1 N‑VAR Bias is a tendency to prefer one person or thing to another, and to favour that person or thing. □ Bias against women permeates every level of the judicial system. □ There were fierce attacks on the BBC for alleged political bias.
2 N‑VAR Bias is a concern with or interest in one thing more than others. □ The Department has a strong bias towards neuroscience.
3 VERB To bias someone means to influence them in favour of a particular choice. □ [V n] We mustn't allow it to bias our teaching.
bi|ased /ba I əst/
1 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If someone is biased , they prefer one group of people to another, and behave unfairly as a result. You can also say that a process or system is biased . □ [+ against/in favour of ] He seemed a bit biased against women in my opinion. □ The judge was biased.
2 ADJ If something is biased towards one thing, it is more concerned with it than with other things. □ University funding was tremendously biased towards scientists.
bib /b I b/ (bibs ) N‑COUNT A bib is a piece of cloth or plastic which is worn by very young children to protect their clothes while they are eating.
Bi|ble ◆◇◇ /ba I b ə l/ (Bibles )
1 N‑PROPER The Bible is the holy book on which the Jewish and Christian religions are based.
2 N‑COUNT A Bible is a copy of the Bible.
Bi |ble Belt also bible belt N‑PROPER Parts of the southern United States are referred to as the Bible Belt because Protestants with strong beliefs have a lot of influence there.
bib|li|cal /b I bl I k ə l/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Biblical means contained in or relating to the Bible. □ The community's links with Syria date back to biblical times.
bib|li|og|ra|phy /b I bliɒ grəfi/ (bibliographies )
1 N‑COUNT A bibliography is a list of books on a particular subject. □ At the end of this chapter there is a select bibliography of useful books.
2 N‑COUNT A bibliography is a list of the books and articles that are referred to in a particular book.
bi|carb /ba I kɑː r b/ N‑UNCOUNT Bicarb is an abbreviation for bicarbonate of soda . [INFORMAL ]
bi|car|bo|nate of soda /ba I kɑː r bəne I t əv soʊ də/ N‑UNCOUNT Bicarbonate of soda is a white powder which is used in baking to make cakes rise, and also as a medicine for your stomach.
bi|cen|tenary /ba I sentiː nəri, [AM ] -te n-/ (bicentenaries ) N‑COUNT A bicentenary is a year in which you celebrate something important that happened exactly two hundred years earlier. [BRIT ] in AM, use bicentennial
bi|cen|ten|nial /ba I sente niəl/ (bicentennials )
1 N‑COUNT A bicentennial is the same as a bicentenary . [mainly AM ]
2 ADJ [ADJ n] Bicentennial celebrations are held to celebrate a bicentenary.
bi|ceps /ba I seps/ (biceps ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] Your biceps are the large muscles at the front of the upper part of your arms.
bick|er /b I kə r / (bickers , bickering , bickered ) VERB When people bicker , they argue or quarrel about unimportant things. □ [V + over/about ] I went into medicine to care for patients, not to waste time bickering over budgets. □ [V + over/about ] …as states bicker over territory. □ [V + with ] He is still bickering with the control tower over admissible approach routes. ● bick|er|ing N‑UNCOUNT □ The election will end months of political bickering.
bi|cy|cle /ba I s I k ə l/ (bicycles ) N‑COUNT A bicycle is a vehicle with two wheels which you ride by sitting on it and pushing two pedals with your feet. You steer it by turning a bar that is connected to the front wheel.
bi|cy|clist /ba I s I kl I st/ (bicyclists ) N‑COUNT A bicyclist is someone who enjoys cycling. [OLD-FASHIONED ]
bid
➊ ATTEMPTING OR OFFERING
➋ SAYING SOMETHING
➊ bid ◆◆◇ /b I d/ (bids , bidding ) The form bid is used in the present tense and is the past tense and past participle. 1 N‑COUNT [N to-inf] A bid for something or a bid to do something is an attempt to obtain it or do it. [JOURNALISM ] □ [+ for ] …the city's successful bid for European City of Culture. □ The company said that it might cut 2,232 jobs in a bid to reduce costs.
2 N‑COUNT A bid is an offer to pay a particular amount of money for something that is being sold. □ Hanson made an agreed takeover bid of £351 million.
3 VERB If you bid for something or bid to do something, you try to obtain it or do it. □ [V + for ] The German private equity group reiterated its interest in bidding for the company. □ [V to-inf] I don't think she is bidding to be Prime Minister again.
4 VERB If you bid for something that is being sold, you offer to pay a particular amount of money for it. □ [V + for ] She decided to bid for a Georgian dressing table. □ [V ] The bank announced its intention to bid. □ [V n] He certainly wasn't going to bid $18 billion for this company. ● bid|ding N‑UNCOUNT □ The bidding starts at £2 million.
➋ bid /b I d/ (bids , bidding , bade , bidden ) American English sometimes uses the form bid for the past tense. 1 VERB If you bid someone farewell, you say goodbye to them. If you bid them goodnight, you say goodnight to them. [FORMAL ] □ [V n + to ] She bade farewell to her son. □ [V n n] I bade her goodnight.