[basket case] <n.>, <slang>, <also informal> 1. A person who has had both arms and both legs cut off as a result of war or other misfortune. 2. A helpless person who is unable to take care of himself, as if carted around in a basket by others. * /Stop drinking, or else you'll wind up a basket case!/
[bat] See: AT BAT, GO TO BAT FOR, RIGHT AWAY or RIGHT OFF also RIGHT OFF THE BAT.
[bat an eye] or [bat an eyelash] <v. phr.>, <informal> To show surprise, fear, or interest; show your feelings. - Used in negative sentences. * /When I told him the price of the car he never batted an eye./ * /Bill told his story without batting an eyelash, although not a word of it was true./ Compare: STRAIGHT FACE.
[bath] See: SPONGE BATH, THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATH.
[bats in one's belfry] or [bats in the belfry] <n. phr.>, <slang> Wild ideas in his mind; disordered senses; great mental confusion. * /When he talked about going to the moon he was thought to have bats in his belfry./
[bat the breeze] See: SHOOT THE BREEZE.
[batting average] <n. phr.> Degree of accomplishment (originally used as a baseball term). * /Dr. Grace has a great batting average with her heart transplant operations./
[battle] See: HALF THE BATTLE.
[battle of nerves] <n. phr.> A contest of wills during which the parties do not fight physically but try to wear each other out. * /It has been a regular battle of nerves to get the new program accepted at the local state university./ See: WAR OF NERVES.
[bawl out] <v.>, <informal> To reprove in a loud or rough voice; rebuke sharply; scold. * /The teacher bawled us out for not handing in our homework./ Compare: HAUL OVER THE COALS, LIGHT INTO, TELL A THING OR TWO.
[bay] See: AT BAY, BRING TO BAY.
[be] See: LET BE, TO-BE.
[beach] See: NOT THE ONLY PEBBLE ON THE BEACH.
[beach bunny] <n.>, <slang> An attractive girl seen on beaches mostly to show off her figure; one who doesn't get into the water and swim. * /What kind of a girl is Susie? - She's a beach bunny; she always comes to the Queen's Surf on Waikiki but I've never seen her swim./
[bead] See: DRAW A BEAD ON.
[be a fly on the wall] <v. phr.> To eavesdrop on a secret conversation. * /How I wish I could be a fly on the wall to hear what my fiance's parents are saying about me!/
[be a good hand at] <v. phr.> To be talented, gifted, or skilled in some activity. * /Florian is a good hand at both gardening and building./
[beam] See: OFF THE BEAM, ON THE BEAM.
[bean] See: FULL OF BEANS, SPILL THE BEANS, USE ONE'S HEAD or USE ONE'S BEAN.
[be an item] <v. phr.> To be a couple; belong to one another. * /No one is surprised to see them together anymore; if is generally recognized that they are an item./
[be a poor hand at] <v. phr.> To be inept, untalented, or clumsy in some activity. * /Archibald is a poor hand at tennis so no one wants to play with him./ Contrast: BE A GOOD HAND AT.
[be at pains] <v. phr.> To be extremely desirous to do something; to take the trouble to do something. * /The captain was at pains to see that everybody got safely into the lifeboats./
[bear] See: GRIN AND BEAR IT, LOADED FOR BEAR.
[bear a grudge] <v. phr.> To persist in bearing ill feeling toward someone after a quarrel or period of hostility. * /Come on, John, be a good sport and don't bear a grudge because I beat you at golf./ Contrast: BURY THE HATCHET.
[bear a hand] See: LEND A HAND.
[beard] See: LAUNCH UP ONE'S SLEEVE or LAUGH IN ONE'S SLEEVE or LAUGH IN ONE'S BEARD.
