31 :  comparative  badder superlative  baddest  especially AmE  spoken informal //  a) used when you think something is very good//  --Now that’s a bad car!//  b) someone who is bad is very determined and does not always obey rules - used to show approval//  -- badness n  [U] //  ----------//  WORD FOCUS: bad //  very bad: awful,  terrible,  horrible,  lousy (informal),  appalling,  ghastly,  atrocious,  horrendous //  bad, but not very bad: not very good,  mediocre,  second-rate,  so-so,  lacklustre //  of bad quality: shoddy,  inferior,  poor quality,  cheap,  crummy (informal) //  bad at doing something: be no good at something //  very bad at doing something: hopeless,  terrible,  useless,  lousy (informal),  incompetent //  morally bad: evil,  wicked,  immoral,  corrupt,  sick,  perverted,  degenerate //  ----------//\nbad 2 n \n  1  to the bad:   BrE  informal if you are a particular amount to the bad, you are that much poorer or you owe that much//  --Thanks to your mistake, I’m [hA124]500 to the bad!//\n  2  my bad!:   AmE  spoken  informal used to say that you have made a mistake or that something is your fault//\n  3  go to the bad:   BrE  old-fashioned to begin living in a wrong or immoral way//\nbad 3 adv  spoken   a word used to mean ’badly’ which many people think is incorrect//  --I need that money bad.//


Words: bad guy
Meaning:
n [C]  AmE  informal   a man in a film, book etc who is evil or dangerous//  British Equivalent:  baddie//  --In the film, he plays a bad guy trying to find his brother’s killer.//


Words: bad hair day
Meaning:
n [C]  informal   a day when you are unhappy and easily upset, especially because your hair does not look the way you want it to look//


Words: bad-ass
Meaning:
adj [only before noun]  AmE  informal \n  1 very good or impressive:  --This site is the best online magazine for bad-ass biker gear.//\n  2 a bad-ass person is very determined and does not always obey rules - used to show approval:  --Johnson plays this bad-ass cop named O’Riley.//  -- bad-ass badass//   n  [C] //


Words: bad-mouth
Meaning:
v [T]  informal  especially AmE   to criticize someone or something//  --Her former colleagues accused her of bad-mouthing them in public.//


Words: bad-tempered
Meaning:
adj  BrE   someone who is bad-tempered becomes easily annoyed and talks in an angry way to people//   irritable//  --Why are you so bad-tempered today?//


Words: baddie
Meaning:
baddy/b[zB024]di/ n [C]  BrE  informal   someone who is bad, especially in a book or film//  American Equivalent:  bad guy//


Words: Baden-Powell
Meaning:
Lord Robert   (1857-1941) a British army officer who is known for starting the  scout organizations such as the Scouts and the Guides//


Words: badge
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: bage]//\n  1  BrE a small piece of metal, cloth, or plastic with a picture or words on it, worn to show rank, membership of a group, support for a political idea etc:  American Equivalent:  button//  American Equivalent:  pin//  --We were each handed a badge with our name on it.//\n  2 a small piece of metal or plastic that you carry to show people that you work for a particular organization, for example that you are a police officer:\n  3  a badge of honour/courage etc:  something that shows that you have a particular quality//  --He now sees his wartime injuries as a badge of honor.//\n  4  also  merit badge AmE a small piece of cloth with a picture on it, given to scouts, guides etc to show what skills they have learned:  --Steve won a photography badge in the Boy Scouts.//\n  5  badge of office:   BrE an object which shows that you have an official position//  --Mayors wear chains around their necks as badges of office.//


Words: badger
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin:  Probably from  badge; because of the white marks on its head]//  an animal which has black and white fur, lives in holes in the ground, and is active at night//\nbadger 2 v [T]   to try to persuade someone by asking them something several times//   pester//  --She badgered me for weeks until I finally gave in.//  badger sb to do sth//  --My friends keep badgering me to get a cell phone.//  badger sb into doing sth//  --I had to badger the kids into doing their homework.//


Words: badinage
Meaning:
n [U]  literary   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: French; Origin: badiner  ’to joke’]//  conversation that involves a lot of jokes or humour//


Words: Badlands
Meaning:
the Badlands//  an area of land in the US, between the southwest of South Dakota and the northwest of Nebraska, where no crops can grow and there are strangely shaped rocks and hills//


Words: badly
Meaning:
W3S2   adv   comparative  worse /w[hA362][hA359]s $ w[hA362][hA359]rs/superlative  worst /w[hA362][hA359]st $ w[hA362][hA359]rst///\n  1 in an unsatisfactory or unsuccessful way:  → well//  --The company has been very badly managed.//  --The novel was translated badly into English.//  --badly made furniture//  --Rob did very badly in the History exam.//\n  2 to a great or serious degree:  --He’s been limping badly ever since the skiing accident.//  --We badly wanted to help, but there was nothing we could do.//  --He was beaten so badly that his brother didn’t recognize him.//  --The school is badly in need of  (=very much needs) some new computers.//  --Things started to go badly wrong  (=go wrong in a serious way) for Eric after he lost his job.//\n  3  think badly of sb/sth:  to have a bad opinion of someone or something//  --I’m sure they won’t think badly of you if you tell them you need some help.//


Words: badly off comparative
Meaning:
worse-off superlative  worst-off  adj [not before noun]  especially BrE \n  1  also  bad-off AmE not having much money:   poor//  → well-off//\n  2  badly off for sth:   BrE not having enough of something that you need//  → well-off//  --The school is rather badly off for equipment.//


Words: badminton
Meaning:
n [U]   racket, shuttlecock//  [Date: 1800-1900; Origin: Badminton grand house in Gloucestershire, England where it was first played]//  a game that is similar to tennis but played with a shuttlecock (=small feathered object)  instead of a ball//


Words: Badminton Horse Trials
Meaning:
the   an important British horse-riding competition held every year at Badminton House in southwest England//


Words: Baedeker
Meaning:
trademark   a type of book providing information for tourists visiting a particular country, originally produced in the 19th century by Karl Baedeker//  --Can I borrow your Baedeker for France?//  --Look it up in Baedeker.//


Words: baffle
Meaning:
v [T]   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin:  Probably from  Scottish English bawchill  ’to criticize publicly’]//  if something baffles you, you cannot understand or explain it at all//  --The question baffled me completely.//  -- bafflement n  [U] //  -- baffling adj //  --a baffling mystery//\nbaffle 2 n [C]  technical   a board, sheet of metal etc that controls the flow of air, water, or sound into or out of something//


Words: BAFTA
Meaning:
n [C]   a prize given each year by the British Academy of Films and Television Arts for the best films, television programmes, actors etc//  --Her film won two BAFTAs.//  --the BAFTA award ceremony//


Words: bag
Meaning:
n [C]   ----------//\n   1 container:\n   2 amount:\n   3 old/stupid bag:\n   4 a lot of something:\n   5 pack your bags:\n   6 eyes:\n   7 a bag of bones:\n   8 in the bag:\n   9 trousers:\n  10 not somebody’s bag:\n  11 bag and baggage:\n  12 hunting:  ----------//  [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old Norse; Origin: baggi]//\n  1 CONTAINER:  a) a container made of paper, cloth, or thin plastic which usually opens at the top//  --a paper bag//  --a plastic bag//  --a carrier bag//  --a garbage bag//  b) a handbag//  --Don’t leave your bag in the office when you go for lunch.//  c) a large bag that you use to carry your clothes etc when you are travelling//  --Just throw your bags in the back of the car.//  --a garment bag//\n  2 AMOUNT:  the amount that a bag will hold//  bag of//  --a bag of popcorn//\n  3  old/stupid bag:   spoken an insulting word for an old woman//  --You silly old bag!//\n  4 A LOT OF SOMETHING:   bags of sth//   spoken  especially BrE a lot of something//   plenty//  --She’s got bags of money.//  --No need to rush, we’ve got bags of time.//\n  5  pack your bags:   informal to leave a place where you have been living, usually after an argument//  --We told her to pack her bags at once.//\n  6 EYES:   bags [plural] dark circles or loose skin under your eyes, usually because of old age or being tired//\n  7  a bag of bones:   informal a person or animal who is too thin//\n  8  in the bag:   informal certain to be won or achieved//  --The governor’s closest advisors quietly believe the election is in the bag.//\n  9 TROUSERS:   bags [plural]  BrE  old-fashioned loose-fitting trousers//  --Oxford bags//\n  10  not sb’s bag:   old-fashioned informal something that someone is not very interested in or not very good at//  --Thanks but dancing is not really my bag.//\n  11  bag and baggage:   BrE with all your possessions//  --They threw her out of the house, bag and baggage.//\n  12 HUNTING:   [usually singular]  BrE the number of birds or animals that someone kills when they go hunting//  --We had a good bag that day.//    sleeping bag,  airbag,  duffel bag,  tote bag,  beanbag,  punchbag,  sandbag1 ,  teabag,  let the cat out of the bag at cat(2),  be left holding the bag at hold1 (26),  a mixed bag at mixed(6)//\nbag 2   past tense and past participle  bagged present participle  bagging  v [T] //\n  1 to put things into bags:  --He got a job bagging groceries.//\n  2  informal to manage to get something that a lot of people want:  --Try to bag a couple of seats at the front.//\n  3  BrE  informal to score a goal or a point in sport:  --Larsson bagged his thirtieth goal of the season in Celtic’s win.//\n  4  informal  especially BrE to kill or catch an animal or bird:  --We bagged a rabbit.//  bag up [bag sth → up] phr v//  to put things into bags//  --We bagged up the money before we closed the shop.//


Words: bag lady
Meaning:
n [C]  informal   an impolite word for a homeless woman who lives on the streets and carries all her possessions with her//


Words: bagel
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1900-2000; Language: Yiddish; Origin: beygel, from  Old High German boug  ’ring’]//  a small ring-shaped type of bread//


Words: baggage
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: French; Origin: bagage, from  Old French bague  ’bundle’]//\n  1 [U]  especially AmE the cases, bags, boxes etc carried by someone who is travelling:   luggage//  --Check your baggage in at the desk.//\n  2 [U]  informal the beliefs, opinions, and experiences that someone has, which make them think in a particular way, especially in a way that makes it difficult to have good relationships:  --Each employee brings his or her own psychological baggage to the workplace.//


Words: baggage reclaim
Meaning:
especially BrE  also baggage claim  AmE n [U]   the place at an airport where you collect your cases and bags after a flight//


Words: baggage room
Meaning:
n [C]  AmE   a place, usually in a train station, where you can leave your bags and collect them later//


Words: Baggie
Meaning:
trademark   a type of small clear plastic bag used in the US, especially for carrying food such as  sandwiches//


Words: Baggins
Meaning:
Bilbo   an imaginary creature called a  hobbit who is the main character in the book  The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien//


Words: baggy
Meaning:
adj   baggy clothes are big and do not fit tightly on your body//  → tight//  --She was wearing jeans and a baggy T-shirt.//


Words: bagpipes
Meaning:
n [plural]   a musical instrument played especially in Scotland in which air blown into a bag is forced out through pipes to produce the sound//  -- bagpipe adj //


Words: baguette
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: French; Origin: Latin baculus;   BACILLUS]//  a long thin loaf of bread, made especially in France//


Words: bah
Meaning:
interjection  old-fashioned   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin:  Probably from  French]//  used to show disapproval of something//  --Bah! That’s stupid.//


Words: Baha’i Faith
Meaning:
the   a religion based on the belief that people should be peaceful and kind, and should accept the fact that other people belong to different races or religions//


Words: Bahamas
Meaning:
the   a country consisting of a group of islands in the Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida. Population: 298,000 (2001). Capital: Nassau.//


Words: Bahrain
Meaning:
Bahrein  a country consisting of a group of islands in the Gulf, near the coast of Saudi Arabia, and known for producing oil. Population: 645,000 (2001). Capital: Manama.//


Words: Baikal
Meaning:
also  Baykal  a lake in Siberia, Russia, that is the oldest and deepest  freshwater lake in the world//


Words: bail
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: ’keeping someone as a prisoner’, from  baillier  ’to deliver, keep as a prisoner’, from  Medieval Latin bajulare  ’to control’, from  Latin bajulus  ’someone who carries loads’]//\n  1 [U] money left with a court of law to make sure that a prisoner will return when their trial starts:  --Carpenter is free  on bail  while he appeals his conviction.//  --She was murdered by a man who was  out on bail  for rape.//  --The three men were  released on bail  pending an appeal.//  --He is not likely to be  granted bail .//  --Carter has been  refused bail and will remain in custody.//  --The judge ordered that Jones be held without bail .//  --Why can’t you ask your father to  put up bail  for you?//  --Two of the defendants  jumped bail  and fled to New York.//  -- Bail  was  set  at $30,000.//\n  2 [C usually plural] one of the two small pieces of wood laid on top of the stumps in a game of cricket:  ----------//  COLLOCATES for sense 1 //  (out) on bail //  release somebody on bail //  grant somebody bail //  refuse somebody bail //  post bail //  hold somebody without bail  (=make someone stay in prison until their trial) //  stand bail/put up bail  BrE  (=pay someone’s bail) //  jump bail  also  skip bail British English (=not return to trial as you promised) //  set somebody’s bail at something (=say how much bail they must pay) //  conditional bail  BrE (=bail given if someone agrees to do something) //  unconditional bail  BrE (=bail given without having to agree to do something) //  ----------//\nbail 2 v   [Sense: 1-2, 4-6; Date: 1600-1700; Origin: bail  ’container for liquids’ (15-19 centuries), from  Old French baille, from  Medieval Latin bajula, from  Latin bajulus (  BAIL1); bail out]//  [Sense: 3; Origin:  BAIL1]//\n  1  also  bail out:   AmE  bale out BrE [I]  informal to escape from a situation that you do not want to be in any more//  --After ten years in the business, McArthur is baling out.//  --I don’t know anybody at this party - let’s bail.//\n  2 [T usually passive]  BrE if someone is bailed, they are let out of prison to wait for their trial after they have left a sum of money with the court:  --Dakers was bailed to appear at Durham Crown Court.//  bail out phr v//\n  1  bail sb/sth → out:   also  bale somebody/something → out BrE to do something to help someone out of trouble, especially financial problems//  --Some local businesses have offered to bail out the museum.//  --Sutton bailed his team out with a goal in the last minute.//\n  2  bail sb → out:  to leave a large sum of money with a court so that someone can be let out of prison while waiting for their trial//  --Clarke’s family paid [hA124]500 to bail him out.//\n  3  AmE  also bale out :  to escape from a plane, using a parachute//\n  4  bail sth → out:   also  bale something → out BrE to remove water that has come into a boat//


Words: bailey
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: baille,  balie  ’fence, bailey’]//  an open area inside the outer wall of a castle//


Words: bailiff
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: baillif, from  bail;   BAIL1]//\n  1  BrE someone who looks after a farm or land that belongs to someone else:\n  2  AmE an official of the legal system who watches prisoners and keeps order in a court of law:\n  3  BrE an official of the legal system who can take people’s goods or property when they owe money:


Words: bait
Meaning:
n [singular, U]   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old Norse; Origin: beita  ’food’]//\n  1 food used to attract fish, animals, or birds so that you can catch them:  --We used worms as bait.//  --The fish wouldn’t take the bait .//\n  2 something attractive that is offered to someone to make them do something or buy something, especially when this is done in a dishonest way that tricks people:  --Plenty of people took the bait  (=accepted what was on offer) and lost their life savings.//\n  3  rise to the bait:  to become angry when someone is deliberately trying to make you angry//  --Senator O’Brien just smiled, refusing to rise to the bait.//\nbait 2 v [T]   [Sense: 1; Date: 1200-1300; Origin:  BAIT1]//  [Sense: 2-3; Date: 1100-1200; Language: Old Norse; Origin: beita  ’to cause to bite’]//\n  1 to put bait on a hook to catch fish or in a trap to catch animals:\n  2 to deliberately try to make someone angry by criticizing them, using rude names etc:\n  3  bear-baiting/badger-baiting etc:  the activity of attacking a wild animal with dogs//


Words: baize
Meaning:
n [U]   baize, cue, pocket//  [Date: 1500-1600; Language: French; Origin: baies, plural of  baie  ’baize’, from  bai;   BAY3]//  thick cloth that is usually green, and is used to cover tables on which games such as pool are played//


Words: Baja California
Meaning:
also Baja   a  peninsula (=long thin piece of land)  in Mexico that is connected to southern California and goes into the Pacific Ocean//


Words: bake
Meaning:
S3   v [I and T]   [Language: Old English; Origin: bacan]//\n  1 to cook something using dry heat, in an oven:  --I’m baking some bread.//  --baked potatoes//  --Bake at 250 degrees for 20 minutes.//\n  2 to make something become hard by heating it:  --The bricks were baked in the sun.//    baking1 ,  half-baked//


Words: Bakelite
Meaning:
n [U]    trademark a hard plastic used especially in the 1930s and 1940s to make things such as telephones and radios//


Words: baker
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 someone who bakes bread and cakes, especially in order to sell them in a shop:\n  2  baker’s:   BrE a shop that makes and sells bread and cakes//   bakery//


Words: Baker day
Meaning:
BrE  informal   one of a number of days during the usual school year when teachers receive training and children do not attend school//


Words: Baker Street
Meaning:
a street in London where the  detective Sherlock  Holmes lived in the stories about him by Arthur Conan Doyle//


Words: baking
Meaning:
n [U]   the activity of making cakes, bread etc//\nbaking 2 adj  spoken   used to say that a person or place is very hot//  --I’m baking!//  --a baking hot day//


Words: baksheesh
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: Persian; Origin: bakhshish, from  bakhshidan  ’to give’]//  money that people in the Middle East give to poor people, to someone who has helped them, or as a bribe//


Words: Baku
Meaning:
also  Baky  a city in southeast Azerbaijan, the country’s capital and an important port on the west coast of the Caspian Sea//


Words: balaclava
Meaning:
n  also balaclava helmet  [C]   a warm hat made of wool, that covers your head and most of your face//


Words: balalaika
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: Russian]//  a musical instrument like a guitar, with a body shaped like a triangle and three strings, played especially in Russia//


Words: balance
Meaning:
n   ----------//\n   1 steady:\n   2 equal amounts:\n   3 on balance:\n   4 surprise somebody:\n   5 bank:\n   6 money owed:\n   7 remaining:\n   8 be/hang in the balance:\n   9 tip/swing the balance:\n  10 for weighing:\n  11 mental/emotional health:\n  12 the balance of evidence/probability etc:  ----------//  [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: Vulgar Latin bilancia, from  Late Latin bilanx  ’having two pans’, from  Latin lanx  ’plate’]//\n  1 STEADY:   [U] a state in which all your weight is evenly spread so that you do not fall//  --I lost my balance  and fell on my face.//  --We were struggling to keep our balance as the boat rolled.//  --I thought she was going to fall, but she  recovered her balance  and carried on down the stairs. //  --a powerful blow that knocked his opponent off balance //  --I’ve got a good sense of balance and learnt to ski quite quickly.//\n  2 EQUAL AMOUNTS:   [singular, U] a state in which opposite forces or influences exist in equal or the correct amounts, in a way that is good//  → imbalance//  balance between//  --Try to keep a balance between work and play.//  balance of//  --Pesticides seriously upset the balance of nature .//  --We need to strike a balance (=succeed in finding a balance) between the needs of the community and the rights of the individual.//\n  3  on balance:  if you think something on balance, you think it after considering all the facts//  --I think on balance I prefer the old system.//\n  4 SURPRISE SOMEBODY:   catch/throw sb off balance//  to surprise someone and make them confused and no longer calm//  --The question caught him off balance, and he didn’t know what to say.//\n  5 BANK:   [C] the amount of money that you have in your bank account//  --My bank balance isn’t very healthy.//\n  6 MONEY OWED:   [C] the balance of a debt is the amount of money that you still owe after you have paid some of it//  --The balance is due at the end of the month.//\n  7 REMAINING:   the balance//  the amount of something that remains after some has been used, spent, mentioned etc//   the rest//  --The firm owns about 96% of the portfolio, with the balance belonging to our family.//\n  8  be/hang in the balance:  if the future or success of something hangs in the balance, you cannot yet know whether the result will be bad or good//  --Meanwhile, the fate of the refugees continues to hang in the balance.//\n  9  tip/swing the balance:  to influence the result of an event//  --The dignity and courage shown by the President may tip the balance in his party’s favour .//\n  10 FOR WEIGHING:   [C] an instrument for weighing things, with two dishes that hang from a bar//   scales//\n  11 MENTAL/EMOTIONAL HEALTH:   [singular] when someone’s mind is healthy and their emotional state is normal//  --The death of her friend had disturbed the balance of her mind .//\n  12  the balance of evidence/probability etc:  the most likely answer or result produced by opposing information, reasons etc//    checks and balances at check2 (4)//  ----------//  COLLOCATES for sense 1 //  lose your balance  (=become unsteady) //  keep your balance  (=stay steady) //  recover/regain your balance  (=become steady again) //  be off balance  (=unable to stay steady) //  knock/pull/throw somebody off balance //  sense of balance //  ----------//\nbalance 2 S3 v \n  1 [I and T] to be in or get into a steady position, without falling to one side or the other, or to put something into this position:  balance sth on sth//  --She was balancing a plate of food on her knees.//  balance on//  --He turned around, balancing awkwardly on one foot.//\n  2 [I and T] to be equal in importance, amount, value, or effect to something that has the opposite effect:  --Job losses in manufacturing were balanced by job increases in the service sector.//  --just enough sugar to balance the acidity of the fruit//\n  3 [T] to consider the importance of one thing in relation to something else when you are making a decision:  balance sth against sth//  --The courts must balance our liberty against the security of the nation.//\n  4  balance the budget:  if a government balances the budget, they make the amount of money that they spend equal to the amount of money available//\n  5  balance the books:  to show that the amount of money a business has received is equal to the amount spent//  balance out phr v//  if two or more things balance out, the final result is that they are equal in amount, importance, or effect//  --Sometimes I look after the kids and sometimes John does - it all balances out.//    balancing act//


Words: balance of payments
Meaning:
n [singular]   the difference between what a country spends in order to buy goods and services abroad, and the money it earns selling goods and services abroad//


Words: balance of power
Meaning:
n [singular]   a situation in which political or military strength is shared evenly//  --The election of so many Republicans to Congress has changed the balance of power in Washington.//  --A small centre party holds the balance of power  (=is able to make either side more powerful than the other by supporting them) in the Assembly.//


Words: balance of trade
Meaning:
n [singular]   the difference in value between the goods a country buys from abroad and the goods it sells abroad//


Words: balance sheet
Meaning:
n [C]   a statement of how much money a business has earned and how much money it has paid for goods and services//  --a healthy balance sheet//


Words: balanced
Meaning:
adj \n  1 giving equal attention to all sides or opinions:   fair//  a balanced view/account //  --a balanced account of what happened//  -- balanced reporting of the election campaign//\n  2 arranged to include things or people of different kinds in the right amounts:  --a balanced programme of events//  --the importance of a balanced diet  (=one that is healthy because it contains the right foods in the right amounts) //  --Nature is perfectly balanced .//  finely/delicately balanced (=very carefully balanced) //  --soup with a delicately balanced flavor//\n  3 someone who is balanced is calm and sensible, and has good mental health:  → unbalanced//  --The goal of education is to help children become balanced and rounded human beings.//\n  4  balanced budget:  when a government is not spending more money than it has available//


Words: Balanchine
Meaning:
George   (1904-83) a US choreographer (=someone who decides what movements dancers will do to a piece of music)  who was born in Russia, and who helped to start the New York City Ballet//


Words: balancing act
Meaning:
n [C usually singular]   when you are trying to please two or more people or groups who all want different things, or who have ideas that are completely different from each other//  --Gilmore had to perform the difficult balancing act of attracting moderate voters without losing his conservative base.//


Words: Balboa
Meaning:
Vasco Nu[hA172]ez de   (?1475-1519) a Spanish explorer who led the first lasting European town in South American, in Panama, in 1510. In 1513 he crossed the Isthmus of Panama and was the first European to discover the Pacific Ocean, which he then claimed, along with all the coasts it touched, for Spain.//


Words: balcony
Meaning:
n   plural  balconies  [C] //  [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Italian; Origin: balcone]//\n  1 a structure that you can stand on, that is attached to the outside wall of a building, above ground level:  --Has your flat got a balcony?//\n  2 the seats upstairs at a theatre:


Words: bald
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1300-1400; Origin:  Perhaps from  ball  ’white spot on an animal’s head’ (13-16 centuries), probably from  Welsh bal]//\n  1 having little or no hair on your head:  --a bald man//  --his shiny bald head//  --Dad started going bald when he was in his thirties.//  --He combed his hair and tried to hide his bald patch  (=part of someone’s head where there is no hair) .//\n  2 not having enough of what usually covers something:  --The car’s tires are completely bald.//  --The carpet’s so old, it’s practically bald.//\n  3  bald statement/facts/truth:  a statement etc that is correct but gives no additional information to help you understand or accept what is said//  --The bald truth was that Lori didn’t love her husband anymore.//  -- baldness n  [U] //


Words: bald eagle
Meaning:
n [C]   a large North American bird with a white head and neck that is the national bird of the US//


Words: bald-faced
Meaning:
adj   making no attempt to hide the fact that you know you are saying or doing something wrong//   barefaced//  --a bald-faced lie//


Words: baldly
Meaning:
adv   in a way that is true but makes no attempt to be polite//  --’I’m not coming,’ Rosa said baldly next morning at breakfast.//


Words: Baldwin
Meaning:
James   (1924-87) a black US writer who wrote novels such as  Go Tell It on the Mountain  and  Another Country//


Words: bale
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French]//  a large quantity of something such as paper or hay that is tightly tied together especially into a block//  --a bale of straw//\nbale 2 v [T]   to tie something such as paper or  hay into a large block//  bale out phr v//    bail2 ,  bail-out//


Words: Balearic Islands
Meaning:
also the Balearics   the Balearic Islands//  a group of islands in the western Mediterranean Sea, including Ibiza, Majorca, and Minorca, which belong to Spain//


Words: baleful
Meaning:
adj  literary   [Language: Old English; Origin: bealufull, from  bealu  ’evil’]//  expressing anger, hatred, or a wish to harm someone//  --a baleful look//  -- balefully adv //


Words: Balfour
Meaning:
Arthur James   (1848-1930) a British politician in the Conservative Party, who was Prime Minister from 1902 to 1905 and Foreign Secretary from 1916 to 1919. He was responsible for the Balfour Declaration, which supported the idea that a state should be established in Palestine for the Jews.//


Words: balk
Meaning:
also  baulk BrE   v   [Date: 1400-1500; Origin: balk  ’raised area that gets in the way of forward movement’ (15-21 centuries), from  Old English balca  ’pile of things on the ground’]//\n  1 [I] to not want to do or try something, because it seems difficult, unpleasant, or frightening:  balk at//  --Many people would balk at setting up a new business during a recession.//  --Westerners balk at the prospect of snake on the menu.//\n  2 [I] if a horse balks at a fence, it stops in front of it and refuses to jump over it:\n  3 [I]  AmE in baseball, to stop in the middle of the action of throwing the ball to the player who is trying to hit it:\n  4 [T]  formal to stop someone or something from getting or achieving what they want:


Words: balkanization
Meaning:
also  -sation BrE   n [U]   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin: Balkans, the name of an area of southeast Europe with many small states that often fight each other]//  the practice of dividing a country into separate independent states - used to show disapproval//


Words: Balkans
Meaning:
the  also Balkan States, the   a large area in southeast Europe which includes Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, and Yugoslavia. It is an area in which there have been many wars and many changes in the borders of the countries.//


Words: balky
Meaning:
adj  especially AmE  informal   someone or something that is balky does not do what they are expected to do//  --a balky air-conditioning system//


Words: ball
Meaning:
n   ball//  ----------//\n   1 round object:\n   2 round shape:\n   3 game/sport:\n   4 foot/hand:\n   5 on the ball:\n   6 set/start/keep the ball rolling:\n   7 the ball is in somebody’s court:\n   8 formal occasion:\n   9 have a ball:\n  10 balls:\n  11 a fast/good/long etc ball:\n  12 cricket:\n  13 baseball:\n  14 the whole ball of wax:\n  15 a ball of fire:\n  16 ball-buster/ball-breaker:\n  17 keep several/too many etc balls in the air:  ----------//  [Sense: 1-7, 10-17; Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old Norse; Origin: b[hA177]llr]//  [Sense: 8-9; Date: 1600-1700; Language: French; Origin: bal, from  Old French  baller  ’to dance’, from  Late Latin ballare, from  Greek ballizein]//\n  1 ROUND OBJECT:   [C] a round object that is thrown, kicked, or hit in a game or sport//  throw/hit/kick/catch etc a ball //  --Weiskopf hit the ball 330 yards and a cheer went up.//  a tennis/golf/cricket etc ball //\n  2 ROUND SHAPE:   [C] something formed or rolled into a round shape//  --a ball of string//  --Shape the dough into balls.//\n  3 GAME/SPORT:   [U] any game or sport played with a ball, especially baseball or  basketball//  --D’you want to go out and  play ball ?//  --Dad’s downstairs watching some ball.//\n  4 FOOT/HAND:   the ball of the foot/hand//  the rounded part of the foot at the base of the toes, or the rounded part of the hand at the base of the thumb//\n  5  on the ball:   informal able to think or act quickly and intelligently//  --an assistant who’s really on the ball//\n  6  set/start/keep the ball rolling:  to start something happening//  --To start the ball rolling, the government was asked to contribute [hA124]1 million.//\n  7  the ball is in sb’s court:  it is their turn to take action or to reply//  --I’ve emailed him twice - now the ball’s in his court.//\n  8 FORMAL OCCASION:   [C] a large formal occasion at which people dance//\n  9  have a ball:   informal to have a very good time//\n  10  balls [plural]  informal  not polite :  a)  testicles//  b) courage//  --I didn’t have the balls to ask.//  c)  BrE  spoken something that is stupid or wrong//   nonsense//  --That’s a load of balls!//    balls1 //\n  11  a fast/good/long etc ball:  a ball that is thrown, hit, or kicked fast etc in a game or sport//  --He hit a long ball to right field.//\n  12 CRICKET:   no ball//  a ball that is thrown too high, low etc towards someone trying to hit it, in the games of cricket or rounders//\n  13 BASEBALL:   [C] a ball that the hitter does not try to hit, because it is not within the correct area//\n  14  the whole ball of wax:   AmE  informal the whole thing//   everything//\n  15  a ball of fire:   informal someone who has a lot of energy and enthusiasm//\n  16  ball-buster/ball-breaker:   informal //  a) a problem that is very difficult to deal with//  b) an offensive word for a woman who uses her authority over men//\n  17  keep several/too many etc balls in the air:  to struggle to deal with more than one problem or job at the same time//  --The company just won’t be able to keep that many balls in the air.//    cannonball,  crystal ball,  wrecking ball,  play ball at play1 (7)//\nball 2 v [T] \n  1  also ball up :  to make something form a small round shape//  --Ray balled up his fists, ready to fight.//\n  2  AmE  informal  not polite to have sex with a woman:


Words: ball and chain
Meaning:
n [singular] \n  1 something that limits your freedom and stops you from doing what you want to do:  --The lower-tech side of the business was seen as a ball and chain.//\n  2 a heavy metal ball on a chain, tied to a prisoner’s legs, to stop the prisoner from escaping:


Words: ball bearing
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 small metal balls that move in a ring, to make a part inside a machine turn more easily:\n  2 one of these metal balls:


Words: ball game
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1  AmE a game of baseball, football, or basketball:\n  2  BrE any game played with a ball:\n  3  a whole new ball game:  a situation that is very different from the one you are used to//  --I used to be a teacher, so working in an office is a whole new ball game.//


Words: ball park
Meaning:
n \n  1 [C]  AmE a field for playing baseball with seats for watching the game:\n  2  in the (right) ball park:   informal close to the amount, price etc that you want or are thinking about//  --Their estimate is in the right ball park.//\n  3  a ball-park figure/estimate/amount:  a number or amount that is almost but not exactly correct//  --He said $25,000 but it’s just a ball-park figure.//


Words: ballad
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Old French; Origin: balade, from  Old Proven[hA168]al balada  ’dance, song sung while dancing’, from  balar  ’to dance’, from  Late Latin ballare;   BALL1]//\n  1 a slow love song:\n  2 a short story in the form of a poem or song:


Words: ballast
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin:  Probably from  Low German]//\n  1 heavy material that is carried by a ship to make it more steady in the water:\n  2 material such as sand that is carried in a balloon so that it can be thrown out to make it rise:\n  3 a layer of broken stones that a road or railway line is built on:


Words: ballcock
Meaning:
n [C]   a hollow floating ball on a stick that opens and closes a hole, to allow water to flow into a container, for example in a toilet//


Words: ballerina
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Italian; Origin: ballare  ’to dance’, from  Late Latin;   BALL1]//  a woman who dances in ballets//


Words: ballet
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: French; Origin: Italian balletto, from  ballo  ’dance’, from  ballare;   BALLERINA]//\n  1 [C] a performance in which dancing and music tell a story without any speaking:  --We’re going to the ballet tomorrow evening.//  --I wanted to be a ballet dancer when I was a child.//\n  2 [U] this type of dancing:\n  3 [C] a group of ballet dancers who work together:  --the Bolshoi ballet//


Words: ballgown
Meaning:
n [C]   a long dress made of expensive material, that a woman wears to formal parties//   evening dress//


