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Bilko, Sergeant
**Biggs, Ron·ald** /'bɪɡz, 'rɒnldǁ'ra:-/ (1929– ) a famous British criminal who took part in the Great Train Robbery in 1963, and later escaped to Brazil. The British police tried several times to bring him back to the UK, but we were never successful. In 2001 he decided to return to the UK because his health was poor and he was sent back to prison.
**big 'gun** *n AmE slang* an important person who can influence events
**big 'hair** *n [U]* a woman's hair style that was fashionable especially in the 1980s, in which the hair has been combed so that it is high up above the head and far out at the sides.
**big-head** /'bɪɡhed/ *n infml* someone who has too high an opinion of their own importance **—bigheaded** /'bɪɡ'hedɪd/ *adj*
**big-'hearted** *adj* kind and loving: *She'd give you the coat off her back she's so big-hearted.*
**big 'hitter** *n* someone who is very important and successful and who has a lot of influence: *one of the big hitters of the Conservative Party*
**big-horn** /'bɪɡhɔ:nǁ-hɔ:rn/ also **,bighorn 'sheep** *n* a wild sheep with long curved horns which lives in the Rocky Mountains in the US
**bight** /baɪt/ *n* **1** a curve in a coast larger than, or curving less than, a BAY **2** a LOOP made in the middle of a rope
**Big 'Issue, The** a British magazine which is sold on the streets in the UK by people who have nowhere to live. *The Big Issue* was started as a way of helping homeless people, and the people who sell it are allowed to keep part of the money they receive from buyers.
**Big 'Leagues, the** *n [P]* the MAJOR LEAGUES (=the teams that play at the highest level of professional BASEBALL in the US) $\rightarrow$ compare LITTLE LEAGUES
**Big 'Mac** trademark a type of large HAMBURGER, which is one of the most popular foods sold in McDonald's restaurants
**big ,Man on 'Campus** *n AmE* used jokingly to talk about a boy or man at school or university who is very proud of his achievements and social position
**big 'money** *n [U] infml* a large amount of money: *Carter won big money in Vegas last year.*
**big-mouth** /'bɪɡmaʊθ/ *n [U] infml* someone who cannot be trusted to keep secrets
**big 'name** *n infml* an important or well-known person or group: *They've lined up quite a few big names for the concert.*
**big 'noise** *n* a BIG SHOT
**big·ot** /'bɪɡət/ *n* someone who thinks unreasonably that their own strong opinion is correct, especially about matters of religion, race, or politics **—ed** *adj: bigoted people/opinions*
**big·ot·ry** /'bɪɡətri/ *n [U]* behaviour or beliefs typical of a bigot
**big 'screen, the** *n* (film made for) the cinema, as opposed to television: *Her career took off when she transferred her talents to the big screen.*
**big 'shot** *n* a person of great importance or influence: *talking to some big shot in the advertising business*
**Big 'Sisters** a US organization to help girls, especially girls who do not have mothers or who come from families experiencing difficulties. Each girl has her own Big Sister, a woman who meets her regularly to give advice, listen to her problems, play games, and be a ROLE MODEL. Big Sisters are VOLUNTEERS (=people who work without being paid), and there is a similar organization for boys called BIG BROTHERS.
**big 'stick** [S] *n* the threat of using military or political force to get what you want
**Big 'Ten, the** also **the Big 10** a group of eleven midwestern US universities who compete with each other in sports. These teams are generally thought to be among the best in college sports, and their players often go on to join professional teams $\rightarrow$ compare PAC 10
**Big 'Three, the** *AmE* General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler, which are the three largest American car makers: *The Big Three have all announced incentives to boost flagging auto sales.*
**big-ticket** *adj AmE infml* expensive: *big-ticket items such as refrigerators and stereos*
**'big ,time$^1$** *n [the]* *infml* the highest level of importance or success (e.g. in sports or the entertainment business): *She was fairly successful as an actress, but never really hit (=reached) the big time* $\rightarrow$ compare SMALL-TIME **—big-time** *adj: a big-time gangster* **—big-timer** *n*
**big time$^2$** *adv infml* in a very extreme and noticeable way: *He took his driving test, but screwed it up big time.*
**,big 'toe** *n* the largest toe on the inside of the foot
**,big 'top** *n* a very large tent used by a CIRCUS (=a show with performing animals, people etc)
**,big 'wheel** *n* **1** *BrE* $\parallel$ also **ferris wheel** especially *AmE* a machine used in amusement parks, consisting of a large upright wheel carrying seats which remain HORIZONTAL as the wheel turns round **2** a BIG SHOT
**big·wig** /'bɪɡwɪɡ/ *n humor* or *derog slang* a person with a high position in an organization
**bi·jou** /'bi:ʒu:/ *adj [A]* (especially of a building) small and pretty: *The estate agent described this little house as a desirable bijou residence.*
**bike$^1$** /baɪk/ *n infml* **1** a two-wheeled vehicle; BICYCLE **2** *AmE infml* MOTORCYCLE **3** **get on your bike** *BrE infml* to go out and make an effort to find a job. The phrase is connected especially with the former British politician Norman Tebbit.
