bedeck
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be·deck /bɪ'dek/ v [T(in, with)] fml or lit to hang decorations, jewels, flowers etc on; DECK out: The cars were all bedecked with flowers for the ceremony.
be·dev·il /bɪ'devəl/ v -ll- BrE || -l- AmE [T] to continually cause trouble and difficulty for someone or something: The whole project has been bedevilled by arguments over the plans.
—ment n [U]
be·dewed /bɪ'djuːd||bɪ'duːd/ adj [F(with)] lit made wet as with drops of water: cheeks bedewed with tears
bed·fel·low /'bed,feləʊ/ n 1 a person who shares a bed 2 a close companion or partner, especially in business or politics: The two old rivals made strange bedfellows (=unexpected partners) when they agreed to work together against the government.
Bed·ford·shire /'bedfədʃɪə||-fərd-/ a COUNTY in southern England, whose main town is Bedford
be·dimmed /bɪ'dɪmd/ adj [F(with)] lit made less able to see or understand clearly: eyes bedimmed with age
bed·lam /'bedləm/ n 1 [S:U] infml a wild untidy noisy place or activity: If I leave the children on their own it's absolute bedlam by the time I get back. 2 [C] old use a hospital for mad people
'bed ,linen n the sheets and PILLOWCASES for a bed → compare BEDCLOTHES
,bed of 'roses n [S] a happy comfortable state: Life isn't always a bed of roses, you know.
Bed·ou·in, bedouin /'beduɪn/ n pl. Bedouin or Bedouins a member of an Arab tribe that traditionally lives in tents in the desert
bed·pan /'bedpæn/ n a low wide container for body waste, used by a person who is unable to get out of bed → compare CHAMBER POT, POTTY²
bed·post /'bedpəʊst/ n one of the main supports at the four corners of an old-fashioned bed → see also between you, me, and the bedpost (BETWEEN¹)
be·drag·gled /bɪ'drægəld/ adj wet and LIMP or muddy (as if) after being out in the rain: a bedraggled appearance | She looked rather bedraggled.
bed·rid·den /'bed,rɪdn/ adj unable to get out of bed because of illness or old age: He's bedridden with flu.
bed·rock /'bedrɒk||-rɑːk/ n [U] 1 the main stretch of solid rock in the ground supporting all the soil above it 2 the main facts or principles on which a belief, activity etc rests: Let's get down to bedrock and find out the truth. | the bedrock cost of running the business
bed·roll /'bedrəʊl/ n AmE covers, especially BLANKETS (thick woollen covers), rolled together to be carried easily and used for sleeping outdoors, especially formerly: The cowboy strapped his bedroll behind the saddle.
bed·room¹ /'bedruːm, -ruːm/ n a room for sleeping in: The children's bedroom is on the top floor | a hotel with 230 bedrooms
bedroom² adj [A] about or suggesting sexual relations: bedroom scenes in a film
bed·roomed /'bedruːmd, -ruːmd/ adj having a specific number of bedrooms: a two-bedroomed apartment
bed·side /'bedsaɪd/ n the side of a bed: He has been called to the bedside of his sick father. | a bedside lamp
,bedside 'manner n a calm gentle way of talking to sick people, used by doctors in order to show people that they do not need to worry
,bed-'sitter also ,bed-'sitting room fml, 'bed-sit infml — n BrE a room used for both living and sleeping in. Bed-sitters are cheap to rent, and so are usually rented by young single people who have little money. → see HOUSE (USAGE)
bed·sore /'bedsɔːr/ n a sore place on a person's skin, caused by having to lie in bed for a long time
bed·spread /'bedspred/ n a decorative cloth cover for a bed
bed·stead /'bedsted/ n the main framework (wooden or metal) of a bed
bed·time /'bedtaɪm/ n [C;U] the right time for going to bed: It's long past your bedtime, children! | a bedtime story
'bed ,wetter n someone, especially a child, who passes water in his sleep: Our son was a bed wetter till he was 11. —bed-wetting n [U]
bee /biː/ n 1 a stinging insect that makes sweet HONEY, liv- in large social groups, and is supposed to be very busy 2 An old-fash infml a meeting of women for work: a sewing bee 3 infml friendly competition: a spelling bee 4 bee in one's bonnet infml a fixed idea about something; OBSESSION: He's got a bee in his bonnet about health foods. 5 the bee's knees BrE infml the best person or thing at an activity, in a place etc: John think's he's the bee's knees around here but there are better students in the class.