Words: ballistic
Meaning:
adj  spoken   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin: ballistic  ’of ballistics’ (18-21 centuries), from  Latin ballista  ’weapon for throwing large rocks’, from  Greek, from  ballein  ’to throw’]//  go ballistic//  to suddenly become very angry//  --I couldn’t believe it! She went ballistic just because there were peas in her pasta.//


Words: ballistic missile
Meaning:
n [C]   a powerful weapon that can travel extremely long distances, and that flies very high up into the sky and then back down to earth where it explodes//


Words: ballistics
Meaning:
n [U]   the scientific study of the movement of objects that are thrown or fired through the air, such as bullets shot from a gun//


Words: balloon
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: French; Origin: ballon  ’large football, balloon’, from  Italian ballone  ’large football’, from  balla  ’ball’]//\n  1 an object made of brightly-coloured thin rubber, that is filled with air and used as a toy or decoration for parties:  --Can you help me blow up these balloons?//  --He burst the balloon in my face.//\n  2  also hot air balloon :  a large bag of strong light cloth filled with gas or heated air so that it can float in the air. It has a basket hanging below it for people to stand in.//  --a balloon flight over the Yorkshire Moors//\n  3 the circle drawn around the words spoken by the characters in a cartoon:   bubble//\n  4  a balloon payment:   AmE money borrowed that must be paid back in one large sum after several smaller payments have been made//  --a $10,000 balloon payment due in two years//\n  5  the balloon goes up:   BrE  informal used to refer to the moment when a situation starts to become really bad//  --We’ll have to get out of there before the balloon goes up.//    go down like a lead balloon at lead3 (3)//\nballoon 2 v [I]  also balloon out \n  1 to suddenly become larger in amount:   explode//  --The company’s debt has ballooned in the past year.//\n  2 if someone balloons, they suddenly become fat:  --Paul ballooned after he got married.//\n  3 to get bigger and rounder:  --The sheet flapped and ballooned in the wind.//


Words: ballot
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Italian; Origin: ballotta, from  balla (  BALLOON1); because small balls were used for voting]//\n  1 [U and C] a system of voting, usually in secret, or an occasion when you vote in this way:  --The party leader is elected by secret ballot .//  --Workers at the plant held a ballot and rejected strike action.//\n  2 [C] a piece of paper on which you make a secret vote:   ballot paper//  --Only 22% of voters cast their ballots .//\n  3  the ballot:  the total number of votes in an election//  --He won 54% of the ballot.//\nballot 2 v [I and T] \n  1 to ask someone to vote for something:  ballot on/over//  --Train drivers are being balloted on industrial action.//\n  2 to vote for something:  ballot for//  --Staff balloted for strike action yesterday.//


Words: ballot box
Meaning:
n \n  1 [C] a box that ballot papers are put in after voting:\n  2  the ballot box:  the system or process of voting in an election//  through the ballot box//  --The people have expressed their views through the ballot box.//


Words: ballot paper
Meaning:
n [C]   a piece of paper on which you record your vote//  spoiled ballot papers (=ones that have been marked incorrectly and so cannot be counted) //


Words: ballroom dancing
Meaning:
n [U]   a type of dancing that is done with a partner and has different steps for particular types of music, such as the waltz//


Words: balls
Meaning:
interjection  BrE  not polite   used to show strong disapproval or disappointment//  --Balls to that!//    balls at ball1 (10)//\nballs 2 v   balls up [balls sth → up] phr v//  to do something very badly or unsuccessfully//   mess up//  --He totally ballsed up his exams.//


Words: balls-up
Meaning:
n [singular]  BrE  informal   something that has been done very badly or not successfully//  --Nigel made a complete balls-up of the arrangements.//


Words: ballsy
Meaning:
adj  informal   brave and determined, and not afraid of other people’s disapproval//  --a very ballsy lady//


Words: ballyhoo
Meaning:
n [U]    informal when there is a lot of excitement or anger about something - used to show disapproval//   fuss//  --After all the ballyhoo, the film was a flop.//  -- ballyhoo v  [T] //  --a much ballyhooed program to recruit more police officers//


Words: balm
Meaning:
n [U and C]   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: baume, from  Latin balsamum;   BALSAM]//\n  1 an oily liquid with a strong pleasant smell that you rub into your skin, often to reduce pain:  --lip balm//\n  2  literary something that gives you comfort:  balm for/to//  --A drive through the countryside is balm for a weary soul.//


Words: baloney
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin: bologna]//   informal something that is silly or not true//   nonsense//  --Don’t give me that baloney.//


Words: balsa
Meaning:
n [U and C]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Spanish]//  a tropical American tree or the wood from this tree, which is very light//


Words: balsam
Meaning:
n [U and C]   [Date: 1000-1100; Language: Latin; Origin: balsamum, from  Greek balsamon]//   balm, or the tree that produces it//


Words: Baltic Sea
Meaning:
the Baltic Sea//   also  the Baltic//  a sea that is part of the Atlantic Ocean and is surrounded by Denmark, Sweden, the Baltic States, and Poland//


Words: balustrade
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: French; Origin: Italian balaustrata, from  balaustro  ’post supporting a handrail’, from  balaustra  ’pomegranate flower’; because of the shape of the post]//  a row of wooden, stone, or metal posts that stop someone falling from a bridge or balcony//


Words: Balzac
Meaning:
Honore de   (1799-1850) a French writer who wrote about French society, and is famous for his set of novels called  La Comedie Humaine//


Words: bam
Meaning:
interjection   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin:  From the sound of hitting]//\n  1 used to show that something happens quickly:  --He made a run for it and, bam, they shot him in the leg.//\n  2 used to show that something has hit something else:\n  3 used to make the sound of a gun:


Words: bamboo
Meaning:
n [U and C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Malay; Origin: bambu]//  a tall tropical plant with hollow stems that is used for making furniture//


Words: ban
Meaning:
W3   n [C]   an official order that prevents something from being used or done//  ban on//  --a total ban on cigarette advertising//  lift/impose a ban //  --a call to lift the ban on homosexuals in the military//    test ban//\nban 2   past tense and past participle  banned present participle  banning  v [T] //  [Language: Old English; Origin: bannan  ’to command people to come’]//  to say that something must not be done, seen, used etc//   prohibit//  → allow//  --Smoking is banned in the building.//  ban sb from doing sth//  --Charlie’s been banned from driving for a year.//  a banned substance/drug (=a drug that people competing in a sport are not allowed to take because it improves their performance) //  -- banning n  [U] //  --the banning of trade unions//


Words: banal
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: French; Origin: Old French ban  ’military service that everyone must do, something common’]//  ordinary and not interesting, because of a lack of new or different ideas//   trivial//  --conversations about the most banal subjects//  -- banality/b[hA353]n[zB024]l[hA369]ti/ n  [U and C] //


Words: banana
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Spanish; Origin: Portuguese, from  Mande]//  a long curved tropical fruit with a yellow skin//


Words: banana peel
Meaning:
n [C]  AmE   an embarrassing mistake made by someone in a public position, especially a politician or someone in a government//  British Equivalent:  banana skin//  --The President has slipped on yet another banana peel .//


Words: banana republic
Meaning:
n [C]   an insulting word for a small poor country with weak government that depends on financial help from abroad//


Words: banana skin
Meaning:
n [C]  BrE   an embarrassing mistake made by someone in a public position, especially a politician or someone in a government//  American Equivalent:  banana peel//  --This government has an unhappy knack of slipping on banana skins .//


Words: bananas
Meaning:
adj  informal \n  1  go bananas:  to become very angry or excited//  --Mum went bananas when I said I was going to leave nursing.//\n  2 crazy or silly:


Words: Banbury Cross
Meaning:
a stone cross in the small English town of Banbury, near Oxford, which is mentioned in a popular British  nursery rhyme (=old song or poem for young children) //  --Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross//


Words: band
Meaning:
n [C]   [Sense: 1-2; Date: 1400-1500; Language: French; Origin: bande  ’group of people’]//  [Sense: 3-6; Date: 1400-1500; Language: French; Origin: bande  ’flat strip, edge, side’]//\n  1 [also + plural verb]  BrE a group of musicians, especially a group that plays popular music:    big band,  brass band,  marching band,  one-man band//  -- I grew up  playing in  rock  bands . //  --The  band was playing  old Beatles songs.//  --Smith  joined the band  in 1989. //  -- They  formed a band  when they were still at school. //  -- The entertainment includes a disco and  live band . //  -- interviews with  band members //\n  2 a group of people formed because of a common belief or purpose:  band of//  --a small band of volunteers//  --bands of soldiers//\n  3 a range of numbers within a system:  --Interest rates stayed within a relatively narrow band.//  age/tax/income etc band //  --people within the $20,000-$30,000 income band//\n  4 a flat, narrow piece of something with one end joined to the other to form a circle:  --papers held together with a rubber band//  --a slim gold band on her finger//\n  5 a narrow area of light, colour, land etc that is different from the areas around it:  --The birds have a distinctive blue band round their eyes.//  band of//  --a thin band of cloud//\n  6  technical a range of radio signals:   waveband//  ----------//  COLLOCATES for sense 1 //  play in a band (=be a musician in a band) //  the band plays something (=the musicians play music) //  join a band //  form a band //  rock/pop/jazz etc band //  live band  (=a band playing live music, not recorded music) //  band member //  band leader //  ----------//\nband 2 v [T usually passive]    BrE to put people or things into different groups, usually according to income, value, or price//  --After valuation, properties will be banded in groups of [hA124]20,000 or more.//  band together phr v//  if people band together, they unite in order to achieve something//  --Local people have banded together to fight the company’s plans.//


Words: Band Aid
Meaning:
trademark   an organization set up by Bob Geldof in 1984 to collect money for people dying of hunger in Ethiopia. This was done by getting many famous popular musicians to make a record together called  Do They Know It’s Christmas?, and by organizing the  Live Aid concerts in London and Philadelphia.//


Words: Band-Aid
Meaning:
n [C]   Band-Aid, bandage, plaster, scissors//\n  1  trademark  especially AmE a piece of thin material that is stuck to the skin to cover cuts and other small wounds:  British Equivalent:  plaster//\n  2 a Band-Aid solution to a problem is temporary and will not solve the problem - used to show disapproval:  --This idea is criticized by some as a Band-Aid solution.//


Words: bandage
Meaning:
n [C]   Band-Aid, bandage, plaster, scissors//  [Date: 1500-1600; Language: French; Origin: bande  ’flat strip’;   BAND1]//  a narrow piece of cloth that you tie around a wound or around a part of the body that has been injured//\nbandage 2  also bandage up  v [T]   to tie or cover a part of the body with a bandage//  --The nurse bandaged up his sprained ankle.//


Words: bandanna
Meaning:
bandana/b[zB024]nd[zB024]n[hA353]/ n [C]   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: Hindi; Origin: badhnu  ’cloth tied and then colored’, from  badhna  ’to tie’]//  a large brightly coloured piece of cloth you wear around your head or neck//


Words: Bandar Seri Begawan
Meaning:
a city in northeast Brunei, the country’s capital and an important port on the Brunei River, formerly called Brunei Town//


Words: Bandaranaike
Meaning:
Mrs Sirimavo   (1916-2000) a Sri Lankan politician who became the world’s first woman  Prime Minister in 1960//


Words: banded
Meaning:
adj   if an object or animal is banded, it has bands of colour or bands of a material around it//  --banded snakes//  banded with/in//  --a heavy door banded with steel//


Words: bandit
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Italian; Origin: bandito, from  bandire  ’to banish’]//  someone who robs people, especially one of a group of people who attack travellers//  --They travelled 30 miles through bandit country.//  -- banditry n  [U] //    one-armed bandit//


Words: bandolier
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin:  Early  French bandouillere, from  Old Spanish bando  ’band, belt’]//  a belt that goes over someone’s shoulder and is used to carry bullets//


Words: bandwagon
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 an activity that a lot of people are doing:  --The keep-fit bandwagon started rolling in the mid 80s.//\n  2  climb/jump/get on the bandwagon:  to start doing or saying something that a lot of people are already doing or saying - used to show disapproval//  --I don’t want to look as if I’m jumping on a green bandwagon.//


Words: bandwidth
Meaning:
n [U]  technical   the amount of information that can be carried through a telephone wire, computer connection etc at one time//


Words: bandy
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1600-1700; Origin:  Perhaps from  bandy  ’hockey stick’ (17-19 centuries), perhaps from  French bande, past participle of  bander;   BANDY2]//  bandy legs curve out at the knees//  -- bandy-legged/b[zB024]ndi legd[hA36B], -leg[hA369]d[hA36B]/ adj //\nbandy 2 v   past tense and past participle  bandied present participle  bandying third person singular  bandies //  [Date: 1500-1600; Origin:  Probably from  French bander  ’to join against others, throw or hit to each other’, from  bande  ’flat strip’;   BAND1]//  bandy words (with sb)//   old-fashioned to argue//  bandy about/around [bandy sth → about/around] phr v//  to mention an idea, name, remark etc several times, especially in order to seem impressive//  --Many names have been bandied about in the press as the manager’s replacement.//


Words: bane
Meaning:
n [singular]   [Language: Old English; Origin: bana]//  something that causes trouble or makes people unhappy//  be the bane of sth/sb//  --Drugs are the bane of the inner cities.//  --Her brother is the bane of her life .//


Words: bang
Meaning:
S3   n \n  1 [C] a sudden loud noise caused by something such as a gun or an object hitting a hard surface:  --There was a loud bang outside the kitchen door.//\n  2 [C] a painful blow to the body when you hit against something or something hits you:   bump//  --a bang on the head//\n  3  bangs [plural]  AmE hair cut straight across your forehead:  British Equivalent:  fringe//\n  4  with a bang:  in a very successful way//  --Stock markets started the year with a bang.//\n  5  (get) a bigger/better etc bang for your buck:   informal something that gives you a good effect or a lot of value for the effort or money you spend on it//  --Are taxpayers getting enough bang for their buck?//\n  6  get a bang out of sth:   AmE  spoken to enjoy something very much//    big bang theory//\nbang 2 v   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin:  Probably from a  Scandinavian language]//\n  1 [I and T] to hit something hard, making a loud noise:  bang on//  --They were banging on the door with their fists.//  bang your fist/hand on sth//  --She banged her fist on the table.//  --The baby kept banging the table with his spoon.//\n  2 [T] to put something down or against something with a lot of force, making a loud noise:  bang sth down//  --She banged the phone down hard.//  bang sth on/against sth//  --He banged a teapot and some cups on the table.//\n  3 [I always + adverb/preposition, T] to close something violently, making a loud noise, or to be closed in this way:   slam//  --I ran out, banging the door behind me.//  --The window banged shut .//\n  4 [T] to hit a part of your body or something you are carrying against something, by accident:   bump//  bang sth on sth//  --I fell and banged my head on the pavement.//\n  5 [I] to make a loud noise or noises:  --The gate keeps banging in the wind.//\n  6 [T]  not polite to have sex with someone:    bang the drum for sb/sth at drum1 (4),  bang sb’s heads together at head1 (32)//    be (like) banging your head against a brick wall at head1 (31)//  bang about/around phr v//  to move around a place, making a lot of noise//  --We could hear them banging about upstairs.//  bang on phr v//   informal to talk continuously about something in a boring way//   go on//  bang on about//  --I wish he wouldn’t keep banging on about politics.//  bang out [bang sth → out] phr v//\n  1 to play a tune or song loudly and badly on a piano:\n  2 to write something in a hurry, especially using a keyboard:  bang up [bang sb/sth → up] phr v//\n  1  BrE to put someone in prison:\n  2  AmE to seriously damage something:  --a banged-up old Buick//\nbang 3 adv \n  1  informal directly or exactly:  --The train arrived bang on time .//  --The technology is elaborate, expensive, and bang up to date .//\n  2  bang on:   BrE  spoken exactly correct//  --’Is that right?’ ’Bang on!’//\n  3  bang goes sth:   BrE  spoken used to show that you are unhappy because something you had hoped for will not happen//  --Bang goes my brilliant plan.//\n  4  spoken in a sudden violent way:  --I skidded and went bang into the wall.//\n  5  go bang:   informal to explode or burst with a loud noise//\nbang 4 interjection   used to make a sound like a gun or bomb//  --Bang bang, you’re dead!//


Words: banger
Meaning:
n [C]  BrE  informal \n  1 a sausage:  --bangers and mash (=sausages and mashed potato) //\n  2 an old car in bad condition:  --an old banger //\n  3 a type of noisy firework:


Words: Bangladesh
Meaning:
a country in South Asia, east of India. Population: 131,270,000 (2001). Capital: Dhaka.//  -- Bangladeshi n  adj //


Words: bangle
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: Hindi; Origin: bangli]//  a solid band of gold, silver etc that you wear loosely around your wrist as jewellery//   bracelet//


Words: banish
Meaning:
v [T]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: banir]//\n  1 to not allow someone or something to stay in a particular place:  banish sb/sth from/to sth//  --I have been banished to a distant corridor.//\n  2 to send someone away permanently from their country or the area where they live, especially as an official punishment:   exile//  banish sb from/to//  --Thousands were banished to Siberia.//\n  3  literary to try to stop thinking about something or someone:  banish the memory/thought/image etc (of sb/sth) //  --They tried to banish the memory from their minds.//  -- banishment n  [U] //


Words: banister
Meaning:
n [C]   banister, stair, step//  [Date: 1600-1700; Origin: baluster  ’one of the sticks of a banister’ (17-21 centuries), from  French balustre, from  Italian balaustro;   BALUSTRADE]//  a row of wooden posts with a bar along the top, that stops you from falling over the edge of stairs//


Words: banjo
Meaning:
n   plural  banjos  [C] //  [Date: 1700-1800; Origin:  Probably from an  African language]//  a musical instrument like a guitar, with a round body and four or more strings, played especially in country and western music//


Words: bank
Meaning:
n [C]   ----------//\n   1 place for money:\n   2 river/lake:\n   3 blood/sperm/organ bank:\n   4 clouds/mist:\n   5 raised area:\n   6 machines:\n   7 game:\n   8 be makin’ bank:\n   9 road:  ----------//  [Sense: 1,3,7; Date: 1400-1500; Language: French; Origin: banque, from  Old Italian banca  ’long seat, bank’]//  [Sense: 2,4,6,8; Date: 1100-1200; Origin:  Probably from a  Scandinavian language.]//  [Sense: 5; Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: banc  ’long seat’]//\n  1 PLACE FOR MONEY:  a) a business that keeps and lends money and provides other financial services//  in the bank//  --We have very little money in the bank.//  --Barclays Bank//  --a bank loan //  b) a local office of a bank//  --I have to go to the bank at lunch time.//    clearing bank,  merchant bank//\n  2 RIVER/LAKE:  land along the side of a river or lake//  bank of//  --the banks of the River Dee//  --They walked home along the river bank.//\n  3  blood/sperm/organ bank:  a place where human blood etc is stored until someone needs it//\n  4 CLOUDS/MIST:  a large mass of clouds, mist etc//  --a fog bank //  bank of//  --banks of mist//\n  5 RAISED AREA:  a large sloping mass of earth, sand, snow etc//  --She was sitting on a grassy bank.//  bank of//  --steep banks of snow//  --banks of flowers//\n  6 MACHINES:  a large number of machines, television screens etc arranged close together in a row//  bank of//  --banks of TV monitors//\n  7 GAME:  a supply of money used to gamble, that people can win//    break the bank at break1 (24)//\n  8  be makin’ bank:   AmE  spoken  informal to earn a lot of money for the work that you do//  --Check out Omar’s new car. The brother must be makin’ bank.//\n  9 ROAD:  a slope made at a bend in a road or racetrack to make it safer for cars to go around//    bottle bank,  food bank,  memory bank//\nbank 2 v   ----------//\n   1 money:\n   2 plane/car:\n   3 pile/rows:\n   4 cloud/mist:\n   5 fire:  Phrasal verbs//   bank on somebody/something//  ----------//\n  1 MONEY:  a)  [T] to put or keep money in a bank//  --Did you bank that check?//  b)  [I always + adverb/preposition] to keep your money in a particular bank//  bank with//  --Who do you bank with?//  bank at//  --I’ve always banked at First Interstate Bank.//\n  2 PLANE/CAR:   [I] if a plane, motorcycle, or car banks, it slopes to one side when turning//  --The plane banked, and circled back toward us.//\n  3 PILE/ROWS:   also bank up //   BrE  [T] to arrange something into a pile or into rows//  --Snow was banked up on either side of the road.//\n  4 CLOUD/MIST:   also bank up //   [I] to form a mass of cloud, mist etc//  --Banked clouds promised rain.//\n  5 FIRE:   also bank up //   [T] to cover a fire with wood or coal to keep it going for a long time//  --Josie banked up the fire to last till morning.//  bank on / [bank on sb/sth] phr v//  to depend on something happening or someone doing something//   count on//  bank on (sb) doing sth//  --I was banking on being able to get some coffee on the train.//


Words: bank account
Meaning:
n [C]   an arrangement between a bank and a customer that allows the customer to pay in and take out money//  --I’d like to open a bank account for my son.//


Words: bank draft
Meaning:
also banker’s draft  n [C]   a cheque from one bank to another, especially a foreign bank, to pay a certain amount of money to a person or organization//


Words: bank holiday
Meaning:
n [C]    BrE an official holiday when banks and most businesses are closed//  American Equivalent:  public holiday//  --Next Monday is a bank holiday.//  bank holiday weekend (=a weekend on which there is a bank holiday on Friday or Monday) //


Words: bank rate
Meaning:
n [C]   the rate of interest charged by banks lending money, decided by a country’s main bank//   interest rate//


Words: bank statement
Meaning:
n [C]   a document sent regularly by a bank to a customer that lists the amounts of money taken out of and paid into their bank account//


Words: bankbook
Meaning:
n [C]    AmE a book in which a record is kept of the money you put into and take out of your bank account//   passbook//


Words: banker
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 someone who works in a bank in an important position:\n  2 the player who is in charge of the money in some gambling games:


Words: banknote
Meaning:
also  bank note/b[zB024][hA26E]kn[hA353][hA35E]t $ -no[hA35E]t/ n [C]   a piece of paper money//  British Equivalent:  noteAmerican Equivalent:  bill//


Words: bankroll
Meaning:
v [T]  informal   to provide the money that someone needs for a business, a plan etc//   finance//  --a software company bankrolled by the Samsung Group//\nbankroll 2 n [C]   a supply of money//


Words: bankrupt
Meaning:
adj \n  1 without enough money to pay what you owe:   insolvent//  --The firm went bankrupt before the building work was completed.//  --In 1977 he was declared bankrupt  (=by a court) .//  --Mr Trent lost his house when he was made bankrupt .//  --Seventeen years of war left the country bankrupt.//  --a bankrupt electrical company//\n  2 completely lacking a particular good quality:  --The opposition attacked the government as morally bankrupt .//\nbankrupt 2 v [T]   to make a person, business, or country bankrupt or very poor//   ruin//  --Johns had been nearly bankrupted through a failed business venture.//\nbankrupt 3 n [C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin: bankrupt  ’bankruptcy’ (16-18 centuries), from  French banqueroute, from  Old Italian bancarotta, from  banca  ’bank’ +  rotta  ’broken’]//  someone who has officially said that they cannot pay their debts//  certified/uncertified bankrupt (=one a court does or does not allow to start a business again)  BrE //


Words: bankruptcy
Meaning:
n   plural  bankruptcies //\n  1 [U and C] the state of being unable to pay your debts:   insolvency//  --In 1999 it was revealed that he was close to bankruptcy.//  --When inflation rises, so do bankruptcies.//\n  2 [U] a total lack of a particular good quality:  --the moral bankruptcy of terrorism//


Words: banned
Meaning:
adj [only before noun]   not officially allowed to meet, exist, or be used//  --Leaders of the banned party were arrested last night.//  --He was suspended for using a banned substance  (=a drug that people competing in sport are not allowed to take) .//


Words: banner
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: banere]//\n  1 a long piece of cloth on which something is written, often carried between two poles:  --The onlookers were shouting, cheering, and waving banners.//\n  2 a belief or principle:  carry/raise/wave etc the banner of sth (=publicly support a particular belief etc) //  --She’d never felt the need to carry the banner of feminism.//  under the banner of sth//  --They marched under the banner of equal educational opportunity.//\n  3  under the banner of sth:  as part of a particular group or organization//  --The oil-producing countries joined together under the banner of OPEC.//\n  4 a flag:


Words: banner ad
Meaning:
n [C]   an advertisement that appears across the top of a page on the Internet//  -- banner advertising n  [U] //


Words: banner headline
Meaning:
n [C]   words printed in very large letters across the top of the first page of a newspaper//  --The front-page banner headline read ’Disgraced police chief to stand trial.’//


Words: Bannister
Meaning:
Sir Roger   (1929- ) a British runner who, in 1954, became the first person to run a mile in less than four minutes //


Words: Bannockburn
Meaning:
a village in the central part of Scotland that is known as the place where Robert the Bruce, King of the Scots, defeated the English in a famous battle in 1314//


Words: banns
Meaning:
n [plural]   a public statement that two people intend to get married, made in a church in Britain//


Words: banquet
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: French; Origin: Old Italian banchetto, from  banca;   BANK1]//\n  1 a formal dinner for many people on an important occasion:  --a state banquet (=one attended by heads of government and other important people) //\n  2 a large and impressive meal:


Words: Banquo
Meaning:
a character in Shakespeare’s play  macbeth. Macbeth gives secret orders for Banquo to be murdered, but Banquo later returns as a  ghost during an important celebration, to remind Macbeth that he is guilty and that his plans will fail.//


Words: banshee
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Scottish Gaelic; Origin: bean-sith, probably from  Old Irish ben side  ’woman of fairyland’]//  a female spirit whose loud cry is believed to be heard when someone is going to die//  --She was screaming like a banshee .//


Words: bantam
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1700-1800; Origin: Bantam place in Java from where the birds were thought to have been brought to Europe]//  a type of small chicken//


Words: bantamweight
Meaning:
n [C ]   a boxer who weighs less than 53.52 kilograms, and who is heavier than a flyweight but lighter than a featherweight//


Words: banter
Meaning:
n [U]   friendly conversation in which people make a lot of jokes with and amusing remarks about each other//  friendly/good-natured/light-hearted banter //  banter with/between//  --easy banter between her cousins//  -- banter v  [I] //  --I watched the guys as they bantered with the waitresses.//  -- bantering adj //


Words: baptism
Meaning:
n [U and C] \n  1 a Christian religious ceremony in which someone is touched or covered with water to welcome them into the Christian faith, and sometimes to officially name them:    christening//\n  2  baptism of/by fire:  a difficult or painful first experience of something//  --For the inexperienced in the team, the campaign has been a baptism of fire.//  -- baptismal/b[zB024]pt[hA366]zm[hA368]l/ adj  [only before noun] //  --a baptismal font (=container for holding the water used at baptism) //


Words: Baptist
Meaning:
n [C]   a member of a Christian group that believes baptism should only be for people old enough to understand its meaning//


Words: baptize
Meaning:
also  baptise BrE   v [T]   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: baptiser, from  Late Latin, from  Greek baptizein  ’to dip, baptize’, from  baptein  ’to dip’]//\n  1 to perform the ceremony of baptism on someone:    christen//\n  2 to accept someone as a member of a particular Christian church by a ceremony of baptism:  --He was baptized a Roman Catholic.//\n  3 to give a child a name in a baptism ceremony:  --She was baptized Jane.//


Words: bar
Meaning:
n [C]   ----------//\n   1 place to drink in:\n   2 place to buy drink:\n   3 a wine/coffee/snack etc bar:\n   4 a breakfast bar:\n   5 block shape:\n   6 piece of metal/wood:\n   7 behind bars:\n   8 music:\n   9 bar to (doing) something:\n  10 the bar:\n  11 be called to the bar:\n  12 :\n  13 :\n  14 pile of sand/stones:\n  15 colour/light:\n  16 uniforms:\n  17 heater:  ----------//  [Date: 1100-1200; Language: Old French; Origin: barre]//\n  1 PLACE TO DRINK IN:  a) a place where alcoholic drinks are served//    pub//  --The hotel has a licensed bar .//  --a cocktail bar //  b)  BrE one of the rooms inside a pub//  --The public bar was crowded.//\n  2 PLACE TO BUY DRINK:  a counter where alcoholic drinks are served//  --They stood at the bar.//\n  3  a wine/coffee/snack etc bar:  a place where a particular kind of food or drink is served//\n  4  a breakfast bar:   BrE a place in your kitchen at home where you eat breakfast or a quick meal//\n  5 BLOCK SHAPE:  a small block of solid material that is longer than it is wide//  --a chocolate bar //  --a candy bar //  bar of//  --a bar of soap //\n  6 PIECE OF METAL/WOOD:  a length of metal or wood put across a door, window etc to keep it shut or to prevent people going in or out//  --houses with bars across the windows//\n  7  behind bars:   informal in prison//  --Her killer was finally put behind bars .//\n  8 MUSIC:  a group of notes and rests, separated from other groups by vertical lines, into which a line of written music is divided//  --a few bars of the song//\n  9  bar to (doing) sth:   written something that prevents you from achieving something that you want//  --I could see no bar to our happiness.//\n  10  the bar:  a)  BrE the group of people who are barristers//  b)  AmE an organization consisting of lawyers//\n  11  be called to the bar:  a)  BrE to become a barrister//  b)  AmE to become a lawyer//\n  12 a long narrow shape along the sides or at the top of a computer screen, usually containing signs that you can  click on:  --the main menu bar at the top of the screen//  --the toolbar//    scroll bar//\n  13 the long piece of wood or metal across the top of the goal in sports such as football:  --The ball sailed over the goalkeeper’s head, only to hit the bar.//\n  14 PILE OF SAND/STONES:  a long pile of sand or stones under the water at the entrance to a harbour//\n  15 COLOUR/LIGHT:  a narrow band of colour or light//\n  16 UNIFORMS:  a narrow band of metal or cloth worn on a military uniform to show rank//\n  17 HEATER:   BrE the part of an electric heater that provides heat and has a red light//\nbar 2   past tense and past participle  barred present participle  barring  v [T] //\n  1 to officially prevent someone from entering a place or from doing something:  bar sb from (doing) sth//  --They seized his passport and barred him from leaving the country.//\n  2 to prevent people from going somewhere by placing something in their way:  --She ran back, but Francis barred her way .//  --A locked gate barred my entrance to the wood.//\n  3  also bar up :  to shut a door or window using a bar or piece of wood so that people cannot get in or out//\nbar 3 prep \n  1 except:  --We had recorded the whole album, bar one track.//\n  2  bar none:  used to emphasize that someone is the best of a particular group//  --He’s the most talented actor in the country, bar none.//    barring//


Words: bar chart
Meaning:
also bar graph  n [C]   a picture of boxes of different heights, in which each box represents a different amount or quantity//


Words: bar code
Meaning:
n [C]   a group of thin and thick lines printed on products you buy in a shop, and which a computer can read. It contains information such as the price.//


Words: bar mitzvah
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Hebrew; Origin: bar miswah  ’son of (God’s) law’]//\n  1 the religious ceremony held when a Jewish boy reaches the age of 13 and is considered an adult in his religion:    bat mitzvah//\n  2 a boy for whom this ceremony is held:


Words: barb
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: barbe  ’barb, beard’, from  Latin barba]//\n  1 the sharp curved point of a hook, arrow etc that prevents it from being easily pulled out:\n  2 a remark that is clever and amusing, but also cruel:    barbed//


Words: Barbados
Meaning:
an island in the Caribbean Sea which is an independent state. Population: 275,000 (2001). Capital: Bridgetown. //


Words: barbarian
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: barbarien, from  Latin barbarus;   BARBAROUS]//\n  1 someone from a different tribe or land, who people believe to be wild and not civilized:  --The Roman Empire came under severe pressure from the barbarians across the Rhine.//\n  2 someone who does not behave properly, and does not show proper respect for education, art etc:  --The youths were described as uncivilised barbarians who savagely attacked innocent victims.//\n  3 someone who behaves in a way that is cruel and uncivilized:


Words: Barbarians
Meaning:
the   a Rugby Union team based in Britain, with players from several countries. Teams from other countries which come to Britain often play against the Barbarians.//


Words: barbaric
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: barbarique, from  Latin, from  Greek, from  barbaros;   BARBAROUS]//  very cruel and violent//   barbarous//  --The way the whales are killed is nothing short of barbaric.//


Words: barbarism
Meaning:
n [U] \n  1 extremely violent and cruel behaviour:\n  2 when people do not have any education or pleasure in art, literature etc:  --cultural barbarism//


Words: barbarity
Meaning:
n   plural  barbarities  [U and C] //  a very cruel act//  --the medieval barbarity of putting people in prison for debt//


Words: barbarous
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Latin; Origin: barbarus, from  Greek barbaros  ’foreign’]//\n  1 extremely cruel in a way that is shocking:   barbaric//  --The trade in exotic birds is barbarous and inhumane.//\n  2 wild and not civilized:  --a savage barbarous people//  -- barbarously adv //


Words: barbecue
Meaning:
also  barbeque AmE   n [C]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: American Spanish; Origin: barbacoa, probably from  Taino]//\n  1 BBQ a meal or party during which food is cooked on a metal frame over a fire and eaten outdoors:  --We had a barbecue on the beach.//  2 a metal frame for cooking food on outdoors//\nbarbecue 2  barbeque v [T]   to cook food on a metal frame over a fire outdoors//  --barbecued chicken//


Words: barbed
Meaning:
adj \n  1 a barbed hook or arrow has one or more sharp curved points on it:\n  2 a barbed remark is unkind:  --a barbed comment on his appearance//