**bike$^2$** *v infml* **1 [I+adv/prep]** to go somewhere on a bicycle: *She bikes to work every day.* **2 [T+obj+adv/prep]** to send a package, document etc to another place by means of a bicycle or motorcycle: *We'll have the contract biked over to you this afternoon.*
**bik·er** /'baɪkə/ *n* **1** someone who rides a MOTORBIKE especially one of a group often wearing black leather bearing the name of the group and/or other words and SYMBOLS $\rightarrow$ see also HELL'S ANGEL **2** someone who rides a BICYCLE
**bike·shed** /'baɪkʃed/ *n BrE* a BICYCLE SHED
**bi·ki·ni** /bɪ'ki:ni/ *n* a small two-piece bathing suit for women
**Bi,kini 'Atoll** an island in the Pacific Ocean where the US performed NUCLEAR weapons tests from 1946 until the 1960s
**Bi·ko, Steve** /'bi:kəʊ, 'sti:v/ (1946–77) a black South African political leader who started the Black Consciousness Movement, an organization that fought against APARTHEID (=the system in which black people had no political rights, and black and white people had to live in different areas). He died while being questioned by the police, and most people think the police murdered him. The film *Cry Freedom* is about his life.
**bi·la·bi·al** /baɪ'leɪbiəl/ *n, adj tech* (a consonant sound such as /b/) made using both lips
**bi·lat·er·al** /baɪ'lætərəl/ *adj* concerning or including two groups or nations: *a bilateral agreement on arms control* $\rightarrow$ compare MULTILATERAL, UNILATERAL **—ly** *adv*
**bil·ber·ry** /'bɪlbərɪǁ-,beri/ also **whortleberry** *n* (the blue-black fruit of) a low bushy plant growing on hillsides and in high woods in Northern Europe $\rightarrow$ compare BLUEBERRY
**bile** /baɪl/ *n [U]* **1** a bitter green-brown liquid formed in the LIVER which helps in the DIGESTION of fats **2** *fml* bad temper and bitterness
**bilge** /bɪldʒ/ *n* **1 [C]** the broad bottom of a ship **2 [U]** dirty water in the bottom of a ship **3 [U]** *old-fash slang* foolish talk: *Don't give me that bilge!*
**bil·har·zi·a** /bɪl'hɑ:tsiəǁ-ha:r-/ *n [U]* a serious disease of the LIVER that you can get while swimming in rivers or lakes in hot countries
**bi·lin·gual$^1$** /baɪ'lɪŋɡwəl/ *adj* **1** of, containing, or expressed in two languages: *a bilingual French/English dictionary* **2** able to speak two languages equally well: *a bilingual secretary*
**bilingual$^2$** *n* a person who is able to speak two languages equally well $\rightarrow$ compare MONOLINGUAL
**bil·i·ous** /'bɪliəs/ *adj* **1** sick from having too much bile in the body: *Fatty food makes some people bilious.* **2** bad-tempered; IRASCIBLE **—ness** *n [U]*
**bilk** /bɪlk/ *v [T(out of)]* to cheat (someone), especially causing them to lose money; SWINDLE
**Bil·ko, Sergeant** /'bɪlkəʊ/ the main character in a humorous television programme about a US army camp. Bilko is an