brag brags, bragging, bragged
VERB If you brag, you boast about something.
Braille
NOUN a system of printing for blind people in which letters are represented by raised dots that can be felt with the fingers
brain brains
NOUN the organ inside your head that controls your body and enables you to think and feel
brainstorm brainstorms
NOUN 1 a clever idea that you think of suddenly
2 If you have a brainstorm, you become confused and cannot think clearly.
brainy brainier, brainiest
ADJECTIVE clever and good at learning things
brake brakes, braking, braked
NOUN 1 a device for making a vehicle stop or slow down
VERB 2 When drivers brake, they make a vehicle stop or slow down by using its brakes.
bramble brambles
NOUN a wild, trailing bush with thorns, which produces blackberries
branch branches, branching, branched
NOUN 1 part of a tree that grows out from the trunk
2 A branch of a business or organization is one of its offices or shops.
VERB 3 A road that branches off from another road splits off from it to lead in a different direction.
brand brands
NOUN a particular kind or make of something
brandy
NOUN a strong, alcoholic drink, often drunk after a meal
[from Dutch brandewijn meaning burnt wine]
brass
NOUN OR ADJECTIVE 1 a yellow-coloured metal made from copper and zinc
2 In an orchestra, the brass section consists of instruments such as trumpets and trombones.
brave braver, bravest; braves, braving, braved
ADJECTIVE 1 A brave person is willing to do dangerous things and does not show any fear.
SYNONYMS: courageous, daring
VERB 2 If you brave an unpleasant or dangerous situation, you face up to it in order to do something. We braved the snow to go to the party.
[from Italian bravo meaning courageous or wild]
brawl brawls, brawling, brawled
NOUN 1 a rough fight
VERB 2 When people brawl, they take part in a rough fight.
bread
NOUN a very common food made from flour, and baked in an oven
breadth breadths
NOUN the distance between two sides of something I can swim the breadth of the pool.
See width
break breaks, breaking, broke, broken
VERB 1 When an object breaks, or when you break it, it becomes damaged or separates into pieces.
2 If you break a rule or promise, you fail to keep it.
3 To break a record means to do better than the previous recorded best. She broke the record for the long jump.
NOUN 4 a short period during which you rest or do something different
break down
VERB When a machine or a vehicle breaks down, it stops working.
break up
VERB When schools break up, the term ends. We break up on Thursday.
breakable
ADJECTIVE easy to break
breakdown breakdowns
NOUN If there is a breakdown in a system, it stops working.
breakfast breakfasts
NOUN the first meal of the day
breast breasts
NOUN A womans breasts are the two soft, fleshy parts on her chest, which produce milk after she has had a baby.
breast-feed breast-feeds, breast-feeding, breast-fed
VERB If a woman breast-feeds her baby, she feeds it with milk from her breasts.
breath breaths
NOUN 1 the air you take into your lungs and let out again when you breathe He took a deep breath before jumping into the pool.
PHRASE 2 If you are out of breath, you are breathing with difficulty after doing something energetic.
breathe breathes, breathing, breathed
VERB When you breathe, you take air into your lungs and let it out again.
breathless
ADJECTIVE If you are breathless, you are breathing very fast or with difficulty. I was breathless after running to catch the bus.
breathlessly ADVERB
breathlessness NOUN
breed breeds, breeding, bred
NOUN 1 a particular type of animal. For example, an Alsatian is a breed of dog.
VERB 2 Someone who breeds animals or plants keeps them in order to produce more animals or plants with particular qualities. He used to breed dogs for the police.
3 When animals breed, they produce young.
SYNONYM: reproduce
breeze breezes
NOUN a gentle wind
breezy ADJECTIVE
brewery breweries
NOUN a place where beer is made, or a company that makes beer
bribe bribes, bribing, bribed
NOUN 1 a gift or money given to an official to persuade them to allow you to do something
VERB 2 If someone bribes someone else, they give them a bribe.
brick bricks
NOUN a rectangular block of baked clay used in building
bride brides
NOUN a woman who is getting married or who has just got married
bridegroom bridegrooms
bridegroom bridegrooms
NOUN a man on or near his wedding day
bridesmaid bridesmaids
NOUN a woman or girl who helps a bride on her wedding day
bridge bridges
NOUN 1 a structure built over a river, road or railway so that vehicles and people can cross
2 a card game for four players
bridle bridles
NOUN a set of straps round a horses head and mouth, which the rider uses to control the horse
brief briefer, briefest; briefs, briefing, briefed
ADJECTIVE 1 Something that is brief lasts only a short time. We only had time for a brief visit.
VERB 2 When you brief someone on a task, you give them all the necessary instructions or information about it.
briefcase briefcases
NOUN a small, flat case for carrying papers
bright brighter, brightest
ADJECTIVE 1 strong and startling a bright light
SYNONYMS: brilliant, dazzling
2 clever Thats a bright idea.