Words: barbell
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin: bar +  dumbbell]//   AmE a metal bar with weights at each end, which you lift to make you stronger//  British Equivalent:  dumbbell//


Words: barber
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: barbeor, from  barbe;   BARB]//\n  1 a man whose job is to cut men’s hair and sometimes to shave them:\n  2  barber’s:   BrE a shop where men’s hair is cut//  American Equivalent:  barbershop//


Words: barbershop
Meaning:
n \n  1 [U] a style of singing popular songs with parts for four men, usually without music:  --a barbershop quartet//\n  2 [C]  AmE a shop where men’s hair is cut:  British Equivalent:  barber’s//


Words: Barbican
Meaning:
the Barbican//   also the Barbican Centre //  a large group of buildings in central London, which includes two theatres, two cinemas, a concert hall, an  art gallery, restaurants, and shops//  --There’s a new Royal Shakespeare Company production of ’A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ at the Barbican.//


Words: Barbie doll
Meaning:
also Barbie  trademark   a popular type of  doll in the shape of an attractive young woman, used as a child’s toy//


Words: barbiturate
Meaning:
n [U and C]   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin: barbituric acid type of acid  (19-21 centuries), from  German barbiturs[hA165]ure, from  Barbara female name +  s[hA165]ure  ’acid’]//  a powerful drug that makes people calm and helps them to sleep//


Words: Barbour
Meaning:
trademark   a type of coat made in the UK of a material that wind and rain cannot go through. Barbours are known for being good quality coats, traditionally worn by farmers and other people who live in the country.//


Words: Barcelona
Meaning:
a large city in northeast Spain on the Mediterranean Sea. It is the capital of the  region of Catalonia.//


Words: Barclaycard
Meaning:
trademark   a type of credit card available from Barclays Bank//  --Do you take  (=accept payment by) Barclaycard?//  --I’ve lost my Barclaycard.//


Words: bard
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Scottish Gaelic]//\n  1  literary a poet:\n  2  the Bard:  William Shakespeare//


Words: Bard of Avon
Meaning:
the Bard of Avon//  a poetic name for William Shakespeare, based on the name of the River Avon at Stratford, where he was born//


Words: Bardot
Meaning:
Brigitte   (1934- ) a French film actress who was famous during the 1950s and 1960s as a  sex symbol (=someone who is famous for being very sexually attractive) //


Words: bare
Meaning:
adj   ----------//\n   1 without clothes:\n   2 land/trees:\n   3 not covered/empty:\n   4 the bare facts:\n   5 smallest amount necessary:\n   6 the bare bones:\n   7 lay something bare:\n   8 with your bare hands:\n   9 bare infinitive:  ----------//  [Language: Old English; Origin: b[zB024]r]//\n  1 WITHOUT CLOTHES:  not covered by clothes//   naked//  --a ragged child with bare feet//  --She felt the sun warm on her bare arms.//  bare-headed/bare-chested/bare-legged etc //\n  2 LAND/TREES:  not covered by trees or grass, or not having any leaves//  --The trees soon gave way to bare rock.//\n  3 NOT COVERED/EMPTY:  empty, not covered by anything, or not having any decorations//  --She looked round her tiny bare room.//  --a bare wood staircase//\n  4  the bare facts:  a statement that tells someone only what they need to know, with no additional details//  --The newspaper had simply published the bare facts.//\n  5 SMALLEST AMOUNT NECESSARY:   [only before noun] the very least amount of something that you need to do something//  --He got 40% - a bare pass.//  --The room had the bare minimum  (=the smallest amount possible) of furniture.//  the bare essentials/necessities //  --Her bag was light, packed with only the bare essentials.//  --If you ask her about herself, she gives only the barest  (=the smallest amount possible) of details.//\n  6  the bare bones:  the most important parts or facts of something without any detail//  --We have outlined only the bare bones of the method.//\n  7  lay sth bare:  a) to uncover something that was previously hidden//  --When the river is low, vast stretches of sand are laid bare.//  b) to make known something that was secret//  --historical writing which seeks to lay bare the true nature of an event//\n  8  with your bare hands:  without using a weapon or a tool//  --He had killed a man with his bare hands .//\n  9  bare infinitive:   technical the basic form of a verb, for example ’go’ or ’eat’//  -- bareness n  [U] //\nbare 2 v [T] \n  1 to remove something that was covering or hiding something:  --The dog bared its teeth .//  --He bared his back to the hot sun.//\n  2  bare your soul:  to reveal your most secret feelings//


Words: barefaced
Meaning:
also  bare-faced/be[hA353]fe[hA366]st[hA36B] $ berfe[hA366]st/ adj [only before noun]   used to describe a remark or action that is clearly untrue or unpleasant, and that shows that you do not care about offending someone//   blatant//  --Why are you telling such barefaced lies ?//


Words: bareheaded
Meaning:
adj, adv   without a hat or other covering on your head//  --You can’t go out bareheaded in this weather.//


Words: barely
Meaning:
adv \n  1 only with great difficulty or effort:   only just//  --She was very old and barely able to walk.//  --Mary had barely enough money to live on.//  barely audible/perceptible/visible/discernible etc //  --His voice was barely audible.//  --She could barely understand English.//\n  2 almost not:   hardly//  --She was barely aware of his presence.//  --Joe and his brother are barely on speaking terms.//\n  3 used to emphasize that something happens immediately after a previous action:  British Equivalent:  only just//  --Graham had barely finished his coffee when Henry returned.//\n  4 used before amounts or numbers to emphasize that they are surprisingly small:   only//  --Nowadays the village has barely 100 inhabitants.//  --The party had been in government for barely seven months.//


Words: barf
Meaning:
v [I]  AmE  informal   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin:  Probably from the sound]//  to vomit//  -- barf n  [U] //


Words: bargain
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 something you buy cheaply or for less than its usual price:  --There are no bargains in the clothes shops at the moment.//  --It’s an attractive little home, and I think it’s a bargain .//  --That second-hand table was a real bargain .//  --Good knives don’t come at bargain prices .//  --Thousands of bargain hunters  (=people looking for things to buy at low prices) queued up for hours.//\n  2 an agreement, made between two people or groups to do something in return for something else:  make/strike a bargain //  --Management and unions have struck a bargain over wage increases.//  --I’ve kept my side of the bargain and I expect you to keep yours.//    drive a hard bargain at hard1 (18)//\n  3  into the bargain:   also in the bargain  AmE //  in addition to everything else//  --I am now tired, cold, and hungry, with a headache into the bargain.//\nbargain 2 v [I]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: bargaignier]//  to discuss the conditions of a sale, agreement etc, for example to try and get a lower price//  bargain for//  --workers bargaining for better pay//  bargain over//  --They bargained over the level of wages.//  bargain with//  --women bargaining with traders//  -- bargainer n  [C] //  --He’s the hardest bargainer in the business.//  bargain for [bargain for sth] phr v//  [usually in negatives] to expect that something will happen and make it part of your plans//  --They hadn’t bargained for such a dramatic change in the weather.//  bargain on doing sth//  --I hadn’t bargained on being stuck in traffic on the way home.//  --The thief  got more than he bargained for , as Mr Cox tripped him up with his walking stick.//


Words: bargain basement
Meaning:
n [C]   a part of a large shop, usually below ground level, where goods are sold at reduced prices//


Words: bargaining
Meaning:
n [U] \n  1 discussion in order to reach an agreement about a sale, contract etc:   negotiation//  wage/pay bargaining //  --The government would not intervene in private-sector wage bargaining.//  --The 4% pay raise was the result of some hard bargaining .//\n  2  bargaining position/power:  the amount of influence someone has and their ability to achieve what they want when starting a discussion or making an agreement//  --Most new artists and bands aren’t in a strong bargaining position .//  --This will increase the bargaining power of management in wage negotiations.//    collective bargaining//


Words: bargaining chip
Meaning:
especially AmE bargaining counter  BrE n [C]   something that one person or group in a business deal or political agreement has, that can be used to gain an advantage in the deal//


Words: barge
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: Late Latin barca;   BARQUE]//  [C] a large low boat with a flat bottom, used for carrying goods on a canal or river//\nbarge 2 v [I always + adverb/preposition]   to move somewhere in a rough careless way, often hitting against things//   push//  --She ran outside, barging past bushes and shrubs.//  barge your way through/to etc sth//  --She barged her way through the shopping crowds.//  barge in phr v//  to enter somewhere rudely, or to rudely interrupt someone//  --At that moment, George barged into my office without knocking.//  barge in on//  --’Sorry to barge in on your cosy evening,’ James said.//


Words: barhop
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  barhopped present participle  barhopping  [I]  AmE  informal //  to visit and drink at several bars, one after another//  British Equivalent:  pub crawl//


Words: baritone
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Italian; Origin: baritono, from  Greek barytonos  ’deep-sounding’, from  barys  ’heavy’ +  tonos  ’tone’]//\n  1 [C] a male singing voice that is lower than a tenor but higher than a bass, or a man with a voice like this:  --Frederico Lucetti, the famous baritone//\n  2 [singular] the part of a musical work that is written for a baritone voice or instrument:  --Can you sing the baritone?//    alto2 (2),  bass1 (2),  soprano1 (2),  tenor1 (2)//\nbaritone 2 adj [only before noun]   a baritone voice or instrument is lower than a tenor but higher than a bass//


Words: barium
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Greek; Origin: barytes  ’weight’]//\n  1 a soft silver-white metal that is used to make pigments (=dry coloured powders used to make paints) . It is a chemical element: symbol Ba.:\n  2  a barium meal/enema/swallow:  a substance containing barium that you swallow or that is put in your bowels before you have an X-ray, because it makes the organs in your body easier to see//


Words: bark
Meaning:
v   [Language: Old English; Origin: beorcan]//\n  1 [I] when a dog barks, it makes a short loud sound or series of sounds:    growl//  bark at//  --The dog always barks at strangers.//\n  2  also bark out :   [T] to say something quickly in a loud voice//  bark at//  --’Don’t just stand there, give me a hand,’ she barked at the shop assistant.//\n  3  bark up the wrong tree:   informal to have a wrong idea, or do something in a way that will not give you the information or result you want//  --The police spent three months barking up the wrong tree on the murder investigation.//\n  4 [T] to rub the skin off your knee, elbow etc by falling or knocking against something:   graze//  --I barked my shin against the step.//\nbark 2 n   [Sense: 1, 3-4; Date: 1500-1600; Origin:  BARK1]//  [Sense: 2; Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old Norse; Origin: b[hA177]rkr]//\n  1 [C] the sharp loud sound made by a dog:\n  2 [U] the outer covering of a tree:\n  3 [C] a loud sound or voice:  --Amy’s voice was a hoarse bark.//\n  4  sb’s bark is worse than their bite:  used to say that someone who seems unpleasant or difficult to deal with, is not really too bad//


Words: barker
Meaning:
n [C]   in the past, someone who stood outside a place where there was a circus or fair shouting to people to come in//


Words: barking mad
Meaning:
also barking   adj [not before noun]  BrE   completely crazy or acting very strangely - used humorously//


Words: barley
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1100-1200; Language: Old English; Origin: b[zB024]rlic  ’of barley’, from  b[zB024]re,  bere  ’barley’]//  a plant that produces a grain used for making food or alcohol//


Words: barman
Meaning:
n   plural  barmen /-m[hA353]n/ [C]  especially  BrE //  a man who serves drinks in a bar//   bartender//


Words: barmy
Meaning:
adj  BrE  informal   [Date: 1400-1500; Origin: barm  ’froth that forms on beer when it is being made’]//  slightly crazy//  --That’s a barmy idea.//


Words: barn
Meaning:
n [C]   [Language: Old English; Origin: bere[zB024]rn, from  bere  ’barley’ +  [zB024]rn  ’place’]//\n  1 a large farm building for storing crops, or for keeping animals in:\n  2  informal a large plain building:  --a huge barn of a house//


Words: barnacle
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin: barnacle type of goose  (12-21 centuries), from  Medieval Latin bernaca; from the former belief that the goose was born from a barnacle]//  a small sea animal with a hard shell that sticks firmly to rocks and the bottom of boats//


Words: Barnard
Meaning:
Christiaan   (1922-2001) a South African doctor who in 1967 performed the first ever heart  transplant (=an operation to take a heart from someone who has just died and put it into a living person) //


Words: Barnardo’s
Meaning:
a British organization whose aim is to help children who have no parents or to help children whose parents are unable to take care of them//


Words: barnet
Meaning:
n [C]  BrE  informal  old-fashioned   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin: Barnet fair, rhyming slang for  hair, from  Barnet, the name of an area of northwest London]//  hair or a way of wearing your hair//


Words: barney
Meaning:
n [C usually singular]  BrE  informal   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin:  Perhaps from the Irish name  Barney]//  a noisy argument//


Words: barnstorm
Meaning:
v [I]   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin: barn +  storm  ’to attack’; from the performance of traveling actors in barns]//   AmE to travel from place to place making short stops to give political speeches, theatre performances, or aircraft flying shows//  -- barnstormer n  [C] //


Words: barnstorming
Meaning:
adj [only before noun]   done with a lot of energy and very exciting to watch//  --a barnstorming speech//


Words: Barnum
Meaning:
P.T.   (1810-91) a US businessman  who started a circus called  The Greatest Show on Earth, and later the  Barnum and Bailey Circus//


Words: barometer
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Greek; Origin: baros  ’weight, pressure’ +  English -meter]//\n  1 an instrument that measures changes in the air pressure and the weather, or that calculates height above sea level:\n  2 something that shows any changes that are happening in a particular situation:  --The skin is an accurate barometer of emotional and physical health.//  -- barometric/b[zB024]r[hA353]metr[hA366]k[hA36B]/ adj  [only before noun] //  -- barometrically/-kli/ adv //


Words: baron
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1100-1200; Language: Old French]//\n  1 a man who is a member of a low rank of the British nobility or of a rank of European nobility:\n  2 a businessman with a lot of power or influence:  -- drug barons //  --conservative press barons like Beaverbrook//    robber baron//


Words: baroness
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 a woman who is a member of a low rank of the British nobility:\n  2 the wife of a baron:


Words: baronet
Meaning:
n [C]   a member of the British nobility, lower in rank than a baron, whose title passes to his son when he dies//


Words: baronial
Meaning:
adj \n  1 very large and richly decorated:  --a splendid baronial house//\n  2 belonging to or involving barons:


Words: baroque
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: French; Origin: ’not regular, baroque’, from  Portuguese barroco or  Spanish barrueco  ’pearl not of a regular shape’]//  relating to the very decorated style of art, music, buildings etc, that was common in Europe in the 17th and early 18th centuries//  --furnished in a baroque style //  --elaborate baroque fa[hA168]ades //  baroque music/architecture/paintings etc //\nbaroque 2 n   the baroque//  used to describe baroque art, music, buildings etc//


Words: barque
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: French; Origin: Old Proven[hA168]al barca, from  Late Latin]//  a sailing ship with three, four, or five masts (=poles that the sails are fixed to) //


Words: barrack
Meaning:
v [I and T] \n  1  BrE to interrupt someone, especially a performer or a player, by shouting criticism at them:  --At the 1965 Newport Folk Festival Bob Dylan was barracked for using electric instruments.//\n  2  AusE to shout to show that you support someone or something:


Words: barracks
Meaning:
n [plural]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: French; Origin: baraque  ’small building’, from  Catalan barraca]//  a building or group of buildings in which soldiers live//


Words: barrage
Meaning:
n \n  1 [C usually singular] the continuous firing of guns, dropping of bombs etc, especially to protect soldiers as they move towards an enemy:  barrage of//  --a barrage of anti-aircraft fire//\n  2 [singular] a lot of criticism, questions, complaints etc that are said at the same time, or very quickly one after another:  barrage of//  --a barrage of questions//\nbarrage 2   n [C]   a wall of earth, stones etc built across a river to provide water for farming or to prevent flooding//


Words: barred
Meaning:
adj \n  1 a barred window, gate etc has bars across it:    bar//\n  2  formal having bands of different colour:    bar//  --red barred tail feathers//


Words: barrel
Meaning:
S3   n [C]   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: baril]//\n  1 a large curved container with a flat top and bottom, made of wood or metal, and used for storing beer, wine etc:  --The wine is aged in oak barrels.//  barrel of//  --barrels of beer//\n  2 a unit of measurement for oil, equal to 159 litres:  barrel of//  --two million barrels of oil//  barrel, sight, trigger//\n  3 the part of a gun that the bullets are fired through:\n  4  have sb over a barrel:  to put someone in a situation in which they are forced to accept or do what you want//  --The manager had us over a barrel - either we work on a Saturday or we lose our jobs.//\n  5  be a barrel of laughs [often in negatives] to be very enjoyable:  -- Life is not exactly a barrel of laughs at the moment.//    pork barrel,  scrape (the bottom of) the barrel at scrape1 (5),  lock, stock, and barrel at lock2 (3)//\nbarrel 2 v [I]  AmE  informal   to move very fast, especially in an uncontrolled way//  --A vehicle barreled out of a shopping center and crashed into the side of my car.//


Words: barrel organ
Meaning:
n [C]   a musical instrument that you play by turning a handle, often used on the streets in order to get money, especially in the past//


Words: barren
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1100-1200; Language: Old French; Origin: baraine]//\n  1 land or soil that is barren has no plants growing on it:  --Thousands of years ago the surface was barren desert.//\n  2  old-fashioned unable to produce children or baby animals - used of a woman or of female animals:   infertile//  → fertile//\n  3 a tree or plant that is barren does not produce fruit or seeds:\n  4 used to describe something that does not look interesting or attractive:  --The sports hall was a rather barren concrete building.//\n  5 used to describe a period of time during which you do not achieve anything or get any useful results:  --I scored five in the first seven games, but I’ve had a bit of a barren patch since then.//


Words: barrette
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1900-2000; Language: French; Origin: barre;   BAR1]//   AmE a small metal or plastic object used to keep a woman’s hair in place//  British Equivalent:  hair-slide//


Words: barricade
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: French; Origin: barrique  ’barrel’; because early barricades were made from barrels]//  a temporary wall or fence across a road, door etc that prevents people from going through//  --The fans were kept back behind barricades.//\nbarricade 2 v [T]   to build a barricade to prevent someone or something from getting in//  --During the riots, some of the prisoners barricaded their cells.//  barricade sb/yourself in/into sth//  --Shopkeepers had to barricade themselves in.//


Words: Barrie
Meaning:
J.M.   (1860-1937) a Scottish writer of plays and novels, famous for his children’s story  Peter Pan//


Words: barrier
Meaning:
W3   n [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: barriere, from  barre;   BAR1]//\n  1 a rule, problem etc that prevents people from doing something, or limits what they can do:  --the removal of trade barriers  (=something such as a tax that makes trade between countries difficult) //  barrier to//  --Problems with childcare remain the biggest barrier to women succeeding at work.//  barrier between//  --We want to break down barriers between doctors and patients.//  --The language barrier  (=the inability to communicate with someone because you speak a different language) makes debate impossible.//\n  2 a type of fence or gate that prevents people from moving in a particular direction:  --Crowds burst through the barriers and ran onto the pitch.//\n  3 a physical object that keeps two areas, people etc apart:  barrier between//  --The mountains form a natural barrier between the two countries.//\n  4  the 10-second/40% etc barrier:  a level or amount of 10 seconds, 40% etc, that is seen as a limit which it is difficult to get beyond//  --I’m hoping to crash the 20-second barrier in the final and get a bronze.//    sound barrier,  crash barrier//


Words: barrier method
Meaning:
n [C]   barrier methods of contraception involve the use of condoms etc, which physically prevent the sperm from reaching the egg//


Words: barring
Meaning:
prep   unless something happens//  --His back is broken and, barring a miracle, he won’t walk again.//


Words: barrio
Meaning:
n   plural  barrios  [C] //  [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Spanish; Origin: Arabic barri  ’of the open country’]//   AmE a part of an American town or city where many poor Spanish-speaking people live//


Words: barrister
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1400-1500; Origin:  BAR16 +  -ster]//  a lawyer in Britain who can argue cases in the higher law courts//    solicitor//   see usage note  lawyer//


Words: barrow
Meaning:
n [C]   [Sense: 1,3; Origin: Old English bearwe]//  [Sense: 2; Origin: Old English beorg]//\n  1 a small vehicle like a box on wheels, from which fruits, vegetables etc used to be sold:\n  2 a large pile of earth like a small hill that was put over a grave in ancient times:\n  3 a wheelbarrow:


Words: BART
Meaning:
Bay Area Rapid Transit; a railway system in the area around the San Francisco Bay, with tracks that go under the ground//


Words: bartender
Meaning:
n [C]    AmE someone who makes, pours, and serves drinks in a bar or restaurant//  British Equivalent:  barman, barmaid//


Words: barter
Meaning:
v [I and T]   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: French; Origin: barater  ’to cheat, exchange, barter’]//  to exchange goods, work, or services for other goods or services rather than for money//  barter (with sb) for sth//  --I had to barter with the locals for food.//  barter sth for sth//  --They bartered their grain for salt.//\nbarter 2 n [U] \n  1 a system of exchanging goods and services for other goods and services rather than using money:  --Trading was carried out under a barter system.//\n  2 goods or services that are exchanged by bartering:  --We used cigarettes for barter.//


Words: Bartok
Meaning:
Bela   (1881-1945) a Hungarian  composer known for using  folk music in the music he wrote. Two of his best known works are Concerto for Orchestra and  The Miraculous Mandarin.//


Words: Barton
Meaning:
Clara   (1821-1912) a US nurse who worked in army camps during the American Civil War and the Franco-Prussian War. She started the American Red Cross in 1881. //


Words: Baryshnikov
Meaning:
Mikhail   (1948- ) a Russian  ballet dancer and  choreographer (=someone who decides what movements dancers will do to a piece of music)  who left the Soviet Union and came to live in the US//


Words: bas-relief
Meaning:
n [U and C]  technical   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: French; Origin: bas  ’low’ +  relief  ’raised work’]//  a style of art in which stone or wood is cut so that shapes are raised above the surrounding surface//    high relief//


Words: basalt
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Latin; Origin: basaltes, from  Greek basanos  ’stone used to test the purity of gold’, from  Egyptian bhnw]//  a type of dark green-black rock//


Words: base
Meaning:
v   [T usually passive] to have your main place of work, business etc in a particular place//  --The paper had intended to base itself in London.//  be based in sth//  --The new organization will be based in Dallas.//    based//  base on/upon [base sth on/upon sth] phr v//  to use something as the thing from which something else is developed//  --Their relationship was based upon mutual respect.//  --an economy based on farming//  --On what do you base your theory?//\nbase 2 n   ----------//\n   1 lowest part:\n   2 knowledge/ideas:\n   3 military:\n   4 company/organization:\n   5 people/groups:\n   6 substance/mixture:\n   7 sport:\n   8 be off base:\n   9 chemical:\n  10 numbers:\n  11 touch base (with somebody):  ----------//  [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: Latin basis;   BASIS]//\n  1 LOWEST PART:   [C usually singular] //  a) the lowest part or surface of something//   bottom//  base of//  --There is a door at the base of the tower.//  --the base of a triangle//  --a frozen dessert with a biscuit base//  --a wine glass with a heavy base//  --The leather of his left trainer was coming away from its rubber base.//  b) the lowest point on a plant or part of your body, where it joins another part//   bottom//  base of//  --a hole in the base of the tree//  --He was killed by an axe blow to the base of his skull.//\n  2 KNOWLEDGE/IDEAS:   [C] the most important part of something, from which new ideas develop//   foundation//  --India has a good scientific research base.//  base for//  --They were laying the base for a new economic recovery.//  --Changes in working practices will provide a base for improved performance.//\n  3 MILITARY:   [C] a place where people in a military organization live and work//  military/naval/air base //\n  4 COMPANY/ORGANIZATION:   [U and C] the main place from which a person, company, or organization controls their activities//  base for//  --He used the house as a base for his printing business.//\n  5 PEOPLE/GROUPS:   [C usually singular] the people, money, groups etc that form the main part of something//  --The company has built up a loyal customer base .//  --By broadening the tax base  (=all the people who pay taxes) , he could raise more revenues.//  --an attempt to strengthen the city’s economic base  (=things that produce jobs and money) //  --The country’s manufacturing base  (=all the factories, companies etc that produce goods in a country) has shrunk by 20%.//    power base//\n  6 SUBSTANCE/MIXTURE:   [singular, U] the main part of a substance, meal etc to which other things are added//  --paint with an oil base//  base for//  --Jacket potatoes form the base for a healthy meal.//  --Vodka is the base for many cocktails.//\n  7 SPORT:   [C] one of the four places that a player must touch in order to get a point in games such as baseball//\n  8  be off base:   AmE  informal to be completely wrong//  --His estimate for painting the kitchen seems way off base.//\n  9 CHEMICAL:   [C]  technical a chemical substance that combines with an acid to form a salt//\n  10 NUMBERS:   [C usually singular]  technical the number in relation to which a number system or mathematical table is built up, for example 10 in the decimal system//\n  11  touch base (with sb):  to talk to someone to find out what is happening about something//  -- basal adj //    cover (all) the bases at cover1 (12)//\nbase 3 adj   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: bas, from  Medieval Latin bassus  ’short, low’]//  not having good moral principles//  --base attitudes and desires//    base metal//


Words: BASE jumping
Meaning:
base jumping/be[hA366]s d[hA360][hA356]mp[hA366][hA26E]/ n [U]   Building, Antenna, Span, Earth a sport in which people jump off tall objects such as buildings, bridges, or cliffs, using a parachute//


Words: base rate
Meaning:
n [C]  BrE   in Britain, the standard rate of interest1(4), set by the Bank of England, on which all British banks base their charges//    prime rate//


Words: baseball
Meaning:
W2S3   n   1 [U] an outdoor game between two teams of nine players, in which players try to get points by hitting a ball and running around four bases//\n  2 [C] the ball used in baseball:


Words: baseboard
Meaning:
n [C]    AmE a narrow board fixed to the bottom of indoor walls where they meet the floor//  British Equivalent:  skirting board//


Words: based
Meaning:
adj \n  1 [not before noun] if you are based somewhere, that is the place where you work or where your main business is:  --It is a professional service based at our offices in Oxford.//  London-based/New York-based etc//  --a London-based firm of accountants//\n  2  oil-based/carbon-based/computer-based etc:  used to describe the basic feature or part of something//  --computer-based teaching//  --community-based services//  --carbon-based fuels//\n  3  broadly-based:  based on many kinds of things or people//  --a broadly-based government of national reconciliation//


Words: baseless
Meaning:
adj   not based on facts or good reasons - used to show disapproval//   unfounded//  baseless rumours/charges/accusations //


Words: baseline
Meaning:
n [C usually singular] \n  1  technical a standard measurement or fact against which other measurements or facts are compared, especially in medicine or science:  --The company’s waste emissions were 14% lower than in 1998, the baseline year.//\n  2 the line at the back of the court in games such as tennis or volleyball:\n  3 the area that a player must run within, on a baseball field:


Words: basement
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1700-1800; Origin:  Probably from   BASE2]//  a room or area in a building that is under the level of the ground//


Words: bash
Meaning:
v   [Date: 1600-1700; Origin:  Probably from the sound of hitting]//\n  1 [I always + adverb/preposition, T] to hit someone or something hard, in a way that causes pain or damage:  --Someone bashed him on the back of his head.//  --Police bashed down the door to get in.//  bash sth on/against sth//  --He bashed his head on the back of the seat.//  bash into//  --I accidentally bashed into a woman pushing a pram.//\n  2 [T] to criticize someone or something very strongly:  --He was always bashing the trade unions.//  -- -basher n  [C] //  --union-bashers//  bash on phr v//  to continue working in order to finish something//  --Well, I’d better bash on.//  bash out [bash sth → out] phr v//  to produce something quickly or in great quantities but without much care or thought//  --I bashed out replies as fast as I could.//  bash up [bash sb → up] phr v//  to seriously hurt someone by attacking them violently//\nbash 2 n [C] \n  1  informal a hard strong hit:   bang//  bash on//  --a bash on the head//\n  2  informal a party or an event to celebrate something:  --a birthday bash//\n  3  have a bash (at sth):   BrE  spoken to try to do something, especially when you are not sure that you will succeed//  --Why not have a bash at windsurfing?//


Words: bashful
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1400-1500; Origin: bash  ’to be embarrassed or ashamed’ (14-17 centuries), from  abash;   ABASHED]//  easily embarrassed in social situations//   shy//  --a bashful grin//  --Don’t be bashful about telling people how you feel.//  -- bashfully adv //  -- bashfulness n  [U] //


Words: bashing
Meaning:
n [singular,U] \n  1 the action of attacking someone and hitting them:  --Gay-bashing (=attacks on gay people)  is on the increase.//  give sb a bashing //  --They gave him a real bashing.//\n  2 strong and usually unfair public criticism of a particular group or person:  --union-bashing in the right-wing press//


Words: basic
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin: base]//\n  1 forming the most important or most necessary part of something:    basics//  --the basic principles of chemistry//  --The basic idea is simple.//  -- basic research //  -- basic information //  basic to//  --medical techniques basic to the control of infection//\n  2 at the simplest or least developed level:    basics//  --the basic skills of programming//  --Their knowledge is very basic.//  --The farm lacks even basic equipment .//\n  3  basic salary/pay/pension etc:  the amount of money that you are paid before any special payments are added//  --On top of the basic salary there are numerous other benefits.//\n  4 [only before noun] basic rights, needs etc are ones that everyone needs or should have:  --basic human rights//  --poor families unable to meet their basic needs//


Words: basically
Meaning:
S1   adv \n  1 [sentence adverb]  spoken used to emphasize the most important reason or fact about something, or a simple explanation of something:  --Basically, I’m just lazy.//  --Well, basically, it’s a matter of filling in a few forms.//  --I used to see him every night, basically.//\n  2 in the main or most important ways, without considering additional details or differences:   fundamentally//  --All cheeses are made in basically the same way.//  --I believe that human beings are basically good.//  --Basically, he hadn’t changed at all.//


Words: basics
Meaning:
n [plural] \n  1 the most important and necessary facts about something, from which other possibilities and ideas may develop:  basics of//  --the basics of French grammar//  --Here are some of the basics you will need to know.//\n  2 things which everyone needs in order to live or to deal with a particular situation:  --basics like food and education//\n  3  back to basics:  used to describe a return to teaching or doing the most important or simplest things//  --A lot of parents want schools to get back to basics.//


Words: Basie
Meaning:
Count   (1904-84) a US  jazz musician who played the piano, and led one of the most famous bands to play  swing (=jazz music of the 1930s and 40s) //


Words: basil
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Old French; Origin: basile, from  Late Latin, from  Greek basilikon, from  basilikos;   BASILICA]//  a strong-smelling and strong-tasting herb used in cooking//


Words: basilica
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: Greek basilike, from  basilikos  ’royal’, from  basileus  ’king’]//  a church in the shape of a long room with a round end//  --the basilica of St Peter’s in Rome//


Words: basilisk
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Latin; Origin: basiliscus, from  Greek, from  basileus;   BASILICA]//  an imaginary animal like a snake in ancient stories, supposed to be able to kill people by looking at them//


Words: basin
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: bacin, from  Late Latin bacchinon]//\n  1  BrE a round container attached to the wall in a bathroom, where you wash your hands and face:   sink//  --The room has a wash basin.//\n  2 a large bowl-shaped container for liquids or food:  --Fill the basin with the cake mixture.//\n  3  also basinful /be[hA366]s[hA368]nf[hA35E]l/:  the amount of liquid that a basin can contain//  --a basin of hot water//\n  4 an area of land that is lower at the centre than at the edges, especially one from which water runs down into a river:  --the Amazon basin//\n  5 a place where the Earth’s surface is lower than in other areas:  --the Pacific Basin//    pudding basin//


Words: basis
Meaning:
n   plural  bases /-si[hA359]z/ [C] //  [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: Greek,  ’step, base’, from  bainein  ’to go’]//\n  1 the facts, ideas, or things from which something can be developed:  --Their claim had no basis in fact (=it was not true) .//  basis of//  --Bread forms the basis of their daily diet.//  basis for//  --The video will provide a basis for class discussion.//\n  2  on the basis of sth:  because of a particular fact or situation//  --discrimination on the basis of sex//\n  3  on a regular/daily/weekly etc basis:  every day, week etc//  --I’m saving money on a regular basis.//\n  4  on a voluntary/part-time/temporary etc basis:  a system or agreement by which someone or something is voluntary etc//  --Wherever possible redundancies should be on a voluntary basis.//  --Nurses are employed on a full-time basis.//


Words: bask
Meaning:
v [I]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old Norse; Origin: bathask, from  batha  ’to take a bath’]//\n  1 to enjoy sitting or lying in the heat of the sun or a fire:  bask in//  --Lizards were basking in the morning sun.//\n  2 if a place basks in the sun, it is sunny and warm:  bask in//  --Tenerife was basking in afternoon sunshine as they arrived.//\n  3 to enjoy the approval or attention that you are getting from other people:  bask in//  --She basked in the admiration  of the media.//    bask/bathe in sb’s reflected glory at glory1 (4)//


Words: basket
Meaning:
S3   n [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Origin:  Probably from an unrecorded  Old North French baskot, from  Latin bascauda  ’bowl for washing dishes’]//\n  1 a container made of thin pieces of plastic, wire, or wood woven together, used to carry things or put things in:  --a shopping basket//  --a basket full of vegetables//  --a picnic basket//  clothes/laundry basket (=for dirty clothes) //\n  2 a net with a hole at the bottom attached to a metal ring, through which the ball is thrown in basketball:  make/shoot a basket (=to throw the ball through the basket) //\n  3  technical the average or total value of a number of different goods or currencies:    put all your eggs in one basket at egg1 (6),  wastepaper basket//


