17 behind the times → see time
➋ be|hind /b I ha I nd/ (behinds ) N‑COUNT Your behind is the part of your body that you sit on. USAGE behind
Don’t use ‘of ’ after behind
. Don’t say, for example, ‘
behi nd-the-sce nes → see scene
be|hold /b I hoʊ ld/ (beholds , beholding , beheld )
1 VERB If you behold someone or something, you see them. [LITERARY ] □ [V n] She looked into his eyes and beheld madness.
2 lo and behold → see lo
be|hold|en /b I hoʊ ld ə n/ ADJ If you are beholden to someone, you are in debt to them in some way or you feel that you have a duty to them because they have helped you. □ We feel really beholden to them for what they've done.
be|hold|er /b I hoʊ ldə r / (beholders )
1 PHRASE If you say that something such as beauty or art is in the eye of the beholder , you mean that it is a matter of personal opinion. □ Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
2 N‑COUNT The beholder of something is the person who is looking at it. [OLD-FASHIONED ]
be|hove /b I hoʊ v/ (behoves , behoved ) in AM, use behoove VERB If it behoves you to do something, it is right, necessary, or useful for you to do it. [FORMAL ] □ [V n to-inf] It behoves us to think of these dangers.
beige /be I ʒ/ COLOUR Something that is beige is pale brown in colour. □ …a pair of beige shorts. □ …muted shades of white and beige.
be|ing ◆◇◇ /biː I ŋ/ (beings )
1 Being is the present participle of be .
2 V‑LINK Being is used in non-finite clauses where you are giving the reason for something. □ [V n] It being a Sunday, the old men had the day off. □ [V adj] Of course, being young, I did not worry. [Also V prep]
3 N‑COUNT You can refer to any real or imaginary creature as a being . □ …beings from outer space.
4 → see also human being
5 N‑UNCOUNT Being is existence. Something that is in being or comes into being exists or starts to exist. □ Abraham Maslow described psychology as 'the science of being.' □ The Kingdom of Italy formally came into being on 17 March 1861.
6 PHRASE You can use being as to introduce a reason for what you are saying. [mainly BRIT , INFORMAL , SPOKEN ] □ I used to go everywhere with my mother being as I was the youngest.
7 → see also well-being
8 other things being equal → see equal
9 for the time being → see time
be|jew|elled /b I dʒuː ə ld/ in AM, use bejeweled ADJ [usu ADJ n] A bejewelled person or object is wearing a lot of jewellery or is decorated with jewels. □ …bejewelled women. □ …a bejewelled golden tiara.
be|la|bour /b I le I bə r / (belabours , belabouring , belaboured ) in AM, use belabor 1 VERB If you belabour someone or something, you hit them hard and repeatedly. [OLD-FASHIONED ]
2 VERB If you say that someone belabours the point, you mean that they keep on talking about it, perhaps in an annoying or boring way. □ [V n] I won't belabour the point, for this is a familiar story.
be|lat|ed /b I le I t I d/ ADJ A belated action happens later than it should have done. [FORMAL ] □ …the government's belated attempts to alleviate the plight of the poor. □ …a belated birthday present. ● be|lat|ed|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ The leaders realized belatedly that the coup would be disastrous for everyone.
belch /be ltʃ/ (belches , belching , belched )
1 VERB If someone belches , they make a sudden noise in their throat because air has risen up from their stomach. □ [V ] Garland covered his mouth with his hand and belched discreetly. ● N‑COUNT Belch is also a noun. □ He drank and stifled a belch.
2 VERB If a machine or chimney belches something such as smoke or fire or if smoke or fire belches from it, large amounts of smoke or fire come from it. □ [V n] Tired old trucks were struggling up the road below us, belching black smoke. □ [V + from/out of ] Suddenly, clouds of steam started to belch from the engine. ● PHRASAL VERB Belch out means the same as belch . □ [V P n] The power-generation plant belched out five tonnes of ash an hour. □ [V P ] …the vast quantities of smoke belching out from the volcano.
▸ belch out → see belch 2
be|lea|guered /b I liː gə r d/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A beleaguered person, organization, or project is experiencing a lot of difficulties, opposition, or criticism. [FORMAL ] □ There have been seven coup attempts against the beleaguered government.
2 ADJ A beleaguered place or army is surrounded by its enemies. [FORMAL ] □ The rebels continue their push towards the beleaguered capital.
bel|fry /be lfri/ (belfries ) N‑COUNT The belfry of a church is the top part of its tower, where the bells are.
Bel|gian /be ldʒ ə n/ (Belgians ) ADJ Belgian means belonging or relating to Belgium or to its people. ● N‑COUNT A Belgian is a person who comes from Belgium.