Collins Primary Illustrated Dictionary
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.
2 a drop of liquid • beads of perspiration
beak beaks
NOUN the hard part of a bird’s 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 wasn’t 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 man’s 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
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 he’d 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. • He’ll 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 I’ve 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 can’t 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 baby’s 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
VERB If you bid for something, you offer to buy it for a certain sum of money. • He bid for an old bike at the auction.
big bigger, biggest
ADJECTIVE large or important
ANTONYMS: small, tiny, little
bike bikes
NOUN an abbreviation for bicycle
bikini bikinis
NOUN a small, two-piece swimming costume worn by women
bilingual
ADJECTIVE involving or using two languages • bilingual street signs
[from Latin bis meaning two and lingua meaning tongue]
bill bills
NOUN 1 a written statement of how much is owed for goods or services • a phone bill
2 a formal statement of a proposed new law that is discussed and then voted on in Parliament
3 A bill can be a piece of paper money. • a dollar bill
4 A bird’s bill is its beak.
billiards
NOUN a game in which a long stick called a cue is used to move balls on a table
billion billions
NOUN a thousand million • You can write one billion like this: 1,000,000,000.
billow billows, billowing, billowed
VERB 1 When things made of cloth billow, they swell out and flap slowly in the wind.
2 When smoke or cloud billows, it spreads upwards and outwards.
NOUN 3 a large wave
billy goat billy goats
NOUN a male goat
bin bins
NOUN a container, especially one that you put rubbish in
binary
ADJECTIVE The binary system is a number system used when working with computers. It uses only two digits, 0 and 1.
bind binds, binding, bound
VERB 1 If you bind something, you tie rope or string round it so that it is held firmly.
2 If you bind a wound, you wrap bandages round it.
3 When a book is bound, the pages are joined together and a cover is put on.
bingo
NOUN a game in which players aim to match the numbers that someone calls out with the numbers on the card they have been given
binoculars
PLURAL NOUN an instrument with lenses for both eyes, which you look through in order to see objects far away • They used binoculars for bird watching.
biodegradable
ADJECTIVE Biodegradable materials can be broken down naturally, and so they are not dangerous to the environment.
biography biographies
NOUN the history of someone’s life, written by someone else
biology
NOUN the study of living things
[from Greek bios + logos meaning life study]
birch birches
NOUN a tall, deciduous tree with thin branches and thin bark
bird birds
NOUN an egg-laying animal with feathers, two wings, two legs and a beak
birth births
NOUN Your birth was when you were born.
birthday birthdays
NOUN Your birthday is the anniversary of the date on which you were born.
birthmark birthmarks
NOUN a mark on your skin that has been there since you were born
biscuit biscuits
NOUN a small, flat cake that is crisp and usually sweet
bisect bisects, bisecting, bisected
VERB to divide a line or an area in half
bishop bishops
NOUN a high-ranking clergyman in some Christian Churches
bison
NOUN a large, hairy animal, related to cattle, with a large head and shoulders. Bison used to be very common on the prairies in North America, but they are now almost extinct.
bit bits
VERB 1 the past tense of bite • She bit into the toast.
NOUN 2 A bit of something is a small amount of it.
PHRASE 3 INFORMAL A bit means slightly or to a small extent. • That’s a bit difficult.
bitch bitches
NOUN a female dog
bite bites, biting, bit, bitten
VERB If you bite something, you cut into it with your teeth.
bitter bitterest
ADJECTIVE 1 A bitter taste is sharp and unpleasant.
2 A bitter wind is extremely cold.
3 If you are bitter about something, you feel angry and resentful.
bizarre
ADJECTIVE very strange and weird
SYNONYMS: odd, peculiar
black blacker, blackest
NOUN OR ADJECTIVE the darkest possible colour, like the sky at night when there is no light
blackberry blackberries
NOUN a small, soft black fruit that grows on brambles
blackbird blackbirds
NOUN a common European bird, the male of which has black feathers and a yellow beak
blackboard blackboards
NOUN a dark-coloured board in a classroom, which teachers write on using chalk
blackcurrant blackcurrants
NOUN Blackcurrants are very small, dark, purple fruits that grow in bunches on bushes.
black hole black holes
NOUN the empty space made by the collapse of a star
bladder bladders
NOUN the part of your body where urine is held until it leaves your body
blade blades
NOUN 1 the sharp part of a knife, axe or saw
2 a single piece of grass
blame blames, blaming, blamed
VERB If someone blames a person for something bad that has happened, they believe that person caused it.