Words: basket case
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1  informal someone who you think is crazy:   nut case//\n  2 a country with many severe economic and social problems that are likely to continue for a long time:


Words: basketball
Meaning:
W2S3   n \n  1 [U] a game played indoors between two teams of five players, in which each team tries to win points by throwing a ball through a net:\n  2 [C] the ball used in this game:


Words: basketry
Meaning:
[U] \n  1 baskets or other objects made by weaving together thin dried branches:\n  2 the skill of making baskets:


Words: Basque
Meaning:
n \n  1 [C] a person from the mountainous area between southern France and northern Spain:\n  2 [U] the language of the Basques:  -- Basque adj //  --Basque separatists (=people who want the Basque area to become a separate state) //


Words: basque
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: French; Origin: Old French baste, from  Old Proven[hA168]al basta  ’seam’; influenced by  Basque  ’of the Basque people of northern Spain and southwest France’]//  a piece of underwear for a woman that covers her body from under her arms to the top of her legs//


Words: bass
Meaning:
n \n  1 [C] a very low male singing voice, or a man with a voice like this:\n  2 [singular] the part of a musical work that is written for a singer with a bass voice:    alto2 (2),  baritone1 (2),  soprano1 (2),  tenor1 (2)//\n  3 [U] the lower half of the whole range of musical notes:    treble//\n  4 [C] a bass guitar:  --The band features Johnson on bass  (=playing the bass guitar) .//\n  5 [C] a double bass:  ----------//  HINT //  Do not confuse bass and base , although they have the same pronunciation. //  ----------//\nbass 2 adj [only before noun]   a bass instrument or voice produces low notes//  --a bass drum//\nbass 3   n   plural  bass  [C] //  a fish that can be eaten and lives in both rivers and the sea//


Words: bass clef
Meaning:
n [C]   a sign at the beginning of a line of written music that shows that the top line of the stave is the A below middle C//


Words: basset
Meaning:
n  also basset hound  [C]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: French; Origin: bas  ’low’; because of its short legs]//  a dog with short legs and long ears, used for hunting//


Words: bassoon
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: French; Origin: basson, from  Italian bassone, from  basso, from  Medieval Latin bassus;   BASE3]//  a musical instrument like a very long wooden tube, that produces a low sound. You hold it upright and play it by blowing into a thin curved metal pipe.//  -- bassoonist n  [C] //


Words: bastard
Meaning:
S3   n [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: Medieval Latin bastardus, probably from  bastum  ’saddle for carrying bags’; probably from the idea of a child produced as a result of sex with a traveler]//\n  1  taboo a very offensive word for someone, especially a man, who you think is unpleasant. Do not use this word.:  --You lying bastard!//\n  2  spoken  informal  not polite a man who you think is very lucky or very unlucky - often used humorously:  --He’s gone straight to the top, the lucky bastard.//  --The poor bastard fell off his horse.//\n  3  BrE  spoken  informal something that causes difficulties or problems:  --Life’s a bastard sometimes.//\n  4  old-fashioned someone who was born to parents who were not married:


Words: bastardize
Meaning:
also  bastardise BrE   v [T]   to spoil something by changing its good parts//  --a bastardized version of the play//


Words: baste
Meaning:
v [I and T]   [Sense: 1; Date: 1500-1600; Origin:  Origin unknown.]//  [Sense: 2; Date: 1400-1500; Language: Old French; Origin: bastir]//\n  1 to pour liquid or melted fat over food that is cooking:  --Baste the potatoes occasionally.//\n  2 to fasten cloth with long loose stitches, in order to hold it together so that you can sew it properly later:   tack//


Words: Bastille
Meaning:
the Bastille//  an old prison in Paris, attacked and destroyed on 14 July 1789 during the French  revolution. This date is now celebrated each year as a French national holiday, Bastille Day.//


Words: bastion
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: French; Origin: bastille  ’strong building, castle’, from  Old Proven[hA168]al bastida, from  bastir  ’to build’]//\n  1 something that protects a way of life, principle etc that seems likely to change or end completely:  bastion of//  --These clubs are the last bastions of male privilege.//\n  2 a place where a country or army has strong military defences:  --Pearl Harbor was the principal American bastion in the Pacific.//\n  3  technical a part of a castle wall that sticks out from the rest:


Words: bat
Meaning:
S3   n [C]   [Sense: 1,5-7; Date: 1500-1600; Origin: back  ’bat’ (14-16 centuries), probably from a  Scandinavian language.]//  [Sense: 2-4; Origin: Old English batt]//\n  1 a small animal like a mouse with wings that flies around at night:    fruit bat//  2 //  a) a long wooden stick with a special shape that is used in some sports and games//  --a baseball bat//  --a cricket bat//  b)  BrE a round flat piece of wood with a handle, used to hit a ball in table tennis//  American Equivalent:  paddle//\n  3  be at bat:  to be the person who is trying to hit the ball in a game of baseball//\n  4  do sth off your own bat:   BrE  informal to do something without being told to do it//  --She went to see a solicitor off her own bat.//\n  5  do sth right off the bat:   AmE  informal to do something immediately//  --He said yes right off the bat.//\n  6  like a bat out of hell:   informal very fast//  --I drove like a bat out of hell to the hospital.//\n  7  old bat:   spoken an unpleasant old woman//    as blind as a bat at blind1 (1c)//\nbat 2 v   past tense and past participle  batted present participle  batting //  [Sense: 1, 4-5; Date: 1400-1500; Origin:  BAT12]//  [Sense: 2-3; Date: 1800-1900; Origin:  Probably from  bate  ’to beat the wings’ (13-20 centuries), from  Old French batre  ’to hit’]//\n  1 [I and T] to hit the ball with a bat in cricket or baseball:\n  2  not bat an eye/eyelid:   informal to not seem to be shocked, surprised, or embarrassed//  --They started talking about sex, but she didn’t bat an eyelid.//\n  3  bat your eyes/eyelashes:  if a woman bats her eyes, she opens and closes them several times quickly in order to look attractive to men//\n  4  go to bat for sb:   AmE  informal to help and support someone//\n  5  be batting a thousand:   AmE  informal to be very successful//  --She’s been batting a thousand ever since she got that new job.//  bat around [bat sth → around] phr v//  to discuss various ideas or suggestions//


Words: bat mitzvah
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1900-2000; Language: Hebrew; Origin: bath miswah  ’daughter of (God’s) law’]//\n  1 a religious ceremony held when a Jewish girl reaches the age of 13 and is considered an adult in her religion:    bar mitzvah//\n  2 a girl for whom this ceremony is held:


Words: batch
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1400-1500; Origin:  From an unrecorded  Old English b[zB024]cce  ’something baked’, from  bacan;   BAKE]//\n  1 a group of people or things that arrive or are dealt with together:  batch of//  --Every day another batch of papers reaches the manager demanding his attention.//\n  2 a quantity of food, medicine etc that is produced or prepared at the same time:  batch of//  --She was in the kitchen taking a batch of bread out of the oven.//\n  3 a set of jobs that are dealt with together on a computer:  --an overnight batch file //  --a batch job //


Words: batch processing
Meaning:
n [U]  technical   a type of computer system in which the computer does several jobs one after the other, without needing instructions between each job//


Words: bated
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1300-1400; Origin: abate]//  with bated breath//  feeling very anxious or excited//  --He waited for a reply to his offer with bated breath .//


Words: bath
Meaning:
W3S2   n   plural  baths /b[hA35A][hA359][hA171]z, b[hA35A][hA359][hA35F]s $ b[zB024][hA171]z, b[zB024][hA35F]s/ [C] //  [Language: Old English; Origin: b[zB024]th]//\n  1 if you take a bath, you wash your body in a bath:  --After a week of camping, I really needed a bath.//  take/have a bath //  --I’ll have a bath and go to bed.//  --How often do you take a bath?//  --I’ll give the children their bath  (=wash them in a bath) .//\n  2  BrE a large long container that you fill with water and sit or lie in to wash yourself:  American Equivalent:  bathtub//\n  3 water that you sit or lie in to wash yourself:  --a hot bath//  --She ran a bath  (=put water into a bath) for herself.//\n  4 a bathroom, used especially in advertising:  --All our luxury bedrooms have a private bath.//\n  5 a container full of liquid in which something is placed for a particular purpose:  bath of//  --Plunge the fabric into a bath of black dye.//\n  6  baths:  a)  BrE  old-fashioned a public building in which there is a swimming pool//  b) a public building where people could go in the past to wash themselves//  --the Roman baths at Cirencester//\n  7  take a bath:   AmE  informal to lose money, especially in a business deal//  --We took a bath in the market over that stock.//    birdbath,  bubble bath,  throw the baby out with the bath water at throw1 (37)//\nbath 2 v  BrE \n  1 [T] to wash someone in a bath:  American Equivalent:  bathe//  --I’ll bath the children.//\n  2 [I]  old-fashioned to wash yourself in a bath:  American Equivalent:  bathe//  ----------//  HINT sense 2 //  It is more usual to say have a bath British English or take a bath AmE. //  ----------//


Words: bath chair
Meaning:
n [C]  BrE   a special chair with wheels and a cover, used in the past for moving someone old or sick around//    wheelchair//


Words: bath mat
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 a piece of thick cloth that you put on the floor next to the bath:\n  2 a piece of rubber that you put in the bath to prevent yourself from slipping:


Words: bathe
Meaning:
v   [Language: Old English; Origin: bathian]//\n  1 [I and T]  especially  AmE to wash yourself or someone else in a bath:  British Equivalent:  bath//  --I bathed, washed my hair, and got dressed.//  --He bathed the children and put them to bed.//\n  2 [I]  BrE  old-fashioned to swim in the sea, a river, or a lake:  --They bathed in the lake in the moonlight.//\n  3 [T] to wash or cover part of your body with a liquid, especially as a medical treatment:  --She brought a bowl of water and began to bathe the injured arm.//\n  4  be bathed in light/sunshine etc:   written an area or building that is bathed in light has light shining onto it in a way that makes it look pleasant or attractive//  --The top of Pea Hill was bathed in brilliant sunshine.//\n  5  be bathed in sweat:   written to be covered in sweat//  --I was tired and bathed in sweat.//  ----------//  HINT sense 1 //  It is more usual to say have a bath British English or  take a bath American English . //  HINT sense 2 //  It is more usual to say go for/have a swim. //  ----------//\nbathe 2 n   a bathe//   BrE  old-fashioned when you swim in the sea, a river, or a lake//  --They went for a bathe before lunch.//


Words: bather
Meaning:
n \n  1 [C]  BrE someone who is swimming in the sea, a river, or a lake:\n  2  bathers [plural]  AusE a swimsuit:


Words: bathing
Meaning:
n [U]    BrE the activity of swimming in the sea, a river, or a lake//  --Is the beach safe for bathing?//


Words: bathos
Meaning:
n [U]  formal   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: Greek; Origin: ’depth’, from  bathys  ’deep’]//  in writing, a play etc, a sudden change from a subject that is beautiful, moral, or serious to something that is ordinary, silly, or not important//


Words: bathrobe
Meaning:
n [C]   a long loose piece of clothing shaped like a coat, that you wear especially before or after having a bath or shower//    dressing gown//


Words: bathroom
Meaning:
W3S2   n [C] \n  1 a room where there is a bath or shower, a basin, and sometimes a toilet:\n  2  AmE a room where there is a toilet:  --Can you tell me where the bathroom is?//  --I really need to go to the bathroom  (=use a toilet) .//


Words: bathtub
Meaning:
n [C]    especially  AmE a long large container that you fill with water and sit or lie in to wash yourself//  British Equivalent:  bath//


Words: batik
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Malay; Origin: Javanese,  ’painted’]//\n  1 [U] a way of printing coloured patterns on cloth that involves putting wax over some parts of the cloth:\n  2 [U and C] cloth that has been coloured in this way:


Words: Batman
Meaning:
trademark   a popular character in cartoon strips, films, and television programmes, who wears a black  cape and a black mask, and fights criminals//


Words: baton
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: French; Origin: b[hA163]ton, from  Late Latin bastum  ’stick’]//\n  1 a short thin stick used by a conductor (=the leader of a group of musicians)  to direct the music:\n  2 a short light stick that is passed from one person to another during a race:\n  3 a short thick stick used as a weapon by a police officer:   truncheon//\n  4 a short stick that is carried as a sign of a special office or rank:\n  5 a light metal stick that is spun and thrown into the air by a majorette:


Words: battalion
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: French; Origin: bataillon, from  Old Italian battaglione, from  battaglia  ’group of soldiers, battle’, from  Late Latin battalia;   BATTLE1]//\n  1 a large group of soldiers consisting of several companies ( company):\n  2 a large group of people who are doing something with a particular purpose:  battalion of//  --a battalion of supporters//


Words: batten
Meaning:
v \n  1  batten down the hatches:  a) to prepare yourself for a period of difficulty or trouble//  b) to firmly fasten the entrances to the lower part of a ship//\n  2  batten on sb:   BrE  formal to live well by using someone else’s money, possessions etc - used to show disapproval//\nbatten 2 n [C]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: French; Origin: b[hA163]ton;   BATON]//  a long narrow piece of wood that is attached to other pieces of wood or another building material to strengthen them and keep them in place//


Words: Battenburg
Meaning:
a type of cake eaten in the UK, which has a square shape divided into four pink and yellow squares, and is covered with  marzipan//


Words: batter
Meaning:
preposition, T]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: batre or  English bat  ’to hit’]//  to hit someone or something again and again, in a way that hurts someone or causes damage//  --He was battered to death .//  --As a child she was battered by her father.//  batter at/on/against etc//  --People were battering at the door.//  batter sb with sth//  --He was battered on the head with a cricket bat.//  batter away//  --She battered away at his chest with her fists.//  batter sth down//  --Armed police battered his door down.//  -- battering n  [U and C] //\nbatter 2 n   [Sense: 1; Date: 1400-1500; Origin:  Probably from   BATTER1]//  [Sense: 2; Date: 1800-1900; Origin:  BAT2]//\n  1 [U and C] a mixture of flour, eggs, milk etc, used in cooking and for making bread, cakes etc:  --Fry the fish in batter.//  --pancake batter//\n  2 [C] the person who is trying to hit the ball in baseball:


Words: battered
Meaning:
adj \n  1 old and in bad condition:  --a battered old suitcase//\n  2  battered woman/wife/husband/baby etc:  someone who has been violently attacked by their husband, wife, father etc//


Words: battery
Meaning:
S2   n   plural  batteries //  ----------//\n   1 electricity:\n   2 a battery of something:\n   3 farm:\n   4 guns:\n   5 crime:\n   6 recharge your batteries:  ----------//  [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Old French; Origin: baterie, from  batre  ’to hit’;]//  [Sense: 4; Origin:  from the idea of hitting with gunfire;]//  [Sense: 1; Origin:  from the idea of a group of electricity-producing cells joined together]//\n  1 ELECTRICITY:   [C] an object that provides a supply of electricity for something such as a radio, car, or toy//  --You have to take the top off to  change the batteries . //  --When the red light comes on, you should  recharge the battery  so it is ready for the next time. //  --The car’s got a  flat battery .//  -- a  battery-operated  hair dryer//\n  2  a battery of sth:  a group of many things of the same type//  --a battery of medical tests//\n  3 FARM:   [C]  BrE a row of small cages in which chickens are kept, so that the farm can produce large numbers of eggs//  --battery hens//    free-range//\n  4 GUNS:   [C] several large guns used together//  --an anti-aircraft battery//\n  5 CRIME:   [U]  law the crime of hitting someone//  --He was charged with assault and battery .//    assault and battery//\n  6  recharge your batteries:   informal to rest or relax in order to get back your energy//  --A week in the mountains should recharge my batteries.//  ----------//  COLLOCATES for sense 1 //  change the batteries (in something)  (=put new batteries in something) //  charge/recharge a battery  (=fill it with electricity again after it has been used) //  flat battery  British English //  dead battery  American English (=one that has no more electricity in it) //  rechargeable battery  (=one that can be recharged and used again) //  car battery //  battery powered/operated //  battery compartment  (=the place where the batteries go) //  battery charger  (=a piece of equipment for charging batteries) //  ----------//


Words: battle
Meaning:
W2   n [C]   ----------//\n   1 fight:\n   2 competition/argument:\n   3 change bad situation:\n   4 be half the battle:\n   5 a battle of wits:\n   6 battle of wills:\n   7 do battle (with somebody):\n   8 fight your own battles:\n   9 the battle of the sexes:\n  10 the battle of the bulge:  ----------//  [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: bataille, from  Late Latin battalia  ’fighting’, from  Latin battuere  ’to hit’]//\n  1 FIGHT:  a fight between opposing armies, groups of ships, groups of people etc, especially one that is part of a larger war//  --the Battle of Trafalgar//  in battle//  --Her son was killed in battle.//  into battle//  --a knight riding into battle//  battle between//  --battles between government forces and the rebels//  --a pitched battle  (=a long and serious battle) between police and drug gangs//\n  2 COMPETITION/ARGUMENT:  a situation in which opposing groups or people compete or argue with each other when trying to achieve success or control//  --a long-running legal battle //  battle for//  --a battle for custody of their children//  battle between//  --a fierce ratings battle between rival TV stations//  battle with//  --an on-going battle with my mother about eating properly//\n  3 CHANGE BAD SITUATION:  an attempt to solve a difficult problem or change an unpleasant situation//  battle against//  --a battle against the racism of the school system//  battle with//  --a long battle with lung cancer//  battle for//  --Scientology has  fought  long  battles  for acceptance as a religion.//  --Learning to read as an adult is tough work, but you can  win  this  battle  if you try.//  --We’ve tried to mend the fence several times, but we’re  fighting a losing battle .//  --Keeping the house tidy is  an uphill battle  when the kids are all at home.//\n  4  be half the battle:  to be a difficult or important part of what you have to do//  --Just getting an interview is half the battle.//\n  5  a battle of wits:  a situation in which opposing sides try to win by using their intelligence//  --A good mystery story is a battle of wits between author and reader.//\n  6  battle of wills:  a situation in which opposing sides refuse to change what they want, in the hope that the other side will decide to change first//  --a battle of wills between teacher and student//\n  7  do battle (with sb):  to argue with someone or fight against someone//  --She walked into the room with her eyes blazing, ready to do battle.//\n  8  fight your own battles:  to argue with someone or compete in a difficult situation without having help from other people - used to show approval//  --It’s all right, Mum. I can fight my own battles.//\n  9  the battle of the sexes:  the relationship between men and women when it is considered as a fight for power//\n  10  the battle of the bulge:  the act of trying to lose weight - used humorously//  ----------//  COLLOCATES for sense 3 //  fight a battle //  win a battle //  lose a battle  //  a losing battle  (=something you cannot achieve) //  an uphill battle (=something that is very difficult to do) //  ----------//\nbattle 2 v \n  1 [I and T] to try very hard to achieve something that is difficult or dangerous:  --Firefighters battled the flames for four hours last night.//  battle against/with//  --She had battled bravely against cancer.//  battle for//  --a pressure group battling for better schools//  battle to do sth//  --Doctors battled to save his life.//\n  2  battle it out:  to keep fighting or opposing each other until one person or team wins//  --32 teams will battle it out in the finals.//\n  3 [I]  literary to take part in a fight or war:


Words: battle cry
Meaning:
n [C usually singular] \n  1 a phrase used to encourage people, especially members of a political organization:  --’Socialism Now!’ was their battle cry.//\n  2 a loud shout used in war to encourage your side and frighten the enemy:


Words: battle fatigue
Meaning:
n [U]  old-fashioned   a type of mental illness caused by the frightening experiences of war, in which someone feels very anxious and upset//


Words: Battle of Britain
Meaning:
the   the name used for the fights between German and British aircraft in 1940, when British aircraft tried to prevent German aircraft from dropping bombs on British cities//


Words: Battle of the Bulge
Meaning:
the   the last main attack by the German army during World War II, when they surrounded the Allies’ army in Belgium in 1944 //


Words: battleaxe
Meaning:
also  battleax AmE   n [C] \n  1  informal a very unpleasant woman who tries to control other people:\n  2 a large axe used as a weapon in the past:


Words: battlefield
Meaning:
[C] \n  1 a place where a battle is being fought or has been fought:\n  2 a subject that people disagree or argue a lot about:  --Education has become a political battleground.//\n  3 a place where an argument or disagreement happens, or where people are competing against each other:  --a battleground state during the election//  --His battlefield experience in Congress will help him in the election.//


Words: battlements
Meaning:
n [plural]   a low wall around the top of a castle, that has spaces to shoot guns or arrows through//


Words: batty
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin:  BAT17]//  slightly crazy, but not in an unpleasant or frightening way//   nutty//


Words: bauble
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: babel]//\n  1 a cheap piece of jewellery:\n  2  BrE a brightly coloured decoration that looks like a ball and is used to decorate a Christmas tree:


Words: baud rate
Meaning:
n [C]  technical   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin:  J. M. E.  Baudot (1845-1903), French engineer]//  a measurement of how fast information is sent to or from a computer, for example through a telephone line//


Words: Bauhaus
Meaning:
a modern style of  architecture and design originally taught at the Bauhaus school in Germany in the 1920s and 1930s. Bauhaus buildings are simple and  functional (=designed to be useful rather than beautiful or decorative) //  -- Bauhaus adj //


Words: bauxite
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin:  Les  Baux, place in southern France where it was found]//  a soft substance that aluminium is obtained from//


Words: bawdy
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin: bawd  ’woman who works in or runs a brothel’ (14-19 centuries), perhaps from  Old French baude  ’confident and cheerful’]//  bawdy songs, jokes, stories etc are about sex and are funny, enjoyable, and often noisy//  --a bawdy new play//  -- bawdiness n  [U] //


Words: bawl
Meaning:
v   [Date: 1400-1500; Origin:  Probably from a  Scandinavian language]//\n  1 [I and T]  also bawl out :  to shout in a loud voice//   yell//  --’Tickets please!’ bawled the conductor.//\n  2 [I] to cry loudly:   scream//  --They could hear a baby bawling somewhere.//  bawl out [bawl sb → out] phr v//  to speak angrily to someone because they have done something wrong//  --He was afraid Vic would bawl him out for being late.//


Words: bay
Meaning:
n [C]   ----------//\n   1 sea:\n   2 keep/hold something at bay:\n   3 area:\n   4 for cargo:\n   5 tree:\n   6 horse:  ----------//  [Sense: 1; Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: baie, from  Old Spanish bahia]//  [Sense: 2; Date: 1500-1600; Origin: bay  ’condition of a hunted animal that is trapped and has to turn around’ (14-17 centuries), from  Old French abai, from  abaiier;   BAY2]//  [Sense: 3-4; Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: baee  ’opening’, from  baer  ’to have the mouth wide open’]//  [Sense: 5; Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: baie  ’berry’, from  Latin baca]//  [Sense: 6; Date: 1500-1600; Origin:  BAY3]//\n  1 SEA:  a part of the sea that is partly enclosed by a curve in the land//  --a house with a view across the bay//  --Montego Bay//\n  2  keep/hold sth at bay:  to prevent something dangerous or unpleasant from happening or from coming too close//  --A thick wall keeps the noise at bay.//\n  3 AREA:  an area within a large room or just outside a building that is used for a particular purpose//  --a storage bay//  --loading bay//\n  4 FOR CARGO:  the part of a ship or plane where things are stored//  --the cargo bay//\n  5 TREE:   also bay tree //  a tree that has leaves which smell sweet and are often used in cooking//\n  6 HORSE:  a horse that is a reddish brown colour//\nbay 2 v [I]   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: abaiier, from the sound]//\n  1 if a dog bays, it makes a long high noise, especially when it is chasing something:   howl//  --dogs baying at the moon//\n  2 to make strong demands to get answers to questions or force someone to give you something:  bay for//  --Reporters began baying for the president’s blood  (=demanding that he be punished) .//\nbay 3 adj   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: bai, from  Latin badius]//  a bay horse is reddish brown in colour//


Words: Bay Area
Meaning:
the Bay Area//  the area of land around the San Francisco Bay in California, including cities such as San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, Palo Alto, and San Jose//


Words: Bay of Biscay
Meaning:
the Bay of Biscay//  a large area of sea between the west coast of France and the north coast of Spain//


Words: Bay of Pigs
Meaning:
the Bay of Pigs//  an area on the south coast of Cuba, which is famous for a military attack that took place in 1961. A group of Cubans living in the US tried to enter Cuba with the aim of ending the government of Fidel  Castro. They were trained and supported by the US, but the attack failed. //


Words: bay window
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1400-1500; Origin:  BAY13]//  a window that sticks out from the wall of a house, usually with glass on three sides//


Words: Bayeux Tapestry
Meaning:
the   a  tapestry (=large piece of heavy woven cloth)  made in Bayeux, northern France, in the 11th or 12th century, whose pictures tell the story of the  Norman Conquest of England in 1066//


Words: bayonet
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: French; Origin: ba[hA170]onnette, from  Bayonne city in southwest France where it was first made]//  a long knife that is fixed to the end of a rifle (=long gun) //\nbayonet 2 v [T]   to push the point of a bayonet into someone//


Words: bayou
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: Louisiana French; Origin: Choctaw bayuk]//  a large area of water in the southeast US that moves very slowly and has many water plants//


Words: Baywatch
Meaning:
trademark   a US television programme about a group of  lifeguards (=someone whose job is to save people who get into difficulties when they are swimming in the sea) who work on a beach in California.//


Words: bazaar
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Persian; Origin: bazar]//\n  1 a market or area where there are a lot of small shops, especially in India or the Middle East:\n  2 an occasion when a lot of people sell different things to collect money for a good purpose:  --a church bazaar//


Words: bazooka
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin: bazooka type of simple musical instrument  (1900-2000), from  bazoo similar instrument  (19-20 centuries), probably from its sound]//  a long light gun that rests on your shoulder and is used for shooting at tanks//


Words: BB gun
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin: BB name given to the size of shot it fires]//   AmE a gun that uses air pressure to shoot small round metal balls//   airgun//


Words: BBC
Meaning:
n   British Broadcasting Corporation the British radio and television company that is paid for by the public//


Words: BC
Meaning:
BrE  B.C. AmE    before Christ used after a date to show that it was before the birth of Christ//    AD//  --The Great Pyramid dates from around 2600 BC.//


Words: bcc
Meaning:
blind carbon copy used in an email to show that you are sending someone a copy of a message that you have also sent to someone else, and that this person does not know that other people will also receive the message//


Words: BCCI
Meaning:
Bank of Credit and Commerce International an international bank which failed in 1991 after it was accused of doing business in a dishonest way//


Words: BCE
Meaning:
BrE  B.C.E. AmE    before common era used after a date to show that it is before the birth of Christ//


Words: be
Meaning:
auxiliary v   past tense  was, were past participle  been present participle  being  first person singular  am   second person singular and plural  are third person singular  is //\n  1 used with a present participle to form the continuous(4) tenses of verbs:  --Don’t disturb me while I’m working.//  --Gemma was reading when her son called.//  --They’ve been asking a lot of questions.//  --That guy’s always causing trouble.//  --We’ll be starting in about half an hour.//  --He isn’t leaving, is he?//\n  2 used with past participles to form the passive:  --Smoking is not permitted.//  --I was told about it yesterday.//  --The house is being painted.//  --She’s been invited to a party.//  --The flames could be seen several miles away.//  --The police should have been informed about this.//\n  3  be to do sth:   formal //  a) used to talk about arrangements for the future//  --Audrey and Jimmy are to be married in June.//  --Two men are to appear in court on charges of armed robbery.//  --We were to have gone away last week, but I was ill.//  b) used to give an order or to tell someone about a rule//  --You are to wait here in this room until I return.//  --All staff are to wear uniforms.//  c) used to say or ask what someone should do or what should happen//  --What am I to tell her?//  --He is not to be blamed.//  d) used to ask how something can be done//  --How are we to get out of the present mess?//\n  4  be to be seen/found/heard etc:  used to say that something can be seen, found, or heard somewhere//  --A large range of species are to be seen in the aquarium.//  --We searched everywhere but the ring was nowhere to be found  (=could not be found) .//  --The only sound to be heard was the twittering of the birds above us.//\n  5  was/were to do sth:  used when talking about a time in the past to say what happened later//  --This discovery was to have a major effect on the treatment of heart disease.//\n  6 :  a) used in conditional1(2) sentences about an imagined situation//  were sb to do sth/if sb were to do sth//  --Even if England were to win the next two matches, Germany would still be three points ahead.//  --Were we to offer you the job, would you take it?//  b) used in conditional sentences to introduce an aim when you are saying what must be done in order to achieve it//  if sb/sth is to do sth//  --If we are to succeed in this enterprise, we shall need to plan everything very carefully.//\n  7  old use used instead of ’have’ to form the perfect3 tense of some verbs:  --The hour is come.//\nbe 2 v   [Language: Old English; Origin: beon]//\n  1 [linking verb] used to say that someone or something is the same as the subject of the sentence:  --My name is Susan.//  --These are my favourite pictures.//  --He’s my brother.//  --The problem is finding the time to get things done.//  --Our aim was to reduce the number of accidents.//\n  2 [I always + adverb/preposition] used to say where something or someone is:  --Jane’s upstairs.//  --Are my keys in the drawer?//  --The principal’s in his office.//  --How long has she been here?//\n  3 [I always + adverb/preposition] used to say when something happens:  --The concert was last night.//  --The party is on Saturday.//\n  4 [linking verb] used to describe someone or something, or say what group or type they belong to:  --The sky was grey.//  --Spiders are not really insects.//  --Mr Cardew was a tall thin man.//  --She wants to be a doctor when she leaves school.//  --Her dress was pure silk.//  --I’m not ready yet.//\n  5  there is/are:  used to say that something exists or happens//  --There’s a hole in your trousers.//  --There was a loud explosion.//  --’I thought there was going to be a party.’ ’No, there isn’t.’//  --Is there a problem?//\n  6 [linking verb] to behave in a particular way:  --He was just being rude.//  --Don’t be silly.//  --You’d better be careful.//\n  7 [linking verb] used to say how old someone is:  --His mother died when he was twenty.//  --Rachel will be three in November.//\n  8 [linking verb] used to say who something belongs to:  --Whose is this bag? It isn’t mine and it isn’t Sarah’s.//\n  9 [linking verb] used to talk about the price of something:  --’How much are the melons?’ ’The big ones are [hA124]2 each.’//\n  10 [linking verb] to be equal to a particular number or amount:  --32 divided by 8 is 4.//\n  11  be that as it may:   formal used to say that even though you accept that something is true, it does not change a situation//  --’He was only joking.’ ’Be that as it may, silly remarks like that can do a lot of harm.’//\n  12 [I]  formal to exist:  --What was once a great and powerful empire has effectively ceased to be.//\n  13  be yourself:  to behave in a natural way, rather than trying to pretend to be different//  --Don’t try too hard - just be yourself.//\n  14  not be yourself:  to be behaving in a way that is unusual for you, especially because you are ill or upset//  --Sorry - I’m not myself this morning.//\n  15  the be-all and end-all:  the most important part of a situation or of someone’s life//  the be-all and end-all of//  --For Jim, making money was the be-all and end-all of his job.//


Words: be-
Meaning:
prefix   [Language: Old English; Origin: bi-,  be-]//\n  1 [in verbs] used to mean that someone or something is treated in a particular way:  --Don’t belittle him (=say he is unimportant) .//  --He befriended me (=became my friend) //\n  2  literary  [in adjectives] wearing or covered by a particular thing:  --a bespectacled boy (=wearing glasses) //


Words: beach
Meaning:
W2S3   n [C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin:  Perhaps from  Old English b[zB024]ce  ’small stream’]//  an area of sand or small stones at the edge of the sea or a lake//  --a sandy beach//  --tourists walking along the beach//\nbeach 2 v [T] \n  1 to pull a boat onto the shore away from the water:\n  2 if a whale beaches itself or is beached, it swims onto the shore and cannot get back in the water:


Words: beach ball
Meaning:
n [C]   a large coloured plastic ball that you blow air into and use for playing games on the beach//


Words: Beach Boys
Meaning:
the   a US popular music group formed in 1961. Their songs include  California Girls and  Good Vibrations.//


Words: beach chair
Meaning:
n [C]    AmE a folding chair with a seat and back made of cloth or plastic, which is used outdoors, especially at the beach//  British Equivalent:  deckchair//


Words: beachhead
Meaning:
n [C]   an area of shore that has been taken from an enemy by force, and from which the army can prepare to attack a country//


Words: beacon
Meaning:
n [C]   [Language: Old English; Origin: beacen  ’sign’]//\n  1 a light that is put somewhere to warn or guide people, ships, vehicles, or aircraft:\n  2 a radio or radar signal used by aircraft or boats to help them find their position and direction:\n  3  especially literary a person, idea etc that guides or encourages you:  beacon of//  --The education program offers a beacon of hope to these children.//\n  4 a fire on top of a hill used in the past as a signal:    belisha beacon//


Words: bead
Meaning:
n [C]   [Language: Old English; Origin: bed,  gebed  ’prayer’; because people counted beads while saying their prayers]//\n  1 one of a set of small, usually round, pieces of glass, wood, plastic etc, that you can put on a string and wear as jewellery:  --She wore a string of green glass beads around her neck.//\n  2 a small drop of liquid such as water or blood:  --Beads of sweat trickled down his face.//\n  3  draw a bead on sb/sth:  to aim carefully before shooting a weapon//    worry beads//


