[beg the question]{v. phr.}, {literary} To accept as true something that is still being argued about, before it is proved true; avoid or not answer a question or problem. •/The girls asked Miss Smith if they should wear formal dresses to the party; Miss Smith said they were begging the question because they didn’t know yet if they could get permission for a party./ •/Laura told Tom that he must believe her argument because she was right. Father laughed and told Laura she was begging the question./ Compare: TAKE FOR GRANTED.
[behalf] See: IN BEHALF OF or ON BEHALF OF, IN ONE’S BEHALF or ON ONE’S BEHALF.
[behavior] See: ON ONE’S GOOD BEHAVIOR.
[be hard on]{v. phr.} To be strict or critical with another; be severe. •/"Don’t be so hard on Jimmy," Tom said. "He is bound to rebel as he gets older."/
[behind] See: DRY BEHIND THE EARS, FALL BEHIND, GET BEHIND, HANG BACK or HANG BEHIND.
[behind bars]{adv. phr.} In jail; in prison. •/He was a pickpocket and had spent many years behind bars./ •/That boy is always in trouble and will end up behind bars./
[behind one’s back]{adv. phr.} When one is absent; without one’s knowledge or consent; in a dishonest way; secretly; sneakily. •/Say it to his face, not behind his back./ •/It is not right to criticize a person behind his back./ Contrast: TO ONE’S FACE.
[behind the eight-ball]{adj. phr.}, {slang} In a difficult position; in trouble. •/Mr. Thompson is an older man, and when he lost his job, he found he was behind the eight-ball./ •/Bill can’t dance and has no car, so he is behind the eight-ball with the girls./ Compare: HAVE TWO STRIKES AGAINST ONE(2), IN A HOLE.
[behind the scenes]{adv. phr.} Out of sight; unknown to most people; privately. •/Much of the banquet committee s work was done behind the scenes./ •/John was president of the club, but behind the scenes Lee told him what to do./
[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./