SYNONYMS: intelligent, quick
brighten brightens, brightening, brightened
VERB If something brightens, it becomes brighter.
brighten up
VERB If you brighten up something, you make it look brighter and more attractive.
brilliant
ADJECTIVE 1 A brilliant person is extremely clever.
2 INFORMAL Something that is brilliant is extremely good or enjoyable.
3 A brilliant colour or light is extremely bright.
brim brims
NOUN 1 the wide part of a hat that sticks outwards from the head
2 If a container is filled to the brim, it is filled right to the top.
bring brings, bringing, brought
VERB If you bring something or someone with you when you go to a place, you take them with you.
bring up
VERB When someone brings up children, they look after them while they grow up.
brink
NOUN 1 the edge of a deep hole, cliff or ravine
PHRASE 2 If you are on the brink of something, you are about to do it. They were on the brink of discovering a cure for the common cold.
brisk brisker, briskest
ADJECTIVE 1 quick and energetic a brisk walk
2 If someones manner is brisk, it shows that they want to get things done quickly and efficiently.
briskly ADVERB briskness NOUN
bristle bristles, bristling, bristled
NOUN 1 Bristles are strong animal hairs used to make brushes.
VERB 2 If the hairs on an animals body bristle, they rise up because it is frightened.
bristly ADJECTIVE
brittle
ADJECTIVE An object that is brittle is hard but breaks easily.
broad broader, broadest
ADJECTIVE 1 A broad river is wide.
2 The broad outline of a story gives the main points, but no details.
broadband
NOUN a digital system for sending data to and from televisions, computers and telephones What is the broadband speed like here?
broadcast broadcasts, broadcasting, broadcast
NOUN 1 a programme or announcement on radio or television
VERB 2 When someone broadcasts something, they send it out by radio waves, so that it can be seen on television or heard on radio.
broccoli
NOUN a vegetable with green stalks and green or purple flower buds
brochure brochures
NOUN a booklet that gives information about a product or a service holiday brochure
broke
VERB 1 the past tense of break
ADJECTIVE 2 If you are broke, you have no money.
broken
ADJECTIVE A broken object is damaged in some way.
bronchitis
NOUN an illness in which the tubes connecting your windpipe to your lungs become infected, making you cough
brontosaurus brontosauruses
NOUN a very large, plant-eating dinosaur
bronze
NOUN a yellowish-brown metal that is a mixture of copper and tin
brooch brooches
Rhymes with coach NOUN a piece of jewellery with a pin at the back for attaching to clothes
brood broods, brooding, brooded
NOUN 1 a family of baby birds
VERB 2 If you brood about something, you are worried about it and cant stop thinking about it.
brook brooks
NOUN a stream
broom brooms
NOUN a long-handled brush
brother brothers
NOUN Your brother is a boy or man who has the same parents as you.
brother-in-law brothers-in-law
NOUN Someones brother-in-law is the brother of their husband or wife, or their sisters husband.
brought
VERB the past tense and past participle of bring
Do not confuse brought with bought.
brown browner, brownest
ADJECTIVE OR NOUN the colour of earth or wood
Brownie Brownies
NOUN a junior member of the Girl Guides
bruise bruises, bruising, bruised
NOUN 1 a purple mark that appears on your skin after something has hit it
VERB 2 If something bruises you, it hits you so that a bruise appears on your skin.
brunette brunettes
NOUN a girl or a woman with dark brown hair
brush brushes, brushing, brushed
NOUN 1 an object with bristles. There are brushes for cleaning things, painting or tidying your hair.
VERB 2 If you brush something, you clean it or tidy it with a brush.
Brussels sprout Brussels sprouts
NOUN a vegetable that looks like a tiny cabbage
brutal
ADJECTIVE Brutal behaviour is violent and cruel.
brutally ADVERB brutality NOUN
bubble bubbles, bubbling, bubbled
NOUN 1 a ball of air in a liquid
VERB 2 When a liquid bubbles, bubbles form in it.
buck bucks, bucking, bucked
NOUN 1 the male of various animals, including deer and rabbits
VERB 2 If a horse bucks, it jumps into the air with all four feet off the ground.
bucket buckets
NOUN a deep, round container with an open top and a handle
buckle buckles, buckling, buckled
NOUN 1 a fastening on the end of a belt or strap
VERB 2 If you buckle a belt or strap, you fasten it.
3 If metal buckles, it crumples up.
bud buds
NOUN a small, tight swelling on a tree or plant, which develops into a flower or leaf
Buddhist
NOUN someone who follows the religious teachings of Buddha, who taught in India in the fifth century. Buddhists believe that the way to end suffering is by overcoming our desires.
Buddhism NOUN
budgerigar budgerigars
NOUN a small, brightly-coloured pet bird. Budgerigars originated in Australia.
[an Australian Aboriginal name, from budgeri + gar meaning good cockatoo]
budget budgets, budgeting, budgeted
NOUN 1 a plan showing how much money will be available and how it will be spent
VERB 2 If you budget for something, you plan how you use your money carefully, so as to be able to afford what you want.