Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary полностью

2 N‑UNCOUNT If a man is dressed in black tie , he is wearing formal evening dress, which includes a dinner jacket or tuxedo and a bow tie. □  Most of the guests will be wearing black tie.

black|top /blæ ktɒp/ N‑UNCOUNT Blacktop is a hard black substance which is used as a surface for roads. [AM ] □  …waves of heat rising from the blacktop. in BRIT, use tarmac

blad|der /blæ də ^r / (bladders )

1 N‑COUNT Your bladder is the part of your body where urine is stored until it leaves your body.

2 → see also gall bladder

blade /ble I d/ (blades )

1 N‑COUNT The blade of a knife, axe, or saw is the edge, which is used for cutting. □  Many of these tools have sharp blades, so be careful.

2 N‑COUNT [usu pl] The blades of a propeller are the long, flat parts that turn round.

3 N‑COUNT The blade of an oar is the thin flat part that you put into the water.

4 N‑COUNT A blade of grass is a single piece of grass.

5 → see also razor blade , shoulder blade

6rotor blade → see rotor

blag /blæ g/ (blags , blagging , blagged ) VERB To blag something such as a concert ticket means to persuade someone to give it to you free. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ [V n] We'd love to blag backstage tickets for his show.

blah /blɑː / CONVENTION You use blah, blah, blah to refer to something that is said or written without giving the actual words, because you think that they are boring or unimportant. [INFORMAL ] □  …the different challenges of their career, their need to change, to evolve, blah blah blah.

blame ◆◆◇ /ble I m/ (blames , blaming , blamed )

1 VERB If you blame a person or thing for something bad, you believe or say that they are responsible for it or that they caused it. □ [V n + for ] The commission is expected to blame the army for many of the atrocities. □ [V n + on ] The bank blamed the error on technological failings. □ [V n] If it wasn't Sam's fault, why was I blaming him? ● N‑UNCOUNT Blame is also a noun. □  Nothing could relieve my terrible sense of blame.

2 N‑UNCOUNT The blame for something bad that has happened is the responsibility for causing it or letting it happen. □ [+ for ] Some of the blame for the miscarriage of justice must be borne by the solicitors. □  The president put the blame squarely on his opponent.

3 VERB If you say that you do not blame someone for doing something, you mean that you consider it was a reasonable thing to do in the circumstances. □ [V n + for ] I do not blame them for trying to make some money. □ [V n] He slammed the door and stormed off. I could hardly blame him.

4 PHRASE If someone is to blame for something bad that has happened, they are responsible for causing it. □  If their forces were not involved, then who is to blame? □ [+ for ] The policy is partly to blame for causing the worst unemployment in Europe.

5 PHRASE If you say that someone has only themselves to blame or has no-one but themselves to blame , you mean that they are responsible for something bad that has happened to them and that you have no sympathy for them. □  My life is ruined and I suppose I only have myself to blame.

blame|less /ble I mləs/ ADJ Someone who is blameless has not done anything wrong. □  He feels he is blameless. □  The U.S. itself, of course, is not entirely blameless in trading matters.

blanch /blɑː ntʃ, blæ ntʃ/ (blanches , blanching , blanched )

1 VERB If you blanch , you suddenly become very pale. □ [V ] His face blanched as he looked at Sharpe's blood-drenched uniform. □ [V + at ] She felt herself blanch at the unpleasant memories.