SYNONYM: accuse
blank blanker, blankest
ADJECTIVE 1 Something that is blank has nothing on it. • a blank sheet of paper
2 If you look blank, your face shows no feeling or interest.
blanket blankets
NOUN a large rectangle of thick cloth that is put on a bed to keep people warm
[from Old French blancquete meaning little white thing]
blare blares, blaring, blared
VERB to make a loud, unpleasant noise • The radio blared from the flat below.
blast blasts, blasting, blasted
VERB 1 When people blast a hole in something, they make a hole with an explosion. • They’re using dynamite to blast away rocks.
NOUN 2 a big explosion, especially one caused by a bomb
blaze blazes, blazing, blazed
NOUN 1 a large, hot fire
VERB 2 If something blazes, it burns or shines brightly. • The fire blazed in the fireplace.
blazer blazers
NOUN a kind of jacket, often in the colours of a school or sports team
bleach bleaches, bleaching, bleached
NOUN 1 a chemical that is used to make material white or to clean thoroughly and kill germs
VERB 2 If you bleach material or hair, you make it white, usually by using a chemical.
bleak bleaker, bleakest
ADJECTIVE 1 If a place is bleak, it is cold, bare and exposed to the wind. • a bleak mountain top
2 If a situation is bleak, it is bad and seems unlikely to improve.
bleat bleats, bleating, bleated
VERB When sheep or goats bleat, they make a high-pitched cry.
bleed bleeds, bleeding, bled
VERB When you bleed, you lose blood as a result of an injury. • My hand bled a lot after I cut it.
blend blends, blending, blended
VERB 1 When you blend substances, you mix them together to form a single substance. • Blend the butter with the sugar.
2 When colours or sounds blend, they combine in a pleasing way.
bless blesses, blessing, blessed or blest
VERB When a priest blesses people or things, he or she asks God to give his protection to them.
[from Old English bloedsian meaning to sprinkle with sacrificial blood]
blew
VERB the past tense of blow
blind blinds, blinding, blinded
ADJECTIVE 1 Someone who is blind cannot see.
VERB 2 If something blinds you, it stops you seeing, either for a short time or permanently.
NOUN 3 a roll of cloth or paper that you pull down over a window to keep out the light
blindfold blindfolds
NOUN a strip of cloth tied over someone’s eyes to stop them seeing
blink blinks, blinking, blinked
VERB When you blink, you close your eyes quickly for a moment.
bliss
NOUN a state of complete happiness
blissful ADJECTIVE blissfully ADVERB
blister blisters
NOUN a small bubble on your skin containing watery liquid, caused by a burn or rubbing
blizzard blizzards
NOUN a heavy snowstorm with strong winds
bloated
ADJECTIVE Something that is bloated is much larger than normal, often because there is a lot of liquid or gas inside it.
block blocks, blocking, blocked
NOUN 1 a large building containing flats or offices
2 In a town, a block is an area of land with streets on all its sides.
3 a large, rectangular, three-dimensional piece of something
VERB 4 If someone or something blocks a road or channel, they put something across it so that nothing can get through.
SYNONYM: obstruct
block capitals
PLURAL NOUN large upper-case letters. THESE ARE BLOCK CAPITALS.
block graph block graphs
NOUN another name for bar chart
blog blogs, blogging, blogged
NOUN 1 a person’s online diary that they put on the internet so that other people can read it
VERB 2 If you blog about something, you write about it in a blog. • He blogs about cooking and restaurants.
blonde blondes
ADJECTIVE 1 Blonde hair is pale yellow in colour. The spelling blond is used when referring to men.
NOUN 2 A blonde or blond is a person with pale yellow hair.
blood
NOUN the red liquid that is pumped by the heart round the bodies of human beings and other vertebrates
bloodstream
NOUN the flow of blood through your body
bloodthirsty
ADJECTIVE Someone who is bloodthirsty enjoys using or watching violence.
bloom blooms, blooming, bloomed