• BEAU
adj. c1325 obs. – fair, beautiful
n. 1. 1687 – a man who gives particular, or excessive, attention to dress, mien, and social etiquette; a man of fashion, a fop, a dandy
n. 2. 1720 – the attendant or suitor of a lady; a lover, a sweetheart
n. 3. 1833 US sl. – a beautiful woman
n. 4. 1899 Amer. dial. – a piece of thorn or briar which becomes attached to a woman’s dress and drags along after her
n. 5. 1989 US college sl. – a boyfriend
n. 6. 1989 US college sl. – a stupid or clumsy person
vb. 1859 Amer. dial. – to escort; to act as suitor to; to date
• BEAUBELET
n. c1205 obs. rare – a small toy, trinket, plaything
• BEAU BOY
n. Bk1942 US sl. – the boyfriend
• BEAU BRUMMEL
n. Bk1922 – a dandy
• BEAU-CATCHER
n. 1923 Amer. dial. – a ringlet on the forehead or cheek
• BEAUCLERK
n. c1367 obs. – a learned man; a scholar
• BE AUDI
vb. 1992 US sl. – to leave
• BEAU DOLLAR
n. 1944 Amer. dial. – a silver dollar; esp. Black usage
• BEAUETRY
n. 1702 obs. – dandyism; dandy outfit
• BEAU FITZ
n. Bk1933 – a fair son
• BEAU GARÇON
n. c1665 – a handsome fellow; an exquisite, a fop
• BEAU-GARZON
n. c1665 – a handsome fellow; an exquisite, a fop
• BEAUHUNK
n. 1. Bk1989 Amer. sl. – a good-looking male; a sexy-looking boy
n. 2. Bk1989 US college sl. – a boyfriend
• BEAU-IDEAL
n. 1. 1801 obs. – the ideal Beautiful; the Beautiful, or beauty, in its ideal perfection
n. 2. 1820 – the highest conceived or conceivable type of beauty or excellence of any kind; the perfect type or model
• BEAUIDEALIZE
vb. a1839 nonce word – to form a beau ideal, or charming conception of
• BEAU LION
n. Bk1894 – a fine dashing fellow
• BEAU-LOVER
n. Bk1926 Amer. sl. – a suitor, a lover
• BEAU-MONDE
n. 1714 – the fashionable world, ‘society’
• BEAU-NASTY
n. c1786 sl. – a dandy or fop who, though in exterior finely dressed, is dirty and slovenly in person and habits
► BEAU-PEER ► BEAUPERE n. 1. a term of courtesy for father: used especially in addressing or speaking of priests → 1300 obs.
n. 2. a good friend or companion → 1377 obs.
• BEAU-POT
n. 1761 – a large ornamental vase for cut flowers
• BEAU REYNOLDS
n. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – a name for the fox
• BEAU SABREUR
n. 1834 – a fine soldier; a handsome or dashing adventurer
• BEAUSIRE
n. c1300 obs. – fair sir, a form of address
• BEAUT
adj. 1952 sl., chiefly Aust. & NZ – excellent
n. 1. 1866 sl. – a beautiful person or thing
n. 2. 1866 sl. – a kind, friendly, or trustworthy person; a pleasant, agreeable person
n. 3. 1891 sl. – any outstanding or admirable person, whether physically attractive or not; a first-rate or excellent person; an adept person
• BEAUTEOUS MAXIMUS
n. 20C teen & high school sl. – a good deal; a good job
• BEAUT FROM THE INSTITUTE
n. Bk1942 US sl. – a pretty college girl
• BEAUTIFUL
adj. 1. 1886 Eng. dial. – pleasing to the taste
adj. 2. Bk1905 Amer. dial. – excellent; first-rate
n. 1534 – a beautiful person; chiefly used as a term of endearment, esp. for a woman
• BEAUTIFUL AS AN ANGEL
adj. 1785 – extremely beautiful
• THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE
n. 1. 1950 colloq. orig. US – rich and fashionable people, regarded as a social group; the members of a social or celebrity elite
n. 2. 1967 hist. – hippies, regarded collectively
• BEAUTIFY THE POST
vb. Bk1944 services’ sl. – to cut the lawn, trim the hedge, paint, or the like
• BEAUT OF A LOOKER
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – an attractive young woman; something beautiful
• BEAU-TRAP
n. 1. a1674 sl. – a confidence trickster, especially a card-sharp; a well-dressed sharper on the lookout for raw country visitors and the like
n. 2. 1816 Eng. sl. – a loose stone in the pavement, which tips up when stepped upon, and scatters the dirty water collected under it over the pedestrian
• BEAU TRAPS
n. 1690 criminals’ sl. – prostitutes waiting for naive victims
• BEAUTY
adj. 1. 1598 – beautiful; highly pleasing to the sight
