• BEOD
n. c1000 obs. – a table
• BE OFF
vb. 1960s sl. – to happen, esp. of a violent incident
• BE OFF EGGS, ON POTATOES
vb. Bk1900 Sc. – to wander abruptly from one subject to another
• BE OFF OF ONE’S FEET WITH
vb. Bk1905 Sc. – to be the victim of
• BE OFF OF THE REEL
vb. 1899 Sc. – to be married
• BE OFF WITH THE GUN
vb. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – to depart hurriedly
• BE OFF YOUR EGGS
vb. 1844 Sc. – to make a mistake, to be on the wrong tack
• BE ON ABOUT
vb. 1863 UK – to grumble; to complain, especially loudly; to talk on a subject for far too long
• BE ON A HIDING TO NOTHING
vb. 1905 – to be unlikely to succeed. or be unlikely to gain much advantage if one does
• BE ON AT
vb. 1974 UK sl. – to nag; to constantly reprove
• BE ONE BIG EAR
vb. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – to listen intently
• BE ONE OF THE KNIGHTS
vb. 1940s homosexual sl. – to have syphilis
• BE ONE’S OWN CARVER
vb. 1579 obs. – to take or choose for oneself at one’s own discretion
• BE ON IT
vb. 1938 Aust. sl. – to drink alcohol
• BE ON ONE’S BACK-SEAM
vb. B1890 tailors’ sl. – to be out of luck, penniless
• BE ON ONE’S BEANWATER
vb. 1907 Amer. dial. – to feel lively or animated; to be in high spirits
• BE ON ONE’S METTLE
vb. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – to be in a bad temper
• BE ON THE BALANCE
vb. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – to hesitate, to be undecided
• BE ON THE BEAM
vb. 1941 – to be on the right track; to be right; to be sane
• BE ON THE BEEFMENT
vb. Bk1902 thieves’ sl. – to see, to watch; to spy
• BE ON THE BIG EAR
vb. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – to listen intently
• BE ON THE DAM
vb. c1920 police usage – of a policeman: to be in trouble
• BE ON THE ERIE
vb. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – to listen intently
• BE ON THE FENCE
vb. Bk1905 Amer. sl. – to be neutral
• BE ON THE FLUTTER
vb. c1875 sl. – to be sexually adept
• BE ON THE LAM
vb. 1928 US sl. – to be a fugitive from justice
• BE ON THE LONG EAR
vb. 1942 Amer. sl. – to listen intently; to eavesdrop
• BE ON THE LOOK
vb. 1952 Amer. dial. – to be courting
• BE ON THE MARLOCK
vb. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – to play tricks
• BE ON THE MERRY-PIN
vb. 1790 Eng. dial. – to be excited or merry
• BE ON THE POUNCE
vb. Bk1902 thieves’ sl. – to see, to watch; to spy
• BE ON THE RACK
vb. 1693 – to be at full stretch or strain
• BE ON THE RANDY
vb. 1893 Eng. dial. – to spend time in drinking and riot; to live in an immoral manner
• BE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE HEDGE
vb. c1800 sl. – to be thrown or fall from a coach
• BE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE HEDGE WHEN THE BRAINS WERE GIVEN AWAY
phr. c1810 – to be brainless, or stupid, or at the least very dull
• BEOT
n. a1000 obs. – a promise, a vow, a threat, a boast
• BEOTE
vb. a1000 obs. – to boast, to threaten
• BEOTEN
vb. a1000 obs. – to boast, to threaten
• BE OUT!
