B

(114 words)

back

verb

SUPPORT

[ T ] to give support to someone or something with money or words:

The management has refused to back our proposals.
This theory needs to be backed up with solid empirical evidence.
Although Paris backs the U.N. demands, it has made it clear it will not take part in any new military action.

MOVE AWAY

[ I or T, + adv/prep ] to (cause to) move backwards:

Ann gave up driving when she backed the car into the garage door.
Please could you back your car up a few feet so that I can get mine out of the driveway?

back to front / backwards

with the back part of something where the front should be:

You’ve put your jumper on back to front.

back and forth

moving first in one direction and then in the opposite one:

She swayed gently back and forth to the music.

behind sb’s back

If you do something behind someone’s back, you do it without them knowing, in a way that is unfair:

背地里：

I dread to think what they say about me behind my back.

turn your back on sb

to refuse to help someone:

I don’t think he would turn his back on his brother, whatever he was accused of.

turn your back on sth / turn away from sth

to stop being involved in something:

The country cannot afford to turn its back on tourism.

backing

noun [ U ] support, especially money, that someone gives to a person or plan:

If I go ahead with the plan, can I count on your backing?
Government backing will be essential if the project is to succeed.
Will financial backing for the theatre project be forthcoming?

the background

If someone or something is in the background, they are not the main point of attention:

Her worries about her job have faded into the background since she learned about her father’s illness.

backward

not advanced:

When he was a child, his teachers thought he was backward (= unable to learn as much as most children).
People still think of it as a backward country/region/area (= one without industry or modern machines).

baggage

the beliefs and feelings that influence how you think and behave:

We all carry a lot of emotional baggage around with us.

in the balance

If a situation is in the balance, it has reached a stage where it will soon be decided one way or another:

The game hung in the balance until the last minute.

balcony

an area of seats at an upper level in a theatre:

Our seats are in row F of the balcony.

start/set/get the ball rolling

to do something that starts an activity, or to start doing something in order to encourage other people to do the same:

I decided to set the ball rolling and got up to dance.

band

[ C ] a thin, flat piece of cloth, elastic, metal, or other material put around something, or a long, narrow piece of colour, light, etc. that is different from what surrounds it:

a wrist band
a red silk band
A narrow band of grass separated the greenhouse from the vegetable garden.

jump/climb/get on the bandwagon

to become involved in an activity that is successful so that you can get the advantages of it yourself:

搭上顺风车：

The success of the product led many firms to try to jump on the bandwagon.

bar

noun [ C usually singular ] something that prevents a particular event or development from happening:

A lack of formal education is no bar to becoming rich.

bare

adjective

BASIC

only the most basic or important:

I just packed the bare essentials (= the most basic and necessary things).
There isn’t much time, so I’ll just give you the bare facts/details.

EMPTY

literary If a cupboard or room is bare, there is nothing in it.

with your bare hands

赤手空拳

without using any type of tool or weapon:

He wrestled the lion to the ground with his bare hands.

into the bargain / in the bargain

​in addition to other facts previously mentioned:

He’s intelligent, funny, a loving husband, and an excellent cook into the bargain.

bark

verb [ T ] to shout at someone in a forceful manner:

The sergeant barked (out) a succession of orders to the new recruits.

barn

noun [ C ] a large building on a farm in which animals or hay (= dried grass) and grain are kept

The house, a former barn, has been attractively converted.
The sheep were penned in behind the barn.
The barn of the other side of the farmyard is full of hay bales.

base

noun [ C usually singular ] the main part of something:

a cocktail with a whisky base

recharge your batteries

to rest and relax for a period of time so that you feel energetic again:

She took a trip to the South of France to recharge her batteries.

battle

verb [ I ] to try hard to achieve something in a difficult situation:

He had to battle against prejudice to get a job.
Her parents battled for the right to be involved in the decision-making.
We battled with the elements to get the roof fixed.
I battled with the wind and the rain to get here!

hold/keep sb/sth at bay

to prevent someone or something unpleasant from harming you:

Exercise can help keep fat at bay.

bear

verb [ T ] formal to give birth to young, or (of a tree or plant) to give or produce fruit or flowers:

She had borne six children by the time she was 30.
[ + two objects ] When his wife bore him a child he could not hide his delight.
Most animals bear their young in the spring.
The pear tree they planted has never borne fruit.

bear fruit

formal If something that someone does bears fruit, it produces successful results:

Eventually her efforts bore fruit and she got the job she wanted.

become of sb/sth

If you ask what became of someone or something, you want to know where they are and what happened to them:

Whatever became of that parcel you sent?
And Mickey Adams – I wonder what became of him.

bed

BOTTOM

[ C ] the bottom of something, or something that serves as a base:

Many strange plants and fish live on the sea bed.
The railway was built on a bed of solid rock.

AREA OF GROUND

[ C ] a piece of ground used for growing plants outside:

They have some beautiful flower beds in their garden.

being

noun [ C or U ] a person or thing that exists:

A nuclear war would kill millions of living beings.
Strange beings from outer space are still a popular subject for sci-fi movies.
Some fans seem to regard footballers as divine beings.
The United States is in the van of the quest to establish contact with beings from the beyond.
There was a man on the news last night who reckons we’ve been visited by beings from other worlds.

drive/send sb around the bend

informal to make someone very bored or very angry:

My mother’s been driving me around the bend.
Staying at home all day was driving her around the bend.

be beneath sb

to not be good enough for someone:

Office work of any description he felt was beneath him.

be beside the point

to be in no way connected to the subject that is being discussed:

跑题了：

Let’s stick to discussing whether the road should be built at all. The exact cost is beside the point.

be beside yourself

If you are beside yourself with a particular feeling or emotion, it is so strong that it makes you almost out of control:

He was beside himself with grief when she died.

at best

even when considered in the most positive way:

The food was bland at best, and at worst completely inedible.

for the best

If an action is for the best, it is done to improve a situation or produce a good result, although it might seem unpleasant at the time:

Ending a relationship is always hard but in this case it’s for the best.

bet

noun [ C ] an amount of money that you risk on the result of an event or a competition, such as a horse race:

She had a bet on the race.
He placed/put a bet on the grey horse.

be your best bet

to be the best decision or choice:

最好的选择：

Your best bet would be to take a bus to the airport.

be a safe bet

to be something that you are certain will happen:

It’s a safe bet (that) Martin will be the last to arrive.

beyond belief

too bad, good, difficult, etc. to be imagined:

难以置信：

The brutality of the murders was beyond belief.

beyond belief, repair, recognition, etc.

too great or bad for anyone to believe, repair, recognize, etc.:

His thoughtlessness is beyond belief.
He survived the accident, but his car was damaged beyond repair.

bias

noun [ C usually singular, U ] 偏见:

Reporters must be impartial and not show political bias.
There was clear evidence of a strong bias against her.
There has always been a slight bias in favour of/towards employing liberal arts graduates in the company.
Unconscious bias (= that the person with the bias is not aware of) can influence decisions in recruitment, promotion, and performance management.

bid

OFFER

verb [ I or T ] 出价，投标:

The communications group has shown an interest in bidding for the company.
A foreign collector has bid $500,000 for the portrait.
[ + two objects ] What am I bid for this fine vase?

OFFER

noun [ C ] an offer of a particular amount of money for something that is for sale:

I made a bid of $150 for the painting.
She made/put in a bid of £69,000 for the flat, which was accepted.

ATTEMPT

noun [ C ] an attempt to achieve or get something:

Her bid for re-election was unsuccessful.
The company has managed to fight off a hostile takeover bid (= an attempt by another company to take control of it).
They have reduced the cost of borrowing in a bid to get the economy moving again.

bind

verb [ T ] to tie something tightly or to fasten something:

They bound the packages with brightly coloured ribbon.
Bind together the two broken ends.
The prisoner was bound hand and foot.

