VERB 1 If you ban something, you forbid it to be done.
SYNONYMS: forbid, prohibit
NOUN 2 If there is a ban on something, it is not allowed.
banana bananas
NOUN a long, curved fruit with a yellow skin
band bands
NOUN 1 a group of musicians who play jazz or pop music together
2 a group of people who share a common purpose
3 a narrow strip of something used to hold things together She tied her hair back with an elastic band.
bandage bandages
NOUN a strip of cloth wrapped round a wound to protect it
bang bangs, banging, banged
NOUN 1 a sudden, short, loud noise
2 a hard, painful bump against something
VERB 3 If you bang something, you hit it or put it down violently so that it makes a loud noise.
4 If you bang a part of your body against something, you accidentally bump it.
banish banishes, banishing, banished
VERB 1 If someone is banished, they are sent away and never allowed to return.
2 If you banish something from your thoughts, you try not to think about it.
banishment NOUN
banister banisters
NOUN a rail supported by posts up the side of a staircase
banjo banjos or banjoes
NOUN a musical instrument, like a small guitar with a round body
bank banks, banking, banked
NOUN 1 a business that looks after peoples money
2 the raised ground along the edge of a river or lake
VERB 3 If you bank on something happening, you rely on it. I know we said wed go swimming, but dont bank on it.
banner banners
NOUN 1 a long strip of cloth with a message or slogan on it We saw banners advertising the fair.
ADJECTIVE 2 A banner headline is a headline printed right across the page of a newspaper.
banquet banquets
NOUN a grand, formal dinner, often followed by speeches
[from Old French banquet, originally meaning little bench]
baptism baptisms
NOUN the ceremony in which someone has water sprinkled on them, or they are immersed in water, as a sign that they have become a Christian
baptize baptizes, baptizing, baptized; also spelt baptise
VERB When a church official baptizes someone, they sprinkle water on them, or immerse them in water, as a sign that they have become a Christian.
bar bars, barring, barred
NOUN 1 a long, straight piece of metal
VERB 2 If you bar someones way, you stop them going somewhere by standing in front of them.
NOUN 3 a counter or room where alcoholic drinks are served
4 a piece of something made in a rectangular shape a bar of soap
barbecue barbecues
NOUN 1 a grill with a charcoal fire on which you cook food, usually outdoors
2 an outdoor party where you eat food cooked on a barbecue
[from a Caribbean word meaning framework]
barber barbers
NOUN a man who cuts mens hair
bar chart bar charts
NOUN a kind of graph where the information is shown in rows or bars
bar code bar codes
NOUN a pattern of lines and numbers on something that is for sale, so that the price can be read by a machine
bare barer, barest
ADJECTIVE 1 If a part of your body is bare, it is not covered by any clothing. bare feet
SYNONYMS: naked, uncovered
2 If something is bare, it is not covered or decorated with anything. bare wooden floors
3 The bare minimum, or the bare essentials, means the very least that is needed.
barely
ADVERB If you barely manage to do something, you only just succeed in doing it.
bargain bargains, bargaining, bargained
NOUN 1 an agreement in which two people or groups discuss and agree what each will do, pay or receive
2 something that is sold at a low price and that is good value The apples are a bargain at this price.
VERB 3 When people bargain with each other, they discuss and agree terms about what each will do, pay or receive.
barge barges, barging, barged
NOUN 1 a boat with a flat bottom used for carrying heavy loads, especially on canals
VERB 2 INFORMAL If you barge into a place, you push into it in a rough or rude way.
bark barks, barking, barked
VERB 1 When a dog barks, it makes a short, loud noise, once or several times.
NOUN 2 the tough material that covers the outside of a tree
barley
NOUN a cereal that is grown for food and is also used for making beer and whisky
bar mitzvah
NOUN A Jewish boys bar mitzvah is a ceremony that takes place on his 13th birthday, after which he is regarded as an adult.
barn barns
NOUN a large farm building used for storing crops or animal food
[from Old English beren meaning barley room]
barnacle barnacles
NOUN a small shellfish that fixes itself to rocks and to the bottom of boats
barometer barometers
NOUN an instrument that measures air pressure and shows when the weather is changing
barrel barrels
NOUN 1 a wooden container with rounded sides and flat ends
2 The barrel of a gun is the long tube through which the bullet is fired.
barricade barricades, barricading, barricaded
NOUN 1 a temporary barrier put up to stop people getting past
VERB 2 If you barricade yourself inside a room or building, you put something heavy against the door to stop people getting in.