adj. 2. 1895 Eng. dial. – large or impressive of its kind
int. 1951 Aust. & NZ colloq. – an exclamation of approval or pleasure
n. 1. a1413 – a beautiful person, esp. a beautiful woman
n. 2. 1832 colloq. – an admirable, excellent, or remarkable person, whether attractive or not
n. 3. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – a term of contempt for a person who is the reverse of beautiful; an impertinent, an unmanageable person; one who is incompetent; used ironically
n. 4. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – something excellent
n. 5. Bk1972 homosexual sl. – any boy under the age of consent, heterosexual, fair of face, and unfamiliar with homosexuality
vb. 1398 arch. – to render beautiful; to beautify, to adorn, to deck
• BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
n. 1781 – a beautiful woman and a man considered to be less attractive forming an ill-matched couple
• BEAUTY BAR
n. 1967 Amer. dial. – a brooch
• BEAUTY-BLOOM
n. 1853 – beautiful tint or colour
• BEAUTY DOCTOR
n. 2010 – a person who performs cosmetic surgery
• BEAUTY MAN
n. 1800 rare – a beautiful man, esp. one who is effeminate; a fop, a dancy
• BEAUTY-MOCK
n. 1. 1598 obs. – an imitation of beauty
n. 2. 1608 obs. rare – a woman whose beauty is not natural; a sham beauty
• BEAUTY PIN
n. 1967 Amer. dial. – a brooch
• BEAUTY SPOT
n. Bk1998 sl. – the female genitalia
• BEAUTY-WATER
n. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – early morning dew
• BEAUX ESPRITS
n. 1638 – men of wit or genius
• BEAVE
n. 1952 US sl. – a prostitute
vb. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – of ducks: to dive
• BEAVER
adj. 1967 sl. – said of films, photographs, etc. that feature the female genitals and pubic area
n. 1. 1691 Eng. dial. – slight refreshment taken between meals either at 11 a.m. or 4 p.m.; occasionally applied also to a regular meal
n. 2. 1824 Eng. sl. – a top-hat
n. 3. 1833 US West sl. – a fellow, a geezer
n. 4. 1848 Amer. dial. arch. – money
n. 5. c1850 Amer. colloq. – one who works diligently; a hard-working, diligent, active man
n. 6. 1870 Amer. dial. – a silk hat
n. 7. Bk1890 sl. – a hat
n. 8. 1910 sl. – a bearded man
n. 9. Bk1942 Amer. theatrical sl. – a false beard
n. 10. 1958 Amer. loggers’ usage – a clumsy axeman
n. 11. 1968 US sl. – a woman viewed as a sex object
n. 12. Bk1975 Amer. citizen’s band radio usage – a woman, esp. one driving along the highway and operating a CB radio
n. 13. Bk1998 sl. – the female genitalia
vb. 1942 Amer. loggers’ usage – to hack a tree down
• BEAVER AWAY
vb. 1946 sl. – to make one’s maximum effort
• BEAVER-CLEAVER
n. Bk2006 US sl. – the penis
• BEAVER DOWN
vb. 1942 Amer. loggers’ usage – to hack a tree down
• BEAVERKIN
n. 1867 – a little beaver (hat)
• BEAVER SCOUT
n. 1955 US jocular usage – an eager beaver
• BEAVER-SHOOTER
n. 1967 Amer. sl. – a man obsessed with looking at female genitals; a peeping tom
• BEAVIS
n. a2000 US college sl. – one who fails to prove acceptable to social norms
• BE AWAY FOR SLATES
vb. 1. 1930 Ireland – to have started and be making good progress; to succeed
vb. 2. 1958 Eng. dial. rare – to depart hastily, to be in a hurry
• BE AWAY LAUGHING
vb. 1964 NZ sl. – to make a good start
• BEAYELL
n. c1400 obs. rare – a grandfather’s father, a great grandfather
• BEAZE
vb. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – to dry in the sun
• BEAZEN
adj. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – bold
• BEAZLE
n. 1. 1926 US sl. – a young woman, with overtones of sexual precocity
n. 2. 1931 US college sl. – an unappealing person; a worthless fellow
• BEAZLED
adj. 1894 Eng. dial. – tired out, exhausted
• BEAZLER
n. a1593 obs. – a bezzler, one who drinks to excess, a sot, a drunkard
• BEAZY
adj. a1593 – dried up, withered
• BEB
vb. 1781 Eng. dial. – to drink continuously, but in small quantities; to tipple
• BE-BACK
n. 1982 US sl., derogatory – a potential customer who say he or she will return but clearly has no intention of doing so