int. 1990s UK sl. – an exclamation of encouragement or enthusiasm in use among dance-floor culture devotees
• BE OVER SHARP METTLE
vb. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – to be too hasty-tempered
• BE-OWE
vb. 1886 Eng. dial. – to own, to possess
• BEPART
vb. 1531 obs. – to divide, to share
• BEPAT
vb. 1676 – to pat frequently; to strike, to beat
• BE PEDALLED
vb. c1920 sl. – to be dismissed from a job
• BEPEPS
vb. 1622 obs. rare – to beat a person, to ‘pepper’
• BEPESTER
vb. 1600 – to pester greatly, to plague, to vex, to harass
• BEPILL
vb. 1574 obs. – to pillage completely
• BEPISS
vb. 1764 – to wet with urine
• BEPLOTMELE
adv. c1440 obs. – part by part, one portion after another, in due order or succession
• BEPRESS
vb. 1591 obs. – to oppress
• BEPUFF
vb. 1843 – to puff or blow out; to swell; hence, to flatter, to praise greatly
• BEPURFURATE
adj. 1584 – purpled, rosy-tinged, rosy-coloured
• BE PUT INTO ONE’S COOL CRAPE
vb. L18 sl. – to die
• BE PUT THROUGH ONE’S FACINGS
vb. c1865 colloq., orig. military sl. – to be reprimanded or to show off
• BE PUT TO BED WITH A SHOVEL
vb. 1858 N. Ireland – to be buried
• BEPUZZLE
vb. 1599 rare – to confuse, to perplex, to bewilder
• BEPUZZLEMENT
n. 1. 1806 – the act of perplexing
n. 2. 1885 – perplexity, bewilderment
• BEQUARREL
vb. 1624 obs. – to quarrel with; to find fault with, to abuse
• BEQUASH
vb. 1377 obs. rare – to shake or fall in pieces, to be shattered
• BEQUEATH
n. c1000 obs. – a byword, proverb
vb. c1000 obs. – to say, to utter, to express in words
• BEQUEST
vb. 1394 obs. – to give as a bequest, to bequeath
• BEQUESTING
n. 1572 obs. – bequeathing
• BEQUIRTLE
vb. 1690 obs. – to besprinkle
• BERAFFLED
adj. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – perplexed, entangled
• BERAG
vb. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – to worry, to harass, to annoy
• BE RAGGIES
vb. L19 Royal Navy usage – to be steady friends
• BERAIN
vb. a1225 obs. – to rain upon
• BERAND
adj. a1300 obs. – roaring, bellowing
• BERANTLED
adj. 1969 Amer. dial. – confused, mixed up
• BERARD
n. c1475 obs. rare – a viper
• BERATTLE
vb. 1553 obs. rare – to fill with rattling noise or din; also, to rattle away at, to assail with din
• BERAY
vb. 1. 1530 obs. or Eng. dial. – to disfigure, to dirty, to defile, to befoul with dirt, filth, ordure
vb. 2. 1576 obs. or arch. – to befoul, to stain, to disfigure; to asperse, to cover with abuse
• BERAYER
n. 1699 obs. – one who defiles or pollutes
• BERCELET
n. c1340 obs. – a hunting dog, a hound
• BERCO
adj. Bk2007 Aust. sl. – enraged; uncontrollable
• BERE
n. 1. c1205 obs. – clamour, outcry, shouting, roaring; the noise of voices of men or animals
n. 2. 1250 obs. rare – a wave, a billow
n. 3. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – a pillow-case
vb. c1225 rare – to cry, to roar
• BEREAVEN
adj. a1619 arch. – deprived, taken away by force
• BERE-BAG
n. 1352 obs. – a native or inhabitant of Scotland
• BEREDE
vb. a1225 obs. – to advise, to inform, to counsel; to plan
• BEREFT
adj. 1913 Amer. dial. – crazy
vb. 1. c1320 obs. – to snatch away a possession; to remove or take away by violence
vb. 2. 1557 obs. rare – to deprive
• BEREND
vb. 1582 – to rend or tear badly
• BERESK
adj. 1970s sl. – berserk, out of control
• BERG
n. 1. 1843 Amer. dial. – a town, village, hamlet
n. 2. Bk1898 Sc. – a rock
• BERGE
n. 1925 Sc. – one who is impetuous in talk
vb. 1887 Sc. – to speak in a loud and angry manner; to scold, to rail, to taunt loudly
• BERGER
n. 1690 obs. rare – a curl of hair
• BERGFALL
n. 1856 – a falling of rock fragments or debris; an avalanche of stones
• BERGH
n. c1250 obs. – protection, shelter
vb. a1000 obs. – to give shelter; to protect, to preserve; to deliver, to save
• BERGHER
n. a1300 obs. – a protector, deliverer, saviour
• BERGIER
n. 1480 obs. rare – a peasant, a rustic, a woodman
• BERGY
adj. 1856 – of the nature of an iceberg; abounding in icebergs
• BERIDE
vb. 1. a1000 – to ride around; to beset with horsemen
vb. 2. 1690 obs. – to ride by the side of
• BERIFTA
adj. 2000 sl. – disappointing, depressing
n. 2000 sl. – something disappointing or depressing
• BE RIGHT CHEAP OF ONE’S PAIKS
vb. 1836 Sc. – to deserve a beating richly (paiks = a deserved punishment)
• BE RIGHT IN ONE’S MITTEN
vb. 1897 Sc. – to be in good health and spirits
• BERIME
vb. 1589 – to compose rhymes about; to celebrate in rhyme; often, to lampoon
• BERINE
vb. a1300 obs. rare – to touch; to fall upon, to fall
• BERISP
vb. 1481 obs. – to censure, to reprove, to rebuke
• BERK
n. 1936 sl., chiefly Brit. – a foolish person
vb. a1550 obs. – to clot, to make matted
• BERKELEY (HUNT)
n. 1937 Brit. rhyming sl. for ‘cunt’ – a foolish person
• BERKO
adj. Bk2007 Aust. sl. – enraged; uncontrollable
• BERLASKIN
n. 1952 Amer. dial. – a hurting, an annoyance
• BERLIMEY!
