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beggar
go back.' | Rosemary's been there, done that, and got the
T-shirt, so she now gives others with sports injuries her advice.
beep /bi:p/ n the sound of a car horn —beep v [I,T] He sat out
front in his car and beeped his horn for her to come out. | All
night long the traffic kept him awake – horns beeping, tyres
squealing, car doors slamming.
beep·er /'bi:pər/ n AmE BLEEPER
beer /bɪər/ n 1 [C,U] (a glass of) an alcoholic drink made from
MALT and made bitter with hops (HOP): a pint of beer | Would
you like a (glass of) beer? | They brew several excellent beers in
this district.
CULTURAL NOTE In the UK, people usually say 'beer' when
they are talking about a brown or dark-brown form of the
drink, such as BITTER or STOUT. People in the US usually
call this darker type of beer ALE or 'dark beer'. The clear
pale yellow CARBONATED (= with gas) form of the drink,
which is simply called 'beer' in the US and in most other
countries, is usually called LAGER in the UK. In the UK, if
someone says 'do you want a beer' or 'do you fancy a
beer', they are asking you if you would like to have either a
dark beer or a lager. If you are in a pub and you want a glass
of beer or lager, you ask for a 'PINT' or a 'half' (= half a pint).
2 [U] (in comb.) any of several kinds of drink, usually non-
alcoholic, made from roots or plants: ginger beer | root
beer 3 I'm only here for the beer a phrase originally used
in a British advertisement for a particular kind of beer, now
used humorously to mean 'I am not here to offer support or
because I am interested but because there is free
drink' 4 not all beer and skittles BrE infml not just full of
pleasure and enjoyment: An actor's life isn't all beer and
skittles. → see also SMALL BEER —beery adj: unpleasant
beery breath → see Feature on page A24
beer belly also 'beer gut n infml an unattractive fat
stomach caused by drinking too much beer
beer mat n BrE a small flat circular or square object made of
card, which you put under a glass to protect the table,
especially in a PUB
beer money n [U] BrE infml a little extra money to buy a
drink or have fun with: The job kept me in beer money.
beer tent n a large tent in which beer and other alcoholic
drinks can be bought at an outdoor event
bees·wax /'bi:zwæks/ n [U] 1 a fatty substance (WAX) made
by bees, used for making furniture polish, candles etc 2 none
of your beeswax especially AmE infml not concerning you at all
beet /bi:t/ n [C,U] 1 also sugar beet — a root vegetable from
which sugar is obtained → see also SUGAR 2 AmE a BEET-
ROOT 3 red as a beet AmE infml very red in the face: He
turned red as a beet when I found the letter.
Beet·ho·ven, Lud·wig van /'beɪthəʊvən, 'ludvɪg væn/
(1770–1827) a German COMPOSER, one of the best known and
most admired ever, who continued writing music after he lost
the ability to hear at the age of 30. His many famous works
include the Fifth Symphony and the Emperor Concerto.
bee·tle¹ /'bi:tl/ n any of many kinds of insect with hard
wing coverings → see picture at INSECT
beetle² v [I+adv/prep] BrE slang (of people) to go quickly,
especially as if trying not to be noticed: I saw you beetling
off/away early last night.
Beetle
Beetle BrE || Bug AmE infml a small car made by Volkswagen
which has a high, rounded top. It was first produced in the
1930s and has been popular ever since because of its
unusual shape. In 1998 a Beetle with a completely new
design went on sale.
Bee·ton, Mrs /'bi:tən/ (1836–65) a British woman who wrote a
famous book called The Book of Household Management,
which was very popular during the 19th and early 20th
century. The book gives RECIPES (=instructions for cooking
particular dishes), and also gives advice about managing a
home.
beet·root /'bi:tru:t/ BrE || beet AmE — n pl. -root or -roots
[C,U] a plant with a large round red root, cooked and eaten
as a vegetable: beetroot salad | She turned as red as a
beetroot when they laughed at her.
be·fall /bɪ'f:l/ v -fell /'fel/, -fallen /'fɔ:lən/ [I,T] fml (usually
of something bad) to happen to, especially as if by fate:
Some misfortune must have befallen them.
be·fit /bɪ'ft/ v -tt- [T] fml to be proper or suitable to: He
always travels first class, as befits a person in his position. | a
sober suit befitting the occasion —→tingly adv
be·fore¹ /bɪ'f:r/ prep 1 earlier than: before 1937 | He got there
before me. | The new road will be completed before the end of
the year. | the day before yesterday (=two days ago) | I usually
take a bath before having my breakfast. 2 at an earlier point
in an order than; ahead of: Your name comes before mine in
the list. 3 for the consideration of: The proposal was put
before the planning committee. 4 fml or lit in front of: The
priest stood before the altar. | The great plain stretched out
before them. 5 in a more important position than: I've
always put quality before quantity. → see LAST¹ (USAGE)
before² adv 1 at an earlier time; already; formerly: Haven't I
seen you before? | I thought he'd take it easy after the accident,
but he carries on driving like a maniac, as before. | We had
met on the Saturday before. (compare We met last Saturday.)
→ see AGO (USAGE) 2 becoming rare in advance; ahead
before³ conj 1 earlier than the time when: Say goodbye
before you go. | It will be some time before we know the full
results. 2 more willingly than; rather than: He will die before
he tells them what they want to know. 3 if not; or else;
otherwise: Get out before I call the police.
be·fore·hand /bɪ'fɔ:hænd||-'fɔ:r-/ adv before something
else happens; in advance: We knew they were coming, so we
bought some food beforehand.
be·friend /bɪ'frend/ v [T] fml to act as a friend to (especially
someone who is younger, or needs help): They befriended me
when I first arrived in London as a student.
be·fud·dled /bɪ'fʌdəd/ adj completely confused: Many cou-
ples who get divorced are befuddled by all the legal papers they
have to sign.
beg /beg/ v -gg- 1 [(for);T] to ask (especially for food, money
etc) in a way which shows little pride or self-respect: He lives
by begging. | He begged (for) money (from the people in the
street). | a begging letter 2 [I,T(of, for)] to ask (for) with great
eagerness or anxiety: to beg a favour (of someone) | to beg
(for) forgiveness | She begged and begged until I said yes. |
[+to-v] He begged to be allowed to go. | [+that] He begged that he
(should) be sent home. | [+obj+to-v] She begged me not to tell her
parents. 3 [T] (in certain phrases) to request politely: I beg
your pardon. (=I am sorry.) | [+to-v] I beg to differ. (=I don't
agree with you.) 4 [I] (of a dog) to sit up with its front legs
held against its chest 5 beg the question to take as true
something that is not yet proved 6 BrE going begging able
to be got or used; AVAILABLE: Those cakes are going begging if
anyone would like them.
beg off phr v [I] to excuse (oneself) from doing something
one had agreed to do: Jane has just begged off – can you take
her place in the team?
be·get /bɪ'get/ v begot /bɪ'gɒt||bɪ'gɑ:t/ or (bibl) begat
/bɪ'gæt/, begotten /bɪ'gɒtn||bɪ'gɑ:tn/ [T] especially bibl or old
use to become the father of: 'Abraham begat (=begot) Isaac.'
(The Bible, Matthew 1:2) | (fig.) Hunger begets (=produces)
crime.
beg·gar¹ /'begər/ n 1 a person who lives by begging 2 infml
any person, especially a man or boy: He's a cheerful little
beggar! | So you're off to San Francisco tomorrow, you lucky
beggar! 3 beggars can't be choosers saying people in need
must accept what they can get, without worrying about the
quality