• BE BAGGED
vb. 1603 obs. – to be pregnant
• BEBAIT
vb. 1589 obs. – to bait or worry persistently
• BEBASS
vb. 1583 obs. – to kiss all over, to cover with kisses
• BEBAT
vb. 1565 obs. – to cudgel
• BEBAUCH
vb. 1607 obs. – to debauch
• BEBBING-FULL
adj. Bk1911 Sc. – of the tide: high, full
• BEBBLE
vb. Bk1911 Sc. – to sip; to tipple; to drink carelessly
• BEBBLES
n. Bk1898 Ireland – nonsensical talk
• BEBED
vb. a1300 obs. – to furnish with a bed
• BEBEE
n. 1. 1843 Anglo-Indian – a lady
n. 2. 1886 Anglo-Indian – a prostitute; a female bedmate
• BE BEHINDHAND LIKE THE MILLER’S FILLER
vb. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – to be dilatory in keeping appointments
• BE-BE-ITCHING
adj. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – bewitching
• BE BIG ON
vb. 1867 Amer. sl. – to enjoy very much; to be enthusiastic about
• BE BIT BY A BARN WEASEL
vb. 1673 obs. – to be drunk
• BEBLACKEN
vb. Bk1911 Sc. – to calumniate boldly
• BEBLEED
vb. a1230 obs. or arch – to cover or stain with blood; to make bloody
• BEBLOODY
vb. c1210 obs. – to make bloody
• BEBLUBBERED
adj. 1582 – disfigured by blubbering; befouled with tears
• BE-BO
n. 1811 Eng. dial. – a lullaby
• BEBOER
n. 21C – a user of the social-networking website Bebo.com, launched in 2006, describing itself as ‘a company that dreams up ideas for fun social apps’
• BEBOP
n. 1981 – a performer or supporter of bebop, a development of jazz, begun in the U.S. at the end of the Second World War, characterized by complex harmony, dissonant chords and highly syncopated rhythm
• BE-BOP-A-ROLLER
n. Bk1972 homosexual sl. – a teenage girl with her hair done up in rollers
• BEBOPPER
n. 1. 1946 – a performer or supporter of bebop, a development of jazz, begun in the U.S. at the end of the Second World War, characterized by complex harmony, dissonant chords and highly syncopated rhythm
n. 2. 1966 US sl. – a juvenile delinquent
n. 3. 1980 African-American sl. – an inexperienced, naive person; an unpopular person
• BE BORN WITH A LONG TONGUE
vb. 1960 Amer. dial. – to be a great talker
• BE BOUGHT AND SOLD
vb. a1400 arch. – to be betrayed for a bribe
• BEBROYDE
vb. 1583 obs. rare – to embroider about
• BE BUGS ABOUT
vb. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – to be erratic about
• BE BURIED IN A NAPKIN
vb. 1. Bk1902 sl. – to be asleep
vb. 2. Bk1902 sl. – to be half-witted
• BEBURY
vb. c1000 obs. – to entomb, to bury
• BECACK
vb. 1598 obs. – to deposit ordure on
• BECALL
vb. 1. c1250 obs. – to accuse of
vb. 2. c1325 obs. – to call, to summon
vb. 3. c1325 obs. – to call upon, to call forth, to challenge
vb. 4. 1682 Eng. dial. – to abuse, to call names, to rail at
• BE CALLED AFT
vb. 1975 Amer. sl. – to die
• BE CALLED HOME
vb. Bk1898 – to die
• BECALM
vb. 1613 – to assuage, to mitigate, to soothe, to tranquillize
• BECARVE
vb. a1000 obs. – to cut off
• BE CATAWAMPTIOUSLY CHAWED UP
vb. 1852 sl. – to be completely demolished, utterly defeated
• BECATCH
vb. 1. c1200 obs. – to lay hold of, to seize upon
vb. 2. c1200 obs. – to take by craft; to beguile, to cheat, to deceive
• BE CAUGHT HOLDING ONE’S DICK
vb. 20C US sl. – to be caught in an embarrassing or generally disadvantageous situation
• BE CAUGHT IN THE GO-LONG
vb. 1937 African-American usage – to be caught in an inevitable consequence of a sequence of events, often undesirable; to be an unfortunate victim of circumstances
• BE CAUGHT SHORT
vb. 1890 sl. – to have an urgent need to urinate or defecate
• BE CAUGHT WITH ONE’S PANTS DOWN
vb. 1922 colloq. – to be surprised in an embarrassing situation; to be caught off guard
• BECCO
n. 1604 obs. – a cuckold
• BECHANCE
adv. 1548 obs. – by chance
vb. 1527 – to happen, to befall, to chance
• BECHATTED
adj. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – bewitched
• BECHEKE
vb. c1175 obs. – to choke, to stifle
• BECHER
n. Bk1855 obs. – a betrayer
