2 a drop of liquid beads of perspiration
beak beaks
NOUN the hard part of a birds mouth that sticks out. It is used for pecking up food and for carrying things such as twigs.
beam beams, beaming, beamed
NOUN 1 a long, thick bar of wood or metal, especially one that supports a roof
2 a band of light that shines from something such as a torch or the sun
VERB 3 If you beam, you smile broadly.
bean beans
NOUN the seed or pod of a plant, eaten as a vegetable or used for other purposes runner beans coffee beans soya beans
bear bears, bearing, bore, borne
NOUN 1 a large, strong, wild mammal with thick fur and sharp claws polar bear grizzly bear
VERB 2 If someone or something bears something, they carry it or support its weight. The ice wasnt thick enough to bear their weight.
3 If something bears a mark or typical feature, it has it. The room bore all the signs of a violent struggle.
4 If you bear something difficult, you accept it and are able to deal with it. The loneliness was hard to bear.
beard beards
NOUN the hair that grows on the lower part of a mans face
beast beasts
NOUN 1 an old-fashioned word for a large, wild animal
2 INFORMAL If you call someone a beast, you mean that they are cruel or spiteful.
beat beats, beating, beat, beaten
VERB 1 If someone or something beats someone or something else, they hit them hard and repeatedly. The rain was beating against the window.
2 If you beat someone in a race or game, you defeat them or do better than them.
3 When your heart beats, it pumps blood with a regular rhythm.
NOUN 4 the main rhythm of a piece of music or poetry
beautiful
ADJECTIVE very attractive or pleasing
SYNONYM: lovely
beauty beauties
NOUN 1 the quality of being beautiful the beauty of the stars on a clear night
2 The beauty of an idea or a plan is what makes it attractive or worth doing. The beauty of going in September is that the sea will be warmer for swimming.
beaver beavers
NOUN a mammal with a big, flat tail and webbed hind feet. Beavers build dams.
because
CONJUNCTION 1 Because is used with other words to give the reason for something. I went home because I was tired.
PHRASE 2 Because of is used with a noun that gives the reason for something. I had to stay late because of detention.
beckon beckons, beckoning, beckoned
VERB If you beckon to someone, you make a sign to them with your hand, asking them to come to you.
become becomes, becoming, became, become
VERB If someone or something becomes something else, they start feeling or being that thing. I became more and more angry.
[from Old English becuman meaning to happen]
bed beds
NOUN 1 a piece of furniture that you lie on when you sleep
2 an area of ground in a garden which has been dug and prepared for planting
3 The bed of the sea or a river is the bottom of it.
bedraggled
ADJECTIVE If a person or animal is bedraggled, they are wet, dirty and messy.
bedroom bedrooms
NOUN a room for sleeping in
bedtime bedtimes
NOUN the time when you go to bed
bee bees
NOUN a winged insect that makes honey. Many types of bee live in large groups.
beech beeches
NOUN a tree with a smooth, grey trunk and shiny leaves
beef
NOUN the meat of a cow, bull or ox
beehive beehives
NOUN a specially designed structure in which bees are kept so that their honey can be collected
been
VERB the past participle of be
beer beers
NOUN an alcoholic drink made from malt and flavoured with hops
beetle beetles
NOUN a flying insect with hard wings that cover its body when it is not flying
[from Old English bitan meaning to bite]
beetroot beetroots
[from Old English bitan meaning to bite]
beetroot beetroots
NOUN a round, dark red root vegetable
before
ADVERB, PREPOSITION OR CONJUNCTION If something happens before, it happens earlier than something else. Can I see you before you go?
ANTONYM: after
beg begs, begging, begged
VERB 1 When people beg, they ask for food or money, because they are very poor.
2 If you beg someone to do something, you ask them very anxiously to do it. David begged his dad to take him to the cinema.
began
VERB the past tense of begin
begin begins, beginning, began, begun
VERB If you begin something, you start it.
beginner beginners
NOUN someone who has just started to learn something
SYNONYM: learner
beginning beginnings
NOUN The beginning of something is when or where it starts.
begun
VERB the past participle of begin
behalf
PHRASE If you do something on behalf of someone or something, you do it for them or in their name. We did the sponsored swim on behalf of various charities.
behave behaves, behaving, behaved
VERB 1 If you behave in a particular way, you act in that way. He knew that hed behaved badly.
2 If you behave yourself, you act correctly or properly.
behind
PREPOSITION 1 at the back of The moon disappeared behind a cloud.
2 supporting someone The whole school was behind him in the competition.
ADVERB 3 If you stay behind, you remain after other people have gone.
4 If you leave something behind, you do not take it with you.
beige
ADJECTIVE a cream-brown colour
being
VERB the present participle of be
belch belches, belching, belched
VERB 1 If you belch, you make a sudden noise in your throat because air has risen up from your stomach.
