Collins Primary Illustrated Dictionary. Collins Dictionaries

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

      NOUN 1 a flower on a plant

      VERB 2 When a plant blooms, it produces flowers.

      blossom blossoms, blossoming, blossomed

      NOUN 1 all the flowers that appear on a tree before the fruit

      VERB 2 When a tree blossoms, it produces flowers.

      blot blots

      NOUN a mark made by a drop of liquid, especially ink

      blouse blouses

      NOUN a light shirt, worn by a girl or a woman

blow blows, blowing, blew, blown

      VERB 1 When the wind blows, the air moves.

      2 If you blow, you send a stream of air from your mouth.

      3 If you blow your nose, you force air out of it through your nostrils in order to clear it.

      NOUN 4 If you receive a blow, someone or something hits you.

      blow up

      VERB 1 If something blows up, it is destroyed by an explosion.

      2 If you blow up a balloon or a tyre, you fill it with air.

      blubber

      NOUN the layer of fat beneath the skin of animals such as whales and seals that protects them from the cold

      blue bluer, bluest

      ADJECTIVE OR NOUN the colour of the sky on a clear, sunny day

      bluebell bluebells

      NOUN a woodland plant with blue, bell-shaped flowers

      bluff bluffs, bluffing, bluffed

      NOUN 1 an attempt to make someone believe that you will do something when you do not really intend to do it

      VERB 2 If you are bluffing, you are trying to make someone believe that you are in a strong position when you are not.

      [from Dutch bluffen meaning to boast]

      blunder blunders, blundering, blundered

      NOUN 1 a silly mistake

      VERB 2 If you blunder, you make a silly mistake.

      blunt blunter, bluntest

      ADJECTIVE 1 A blunt object has a rounded point or edge, rather than a sharp one. • My pencil was blunt so I could not write with it.

      2 If you are blunt, you say exactly what you think, without trying to be polite.

      SYNONYMS: outspoken, straightforward

      blur

      NOUN If something is a blur, you can’t see it clearly. • The mountain was a blur through the mist.

      blurb blurbs

      NOUN the description of a book printed on the back cover

      blurt out blurts out, blurting out, blurted out

      VERB If you blurt out something, you say it suddenly, after trying to keep it a secret.

      blush blushes, blushing, blushed

      VERB If you blush, your face becomes red, because you are embarrassed or ashamed.

      [from Old English blyscan meaning to glow]

      boa boas

      NOUN a large snake that kills its prey by coiling round it and crushing it

      boar boars

      NOUN 1 a male wild pig

      2 a male domestic pig used for breeding

      board boards, boarding, boarded

      NOUN 1 a long, flat piece of wood

      2 a flat piece of wood, plastic or cardboard, which is used for a particular purpose • a chessboard • a surfboard

      3 the group of people who control a company or organization • My mum is on the board of governors.

      4 the meals provided when you stay in a hotel or guesthouse • The price includes full board.

      VERB 5 If you board a ship or aircraft, you get on it or in it.

      PHRASE 6 If you are on board a ship or aircraft, you are on it or in it.

       Do not confuse board with bored.

      boarder boarders

      NOUN 1 a pupil who lives at school during term

      2 a lodger

      boast boasts, boasting, boasted

      VERB If you boast, you talk proudly about what you have or what you can do.

      SYNONYM: brag

      boat boats

      NOUN