[behind the times] <adj. phr.> Using things not in style; still following old ways; old-fashioned. * /Johnson's store is behind the times./ * /The science books of 30 years ago are behind the times now./ * /Mary thinks her parents are behind the times because they still do the foxtrot and don't know any new dances./
[behind time] <adv.> or <adj. phr.> 1a. Behind the correct time; slow. * /That clock is behind time./ 1b. Behind schedule; late. * /The train is running behind time today./ 2. Not keeping up; not at the proper time; overdue. * /Your lessons are good, but why are you behind time?/ * /We are behind time in paying the rent./ Contrast: AHEAD OF TIME, IN TIME, ON TIME.
[be-in] <n.>, <slang>, <hippie culture> A gathering or social occasion with or without a discernible purpose, often held in a public place like a park or under a large circus tent. * /The youngsters really enjoyed the great springtime jazz be-in at the park./
[be in a stew] <v. phr.> To be worried, harassed, upset. * /Al has been in a stew ever since he got word that his sister was going to marry his worst enemy./
[being] See: FOR THE TIME BEING.
[be in labor] <v. phr.> To be in parturition; experience the contractions of childbirth. * /Vane had been in labor for eight hours before her twin daughters were finally born./
[be in someone else's shoes] <v. phr.> To be in someone else's situation. * /Fred has had so much trouble recently that we ought to be grateful we're not in his shoes./
[be into something] <v. phr.>, <informal> To have taken something up partly as a nobby, partly as a serious interest of sorts (basically resulting from the new consciousness and self-realization movement that originated in the late Sixties). * /Roger's wife is into women's liberation and women's consciousness./ * /Did you know that Syd is seriously into transcendental meditation?/ * /Jack found out that his teenage son is into pot smoking and gave him a serious scolding./
[be itching to] <v. phr.> To have a very strong desire to do something. * /Jack is itching to travel abroad./
[be it so] See: SO BE IT.
[belabor the point] <v. phr.> To overexplain something to the point of obviousness, resulting in ridicule. * /"Lest I belabor the point," the teacher said, "I must repeat the importance of teaching good grammar in class."/
[belfry] See: BATS IN ONE'S BELFRY or BATS IN THE BELFRY.
[believe] See: MAKE BELIEVE, SEEING IS BELIEVING.
[believe one's ears] <v. phr.> 1. To believe what one hears; trust one's hearing. - Used with a negative or limiter, or in an interrogative or conditional sentence. * /He thought he heard a horn blowing in the distance, but he could not believe his ears./ 2. To be made sure of (something). * /Is he really coming? I can hardly believe my ears./
[believe one's eyes] <v. phr.> 1. To believe what one sees; trust one's eyesight. - Used with a negative or limiter or in an interrogative or conditional sentence. * /Is that a plane? Can I believe my eyes?/ 2. To be made sure of seeing something. * /She saw him there but she could hardly believe her eyes./
[bell] See: RING A BELL, WITH BELLS ON.
[bellyache] <v.> To constantly complain. * /Jim is always bellyaching about the amount of work he is required to do./
[belly up] <adj.>, <informal> Dead, bankrupt, or financially ruined. * /Tom and Dick struggled on for months with their tiny computer shop, but last year they went belly up./
[belly up] <v.>, <informal> To go bankrupt, become afunctional; to die. * /Uncompetitive small businesses must eventually all belly up./
[below par] <adj.> or <adv.> Below standard. * /Bob was fired because his work has been below par for several months now./ Contrast: UP TO PAR or UP TO SNUFF.
[below the belt] <adv. phr.> 1. In the stomach; lower than is legal in boxing. * /He struck the other boy below the belt./ 2. <informal> In an unfair or cowardly way; against the rules of sportsmanship or justice; unsportingly; wrongly. * /It was hitting below the belt for Mr. Jones's rival to tell people about a crime that Mr. Jones committed when he was a young boy./ * /Pete told the students to vote against Harry because Harry was in a wheelchair and couldn't be a good class president, but the students thought Pete was hitting below the belt./
[belt] See: BELOW THE BELT, SEAT BELT, TIGHTEN ONE'S BELT, UNDER ONE'S BELT.
[belt out] <v.>, <slang> To sing with rough rhythm and strength; shout out. * /She belted out ballads and hillbilly songs one after another all evening./ * /Young people enjoy belting out songs./
[be my guest] <v. phr.> Feel free to use what I have; help yourself. * /When Suzie asked if she could borrow John's bicycle, John said, "Be my guest."/
[beneath one] <adj. phr.> Below one's ideals or dignity. * /Bob felt it would have been beneath him to work for such low wages./
[bench] See: ON THE BENCH, WARM THE BENCH.
[bench warmer] See: WARM THE BENCH.
