block
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beginner. When it comes to bank robbery he's been around the block. | We were all staring at this older woman who was standing in line in front of us. You could tell she'd been around the block a few times – too much makeup, hair dyed pink, and a skirt that was way too short. ➔ compare BLOC; see also BLOCK AND TACKLE, BLOCK LETTERS, STUMBLING BLOCK, chip off the old block (CHIP¹), knock someone's block off (KNOCK¹)
block² v [T] 1 to prevent movement through: Something's blocking the pipe. | a blocked pipe | The road was blocked by a big truck. | My nose is all blocked up and I can't breathe. | The police have blocked off the road where the bomb was found. 2 [OFF] to shut off from view: The trees outside the window block (off) the sun. 3 to prevent from happening, advancing, or succeeding: One of the directors blocked her appointment. | The legislation was blocked by the House of Lords. 4 tech to limit the use of (a particular nation's money): blocked currency
block sthg ⇔ in/out phr v [T] to make a quick drawing showing the general idea of: I've blocked in/out a rough plan of the campus.
block·ade¹ /blɒ'keɪd||blɑː-/ n the surrounding of a place by warships or soldiers to prevent people or goods from coming in or going out: They are threatening to impose a blockade on the country. | to run a blockade (=get through it) | to raise/lift a blockade (=end it) ➔ compare EMBARGO¹
blockade² v [T] to put under a blockade: The ships blockaded the harbour.
block·age /'blɒkɪdʒ||'blɑː-/ n 1 something that causes a block; OBSTRUCTION: There's a blockage in the pipe somewhere. 2 a state of being blocked: The strike has caused a blockage in food supplies.
block and tackle n [C;U] an arrangement of wheels and ropes for lifting heavy things: We moved the fallen tree with (a) block and tackle.
block·bust·er /'blɒk,bʌstə||'blɑːk-/ n 1 infml something very effective or remarkable, especially a very successful film or book: The new James Bond picture is a real block-buster. 2 an extremely powerful bomb
block-head /'blɒkhed||'blɑːk-/ n infml an extremely stupid person
block-house /'blɒkhaʊs||'blɑːk-/ n pl. -houses /,-haʊzɪz/ a small fort used as a shelter from enemy gunfire or for watching dangerous operations (such as powerful explosions)
block 'letters also block 'capitals n [P] the writing of words with each letter formed separately and written in its CAPITAL (=big) form. It is usual to write in block letters when completing official forms: Please write your name in block letters.
'block ,party n AmE a party held in the street for all the people living on that block
block 'vote n a single vote that is made by a representative of a large group, such as a trade union, and is regarded as representing the votes of all the members of the group
Bloc Qué·bé·cois /ˌblɒk ˌkeɪbɛkˈwɑː||ˌblɑːk-/ a political party in Canada which wants the PROVINCE of Quebec to be a separate independent area that governs itself
blog /blɒg||blɑːg/ n a web page that is made up of information about a particular subject, in which the newest information is always at the top of the page
bloke /bləʊk/ n BrE infml a man
blok·ish /'bləʊkɪʃ/ adj BrE infml a man who is blokish is relaxed and friendly when he is with other men, and enjoys doing traditionally male things
blond /blɒnd||blɑːnd/ adj 1 (of hair) light-coloured (usually yellowish) 2 also blonde fem. — having light-coloured usually yellowish hair and light skin ➔ compare BRUNETTE
blonde /blɒnd||blɑːnd/ n a woman or girl with light-coloured usually yellowish hair. People sometimes use the phrase 'Gentlemen prefer blondes', which is the title of a book by Anita Loos. ➔ see also DUMB BLONDE
Blon·die /'blɒndi||'blɑːn-/ the main female character in the US CARTOON STRIP which is also called 'Blondie'
CULTURAL NOTE Blondie is a kind attractive HOUSEWIFE who is always helping her husband Dagwood whenever he does something wrong. Many people consider Blondie to be an old-fashioned STEREOTYPE of the perfect housewife.
blood¹ /blʌd/ n 1 [J] the red liquid which flows through the body: The knife was covered in blood. | It was a serious cut and she lost a lot of blood. | The way they treat their children makes my blood boil. (=makes me very angry) | The sound of footsteps in the dark made his blood run cold. (=frightened him) | He's under police protection because he knows the rest of the gang are after his blood. (=hate him/want to harm him physically) | (lit) The invading army spilled the blood of our people. (=killed them) 2 [U] family relationship: a woman of noble blood | princes of the blood (=members of the royal family) | Both her parents are actors, so acting is/runs in her blood. 3 [U] strong especially unpleasant feeling; temper: Her blood is up. (=she is very angry) 4 [C] old use a fashionable young man: young bloods drinking and shouting in the street 5 blood is thicker than water saying family relationships are stronger or more important than relationships with other people 6 blood, sweat, and tears quote a slightly changed phrase from a speech made by Winston Churchill in 1940. He said that all he could offer the British government and people was 'blood, toil, tears and sweat'. 7 get blood from/out of a stone to try to get something, especially money, from a person, group etc that is unwilling to give it: Getting my boss to agree to a pay rise is like getting blood from a stone. 8 in cold blood cruelly and on purpose: They killed the old man in cold blood! ➔ see also COLD-BLOODED 9 have (someone's) blood on your hands to be responsible for someone's death: He has my son's blood on his hands, and I hope it haunts him for the rest of his life. These people lead a terrorist organization and have blood on their hands. 10 -blooded /blʌdd/ having a certain kind of blood, or a certain character: warm-blooded animals ➔ see also BAD BLOOD, BLUE BLOOD, FLESH AND BLOOD, NEW BLOOD, RED BLOOD CELL
blood² v [T often pass.] 1 BrE to give (someone) a first experience of a new activity; INITIATE 2 to give (a hunting dog) its first taste of blood
blood-and-'guts adj infml full of action or violence: a blood-and-guts struggle between the two teams
blood-and-'thunder adj [A] BrE (of a film, story etc) full of exciting action and meaningless violence
'blood bank n a store of human blood for use in medical treatment
blood·bath /'blʌdbɑːθ|-bæθ/ n the killing at one time of many people; MASSACRE
blood 'brother n one of two or more men who have promised loyalty to one another, during a ceremony in which their blood is mixed together
'blood count n 1 a medical examination of a person's blood to see if it contains all the right substances in the right amounts 2 the number of red or white cells in someone's blood: a low blood count
blood·cur·dling /'blʌd,kɜːdlɪŋ||ˌkɜːr-/ adj extremely frightening; HORRIFYING: bloodcurdling cries/stories
'blood ,donor n a person who gives some of their blood for use in the treatment of other people who are wounded or ill. In Britain and the US, blood donors are not paid for giving blood.
'blood feud n a long-lasting quarrel between people or families, with murders or physical harm on both sides
'blood group also blood type n any of the four classes into which human blood can be separated according to the presence or absence in it of certain substances. The blood groups are called A, B, AB, and O.
'blood heat n [U] a temperature about that of the human body; about 37°C
blood·hound /'blʌdhaʊnd/ n 1 a large hunting dog with a very sharp sense of smell, used for tracking people or animals 2 infml a DETECTIVE
blood·less /'blʌdləs/ adj 1 without killing or violence: a bloodless victory/coup 2 lacking in human feeling; lifeless: bloodless statistics ➔ compare BLOODY¹ —ly adv —ness [U]