​
[ T ] to unite people:

The things that bind them together are greater than their differences.

bits and pieces/bobs

informal small things or jobs of different types

七零八碎；零碎的工作

have a bite to eat / have a quick bite

informal to eat a small amount of food or a small meal

to the bitter end

until something is finished

blackmail

noun [ U ] the act of getting money from people or forcing them to do something by threatening to tell a secret of theirs or to harm them:

If you are in a position of authority, any weakness leaves you open to blackmail.
His secret financial activities made him vulnerable to blackmail.
Undoubtedly, blackmail is a very serious offence.
They were villains who resorted to threats and blackmail to get what they wanted.

verb [ T ] to get money from someone by blackmail:

They used the photographs to blackmail her into spying for them.
When he found out about my affair he tried to blackmail me.
If someone is blackmailing you, you really must inform the police.

I don’t blame sb

said in order to tell someone that you understand why they are doing something and that you agree with the reason for doing it:

I don’t blame him for getting angry – she’s being really annoying.
“I decided to leave.” “I don’t blame you!”

bland

adjective usually disapproving
not having a strong taste or character or not showing any interest or energy:

I find chicken a little bland.
Pop music these days is so bland.

blank

adjective showing no understanding or no emotion in the expression on your face:

a blank stare/expression
blank incomprehension

bleak

adjective If a place is bleak, it is empty, and not welcoming or attractive:

The house stands on a bleak, windswept hilltop.

If a situation is bleak, there is little or no hope for the future:

The economic outlook is bleak.

blend

noun [ C ] a mixture of different things or styles:

a rich blend of the finest coffee beans
Their music is a blend of jazz and African rhythms.

be blind to sth

to not be conscious of something or to refuse to notice something that is obvious to others:

She seems blind to his faults.

in the blink of an eye

extremely quickly:

一眨眼的功夫：

In the blink of an eye, he was gone.

blister

noun [ C ] 水泡：

New shoes always give me blisters.

block

noun [ C usually singular ] something that blocks a tube or opening:

A block in (= an object blocking) the pipe was preventing the water from coming through.

verb [ T ] to stop something from happening or succeeding:

She was very talented and I felt her parents were blocking her progress.
A group of politicians blocked the proposal.

blood

noun [ U ] family relationship by birth rather than marriage:

They are related by blood.
She has Russian blood (= one or more of her relatives was Russian).

make sb’s blood run cold

A sound, sight, or thought that makes your blood run cold frightens you very much:

I heard a tapping on the window which made my blood run cold.

make sb’s blood boil

to make someone extremely angry:

The way they have treated those people makes my blood boil.

bloody

mainly uk very informal

used to express anger or to emphasize what you are saying in a slightly rude way:

I’ve had a bloody awful week.
It’s a bloody disgrace that some war widows don’t get a decent pension.
Don’t be a bloody idiot!

blow

SEND OUT AIR

verb [ I or T ] 吹口哨；吹奏：

Ann blew a few notes on the trumpet.
He scored the winning goal just before the whistle blew.

HIT

noun [ C ] a hard hit with a hand or a weapon:

a sharp blow to the stomach
He planted a blow on his opponent’s jaw.
The police said that it was the blow that had been delivered to her head that had killed her.
Feeling muzzy from the blow on his head, he got up very slowly.
She died after receiving a blow to the head.

BAD EVENT

noun [ C ] an unexpected event that has a damaging effect on someone or something:

Losing his job was a severe blow to his confidence.
Her death came as a terrible blow to her parents.
The news came as a crushing/shocking blow.
He’s lost his job, but the redundancy money will cushion the blow.

blow sb’s mind

informal

If something blows your mind, you find it very exciting and unusual:

There was one scene in the film that really blew my mind.

blue

adjective informal feeling or showing sadness:

He’s been a bit blue since she left him.

blunt

NOT SHARP

adjective A blunt pencil, knife, etc. is not sharp and therefore not able to write, cut, etc. well.