Words: beaded
Meaning:
adj \n  1 decorated with beads:  --a beaded dress//\n  2  beaded with sweat/perspiration:  having drops of sweat (=liquid produced by your body when you are hot)  on your skin//


Words: beading
Meaning:
n [U] \n  1 long thin pieces of wood or stone that are used as a decoration on the edges of walls, furniture etc:\n  2 a lot of beads sewn close together on clothes, leather etc as decoration:


Words: beadle
Meaning:
n [C]   an officer in British churches in the past, who helped the priest in various ways, especially by keeping order//


Words: beady
Meaning:
adj \n  1 beady eyes are small, round, and shiny - used especially about someone who you think looks dishonest or strange:\n  2  have/keep your beady eye(s) on sb/sth:   especially BrE to watch someone or something very carefully - used humorously//


Words: Beagle
Meaning:
HMS   the ship on which Charles  Darwin travelled to South America, where he studied and collected many different types of plants and animals//


Words: beagle
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1400-1500; Origin:  Perhaps from  Old French beegueule  ’noisy person’, from  beer  ’to open wide’ +  gueule  ’throat’]//  a dog with short legs and smooth fur, sometimes used in hunting//


Words: beak
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: bec, from  Latin beccus]//\n  1 the hard pointed mouth of a bird:   bill//\n  2 a large pointed nose - used humorously:\n  3  BrE  old-fashioned a judge or a male teacher:


Words: beaker
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old Norse; Origin: bikarr, probably from  Old Saxon bikeri, from  Medieval Latin bicarius;   PITCHER]//\n  1  BrE a drinking cup with straight sides and no handle, usually made of plastic:\n  2 a glass cup with straight sides that is used in chemistry for measuring and heating liquids:


Words: beam
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 :  a) a line of light shining from the sun, a lamp etc//  --the beam of a powerful flashlight//  b) a line of light, energy etc that you cannot see//  --a laser beam//  --a beam of electrons//\n  2 a long heavy piece of wood or metal used in building houses, bridges etc:\n  3 a wide happy smile:  --a wide beam of delight//\n  4  off beam:   BrE  informal incorrect or mistaken//  --Our guesses were way off beam.//\n  5 a balance beam:\n  6  technical the widest part of a ship from side to side:    broad in the beam at broad1 (1)//\nbeam 2 v \n  1 [I] to smile very happily:  --Sherman looked at his sons and beamed proudly.//  beam with//  --Connie beamed with pleasure.//  beam at//  --McLeish beamed at her.//\n  2 [T always + adverb/preposition] to send a radio or television signal through the air, especially to somewhere very distant:  --the first sports broadcast to be beamed across the Atlantic//\n  3 [I and T] to send out a line of light, heat, energy etc:  --The sun beamed through the clouds.//  --X-rays are beamed through the patient’s body.//


Words: Beamer
Meaning:
Beemer especially AmE  informal   a name for any car made by  BMW//  --That’s his white Beamer convertible over there.//


Words: bean
Meaning:
S3   n [C]   [Language: Old English; Origin:]//\n  1 a seed or a pod (=case containing seeds) , that comes from a climbing plant and is cooked as food. There are very many types of beans.:  --baked beans//  --Soak the beans overnight.//  --kidney beans//  --green beans//\n  2 a plant that produces beans:\n  3 a seed used in making some types of food or drinks:  --coffee beans//  --cocoa beans//\n  4  be full of beans:   informal to be very eager and full of energy//  --She’s full of beans this morning.//\n  5  not have a bean:   BrE  informal to have no money at all//\n  6  not know/care beans (about sb/sth):   AmE  informal to not know anything or care at all about someone or something//    spill the beans at spill1 (3)//    not amount to a hill of beans at hill(5),  jelly bean//\nbean 2 S3 v [T]    informal to hit someone on the head with an object//


Words: bean counter
Meaning:
n [C]  informal   someone whose job is to examine the cost of doing something, and who is concerned only with making a profit - used to show disapproval//  --Since the bean counters took over the radio station, it’s become a boring place to work.//


Words: beanbag
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1  also beanbag chair :  a very large cloth bag that is filled with small balls of soft plastic and used for sitting on//\n  2 a small cloth bag filled with beans, used for throwing and catching in children’s games:


Words: beanie
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin: bean  ’head’ (20-21 centuries)]//   AmE a small round hat that fits close to your head//


Words: bear
Meaning:
W1   v   past tense  bore /b[hA350][hA359] $ b[hA350][hA359]r/past participle  borne /b[hA350][hA359]n $ b[hA350][hA359]rn/ [T] //  ----------//\n   1 deal with something:\n   2 can’t bear something:\n   3 bear (something) in mind:\n   4 accept/be responsible for:\n   5 support:\n   6 sign/mark:\n   7 bear a resemblance/relation to somebody/something:\n   8 baby:\n   9 bear fruit:\n  10 able to be examined/compared etc:\n  11 something doesn’t bear thinking about:\n  12 bear interest:\n  13 carry:\n  14 bring pressure/influence to bear (on somebody/something):\n  15 bear witness/testimony to something:\n  16 have feelings:\n  17 bear right/left:\n  18 bear yourself:\n  19 wind/water:\n  20 name/title:  Phrasal verbs//   bear down//   bear on/upon something//   bear somebody/sth→ out//   bear up//   bear with somebody/something//  ----------//  [Language: Old English; Origin: beran]//\n  1 DEAL WITH SOMETHING:  to bravely accept or deal with a painful, difficult, or upsetting situation//   stand//  --She was afraid she wouldn’t be able to bear the pain.//  --Overcrowding makes prison life even harder to bear.//  --Make the water as hot as you can bear .//  --The humiliation was more than he could bear .//  --Black people continue to bear the brunt of most racial violence (=have to deal with the most difficult or damaging part) .//  --Passengers could be insulting, and stewardesses just had to grin and bear it  (=accept it without complaining) .//  --Experts were worried the financial system would not be able to bear the strain .//\n  2  can’t bear sth:   spoken //  a) to be so upset about something that you feel unable to accept it or let it happen//   can’t stand//  --Please don’t leave me. I couldn’t bear it.//  can’t bear the thought of (doing) sth //  --I just can’t bear the thought of having to start all over.//  can’t bear to do sth//  --I can’t bear to see her cry.//  can’t bear doing sth//  --I couldn’t bear not seeing him again.//  b) to dislike something or someone very much, often so that they make you feel annoyed or impatient//   can’t stand//  --Oh, I really can’t bear him.//  --He can’t bear spinach.//  can’t bear sb doing sth//  --He can’t bear people smoking while he’s eating.//  can’t bear doing sth//  --I can’t bear being cold.//\n  3  bear (sth) in mind:  to remember a fact or piece of information that is important or could be useful in the future//   keep (something) in mind//  bear in mind (that)//  --Bear in mind that some of the children will need extra help.//\n  4 ACCEPT/BE RESPONSIBLE FOR:   formal to be responsible for or accept something//  bear the costs/burden //  --Each company will bear half the costs of development.//  --Fares have gone up, perhaps to more than the market will bear.//  bear the responsibility/blame etc //  --Developed countries bear much of the responsibility for environmental problems.//\n  5 SUPPORT:  to be under something and support it//   hold//  --My leg was painful, and I wasn’t sure it would bear my weight .//  --a tray bearing a bottle and several glasses//  --a load-bearing wall//\n  6 SIGN/MARK:   formal to have or show a sign, mark, or particular appearance, especially when this shows that something has happened or is true//   have//  --The letter bore no signature.//  --a car bearing diplomatic license plates//  --The labels bear a yellow and black symbol.//  --The town still bears the scars of the bombings during the war.//  --The store bears the hallmarks  (=it has the qualities) of a family-owned business.//\n  7  bear a resemblance/relation to sb/sth:  to be similar to someone or something else//  --The child bore a striking resemblance to his father.//  --The things she says bear little relation to what she actually does.//\n  8 BABY:   formal to give birth to a baby//  --She might never be able to bear children.//  bear sb a child/son/daughter //  --She bore him three sons.//\n  9  bear fruit:  a) if a plan, decision etc bears fruit, it is successful, especially after a long period of time//  --Charles’ diplomacy eventually bore fruit.//  b) if a tree bears fruit, it produces fruit//\n  10 ABLE TO BE EXAMINED/COMPARED ETC:   [often in negatives] to be suitable or good enough to be examined, compared, repeated etc without failing or being wrong//  --The production figures did not bear scrutiny .//  --We believe our pupils’ results will bear comparison with any in Scotland.//  --The story is well known, but it certainly bears repeating .//\n  11  sth doesn’t bear thinking about:  used to say that something is so upsetting or shocking that you prefer not to think about it//  --The long-term consequences of a nuclear leak don’t bear thinking about.//\n  12  bear interest:  if a bank account, investment etc bears interest, the bank pays you a particular amount of money for keeping your money in the account//\n  13 CARRY:   literary to carry someone or something, especially something important//  --The wedding guests arrived, bearing gifts.//  --The US Constitution states that the people have a right to bear arms .//\n  14  bring pressure/influence to bear (on sb/sth):  to use your influence or power to get what you want//  --Organizations such as unions can bring pressure to bear on governments.//\n  15  bear witness/testimony to sth:   formal to show that something is true or exists//  --The empty workshops bear witness to the industrial past.//\n  16 HAVE FEELINGS:   formal to have a particular feeling, especially a bad feeling//  bear (sb) a grudge (=continue to feel annoyed after a long time) //  --It was an accident. I don’t bear any grudges.//  bear sb no malice/ill will etc (=not feel angry) //  --He was just doing his job, and I bore him no malice.//\n  17  bear right/left:  to turn towards the right or left//  --The road bears round to the right.//  --When you reach the fork in the trail, bear left.//\n  18  bear yourself:   formal to walk, stand etc in a particular way, especially when this shows your character//  --She bore herself with great dignity.//\n  19 WIND/WATER:   literary if wind, water, or air bears something, it carries it somewhere//  --The sound of music was borne along on the wind.//\n  20 NAME/TITLE:   formal to have a particular name or title//  --He bore the name ’Magnus’.//  bear down phr v//\n  1  bear down on sb/sth:  a) to move quickly towards a person or place in a threatening way//  --Maggie looked up to see Neville bearing down on her.//  --a storm bearing down on the island//  b) to behave in a threatening or controlling way towards a person or group//  --Federal regulators have been bearing down on campaign contributors.//\n  2 to use all your strength and effort to push or press down on something:  bear on/upon [bear on/upon sth] phr v//  to relate to and possibly influence something//  --the national policies which bear on these problems//  bear /sth out [bear sb/sth→ out] phr v//  if facts or information bear out a claim, story, opinion etc, they help to prove that it is true//  --Evidence bears out the idea that students learn best in small groups.//  bear up phr v//  to show courage or determination during a difficult or unpleasant time//  --How has he been bearing up since the accident?//  bear with / [bear with sb/sth] phr v//\n  1  bear with me:   spoken used to ask someone politely to wait while you find out information, finish what you are doing etc//  --Bear with me a minute, and I’ll check if Mr Garrard’s in.//\n  2 to be patient or continue to do something difficult or unpleasant:  --It’s boring, but please bear with it.//\nbear 2 n [C]   [Language: Old English; Origin: bera]//\n  1 a large strong animal with thick fur that eats flesh, fruit, and insects:  --a mother bear and her cubs//    grizzly bear,  polar bear,  teddy bear//\n  2  AmE  informal something that is very difficult to do or to deal with:  --The chemistry test was a bear.//\n  3  be like a bear with a sore head:   BrE  informal to be rude to people because you are feeling bad-tempered//\n  4  technical someone who sells shares or goods when they expect the price to fall:    bull//


Words: bear hug
Meaning:
n [C]   an action in which you put your arms around someone and hold them very tightly because you like them or are pleased to see them//


Words: bearable
Meaning:
adj   something that is bearable is difficult or unpleasant, but you can deal with it//  → unbearable//  --His friendship was the one thing that made life bearable.//  -- bearably adv //


Words: beard
Meaning:
S3   n [C]   [Language: Old English; Origin:]//\n  1 hair that grows around a man’s chin and cheeks:    moustache//\n  2 something similar to a beard, such as hair growing on an animal’s chin:  -- bearded adj //\nbeard 2 v [T]   beard sb (in their den)//  to go and see someone who has influence or authority, and tell them what you want, why you disagree with them etc//


Words: Beardsley
Meaning:
Aubrey   (1872-98) a British  illustrator (=someone who draws pictures for books)  who is famous for his black and white pictures with clear rounded lines//


Words: bearer
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1  formal someone who carries something such as a flag or a stretcher (=light bed for a sick person) :\n  2 someone who brings you information, a letter etc:  --I hate to be the bearer of bad news , but...//\n  3  formal the bearer of a legal document, for example a passport, is the person that it officially belongs to:\n  4 someone who knows about traditions and customs, and makes sure that younger people learn about them:  --They see themselves as the bearers of Jewish tradition.//


Words: bearing
Meaning:
n \n  1  have a/some/no etc bearing on sth:  to have an effect or influence on something, or not have any effect or influence//  --Exercise has a direct bearing on how healthy you are.//\n  2  lose your bearings:  a) to become confused about where you are//  --I completely lost my bearings in the dark.//  b) to become confused about what you should do next//  --young men who have lost their bearings in a changing society//\n  3  get/find your bearings:  a) to find out exactly where you are//  --He paused to get his bearings.//  b) to feel confident that you know what you should do next//  --An introduction session helps new students get their bearings.//\n  4 [singular, U] the way in which you move, stand, or behave, especially when this shows your character:\n  5 [C]  technical a direction or angle that is shown by a compass:  --learning to take a compass bearing //\n  6 [C]  technical a part of a machine that turns on another part, or in which a turning part is held:    ball bearing//


Words: bearish
Meaning:
adj   a) a bearish market is one where the prices of shares are decreasing//    bullish//  b) someone who is bearish expects the price of business shares to go down//    bullish//  -- bearishly adv //  -- bearishness n //


Words: bearskin
Meaning:
n \n  1 [U and C] the skin of a bear:\n  2 [C] a tall hat made of black fur, worn by some British soldiers for special ceremonies:


Words: beast
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1100-1200; Language: Old French; Origin: beste, from  Latin bestia]//\n  1  written an animal, especially a large or dangerous one:\n  2  old-fashioned someone who is cruel or unpleasant:  --You beast! Let go!//\n  3 something of a particular type or that has a particular quality - usually used humorously:   animal//  --A city at night is a very different beast .//\n  4  the beast in sb:  the part of someone’s character that makes them experience hatred, strong sexual feelings, violence etc//


Words: beastly
Meaning:
adj  BrE   very unpleasant//   nasty//  --What beastly weather!//  -- beastly adv //  -- beastliness n  [U] //


Words: beat
Meaning:
v   past tense  beat past participle  beaten /bi[hA359]tn///  ----------//\n   1 competition/election:\n   2 hit:\n   3 hit against:\n   4 do better:\n   5 be better:\n   6 food:\n   7 control/deal with:\n   8 heart:\n   9 drums:\n  10 wings:\n  11 take some beating:\n  12 avoid:\n  13 do before somebody else:\n  14 beat about/around the bush:\n  15 beat the system:\n  16 beat a path (to somebody’s door):\n  17 beat a (hasty) retreat:\n  18 beat the clock:\n  19 (it) beats me:\n  20 beat it!:\n  21 can you beat that/it?:\n  22 beat your brains out:\n  23 if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em:\n  24 beat the rap:\n  25 beat time:\n  26 beat a path/track:\n  27 to beat the band:\n  28 beat the heat:\n  29 metal:\n  30 hunting:\n  31 beat your breast:  Phrasal verbs//   beat down//   beat off//   beat somebody/something → out//   beat up//  ----------//  [Language: Old English; Origin: beatan]//\n  1 COMPETITION/ELECTION:   [T] to get the most points, votes etc in a game, race, or competition//   defeat//  --Brazil were beaten, 2-1.//  --Labour easily beat the Conservatives in the last election.//  beat sb at/in sth//  --I beat him more often at pool than he beats me.//  beat sb hollow  BrE //  /beat the pants off sb  AmE  (=defeat them easily) //\n  2 HIT:   [T] to hit someone or something many times with your hand, a stick etc//  --photographs of rioters beating a policeman//  --He was questioned and beaten.//  --The woman had been beaten to death by her husband.//  --Two prisoners were beaten unconscious .//  beat sb black and blue (=hit someone until it makes marks on their body) //  beat the living daylights out of sb (=beat someone very hard) //\n  3 HIT AGAINST:   [I always + adverb/preposition] to hit against something many times or continuously//  beat on/against/at etc//  --Waves beat against the cliffs.//  --rain beating on the windows//  --Sid beat on the door with his hand.//\n  4 DO BETTER:   [T] to do something better, faster etc than what was best before//  beat a record/score etc //  --The record set by Kierson in ’84 has yet to be beaten.//  --The company’s profits are unlikely to beat last year’s [hA124]10 million.//  --See how many times you can do it in a minute, and then try to beat that amount.//\n  5 BE BETTER:   [T not in progressive]  especially spoken to be much better and more enjoyable than something else//  --Fresh milk beats powdered milk any time.//  beat doing sth//  --’Well,’ said Culley, ’it beats going to the office.’//  -- You can’t beat swimming as a good all-body exercise.//  -- Nothing beats homemade cake.//  you can’t beat sth (for sth) //  --For excitement, you just can’t beat college basketball.//\n  6 FOOD:   [I and T] to mix things together quickly with a fork or special kitchen machine//  --Beat the eggs, then add the milk.//  beat sth in//  --Gradually beat in the sugar.//  beat sth together//  --Beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy.//\n  7 CONTROL/DEAL WITH:   [T] to successfully deal with a problem that you have been struggling with//   conquer//  --advice on how to beat depression//  --the government’s long fight to beat inflation//\n  8 HEART:   [I] when your heart beats, it moves in a regular rhythm as it pumps your blood//  --The average person’s heart beats 70 times a minute.//  --Jennifer’s heart was beating fast.//\n  9 DRUMS:   [I and T] if you beat drums, or if drums beat, they make a regular continuous sound//\n  10 WINGS:   [I and T] if a bird beats its wings, or if its wings beat, they move up and down quickly and regularly//   flap//\n  11  take some beating:  if something or someone will take some beating, it will be difficult for anyone or anything to be or do better//  --Schumacher has 42 points, which will take some beating.//  --For ease of use, this program will take some beating.//  --Florida takes some beating as a vacation destination.//\n  12 AVOID:   [T] to avoid situations in which a lot of people are trying to do something, usually by doing something early//  --We left at four a.m. to beat the traffic.//  --Shopping by mail order lets you beat the queues.//  --Shop now and beat the Christmas rush !//\n  13 DO BEFORE SOMEBODY ELSE:   [T]  informal to get or do something before someone else, especially if you are both trying to do it first//  beat sb to sth//  --John had beaten me to the breakfast table.//  --I wanted the last piece of pie, but somebody beat me to it .//  --They wanted to make it into a film, but another studio beat them to the punch .//\n  14  beat about/around the bush:  to avoid or delay talking about something embarrassing or unpleasant//  --Don’t beat around the bush. Ask for your account to be paid, and paid quickly.//\n  15  beat the system:  to find ways of avoiding or breaking the rules of an organization, system etc, in order to achieve what you want//  --Accountants know a few ways to beat the system.//\n  16  beat a path (to sb’s door):   also beat down sb’s door //  if people beat a path to your door, they are interested in something you are selling, a service you are providing etc//  --The new design was supposed to have consumers beating a path to their door.//\n  17  beat a (hasty) retreat:  to leave somewhere or stop doing something very quickly, in order to avoid a bad situation//  --Spicer beat a hasty retreat when he spotted me.//\n  18  beat the clock:  to finish something very quickly, especially before a particular time//  --The company managed to beat the clock on delivering its new system.//\n  19  spoken  (it) beats me:  used to say that you do not know something or cannot understand or explain it//  --Beats me why he wants such a big car.//  --’What’s he saying?’ ’Beats me.’//\n  20  spoken  beat it!:  used to tell someone to leave at once, because they are annoying you or should not be there//\n  21  spoken  can you beat that/it?:  used to show that you are surprised or annoyed by something//  --They’ve got eight children! Can you beat that?//\n  22  spoken  beat your brains out:  to think about something very hard and for a long time//  --I’ve been beating my brains out all week trying to finish this essay.//\n  23  spoken  if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em:  used when you decide to take part in something even though you disapprove of it, because everyone else is doing it and you cannot stop them//\n  24  beat the rap:   AmE  informal to avoid being punished for something you have done//\n  25  beat time:  to make regular movements or sounds to show the speed at which music should be played//  --a conductor beating time with his baton//\n  26  beat a path/track:  to make a path by walking over an area of land//\n  27  to beat the band:   AmE  informal in large amounts or with great force//  --It’s raining to beat the band.//\n  28  beat the heat:   AmE  informal to make yourself cooler//  --Fresh lemonade is a great way to beat the heat.//\n  29 METAL:   also beat out //   [T] to hit metal with a hammer in order to shape it or make it thinner//\n  30 HUNTING:   [I and T] to force wild birds and animals out of bushes, long grass etc so that they can be shot for sport//\n  31  beat your breast:   literary to show clearly that you are very upset or sorry about something//    beaten,  beating//  beat down phr v//\n  1 if the sun beats down, it shines very brightly and the weather is hot:\n  2 if the rain beats down, it is raining very hard:\n  3  beat the door down:  to hit a door so hard that it falls down//\n  4  beat sb down:   BrE to persuade someone to reduce a price//  beat somebody down to//  --He wanted [hA124]4500 for the car but I beat him down to [hA124]3850.//\n  5  beat sb→ down:  to make someone feel defeated, so they no longer respect themselves//  --The women seemed beaten down.//  beat off phr v//\n  1  beat sb/sth→ off:  to succeed in defeating someone who is attacking, opposing, or competing with you//  --McConnell beat off a challenge for his Senate seat.//\n  2  AmE  informal  not polite if a man beats off, he masturbates:  beat out [beat sb/sth → out] phr v//\n  1 if a drum or something else beats out a rhythm, or if you beat out a rhythm on a drum, it makes a continuous regular sound:\n  2  especially AmE to defeat someone in a competition:  --Lockheed beat out a rival company to win the contract.//  beat somebody/something → out for//  --Roberts beat out Tony Gwynn for the Most Valuable Player Award.//\n  3 to put out a fire by hitting it many times with something such as a cloth:  beat up phr v//\n  1  beat sb→ up:  to hurt someone badly by hitting them//  --Her boyfriend got drunk and beat her up.//\n  2  beat up on sb:   AmE to hit someone and harm them, especially someone younger or weaker than yourself//\n  3  beat yourself up:   also beat up on yourself //   AmE  informal to blame yourself too much for something//  --If you do your best and you lose, you can’t beat yourself up about it.//\nbeat 2 S3 n \n  1 [C] one of a series of regular movements or hitting actions:  --a heart rate of 80 beats a minute//  --the steady beat of the drum//\n  2 [singular] a regular repeated noise:   rhythm//  beat of//  --the beat of marching feet//\n  3 [C] the main rhythm that a piece of music or a poem has:  --a song with a beat you can dance to//  --a poem with a very regular beat//\n  4 [singular] a subject or area of a city that someone is responsible for as their job:  --journalists covering the Washington beat//  on the beat//  --People like to see police officers on the beat.//\n  5 [C] one of the notes in a piece of music that sounds stronger than the other notes:\nbeat 3 adj [not before noun]    informal very tired//   exhausted//  --I’m beat.//  --Come and sit down, you must be dead beat .//


Words: Beat Generation
Meaning:
the   the group of young people in the 1950s, including the writers Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg, who refused to accept the values of Western society, and showed this by refusing to work, keeping no material possessions, and wearing their own style of clothes//


Words: beat-up
Meaning:
adj   a beat-up car, bicycle etc is old and in bad condition//   battered//  --a beat-up old Ford Escort//


Words: beatbox
Meaning:
n \n  1  also beatboxer /-b[hA361]ks[hA353] $ -b[hA35A][hA359]ks[hA353]r/:   [C] someone who provides the words or other spoken sounds that go with hip hop//\n  2 [U] a computer program that is used to mix the sounds of popular electronic music with a strong beat, or the type of music produced by this:  -- beatboxing n  [U] //


Words: beaten
Meaning:
adj [only before noun] \n  1  off the beaten track/path:  a place that is off the beaten track is not well known and is far away from the places that people usually visit//\n  2 a beaten path, track etc has been made by many people walking the same way:  --a well-beaten path through the forest//\n  3 a beaten person feels defeated and not respected:  --a beaten man who had lost his job//\n  4 beaten metal has been shaped with a hammer to make it thinner:


Words: beater
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 an object that is designed to beat something:  --an egg beater//  --a carpet beater//\n  2  wife/child beater:  someone who hits his wife or child, especially someone who does this often//\n  3 someone who forces wild birds or animals out of bushes, long grass etc so that they can be shot for sport:\n  4  AmE  informal an old car in bad condition:    world-beater//


Words: beatific
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Latin; Origin: beatificus  ’making happy’, from  beatus  ’blessed, happy’]//  a beatific look, smile etc shows great peace and happiness//  -- beatifically/-kli/ adv //


Words: beatify
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  beatified present participle  beatifying third person singular  beatifies  [T] //  [Date: 1500-1600; Language: French; Origin: beatifier, from  Late Latin beatificare, from  Latin beatus;   BEATIFIC]//  if the Roman Catholic church beatifies someone who has died, it says officially that they are a holy or special person//  -- beatification/bi[zB024]t[hA369]f[hA369]ke[hA366][hA35D][hA368]n/ n  [U] //


Words: beating
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 an act of hitting someone many times as a punishment or in a fight:  --a brutal beating//\n  2  take a beating:  to lose very badly in a game or competition//  --The Dodgers took a real beating on Saturday.//    take some beating at beat1 (11)//


Words: Beatitudes
Meaning:
the  n [plural]   in the Bible, a set of eight statements made by Jesus which list the types of people who are "blessed" (=especially loved by God) . Each statement starts with the words "Blessed are...", for example "Blessed are the poor in spirit".//


Words: Beatles
Meaning:
the   a British popular music group who made their first record in 1962 and became the most famous and successful group ever. Their records include  Love Me Do,  I Want to Hold Your Hand,  A Hard Day’s Night,  Yellow Submarine, and  Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. They had a great influence on the development of popular music. //


Words: beatnik
Meaning:
n [C]   one of a group of young people in the late 1950s and early 1960s, who did not accept the values of society and showed this by their clothes and the way they lived//


Words: Beaton
Meaning:
Sir Cecil   (1904-80) a British photographer and designer for fashion, theatre, and film. He is famous for his pictures of famous and wealthy people.//


Words: beau
Meaning:
n   plural  beaux /b[hA353][hA35E]z $ bo[hA35E]z/ or  beaus  [C]  old-fashioned //  [Date: 1600-1700; Language: French; Origin: beau  ’beautiful’, from  Latin bellus;   BEAUTY]//\n  1 a woman’s close friend or lover:\n  2 a fashionable well-dressed man:


Words: beaut
Meaning:
n [singular]   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin: beauty]//   AmE  AusE  spoken used to say that something is either very good, attractive, or impressive//  --That last catch was a beaut.//


Words: beautiful
Meaning:
adj \n  1 someone or something that is beautiful is extremely attractive to look at:  --She was even more beautiful than I had remembered.//  --a beautiful bunch of flowers//\n  2 very good or giving you great pleasure:   lovely//  --beautiful music//  --What a beautiful shot!//  --The weather was beautiful.//  -- beautifully adv //  ----------//  WORD CHOICE: beautiful, pretty, handsome, good-looking, attractive, gorgeous, stunning //  beautiful  is used to describe someone, usually a woman or child, who is attractive in a very special and noticeable way. //  pretty  is usually used to describe a girl or woman who is good-looking, with regular features. It can also be used to describe a boy or young man who has an attractive but feminine face. //  handsome  is usually used to describe a man or boy who is good-looking, with strong regular features. It can also be used to describe a woman, usually an older woman, who has attractive but masculine features. //  good-looking  can be used to describe anyone who you think is nice to look at.  //  attractive is used to describe someone who looks good in a way that attracts sexual interest : I can see he’s handsome, but I don’t find him very attractive. //  gorgeous  and  stunning  are emphatic ways of saying that someone is very attractive.  Gorgeous  is used mostly in spoken English.  //  ----------//


Words: beautify
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  beautified present participle  beautifying third person singular  beautifies  [T]  formal //  to make someone or something beautiful//  --plants to beautify the garden//


Words: beauty
Meaning:
W2S3   n   plural  beauties //  ----------//\n   1 appearance:\n   2 woman:\n   3 poem/music/emotion etc:\n   4 advantage:\n   5 :\n   6 beauty is in the eye of the beholder:\n   7 beauty is only skin-deep:  ----------//  [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: biaute, from  bel,  biau  ’beautiful’, from  Latin bellus  ’pretty’]//\n  1 APPEARANCE:   [U] a quality that people, places, or things have that makes them very attractive to look at//  --her beauty and grace//  --an area of outstanding natural beauty //  --Millions of dollars are spent each year on beauty products .//\n  2 WOMAN:   [C] a woman who is very beautiful//  --She was considered a great beauty in her youth.//\n  3 POEM/MUSIC/EMOTION ETC:   [U] a quality that something such as a poem, song, emotion etc has, which gives you pleasure or joy//  beauty of//  --the beauty of Shakespeare’s verse//\n  4 ADVANTAGE:   the beauty of sth//  a particularly good quality that makes something especially suitable or useful//  --The beauty of e-mail is its speed and ease of use.//\n  5 [C]  spoken a very good, large etc example of something:  --You should have seen the boat - a real beauty.//\n  6  beauty is in the eye of the beholder:  used to say that different people have different opinions about what is beautiful//\n  7  beauty is only skin-deep:  used to say that how someone looks is not as important as a good character//


Words: Beauty and the Beast
Meaning:
an old story about a beautiful young girl called Beauty, who is forced to live with a frightening creature called the Beast. The Beast loves her and she gradually begins to care about him too. He continually asks her to marry him, and when she finally agrees, he magically becomes the beautiful prince that he used to be.//


Words: beauty mark
Meaning:
n [C]    AmE a small dark mark on a woman’s face - used when you think it is attractive//  British Equivalent:  beauty spot//


Words: beauty salon
Meaning:
n  also beauty shop  AmE [C]   a place where you can receive treatments for your skin, hair, nails etc to make you look more attractive//


Words: beauty spot
Meaning:
n [C]  BrE \n  1 a place in the countryside which is famous because it is very pretty:  --Guests will be able to visit some of the local beauty spots.//\n  2 a small dark mark on a woman’s face - used when you think it is attractive:  American Equivalent:  beauty mark//


Words: Beauvoir
Meaning:
Simone de   (1908-86) a French writer who had an important influence on the development of  feminism. Her most famous book is  The Second Sex. She was for many years in a relationship with Jean-Paul Sartre.//


Words: beaver
Meaning:
n [C]   [Language: Old English; Origin: beofor]//  a North American animal that has thick fur and a wide flat tail, and cuts down trees with its teeth//    eager beaver at eager(2)//\nbeaver 2 v   beaver away phr v//  to work very hard, especially at writing or calculating something//  beaver away at//  --He’s been beavering away at his homework for hours.//


Words: Beaverbrook
Meaning:
Lord   (1879-1964) a powerful and successful British businessman and politician, who was born in Canada. He owned  The Daily Express and other newspapers, and also had several important positions in the British government.//


Words: bebop
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin:  From the sound of the music, or the words sung to it]//  a type of jazz music//


Words: becalmed
Meaning:
adj  formal \n  1 a sailing boat that is becalmed cannot move because there is no wind:\n  2 if something such as a company, the economy, or a discussion about something is becalmed, no progress is being made:  --The Stock Market was becalmed yesterday as dealers waited for company results.//


Words: because
Meaning:
conj   [Date: 1300-1400; Origin: by cause (that)]//\n  1 used when you are giving the reason for something:  --We didn’t enjoy the day because the weather was so awful.//  --Because he had been in prison, employers were unwilling to offer him a job.//  --’Why can’t I go?’ ’Because you’re not old enough.’//  --Hubert never experienced any fear, and this was partly because he was not particularly intelligent.//  --Many exam candidates lose marks simply because they do not read the questions properly.//  --I decided to go with them, mainly because I had nothing better to do.//\n  2  just because ...:   spoken used to say that although one thing is true, it does not mean that something else is true//  --Just because you’re my brother doesn’t mean I have to like you!//\nbecause 2 prep   because of sb/sth//  used to say who or what causes something to happen or is the reason for something//  --He had to retire because of ill health.//  --We spent three hours waiting in the rain because of you!//   see usage note  owing to//


Words: beck
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Origin: beckon]//\n  1  be at sb’s beck and call:  to always be ready to do what someone wants//  --I was tired of being at her beck and call all day long.//\n  2  BrE a small stream:


Words: Becket
Meaning:
Saint Thomas a   (1118-70) an English priest who became the Archbishop of Canterbury. He had a serious argument with the king, Henry II, and was murdered in Canterbury Cathedral by some of the king’s soldiers.//


Words: Beckett
Meaning:
Samuel   (1906-89) an Irish writer of plays, novels, and poetry who lived in France and is famous for his play  Waiting for Godot//


