bo x of|fice (box offices ) also box-office
1 N‑COUNT The box office in a theatre, cinema, or concert hall is the place where the tickets are sold.
2 N‑SING [N n] When people talk about the box office , they are referring to the degree of success of a film or play in terms of the number of people who go to watch it or the amount of money it makes. □ The film has taken £180 million at the box office. □ The film was a huge box-office success.
box|set /bɒ kset/ (boxsets ) or box set N‑COUNT A boxset is a set of episodes of a television series, films, or recordings, sold together or made available to watch or listen to at the same time. □ We should have stayed in with a pizza and a boxset.
box|wood /bɒ kswʊd/ N‑UNCOUNT Boxwood is a type of wood which is obtained from a box tree.
boxy /bɒ ksi/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Something that is boxy is similar to a square in shape and usually plain. □ …short boxy jackets.
boy ◆◆◆ /bɔ I / (boys )
1 N‑COUNT A boy is a child who will grow up to be a man. □ I knew him when he was a little boy. □ He was still just a boy.
2 N‑COUNT You can refer to a young man as a boy , especially when talking about relationships between boys and girls. □ …the age when girls get interested in boys.
3 N‑COUNT [usu poss N ] Someone's boy is their son. [INFORMAL ] □ Eric was my cousin Edward's boy. □ I have two boys.
4 N‑COUNT You can refer to a man as a boy , especially when you are talking about him in an affectionate way. [INFORMAL , FEELINGS ] □ …the local boy who made President. □ 'Come on boys', he shouted to the sailors.
5 → see also backroom boy , blue-eyed boy , bully-boy , head boy , messenger boy , office boy , old boy , stable boy , Teddy boy
6 EXCLAM Some people say ' boy ' or ' oh boy ' in order to express feelings of excitement or admiration. [mainly AM , INFORMAL , FEELINGS ] □ Oh Boy! Just think what I could tell him. COLLOCATIONS boy NOUN
1
noun + boy : baby; country, farm
adjective + boy : little, small, young; adolescent, teenage; bad, clever, good, naughty
4
noun + boy : pin-up, poster, wonder; birthday
adjective + boy : golden
bo y band (boy bands ) N‑COUNT A boy band is a band consisting of young men who sing pop music and dance. Boy bands are especially popular with teenage girls.
boy|cott /bɔ I kɒt/ (boycotts , boycotting , boycotted ) VERB If a country, group, or person boycotts a country, organization, or activity, they refuse to be involved with it in any way because they disapprove of it. □ [V n] The main opposition parties are boycotting the elections. ● N‑COUNT Boycott is also a noun. □ [+ of/against/on ] Opposition leaders had called for a boycott of the vote.
boy|friend ◆◇◇ /bɔ I frend/ (boyfriends ) N‑COUNT [oft poss N ] Someone's boyfriend is a man or boy with whom they are having a romantic or sexual relationship. □ I don't know if she's got a boyfriend or not.
boy|hood /bɔ I hʊd/ N‑UNCOUNT Boyhood is the period of a male person's life during which he is a boy. □ He has been a Derby County supporter since boyhood.
boy|ish /bɔ I I ʃ/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe a man as boyish , you mean that he is like a boy in his appearance or behaviour, and you find this characteristic quite attractive. [APPROVAL ] □ She was relieved to see his face light up with a boyish grin. □ He loves to learn, and has a boyish enthusiasm for life. ● boy|ish|ly ADV □ John grinned boyishly.
2 ADJ If you describe a girl or woman as boyish , you mean that she looks like a boy, for example because she has short hair or small breasts. □ …her tall, boyish figure.
bo y ra c|er (boy racers ) N‑COUNT British journalists sometimes refer to young men who drive very fast, especially in expensive and powerful cars, as boy racers . [DISAPPROVAL ] □ Bad driving is not just the preserve of boy racers.
Bo y Scou t (Boy Scouts ) also boy scout
1 N‑PROPER [with sing or pl verb] The Boy Scouts is an organization for boys which teaches them discipline and practical skills. □ He's in the Boy Scouts.
2 N‑COUNT A Boy Scout is a boy who is a member of the Boy Scouts.
bozo /boʊ zoʊ/ (bozos ) N‑COUNT If you say that someone is a bozo , you mean that you think they are stupid. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ He makes 'em look like bozos.
bps /bi ː piː e s/ bps is a measurement of the speed at which computer data is transferred, for example by a modem. bps is an abbreviation for 'bits per second'. [COMPUTING ] □ A minimum 28,800 bps modem is probably the slowest you'll want to put up with.
Br. Br. is a written abbreviation for British .
bra /brɑː / (bras ) N‑COUNT A bra is a piece of underwear that women wear to support their breasts.
brace /bre I s/ (braces , bracing , braced )
1 VERB If you brace yourself for something unpleasant or difficult, you prepare yourself for it. □ [V pron-refl + for ] He braced himself for the icy plunge into the black water. □ [V pron-refl] She braced herself, as if to meet a blow.