B
- behind preposition, adverb
Behind means at the back of something: «behind the tree». - behold verb (beholds, beheld, beholding); old use in tales
1) To behold is to see or look at something, especially something wonderful. 2) («Behold!») Look! Pay attention to what comes next. - beholden adjective (no -er form used; old use); in the tales often «beholden to»
To be beholden to someone is to feel you owe them thanks because they helped you. - beholder noun (beholders); old or literary use
A beholder is a person who looks at something, a person who sees it. - beholding the -ing form of the verb behold (behold, beholds, beheld, beholding — old); noun (beholding — rare)
Looking at; seeing, especially something wonderful or surprising. - beige adjective (beige); noun (beige — a colour)
A pale, light brown colour, like sand or milky tea. - being noun (a being, beings; being, uncountable); verb, -ing form of be («being kind», «is being»); conjunction (being as — casual)
Being is the -ing form of be: «you're being silly», «being late is rude». - bel noun (a bel, bels); name (Bel — a name)
A unit for measuring how loud a sound is or comparing power levels; one bel is ten decibels. - belabour verb (belabours, belaboured, belabouring); American spelling «belabor»
To belabour someone is to beat them hard again and again, usually with a stick. - belarusian adjective (Belarusian); noun (a Belarusian, Belarusians; Belarusian — the language)
From or to do with Belarus, a country in eastern Europe between Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Russia and Ukraine. - belated adjective (belated)
1) Coming or happening later than it should have. - belay verb (belays, belayed, belaying); also a sailor's call (interjection: «belay!»); sailors' word
1) To belay a rope is to wind it round a post or pin so that it holds fast. 2) («Belay!») Stop! Stop what you are doing. - belch verb (belches, belched, belching); noun (a belch, belches)
To belch is to let wind come noisily up from the stomach through the mouth. - belfry noun (a belfry, belfries)
The tower, or the room at the top of a tower, where church bells hang. - belgian adjective (Belgian); noun (a Belgian, Belgians)
1) Belgian means from or connected with Belgium, a small country in western Europe. 2) (noun) A Belgian is a person from Belgium. - belief noun (a belief, beliefs; belief, uncountable)
A belief is something you think is true, even if you cannot prove it («a belief that ghosts exist»). - believable adjective (believable, more believable, most believable); opposite unbelievable
1) Easy to believe; seeming true or possible. 2) (of a character in a story or film) Seeming like a real person. - believe verb (believe, believes, believed, believing); noun belief
To believe something means to think it is true. - believer noun (a believer, believers)
1) Someone who believes in a god or a religion. 2) Someone who strongly thinks something is true or good. - bell noun (bell, bells)
A bell is a hollow metal thing, often shaped like a cup, that rings when you hit it or shake it. - belladonna noun (belladonna — uncountable; a plant)
A very poisonous plant, also called deadly nightshade, with purple flowers and shiny black berries. - belle noun (a belle, belles); French word (belle)
A belle is a very beautiful girl or woman, especially the most admired one at a party: «the belle of the ball». - bellicose adjective (more bellicose, most bellicose); formal or rare use
Bellicose means eager to start a fight or argument; ready to quarrel. - bellied adjective (-bellied, in compounds); verb, past form of «belly» (belly, bellies, bellied, bellying — rare)
Bellied is used in compound words to describe what kind of belly (tummy) something has: pot-bellied, big-bellied, red-bellied. - bellow verb (bellow, bellows, bellowed, bellowing); noun (a bellow, bellows)
To shout something in a very loud, deep voice, often in anger. - bellows noun (bellows — plural in form; a pair of bellows); verb form (bellow, bellows, bellowed, bellowing)
A tool with handles and a soft folding middle that pushes out a strong stream of air when you squeeze it, used to make a fire burn hotter. - belly noun (a belly, bellies)
The front part of the body between the chest and the legs, where the stomach is; the tummy. - belong verb (belong, belongs, belonged, belonging)
1) To belong to someone is to be owned by them. 2) To belong to a group is to be a member of it. 3) To belong is to be in the right place… - belongings noun (plural)
1) The things that you own and can carry or move, such as clothes, bags and toys. - beloved adjective (beloved); noun (a beloved, someone's beloved)
Loved very much: a beloved pet, a beloved teacher. - below preposition, adverb (below)
Below means lower than something or under it: «the flat below ours». - belt noun (a belt, belts); verb (belt, belts, belted, belting — informal)
A belt is a strip of leather, cloth or plastic worn around the waist to hold up trousers or as decoration. - beluga noun (a beluga, belugas)