Words: beckon
Meaning:
v   [Language: Old English; Origin: biecnan, from  beacen;   BEACON]//\n  1 [I and T] to make a signal to someone with your hand, to show that you want them to come towards you or to follow you:  --I could see my husband beckoning me.//  beckon (to) sb to do sth//  --She beckoned to the waitress to bring more wine.//  beckon sb forward/over etc//  --He beckoned us over and introduced us to his wife.//\n  2 [I and T] if something such as a place or opportunity beckons, it appears so attractive that you want to have it:  --A career in the film industry beckoned.//\n  3 [I] if something beckons for someone, it will probably happen to them:  beckon for//  --Early retirement beckoned for George.//


Words: become
Meaning:
v   past tense  became /-ke[hA366]m/past participle  become //  [Language: Old English; Origin: becuman  ’to come to, become’, from  cuman  ’to come’]//\n  1 [linking verb] to begin to be something, or to develop in a particular way:  --George became King at the age of 54.//  --Pollution from cars has become a major problem.//  --The weather became warmer.//  --Slowly my eyes became accustomed to the darkness.//  --Helen became increasingly anxious about her husband’s strange behaviour.//  --It soon became clear that Wilson lacked the ability to carry out his duties.//\n  2 [T not in progressive]  formal to be suitable for someone or to look attractive on them:   suit//  --Blue really becomes her.//  --Don’t try to be clever - it doesn’t become you.//\n  3  what became of ...?/whatever will become of ...?:  used to ask what has happened to someone or something, especially when you have not seen them for a long time, or what will happen to someone that you are worried about//  --What became of those Chinese vases that Mum used to have?//  --Whatever will become of Sam when his wife dies?//  ----------//  WORD CHOICE: become, get, go, turn, grow, come //  become can be followed by an adjective or noun, not a verb : Her husband became jealous. |  We soon became friends. //  The following words are used with an adjective instead of become, in certain cases://  get  is very often used instead of  become , and is more usual in spoken English : I was getting hungry. |  Things got worse and worse. //  go  is used //  to say that something changes colour :  The sky went pink. //  to say that someone feels a change in their body : My fingers have gone numb.  //  with  blind  and  deaf :  He went blind.  //  with  mad ,  insane ,  crazy etc : The crowd went wild. //  turn is used especially to say that something changes colour : The liquid turned green.| His face turned pale. //  grow can be used in fairly literary written English  //  to say that something changes gradually : It grew dark as we walked. //  with a to-infinitive, to say that someone gradually starts doing something : We grew to love each other. //  come  is used //  with adjectives like  apart ,  undone , and  unstuck : Your shoelace has come undone.|  A few pages came loose.  //  with  true : Her prediction came true.  //  with a to-infinitive to say that someone starts doing something : I eventually came to realize (NOT became to realize) I was wrong. //  ----------//


Words: becoming
Meaning:
adj  formal \n  1 a piece of clothing, a hairstyle, etc that is becoming makes you look attractive:  --Her short hairstyle is very becoming.//\n  2 words or actions that are becoming are suitable for you or for the situation you are in:  --She received the praise with becoming modesty.//  -- becomingly adv //


Words: bed
Meaning:
n   ----------//\n   1 sleep:\n   2 sex:\n   3 river/lake/sea:\n   4 garden:\n   5 rock:\n   6 lowest layer:\n   7 in river/water:\n   8 get out of bed on the wrong side:\n   9 not a bed of roses:\n  10 you’ve made your bed and you must lie on it:  ----------//  [Language: Old English; Origin: bedd]//\n  1 SLEEP:   [U and C] a piece of furniture that you sleep on//  --Simon lay  in bed  thinking about the meeting next day.//  -- She  got into bed  and turned out the light. //  -- I was too tired to  get out of bed . //  -- You should  go to bed  early tonight. //  -- Have you  made  your  bed , Penny? //  -- I’ll just  put  the children  to bed . //  -- Sorry for calling so early - I hope I didn’t  get  you  out of bed . //  -- Come on kids, it’s  time for bed . //  -- Dad always has a whisky  before bed . //  --He felt so ill that he  took to  his  bed . //  --We’d love you to come and stay. The  spare bed ’s available for you.//    camp bed,  double bed,  four-poster bed,  sofa bed,  twin bed//\n  2 SEX:   [U]  informal used to refer to having sex//  --I came home early and found him in bed with  (=having sex with) my best friend.//  --He wanted me to go to bed with him.//  --He’s been trying to get his secretary into bed for ages.//  --She told me he was actually very good in bed  (=a skilful lover) .//\n  3 RIVER/LAKE/SEA:   [C] the flat ground at the bottom of a river, lake, or sea//  --the sea bed//\n  4 GARDEN:   [C] an area of a garden, park etc that has been prepared for plants to grow in//  --rose beds//\n  5 ROCK:   [C] a layer of rock//    bedrock(2)//\n  6 LOWEST LAYER:   [singular] a layer of something that forms a base that other things are put on top of//  bed of//  --prawns on a bed of lettuce//\n  7 IN RIVER/WATER:   [C] an area at the edge of a river or in deeper water where things grow//  --an oyster bed//  --The birds build their nests in reed beds along the river bank.//\n  8  get out of bed on the wrong side:   BrE get up on the wrong side of the bed  AmE //  to feel slightly angry or annoyed for no particular reason//\n  9  not a bed of roses:  not a happy, comfortable, or easy situation//  --Life isn’t always a bed of roses, you know.//\n  10  you’ve made your bed and you must lie on it:   spoken used to say that you must accept the results of your actions, even if they are bad//  ----------//  COLLOCATES for sense 1 //  in bed //  single/double bed (=a bed for one person/two people) //  get into bed/get out of bed //  go to bed //  make your bed  (=tidy the covers after you have slept in your bed) //  put somebody to bed  (=put a child in their bed) //  get somebody out of bed  (=make someone get out of bed) //  time for bed  (=time to go to sleep) //  climb/crawl into bed //  jump out of bed //  before bed  (=before going to bed) //  take to your bed  (=go to bed because you feel ill) //  spare bed  (=a bed for visitors to your home) //  ----------//\nbed 2   past tense and past participle  bedded present participle  bedding  v [T] //\n  1 to fix something firmly and deeply into something else:  bed sth in sth//  --The foundations were bedded in cement.//\n  2  old-fashioned to have sex with someone:  bed down phr v//\n  1 to sleep somewhere which is not your bed and where you do not usually sleep:  --Can I bed down on your sofa?//\n  2  bed sb/sth → down:  to make a person or animal comfortable in a place where they do not usually sleep//  bed out [bed sth → out] phr v//  to put plants into the ground so that they can grow//


Words: bed and breakfast
Meaning:
n B & B \n  1 [U] the providing of a room for a night and breakfast in the morning, for example in a hotel:  --Is there anyone who does bed and breakfast round here?//  --bed and breakfast accommodation//\n  2 [C] a private house or small hotel where you can sleep and have breakfast:  --There’s a bed and breakfast in the next village.//


Words: bed-blocking
Meaning:
n [U]  BrE   a situation in which someone stays in hospital because there is no other suitable place where they can go to be looked after. This means that other people cannot go into hospital when they need to, because there is no bed for them.//


Words: bed-wetting
Meaning:
n [U]   the problem that some children have of passing urine (=liquid from the body)  while they are asleep//


Words: bedazzled
Meaning:
adj  literary   if you are bedazzled by something, you find it so impressive that it surprises and confuses you//   dazzled//


Words: bedding
Meaning:
n [U] \n  1 sheets, covers etc that you put on a bed:\n  2 something soft for animals to sleep on, such as dried grass or straw:\n  3 garden plants that will look good for one season and then be removed:  --bedding plants//


Words: Bede
Meaning:
the Venerable   (?673-735) an English priest who wrote about early English history. Many people think of him as the first English  historian.//


Words: bedeck
Meaning:
v [T usually passive]  literary   to decorate something such as a building or street by hanging things all over it//  be bedecked with sth//  --a balcony bedecked with hanging baskets//


Words: bedevil
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  bedevilled present participle  bedevilling  BrE //  past tense and past participle  bedeviled present participle  bedeviling  AmE  [T usually passive] //  to cause a lot of problems and difficulties for someone or something over a period of time//   plague//  --a society bedevilled by racial tensions//


Words: bedfellow
Meaning:
n   strange bedfellows//  two or more people, ideas etc that are related or working together in an unexpected way//  --Rugby and art seem strange bedfellows.//


Words: bedlam
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1600-1700; Origin: bedlam  ’mental hospital’ (17-18 centuries), from  Bedlam  ’Bethlehem’ (10-17 centuries); from the Hospital of St. Mary of  Bethlehem former London mental hospital]//  a situation where there is a lot of noise and confusion//   chaos//  --When the bomb exploded, there was bedlam.//


Words: Bedouin
Meaning:
n  also Bedu   plural  Bedouin  or  Bedouins  [C] //  [Date: 1400-1500; Language: French; Origin: bedouin, from  Arabic bidwan, plural of  badawi  ’person who lives in the desert’]//\n  1 someone who belongs to an Arab tribe that traditionally lives in tents in the desert:\n  2  the Bedouin:  the people who belong to this tribe//  -- Bedouin adj //


Words: bedraggled
Meaning:
adj   looking untidy, wet, and dirty, especially because you have been out in the rain//  --Exhausted soldiers crawled into camp, frozen and bedraggled.//


Words: bedridden
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old English; Origin: bedreda  ’person who has to stay in bed’, from  bedd  ’bed’ +  -rida,  -reda  ’rider’]//  unable to leave your bed, especially because you are old or ill//


Words: bedrock
Meaning:
n \n  1 [singular] the basic ideas, features, or facts on which something is based:  --Marriage and children are the bedrock of family life.//\n  2 [U] solid rock in the ground below soil or sand:


Words: bedroom
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 a room for sleeping in:  --a hotel with 50 bedrooms//  three-bedroomed/five-bedroomed etc //  --They’ve just bought a new four-bedroomed house in Edinburgh.//\n  2  bedroom eyes:  a look in your eyes that shows that you are sexually attracted to someone//


Words: bedroom community
Meaning:
also bedroom suburb  n [C]  AmE   a place where people live but that does not have many businesses, so that people have to go to another town or city to work//  British Equivalent:  dormitory town//


Words: bedside
Meaning:
n [C usually singular]   the area beside your bed - used especially when talking about someone who is ill in bed//  at sb’s bedside//  --Relatives have been at his bedside all week.//  bedside lamp/table/cabinet etc //  --The clock on her bedside table said half past four.//


Words: bedstead
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1600-1700; Origin: bedstead  ’place where a bed stands’ (15-17 centuries), from  bed +  stead  ’place’ (  STEAD)]//  the wooden or metal frame of a bed//


Words: bedtime
Meaning:
n [U and C]   the time when you usually go to bed//  --It’s way past your bedtime!//  --a bedtime story//


Words: bee
Meaning:
n [C]   [Language: Old English; Origin: beo]//\n  1 a black and yellow flying insect that makes honey and can sting you:  --a swarm of bees//  --a bee sting//\n  2  have a bee in your bonnet (about sth):   informal to think something is so important, so necessary etc that you keep mentioning it or thinking about it//  --Dad’s got a bee in his bonnet about saving electricity.//\n  3  sewing/quilting etc bee:   AmE  informal an occasion when people, usually women, meet in order to do a particular type of work//\n  4  a busy bee:   spoken someone who enjoys being busy or active//\n  5  be the bee’s knees:   spoken  old-fashioned to be very good//  --She thought the party was just the bee’s knees.//    spelling bee,  the birds and the bees at bird(3)//


Words: beech
Meaning:
n [U and C]   [Language: Old English; Origin: bece]//  a large tree with smooth grey bark (=outer covering) , or the wood from this tree//


Words: Beecham
Meaning:
Sir Thomas   (1879-1961) an English  conductor who established the London Philharmonic Orchestra in 1932 and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in 1946//


Words: Beecham’s powders
Meaning:
trademark   a popular type of British medicine for colds or  flu, sold as a powder that you mix with water //


Words: beef
Meaning:
S3   n   [Date: 1100-1200; Language: Old French; Origin: buef, from  Latin bos  ’ox’]//\n  1 [U] the meat from a cow:  --roast beef//  --We have both dairy and beef cattle on the farm.//\n  2 [C]  informal a complaint:  --OK, so what’s the beef this time?//\n  3  where’s the beef?:   AmE  spoken used when you think someone’s words and promises sound good, but you want to know what they actually plan to do//    corned beef//\nbeef 2 v [I]    informal to complain a lot//  beef about//  --They’re always beefing about something.//  beef up [beef sth → up] phr v//  to improve something or make it more interesting, more important etc//  --a beefed-up news story//  --We need to beef the campaign up.//


Words: beefy
Meaning:
adj   comparative  beefier superlative  beefiest //  someone who is beefy is big, strong, and often quite fat//


Words: beehive
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 a structure where bees are kept for producing honey:\n  2 a way of arranging a woman’s hair in a high pile on the top of her head, which was popular in the 1960s:


Words: beeline
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin:  From the belief that bees fly back to their hives in a straight line]//  make a beeline for sb/sth//   informal to go quickly and directly towards someone or something//  --Rob always makes a beeline for beautiful women at parties.//


Words: been
Meaning:
[Language: Old English; Origin: gebeon]//\n  1 the past participle of be:\n  2 :  a) used to say that someone has gone to a place and come back//  been to//  --I’ve never been to Japan.//  have been to do sth//  --Have you been to see the Van Gogh exhibition yet?//  b)  BrE used to say that someone has come to a place and left again//  --The postman hasn’t been yet.//\n  3  been there, seen that, done that:   spoken used to say that you are no longer interested in doing something, because you already have a lot of experience of it//  ----------//  WORD CHOICE: been in, been to, went to //  Use  been in when you are living or staying in a place : How long have you been in London? |  He had been in hospital for several days. //  Use  been to when you have visited a place and come back again : Have you ever been to Kyoto? |  She’s been to the hospital for a check-up.  //  Use  went to (the simple past) to talk about a specific trip you made in the past : Last May I went to a conference in Montreal. //  ----------//


Words: beep
Meaning:
v   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin:  From the sound]//\n  1 [I] if a machine beeps, it makes a short high sound:   bleep//  --Why does the computer keep beeping?//\n  2 [I and T] if a car horn beeps or if you beep your car horn, it makes a loud noise:  -- beep n  [C] //  --Leave your message after the beep.//


Words: beeper
Meaning:
n [C]   a small machine that you carry with you which makes short high electronic sounds to tell you that you must telephone someone//   bleeper, pager//


Words: beer
Meaning:
W3S2   n   [Language: Old English; Origin: beor]//\n  1 [U] an alcoholic drink made from malt and hops:  --a pint of beer//  --We sell traditional draught beer  (=beer served from a large container, not a bottle) .//\n  2 [C] a glass, bottle, or can of beer:  --Do you fancy a beer?//  -- beery adj //  --his beery breath//    ginger beer,  root beer,  small beer at small1 (16)//


Words: beer money
Meaning:
n [U]  BrE  informal   a little extra money to buy a drink or have fun with//  --The job was never going to make me rich, but it kept me in beer money for a while.//


Words: beeswax
Meaning:
n [U] \n  1 a substance produced by bees, used especially for making furniture polish and candles:\n  2  none of your beeswax:   AmE  spoken used to tell someone that what they have asked you is private or personal//


Words: beet
Meaning:
n [U and C]   [Language: Old English; Origin: bete, from  Latin beta]//\n  1  also sugar beet :  a vegetable that sugar is made from//\n  2  AmE a plant with a round dark red root that you cook and eat as a vegetable:  British Equivalent:  beetroot//\n  3  red as a beet:   AmE  informal having a red face, especially because you are embarrassed//


Words: Beethoven
Meaning:
Ludwig van   (1770-1827) a German  composer, one of the best known and most admired ever. His many famous works include the Fifth Symphony and the Emperor Concerto.//


Words: Beetle
Meaning:
also Bug  informal  AmE   a small car made by Volkswagen which has a high, rounded top. It was first produced in the 1930s.//


Words: beetle
Meaning:
n [C]   [Language: Old English; Origin: bitula, from  bitan;   BITE1]//  an insect with a round hard back which is usually black//\nbeetle 2 v [I always + adverb/preposition]  BrE  informal   to go somewhere quickly and leaning forward//   scurry//  --He went beetling off down the corridor.//


Words: Beeton
Meaning:
Mrs   (1836-65) a British woman who wrote a book called The  Book of Household Management, which was very popular during the 19th and early 20th century. The book gives recipes (=instructions for cooking particular dishes) , and also gives advice about managing a home.//


Words: beetroot
Meaning:
n [U and C] \n  1  BrE a plant with a round dark red root that you cook and eat as a vegetable:  American Equivalent:  beet//\n  2  go beetroot:   BrE  informal to become red in the face, especially because you are embarrassed//


Words: befall
Meaning:
v   past tense  befell /-fel/past participle  befallen /-f[hA350][hA359]l[hA353]n  $ -f[hA361][hA359]-/ [T]  literary //  if something unpleasant or dangerous befalls you, it happens to you//  --We prayed that no harm should befall them.//


Words: befit
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  befitted present participle  befitting  [T]  formal //  to be proper or suitable for someone or something//  -- As befits a castle of such national importance, there are many stories connected with its history.//


Words: before
Meaning:
conj \n  1 earlier than a particular event or action:  → after//  --Say goodbye before you go.//  --I saw her a few days before she died. see usage note  ago//\n  2 so that something does not or cannot happen:  --Put that money somewhere safe before it gets stolen.//  --That dog ought to be destroyed before it attacks any more children.//  --Before I could say anything more, Holmes had rushed off towards the station.//\n  3 used to say that something happens after a period of time:  --It was several minutes before we realised what was happening.//  --It will be a while before we know the results.//\n  4 used to say that something must happen in order for something else to be possible:  --You have to pass a test before you can get a licence.//\n  5  spoken used to warn someone that something bad will happen to them if they do not do something:  --Get out before I call the police!//\n  6 used to emphasize that someone does not want to do something:  --She would die before she would admit she was wrong.//\nbefore 2 prep   [Language: Old English; Origin: beforan, from  foran  ’before’, from  fore;   FORE-]//\n  1 earlier than something or someone:  → after//  --The new road should be completed before the end of the year.//  --Let’s meet at our house before the show.//  --Larry arrived home before me.//  five minutes/two hours etc before sth//  --Hugh arrived just five minutes before the ceremony.//  before doing sth//  --I usually take a shower before having my breakfast.//  --We only got back from Scotland the day before yesterday  (=two days ago) .//  --Other students joined in the protest, and before long  (=soon) there was a crowd of 200 or so. see usage note  ago//\n  2 ahead of someone or something else in a list or order:  → after//  --I think you were before me in the queue.//  --The files are arranged in alphabetical order, so B1 comes before C1.//\n  3 used to say that something happens where it can be watched by people:  --Italy will face Brazil this afternoon before a crowd of 100,000 spectators.//  --an actor who had performed before the Queen//\n  4 used to say that someone or something comes to be judged or considered by a person or group of people:  --The proposal was put before the planning committee.//  --The men are due to appear before the court tomorrow.//\n  5 used to say that one thing or person is considered more important than another:  --I put my wife and kids before anyone else.//  --In the air transport business, safety must always come before profit.//\n  6  formal in front of something or someone:  --The priest stood before the altar.//  --The sea stretched out before them.//\n  7 if one place is before another place on a road or journey, the first place is nearer to you than the second, so you will reach it first:  → after//  --The pub is 100m before the church on the right.//  --the last station before the Simplon Tunnel//\n  8  formal if there is a job or situation before you, you will have to do the job or face the situation:  --The task of emptying the house lay before us.//\n  9  formal if a period of time is before you, it is about to start and you can do what you want during it:  --We had a glorious summer afternoon before us to do as we pleased.//  --You have your whole life before you.//\nbefore 3 adv \n  1 at an earlier time:  --Haven’t I met you before somewhere?//  --Never before had he seen so many people starving.//  --She looked just the same as before.//\n  2  the day/week/month etc before:  the previous day, week, month etc//  --She was in Paris last week and in Rome the week before.//\n  3  old use ahead of someone or something else:  --The king’s herald walked before.//


Words: beforehand
Meaning:
S3   adv   before something else happens or is done//  --The police need to be briefed beforehand on how to deal with this sort of situation.//  --When you give a speech, it’s natural to feel nervous beforehand.//


Words: befriend
Meaning:
v [T]   to behave in a friendly way towards someone, especially someone who is younger or needs help//  --They befriended me when I first arrived in London as a student.//


Words: befuddled
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin: fuddle  ’to drink alcohol, make drunk’ (16-21 centuries)]//  completely confused//  --Even in my befuddled state I could find my key.//


Words: beg
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  begged present participle  begging //  ----------//\n   1 ask:\n   2 money/food:\n   3 animal:\n   4 I beg your pardon:\n   5 I beg to differ:\n   6 beg the question:\n   7 be going begging:\n   8 beg, borrow, or steal:  ----------//  [Date: 1200-1300; Origin:  Probably from  Old English bedecian]//\n  1 ASK:   [I and T] to ask for something in an anxious or urgent way, because you want it very much//  --She begged and pleaded with them until they finally agreed.//  --She fought back the sudden urge to run to him and beg his forgiveness. //  beg to do sth//  --The children begged to come with us.//  beg sb to do sth//  --I begged Helen to stay, but she wouldn’t listen.//  beg (sb) for sth//  --She ran to the nearest house and begged for help. //  --We could hear the prisoners begging for mercy .//  I beg of you  formal  (=please) //  --Listen, I beg of you.//  beg leave to do sth  formal  (=ask permission to do something) //\n  2 MONEY/FOOD:   [I and T] to ask people to give you food, money etc, usually because you are very poor//  beg (sth) from sb//  --a ragged child begging from passing shoppers//  beg for//  --The old man went from door to door begging for food.//  --a begging letter  (=a letter asking for money) //\n  3 ANIMAL:   [I] if a dog begs, it sits up with its front legs off the ground//\n  4  I beg your pardon:   spoken //  a) used to ask someone to repeat what they have just said//  --’The meeting’s on Wednesday.’ ’I beg your pardon?’ ’I said the meeting’s on Wednesday.’//  b) used to say sorry when you have made a mistake, or said something wrong or embarrassing//  --Oh, I beg your pardon. I thought you said 15 pence, not 50. see usage note  excuse1 //  c) used to show that you strongly disagree with something that someone has said, or think it is unacceptable//  --’Chicago’s an awful place.’ ’I beg your pardon, that’s where I’m from!’//\n  5  I beg to differ:   spoken  formal used to say firmly that you do not agree with something that has been said//  --I must beg to differ on this point.//\n  6  beg the question:  a) to make you want to ask a question that has not yet been answered//  beg the question of//  --This proposal begs the question of who is going to pay for the new building.//  b) to treat an idea as though it were true or had been proved, when this may not be the case//\n  7  be going begging:   BrE  spoken if something is going begging, it is available for anyone who wants it//  --There’s a beer going begging if anyone’s interested.//\n  8  beg, borrow, or steal:  to do whatever you must in order to get what you want - often used humorously//  --She’d beg, borrow, or steal the money for those shoes.//


Words: beget
Meaning:
v   past tense  begot /-g[hA361]t $ -g[hA35A][hA359]t/past participle  begotten /-g[hA361]tn $ -g[hA35A][hA359]tn/present participle  begetting  [T] //  [Language: Old English; Origin: begietan]//\n  1  old use to become the father of a child:\n  2 to cause something or make it happen:  --Hunger begets crime.//  -- begetter n  [C] //


Words: beggar
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 someone who lives by asking people for food and money:  --the beggars on the streets//\n  2  lucky/lazy/cheeky etc beggar:   BrE  spoken used when speaking to or about someone you like//  --’How’s Dave?’ ’The lucky beggar’s in the south of France!’//\n  3  beggars can’t be choosers:  used to say that when you have no money or no power to choose, you have to accept whatever you are given//\nbeggar 2 v [T] \n  1  beggar description/belief:  if something beggars description or belief, it is impossible to describe or believe it//  --They showed a lack of common sense that beggars belief.//\n  2  literary to make someone very poor:  --Why should he beggar himself for you?//


Words: Beggar’s Opera
Meaning:
The   a funny  opera by John Gay, first produced in 1728. It tells the story of a thief called Macheath, who is sent to Newgate prison, where he meets a woman called Lucy and makes his wife Polly jealous. A modern opera called the  Threepenny Opera, by Bertolt Brecht, is based on this.//


Words: begging bowl
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 used to talk about a request for money made by an organization or country:  --Arts and theatre groups are constantly thrusting the begging bowl at the government.//\n  2 a container which a beggar holds out to people for money:


Words: Begin
Meaning:
Menachem   (1913-92) an Israeli politician and  prime minister from 1977 to 1983. In 1979 he signed a peace  treaty with President Sadat of Egypt which was known as the Camp David agreement.//


Words: begin
Meaning:
v   past tense  began /-g[zB024]n/past participle  begun /-g[hA356]n/present participle  beginning //  ----------//\n   1 start doing something:\n   2 start happening:\n   3 do first:\n   4 book/word etc:\n   5 speech:\n   6 to begin with:\n   7 can’t begin to understand/imagine etc:  Phrasal verbs//   begin (something) as something//  ----------//  [Language: Old English; Origin: beginnan]//\n  1 START DOING SOMETHING:   [I and T] to start doing something//  --As everybody’s here, let’s begin.//  --In the third year students begin the study of classical Chinese.//  --The President begins talks with the Prime Minister tonight.//  begin to do sth//  --She began to feel a sense of panic.//  --I began to wonder if I’d ever be able to afford my own apartment.//  begin doing sth//  --I began teaching in 1984.//\n  2 START HAPPENING:   [I and T] if something begins, or you begin something, it starts to happen or exist from a particular time//  --It was the coldest winter since records began.//  --They began a system of blood tests for employees.//  begin at//  --The meeting begins at 10.30 am.//\n  3 DO FIRST:   [I] if you begin with something or begin by doing something, this is the first thing you do//  begin with//  --Shall we begin with a prayer?//  begin by doing sth//  --I’ll begin by thanking you all for being here tonight.//\n  4 BOOK/WORD ETC:   [I] if a book, film, or word begins with something, it starts with a particular event or letter//  begin with//  --’Psychosis’ begins with a P.//\n  5 SPEECH:   [I and T] to start speaking//  --’Ladies and gentlemen,’ he began. ’ I am delighted to be here.’//\n  6  to begin with:  a)  spoken used to introduce the first and most important point you want to make//  --Well, to begin with, he shouldn’t even have been driving my car.//  b) used to say that something was already in a particular condition before something else happened//  --I didn’t break it! It was like that to begin with.//  c) during the first part of a process or activity//  --The kids helped me to begin with, but they soon got bored.//\n  7  can’t begin to understand/imagine etc:   spoken used to emphasize how difficult something is to understand etc//  --I can’t begin to imagine how awful it must have been.//  begin () as [begin (sth) as sth] phr v//  to be a particular thing at the start of your existence, working life etc//  --Roger began his career as an office boy.//


Words: beginner
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 someone who has just started to do or learn something:  --an absolute beginner //\n  2  beginner’s luck:  unusual success that you have when you start something new//


Words: beginning
Meaning:
n [C usually singular] \n  1 the start or first part of an event, story, period of time etc:  beginning of//  --She’s been here  since the beginning  of the year.//  --There’s a short poem  at the beginning  of every chapter.//  -- From the beginning  of my career as a journalist, I’ve been writing about gender issues.//  --I thought he loved me; perhaps he did  in the beginning .//  --That chance meeting  marked the beginning of a long and happy relationship.//  --This is  just the beginning  of a new and different life for you.//  --I said he would cause trouble, right from the beginning .//  --I opposed it from  the very beginning .//  --The whole trip was a disaster from beginning to end .//  --I feel like I’ve been offered  a new beginning .//  --Could we  start at the beginning ? Tell me where you first met him.//\n  2  beginnings [plural] the early signs or stages of something that later develops into something bigger or more important:  beginnings of//  --I think I have the beginnings of a cold.//  from humble/small beginnings //  --He rose from humble beginnings to great wealth.//\n  3  the beginning of the end:  the time when something good starts to end//  ----------//  COLLOCATES for sense 1 //  since the beginning (of something) //  at the beginning (of something) //  from the beginning //  in the beginning //  mark the beginning of something //  herald/signal the beginning of something (=show that something is starting) //  be just/only the beginning  (=used to emphasize that something will continue or develop) //  right at the beginning //  right from the beginning //  the very beginning //  from beginning to end //  a new beginning //  start at the beginning (=start an activity or story at the point where it is meant to start) //  ----------//


Words: begonia
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: Modern Latin; Origin: , from Michel  Begon (1638-1710), French governor of Santo Domingo, who discovered the plant]//  a plant with yellow, pink, red, or white flowers//


Words: begrudge
Meaning:
v [T usually in negatives] \n  1 to feel angry or upset with someone because they have something which you think they do not deserve:  begrudge sb sth//  --We shouldn’t begrudge her this success.//\n  2 to feel annoyed or unhappy that you have to pay something, give someone something etc:  begrudge sb sth//  --The farmer’s wife never begrudged him a meal at the end of the day.//  begrudge doing sth//  --I begrudge spending so much money on train fares.//


Words: beguile
Meaning:
v [T] \n  1 to interest and attract someone:  --She was beguiled by his smooth talk.//\n  2 to persuade or trick someone into doing something:  beguile sb into doing sth//  --He was beguiled into buying another copy of her book.//\n  3  literary to do something that makes the time pass in an enjoyable way:


Words: behalf
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1300-1400; Origin: by half  ’on (someone’s) side’]//  on behalf of sb//   also in behalf of sb //   AmE //  a) instead of someone, or as their representative//  --She asked the doctor to speak to her parents on her behalf.//  --On behalf of everyone here, may I wish you a very happy retirement.//  b) because of or for someone//  --Oh, don’t go to any trouble on my behalf.//


Words: Behan
Meaning:
Brendan   (1923-64) an Irish writer who describes his experience of being in prison because of  IRA activities, in his play  The Quare Fellow  and in his novel  Borstal Boy//


Words: behave
Meaning:
W3S3   v [I]   [Date: 1400-1500; Origin: have  ’to hold or bear (yourself), behave’ (14-16 centuries)]//\n  1 [always + adverb/preposition] to do things that are good, bad, sensible etc:   act//  --She behaved in a very responsible way .//  behave towards//  --I think he behaved disgracefully towards you.//  behave like//  --grown men behaving like schoolboys//  behave as if/though//  --He was a little boy, but he behaved as if he was an adult.//\n  2  also behave yourself :  to not do things that annoy or offend people//  → misbehave//  --Will you children please behave!//  --I hope Nicholas behaved himself at the party.//  well-behaved/badly-behaved //  --a badly-behaved class//\n  3 [always + adverb/preposition] if something behaves in a particular way, it does those things:  --Quantum mechanics is the study of the way atoms behave.//


Words: behaviour
Meaning:
W1S2  BrE  behavior AmE   n [U] \n  1 the things that a person or animal does:  --It is important to reward  good behaviour . //  -- The headmaster will not tolerate  bad behaviour . //  behaviour towards//  --She complained of her boss’s inappropriate behavior towards her.//  -- Can TV violence cause  aggressive behavior ? //  -- We are trying to understand the causes of  criminal behaviour . //  --the effects of alcohol on  human behaviour  //  -- the boundaries of acceptable  social behavior  //  --common animal  behavior patterns //  -- It’s hard to  change your behaviour , even harder to keep it changed. //  --They argued that the presence of TV cameras at the trial  influenced the behavior of  attorneys, witnesses, and jurors.        //\n  2  be on your best behaviour:  to behave as well and politely as you can in order to please someone//  --I want you both to be on your best behaviour at Grandad’s.//\n  3 the things that something in science normally does:  behaviour of//  --the behaviour of human chromosomes//  -- behavioural adj //  --behavioural science//  -- behaviourally adv //  ----------//  COLLOCATES for sense 1 //  good/bad behaviour //  violent/aggressive/criminal etc behaviour //  human/social behaviour //  pattern of behaviour/behaviour pattern //  behaviour problem  (=when someone often behaves badly) //  change/modify your behaviour //  influence somebody’s behaviour //  ----------//


Words: behaviourism
Meaning:
BrE  behaviorism AmE   n [U]   the belief that the scientific study of the mind should be based only on people’s behaviour, not on what they say about their thoughts and feelings//  -- behaviourist n  [C] //


Words: Behemoth
Meaning:
an extremely large,  mythical creature mentioned in the Bible, whose name is now used to describe something very big//


Words: behemoth
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin: Behemoth very large animal (probably a hippopotamus) mentioned in the Bible  (14-21 centuries), from  Latin, from  Hebrew]//   formal something that is very large//  --a trade behemoth that shipped abroad $800 billion worth of goods//


Words: behest
Meaning:
n   [Language: Old English; Origin: beh[zB024]s  ’promise’, from  behatan  ’to promise’]//  at the behest of sb//   formal because someone has asked for something or ordered something to happen//  --The committee was set up at the behest of the president.//


