Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary полностью

bi|fur|cate /ba I fɜːke I t/ (bifurcates , bifurcating , bifurcated ) VERB If something such as a line or path bifurcates or is bifurcated , it divides into two parts which go in different directions. □ [V ] A single furrow may bifurcate and form a letter Y. [Also V n] ●  bi|fur|ca|tion /ba I fɜːke I ʃən/ (bifurcations ) N‑VAR □ [+ between ] …the bifurcation between high art and popular culture.

big ◆◆◆ /b I g/ (bigger , biggest )

1 ADJ A big person or thing is large in physical size. □  Australia's a big country. □  Her husband was a big man. □  The car was too big to fit into our garage.

2 ADJ Something that is big consists of many people or things. □  The crowd included a big contingent from Ipswich. □  …the big backlog of applications.

3 ADJ If you describe something such as a problem, increase, or change as a big one, you mean it is great in degree, extent, or importance. □  The problem was just too big for her to tackle on her own. □  There could soon be a big increase in unemployment.

4 ADJ A big organization employs many people and has many customers. □  Exchange is largely controlled by big banks. □  …one of the biggest companies in Italy.

5 ADJ [ADJ n] If you say that someone is big in a particular organization, activity, or place, you mean that they have a lot of influence or authority in it. [INFORMAL ] □ [+ in ] Their father was very big in the army. □  I'm sure all the big names will come to the club.

6 ADJ [ADJ n] If you call someone a big bully or a big coward, you are emphasizing your disapproval of them. [INFORMAL , EMPHASIS ]

7 ADJ [ADJ n] Children often refer to their older brother or sister as their big brother or sister.

8 ADJ [ADJ n] Capital letters are sometimes referred to as big letters. [INFORMAL ] □  …a big letter J.

9 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Big words are long or rare words which have meanings that are difficult to understand. [INFORMAL ] □  They use a lot of big words.

10 PHRASE If you make it big , you become successful or famous. [INFORMAL ] □  We're not just looking at making it big in the U.K., we want to be big internationally.

11 PHRASE If you think big , you make plans on a large scale, often using a lot of time, effort, or money. □  Maybe we're not thinking big enough.

12 PHRASE If something is happening in a big way , it is happening on a large scale. [INFORMAL ] □  I think boxing will take off in a big way here.

biga|mist /b I gəm I st/ (bigamists ) N‑COUNT A bigamist is a person who commits the crime of marrying someone when they are already legally married to someone else.

biga|mous /b I gəməs/ ADJ A bigamous marriage is one in which one of the partners is already legally married to someone else.

biga|my /b I gəmi/ N‑UNCOUNT Bigamy is the crime of marrying a person when you are already legally married to someone else.

Bi g A p|ple N‑PROPER People sometimes refer to the city of New York as the Big Apple . [INFORMAL ] □  The main attractions of the Big Apple are well documented.

bi g ba nd (big bands ) N‑COUNT A big band is a large group of musicians who play jazz or dance music. Big bands were especially popular from the 1930s to the 1950s.

bi g ba ng theo|ry N‑SING In astronomy, the big bang theory is a theory that suggests that the universe was created as a result of an extremely large explosion.

Bi g Bro th|er N‑UNCOUNT People sometimes use Big Brother to refer to a person, government, or organization when they think it has complete control over people and is always checking what they do. [DISAPPROVAL ] □  It's an attempt to control what reaches the public. Big Brother is watching.

bi g bu si|ness