Blade Runner
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'Blade ,Runner (1982) a US film by the DIRECTOR Ridley Scott, in which Harrison FORD appears as a policeman in Los Angeles in the year 2019, when the Earth's environment has been destroyed, and it rains all the time. His job is to find and kill a group of intelligent machines that look exactly like people.
blag¹ /blæg/ v [T] BrE slang to get something that you want by cleverly persuading someone to let you have it: He blagged his way into the club by saying he was a friend of the owner.
blag² n BrE slang a crime, especially stealing
blag·ger /'blægər/ n BrE infml derog someone who gets something they want by lying to people in a clever way
blah¹ /bla:/ adj AmE infml dull; colourless; without strong taste: a blah stew of vegetables | The inside of the house was pretty blah. (=the decoration was uninteresting)
blah² n [U] 1 BrE slang empty talk; nonsense: the usual blah about everybody working harder 2 blah, blah, blah (used to show that more was said but that it was uninteresting) and so on: He talked about boats and sailing blah, blah, blah.
Blaine, David /bleɪn/ (1973–) a US magician who has appeared on television performing unusual magic tricks in the street with people he meets there. He has also done several dangerous and impressive tricks, such as standing on top of a very tall upright post for 35 hours. In 2003, he spent 44 days in a clear plastic box hanging above the River Thames in London without eating any food.
Blair, Che·rie /bleər, ʃə'ri:/ also called **Cherie Booth** (1954–) the wife of British Prime Minister, Tony Blair. She is also a very successful QC (=a high-ranking lawyer in the British legal system) and RECORDER (=a judge who works in city courts). In her professional life, she uses the name Cherie Booth rather than her married name.
Blair, Tony (1953–) a British politician who became leader of the Labour Party in 1994, and Prime Minister in 1997. After becoming party leader, he made a lot of changes to make the party more modern, and called it 'New Labour'. Some traditional supporters of the Labour Party thought his policies were too RIGHT-WING, but he won a large victory in the elections of 1997, and this ended 18 years of government by the Conservative Party. He also went on to win the election of 2001. In 2003, after the Iraq War, he became less popular with members of his own party and the public. His wife, Cherie Blair, is a well-known lawyer.
Blair·ism /'bleərɪzəm/ n [U] the political ideas of Tony Blair and New Labour in Britain, which include the idea of trying to achieve a fairer society without using high taxes to pay for social services, and without putting strict controls on business and the economy —**Blairist** adj
Blair·ite /'bleəraɪt/ n someone who strongly supports the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and his political ideas —**Blairite** adj
Blake, William /bleɪk/ (1757–1827) an English poet and artist whose work is an example of ROMANTICISM, and whose best-known poems are *Songs of Innocence* and *Songs of Experience*. He also wrote the popular HYMN (=religious song) called *Jerusalem*.
blame¹ /bleɪm/ v [T] 1 to consider (someone or something) responsible for (something bad): Don't blame me if it doesn't work – it's not my fault. | [+obj+on] They blamed the failure of the talks on the Russians. | [+obj+for] They blamed the Russians for the failure of the talks. | They blamed the rise in oil prices for the big increase in inflation. | If he fails the exam he's only got himself to blame. (=it is his fault and no one else's) 2 to find fault with: Critics blamed the documentary for its one-sided presentation of the situation. | 'She's left her husband.' 'I don't blame her (=I quite understand her feelings/agree with her action) after the way he treated her.' 3 be to blame (for) to be at fault or be guilty (of): The children were not to blame for the accident.
blame² n [U(for)] responsibility for something bad: The judge laid/put the blame for the accident on the driver of the car. | We were ready to take/bear the blame for what had happened. | It is the job of the committee to discover the cause of the accident, not to apportion blame.
blame·less /'bleɪmləs/ adj free from guilt or blame; INNOCENT: a blameless life —**ly** adv —**ness** n [U]
blame·wor·thy /'bleɪmˌwɜːði||-ɜːr-/ adj fml deserving blame or disapproval: blameworthy behaviour —**thiness** n [U]
blanch /blɑːntʃ||blæntʃ/ v 1 [T] to make (a plant or plant product) colourless by keeping it out of the light: blanched celery 2 [I] to become white or pale with fear, cold etc: He blanched with shock. 3 [T] to put (a fruit or vegetable) into very hot water for a short time, especially in order to remove the skin more easily: blanched almonds in a cake | Blanch the peaches and remove the skins before slicing them into the jar.
Blan·chett, Cate
/'blɑːntʃət||'blæn-, kət/
(1969–) an Australian film and theatre actress whose films include *Elizabeth* and the *Lord of the Rings* series
Cate Blanchett
blanc·mange /blə'mɒnʒ, -'mɒndʒɪː-'mɑː-/ n [C;U] a sweet dish consisting of a cold solid mixture of CORNFLOUR, sugar, milk, and other sweet foods
bland /blænd/ adj 1 (of food) without much taste: This soup is too bland for me. 2 (of people or their behaviour) showing no strong feelings or opinions or other noticeable qualities, especially so as to avoid causing trouble or giving offence: the radio station's bland coverage of the election campaign —**ly** adv —**ness** n [U]
Blan·da, George /'blændə/ (1927–) a US FOOTBALL player who is famous because he played professional football for 26 years and scored more points than any other NFL player
blan·dish·ments /'blændɪʃmənts/ n [P] FLATTERY intended to persuade or influence a person, especially to do something wrong: She resisted his blandishments.
blank¹ /blæŋk/ adj 1 without writing, print, or other marks: a blank page | Please write your name in the blank space at the top of the page. | If you press this key the screen will go blank. | a blank cassette (=with nothing recorded on it) 2 empty or expressionless; without understanding or interest: I tried to explain, but he just gave me a blank look. | My mind went completely blank and I forgot what I was supposed to be doing. —**ly** adv —**ness** n [U]
blank² n 1 an empty space: Fill in all the blanks on the form. | (fig.) When I tried to remember her name, my mind was complete blank. 2 a BLANK CARTRIDGE ➔ see also draw blank (DRAW¹)
blank 'cartridge n a CARTRIDGE that contains an explosive but no bullet
blank 'cheque BrE || blank check AmE– n 1 a cheque signed and given to someone to write in whatever amount they want to receive 2 infml complete freedom to take whatever action one believes to be necessary to gain a result: CARTE BLANCHE: [+to+v] She was given a blank cheque to get the company back on its feet.
blan·ket¹ /'blæŋkɪt/ n 1 a thick usually woollen covering used especially on beds 2 [of] a thick covering: The valley was covered with a blanket of mist/snow. ➔ see also WET BLANKET
blanket² v [T(with) usually pass.] to cover as if with a blanket: The country was blanketed with snow.
blanket³ adj [A] including all cases, classes, or possible events; unlimited: a blanket rule | a blanket ban on smoking throughout the building
blankety-blank /ˌblæŋkɪti 'blæŋk/ adj [A] AmE euph infml DAMN: The blankety-blank key is stuck!
blank 'verse n [U] poetry that does not RHYME: Most Shakespeare's plays are written in blank verse.
blare /bleər/ v [I;T[OUT]] (of a horn or other loud sound-producing instrument) to produce (sounds) loudly and unpleasantly: The radio blared out (the news). | blaring car horns/sirens —blare n [S] the blare of a brass band
blar·ney /'blɑːni||-ɜːr-/ n [U] infml pleasant talk intended to persuade or deceive; FLATTERY
'Blarney Stone, the a stone in the wall of Blarney Castle