Words: behind
Meaning:
prep, adv   [Language: Old English; Origin: behindan, from  hindan  ’from behind’]//\n  1 at or towards the back of a thing or person:  --I turned to speak to the person standing behind me.//  --Someone could easily creep up behind us.//  --The car behind was hooting impatiently.//  --A figure in a brown suit stepped out from behind the bushes.//  --Jane shut the door behind her.//  --The manager was sitting behind a large desk.//  close behind/not far behind //  --He set off down the road with the rest of us following close behind.//\n  2 not as successful or not having made as much progress as someone or something else:  --Mark’s always behind the rest of his class in mathematics.//  --This victory lifts Ferguson’s team into fifth place, nine points behind leaders Norwich.//  --Compared with the United States, Europe was falling behind in the important field of computer technology.//\n  3 used to say that someone is late in doing what they have to do:  --This work should have been finished yesterday. I’m getting terribly behind.//  --Victor had fallen behind with his mortgage payments after losing his job.//  --an important research project that is already two years behind schedule  (=not ready at the time planned) //\n  4 used for talking about the hidden reason for something:  --I wonder what’s behind this change of plan.//  --Perhaps a bitter experience lay behind her anger.//\n  5 supporting a person, idea etc:  --The workers are very much behind these proposals.//  --I suppose I’m lucky because my parents were behind me all the way.//\n  6 responsible for a plan, idea etc or for organizing something:  --It was alleged that foreign agents were behind the recent violence.//  --The Rotary Club is behind the fund-raising for the new hospital.//\n  7 if an unpleasant experience or situation is behind you, it no longer upsets you or affects your life:  --Now you can put all these worries behind you.//  --a chance to start a new life and leave all your troubles behind//\n  8 if you have experience behind you, you have gained valuable skills or important qualities that can be used:  --Marjorie is one of the top designers in the business, with years of experience behind her.//\n  9 used when the real facts about a situation or someone’s character are hidden by the way things seem or by the way a person behaves:  --We were determined to find the truth behind this mystery.//  --You could see the burning hatred behind Graham’s calm manner.//\n  10 if a student stays behind after school or after a lesson, they stay after it has finished:    behind sb’s back at back2 (9),  behind bars at bar1 (7),  behind the times at time1 (38)//  ----------//  HINT sense 1 //  Do not say ’behind of’: He hid behind a chair (NOT behind of a chair). //  ----------//\nbehind 2 n [C]    informal the part of your body that you sit on//   bottom//


Words: behold
Meaning:
v [T]   past tense and past participle  beheld  literary //  [Language: Old English; Origin: behealdan  ’to keep, behold’]//  to see or to look at something - sometimes used humorously//  be a sight/joy/pleasure etc to behold //  --The beauty of the garden was a pleasure to behold.//  -- beholder n  [C] //    lo and behold  at lo(2)//


Words: beholden
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1300-1400; Origin:  Old past participle of  behold]//  feel/be beholden to sb//  to feel that you have a duty to someone because they have done something for you//  --I hate feeling beholden to anyone.//


Words: behove
Meaning:
AmE   it behoves sb to do sth//   formal used to say that someone should do something because it is right or necessary, or it will help them//


Words: Beiderbecke
Meaning:
Bix   (1903-31) an American  jazz musician who played the piano and cornet and was one of the few white musicians to influence the early development of jazz//


Words: being
Meaning:
v [linking verb] \n  1 the present participle of be:\n  2 used to give the reason for something:  --Being a quiet sort of person, I didn’t want to get involved.//  --You can’t expect them to sit still for that long, children being what they are.//\n  3  being as:   BrE  spoken because//   as//  --You might as well drink it, being as you’ve paid for it.//\nbeing 2 W3S2 n \n  1  come into being/be brought into being:  to start to exist//  --a law that first came into being in 1912//\n  2 [C] a living thing, especially a person:  --a human being //  intelligent/conscious/rational etc being //  --a story about alien beings who invade Earth//\n  3 [U]  literary the most important quality or nature of something, especially of a person:  the core/roots/whole of sb’s being //  --The whole of her being had been taken over by a desire to return to her homeland.//


Words: bejewelled
Meaning:
BrE  bejeweled AmE   adj  literary   wearing jewels or decorated with jewels//  --bejewelled hands//


Words: belabour
Meaning:
BrE  belabor AmE   v [T] \n  1  belabour the point:   formal to keep emphasizing a fact or idea in a way that is annoying//\n  2  old-fashioned to hit someone or something hard:


Words: Belarus
Meaning:
a country in Eastern Europe, surrounded by Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, Ukraine, and Poland. It used to be part of the Soviet Union. Population: 10,350,000 (2001). Capital: Minsk.//  -- Belarusian n  adj //


Words: belated
Meaning:
adj   happening or arriving late//  -- a belated attempt to increase support//  belated recognition/realization/acknowledgement //  --The statement was a belated acknowledgement that the project had not been a success.//  --a belated birthday present//  -- belatedly adv //


Words: belay
Meaning:
v [I and T]  technical   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Dutch; Origin: beleggen]//  to make someone who is climbing a mountain etc safe by attaching a rope to them and to a rock//


Words: belch
Meaning:
v   [Language: Old English; Origin: bealcian]//\n  1 [I] to let air from your stomach come out loudly through your mouth:   burp//\n  2  also belch out :   [I and T] to send out a large amount of smoke, flames etc, or to come out of something in large amounts//  --a line of chimneys belching out smoke//  --Flames belched from the wreckage.//  -- belch n  [C] //


Words: beleaguered
Meaning:
adj [usually before noun]  formal   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Dutch; Origin: belegeren, from  leger  ’camp’]//\n  1 experiencing a lot of problems or criticism:  --the country’s beleaguered steel industry//\n  2 surrounded by an army:  --Supplies are being brought into the beleaguered city.//


Words: belfry
Meaning:
n   plural  belfries  [C] //  [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: berfrei; influenced by  bell]//  a tower for a bell, especially on a church//


Words: Belgium
Meaning:
a country in northwest Europe between France and Germany. Population: 10,259,000 (2001). Capital: Brussels.//


Words: Belgrano Affair
Meaning:
the   a political argument that followed the British government’s order to sink a ship called the  General Belgrano, belonging to Argentina’s navy, during the  Falklands War. The ship was sailing away from the Falkland Islands, not towards them, at the time when it was sunk, and some people criticized the British government’s action.//


Words: Belgravia
Meaning:
a part of west central London where there are many expensive houses and shops, and many foreign  embassies//


Words: belie
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  belied present participle  belying  [T] //\n  1 to give someone a false idea about something:  --Her pleasant manner belied her true character.//\n  2 to show that something cannot be true or real:  --His cheerful smile belied his words.//


Words: belief
Meaning:
W2S3   n   [Date: 1100-1200; Origin:  Probably from  Old English geleafa  ’belief’, from  leafa  ’belief, faith’; influenced by  believe]//\n  1 [singular, U] the feeling that something is definitely true or definitely exists:  belief in//  -- a  strong belief  in God //  belief that//  -- his  passionate belief  that technology is a tool to be used with imagination //  -- It is my belief that  we will find a cure for cancer in the next ten years.//  -- Thieves broke into the building in the  mistaken belief  that there was expensive computer equipment inside. //  -- It is a  widely held belief  that violent crime is increasing. //  -- a  strongly held belief  that stealing is wrong //  --a  growing belief  that war was inevitable//  -- Contrary to popular belief , eating carrots does not improve your eyesight.//\n  2 [singular] the feeling that something is good and can be trusted:  belief in//  --If you’re selling, you have to have genuine belief in the product.//  --When you get something wrong, it can shake your belief in yourself.//\n  3 [C] an idea that you believe to be true, especially one that forms part of a system of ideas:  --religious beliefs//  --Several members hold very right-wing beliefs .//\n  4  beyond belief:  used to emphasize that something is so extreme that it is difficult to believe//  --What she did was stupid beyond belief.//    it beggars belief at beggar2 (1),  to the best of your belief at best3 (4),  disbelief,  unbelief//  ----------//  COLLOCATES for sense 1 //  a strong/firm belief //  a sincere/passionate belief //  it is somebody’s belief that //  a mistaken/false belief //  a widespread/common/widely held belief  (=something that many people think) //  a deeply held/strongly held belief  (=something you believe very much) //  a growing belief //  popular belief (=what most people think) //  contrary to popular belief  (=despite what most people think) //  ----------//


Words: believable
Meaning:
adj   something that is believable can be believed because it seems possible, likely, or real//  --a story with believable characters in it//  --That scenario is entirely believable.//


Words: believe
Meaning:
v   [Language: Old English; Origin: belefan, from  lyfan,  lefan  ’to allow, believe’]//\n  1 [T not in progressive] to be sure that something is true or that someone is telling the truth:  --You shouldn’t believe everything you read.//  --I believed him, even though his story sounded unlikely.//  believe (that)//  --I don’t believe he’s only 25.//  --I don’t believe a word of it  (=I think it is completely untrue) .//\n  2 [T not in progressive] to think that something is true or possible, although you are not completely sure:  believe (that)//  --Detectives believe that the victim knew his killer.//  it is believed (that)//  --It is believed that the house was built in 1735.//  believe so (=think that something is true) //  --’Have they arrived yet?’ ’Yes, I believe so.’//  be believed to be sth//  --At 115, Mrs Jackson is believed to be the oldest person in the country.//  --The four men are widely believed  (=believed by a lot of people) to have been killed by their captors.//  --Did you honestly believe that I’d be stupid enough to do that?//  --I firmly believe that the business will be a success.//\n  3  it’s difficult/hard to believe (that):  used when you are surprised that something is true//  --Sometimes, it’s hard to believe we’ve been married for 50 years.//\n  4  spoken  can’t/don’t believe sth:  used when you are very surprised or shocked by something//  --I can’t believe he’s expecting us to work on Sunday as well!//  --I couldn’t believe it when he told me what had happened.//  can hardly/scarcely believe sth //  --I could scarcely believe my luck.//\n  5  spoken  believe it or not:  used when you are saying something that is true but surprising//  --He enjoys school, believe it or not.//\n  6  spoken  would you believe it!:   or I don’t believe it! //  used when you are surprised or angry about something//  --And then he just walked out. Would you believe it!//\n  7  spoken  believe (you) me:  used to emphasize that something is definitely true//  --There’ll be trouble when they find out about this, believe you me!//\n  8  spoken  you’d better believe it!:  used to emphasize that something is true//\n  9  spoken  don’t you believe it!:  used to emphasize that something is definitely not true//\n  10  spoken  can’t believe your eyes/ears:  used to say that someone is very surprised by something they see or hear//\n  11  spoken  if you believe that, you’ll believe anything:  used to say that something is definitely not true, and that anyone who believes it must be stupid//\n  12  spoken  seeing is believing:   or  I’ll believe it when I see it//  used to say that you will only believe that something happens or exists when you actually see it//\n  13 [I] to have a religious faith:  --She says those who believe will go to heaven.//    make believe at make1 (19)//  believe in / [believe in sb/sth] phr v//\n  1 to be sure that someone or something exists:  --Do you believe in God?//\n  2 to think that something is effective or right:  --I don’t believe in all these silly diets.//  believe in doing sth//  --The school believes in letting children learn at their own pace.//\n  3 to trust someone and be confident that they will be successful:  --The people want a President they can believe in.//  --You’ve got to believe in yourself, or you’ll never succeed.//  ----------//  WORD CHOICE: believe, believe in //  If you  believe  something, you think it is true. If you  believe someone, you think they are telling the truth : Nobody believed what I said.| I didn’t do it - you’ve got to believe me! //  Use  believe in  to mean //  that you think something exists : Do you believe in God?  //  that you think that something is good : He doesn’t believe in private education. //  that you think someone is good and will achieve good things : My mother always believed in me. //  ----------//


Words: believer
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1  be a (great/firm) believer in sth:  to believe strongly that something is good and effective//  --I’m a great believer in regular exercise.//\n  2 someone who believes in a particular god, religion, or system of beliefs:


Words: Belisha beacon
Meaning:
n [C]   in Britain, one of two posts with a round flashing orange light on the top, marking a place that cars must stop at to allow people to cross a road//


Words: belittle
Meaning:
v [T]    formal to make someone or something seem small or unimportant//  --He tends to belittle her efforts.//


Words: Belize
Meaning:
a country in Central America on the Caribbean Sea, which was a British  colony until it became independent in 1981. Population: 256,000 (2001). Capital: Belmopan. //


Words: Bell
Meaning:
Alexander Graham   (1847-1922) a Scottish scientist and inventor who lived in the US. He invented the telephone in 1876.//


Words: bell
Meaning:
W3S2   n [C]   [Language: Old English; Origin: belle]//\n  1 a piece of electrical equipment that makes a ringing sound, used as a signal or to get someone’s attention:  ring/press the bell //  --He rang the bell and waited for someone to answer the door.//  --She walked up the path and rang the door bell .//  a bell rings/goes //  --The bell went and everyone rushed out of the classroom.//  2 a hollow metal object like a cup with a piece of metal hanging inside it, which makes a ringing noise when it moves or you shake it//  --church bells//\n  3  give sb a bell:   BrE  spoken to telephone someone//  --I must give Vicky a bell later.//\n  4 something that is shaped like a bell:  --the bell of a flower//    alarm bells ring  at alarm1 (5),  as clear as a bell at clear1 (10),  diving bell,  ring a bell at ring2 (4)//


Words: Bell Laboratories Bell Labs
Meaning:
a group of  laboratories in the US where scientists have made many important discoveries and developments in science and  technology//


Words: belladonna
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: Italian; Origin: ’beautiful lady’; because it was used in cosmetics]//\n  1 a poisonous plant:   deadly nightshade//\n  2 a substance from this plant, used as a drug:


Words: belle
Meaning:
n [C]  old-fashioned   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: French; Origin: , from the feminine form of  beau;   BEAU]//  a beautiful girl or woman//  the belle of the ball (=the most beautiful girl at a dance or party) //


Words: Belle Dame Sans Merci
Meaning:
La   a famous poem by John  Keats in which a  knight meets a beautiful magical woman who says she loves him but then disappears//


Words: bellicose
Meaning:
adj  formal   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Latin; Origin: bellicosus, from  bellum  ’war’]//  behaving in a way that is likely to start an argument or fight//   aggressive//  --bellicose criticism//  -- bellicosity/bel[hA366]k[hA361]s[hA369]ti $ -k[hA35A][hA359]-/ n  [U] //


Words: belligerent
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: , present participle of  belligerare  ’to fight a war’, from  bellum (  BELLICOSE) +  gerere  ’to carry on’]//\n  1 very unfriendly and wanting to argue or fight:   aggressive//  --a belligerent attitude//\n  2 [only before noun]  formal a belligerent country is fighting a war against another country:  -- belligerence, belligerency n  [U] //


Words: Bellini
Meaning:
Jacopo   (?1400-?1470) a painter from Venice. He trained his sons Gentile Bellini (?1429-1507) and Giovanni Bellini (?1430-1516), who were also painters.//


Words: Bellow
Meaning:
Saul   (1915- ) a US writer, born in Canada, who won the  Nobel Prize for Literature in 1976. His novels include  Humbolt’s Gift  and  Herzog.//


Words: bellow
Meaning:
v   [Language: Old English; Origin: bylgian]//\n  1 [I and T] to shout loudly in a deep voice:   yell//  --’That’s your problem!’ bellowed Hurley.//  --Tony was bellowing orders from upstairs.//\n  2 [I] to make the deep sound that a bull makes:\nbellow 2 n [C]   [Sense: 1-2; Date: 1700-1800; Origin:  BELLOW1]//  [Sense: 3-4; Date: 1100-1200; Origin:  Probably from  Old English belg;   BELLY1]//\n  1 a loud deep shout:  --His voice rose to a bellow.//  a bellow of rage/laughter etc //  --Alex gave another bellow of laughter.//\n  2 the deep sound that a bull makes:\n  3  bellows [plural] :  a) an object used for blowing air into a fire to make it burn better//  b) part of a musical instrument that pushes air through pipes to produce a sound, for example in an organ//


Words: belly
Meaning:
S3   n   plural  bellies   [C] //  [Language: Old English; Origin: belg  ’bag, skin’]//\n  1 :  a) your stomach//  --a full belly//  b)  BrE the front part of your body between your chest and your legs//   abdomen//  --She was lying on her belly.//\n  2 the middle part of an animal’s body, near its stomach:\n  3  literary a curved or rounded part of an object:  --the belly of a plane//\n  4  black-bellied/fat-bellied/big-bellied etc:  having a black, fat, big etc stomach//\n  5  go belly up:   informal if a business or company goes belly up, it stops operating because it cannot pay its debts//    beer belly,  potbelly//\nbelly 2  also belly out   past tense and past participle  bellied present participle  bellying third person singular  bellies  v [I]  literary //  to fill with air and become rounder in shape//  --The curtains bellied in the breeze.//


Words: belly dance
Meaning:
n [C]   a dance from the Middle East in which a woman moves her stomach and hips around//  -- belly dancer n  [C] //  -- belly dancing n  [U] //


Words: belly flop
Meaning:
n [C]   a way of jumping into water, in which the front of your body falls flat against the surface of the water//  -- bellyflop v  [I] //


Words: bellyache
Meaning:
n [U and C]  informal   a pain in your stomach//   stomachache//\nbellyache 2 v [I]  informal   to complain a lot, especially about something unimportant//   whinge//  bellyache about//  --She never stops bellyaching about money.//


Words: bellyful
Meaning:
n   have had a bellyful of sb/sth//   informal to be annoyed by someone or something because you have had to deal with them for too long//  --I’d had a bellyful of his family by the end of the weekend.//


Words: Belmont Stakes
Meaning:
the   a famous race for three-year-old horses that is held every year in New York on the first Saturday of June//


Words: belong
Meaning:
v [I not in progressive]   [Date: 1300-1400; Origin: long  ’to be suitable’ (12-19 centuries),  from  Old English gelang  ’dependent on’]//\n  1 [always + adverb/preposition] if something belongs somewhere, that is the right place or situation for it:  --Put the chair back where it belongs.//  belong in//  --an attitude that doesn’t belong in modern society//\n  2 if you feel you belong in a place or situation, you feel happy and comfortable in it, because you have the same interests and ideas as other people:  --I worked there for five years but never really felt I belonged.//  -- belonging n  [U] //  --It’s important to have a sense of belonging  (=a feeling that you are happy and comfortable somewhere) .//  belong to / [belong to sb/sth] phr v//\n  1 if something belongs to someone, they own it:  --The house belonged to my grandfather.//  --Who does this scarf belong to?//\n  2 to be a member of a group or organization:  --He belongs to the golf club.//\n  3 to be related to something or form part of it:  --cars that belong to a different era//\n  4 to be related to or produced by a particular person:  --She recognized the voice as belonging to the man who had attacked her.//\n  5 if a competition or period of time belongs to someone, they are the most important or successful person in it:  --All the acts were good, but the evening belonged to a dance group from Moscow.//


Words: belongings
Meaning:
n [plural]   the things you own, especially things that you can carry with you//   possessions//  --an insurance policy that covers your personal belongings //


Words: beloved
Meaning:
adj \n  1  literary  or  humorous loved very much by someone:  --He never recovered from the death of his beloved daughter.//  --He’s always talking about his beloved computer!//  beloved of/by//  --a book beloved of children everywhere//\n  2  my/her etc beloved:   literary the person that you love most//    dearly beloved at dearly(3)//


Words: below
Meaning:
adv, prep   [Date: 1300-1400; Origin:  LOW1]//\n  1 in a lower place or position, or on a lower level:  → above//  --an animal that lives below ground //  --Water was dripping onto the floor below.//  --I could hear voices in the courtyard below my window.//  --They camped a few hundred feet below the summit.//  --There was an ugly scar below his left eye.//  -- Down below, people were talking and laughing.//  --Somewhere far below, a door slammed.//  --The kitchen is directly below her bedroom.//  --Captain Parker went below  (=to the lower level of the ship) , leaving Clooney in charge.//\n  2 of a lower rank or having a less important job than someone else:  → above//  --A captain is below a general.//  --No one below the level of senior manager was present at the meeting.//  and/or below //  --officers of the rank of captain and below//\n  3 less than a particular number, amount, level etc:  → above//  --Test scores below 50 were classed as ’unsatisfactory’.//  --In June the rate of inflation fell below 3%.//  --Tom’s spelling is well below average (=much worse than the normal standard) .//  below freezing/zero (=lower than the temperature at which water freezes) //  --In winter, temperatures dip to 40 degrees below freezing.//  and/or below //  --free travel for children four years old and below//\n  4 lower on the same page, or on a later page:  → above//  --Details of courses are listed below.//  --For more information, see below.//    below par at par(2),  below the belt at belt1 (4)//  ----------//  HINT //  below or under? See also:  under//  ----------//


Words: Belsen
Meaning:
a Nazi  concentration camp in northern Germany during World War II. Thousands of people, especially Jews, were killed in Belsen.//


Words: belt
Meaning:
W3S2   n [C]   [Language: Old English; Origin:]//\n  1 a band of leather, cloth etc that you wear around your waist to hold up your clothes or for decoration:  --He unbuckled his leather belt.//\n  2 a large area of land that has particular features or where particular people live:  --America’s farming belt//  --the green (=countryside) belt BrE//    green belt//\n  3 a circular band of something such as rubber that connects or moves parts of a machine:    conveyor belt,  fan belt//\n  4  below the belt:   informal unfair or cruel//  --That was a bit below the belt, Paul.//  --The comments hit below the belt  (=they were unfair or cruel) .//\n  5  have/get sth under your belt:  to have achieved something useful or important//  --a secretary with several years’ experience under her belt//\n  6  belt and braces:   BrE  informal a belt and braces way of doing something is one in which you do more than necessary in order to make sure that it succeeds//    black belt,  garter belt,  seat belt,  safety belt,  suspender belt,  tighten your belt at tighten(6)//\nbelt 2 v   ----------//\n   1 hit:\n   2 go quickly:\n   3 fasten:  Phrasal verbs//   belt something → out//   belt up//  ----------//\n  1 HIT:   [T]  informal to hit someone or something hard//  --Dan belted the ball towards the goal.//\n  2 GO QUICKLY:   [I always + adverb/preposition]  BrE  spoken to go somewhere very fast//   charge//  belt down/along etc//  --We were belting down the motorway at 95 miles per hour.//\n  3 FASTEN:   [T] to fasten something with a belt//  --Maria belted her raincoat firmly.//  --a dress belted loosely at the waist//  belt out [belt sth → out] phr v//  to sing a song or play an instrument loudly//  --She was belting out old Broadway favourites.//  belt up phr v//\n  1  spoken used to tell someone rudely to be quiet:\n  2  informal to fasten your seat belt in a vehicle:


Words: Beltane
Meaning:
an ancient Celtic celebration on May 1st when fires were built ( Beltane fires) and the cattle brought to them to guard against illness in the coming year//


Words: beltway
Meaning:
n [C]  AmE   a fast main road that goes around a city, not through the centre//  British Equivalent:  ring road//


Words: bemoan
Meaning:
v [T]  formal   to complain or say that you are disappointed about something//  --He was bemoaning the fact that lawyers charge so much.//  bemoan the lack/absence/loss of sth //  --an article bemoaning the lack of sports facilities in the area//


Words: bemused
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1700-1800; Origin:  MUSE1]//  looking as if you are confused//   bewildered//  --a bemused expression//  bemused by//  --He looked slightly bemused by all the questions.//  -- bemusedly/b[hA366]mju[hA359]z[hA369]dli/ adv //  -- bemusement n  [U] //  --a look of bemusement//  -- bemuse v  [T] //


Words: Ben Hur
Meaning:
a  novel by Lewis Wallace, whose story takes place during the time of Jesus Christ. The story was made into a famous film in 1959.//


Words: Ben-Gurion
Meaning:
David   (1886-1973) an Israeli politician who is considered responsible for establishing the independent Jewish nation of Israel. He was also Israel’s first Prime Minister.//


Words: bench
Meaning:
W3S2   n   ----------//\n   1 outdoor seat:\n   2 in a law court:\n   3 sports:\n   4 parliament:\n   5 table:  ----------//  [Language: Old English; Origin: benc]//\n  1 OUTDOOR SEAT:   [C] a long seat for two or more people, especially outdoors//  --We sat on a park bench and talked.//\n  2 IN A LAW COURT:   the bench//  a) the seat where a judge or magistrate sits in a court of law//  --Would the prisoner please approach the bench?//  b) the position of being a judge or magistrate in a court of law//  --He was appointed to the bench last year.//  sit/serve on the bench (=work as a judge or  magistrate) //\n  3 SPORTS:   the bench//  the seat where members of a sports team sit when they are not playing in the game//  --Batts and Dorigo are on the bench tonight.//  --Simpson came off the bench to play in midfield.//\n  4 PARLIAMENT:   benches [plural]  BrE the seats in the British parliament where members of a particular party sit//  --There was cheering from the Conservative benches.//    backbench,  backbenches,  front bench//\n  5 TABLE:   [C] a long heavy table used for working on with tools or equipment//  --a carpenter’s bench//\nbench 2 v [T]    AmE to not allow a sports player to play in a game, or to remove them from a game//  --Anderson has been benched until his injury has healed.//


Words: Benchley
Meaning:
Robert Charles   (1889-1945) a humorous US writer and theatre  critic who wrote articles for the magazines  Vanity Fair  and  The New Yorker. He was also an actor and he appeared in many films.//


Words: benchmark
Meaning:
n [C]   something that is used as a standard by which other things can be judged or measured//  --benchmark data//  --The valuation becomes a benchmark against which to judge other prices.//  benchmark for//  --figures that are a useful benchmark for measuring the company’s performance//  benchmark of//  --results that are used as a benchmark of success//\nbenchmark 2 v [T]   to use a company’s good performance as a standard by which to judge the performance of other companies of the same type//  benchmark sb/sth against sth//  --British Steel is benchmarked against the best operations anywhere in the world.//  -- benchmarking n  [U] //


Words: bend
Meaning:
W3S3   v   past tense and past participle  bent /bent///  [Language: Old English; Origin: bendan]//\n  1 [I and T] to move part of your body so that it is not straight or so that you are not upright:  --Lee bent and kissed her.//  --She bent her head.//  --Bend your knees, but keep your back straight.//  bend over//  --Emma bent over to pick up the coins.//  bend down//  --I bent down to lift the box off the floor.//  bend towards/across etc//  --He bent towards me and whispered in my ear.//\n  2 [T] to push or press something so that it is no longer flat or straight:  --You need a special tool to bend the steel.//\n  3 [I] to become curved and no longer flat or straight:  --Several branches started bending towards the ground.//\n  4 [I] when a road bends, it changes direction to form a curve:  --The road bends sharply to the left.//\n  5  bend the truth:  to say something that is not completely true//\n  6  bend over backwards (to do sth):  to try very hard to be helpful//  --We bent over backwards to get it finished on time.//\n  7  bend sb’s ear:   spoken to talk to someone, especially for a long time about something that is worrying you//\n  8  on bended knee:  a) trying very hard to persuade someone to do something//  --He begged on bended knee for another chance.//  b) in a kneeling position//  --He went down on bended knee and asked her to marry him.//\n  9  bend your mind/efforts to sth:   formal to give all your energy or attention to one activity, plan etc//\n  10  bend to sb’s will:   formal to do what someone else wants, especially when you do not want to//    bend the rules at rule1 (1)//\nbend 2 n [C] \n  1 a curved part of something, especially a road or river:  --The car came round the bend at a terrifying speed.//  bend in//  --a sharp bend in the road//\n  2 an action in which you bend a part of your body:  --We started the session with a few knee bends to warm up.//\n  3  drive sb round the bend:   BrE  spoken to annoy someone//  --His attitude drives me round the bend.//\n  4  be/go round the bend:   BrE  spoken to be or become crazy//  --I sometimes feel I’m going round the bend looking after young children all day.//\n  5  the bends:  a painful and serious condition that divers get if they come up from deep water too quickly//


Words: bender
Meaning:
n [C]  informal \n  1 a time when people drink a lot of alcohol or take a lot of drugs:  --The whole team went on a bender and were arrested.//\n  2  BrE  taboo a very offensive word for a man who is attracted to other men. Do not use this word.:   homosexual//


Words: beneath
Meaning:
W2   adv, prep  formal   [Language: Old English; Origin: beneothan, from  neothan  ’below’]//\n  1 in or to a lower position than something, or directly under something:   underneath//  --The dolphins disappeared beneath the waves.//  --Jo enjoyed feeling the warm sand beneath her feet.//  --He was standing on the bridge looking at the river beneath.//  --Some roofs collapsed beneath the weight of  (=unable to support the weight of) so much snow. see usage note  under//\n  2 covered by something:  --Shiona shivered beneath the bedclothes.//  --Suddenly Cranston pulled out a large handgun from beneath his robes.//\n  3 used to say that someone’s real character or feelings are not shown because their appearance or behaviour is different:   underneath//  --Dave sensed that something more sinister lay beneath the woman’s cheerful exterior.//  --She tried to keep calm but beneath the surface she was angry.//\n  4 not good enough or suitable for someone:  --She acts as if even speaking to us is beneath her.//  --He felt it would be beneath his dignity to comment.//  --His mother felt he was marrying beneath him (=marrying someone who was not good enough) .//  --I consider such behaviour to be beneath contempt  (=so bad you have no respect for the person involved) .//\n  5 in a lower, less important rank or job than someone else:   below//


Words: Benedictine
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: French; Origin: benedictin, from  Latin Benedictus  ’(Saint) Benedict’]//  a member of a Christian religious order of monks//  -- Benedictine adj //


Words: benedictine
Meaning:
n [U and C]   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin: Benedictine; because it is made by Benedictine monks]//  a strong alcoholic drink that is a type of liqueur//


Words: benediction
Meaning:
n [U and C]   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Late Latin; Origin: benedictio, from  benedicere  ’to bless’, from  Latin bene  ’well’ +  dicere  ’to say’]//  a Christian prayer that asks God to protect and help someone//


Words: benefaction
Meaning:
n  formal   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Late Latin; Origin: benefactio, from  Latin bene factus  ’well done’]//  [U and C] something, especially money, that someone gives a person or organization in order to help them do something good or when someone gives money in this way//


Words: benefactor
Meaning:
n [C]   someone who gives money for a good purpose//  --An anonymous benefactor donated $2 million.//  benefactor of/to//  --a generous benefactor of the university//


Words: benefice
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: Medieval Latin beneficium, from  Latin,  ’favor’, from  beneficus  ’beneficent’, from  bene  ’well’ +  facere  ’to do’]//  the pay and position of a Christian priest who is in charge of a parish//


Words: beneficent
Meaning:
adj  formal   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Latin; Origin: beneficus;   BENEFICE]//  helping people, or resulting in something good//  --the beneficent properties of natural remedies//  -- beneficence n  [U] //  -- beneficently adv //


Words: beneficial
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Latin; Origin: beneficium;   BENEFICE]//  having a good effect//  → detrimental//  --a drug that has a beneficial effect on the immune system//  beneficial to/for//  --Cycling is highly beneficial to health and the environment.//  --an arrangement that is mutually beneficial  (=it has advantages for everyone who is involved) //  -- beneficially adv //


Words: beneficiary
Meaning:
n   plural  beneficiaries  [C] //\n  1 someone who gets advantages from an action or change:  beneficiary of//  --The rich were the main beneficiaries of the tax cuts.//\n  2 someone who receives money or property from someone else who has died:  beneficiary of//  --He was the chief beneficiary of his father’s will.//


Words: benefit
Meaning:
n   ----------//\n   1 advantage:\n   2 money from government:\n   3 extra things:\n   4 give somebody the benefit of the doubt:\n   5 with the benefit of hindsight/experience:\n   6 benefit concert/performance/match:  ----------//  [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Anglo-French; Origin: ben fet, from  Latin bene factum, from  bene factus;   BENEFACTION]//\n  1 ADVANTAGE:   [U and C] an advantage, improvement, or help that you get from something//  benefit of//  -- the benefits of contact lenses //  -- The new credit cards will  be of  great  benefit  to our customers. //  -- I never  had the benefit of  a university education. //  -- We want him to  get  maximum  benefit from  the course. //  -- We’re just beginning to  reap the benefits of  all our hard work. //  --You need to spend at least a week there to get  the full benefit .//  --Could you just explain again  for  Mark’s  benefit ?//  --I hope that the decision taken today will be  to the benefit of  the whole nation. //  --My proposition, I assure you, would be to our  mutual benefit. //  -- Most motorists manage  without the benefit of  four-wheel drive. //  -- the airport’s  economic benefit  to the region//  -- the  health benefits  of moderate wine consumption //  --How does one decide whether the economic costs of regulation will  outweigh  the economic benefits ?//\n  2 MONEY FROM GOVERNMENT:   [U and C]  BrE money provided by the government to people who are sick, unemployed, or have little money//  American Equivalent:  welfare//  unemployment/housing/child etc benefit //  --You might be entitled to housing benefit.//  on benefit//  --families on benefit//  --those people eligible to claim benefit //\n  3 EXTRA THINGS:   [C usually plural] extra money or other advantages that you get as part of your job or from insurance that you have//  --We offer an excellent salary and benefits package .//  --medical benefits//    fringe benefit//\n  4  give sb the benefit of the doubt:  to accept what someone tells you even though you think they may be wrong or lying, but you cannot be sure//  --The referee gave him the benefit of the doubt.//\n  5  with the benefit of hindsight/experience:  used to say it is easier to know the right thing to do after something has happened or if you have a lot of experience//  --He admitted that with the benefit of hindsight the original launch had not been large enough.//\n  6  benefit concert/performance/match:  a concert, performance etc arranged to make money for charity//  --a benefit concert for famine relief//  ----------//  COLLOCATES for sense 1 //  be of benefit (to somebody)  (=be useful to someone) //  have the benefit of something //  get/gain/derive benefit (from something) //  reap the benefits (of something)  (=enjoy the advantages of something) //  the full benefit (of something) //  for somebody’s benefit //  be to the benefit of somebody //  mutual benefit (=useful to two or more people) //  with/without the benefit (of something)  (=using/not using something) //  economic/financial/social benefits //  health benefits //  something outweighs the benefits of something (=something is more important than the benefits) //  ----------//\nbenefit 2 W3S2 v   past tense and past participle  benefited present participle  benefiting //  [I and T] if you benefit from something or it benefits you, it gives you an advantage, improves your life, or helps you in some way//  --They are working together to benefit the whole community.//  benefit from/by//  --Many thousands have benefited from the new treatment.//  --They would benefit by reducing their labour costs.//  benefit greatly/enormously/considerably etc //  --I’m sure you’ll benefit greatly from the visit.//