2 If something belches smoke or fire, it sends it out in large amounts. Smoke belched from the factory chimneys.
NOUN 3 the noise you make when you belch
belief beliefs
NOUN If you have a belief in something, you are certain that it is right or true.
believe believes, believing, believed
VERB 1 If you believe that something is true, you think that it is true.
2 If you believe someone, you accept that they are telling the truth.
bell bells
NOUN 1 a cup-shaped metal object with a piece inside it called a clapper that hits the side and makes a ringing sound
2 an electrical device that you can ring or buzz to get attention
bellow bellows, bellowing, bellowed
VERB If a human or other animal bellows, they shout very loudly or make a very loud, deep noise like a roar.
belly bellies
NOUN the part of your body, especially your stomach, that holds and digests food
belong belongs, belonging, belonged
VERB 1 If something belongs to you, it is yours and you own it.
2 If you belong to a group, you are a member of it.
3 If something belongs in a particular place, that is where it should be. That book belongs on the top shelf.
belongings
PLURAL NOUN Your belongings are all the things that you own.
below
PREPOSITION OR ADVERB 1 If something is below something else, it is in a lower position. We could hear music coming up from the flat two floors below.
ANTONYM: above
2 If something is below a particular amount or level, it is less than it. below average rainfall
ANTONYM: above
belt belts
NOUN a strip of leather or cloth that you fasten round your waist to hold your trousers or skirt up
bench benches
NOUN a long seat that two or more people can sit on
bend bends, bending, bent
VERB 1 When you bend something, you use force to make it curved or angular.
2 When you bend, you move your head and shoulders forwards and downwards. I bent over to pick up my glasses.
NOUN 3 a curved part of something a bend in the road
beneath
PREPOSITION OR ADVERB FORMAL underneath
benefit benefits, benefiting, benefited
NOUN 1 the advantage that something brings to people the benefit of a good education
VERB 2 If you benefit from something, it helps you. Hell benefit from some extra tuition.
[from Latin benefactum meaning good deed]
bent
ADJECTIVE curved or twisted out of shape
bereaved
ADJECTIVE FORMAL You say that someone is bereaved when a close relative of theirs has recently died.
bereavement NOUN
berry berries
NOUN a small, round fruit that grows on bushes or trees
berserk
ADVERB If somebody goes berserk, they lose control of themselves and become extremely violent.
[from Icelandic berserkr meaning a Viking who wore a shirt made from the skin of a bear and who worked himself into a mad frenzy before going into battle]
berth berths
NOUN 1 a space in a harbour where a ship stays when it is being loaded or unloaded
2 In a boat or caravan, a berth is a bed.
PHRASE 3 If you give someone or something a wide berth, you avoid them because they are unpleasant or dangerous.
beside
PREPOSITION If one thing is beside another thing, it is next to it.
besides
ADVERB also or in addition to
best
ADJECTIVE 1 the superlative of good and well That was one of the best films Ive ever seen.
ANTONYM: worst
ADVERB 2 The thing that you like best is the thing that you prefer to everything else.
bet bets, betting, bet
VERB If you bet on the result of an event, you will win money if what you bet on happens and lose money if it does not.
betray betrays, betraying, betrayed
VERB If you betray someone who trusts you, you tell people something secret about them.
better
ADJECTIVE 1 the comparative of good and well I am feeling better today.
2 If you are better after an illness, you are no longer ill.
SYNONYM: cured
between
PREPOSITION OR ADVERB 1 If something is between two other things, it is situated or happens in the space or time that separates them. He was head teacher between 1989 and 2000.
2 A relationship or a difference between two people or two things is one that involves them both. the difference between frogs and toads
beware
VERB If you tell someone to beware of something, you are warning them that it might be dangerous or harmful.
bewilder bewilders, bewildering, bewildered
VERB If something bewilders you, it confuses and muddles you so that you cant understand.
bewilderment NOUN
beyond
PREPOSITION 1 If something is beyond a certain place, it is on the other side of it. Beyond the mountains was the secret valley.
2 If something is beyond you, you cannot do it or understand it.
bi-
PREFIX added to a word to mean two or twice. For example, someone who is bilingual can speak two languages.
bib bibs
NOUN a piece of cloth or plastic put under a babys chin to protect its clothes from stains
NOUN a piece of cloth or plastic put under a babys chin to protect its clothes from stains
Bible Bibles
NOUN the sacred book of the Christian religion I read about Noah and the Ark in the Bible.
bibliography bibliographies
NOUN a list of books or articles
bicycle bicycles
NOUN a two-wheeled vehicle that you ride by pushing two pedals with your feet
bid bids, bidding, bid