birthright
126
every 100 or every 1000 people in a particular year in a particular place: a birthrate of three per 100 | a rapidly increasing birthrate -> compare DEATH RATE
birth-right /'b3:TraIt||'b3:rT-/ n [C usually sing.] a right or set of rights that belongs to someone because of the family or nation they come from: Freedom is our birthright.
birth-stone /'b3:TeUN||'b3:rT-/ n the valuable stone which is connected with the month of the year in which one was born: If you were born in July, then your birthstone is a ruby.
Birt-wis-tle, Sir Harrison /'b3:twisəl||'b3:rt-/ (1934–) an English COMPOSER, known for his modern music for voices and instruments, including Tragoedia (1965), Gawain (1991), and The Last Supper (1998–99)
bir-ya-ni /ˌbIri'a:ni/ -> see BIRIANI
Biscay, Bay of -> see BAY OF BISCAY
bis-cuit /'bIskIt/ n 1 [C] BrE | cookie AmE — a flat thin dry cake, sweetened or unsweetened, usually sold in packets or tins: We had coffee and biscuits. 2 [C] AmE for SCONE 3 [U] a light yellowish brown colour 4 [U] tech cups, plates etc made of baked clay, after their first heating in the fire but before the GLAZE is put on 5 take the biscuit BrE slang to be the best/worst thing one has ever seen or heard of: This latest excuse of his really takes the biscuit!
bi-sect /aI'sekt||'balsekt/ v [T] tech to divide into two usually equal parts → -ion /'sekʃən||'baIsek-/ n [U]
bi-sex-u-al /baI'seksJuel/ adj 1 possessing qualities of both sexes: a bisexual plant 2 sexually attracted to people of both sexes -> compare HETEROSEXUAL, HOMOSEXUAL, LESBIAN
→ bisexual n → ly adv → -ity /ˌbalseksJu'ælIti/ n [U]
bish-op /'bISep/ n 1 (often cap.) (in some branches of the Christian Church) a high-ranking priest in charge of all the churches and priests in a large area (a DIOCESE): the Bishop of Durham 2 (in CHESS) a piece that can be moved any number of squares from one corner towards the opposite corner -> see als as the actress said to the bishop (ACTRESS); see picture at CHESSMAN
bish-op-ric /'bISeprik/ n the position of a bishop, or the area (DIOCESE) that a bishop is in charge of
Bis-marck, Ot-to von /'bIzma:k||'bismark, 'OtOU von||'a:tOU vaIn/ (1815–98) a German politician who was mainly responsible for joining all the separate German states together to form one country, and who then became CHANCELLOR of Germany. He was known as the ‘Iron Chancellor’.
bis-muth /'bIsnIθ/ n [U] a grey-white metal that is a simple substance (ELEMENT), is easily broken, and is used in medicine
bi-son /'baIsən/ also buffalo n pl. bison or bisons a large wild animal like a cow formerly common in Europe and N America, with a very large head and shoulders covered with hair
bisque /bIsk/n [U] thick cream soup, especially made from SHELLFISH: lobster bisque
Bis-quick /'bIskwIk/ trademark AmE a type of mixture of flour and other substances needed to make PANCAKES, WAFFLES, or BISCUITS
Bis-to /'bIstEU/ trademark BrE a type of GRAVY in powder form, known especially for its advertising phrase ‘Aah! Bisto!’, and the children used in its advertisements, called the Bisto Kids
bis-tro /'bi:streU/ n pl. -tros a small BAR¹ or restaurant; especially one that is fashionable and popular
bit¹ /bIt/ n 1 [C(of)] a small piece or amount: The floor was covered in bits of paper/bits of broken glass. 2 [C(of)] especially BrE any part or piece of something larger: Who would like the last bit of cake? | I liked the bit when the shark suddenly appeared behind the boat – that was the best bit in the whole film. 3 [S+of] especially BrE a certain amount; some: a bit of bad news | I’m going to do a bit of Christmas shopping. | There’s been a bit of trouble at the office. | I did a bit of teaching before I became a writer. 4 [S] a short time: I’m going out for a bit. 5 [C] infml a) BrE a small coin, especially one worth three or six old pence: a sixpenny bit b) AmE 12½ cents: I wouldn’t give you two bits (=25 cents) for that old book! -> see also TWO-BIT 6 a bit infml to some degree; rather: I’m a bit tired. | We need a bit more time. | Your article is a bit [too long] for our paper. | Could you turn the radio down a bit, please. | He’s a bit of a bore. (=he’s rather BORING) | I wasn’t a bit worried. (=I wasn’t worried at all) | She’s not a bit like her sister. -> see MORE (USAGE) 7 a bit much also a bit thick -> especially BrE more than is acceptable or fair; unreasonable; think it’s a bit much that she expects us to work at weekends. 8 bit by bit also a bit at a time -> infml gradually; little by little 9 bits and pieces/bobs infml small things of various kinds: Let me get my bits and pieces together. 10 do one’s bit BrE infml to do your share of work that needs to be done: We’ll soon get it finished if we all do our bit. 11 every bit as infml just as: She’s every bit as clever as her sister. 12 to bits into small pieces: The bridge was blown to bits by the explosion. (fig.) My nerves have gone (all) to bits lately. -> see also BIT OF FLUFF, BIT PART 13 a bit on the side BrE spoken used about someone you are having a secret sexual relationship with when you are already married or are in a serious romantic relationship: Angela was the last to find out about her husband’s bit on the side – in the end one of her friends told her | Maybe I should have a bit on the side to make Graham pay for what he has done.