• BE CHEWED UP
vb. c1920 sl. – to be very nervous and/or off colour
• BECHOR
n. Bk1982 Jewish – the eldest male child in a family
• BECK
n. 1. a1300 – a brook or stream
n. 2. c1698 UK criminals’ sl. – a beadle, a constable
n. 3. 1809 Sc. & Eng. dial. – a nod, a curtsy
n. 4. 1863 Eng. dial. – a horseshoe
n. 5. 2001 UK sl. – a well-off, middle-class Jewish teenager or young person, orig. just girls, usually from North London; often collectively as ‘becks’
vb. 1. 1724 Sc. – to nod or bow the head; to curtsy, to make obeisance
vb. 2. 1861 cant – to imprison
vb. 3. Bk1911 Sc. – to curtsy; to cringe; to do obeisance
vb. 4. Bk1911 Sc. – of horse: to jerk the head
• BECKET
n. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – a mantelpiece
• BECKETT
n. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – a little brook
• BECK-HARMAN
n. Bk1855 sl. – a constable
• BECKING
n. 1856 Sc. – bowing, curtsying
• BECKON
vb. 1578 obs. – to nod; to bow
• BECKON BACK
vb. 1931 Amer. dial. – of the wind: to change direction
• BECK-STRADDLER
n. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – the frog as it sprawls when swimming
• BECKY SHARP
n. Bk1922 – an unscrupulous, worldly young woman
• BECLAM
vb. 1674 obs. exc. Eng. dial. – to beclog with anything clammy or sticky
• BECLAMED
adj. 1. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – flattered
adj. 2. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – smeared over with dirt or grease
• BECLAP
vb. c1386 obs. – to catch or lay hold of suddenly
• BECLART
vb. c1230 Eng. dial. – to be dirty
• BECLARTED
adj. 1684 Sc. & Eng. dial. – besmeared, bedaubed
• BECLEPE
vb. 1. c1030 obs. – to complain against; to indict, to accuse
vb. 2. c1220 obs. – to call upon, to address, to accost
vb. 3. 1297 obs. – to summon to a higher court
vb. 4. c1320 obs. – to appeal against, to object to, to disapprove
• BECLIP
vb. 1. c1000 arch. – to fold in the arms, to embrace, to clasp
vb. 2. c1000 arch. – to wrap round, to enclose, to encircle, to surround
vb. 3. c1230 arch. – to include, to comprise, to comprehend, to contain
vb. 4. c1380 obs. – to lay hold of, to seize upon, to grip; to catch, to overtake
vb. 5. c1400 obs. – to curdle
• BECLIPPING
n. 1340 obs. – an embrace
• BECLOSE
vb. c1000 obs. – to shut up or in; to enclose, to imprison
• BECLOUD
vb. 1619 – to make obscure; to darken, to hide
• BECLOUDED
adj. 1581 – made obscure or gloomy
• BECLUMPSE
vb. 1611 obs. – to benumb
• BECOME
vb. 1. c885 obs. – to come to a place; to arrive
vb. 2. c888 obs. – to come about, to come to pass, to happen, to fall to one’s lot, to befall
vb. 3. 1969 Amer. dial. – to resemble
• BECOME A GOLD STAR IN MOTHER’S WINDOW
vb. World War II Amer. sl. – to be killed in action
• BECOMED
adj. 1592 obs. rare – befitting, becoming
• BECOME FRESH
vb. Bk1913-17 Amer. dial. – to calve
• BECOMELY
adj. c1175 obs. – becoming, fitting, acceptable
adv. c1200 obs. – becomingly, properly
• BECOMENESS
n. 1656 obs. rare – becomingness; fitness, suitability
• BECOMES
n. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – one’s best clothes
• BECOME UNCRUNKED
vb. 1972 Amer. dial. – of an engine: to stop running
• BECOMMA
vb. 1881 – to sprinkle with commas
• BECOMSE
vb. c1350 obs. rare – to begin, to commence
• BE COPPERED ON THE JACK
vb. 1878 Amer. sl. – to fail; to lose one’s point (from the game of faro)
• BECOVER
vb. 1. c1325 obs. – to cover over
vb. 2. c1325 obs. – to recover
• BE CRACKED ON
vb. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – to be erratic about
• BECRIKE!
int. 1806 Eng. dial. – an exclamation or oath; by Christ!
• BECRIKEY!
int. 1806 Eng. dial. – an exclamation or oath; by Christ!
• BECRY
vb. c1440 obs. – to cry at, to accuse
• BECURRY
vb. 1598 obs. – to beat, to thrash
• BE CUT FOR THE SIMPLES
vb. a1700 Eng. dial., orig. sl. – to be cured of one’s folly; applied to one who has been guilty of some foolish act
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