1) A beluga (or beluga whale) is a white whale of the Arctic with a round head, no back fin, and a very wide range of whistles and clicks… - bemire verb (bemires, bemired, bemiring); old use
To bemire is to cover something with mud or to make it stick in mud and get dirty. - bemoan verb (bemoans, bemoaned, bemoaning); formal or old use
To bemoan something is to complain sadly about it, or to cry and grieve over it. - ben noun (a ben, bens — Scotland); name (Ben)
1) (a name) Ben is a boy's name, short for Benjamin. 2) (Scotland) A ben is a mountain or high peak, used in names like Ben Nevis. 3)… - bench noun (bench, benches)
A bench is a long seat for several people, often in a park, a garden or a school hall. - bend verb (bend, bends, bent, bending); noun (a bend, bends)
To bend is to make something curved, not straight. - beneath preposition; adverb
1) Under or below something. 2) beneath someone: not good enough for someone, or too low for them to do (often proud or rude). - benediction noun (benedictions); formal or old use
A benediction is a blessing; a kind wish said over someone, often asking for good luck or God's care. - benefactor noun (benefactors)
A benefactor is a person who helps others by giving them money, gifts, or kindness. - benefactress noun (benefactresses); the female form of benefactor
A benefactress is a woman or girl who helps others by giving gifts or kindness. - beneficence noun (beneficence; uncountable)
1) (formal) Doing good, being kind and generous to others. 2) (formal, church) The goodness and kindness of God or of a generous person. - beneficent adjective (more beneficent, most beneficent); formal or old use
Beneficent means kind and doing good; bringing good things to others. - beneficial adjective (beneficial, more beneficial, most beneficial); noun benefit
1) Good for you or helpful; having a good effect. 2) (formal) Giving an advantage or profit. - benefit noun (a benefit, benefits); verb (benefit, benefits, benefited, benefiting)
A benefit is something good or helpful that you get from something. - benevolence noun (no plural in common use)
Benevolence is kindness and goodwill; wanting good things for others and helping them. - benevolent adjective (more benevolent, most benevolent)
1) Kind and wanting to help people who are in trouble. - benighted adjective (old use)
1) (old use) caught out in the dark, when night comes before you reach home. 2) (old use) lacking knowledge or understanding. - benign adjective (benign, more benign)
1) Benign means kind, gentle and not harmful. 2) (medicine) A benign lump or tumour is not cancer and does not spread. - benjamin name (Benjamin); noun (a benjamin, benjamins — US slang)
Benjamin is a boy's name; short forms are Ben and Benji. - bennet proper noun (Bennet); noun (herb bennet — rare)
A family name; best known as the Bennet family, especially Elizabeth Bennet, in Jane Austen's novel "Pride and Prejudice". - bent adjective (bent); verb form (bend, bends, bent, bending)
Bent means not straight any more, curved or folded. - benumbed adjective (from benumb: benumb, benumbs, benumbed, benumbing)
1) Made numb, so that a person cannot feel or move properly, usually from cold. - bequeath verb (bequeath, bequeaths, bequeathed, bequeathing)
To leave money or belongings to someone in your will, so they get them after you die. - bereaved adjective (bereaved); noun (the bereaved — people who are grieving)
1) Having lost a close family member or friend because they died. 2) (noun, the bereaved) People whose loved one has recently died. - bereavement noun (a bereavement, bereavements; also uncountable)
1) (formal) The loss of a close relative or friend because they have died. 2) The sadness and time after such a loss. - bereft adjective (formal; used with 'of')
1) Left without something important, such as a loved one or a friend. - beret noun (a beret, berets)
A round, soft, flat hat without a brim, often made of wool or felt. - beriberi noun (beriberi — uncountable)
1) An illness caused by not having enough vitamin B1 (thiamine) in food; it can weaken the muscles, nerves and heart. - berlin noun, a name (Berlin)
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and its largest city. - berry noun (a berry, berries)
A berry is a small round juicy fruit with seeds, like a strawberry, blueberry or raspberry. - berth noun (plural berths)
A bed or bunk for sleeping on a ship or train. - beryl noun (beryl, beryls); proper noun (Beryl, a name)
A hard mineral that forms crystals, found in many colours; green beryl is emerald and blue-green beryl is aquamarine. - beseech verb (beseech, beseeches, beseeched or besought, beseeching)
1) To beg someone earnestly and with great feeling. - beseeching adjective (beseeching)
1) Asking in a begging, pleading way. - beset verb (beset, besets, beset, besetting) — mostly passive «be beset by/with»
To be beset by problems, dangers or worries is to have many of them troubling you from all sides. - besides preposition (besides); adverb (besides)
Besides means as well as, in addition to: Besides apples, we bought pears. - besiege verb (besiege, besieges, besieged, besieging)