In British English, use a bit before adjectives: I’m a bit tired. Use a bit of before nouns: a bit of money | a bit of a problem.
bit² n 1 a metal bar, part of a BRIDLE that is put in the mouth of a horse and used for controlling its movements 2 the sharp part of a tool for cutting or making holes: a drill bit 3 champ/chafe at the bit to be restless and difficult to control because of being impatient to do something -> compare straining at the leash (STRAIN') 4 take the bit between one’s teeth to make a serious and determined effort to deal with something difficult or unpleasant -> see picture at HORSE
bit³ n tech the smallest unit of information that can be used by a computer: a 16-bit processor -> compare BYTE
bit⁴ past tense of BITE
bitch¹ /bItʃ/ n 1 a female dog 2 derog a woman, especially when unkind or bad-tempered: You bitch! -> see also SON OF-A-BITCH
bitch² v [I(about)] slang 1 to complain continually: I wish you’d stop bitching. 2 to make nasty or hurtful remarks about other people
bitch-en /'bItʃən/ adj AmE slang good: That’s a bitchen car!
bitch-y /'bItʃi/ adj nasty and hurtful towards other people: She’s really bitchy. | a bitchy remark — iIy adv — iness n [U]
bite¹ /bait/ v bit /bIt/, bitten /'bItən/ 1 [I;T] to cut, crush, or seize (something) with the teeth or to attach (someone or something) with the teeth: Be careful. My dog bites. | He bit into the piece of cake. | He bit a large piece out of it. | The dog bit me on the leg/bit a hole in my trousers. | Do you children bite their fingernails? 2 [I;T] (of insects and snakes) to make a hole in the skin (of) and draw blood: The mosquitoes are really biting this evening! | (fig., infml) You’ve been in a mood all day – what’s biting you? (=what’s wrong?) 3 [I] (of fish) to accept food on a fisherman’s hook and so get caught: I’ve been sitting here for hours but fish just aren’t biting today. | (fig.) I hoped she would be interested in my plan, but she didn’t bite. (=express any interest) 4 [I] to take hold of something firmly; GRIP: The ice on the road was so hard that the tyres wouldn’t bite. 5 [I] to have the intended, usually unpleasant, effect: The new taxes are really beginning to bite. 6 be bitten with infml to develop (a strong desire for something or a strong, almost uncontrollable interest in something): Ever since he was 16 years old, he has been bitten with a love of motorcycles. 7 bite off more than one can chew infml to attempt more than you can deal with or succeed in finishing: I told him he would be biting off more than he could chew if he tried to rebuild the house himself. 8 bite one’s tongue to make a great effort to stop yourself saying what you really feel 9 bite someone’s head off infml to speak to or answer someone rudely and angrily: He only asked you what time it was – there’s no need to bite my head off! 10 bite the bullet infml to suffer bravely something very unpleasant 11 bite the dust infml to be killed or defeated or come to an unsuccessful end: The project bit the dust when the new management came in. 12 bite the hand that feeds one to harm someone who has treated you well 13 once bitten, twice shy saying if you have failed at something or been hurt by it once, you will be more careful next time