1 N‑COUNT Breeders are people who breed animals or plants. □ Her father was a well-known racehorse breeder.
2 → see also fast-breeder reactor
breed|ing /briː d I ŋ/
1 N‑UNCOUNT If someone says that a person has breeding , they mean that they think the person is from a good social background and has good manners. □ It's a sign of good breeding to know the names of all your staff.
2 → see also breed
bree d|ing ground (breeding grounds )
1 N‑COUNT [usu sing] If you refer to a situation or place as a breeding ground for something bad such as crime, you mean that this thing can easily develop in that situation or place. □ [+ for ] Flaws in the system have created a breeding ground for financial scandals.
2 N‑COUNT The breeding ground for a particular type of creature is the place where this creature breeds easily. □ Warm milk is the ideal breeding ground for bacteria.
breeze /briː z/ (breezes , breezing , breezed )
1 N‑COUNT A breeze is a gentle wind. □ …a cool summer breeze.
2 VERB If you breeze into a place or a position, you enter it in a very casual or relaxed manner. □ [V prep/adv] Lopez breezed into the quarter-finals of the tournament. □ [V prep/adv] 'Are you all right?' Francine asked as she breezed in with the mail.
3 VERB If you breeze through something such as a game or test, you cope with it easily. □ [V + through ] John seems to breeze effortlessly through his many commitments at work.
bree ze-block (breeze-blocks ) also breeze block N‑COUNT A breeze-block is a large, grey brick made from ashes and cement. [BRIT ] in AM, use cinder block
breezy /briː zi/
1 ADJ If you describe someone as breezy , you mean that they behave in a casual, cheerful, and confident manner. □ …his bright and breezy personality. □ Mona tried to sound breezy. ● breezi|ly /briː z I li/ ADV [usu ADV with v, oft ADV adj] □ 'Hi,' he said breezily.
2 ADJ When the weather is breezy , there is a fairly strong but pleasant wind blowing. □ The day was breezy and warm.
breth|ren /bre ðr I n/ N‑PLURAL [oft with poss] You can refer to the members of a particular organization or group, especially a religious group, as brethren . [OLD-FASHIONED ] □ They prayed for their brethren still living under persecution.
brev|ity /bre v I ti/ N‑UNCOUNT The brevity of something is the fact that it is short or lasts for only a short time. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] The bonus of this homely soup is the brevity of its cooking time.
brew /bruː / (brews , brewing , brewed )
1 VERB If you brew tea or coffee, you make it by pouring hot water over tea leaves or ground coffee. □ [V n] I'll get Venner to brew some tea.
2 N‑COUNT A brew is a particular kind of tea or coffee. It can also be a particular pot of tea or coffee. □ …a mild herbal brew.
3 VERB If a person or company brews beer, they make it. □ [V n] I brew my own beer. ● brew|ing N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] …the brewing of home-made alcohol.
4 VERB [usu cont] If a storm is brewing , large clouds are beginning to form and the sky is becoming dark because there is going to be a storm. □ [V ] We'd seen the storm brewing when we were out in the boat.
5 VERB [usu cont] If an unpleasant or difficult situation is brewing , it is starting to develop. □ [V ] At home a crisis was brewing. □ [V ] There's trouble brewing.
6 N‑COUNT [usu sing] A brew of several things is a mixture of those things. □ [+ of ] Most cities generate a complex brew of pollutants. □ [+ of ] …a potent brew of smooth salesmanship and amateur psychiatry.
brew|er /bruː ə r / (brewers ) N‑COUNT Brewers are people or companies who make beer.
brew|ery /bruː əri/ (breweries ) N‑COUNT A brewery is a place where beer is made.
bri|ar /bra I ə r / (briars ) N‑COUNT A briar is a wild rose with long, prickly stems.
bribe /bra I b/ (bribes , bribing , bribed )
1 N‑COUNT A bribe is a sum of money or something valuable that one person offers or gives to another in order to persuade him or her to do something. □ He was being investigated for receiving bribes.
2 VERB If one person bribes another, they give them a bribe. □ [V n] He was accused of bribing a senior bank official. □ [V n to-inf] The government bribed the workers to be quiet.
brib|ery /bra I bəri/ N‑UNCOUNT Bribery is the act of offering someone money or something valuable in order to persuade them to do something for you. □ He was jailed on charges of bribery.
bric-a-brac /br I kəbræk/ N‑UNCOUNT Bric-a-brac is a number of small ornamental objects of no great value.
brick /br I k/ (bricks )
1 N‑VAR Bricks are rectangular blocks of baked clay used for building walls, which are usually red or brown. Brick is the material made up of these blocks. □ She built bookshelves out of bricks and planks. □ …a tiny garden surrounded by high brick walls.
2 PHRASE [usu cont] If you are banging your head against a brick wall , what you are saying or doing is not having any effect although you keep saying or doing it. [INFORMAL ] □ I wanted to sort out this problem, but it was like banging my head against a brick wall.