111
beneficiary
industrial process) -> see also FAN BELT, CONVEYER
BELT 3 (often cap.) an area that has a particular quality or part:
the stockbroker belt | the Corn/Cotton Belt (=where corn/
cotton is the chief crop) -> see also BIBLE BELT, COMMUTER
BELT, GREEN BELT 4 infml an act of hitting someone hard;
powerful blow 5 below the belt infml unkind in an unfair
way: That remark was a bit below the belt. | an unfair remark
that hit him below the belt 6 under one's belt achieved or
finished: Once you have a degree under your belt, you'll find it
easier to get a job. -> see also BLACK BELT, LIFE BELT, SEAT
BELT, tighten one's belt (TIGHTEN)
belt2 v 1 [T] infml to hit someone or something very hard: I
belted him in the eye. | The tennis player belted the ball right
out of the court. 2 [T(UP)] to fasten with a belt: She belted (up)
her raincoat. 3 [I+adv/prep] slang, especially BrE to travel fast:
+ belting along/down the motorway
belt sthg. <=> out phr v [T] infml to sing loudly: to belt out a
song
belt up phr v [I usually imperative] BrE slang to stop talking or
making a noise: If you don't belt up I'll throw you out.
Bel·tane /'beltern/ n an ancient Celtic celebration on May
1st when fires were built (Beltane fires) and the cattle
brought to them to guard against illness in the coming year
belt·ed /'beltǝd/ adj provided with a belt: a belted raincoat
belt·way /'beltweɪ/ n AmE for RING ROAD
Beltway 'sniper at,tacks, the a series of attacks in
which ten people were shot dead and three people were
injured during three weeks in October 2003. The attacks
happened in and around Washington D.C., and the killers
were thought to have used the Capital Beltway road to travel
from one place to the other. The murders took place at
PETROL STATIONS, restaurants, SUPERMARKETS, and schools.
Two men, John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo, were
later charged and found guilty of the murders. A court of law
decided that Muhammad should be punished with the DEATH
PENALTY and that Malvo, who was 17 years old at the time,
should be sent to prison for life.
Bel·u·shi, John /bə'lu:ʃi/ (1942-82) a US actor and COME-
DIAN, best known for the television programme SATURDAY
NIGHT LIVE, and the film THE BLUES BROTHERS. He died of
taking too many drugs.
be·moan /bɪ'məʊn/ v [T] fml to express sorrow or disappoint-
ment because of: He bemoaned his bitter fate. | She bemoaned
the lack of money for her new project.
be·mused /bɪ'mju:zd/ adj unable to think or understand
properly; confused: a bemused expression | bemused by/with
all the questions
ben /ben/ n ScotE (often cap. as part of a name) a mountain or hill:
Ben Nevis
Ben & Jer·ry's /,ben ən 'dʒerz/ trademark a type of US ICE
CREAM which is known for being very thick and creamy, and
for having exciting unusual tastes. The company that pro-
duces it is also known for being concerned about the
environment.
bench1 /bentʃ/ n 1 [C] a long usually wooden seat for two
or more people, especially one used outdoors: a park
bench 2 [the] a judge or the seat where a judge sits in court:
to speak from the bench | The bench declared... 3 [the+sing./pl. v]
judges as a group: What does/do the bench feel about this? | He
retired from the bench in 1982. 4 [C] a long heavy worktable:
a carpenter's bench 5 a seat on which members of a sports
team sit when they are not playing: The manager was
shouting instructions from the bench.
bench2 v [T] AmE to remove from a game for a short period
because of breaking the rules or because of poor perform-
ance: Mr Morris benched me for taking food into the
playground. | Hershisler may be benched for the next few games
because of shoulder problems.
