bev|elled /be v ə ld/ in AM, use beveled ADJ [usu ADJ n] If a piece of wood, metal, or glass has bevelled edges, its edges are cut sloping. □ …a huge mirror with deep bevelled edges.
bev|er|age /be vər I dʒ/ (beverages ) N‑COUNT [usu pl, oft adj N ] Beverages are drinks. [FORMAL ] □ Alcoholic beverages are served in the hotel lounge. □ …foods and beverages.
bev|vy /be vi/ (bevvies ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] If you have a few bevvies , you have a few alcoholic drinks. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ It was just one of those things that happens after a few bevvies.
bevy /be vi/ (bevies ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] A bevy of people is a group of people all together in one place. □ …a bevy of bright young officers.
be|wail /b I we I l/ (bewails , bewailing , bewailed ) VERB If you bewail something, you express great sorrow about it. [JOURNALISM , LITERARY ] □ [V n] …songs that bewail his dissatisfaction in love.
be|ware /b I weə r / VERB [only imper and inf] If you tell someone to beware of a person or thing, you are warning them that the person or thing may harm them or be dangerous. □ [V + of ] Beware of being too impatient with others. □ [V ] Beware, this recipe is not for slimmers.
be|wil|der /b I w I ldə r / (bewilders , bewildering , bewildered ) VERB If something bewilders you, it is so confusing or difficult that you cannot understand it. □ [V n] The silence from Alex had hurt and bewildered her.
be|wil|dered /b I w I ldə r d/ ADJ If you are bewildered , you are very confused and cannot understand something or decide what you should do. □ Some shoppers looked bewildered by the sheer variety of goods on offer.
be|wil|der|ing /b I w I ldər I ŋ/ ADJ A bewildering thing or situation is very confusing and difficult to understand or to make a decision about. □ A glance along his bookshelves reveals a bewildering array of interests. □ The choice of excursions was bewildering. ● be|wil|der|ing|ly ADV [usu ADV adj/adv] □ The cast of characters in the scandal is bewilderingly large.
be|wil|der|ment /b I w I ldə r mənt/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft in N ] Bewilderment is the feeling of being bewildered. □ He shook his head in bewilderment.
be|witch /b I w I tʃ/ (bewitches , bewitching , bewitched ) VERB If someone or something bewitches you, you are so attracted to them that you cannot think about anything else. □ [V n] She was not moving, as if someone had bewitched her. ● be|witch|ing ADJ □ Frank was a quiet young man with bewitching brown eyes.
be|yond ◆◆◇ /b I jɒ nd/
1 PREP If something is beyond a place or barrier, it is on the other side of it. □ They heard footsteps in the main room, beyond a door. ● ADV [n ADV ] Beyond is also an adverb. □ The house had a fabulous view out to the Strait of Georgia and the Rockies beyond.
2 PREP If something happens beyond a particular time or date, it continues after that time or date has passed. □ Few jockeys continue race-riding beyond the age of 40. ● ADV Beyond is also an adverb. □ She is confident about the company's prospects for the current financial year and beyond.
3 PREP If something extends beyond a particular thing, it affects or includes other things. □ His interests extended beyond the fine arts to international politics and philosophy.
4 PREP You use beyond to introduce an exception to what you are saying. □ I knew nothing beyond a few random facts.
5 PREP [oft PREP v-ing] If something goes beyond a particular point or stage, it progresses or increases so that it passes that point or stage. □ Their five-year relationship was strained beyond breaking point. □ It seems to me he's beyond caring about what anybody does.
6 PREP If something is, for example, beyond understanding or beyond belief, it is so extreme in some way that it cannot be understood or believed. □ What Jock had done was beyond my comprehension. □ Sweden is lovely in summer–cold beyond belief in winter.
7 PREP If you say that something is beyond someone, you mean that they cannot deal with it. □ The situation was beyond her control.
8 beyond the pale → see pale
9 to live beyond your means → see means
10 beyond your wildest dreams → see dream
11 beyond a joke → see joke
bha|ji /bɑː dʒi/ (bhajis ) N‑COUNT A bhaji is a small piece of food of Indian origin, made of vegetables fried in batter with spices. □ …an onion bhaji.
bhan|gra /bæ ŋgrə/ also Bhangra N‑UNCOUNT Bhangra is a form of dance music that comes from India and uses traditional Indian instruments.
bi /ba I / ADJ Bi means the same as bisexual . [INFORMAL ]
PREFIX bi-
forms nouns and adjectives that have two as part of their meaning. For example, if someone is bilingual , they speak two languages.
bi|an|nual /ba I æ njuəl/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A biannual event happens twice a year. □ You will need to have a routine biannual examination. ● bi|an|nu|al|ly ADV [ADV after v] □ Only since 1962 has the show been held biannually.
bias /ba I əs/ (biases , biasing , biased )