Collins Primary Illustrated Dictionary. Collins Dictionaries

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