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bank balance
**band.mas-ter** /'bænd,mɑːstəǁ-,mæ-/ *n* a man who CON-DUCTS a military band, brass band etc
**ban-do.leer**, **bandolier** /,bændə'lɪə/ *n* a belt that goes over a person's shoulder, and is used for carrying bullets
**B&Q** /,biː ən 'kjuː/ *trademark* a large British DIY store (=shop selling things for decorating or repairing your house and garden, such as tools, garden equipment, and paint). Many towns in the UK have a B&Q.
**bands-man** /'bændzmən/ *n pl.* **-men** /-mən/ a musician who plays in a military band, brass band etc
**band.stand** /'bændstænd/ *n* a raised place, open at the sides but with a roof, for a band playing music in the open air
**band**·**wa·gon** /'bænd,wægən/ *n* **1** a group, political party, movement etc that attracts support or followers because of its quick success or growth of popularity **2 jump/climb/get on the bandwagon** to begin to do something that a lot of other people are doing, especially in the hope of personal advantage
**band.width** /'bændwɪdθ/ *n [U] tech* the speed at which information can be sent from one computer to another, for example along a telephone wire. It is measured in BITS per second: *Downloading video images from the Net can make big demands on bandwidth.*
**ban·dy¹** /'bændi/ *adj* **1** (of legs) curving outwards at the knees **2** also **,bandy-'legged** /lɪ'../ having bandy legs
**bandy** sthg. **about/around** *phr v [T]* to spread (unfavour-able or untrue ideas) by talking: *Several different figures have been bandied about, but these are the only correct ones.*
**bandy²** *v* **bandy words (with)** *old-fash* to quarrel (with)
**bane** /beɪn/ *n* **the bane of one's existence/life** a cause of continual trouble: *That car is the bane of my life!*
**bane·ful** /'beɪnfəl/ *adj especially lit* harmful; evil: *a baneful influence* **—ly** *adv*
**Banff** /bænf/ a town in the Rocky Mountains in Alberta, Canada, that is popular with people who SKI
**bang¹** /bæŋ/ *v* **1 [T]** to hit sharply, especially by accident; BUMP: *He fell and banged his knee.* | *I banged my head on the low ceiling.* **2 [I+adv/prep; T+obj+adv/prep]** to (cause to) knock, beat, or move violently and with a loud noise: *She banged the chair against the wall.* | *They were banging on the door with their fists.* | *He banged the book down on the table.* **3 [I]** to make a sharp loud noise or noises: *There is someone banging about upstairs.* | *I could hear the garage door bang-ing (in the wind).* **4 [S] be/get banged up** *BrE infml* to be sent to prison: *He got banged up for armed robbery.* $\rightarrow$ see also **bang one's head against a brick wall** (HEAD¹)
**bang²** *n* **1 [C]** a sharp knock or blow: *She fell and got a nasty bang on the knee.* **2 [C]** a sudden loud noise: *The door shut with a bang.* **3 [S]** *infml* a strong or powerful effect; IMPACT: *The publication of the new magazine has made less of a bang than the publishers hoped for.* **4 [S]** *AmE infml* a strong feeling of pleasure: *She got a real bang out of the song the kids made up about her.* **5 go off with a bang** *BrE* || **go over with a bang** *AmE* — to be very successful: *The party really went off with a bang!* **6 not with a bang but a whimper** quote a phrase from a poem by T. S. Eliot, often used when saying that some-thing does not end in an exciting way, but just stops in a very uninteresting and unexciting way: *That is the way the revolution ends, not with a bang but with a whimper.*
**bang³** *adv [+adv/prep] infml* **1** directly or exactly: *The sales figures are bang on target.* | *The lights went out bang in the middle of the performance.* **2 bang goes (something)** that is the end of (something): *If we don't keep the price down, bang go our chances of getting the contract.*
**bang⁴** also **bangs** *pl. AmE* — *n* hair cut straight across the forehead; FRINGE
**bang·er** /'bæŋə / *n BrE infml* **1** a SAUSAGE **2** an old car in poor condition; JALOPY **3** a cheap noisy FIREWORK
**,bangers and 'mash** *n [U] BrE infml* cooked SAUSAGES and mashed (MASH) potatoes. This is considered to be a typical British meal.
**Bang·kok** /bæŋ'kɒkǁ'bæŋkɑːk/ the capital city and main port of Thailand. It is famous for its TEMPLES and other beautiful buildings.