Words: Benefits Agency
Meaning:
the   a British government organization which pays money to people who are unemployed, old, or ill//


Words: benevolent
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Latin; Origin: bene  ’well’ +  volens (present participle of  velle  ’to wish’)]//  kind and generous//  --A benevolent uncle paid for her to have music lessons.//  --a benevolent smile//  -- benevolence n  [U] //  -- benevolently adv //


Words: Bengali
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: Hindi; Origin: Bangali, from  Bangal  ’Bengal’, area of Bangladesh and eastern India]//\n  1 [U] the language used in Bangladesh and West Bengal:\n  2 [C] someone from Bengal:  -- Bengali adj //


Words: benighted
Meaning:
adj  literary   [Date: 1600-1700; Origin: benighted  ’trapped by the darkness of the night’ (16-20 centuries), from  night]//  having no knowledge or understanding//  -- benightedly adv //


Words: benign
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: benigne, from  Latin benignus, from  bene  ’well’ +  gigni  ’to be born’]//\n  1 kind and gentle:  --He shook his head in benign amusement.//\n  2 a benign tumour (=unnatural growth in the body)  is not caused by cancer:  → malignant//


Words: Benin
Meaning:
the People’s Republic of   a country in West Africa, between Togo and Nigeria. Population: 6,591,000 (2001). Capital: Porto Novo.//


Words: Bennett
Meaning:
Arnold   (1867-1931) a British whose novels about the ’Five Towns’ describe the lives of ordinary people in the area of the Midlands in the UK, where pottery was made//\n Tony   (1925-), a US singer who made several best-selling records in the 1950s and 1960s including  I Left My Heart in San Francisco.//


Words: Benny
Meaning:
Jack   (1894-1974) a US comedian who had a very popular radio programme and later a popular television programme, called The Jack Benny Show. He is famous for pretending to always be 39, for playing the violin badly, and for making jokes about how much he dislikes spending money.//


Words: bent
Meaning:
the past tense and past participle of bend//\nbent 2 adj   1 something that is bent is no longer flat or straight//  --a bent nail//  --Stand with your knees slightly bent.//  --He breathed in deeply, bent double in pain (=with the top part of your body leaning forward towards your legs) .//  --a bent old man (=not standing straight) //\n  2  bent on sth:  completely determined to do something, especially something bad//  --a crowd of hooligans bent on violence//  be bent on doing sth//  --They seemed bent on destroying his career.//    hell-bent//\n  3  BrE  informal financially dishonest and willing to use your official position unfairly:  → honest//  --a bent policeman//\n  4  BrE  informal  not polite an insulting word meaning homosexual:\n  5  bent out of shape:   AmE  spoken very angry or upset//\nbent 3 n [singular]   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin: bent  ’curve’ (16-19 centuries), from   BEND1]//   formal special natural skill or interest in a particular area//  musical/artistic/literary etc bent //  --readers of a more literary bent//


Words: Bentham
Meaning:
Jeremy   (1748-1832) a British philosopher who believed that the actions of people and governments should be based on what would bring happiness to the largest number of people//


Words: Benz
Meaning:
AmE   an informal name for a Mercedes-Benz car//    Merc//\n Karl   (1844-1929) a German engineer who built the first petrol-driven car in 1885. His factory later joined with one started by Gottlieb Daimler, and became the Mercedes-Benz car company.//


Words: benzene
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin: bezoin type of chemical compound obtained from a tree  (16-21 centuries), from  Old French benjoin, from  Catalan benju[hA16E], from  Arabic luban jawi  ’frankincense of Java’]//  a liquid obtained from coal, used for making plastics//


Words: benzine
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: German; Origin: benzin, from  benzoin;   BENZENE]//  a liquid obtained from petroleum, used to clean clothes//


Words: Beowulf
Meaning:
an epic (=long poem about gods and great men and women)  written in the 8th century in Old English, about a man called Beowulf who kills a powerful frightening creature and becomes a king//


Words: bequeath
Meaning:
v [T]   [Language: Old English; Origin: becwethan, from  cwethan  ’to say’]//\n  1 to officially arrange for someone to have something that you own after your death:   leave//  bequeath sth to sb//  --She bequeathed her collection of paintings to the National Gallery.//  bequeath sb sth//  --His father bequeathed him a fortune.//\n  2 to pass knowledge, customs etc to people who come after you or live after you:


Words: bequest
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Origin: bequeath]//   formal money or property which you arrange to give to someone after your death//  --a bequest of $5000//


Words: berate
Meaning:
v [T + for]   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin: rate  ’to berate’ (14-20 centuries)]//   formal to speak angrily to someone because they have done something wrong//


Words: bereaved
Meaning:
adj   [Language: Old English; Origin: bereafian, from  reafian  ’to rob’]//\n  1 having lost a close friend or relative because they have recently died:  --a bereaved mother//\n  2  the bereaved:  the person or people whose close friend or relative has just died//  --Our sympathies go to the bereaved.//


Words: bereavement
Meaning:
n [U and C]    formal when someone loses a close friend or relative because they have died//  --depression caused by bereavement or divorce//


Words: bereft
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin:  Old form of  bereaved]//\n  1  bereft of hope/meaning/life etc:  completely without any hope etc//  --The team now seems bereft of inspiration.//\n  2 feeling very sad and lonely:  --His death in 1990 left her completely bereft.//


Words: beret
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: French; Origin: beret, from  Proven[hA168]al berret]//  a round cap with a tight band around the head and a soft loose top part//


Words: Bergerac
Meaning:
Cyrano de   (1619-55) a French writer and soldier who fought more than 1000 duels (=fights between two people)  and was famous for his extremely large nose. His name is also the title of a famous play about his life, written by Edmond Rostand..//


Words: Bergman
Meaning:
Ingmar   (1918- ) a Swedish film maker and one of the most important  directors in the history of the cinema. His films, which include The Seventh Seal (1956) and  Fanny and Alexander (1983), often deal with very serious subjects, and with characters who experience a lot of emotional suffering.//\n Ingrid   (1915-82) a Swedish actress who became internationally famous. She appeared with Humphrey Bogart in the film  Casablanca.//


Words: beriberi
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: Sinhalese; Origin: b[zB024]rib[zB024]ri  ’weakness’]//  a disease of the nerves caused by lack of vitamins//


Words: Bering Strait
Meaning:
the Bering Strait//  a narrow passage of water between Asia and North America that connects the Bering Sea to the Arctic Ocean//


Words: berk
Meaning:
n [C]  BrE  informal   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin: Berkeley hunt, rhyming slang for  cunt, originally the name of a fox-hunting association]//  a stupid person//  --No, you berk, they only do that in films!//


Words: Berkeley
Meaning:
a city on the eastern side of the San Francisco Bay area in California. It is well known for its university.//\n Busby   (1895-1976) a US  choreographer (=someone whose job is to arrange the movements in a dance)  who directed the dancing in many films in the 1930s. He is known for his impressive and imaginative style of dances, which were usually performed by groups of young women.//


Words: Berkeley Square
Meaning:
a square in London known in the 17th and 18th centuries as the home of many famous people including Robert Walpole and Clive of India//


Words: Berlin
Meaning:
the capital city of Germany. Berlin was divided into East Berlin and West Berlin after World War II. It became a united city again when the Berlin Wall was destroyed in 1989.//\n Irving   (1888-1989) a US songwriter who wrote many popular songs and successful musicals (=plays or films that use singing and dancing to tell a story) . His songs include Alexander’s Ragtime Band and  White Christmas.//


Words: Berlin Wall
Meaning:
a wall that divided East and West Berlin, which was built in 1961 and destroyed in 1989. The communist government of East Germany built the wall in order to prevent people from escaping to West Berlin.//


Words: Bermuda
Meaning:
a group of islands in the West Atlantic Ocean which is a popular place for tourists. Bermuda is a British colony, but has its own local government. Population: 64,000 (2001). Capital: Hamilton. //


Words: Bermuda Triangle
Meaning:
the Bermuda Triangle//  an area in the West Atlantic Ocean between Bermuda, Florida, and Puerto Rico. Some people believe that many ships and aircraft have disappeared here without any reason.//


Words: Bern
Meaning:
also  Berne\n  1 the capital city of Switzerland and of Bern  canton, on the Aare River. The Swiss government and various international organizations are based there.:\n  2 a canton of Switzerland :    canton//


Words: Bernadette
Meaning:
Saint  also St Bernadette of Lourdes   (1844-79) a girl who claimed to have seen the Virgin Mary at Lourdes, which made Lourdes a place of pilgrimage, especially for the sick//


Words: Bernhardt
Meaning:
Sarah   (1844-1923) a famous French actress. Many people think of her as one of the best actresses ever.//


Words: Bernstein
Meaning:
Leonard   (1918-90) a US musician, famous both as a  conductor of classical music and as a writer of popular  musicals (=plays or films that use singing and dancing to tell a story) , including West Side Story.//


Words: Berra
Meaning:
Yogi   (1925- ) a famous US  baseball player for the New York Yankees team from 1946 to the 1960s, who was the  MVP (=most valuable player) of the American League in 1951, 1954, and 1956. He later became a  coach, and he is famous for saying "It ain’t over till it’s over".//


Words: Berry
Meaning:
Chuck   (1926- ) a US singer,  guitar player, and songwriter whose music was in the  rhythm and blues style. His many popular songs include  Johnny B. Goode and  No Particular Place to Go, and his style had a big influence on 1960s musicians such as the  Rolling Stones.//


Words: berry
Meaning:
n   plural  berries  [C] //  [Language: Old English; Origin: berie]//  a small soft fruit with small seeds//


Words: berserk
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Old Norse; Origin: berserkr  ’wild fighter’, from  bj[hA177]rn  ’bear’ +  serkr  ’shirt’]//  go berserk//   informal to become very angry and violent//  --Dad went berserk when he found out.//


Words: berth
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1600-1700; Origin:  Probably from  bear  ’to carry’]//\n  1 a place where a ship can stop and be tied up:\n  2 a place for someone to sleep in a ship or on a train:   bunk//    give sb/sth a wide berth at wide1 (7)//\nberth 2 v [I and T]   to bring a ship into a berth or arrive at a berth//


Words: beryl
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1100-1200; Language: Old French; Origin: beril, from  Latin beryllus, from  Greek beryllos]//  a valuable stone that is usually green or yellow//


Words: beseech
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  besought /-’s[hA350][hA359]t $ -s[hA361][hA359]t/ or  beseeched  [T]  literary //  [Date: 1100-1200; Origin: seek]//  to eagerly and anxiously ask someone for something//   beg//


Words: beset
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  beset present participle  besetting  [T]  formal //\n  1 [usually passive] to make someone experience serious problems or dangers:  beset sb with/by sth//  --The business has been beset with financial problems.//  --the injuries which have beset the team all season//\n  2  besetting sin:  a particular bad feature or habit - often used humorously//


Words: beside
Meaning:
W2S3   prep   [Language: Old English; Origin: be sidan  ’at or to the side’]//\n  1 next to or very close to the side of someone or something:  --Wendy came up and sat beside me.//  --the table beside the bed//  --I was standing right beside her at the time.//\n  2 in comparison with something or someone:  --This year’s sales figures don’t look very good beside last year’s results.//  --The children seemed tiny beside him.//\n  3  be beside yourself:  to be feeling so angry, excited etc that you find it difficult to control yourself//  --The poor girl was almost beside herself.//  be beside yourself with anger/excitement/rage etc //  --Mom and Dad will be beside themselves with worry.//\n  4  be beside the point:  to not be directly connected with the main subject or problem that you are talking about//  --Yes, he’s a very charming young man, but that’s beside the point.//  ----------//  HINT sense 1 //  Do not confuse beside (=next to) and besides (=in addition to) : He sat down beside Mary.| Who was there besides you? //  ----------//


Words: besides
Meaning:
adv, prep  informal \n  1  spoken used when adding another reason:  --I need the money. And besides, when I agree to do something, I do it.//\n  2 in addition to someone or something else that you are mentioning:  --The area has stunning scenery, beautiful beaches, and much more besides.//  --People choose jobs for other reasons besides money.//  --Besides myself, the only English people there were Keith and Doreen.//  besides doing sth//  --Besides being heartbroken, she felt foolish. see usage note  except1 //


Words: besiege
Meaning:
v [T] \n  1 to surround a city or castle with military force until the people inside let you take control:  --In April 655, Osman’s palace was besieged by rebels.//\n  2 [usually passive] if people, worries, thoughts etc, besiege you, you are surrounded by them:  --Miller was besieged by press photographers.//\n  3  be besieged with letters/demands/requests etc:  to receive a very large number of letters, requests etc//


Words: besmirch
Meaning:
v [T]   [Date: 1600-1700; Origin: smirch  ’to make dirty’ (15-20 centuries), perhaps from  Old French esmorcher  ’to torture’]//   literary  besmirch sb’s honour/reputation//  to spoil the good opinion that people have of someone//


Words: besotted
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin: sot  ’to cause to appear stupid’ (14-17 centuries), from  sot  ’stupid person’ (11-18 centuries);   SOT]//  be besotted (with sb/sth)//  to love or want someone or something so much that you cannot think or behave sensibly//  --He’s completely besotted with her.//


Words: bespeak
Meaning:
v [T]   past tense  bespoke /-sp[hA353][hA35E]k $ -spo[hA35E]k///  past participle  bespoken /-sp[hA353][hA35E]k[hA353]n $ -spo[hA35E]-/ literary //  to be a sign of something//


Words: bespoke
Meaning:
adj  BrE   [Date: 1700-1800; Origin:  Old past participle of  bespeak  ’to place an order for something’]//  a bespoke product, especially computer software or a piece of clothing, has been specially made for a particular customer//  --the cost of development of a bespoke system//  --bespoke tailoring//


Words: Bessie Smith
Meaning:
(1895-1937) a US  blues singer who was very popular in the 1920s, and whose style influenced many later musicians. Many people know the story of how she died after a car crash, when she was not allowed to enter a hospital for white people because she was black.//\n Delia   (1941- ) a British woman who writes books and makes very popular television programmes that teach people how to cook. Her books are among the most popular books sold in the UK, and people often simply call her ’Delia’.//  --Have you tried Delia’s fish pie recipe?//\n Ian   (1919- ) the Prime Minister of Rhodesia from 1964 to 1978. He made Rhodesia independent of the UK without British agreement, with a government of only white people, although most people in the country were black.//    Zimbabwe//\n Joseph   (1805-44) a US religious leader who started the  Mormon religion. He described how an  angel showed him where two golden  tablets (=flat pieces of metal with words cut into them)  were buried in a hill in the state of New York. He translated the writing on the tablets and it became the  Book of Mormon, the holy book of the Mormon religion//


Words: best
Meaning:
adj [superlative of good]   [Language: Old English; Origin: betst]//\n  1 better than anything else or anyone else in quality, skill, how effective it is etc:  --He won the best actor award.//  --What’s the best way to cook this fish?//  --The best thing to do is to stop worrying.//  it’s best to do sth//  --It’s best to go later in the season.//  easily the best/by far the best (=much better than anything else) //  --John’s idea is by far the best option.//  --Our pilots are given the best possible training.//  --We use only the very best ingredients.//\n  2  best friend:  the friend that you know and like better than anyone else//  --She was my best friend in college.//\n  3  best dress/shoes/clothes etc:  clothing that you keep for special occasions//  --I put on my best suit especially.//\n  4  the next best thing:  something that is not exactly what you want but is as similar to it as possible//  --If sterile equipment isn’t available, the next best thing is to clean equipment with disinfectant.//\n  5  best of all:  used to introduce the fact about a situation that is even better than the other good things//  --It’s clean and well-located, but best of all, it’s affordable.//\n  6  best before:   BrE written on food packets with the date which the food should be eaten before//  --Best before 13 July.//  --a best-before date//    be on your best behaviour at behaviour(2),  your best bet at bet2 (2),  the best/better part of at part1 (6)//\nbest 2 adv [superlative of well] \n  1 in a way that is better than any other:  --It works best if you let it warm up first.//  --This can best be described as a series of steps.//  --the best-dressed man in Paris//\n  2 to the greatest degree:   most//  --You know him best - you should ask him.//  --The part I like best is the meal afterwards.//  --He’s perhaps best known for his role in ’Midnight Cowboy.’//\n  3  as best you can:   spoken as well as you can, even if this is not very good//  --I’ll try and fix it as best I can.//\n  4  had best:   spoken ought to//  --We’d best be getting back.//    had better at better2 (3)//\nbest 3 n \n  1  the best:  a) the most helpful, most successful etc situation or results that you can achieve//  --We all want the best for our children.//  --It’s the best we can do in the circumstances.//  b) the person or thing that is better than any other//  --She’s the best of the new young writers.//\n  2  do your best:  to try as hard as you can to do something//  --As long as you do your best, we’ll be happy.//  do your best to do sth//  --She did her best to make him comfortable.//\n  3  at best:  used to emphasize that something is not very good, pleasant, honest etc even if you consider it in the best possible way//  --The campaign was at best only partially successful.//  --The technique is at best ineffective and at worst dangerous.//\n  4  to the best of your ability/knowledge/belief etc:  used to say that something is as much as you know, believe, or are able to do//  --I’m sure he’ll do the work to the best of his ability.//\n  5  not the best of sth:  used to say that something is not very good or could be better//  --He hasn’t been in the best of health lately.//  --They didn’t part on the best of terms .//\n  6  with the best of intentions/for the best of reasons:  used to mean that someone does something with good intentions or for good reasons, even if the result is not always good//  --I’m sure he went there with the best of intentions.//\n  7  the best of both worlds:  a situation in which you have the advantages of two different things without any of the disadvantages//  --They live in a village but it’s only an hour from London so they have the best of both worlds.//\n  8  at your best:  performing as well or effectively as you are able to//  --At her best, she’s a really stylish player.//  --He was never at his best early in the morning.//\n  9  make the best of sth:  to accept a situation which is not very good, and do whatever you can to make it better//  --We are stuck here so we might as well make the best of it.//  make the best of a bad job/situation etc  BrE //\n  10  all the best:  used to express good wishes to someone for the future//  --We’d just like to wish him all the best in his new job.//  all the best for//  --All the best for the New Year!//\n  11  at the best of times:  if something is not very good, pleasant etc at the best of times, it is usually even worse than this//  --It’s crowded at the best of times but today it was unbearable.//\n  12  the best of a bad lot/bunch:   BrE the least bad person or thing in a group of not very good people or things//\n  13  be for the best:   especially spoken used to say that a particular event may seem bad now, but might have a good result later//  --I still don’t want him to go but maybe it’s for the best.//\n  14  your Sunday best:   old-fashioned your best clothes, which you only wear on special occasions//\nbest 4 v [T]    old-fashioned to defeat someone//


Words: best practice
Meaning:
n [U and C]   a description of the best way of performing a particular activity, especially in business, that can be used by other people or companies as a set of rules to follow//  --We are currently developing a number of best practices to enhance network security.//


Words: best-seller
Meaning:
bestseller/bestsel[hA353] $ -[hA353]r/ n [C]   a popular product, especially a book, which many people buy//  --His new book went straight to number one on the best-seller list .//  --The game is already a bestseller in Japan.//  -- best-selling adj  [only before noun] //  --a best-selling author//  --the UK’s best-selling album//


Words: bestial
Meaning:
adj  literary   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: Latin bestialis, from  bestia  ’beast’]//  behaving like an animal, especially in a cruel way//  --bestial and barbaric acts//  -- bestially adv //


Words: bestiary
Meaning:
n   plural  bestiaries  [C] //  [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Medieval Latin; Origin: bestiarium, from  Latin bestia;   BESTIAL]//  an old book about strange animals, written in the Middle Ages//


Words: bestow
Meaning:
v [T]   [Date: 1300-1400; Origin: stow]//   formal to give someone something of great value or importance//  bestow sth on/upon sb//  --honours bestowed on him by the Queen//


Words: bet
Meaning:
S1   v   past tense and past participle  bet present participle  betting //\n  1 [I and T] to risk money on the result of a race, game, competition, or other future event:    gamble//  --How much do you want to bet?//  bet (sb) that//  --He bet me [hA124]10 that I wouldn’t do it.//  bet (sth) on sth//  --She bet all her money on a horse that came last.//  bet against//  --I wouldn’t bet against him winning the championship this year.//\n  2  I bet:  I’ll bet //   spoken //  a) used to say that you are fairly sure that something is true, something is happening etc, although you cannot prove this//  --I bet Nigel’s sitting at home now laughing his head off.//  --Bet you wish you’d arrived earlier.//  --I bet you she won’t come.//  b) used to show that you understand or can imagine the situation that someone has just told you about//  --’God, I was so angry.’ ’I bet you were.’//  --’It makes things much easier.’ ’Yeah, I’ll bet it does.’//  c) used to show that you do not believe what someone has just told you//  --’I’m definitely going to give up smoking this time.’ ’Yeah, I bet!’//\n  3  you bet!:   spoken used to emphasize that you agree with someone or are keen to do what they suggest//  --’Going to the party on Saturday?’ ’ You bet!’//\n  4  you (can) bet your life/your bottom dollar:   spoken used when you are sure that you know what someone will do or what will happen//  --You can bet your bottom dollar he won’t be back.//\n  5  (do you) want to bet?/wanna bet?:   spoken used to say that you think something that someone has just said is not true or not likely to happen//  --’I’m sure Tom’ll be here soon.’ ’Wanna bet?’//\n  6  don’t bet on it:  I wouldn’t bet on it //   spoken used to say that you do not think something is likely to happen//  --He said he’d finish by tomorrow, but I wouldn’t bet on it.//\nbet 2 n [C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin:  Perhaps from  abet  ’support, help’ (14-16 centuries), from  abet  ’to help’]//\n  1 an agreement to risk money on the result of a race, game etc or on something happening, or the money that you risk:  --a [hA124]50 bet//  bet on//  --A few of us  had  a  bet  on who’d get married first.//  place/put/lay a bet //  --We placed bets on three horses.//  --Bookmakers are already taking bets on the outcome.//  win/lose a bet //  --If he scores now, I’ll win my bet.//\n  2  your best bet:   spoken used when advising someone what to do//  --Your best bet is to put an advert in the local newspaper.//  --The train might be a better bet.//\n  3  a good/safe bet:  an action or situation that is likely to be successful or does not involve much risk//  --If you’re looking for long-term growth, the government’s own saving certificates are a pretty good bet.//    hedge your bets at hedge2 (2)//\n  4  it’s a safe/sure/fair bet (that):   spoken used to say that something seems almost certain//  --I think it’s a pretty safe bet that he’ll get the job.//\n  5  my bet:   spoken used when saying what you expect to happen in the future//  --My bet is he’ll be back this time next week.//\n  6  do sth for a bet:  to do something stupid, dangerous etc to win money from someone or to prove that you can do it//  --He climbed the tree for a bet.//


Words: beta
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Greek]//  [singular] the second letter of the Greek alphabet, 兝; or B//


Words: beta test
Meaning:
n [C]  technical   a test of software in which it is given to customers to use, so that any problems will be found//    alpha test//


Words: beta version
Meaning:
n [C]  technical   software that is being tested by people who will use it, to see if it works properly//    alpha version//


Words: bete noire
Meaning:
n [singular]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: French; Origin: ’black beast’]//  sb’s bete noire//  the person or thing that someone dislikes most//


Words: betel
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Portuguese; Origin: Tamil verrilai]//  a plant whose leaves have a fresh taste, and which some people chew, especially in Asia//


Words: betel nut
Meaning:
n [U and C]   small pieces of red nut with a bitter taste, that are wrapped in a betel leaf and chewed//


Words: Bethany
Meaning:
a village near Jerusalem and the  Mount of Olives where several of the important events of the New Testament took place//


Words: Bethlehem
Meaning:
a town on the West Bank of the River Jordan, near Jerusalem, thought to be where Jesus Christ was born//


Words: betide
Meaning:
v   [Date: 1100-1200; Origin: tide  ’to happen’ (11-19 centuries), from  Old English tidan]//  woe betide sb//  used to say that someone will be in trouble if they do something - often humorous//  --Woe betide anyone who wakes the baby!//


Words: Betjeman
Meaning:
Sir John   (1906-84) a British poet who became Poet Laureate (=the poet employed by the Queen to write special poems on important occasions) , and who wrote many humorous poems about British society//


Words: betray
Meaning:
v [T]   ----------//\n   1 friends:\n   2 country:\n   3 emotions:\n   4 truth:\n   5 betray your beliefs/principles/ideals etc:  ----------//  [Date: 1200-1300; Origin: tray  ’to betray’ (13-16 centuries), from  Old French tra[hA170]r, from  Latin tradere;   TRAITOR]//\n  1 FRIENDS:  to be disloyal to someone who trusts you so that they are harmed or upset//  --He felt that she had betrayed him.//  betray sb to sb//  --What kind of man would betray his own sister to the police?//  --She had betrayed her parents’ trust .//  --I would never betray a confidence  (=tell a secret which someone has trusted me with) .//\n  2 COUNTRY:  to be disloyal to your country, company etc, for example by giving secret information to its enemies//  --people who betray their country for money//\n  3 EMOTIONS:   [not in progressive or passive] to show feelings that you are trying to hide//   give away//  --His voice betrayed his nervousness.//  --His face betrayed nothing  (=showed no emotion) .//\n  4 TRUTH:  to show that something is true or exists, especially when it is not easily noticed//   give away//  --The slightest sound might betray his presence .//  --The crumpled sheets betrayed the fact that someone had been sleeping there.//\n  5  betray your beliefs/principles/ideals etc:  to stop supporting your old beliefs and principles, especially in order to get power or avoid trouble//  -- betrayer n  [C] //


Words: betrayal
Meaning:
n [U and C]   when you betray your country, friends, or someone who trusts you//  betrayal of//  --a ruthless betrayal of their election pledges//  --She felt a great sense of betrayal .//


Words: betrothed
Meaning:
adj  old-fashioned   [Date: 1300-1400; Origin: troth  ’truth, promise’ (13-19 centuries);   TROTH]//\n  1  be betrothed to sb:  to have promised to marry someone//\n  2  sb’s betrothed:  the person that someone has agreed to marry//  -- betroth v  [T] //


Words: better
Meaning:
adj   [Language: Old English; Origin: betera]//\n  1 [comparative of good] more useful, interesting, satisfactory, effective, suitable etc:  → worse//  --Your stereo is better than mine.//  --a better job with a better salary//  --There must be a better way to do this.//  --a better-quality car//  much/a lot/far better //  --We now have a much better understanding of the disease.//  better still/even better //  --It was even better than last year.//\n  2 [comparative of well] :  a) more healthy or less ill or painful than before//  → worse//  --She is a little better today, the doctor says.//  --I’m feeling much better , thank you.//  b) completely well again after an illness//  --When you’re better we can see about planning a trip.//  --I hope he gets better  (=recovers from an illness) soon.//\n  3  it is better/it would be better:  used to give your opinion or make a suggestion about what you think should be done or happen//  it is better to do sth//  --It’s much better to get a proper written agreement.//  it is better/it would be better if//  --It might be better if you stayed here.//\n  4  get better:  to improve//  --Her English isn’t really getting any better.//  --Things can only get better.//\n  5  no better:  a) not better than something else or something before//  --The following day the weather was no better.//  --John’s no better; he never does any washing up either.//  b) used to say that something is the best//  there is no better way/example/place etc //  --There’s no better way of exploring the region.//\n  6  nothing better:  a) used to say that you really like something or think that something is very good//  like/love/enjoy nothing better (than) //  --She likes nothing better than a nice long walk along the beach.//  --There’s nothing better than beating someone who’s playing well.//  b) used to say that a thing or situation is not very good, but is the only thing possible or available//  have nothing better to do //  --Have you got nothing better to do than sit there playing that silly game?//  --I only picked it up because there was nothing better to read.//\n  7  that’s better:   spoken used to say that something has improved, that you are happier or more comfortable, or to encourage someone//  --Ah, that’s better. I needed to sit down.//  --Move it left a bit. Yes, that’s better.//  --’Can you turn it down a bit?’ ’Is that better?’//\n  8  better late than never:   spoken used to say that even if something happens late or someone arrives late, this is better than it not happening or their not arriving at all//    your better half/other half at half2 (8)//    the best/better part of sth at part1 (9)//    against your better judgment at judgment(1)//    sb’s better nature at nature(2)//    better luck next time at luck1 (14)//    better the devil you know at devil(11)//    have seen better days at see1 (30)//  ----------//  HINT sense 1 //  Better is a comparative form. Do not say ’more better’. //  ----------//\nbetter 2 adv [comparative of well] \n  1 to a higher standard or quality:  → worse//  --He can speak French a lot better than I can.//  --Your bike will run better if you oil it.//    fare better at fare2 //\n  2 to a higher degree:   more//  --She knows this town better than you do.//  --I think I like the red one better.//  --Potter is better known for his TV work.//\n  3  had better:  a) used to give advice about what someone should do or to say what you should do or need to do//  --I’d better go and get ready.//  --I think you’d better ask Jo first.//  --Better just check she’s okay.//  --You had better not tell Oliver (=it is not a good idea) .//  b) used to threaten someone//  --You’d better keep your mouth shut about this.//\n  4  do better:  to perform better or reach a higher standard//  --We did better than all the other schools.//  --You can do better than that!//\n  5  the sooner the better/the bigger the better etc:  used to emphasize that you would prefer something to happen as soon as possible, want something to be as big as possible etc//  --School finishes at the end of the week, and the sooner the better as far as I’m concerned.//  --The younger you start learning a language, the better you’ll speak it.//\n  6  go one better (than sb):   informal to do something more successfully than someone else//  --The following year Lewis went one better by winning the gold medal.//  --Of course, they had to go one better and have the whole garden redesigned.//    better off//  ----------//  HINT sense 3 //  In speech, people usually shorten  had to ’d, and may not pronounce it at all. But do not leave out had or ’d in writing: You’d better come here (NOT You better)! //  ----------//\nbetter 3 n \n  1  the better:  the one that is higher in quality, more suitable etc when you are comparing two similar people or things//  --It’s hard to decide which one’s the better.//\n  2  get the better of sb:  a) if your feelings or wishes get the better of you, they make you behave in a way you would not normally behave//  --My curiosity finally got the better of me and I opened the letter.//  --I think her nerves got the better of her.//  b) to defeat someone or deal successfully with a problem//\n  3  for the better:  in a way that improves the situation//  --a definite change for the better //  --The President’s fortunes seem, at last, to have taken a turn for the better  (=started to improve) .//\n  4  so much the better:  used to say that something would be even better or bring even more advantages//  --If they can do them both at the same time, then so much the better.//\n  5  be all the better for sth:  to be improved by a particular action, change etc//  --I think it’s all the better for that extra ten minutes’ cooking.//\n  6  for better or (for) worse:  used to say that something must be accepted, whether it is good or bad, because it cannot be changed//  --Work is, for better or worse, becoming more flexible nowadays.//\n  7  your betters:   old-fashioned people who are more important than you or deserve more respect//    worse2 //    elders and betters at elder2 (2)//\nbetter 4 v [T] \n  1 to be higher in quality, amount etc than someone or something else:  --His total of five gold medals is unlikely to be bettered.//\n  2  better yourself:  to improve your position in society by getting a better education or earning more money//\n  3  formal to improve something:  --bettering the lot of the working classes//


Words: Better Business Bureau
Meaning:
the   a US organization for businesses and their customers. When customers believe they have been treated unfairly by a company or have bought a bad product, they often ask the Better Business Bureau for advice.//


Words: Better Homes and Gardens
Meaning:
a US magazine with lots of pictures of beautiful houses, and articles about how to make your home more beautiful. There is a similar magazine in the UK called  Homes and Gardens.//


Words: better off
Meaning:
adj [no comparative] \n  1 having more money than someone else or than you had before:  → worse off//  --She’ll be about [hA124]50 a week better off.//    well-off(1)//\n  2 happier, improved, more successful etc:  → worse off//  better off with/without//  --I think she’s better off without him.//  be better off doing sth (=used to give advice or an opinion) //  --He’d be better off starting with something simpler.//


Words: betterment
Meaning:
n [singular]    formal improvement, especially in someone’s social and economic position//  for the betterment of sb/sth//  --social change for the betterment of society as a whole//


Words: betting
Meaning:
n \n  1 [U] when people risk money on the results of games, competitions etc or other future events:    gambling//\n  2  what’s the betting:  the betting is //   BrE used to say that something seems very likely to happen or to be true//  --What’s the betting Dan’s involved in this somewhere?//


Words: betting shop
Meaning:
n [C]   a place in Britain where people go to place bets on the results of races, competitions etc//   bookmaker’s//


Words: Betty Boop
Meaning:
a US cartoon strip character originally drawn in 1930. Betty Boop is an attractive slightly silly young woman with a very short dress, short curled black hair, and large eyes. //


Words: Betty Crocker
Meaning:
a US company that makes mixes, sold in packets, for cakes and other sweet baked foods, and that also sells  cookbooks and other related cooking things//


Words: Betty Ford Clinic
Meaning:
the   an hospital in the US where rich and famous people go for treatment to help them stop drinking too much alcohol or taking illegal drugs//


