biddy /'bidi/ noun {pi. -ies) (informal, disapproving) an old woman, especially an annoying one ( A4h7A]AM

bide /baid/ verb [V] {old use) = abide 1771771 bide your 'time to wait for the right time to do sth bidet /'biidei; NAmE bi'dei/ noun a low bowl in the bathroom, usually with taps/faucets, that you fill with water and sit on to wash your bottom bidi rectional /.baida'rekjanl; -di-; -dai-/ adj. {tech­nical Ain) functioning in two directions 3Xfn]$J biennial /bai'enial/ adj., noun

madj. [usually before noun] happening once every two years #CI$: a biennial convention WAS??—#:WA£- ► bi-en-ni-al-lyadv. —see also annual, biannual mnoun any plant that lives for two years, producing flowers in the second year            ( %—^-frVL )

— compare annual, perennial bier /bia(r); NAmE bir/ noun a frame on which the dead body or the coffin is placed or carried at a funeral

fpn-, mm

biff /brf/ verb [VN] {old-fashioned, informal) to hit sb hard with your fist (       He biffed me on

the nose.  ► biff noun

bi-focals /.bai'fouklz; NAmE -'fou-/ noun [pi.] a pair of glasses with each lens made in two parts. The upper part is for looking at things at a distance, and the lower part is for looking at things that are close to you. mtmm      —com­

pare varifocals ► bi-focal adj. bi-fur cate /'baifakeit; NAmE -fark-/ verb [V] {forma f) (of roads, rivers, etc. ]&, M to divide into two separate parts jf X ; jf X ► bi-fur-ca-tion /.baifa'keijn; NAmE -far'k-/ noun [C, U]

SYNONYMS

big ♦ large ♦ great

These adjectives are frequently used with the following nouns.

big ~

large ~

great ~

man

numbers

success

house

part

majority

car

area

interest

boy

room

importance

dog

company

difficulty

smile

eyes

problem

problem

family

pleasure

surprise

volume

beauty

question

population

artist

difference

problem

surprise

a Large is more formal than big and should be used in writing unless it is in an informal style. It is not usually used to describe people, except to avoid saying 'fat’. * large ^ big IEi£, HI 77® it,

i&ma

fat ( it ) „

■ Great often suggests quality and not just size. * great 74X4bA, i3E1f4pr#AAlL Note also the phrases 8    H4?£: a large amount o/Ai o

a large number ofif-g o a large quantity of Aft o a great deal of Aft o in great detail      o

a person of great age

big o-w /big/ adj., adv., verb ®adj. (big ger, big gest)

► LARGE A 1 large in size, degree, amount, etc. (

©S » tif ) AW, EAftS : a big man/house/

increase » A ASM A; Ai^7; Afe^^A 0 This shirt isn’t big enough. & 47 44 & 7 A o 0 It’s the world’s

biggest computer company.

0 {informal) He had this great big grin on his face, fife 7 JF 7 ft o O They were earning big money, ffe Cl 4E H A