[bear down] <v.> 1. To press or push harder; work hard at; give full strength and attention. * /She is bearing down in her studies to win a scholarship./ * /The baseball pitcher is bearing down./ * /The pitcher bore down on the star batter./ * /Teachers of the deaf bear down on English./ * /The sergeant bears down on lazy soldiers./ Contrast: LET UP(2b). 2. To move toward in an impressive or threatening way. - Often used with "on". * /While he was crossing the street a big truck bore down on him./ * /The little ship tried to escape when the big pirate ship bore down./ * /After the boys threw the snowballs they saw a large lady bearing down upon them from across the street./
[bear down on] or [upon] <v. phr.> To draw constantly nearer with great speed and force. * /The police cars were bearing down on the bank robbers' get-away car./
[bear fruit] <v. phr.> To yield results. * /We hope that the company's new investment policy will bear fruit./
[bear in mind] See: IN MIND.
[bear in the air] or [bear in the sky] <n. phr.>, <slang>, <citizen's band jargon> A police helicopter flying overhead watching for speeders. * /Slow down, good buddy, there's a bear in the air./
[bear off the palm] See: CARRY OFF THE PALM.
[bear one's cross] See: CARRY ONE'S CROSS.
[bear out] <v.> To show to be right; prove; support. * /Modern findings do not bear out the old belief that the earth is flat./ * /Seward's faith in his purchase of Alaska was borne out, even though it was once called "Seward's Folly."/
[bear trap] <n.>, <slang>, <citizen's band radio jargon> A police radar unit designed to catch speeders. * /Watch the bear trap at exit 101./
[bear up] <v.> 1. To hold up; carry; support; encourage. * /The old bridge can hardly bear up its own weight any more./ * /He was borne up by love of country./ 2. To keep up one's courage or strength; last. Often used with "under". * /This boat will bear up under hurricane winds./ * /She bore up well at the funeral./ Syn.: STAND UP. Compare: CARRY ON.
[bear watching] <v. phr.> 1. To be worth watching or paying attention to; have a promising future. * /That young ball player will bear watching./ 2. To be dangerous or untrustworthy. * /Those tires look badly worn; they will bear watching./ Compare: KEEP AN EYE ON.
[bear with] <v.>, <formal> To have patience with; not get angry with. * /Your little sister is sick. Try to bear with her when she cries./ * /It is hard to bear with criticism./ Syn.: PUT UP WITH. Compare: CARRY ONE'S CROSS.
[beat] See: HEART SKIP A BEAT, OFF THE BEATEN TRACK.
[beat about the bush] or [beat around the bush] <v. phr.>, <slang> To talk about things without giving a clear answer; avoid the question or the point. * /He would not answer yes or no, but beat about the bush./ * /He beat about the bush for a half hour without coming to the point./ Compare: BESIDE THE POINT. Contrast: COME TO THE POINT.
[beat all] or [beat the Dutch] <v. phr.>, <informal> To be strange or surprising. * /John found a box full of money buried in his garage. Doesn't that beat all!/ * /It beats the Dutch how Tom always makes a basket./
[beat all hollow] also [beat hollow] <v. phr.>, <slang> To do much better than; to beat very badly. * /We beat their team all hollow./ * /As a speaker, he beats us all hollow./
[beat a retreat] <v. phr.> 1. To give a signal, esp. by beating a drum, to go back. * /The Redcoats' drums were beating a retreat./ 2. To run away. * /They beat a retreat when they saw that they were too few./ * /The cat beat a hasty retreat when he saw the dog coming./ Compare: BACK DOWN, FALL BACK.
[beat around the bush] See: BEAT ABOUT THE BUSH.
[beat down] <v.> 1. To crush or break the spirit of; win over; conquer. * /All their defenses were beaten down by the tanks./ 2. <informal> a. To try to get reduced; force down by discussing. * /Can we beat down the price?/ b. To persuade or force (someone) to accept a lower price or easier payments. * /He tried to beat us down, so we did not sell the house./ 3. To shine brightly or hotly. * /At noon the sun beat down on our heads as we walked home./
[beaten path] <n. phr.> The usual route or way of operating that has been conventionally established, * /If we always follow the beaten path, we'll never have the courage to try something new./
[beaten track] <n.> See: BEATEN PATH.
[beat hollow] See: BEAT ALL HOLLOW.
[beat into one's head] <v. phr.>, <informal> To teach by telling again and again; repeat often; drill, also, to be cross and punish often. * /Tom is lazy and stubborn and his lessons have to be beaten into his head./ * /I cannot beat it into his head that he should take off his hat in the house./