Beeb, the /biːb/ BrE infml the BBC
beech /biːtʃ/ n [C;U] (the wood of) a large forest tree with smooth grey trunk, spreading branches, and dark green copper-coloured leaves
Bee·cham, Sir Thomas /'biːtʃəm/ (1879–1961) an English CONDUCTOR who established the London Philharmonic Orchestra in 1932 and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in 1946
Beecham's 'powders trademark a popular type of British medicine for colds or FLU, sold as a powder that you mix with water
Bee·ching, Lord /'biːtʃɪ/ (1913–85) a British businessman who, in the early 1960s, was given the job of making the national railway system more profitable. He is remembered for closing many small railway lines all over the UK.
beef¹ /biːf/ n 1 [U] the meat of farm cattle. ROAST beef with YORKSHIRE PUDDING is a TRADITIONAL British Sunday LUNCH: beef steak | roast beef | a beef farmer → see MEAT (USAGE) 2 [U] infml the power of the muscles: Come on, put some beef into the job! 3 [C] infml a complaint: My main beef is that it went on too long.
beef² v [(about)] infml often derog to complain, especially repeatedly: Stop beefing (about your pay) and do some work!
— beef sthg./sbdy. ↔ up phr v [T] infml to strengthen or improve: It's quite a good story but it needs beefing up a bit before we can publish it.
beef·bur·ger /'biːfbɜːgər||-bɜːr-/ n especially BrE a HAMBURGER
beef·cake /'biːfkeɪk/ n [U] infml (photographs of) strong attractive men with large muscles → compare CHEESECAKE
Beef·eat·er /'biːf,iːtər/ n a guard at the Tower of London who wears a traditional old-fashioned red uniform and guards the CROWN JEWELS. The Beefeaters are also called the YEOMAN OF THE GUARD.
,beef 'tea n [U] a drink made from beef juice, often given formerly to sick people
,beef 'Wellington n [U] a piece of BEEF (=meat from a cow) covered with PATÉ DE FOIE GRAS and cooked in a pastry case
beef·y /'biːfi/ adj infml (of a person) big, strong, and perhaps fat; HEFTY
Bee Gees, the /'biː dʒiːz/ a British POP GROUP consisting of three brothers (Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb, and Robin Gibb) who were very successful during the 1960s and 1970s. They are best known for writing and performing the music for the film Saturday Night Fever, and for being able to sing with very high voices. Their songs include Jive Talkin', Staying Alive, and How Deep Is Your Love? Maurice Gibb died in 2003.
bee·hive /'biːhaɪv/ n 1 a HIVE 2 a women's HAIRSTYLE in which the hair is piled high on the head: She wore her hair in a beehive.
bee·keep·er /'biːkiːpər/ n someone who owns or takes care of BEES —ing n [U]
bee·line /'biːlaɪn/ n make a beeline for infml to go quickly and directly towards: The children ignored all the other food and made a beeline for the cakes.
Be·el·ze·bub /bi'elzəbʌb/ a devil, especially Satan
been /biːn, bɪn;bɪm/ 1 past participle of BE: They've been photographed. 2 (to have) gone and come back from: Have you ever been to India? 3 BrE (to have) arrived and left: The postman hasn't been yet. → see GO¹ (USAGE) 4 been there, done that (seen the movie, bought the T-shirt) spoken use in order to say that you are no longer interested in doing something because you already have a lot of experience of it: 'I'd like to live in the country.' 'Not me. I grew up in the middle of nowhere – been there, done that, don't ever want to go back.'