Bench·ley, Rob·ert Charles /'bentʃlɪ, 'rɒbət
tʃɑ:lzll'rɑ:bərt tʃɑ:rlz/ (1889-1945) a humorous US writer and
theatre CRITIC who wrote articles for the magazines Vanity
Fair and The New Yorker. He was also an actor and appeared in
many films.
bench mark n 1 a mark made on something fixed at a point
of known height, from which heights and distances can be
measured, especially in surveying (SURVEY) 2 something
which can be used as a standard by which other things are
judged or measured: The new salary deal for railway workers
will be a bench mark for pay settlements in the public sector. |
The new software package establishes several bench marks for
other spreadsheet manufacturers.
bend1 /bend/ v bent /bent/ 1 [T] to force into a curve, angle,
or sloping position, away from a straight or upright posi-
tion: to bend the wire | to bend one's head in worship | an old
woman who was bent down with age | He pleaded with her on
bended knee. (=kneeling) | (fig.) I think we can bend the rules
(=let them be broken slightly) on this occasion. 2 [I] to have
or take on a curved shape or sloping position: This wire
bends easily. | The branches bent in the wind. | I bent down to
pick up the box. | (fig.) They refused to bend to the hijackers'
demands. | I talked to her for an hour but I couldn't get her to
bend (=change her mind). 3 [T+obj+adv/prep] to direct (one's
efforts): She bent her mind to the job. 4 bend over back-
wards to make every possible effort to be helpful 5 bend
someone's ear infml to talk to someone, especially about
something that is worrying one -> see also BENT
bend2 n 1 a curved part, especially in a road or stream: a bend
in the road/river 2 an act of bending: forward bends to stretch
the spine 3 around/round the bend infml, often humor mad: This
pink wallpaper would drive/send me around/round the
bend. | That old man next door must be/have gone round the
bend - he's been cutting the grass with a pair of scissors!
bend·er /'bendər/ n 1 go on a bender infml a) a wild period
of uncontrolled drinking: After he got his exam results, he
went on a bender for two days. b) to drink a lot of alcohol
for fun, especially by going to several different bars: After
finishing their exams, Kim and Jo went on a two day bender in
Las Vegas. 2 BrE infml an offensive word for a man who is
sexually attracted to other men; HOMOSEXUAL -> see also
GENDER-BENDER
bends /bendz/ n [the+sing./pl. v] a painful and occasionally fatal
condition caused by gas in the tubes through which blood
flows, suffered especially by deep-sea DIVERS who come to the
surface too quickly
be·neath1 /bɪ'ni:θ/ adv fml 1 in or to a lower position;
below: We looked down from the plane at the fields spread out
beneath. 2 directly under; UNDERNEATH -> see UNDER
(USAGE); compare BELOW1
beneath2 prep 1 fml in or to a lower position than; below;
directly under, especially so as to be covered or sheltered by:
The ship sank beneath the waves. | a village beneath the hills |
to feel the sand beneath one's feet 2 lower than in rank, social
position etc: She was very contemptuous of those beneath
her. 3 not suitable to; not worthy of: Such behaviour is
beneath you/beneath contempt. -> see UNDER (USAGE) and
compare BELOW2
Benedict XVI, Pope /,benɪ'dɪkt ðə sɪk'sti:nθ/ (1927-) a
German priest who became POPE in 2005
ben·e·dic·tine /,benɪ'dɪktɪ:n/ n [U] (often cap.) a strong
alcoholic drink (LIQUEUR) first made by members of the Ben-
edictine order, usually drunk from a small glass after a meal
Ben·e·dic·tine /,benɪ'dɪktɪn/ n a member of a Christian
group of MONKS which obeys the rules made by Saint
Benedict
ben·e·dic·tion /,benɪ'dɪkʃən/ n (a prayer or religious serv-
ice giving) a blessing
ben·e·fac·tion /,benɪ'fækʃən/ n fml 1 [U] doing good or
giving money for a good purpose 2 [C] money so given
ben·e·fac·tor /'benɪ,fæktər/, ben·e·fac·tress /-trǝs/ fem.--
n a person who does good or who gives money for a good
purpose -> compare MALEFACTOR
ben·e·fice /'benɪfɪs/ n the pay and position of the Christian
priest of a PARISH
be·nef·i·cent /bɪ'nefɪsənt/ adj fml doing good; kind or
generous ---cence n [U] ---ly adv
ben·e·fi·cial /,benɪ'fɪʃəl/ adj [(to)] (especially of an action
or event) producing favourable effects or useful results: His
holiday has had a beneficial effect. | The fall in prices will be
beneficial to small businesses. ---ly adv
ben·e·fi·cia·ry /,benɪ'fɪʃəri-'fɪʃeri/ n [(of)] the receiver of
a benefit or advantage, especially of money or property:
People on high incomes will be the main beneficiaries of these