Collins Primary Illustrated Dictionary. Collins Dictionaries

A branch of a business or organization is one of its offices or shops.

      VERB 3 A road that branches off from another road splits off from it to lead in a different direction.

      brand brands

      NOUN a particular kind or make of something

      brandy

      NOUN a strong, alcoholic drink, often drunk after a meal

      [from Dutch brandewijn meaning burnt wine]

      brass

      NOUN OR ADJECTIVE 1 a yellow-coloured metal made from copper and zinc

      2 In an orchestra, the brass section consists of instruments such as trumpets and trombones.

      brave braver, bravest; braves, braving, braved

      ADJECTIVE 1 A brave person is willing to do dangerous things and does not show any fear.

      SYNONYMS: courageous, daring

      VERB 2 If you brave an unpleasant or dangerous situation, you face up to it in order to do something. • We braved the snow to go to the party.

      [from Italian bravo meaning courageous or wild]

      brawl brawls, brawling, brawled

      NOUN 1 a rough fight

      VERB 2 When people brawl, they take part in a rough fight.

      bread

      NOUN a very common food made from flour, and baked in an oven

      breadth breadths

      NOUN the distance between two sides of something • I can swim the breadth of the pool.

      See width

break breaks, breaking, broke, broken

      VERB 1 When an object breaks, or when you break it, it becomes damaged or separates into pieces.

      2 If you break a rule or promise, you fail to keep it.

      3 To break a record means to do better than the previous recorded best. • She broke the record for the long jump.

      NOUN 4 a short period during which you rest or do something different

      break down

      VERB When a machine or a vehicle breaks down, it stops working.

      break up

      VERB When schools break up, the term ends. • We break up on Thursday.

      breakable

      ADJECTIVE easy to break

      breakdown breakdowns

      NOUN If there is a breakdown in a system, it stops working.

      breakfast breakfasts

      NOUN the first meal of the day

      breast breasts

      NOUN A woman’s breasts are the two soft, fleshy parts on her chest, which produce milk after she has had a baby.

      breast-feed breast-feeds, breast-feeding, breast-fed

      VERB If a woman breast-feeds her baby, she feeds it with milk from her breasts.

      breath breaths

      NOUN 1 the air you take into your lungs and let out again when you breathe • He took a deep breath before jumping into the pool.

      PHRASE 2 If you are out of breath, you are breathing with difficulty after doing something energetic.

      breathe breathes, breathing, breathed

      VERB When you breathe, you take air into your lungs and let it out again.

      breathless

      ADJECTIVE If you are breathless, you are breathing very fast or with difficulty. • I was breathless after running to catch the bus.

      breathlessly ADVERB

      breathlessness NOUN

      breed breeds, breeding, bred

      NOUN 1 a particular type of animal. For example, an Alsatian is a breed of dog.

      VERB 2 Someone who breeds animals or plants keeps them in order to produce more animals or plants with particular qualities. • He used to breed dogs for the police.

      3 When animals breed, they produce young.

      SYNONYM: reproduce

      breeze breezes

      NOUN a gentle wind

      breezy ADJECTIVE

      brewery breweries

      NOUN a place where beer is made, or a company that makes beer

      bribe bribes, bribing, bribed

      NOUN 1 a gift or money given to an official to persuade them to allow you to do something

      VERB 2 If someone bribes someone else, they give them a bribe.

      brick bricks

      NOUN a rectangular block of baked clay used in building

      bride brides

      NOUN a woman who is getting married or who has just got married

      bridegroom bridegrooms

      NOUN a man on or near his wedding day

      bridesmaid bridesmaids

      NOUN a woman or girl who helps a bride on her wedding day

      bridge bridges

      NOUN 1 a structure built over a river, road or railway so that vehicles and people can cross

      2 a card game for four players

      bridle bridles

      NOUN a set of straps round a horse’s head and mouth, which the rider uses to control the horse

      brief briefer, briefest; briefs, briefing, briefed

      ADJECTIVE 1 Something that is brief lasts only a short time. • We only had time for a brief visit.

      VERB 2 When you brief someone on a task, you give them all the necessary instructions or information about it.

      briefcase briefcases

      NOUN a small, flat case for carrying papers

      bright brighter, brightest

      ADJECTIVE 1 strong and startling • a bright light

      SYNONYMS: brilliant, dazzling

      2 clever • That’s a bright idea.

      SYNONYMS: intelligent, quick

      brighten brightens, brightening, brightened

      VERB If something brightens, it becomes brighter.

      brighten up

      VERB If you brighten up something, you make it look brighter and more attractive.

      brilliant

      ADJECTIVE 1 A brilliant person is extremely clever.

      2 INFORMAL Something that is brilliant is extremely good or enjoyable.

      3 A brilliant colour or light is extremely bright.

      brim brims

      NOUN 1 the wide part of a hat that sticks outwards from the head

      2 If a container is filled to the brim, it is filled right to the top.

bring brings, bringing, brought

      VERB If you bring something or someone with you when you go to a place, you take them with you.

      bring up

      VERB When someone brings up children, they look after them while they grow up.

      brink