**Ban·gla·desh** /,bæŋglə'deʃ/ a country in South Asia between India and Myanmar (= Burma), which became an independent nation when it separated from Pakistan in 1971. Population: 138,448,210 (2003). Capital: Dhaka.
**ban·gle** /'bæŋgəl/ *n* a hard narrow band of gold, silver etc worn round the arm or ankle as a decoration $\rightarrow$ compare BRACELET
**,bang-'on** *adj BrE infml* exactly correct or highly ACCURATE: *His estimate of how long the journey would take was bang-on.*
**bangs** /bæŋz/ n [P] AmE hair that is cut straight across your forehead; FRINGE BrE
**'bang-up** adj AmE infml very good: He did a bang-up job fixing the plumbing.
**ban·ish** /'bænɪʃ/ *v* [T(from)] **1** to send away by official order, usually from one's own country, especially as a punishment: *She was banished by the government for political reasons.* $\rightarrow$ compare EXILE **2** to force to leave; drive away: *Those noisy children should be banished from the library.* | *You can banish that idea from your mind.* **—ment** *n [U]* to go/be sent into banishment
**ban·is·ter** /'bænɪstə/ also **banisters** *pl.* — *n* a row of upright pieces of wood or metal with a bar along the top guarding the outer edge of stairs: *The children were sliding down the banister/the banisters.* $\rightarrow$ compare HANDRAIL, RAIL-ING
**ban·jo** /'bændʒəʊ/ *n pl.* **-jos** or **-joes** a musical instrument with four or more strings, a long neck, and a body like a drum, used especially to play popular music $\rightarrow$ see picture at STRINGED INSTRUMENTS
**bank¹** /bæŋk/ *n* **1** (a local office of) a business organization which performs services connected with money, especially keeping money for customers and paying it out on demand, or lending money to customers: *The major banks have announced an increase in interest rates.* | *She works at the bank in the High Street.* | *I think she's a lot more interested in your bank balance (=your money) than your personal-ity!* **2** a place where something is kept until it is ready for use, especially products of human origin for medical use: *a kidney bank* | *Hospital blood banks have saved many lives.* **3** (a person who keeps) a supply of money or pieces for payment or use in a game of chance $\rightarrow$ see also break the bank (BREAK¹) and CLEARING BANK, MERCHANT BANK
**bank²** *v* **1 [T]** to put or keep (money) in a bank **2 [I(with)]** to keep one's money (in the stated bank): *Who do you bank with?*
**bank on/upon** sbdy./sthg. *phr v [T]* to depend on; trust in: *I'm banking on you/on your help.* | [+ -v-ing] *We mustn't bank on getting their agreement.* | [+obj+to-v] *I'm banking on you to help me with the arrangements.* | [+obj+v-ing] *We were banking on John knowing the way.*
**bank³** *n* **1** land along the side of a river, lake etc: *the left bank of the Seine* | *the banks of the River Nile* $\rightarrow$ see SHORE (USAGE) **2** a pile or RIDGE of earth, mud, snow etc: *They sat on a grassy bank at the edge of the field watching the game of cricket.* **3** a mass of clouds, mist etc: *The banks of dark cloud promised rain.* **4** a slope made at bends in a road or racetrack, so that they are safer for cars to go round **5** a SANDBANK: *the Dogger Bank in the North Sea*
**bank⁴** *v [I]* (of a car or aircraft) to move with one side higher than the other when making a turn
**bank up** *phr v [I; T(= bank sthg. $\rightleftharpoons$ up)]* to form into a mass or pile: *The wind had banked the snow up against the wall.* | *At night we bank up the fire so that it's still burning in the morning.*
**bank⁵** *n [(of)]* a set of things arranged in a row, especially a row of OARS in an ancient boat or of KEYS on a TYPEWRITER
**bank·a·ble** /'bæŋkəbəl/ *adj* an actor or entertainer who is bankable is very popular, and is therefore likely to help a film or show to be successful and profitable: *After years working in TV, he suddenly became a bankable movie actor.*
**'bank ac,count** *n* an arrangement between a bank and a customer under which the customer can pay in and take out money: *I'd like to open (=start) a bank account.* $\rightarrow$ see also CURRENT ACCOUNT, DEPOSIT ACCOUNT, SAVINGS ACCOUNT
**'bank ,balance** *n [S]* the amount of money a person has in their bank account, or the amount of money they have generally: *The profits from his company have given him a very healthy bank balance.*