bent on
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
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bent on a splice
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
beong
A shilling.—See SALTEE.—Lingua Franca.
Berecynthian Hero
Midas, the mythological king of Phrygia; so called from Mount Berecyntus, in Phrygia.
berlin blue
It is hydrated ferric ferrocyanide, and prussic acid (hydrocyanic acid) is made from it.
Berlin Decree
A decree issued at Berlin by Napoleon I in November, 1806, forbidding any of the nations of Europe to trade with Great Britain, proclaiming her to be in a state of blockade, declaring all British property forfeit, and all British subjects on French soil prisoners of war.
bermudas
A cant name for certain places in London, privileged against arrests, like the Mint in Southwark, Ben. Jonson. These privileges are abolished.
Bernardo del Carpio
A semi-mythical Span- ish hero of the 9th century, and a favourite subject of the minstrels, and of Lope de Vega who wrote many plays around his exploits. He is credited with having defeated Roland at Roncesvalles.
beside oneself
extremely upset or angry
beside the mark
Not to the point; a phrase from archery, in which the mark was the target.
beside the point
Not relevant to the current conversation or situation
Bess of Hardwick
Elizabeth Talbot, Coun- tess of Shrewsbury (1518-1608), to whose charge, in 1569, Mary Queen of Scots was committed. The countess treated the captive queen with great harshness, being jealous of me earl her husband.
bess-o’-bedlam
A lunatic vagrant.—Norfolk.
Bessemer Process
The conversion of cast iron to steel by oxidizing the carbon by passing currents of air through the molten metal, patented by Sir Henry Bessemer in 1856.
best
To the best in Christendom: i.e. the best **** in Christendom; a health formerly much in vogue.
best
To get the better or BEST of a man in any way—not necessarily to cheat—to have the best of a bargain. BESTED, taken in, or defrauded, in reality worsted. BESTER, a low betting cheat, a fraudulent bookmaker.
best bet
Most likely to succeed or be effective
best foot foremost
Use all possible dispatch. To "set on foot" is to set going. If you have various- powers of motion, set your best foremost. .
best friend
a person's closest and most trusted friend
best laid plans
Even well-planned actions can go wrong
best of the bunch
The most excellent or desirable option among a group
best pleased
Most satisfied or delighted
best regards
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
best thing since sliced bread
Something excellent or wonderful
best thing since sliced pan
Something excellent or wonderful
best-kept secret
Something that is supposed to be secret but is actually widely known.
bet
A wager.--TO BET. To lay a wager.
bet one's boots
to be absolutely certain or sure of something
bet one's bottom dollar
to be absolutely certain or confident about something
bet the house
Risk everything on something
bet the ranch
Risk everything on a single endeavor or decision
betray with a kiss
To deceive or harm someone with a show of affection or friendship
better
More; "how far is it to town?" "Oh, BETTER ’n a mile."—Saxon and Old English, now a vulgarism.
better a lean peace than a fat victory. (17th century)
It's better to have a modest but peaceful outcome than a significant gain at a great cost.
better angels
Noble and good qualities of human nature
better bow than break
It's better to compromise than to risk a complete failure.
better foolish by all than wise by yourself
It's more enjoyable to have fun with others than to be wise alone
better for it
improved or benefited as a result
Better go about than fall into the ditch. (Ward, 1842 p. 11)
It's better to take action than risk a worse outcome by doing nothing
better late than never
Traditional English proverbial phrase; full definition pending editorial review.
better luck next time
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
better nature
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
better or worse
Regardless of whether a situation improves or deteriorates
better place
A better situation or location
better play a small game than to stand out
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
better safe than sorry
It's wiser to avoid risks than to suffer potential consequences.
better than sex
Extremely enjoyable or pleasurable
Better the Devil you know (than the Devil you do not)
It's often safer to stick with a difficult situation than risk a worse one.
better the devil you know than the one you don't
Alternative form of better the devil you know than the devil you don't know.
Better to be alone than in bad company. (Strauss, 1998 p. 162)
It's preferable to have no friends than to associate with people who are bad influences.
better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all
It's better to experience love and lose it than to never experience love
better to light one candle than to curse the darkness
It's more productive to take action than to complain about a problem
Better to reign in hell than serve in heaven (John Milton, in Paradise Lost)
Traditional English proverbial phrase; full definition pending editorial review.
better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt
It's wiser to say nothing than to speak and reveal one's ignorance
better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
better underdone than overdone
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
better wear out than rust out
It's better to die actively than passively
betting round
Laying fairly and equally against nearly all the horses in a race so that no great risk can be run. Commonly called getting round. See BOOK, and BOOKMAKING.
betty
A skeleton key, or picklock.—Old Prison Cant.
betty martin
That's my eye, Betty Martin; an answer to any one that attempts to impose or humbug.
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