int. 2000 UK sl. – an exclamation of surprise or wonder, sometimes feigned
• BERLIN
n. 1967 Amer. dial. – a doughnut with jelly inside
• BERLINER
n. 1950 Amer. dial. – a doughnut with jelly inside
• BERLING
n. 1399 obs. – a little bear; a bear’s cub
• BERLIN KETTLE
n. 1968 Amer. dial. – a large kettle used to boil foods
• BERLIN PFANNKUCHEN
n. 1967 Amer. dial. – a doughnut with jelly inside
• BERMAN
n. 1. c1000 obs. – a bearer, a carrier, a porter
n. 2. 1677 obs. rare – a miner
• BERMOTHER
n. 1527 obs. – the womb or uterus
• BERNARD
n. 1532 obs. – the member of a gang of swindlers who acts as a decoy; a lurking scoundrel; a sharper
• BERNE
n. 937 obs. – a warrior, a hero, a man of valour; in later use, a poetic word for ‘man’
• BERNER
n. a1425 obs. – an attendant in charge of a pack of hounds
• BERNICE
n. Bk1975 US drug addicts’ usage, arch. – cocaine crystals as inhaled by addicts
• BERNIE
n. 1997 UK sl. – the sum of £1 million
• BE ROAD-MAKING
phr. Bk1893 sl. – the ‘menstrual flux is on’
• BEROGUE
vb. 1673 obs. – to call one a rogue; to abuse
• BERREY
n. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – a rabbit warren; a group of rabbit holes
vb. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – to animals: to burrow, to dig a hole in the ground
• BERRIED
adj. 1382 obs. – of a track or trail: beaten, trodden
• BERRIES
int. 1920s African-American sl. – an expression of approval
n. 1. 1980s African-American sl. – a woman’s nipples, esp. if dark brown or dark red in colour
n. 2. 1980s African-American sl. – wine
• THE BERRIES
adj. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – excellent; first-rate
n. 1. 1920 Amer. sl. – something or someone thought to be very good or excellent
n. 2. 1960 Amer. sl. – the limit, the last straw
n. 3. 1980s African-American sl. – wine
• BERRY
adj. Bk1904 Amer. college sl. – good-looking
n. 1. 1205 obs. exc. Eng. dial. – a mound, a hillock
n. 2. 1486 obs. – a rabbit’s burrow; a company of rabbits
n. 3. 1598 obs. – a gust or blast of wind
n. 4. 1712 – a coffee bean
n. 5. 1787 N. Ireland, Sc. & Eng. dial. – the gooseberry
n. 6. c1900 US sl., obs. – an easy task or assignment
n. 7. c1900 US students’ usage – an agreeable, attractive, or remarkable person or thing
n. 8. c1900 US students’ usage – an egg
n. 9. Bk1904 Amer. college sl. – a good thing
n. 10. 1916 US sl. – a dollar; usually used in the plural
n. 11. 1934 Brit. sl. – a pound; usually used in the plural
vb. 1. a1225 obs. exc. Eng. dial. – to beat, to thrash
vb. 2. 1382 obs. – to beat a path, etc.
• BERRY-BARN
n. 1870 Sc. – the third finger
• BERRY-BROWN
n. 1686 Eng. dial. obs. – nut-brown ale
• BERRY-GLAUMER
n. 1944 Amer. dial. – a person who can pick strawberries very rapidly
• BERRY-MOUCHER
n. 1. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – a truant from school in blackberry season
n. 2. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – the blackberry
• BERRY PICKER
n. 1968 Amer. dial. – a rustic or countrified person
ֳ• BERRY-SLUFFS
n. 1891 Eng. dial. – the skins of gooseberries
• BERSATRIX
n. 17C obs. – a rocker of children in a cradle
• BERSERK
n. 1879 – a wild Norse warrior of great strength and ferocious courage, who fought on the battlefield with a frenzied fury known as the ‘berserker rage’; often a lawless bravo or freebooter
• BERSERKER
n. 1822 – a wild Norse warrior of great strength and ferocious courage, who fought on the battlefield with a frenzied fury known as the ‘berserker rage’; often a lawless bravo or freebooter
• BERTH
n. 1. 1778 sl. – a job; an appointment to a job
n. 2. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – a foothold, a grasp
vb. 1736 Eng. dial. obs. – to place or lay a floor
• BERTIE
n. 1. Bk2007 UK sl. – a male homosexual
n. 2. Bk2007 UK sl. – a fool, a dupe