To surround a castle, town or city with an army so that nobody can get in or out, to make it give up. - besieged verb, past form of besiege (besiege, besieges, besieged, besieging); adjective (besieged)
Surrounded by an army that is trying to capture a town or castle. - besieging verb, -ing form of besiege (besiege, besieges, besieged, besieging); adjective (besieging)
1) Surrounding a town, castle or fort with an army to make it give up. 2) Crowding round someone or something, or sending lots of requests. - besom noun (plural besoms)
1) (old use, in fairy tales) A broom made of twigs tied to a stick. - bespatter verb (bespatter, bespatters, bespattered, bespattering)
1) To splash or spot someone or something with mud, water or dirt. - besprinkle verb (besprinkle, besprinkles, besprinkled, besprinkling)
1) To scatter small drops or bits over something. - best adjective (good, better, best); adverb (well, better, best); noun (the best); verb (best someone — rare)
1) Better than all others: "the best player". 2) In the most suitable way: "Do what works best." 3) "Your best" means the most you can do… - bestir verb (bestir, bestirs, bestirred, bestirring); reflexive «bestir yourself» (old use)
1) To bestir is to get up and start moving or acting, often after being lazy. 2) «Bestir yourself» means hurry up and get busy. - bestow verb (bestow, bestows, bestowed, bestowing)
1) (formal) To bestow something on someone is to give it to them, especially an honour, gift or title. - bestowal noun (a bestowal, bestowals; also uncountable)
1) (formal) The act of giving something, such as an honour, gift or title, to someone. - bet verb (bet, bets, bet, betting); noun (a bet, bets)
To bet means to risk money or something on what you think will happen, and win more if you are right or lose it if you are wrong. - beta noun (beta, betas); adjective (beta — of a version)
Beta (β) is the second letter of the Greek alphabet, after alpha. - betel noun (betel, plural betels)
A betel is a climbing plant from Asia whose leaves are chewed with a nut, often after being mixed with spices. - beth noun (Beth, a name); noun (beth, the Hebrew letter ב)
Beth is a girl's name, a short form of Elizabeth or Bethany. - betide verb (betide, betides, betided, betiding) (old use; mostly used in «woe betide»)
To betide is to happen to someone, usually something bad. «Woe betide» means trouble will come to a person who does something. - betimes adverb (no other forms) (old use)
Betimes means early, or in good time before something happens. - betoken verb (betoken, betokens, betokened, betokening), formal
1) (formal) To be a sign of something; to show that something is true or is going to happen. - betray verb (betray, betrays, betrayed, betraying)
To betray someone is to hurt them by being disloyal, for example by telling their secret, breaking a promise or helping their enemy. - betrayal noun (a betrayal, betrayals; betrayal, uncountable)
Betrayal is breaking someone's trust, for example by telling their secret, lying to them or helping their enemy. - betroth verb (betroth, betroths, betrothed, betrothing) (old use or formal)
To betroth someone is to promise a person in marriage, so that they become engaged to be married. - betrothal noun (betrothal, betrothals)
A betrothal is a formal agreement or promise to marry; the time when two people are engaged to be married. - betrothed adjective (no other forms); also a noun, «my betrothed» (formal)
1) Betrothed means promised in marriage, engaged to be married. 2) A person's betrothed is the person they are engaged to marry. - better adjective (good, better, best); adverb (well, better, best); verb (better, betters, bettered — to improve); noun (your betters)
1) Better means more good. A score of 9 is better than a score of 7. 2) Better as an adverb means in a more good way: she sings better… - betting noun (betting — uncountable); verb (-ing form of bet)
Betting is risking money on what will happen, for example who will win a race, hoping to win more money. - between preposition; adverb (in between)
Between means in the space in the middle of two things: the ball is between the chairs. - betwixt preposition (no other forms) (old use)
Betwixt means between: in the middle of two things or people. - beverage noun (a beverage, beverages)
A beverage is a drink of any kind, like water, juice, tea or milk. - bewail verb (bewail, bewails, bewailed, bewailing) (old use or formal)
To bewail something is to cry or complain loudly and sadly about a loss or misfortune. - beware verb (beware — used only as «beware» and «to beware»)
Be careful of something or someone because it could be dangerous or harmful. - bewilder verb (bewilder, bewilders, bewildered, bewildering)
To bewilder someone is to confuse them so much that they do not know what to think or do. - bewildered adjective (no other forms)
Bewildered means confused and not sure what is happening or what to do. - bewilderment noun (bewilderment, no plural)
Bewilderment is a state of being confused and not understanding what is going on.
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