attend on someone • attend to someone attend on someone—1. act as a servant; carry out smb.’s wishes: A king would have as many as one hundred people attending on him. 2. give personal help to smb. (as a nurse, doctor, etc.): Jane has been attending on her sick mother for years. attend to someone—1. give one’s attention to smb.: Attend to me, children, I shan’t repeat these instructions. 2. = attend on someone 2: She was attending to her sick grandmother when her father came to the door. attend something • attend to something attend something —1. go to or be present at an event: Prince Harry attended the ceremony along with other members of the Royal Family. 2. go regularly to an institution such as a school, etc.: As a child, he attended church services with his parents. 3. occur along with smth.: In contrast to the air of celebration which usually attended the sailings of these super- tankers, there was an air of gloom. attend to something—(also: tend to something) take care of smth.; deal with smth.: They ought to attend to the business without unnecessary delay. attract someone’s attention • draw someone’s at- tention attract someone’s attention—get the attention of a person: She spoke loudly to attract everyone’s attention . draw someone’s attention—make a person especially aware of smth.: The judge drew the attention of the jury to this de- tail. au fait • in fact au fait—(Fr., UK sl.) familiar with something: We deem it’s important that you be au fait with another concept. in fact—in reality; actually: In fact , it was a wonder anyone survived in the circumstances. aural signal • oral signal aural signal —a signal perceived by the ear: Where an aural signal is used in a building security system, a corresponding visual signal must be provided. oral signal—a signal transmitted by speech: They need to be able to communicate with the minimum of oral signals when the engine is running. Austral English • Australian English Austral English—the variety of English spoken by most in- habitants of Australia and New Zealand: The term Austral English is sometimes used to cover the language of the whole of Australasia. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase Austral languagethe language of the Austral Islands (an archipelago in the South Pacific inhabited by Polynesians): The origin of the Khasis is still an enigma…. Their language is considered a branch of austral languages . Australian English—the variety of English spoken by most inhabitants of Australia: There is Australian English , and American English, and Indian English — recognizable … as a matter of idiom and accent. autograph book • autographed book autograph book —a book in which signatures of famous peo- ple are collected: As I turn the pages of my autograph book now, each name encapsulates its own little bit of history. autographed book —a book bearing the author’s own signa- ture: In this first edition autographed book , Eugene Cernan describes his personal involvement in mankind’s reach for the moon. autographed copy • autographic copy autographed copy —a copy of a book, etc. signed by the au- thor: On the day of its publication, Hank had gone jubilantly to Isobel’s back door, armed with an autographed copy for her and her husband. autographic copy —the original copy written by the author: The Library of Congress houses the autographic copy of the Declaration of Independence with corrections by Thomas Jef- ferson himself. avenge oneself on someone • avenge someone avenge oneself on someone—(also: revenge oneself on someone) get even with a person in return for an offence or injury in- flicted on oneself: He has avenged himself on those who be- trayed him. avenge someone—(also: revenge someone) get satisfaction for an offence or injury done to another person: If Hamlet wants to avenge his father, what stands in his way? avoid arrest • evade arrest avoid arrest—escape being arrested: The government failed to prove that he left Montana with the intent to avoid arrest or prosecution. evade arrest—escape being arrested, especially for a pro- longed period, by cleverness, deceit, etc.: The two men have managed to evade arrest but they have done so in different ways. B babe in Christ • child of God babe in Christ—a newly-made convert to Christianity: Sup- pose a new Christian man comes from a not so ideal back- ground, and there are elders that are not willing to deal with this babe in Christ . child of God—1. (also: God’s child) a human being born of God, that is by God’s creation: The meanest peasant felt him- self ennobled as a child of God . 2. a member of the untouch- able class in Hindu society: She decided he was a Harijan, a child of God , an untouchable. baby blue-eyes • blue-eyed babies baby blue-eyes —a delicate California herb (Nemophila men- ziesii) having blue flowers with dark spots: Baby Blue Eyes . This beautiful porcelain blue flower is as delicate as its name. blue-eyed babies —the plants Houstonia patens and Houstonia caerulea: The names for the starry Houstonia are so charming one scarcely knows which to choose. Blue-eyed Babies , Quaker Ladies, Angel Eyes… Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase blue-eyed boyspeople singled out for special favors by smb. in authority: During this difficult period, farmers were “blue-eyed boys .” baby-minder • babysitter baby-minder —a woman who takes small children into her own home and looks after them while their parents are at work: The art of conversation cannot be acquired when eating a solitary television supper with the baby-minder . babysitter —a woman who goes to smb. else’s home to look after small children while their parents are at work: Can’t you find a babysitter and come over for dinner. back bench, the • back seat back bench, the—1. (UK Parliament) members who do not – 27 – back bench, the