[bend over backward] or [lean over backward] <v. phr.>, <informal> To try so hard to avoid a mistake that you make the opposite mistake instead; do the opposite of something that you know you should not do; do too much to avoid doing the wrong thing; also, make a great effort; try very hard. * /Instead of punishing the boys for breaking a new rule, the principal bent over backward to explain why the rule was important./ * /Mary was afraid the girls at her new school would be stuck up, but they leaned over backward to make her feel at home./ Compare: GO OUT OF ONE'S WAY.
[benefit] See: GIVE THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT.
[bent on] or [bent upon] Very decided, determined, or set. * /The sailors were bent on having a good time./ * /The policeman saw some boys near the school after dark and thought they were bent on mischief./ * /The bus was late, and the driver was bent upon reaching the school on time./
[be nuts about] <v. phr.> To be enthusiastic or very keen about someone or something; be greatly infatuated with someone. * /Hermione is nuts about modern music./ * /"I am nuts about you, Helen," Jim said. "Please let's get married!"/
[be off] <v. phr.> 1. <v.> To be in error; miscalculate. * /The estimator was off by at least 35% on the value of the house./ 2. <v.> To leave. * /Jack ate his supper in a hurry and was off without saying goodbye./ 3. <adj.> Cancelled; terminated. * /The weather was so bad that we were told that the trip was off./ 4. <adj.> Crazy. * /I'm sure Aunt Mathilda is a bit off; no one in her right mind would say such things./ 5. <adj.> Free from work; having vacation time. * /Although we were off for the rest of the day, we couldn't go to the beach because it started to rain./
[be on] <v. phr.> 1. To be in operation; be in the process of being presented. * /The news is on now on Channel 2; it will be off in five minutes./ 2. To be in the process of happening; to take place. * /We cannot travel now to certain parts of Africa, as there is a civil war on there right now./
[be one's age] See: ACT ONE'S AGE.
[be oneself] <v.> To act naturally; act normally without trying unduly to impress others. * /Just try being yourself; I promise people will like you more./
[be on the outs with] <v. phr.> To not be on speaking terms with someone; be in disagreement with someone. * /Jane and Tom have been on the outs with one another since Tom started to date another woman./
[be on the rocks] See: ON THE ROCKS, GO ON THE ROCKS.
[be on the verge of] <v. phr.> To be about to do something; be very close to. * /We were on the verge of going bankrupt when, unexpectedly, my wife won the lottery and our business was saved./
[be on the wagon] See: ON THE WAGON, FALL OFF THE WAGON.
[be on to] <v. phr.> To understand the motives of someone; not be deceived. * /Jack keeps telling us how wealthy his family is, but we are on to him./
[be over] <v. phr.> To be ended; be finished. * /The show was over by 11 P.M./ * /The war will soon be over./
[be out] <v. phr.> 1. To not be at home or at one's place of work. * /I tried to call but they told me that Al was out./ 2. To be unacceptable; not be considered; impossible. * /I suggested that we hire more salespeople but the boss replied that such a move was positively out./ 3. To be poorer by; suffer a loss of. * /Unless more people came to the church picnic, we realized we would be out $500 at least./ 4. To be in circulation, in print, published. * /Jane said that her new novel won't be out for at least another month./ 5. A baseball term indicating that a player has been declared either unfit to continue or punished by withdrawing him. * /The spectators thought that John was safe at third base, but the umpire said he was out./
[be out to] <v. phr.> To intend to do; to plan to commit. * /The police felt that the gang may be out to rob another store./
[berth] See: GIVE A WIDE BERTH.
[be set on] or [upon] <v. phr.> To be determined about something. * /Tow is set upon leaving his Chicago job for Tokyo, Japan, although he speaks only English./
[beside oneself] <adj. phr.> Very much excited; somewhat crazy. * /She was beside herself with fear./ * /He was beside himself, he was so angry./ * /When his wife heard of his death, she was beside herself./
[beside the point] or [beside the question] <adj.> or <adv. phr.> Off the subject; about something different. * /What you meant to do is beside the point; the fact is you didn't do it./ * /The judge told the witness that his remarks were beside the point./ Compare: BEAT AROUND THE BUSH, NEITHER HERE NOR THERE.
[best] See: AS BEST ONE CAN, AT BEST, FOR THE BEST, GET THE BETTER OF or GET THE BEST OF, HAD BETTER or HAD BEST, HE LAUGHS BEST WHO LAUGHS LAST, MAKE THE BEST OF, PUT ONE'S BEST FOOT FORWARD, SECOND BEST, TO THE BEST OF ONE'S KNOWLEDGE, WITH THE BEST or WITH THE BEST OF THEM.
[best bib and tucker] or [Sunday best] or [Sunday go-to-meeting clothes] <n. phr.>, <informal> Best clothes or outfit of clothing. * /The cowboy got all dressed up in his best bib and tucker to go to the dance./ * /Mary went to the party in her Sunday best and made a hit with the boys./ Compare: GLAD RAGS.