[from Old French barriquer meaning to block with barrels]
barrier barriers
NOUN a fence or wall that prevents people or animals getting from one area to another
barrister barristers
NOUN a lawyer who is qualified to represent people in the higher courts
barrow barrows
NOUN 1 another word for wheelbarrow
2 a large cart from which fruit or other goods are sold in the street
base bases, basing, based
NOUN 1 the lowest part of something The waves crashed at the base of the cliffs.
2 The base of a triangle or a square-shaped pyramid is the bottom.
3 a place where part of an army, navy or air force works from
VERB 4 If you base one thing on another, you develop from it. She based the film on a true story.
5 If you are based somewhere, you live there or work from there. My dad is based in Cardiff, but spends a lot of time abroad.
baseball
NOUN a team game played with a bat and a ball. It is popular in the USA.
basement basements
NOUN a room or set of rooms below the level of the street My aunt lives in the basement of our house.
basic
ADJECTIVE 1 The basic aspects of something are the most necessary ones. The basic ingredients of bread are flour, yeast and water.
2 having only the essentials, and no extras or luxuries
basically ADVERB
basin basins
NOUN 1 a round, wide container which is open at the top
2 A river basin is a bowl of land from which water runs into the river.
basis bases
NOUN If something is the basis of something else, it is the main principle on which it is based, and from which other points and ideas can be developed.
bask basks, basking, basked
VERB If you bask in hot weather, you lie in the sun and enjoy the warmth.
basket baskets
NOUN a container made of thin strips of wood or metal woven together a shopping basket
basketball
NOUN a game in which two teams try to score goals by throwing a large ball through one of two circular nets that are suspended high up at each end of the basketball court
bass basses
NOUN 1 a man with a very deep singing voice
ADJECTIVE 2 In music, a bass instrument produces a very deep sound. a bass guitar
bassoon bassoons
NOUN a large woodwind instrument
bat bats, batting, batted
NOUN 1 a specially shaped piece of wood with a handle, used for hitting a ball in games such as table tennis or cricket
2 a small animal like a mouse with leathery wings. Bats fly at night and sleep hanging upside down.
VERB 3 If you are batting in cricket, baseball or rounders, it is your turn to hit the ball.
batch batches
NOUN A batch of things is a group of things that are all the same or are being dealt with at the same time. They delivered the first batch of books at the start of term.
bath baths
NOUN a long container that you fill with water and sit in to wash yourself
bathe bathes, bathing, bathed
VERB When you bathe in a sea, river or lake, you swim or play there.
bathroom bathrooms
NOUN a room with a bath or shower, a washbasin and often a toilet in it
baton batons
NOUN 1 a light, thin stick that a conductor uses to direct an orchestra or choir
2 a short stick passed from one runner to another at the changeover in a relay race
battalion battalions
NOUN an army unit consisting of three or more companies
batter batters, battering, battered
NOUN 1 a mixture of flour, eggs and milk, used to make pancakes, or to coat food before frying it
VERB 2 When someone or something batters someone or something, they hit them many times. The waves battered the sides of the ship.
battery batteries
NOUN a device for storing energy and producing electricity, for example in a torch or a car
battle battles
NOUN a fight between armed forces, or a struggle between two people or groups with different aims
battlefield battlefields
NOUN a place where a battle has been fought or is being fought
battlements
PLURAL NOUN the top part of a castle where there are openings through which arrows or guns could be fired
battleship battleships
NOUN a large fighting ship carrying powerful guns
bawl bawls, bawling, bawled
VERB If someone bawls, they shout or cry loudly.
bay bays, baying, bayed
NOUN 1 part of the coastline where the land curves
2 a space or an area used for a particular purpose a loading bay
3 a tree with dark green leaves. The leaves are used for flavouring food.
VERB 4 When a dog or a wolf bays, it makes a deep, howling sound.
PHRASE 5 If you keep something at bay, you stop it hurting you. Try eating an orange to keep a cold at bay.
bayonet bayonets
NOUN a sharp blade that can be fixed to the end of a rifle
bazaar bazaars
NOUN 1 an area with many small shops and stalls, especially in Eastern countries
2 a sale to raise money for charity a Christmas bazaar
[from Persian bazar meaning market]
BC
ADJECTIVE You use BC to show the dates before the birth of Jesus Christ. It is an abbreviation for before Christ.
be am, is, are; being; was, were; been
VERB 1 You can use be with the present participle of other verbs. Look! I am riding on my own!
2 You can also use be to say that something will happen. I will be nine in November.
3 You use be to say more about something or somebody. His name is Tom.
beach beaches
NOUN an area of sand or pebbles beside the sea
beacon beacons
NOUN In the past, a beacon was a light or fire on a hill, which acted as a signal or warning.
bead beads
NOUN 1 a small, shaped piece of glass, stone or wood with a hole through the middle. Beads are strung together with others to make necklaces or bracelets.