RUDE

adjective saying what you think without trying to be polite or considering other people’s feelings:

I’ll be blunt – that last piece of work you did was terrible.

across the board

happening or having an effect on people at every level and in every area:

The improvement has been across the board, with all divisions either increasing profits or reducing losses.
The initiative has across-the-board support.

across-the-board

(not a C2)

adjective [ before noun ] affecting everyone or everything within an organization, system, or society:

The proposed across-the-board cuts for all state agencies will total $84 million.

boast

verb [ T not continuous ] to have or own something to be proud of:

Ireland boasts beautiful beaches, great restaurants, and friendly locals.

rock the boat

informal If you rock the boat, you do or say something that will upset people or cause problems:

Don’t rock the boat until the negotiations are finished.

miss the boat

to lose an opportunity to do something by being slow to act:

There were tickets available last week, but he missed the boat by waiting till today to try to buy some.

body

noun [ C, + sing/pl verb ] a group of people who have joined together for a particular reason:

a governing body
an advisory body
The RSPCA is a respected body working for animal welfare.
There is a large body of people who are unaware of their basic rights.
Chatsworth High School’s student body raised $5,000 for the charity.

keep body and soul together

to be able to pay for your food, clothing, and somewhere to live:

His wages are barely enough to keep body and soul together.

bomber

noun [ C ] 轰炸机:

The invasion on land was supported by bombers in the air.

bond

verb [ I or T ]

to develop a close connection or strong relationship with someone, or to make someone do this:

The aim was to bond the group into a closely knit team.
The hospital gives mothers no quiet private time in which to bond with their babies.

book

noun [ C ] a number of one type of thing fastened together flat inside a cover:

a book of stamps/tickets/matches

go/(do sth) by the book

to do something exactly as the rules tell you:

My lawyer always goes strictly by the book.
This is a private deal – we don’t have to do everything by the book.

be in sb’s good/bad books

If you are in someone’s good/bad books, they are pleased/not pleased with you:

He’s in Melanie’s bad books because he arrived two hours late.
I cleaned the bathroom yesterday so I’m in Mum’s good books.

born

formal or literary If an idea is born, it starts to exist.

the bottom line

the most important fact in a situation:

The bottom line is that we need another ten thousand dollars to complete the project.

from top to bottom

If you search, paint, etc. a building from top to bottom, you search, paint, etc. all parts of it:

They cleaned the house from top to bottom.

bound up

adjective [ after verb ] closely connected or involved:

The survival of whales is intimately bound up with the health of the ocean.

bow

noun [ C ] 琴弓：

Violins are played with bows.

the brass

[ S ] （乐队）管弦乐器部分；管弦乐队：

The brass seems to me to be too loud in this recording.

breadth

noun

[ S ] the fact of including many different things, features, subjects, or qualities:

The breadth of her knowledge is amazing.
He showed an astonishing breadth of learning for one so young.
Breadth of education is as important as exam success.
Where will we find someone with her breadth of experience?
The novel accurately reflects the breadth of his interests.

the length and breadth of somewhere

If you travel the length and breadth of a place, you go to every part of it:

She travelled the length and breadth of Ireland looking for her missing brother.

break

USE FORCE

verb [ I or T, usually + adv/prep ] to go somewhere or do something by force:

He threatened to break the door down (= enter using force).
The horse tried to break free from its stable.
In the storm the boat broke loose from its moorings.
The thieves broke the safe open and stole the diamonds.
The police broke up the fight (= ended it forcefully).
She broke his grip and ran away.

BECOME KNOWN

[ I or T ] to become known or to make something become known:

When the scandal broke (= came to the public’s attention), the CEO resigned immediately.
It was the local newspaper that first broke the story (= told the public).

WEATHER

[ I ] (of the weather) to change suddenly and usually become worse:

The forecast is for the hot weather to break today.

STORM

[ I ] (of a storm) to start suddenly:

We arrived just as a storm was breaking.

OPPORTUNITY

noun [ C ] an opportunity for improving a situation, especially one that happens unexpectedly:

Her big break came when she was offered a role in a Spielberg movie.

break it/the news to sb

to tell someone about something unpleasant that will affect or upset them :

Come on, what happened? Break it to me gently (= in a kind way).
I didn’t want to be the one to break the news to him.

break fresh/new ground

to do or discover something new:

This recovery technique breaks new ground.

breakdown

noun [ C or U ] a division of something into smaller parts:

We asked for a breakdown of the accident figures into day time and night time.
The rate of breakdown of muscle protein was assessed.

under your breath

quietly so that other people cannot hear exactly what you are saying:

He muttered something under his breath.

with bated breath

in an anxious (= worried and nervous) or excited way:

I waited for the results with bated breath.

a breath of fresh air

someone or something that is new and different and makes everything seem more exciting:

Angela’s so cheerful and lively – she’s like a breath of fresh air when she visits.

hold your breath

to wait for something to happen, often feeling anxious:

Fans held their breath waiting for the final whistle.

breed

verb [ T ] to cause something to happen, usually something bad:

Favouritism breeds resentment.

bridge

noun [ C usually singular ] something that makes it easier to make a change from one situation to another:

Part-time work can provide a bridge between staying at home and working full-time.

bring a lump to / have a lump in your throat

to give you/to have a tight feeling in your throat because you want to cry:

It was quite a moving speech – it almost brought a lump to my throat.
When we said goodbye I had a lump in my throat.

brink

noun [ S ]

the point where a new or different situation is about to begin:

Extreme stress had driven him to the brink of a nervous breakdown.
Scientists are on the brink of (= extremely close to) a major new discovery.

broad-minded

adjective approving willing to accept other people’s behaviour and beliefs, especially sexual behaviour:

At 70 she was surprisingly broad-minded.

broken

adjective destroyed or ended:

a broken engagement
She comes from a broken home (= one where the parents have separated).

bronze

noun [ U ]

a brown metal made of copper and tin:

The church bells are made of bronze.

adjective

being dark orange-brown in colour, like the metal bronze

bubble

verb [ I ] to produce bubbles:

We could hear the soup bubbling away (= bubbling strongly) in the pot.

bundle

noun [ C ] a number of things that have been fastened or are held together:

a bundle of clothes/newspapers/books
a bundle of sticks
We sorted the newsletters into bundles for distribution.
How much asparagus shall I buy – a couple of bundles?

a bundle of nerves

informal someone who is extremely nervous and worried:

Sorry for shouting – I’m a bundle of nerves these days.

bureaucracy

noun [ U or C ] mainly disapproving

a system for controlling or managing a country, company, or organization that is operated by a large number of officials employed to follow rules carefully:

I had to deal with the university’s bureaucracy when I was applying for financial aid.

burial

noun [ C or U ]

the act of putting a dead body into the ground, or the ceremony connected with this:

We went back to Ireland for my uncle’s burial.

burn the midnight oil

to work late into the night

burst

verb

[ I ] to feel a strong emotion, or strong wish to do something:

I knew they were bursting with curiosity but I said nothing.
[ + to infinitive ] Tom was bursting to tell everyone the news.

burst into flames

to suddenly burn strongly, producing a lot of flames:

Smoke started pouring out from underneath, then the truck burst into flames.

burst out

to suddenly say something loudly:

“Don’t go!” he burst out.

bury

verb [ T ]

to put something in a place where it is difficult or impossible to find or see:

I found the article buried (away) in the business section of the newspaper.
She buried her face in her hands and began to sob.

bury yourself in sth

verb [ T ] to give all your attention to something:

Since her marriage ended, she has buried herself in her work.

the bush

[ S ] (especially in Australia and Africa) an area of land covered with bushes and trees that has never been used for growing crops and where there are very few people

mind your own business

informal mainly humorous used to tell someone in a rude way that you do not want them to ask about something private:

“Where have you been?” “Mind your own business!”

butt in

informal to interrupt a conversation or discussion or someone who is talking:

He kept on butting in with silly comments.

buzz

MAKE SOUND

verb [ I ] to make a continuous, low sound such as the one a bee makes:

I can hear something buzzing.

BE VERY ACTIVE

verb [ I usually + adv/prep ] to be busy and full of energy:

He predicts that Logan Airport will be buzzing as usual – or almost as usual – as Thanksgiving nears.
The place was buzzing (with excitement).
Reporters were buzzing around, trying to get the full story.

SOUND

noun [ S ] a continuous, low sound:

I heard a buzz and then saw the plane in the distance.

FEELING

noun [ S ] informal a feeling of excitement, energy, and pleasure:

I love riding fast – it gives me a real buzz.
I get a buzz out of public speaking.