• BERUFFIANIZE
vb. 1596 – to call or stigmatize as a ruffian
• BERUMPUS
n. 1970 Amer. dial. – the buttocks
• BERUN
vb. 1. a1000 obs. – to run or flow about, or over the surface of
vb. 2. c1205 obs. – to run round about, to encompass
• BERVIE
n. Bk1911 Sc. – a haddock split and smoke-dried
• BERVIE-HADDOCK
n. Bk1911 Sc. – a haddock split and smoke-dried
• BERWE
n. c890 obs. – a grove, a shady place
• BERYL
adj. 1501 – clear pale green
n. 1. c1440 obs. – a word of admiration for a woman
n. 2. 1834 – pale sea-green, the colour of beryl
• BERYL-GLASS
n. 1540 obs. – a mirror
• BESACKED
adj. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – discharged from employment
• BESAGEW
n. c1430 obs. – a double-edged axe
• BESAGUE
n. c1430 obs. – a double-edged axe
• BESAIL
vb. 1460 obs. – to assail, to attack
• BESAILE; BESAYLE
n. c1400 obs. – a grandfather’s father; a great-grandfather
• BESAY
vb. 1. c1000 obs. – to defend
vb. 2. c1200 obs. – to declare, to speak about
• BESCRAMBLE
vb. 1598 obs. rare – to scratch, to tear
• BESCROW AND BESCREW
vb. 1952 Amer. dial. – to curse
• BESCUMMER
vb. 1. 1825 Eng. dial. – to abuse, to calumniate
vb. 2. 1825 Eng. dial. – to besmear with dirt
• BESEE
vb. 1. c1000 obs. – to look about; to look in any direction; to see
vb. 2. c1200 obs. – to be attentive, to pay attention to
vb. 3. a1225 obs. – to care for, to protect
• BESEECH
n. 1606 obs. rare – beseeching, entreaty, petition
vb. 1. c1175 obs. – to beg earnestly for, to entreat a thing
vb. 2. c1200 obs. – to seek after, to search for, to try to get
vb. 3. c1250 obs. – to seek to know
• BESEEING
n. 1340 obs. – circumspection, consideration
• BE SEEING YOU
phr. 1934 – goodbye
• BE SEEIN’ YOU IN HALIFAX
phr. 1965 Amer. dial. – goodbye
• BESEEK
vb. 1790 Sc. & Eng. dial. – to beseech
• BESEEM
vb. 1. a1225 obs. – to seem, to appear, to look
vb. 2. 1874 Eng. dial. – to become, to befit
• BESEEMING
n. 1611 obs. – appearance, look
• BESEEMLINESS
n. 1647 rare – fittingness, propriety
• BESEEMLY
adj. 1742 rare – seemly, becoming, befitting
• BESEKANDLIK
adj. a1300 obs. – kind, gracious
• BESENCH
vb. 971 obs. – to cause to sink, to submerge, to plunge down, to overwhelm
• BESEND
vb. 1297 obs. – to send to, to send a message to
• BESEPS; BESEPTS
conj. 1890 Eng. dial. – except, unless
prep. 1853 Eng. dial. – except, with the exception of
• BESERVE
vb. a1300 obs. – to serve diligently
• BESET
vb. 1. 1567 obs. – to become, to suit, to look well on, to befit, to set off
vb. 2. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – to attack
• BE SET FORTH LIKE LAMB AND SALLIT
vb. Bk1902 Eng. dial. – to be gaily dressed
• BESETMENT
n. 1859 Eng. dial. – a besetting weakness or sin
• BESETTER
n. 1967 Amer. dial. – the buttocks
• BESEW
vb. a800 obs. – to sew up
• BESHAG
vb. 1868 obs. – to make shaggy
• BESHAME
vb. 1889 Eng. dial. – to shame; to be ashamed
• BESHED
vb. 1. 1382 obs. – to drench, moisten, wet with
vb. 2. 1474 obs. – to shed blood
• BESHEND
vb. a1300 obs. rare – to ruin
• BESHINING
n. 1398 obs. – illumination, lighting up
• BESHIT
vb. a1000 – to deposit ordure on
• BE SHORT OF A SHEET
vb. Bk1892 Aust. sl. – to be slightly crazy or idiotic
• BE SHOT IN THE NECK
vb. 1855 Amer. sl. – to be drunk
• BE SHOT OF
vb. 1802 – to dismiss
• BESHREW
vb. 1. c1325 obs. – to make wicked or evil; to deprave, to pervert, to corrupt
vb. 2. 1377 obs. – to invoke evil upon; to wish one all that is bad; to invoke a curse on; to curse, to blame greatly, as the cause of misfortune
vb. 3. c1430 obs. – to treat evilly, to use ill, to abuse
• BESHUT
vb. 1. a1300 obs. – to shut in, to enclose, to surround; to shut up, to confine, to imprison
vb. 2. c1330 – to shut out, to exclude
• BE SHUT OF
vb. 1575 – to dismiss, to get rid of
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