Collins English Thesaurus Essential. Collins Dictionaries
leafy shelterbowl1 NOUN Put all the ingredients into a large bowl. = basin, plate, dish, vesselbowl2 VERB 1 He bowled each ball so well that we won two matches. = throw, hurl, launch, cast, pitch, toss, fling, chuck (informal), lob (informal) 2 (often with along) It felt just like old times, to bowl down to Knightsbridge. = drive, shoot, speed, tear, barrel (along) (informal), trundle ● bowl someone over 1 People clung to trees as the flash flood bowled them over. = knock down, fell, floor, deck (slang), overturn, overthrow, bring down 2 (informal) I was bowled over by India. = surprise, amaze, stun, overwhelm, astonish, stagger, startle, astound, take (someone) aback, stupefy, strike (someone) dumb, throw off balance, sweep off your feet, dumbfoundbox1 NOUN They sat on wooden boxes. = container, case, chest, trunk, pack, package, carton, casket, receptacle, ark (dialect), portmanteau, coffret, kist (Scot. & Northern English dialect) ▸ VERB He boxed the test pieces and shipped them back to Berlin. = pack, package, wrap, encase, bundle up ● box something or someone in He was boxed in with 300 metres to go. = confine, contain, surround, trap, restrict, isolate, cage, enclose, restrain, imprison, shut up, incarcerate, hem in, shut in, coop upbox2 VERB 1 At school I boxed and played rugby. = fight, spar, exchange blows 2 They slapped my face and boxed my ears. = punch, hit, strike, belt (informal), deck (slang), slap, sock (slang), buffet, clout (informal), cuff, whack (informal), wallop (informal), chin (slang), tonk (informal), thwack (informal), lay one on (slang)boxer NOUN = fighter, pugilist, prizefighter, sparrerboxing NOUN = prizefighting, the ring, sparring, fisticuffs, the fight game (informal), pugilismboy NOUN = lad, kid (informal), youth, fellow (old-fashioned), youngster, chap (informal), schoolboy, junior, laddie (Scot.), striplingboycott VERB = embargo, reject, snub, refrain from, spurn, blacklist, black, cold-shoulder, ostracize, blackball ◼ OPPOSITE: supportboyfriend NOUN = sweetheart, man, lover, young man, steady, beloved, valentine, admirer, suitor, beau (old-fashioned), date, swain (archaic), toy boy, truelove, leman (archaic), inamorato, BF or bf (informal), bae (U.S. informal)boyish ADJECTIVE = youthful, young, innocent, adolescent, juvenile, childish, immaturebrace VERB 1 He braced his back against the wall. = steady, support, balance, secure, stabilize 2 The lights showed the old timbers, used to brace the roof. = support, strengthen, steady, prop, reinforce, hold up, tighten, shove, bolster, fortify, buttress, shove up ▸ NOUN She wears a neck brace. = support, stay, prop, bracer, bolster, bracket, reinforcement, strut, truss, buttress, stanchionbracing ADJECTIVE = refreshing, fresh, cool, stimulating, reviving, lively, crisp, vigorous, rousing, brisk, uplifting, exhilarating, fortifying, chilly, rejuvenating, invigorating, energizing, healthful, restorative, tonic, rejuvenative ◼ OPPOSITE: tiringbrag VERB = boast, crow, swagger, vaunt, bluster, talk big (slang), blow your own trumpet, blow your own horn (U.S. & Canad.)braid VERB = interweave, weave, lace, intertwine, plait, entwine, twine, ravel, interlacebrain NOUN 1 The eye grows independently of the brain. = cerebrum, mind, grey matter (informal) 2 I've never been much of a brain myself. = intellectual, genius, scholar, sage, pundit, mastermind, intellect (informal), prodigy, highbrow, egghead (informal), brainbox, bluestocking (usually derogatory) ▸ PLURAL NOUN They were not the only ones to have brains and ambition. = intelligence, mind, reason, understanding, sense, capacity, smarts (slang, chiefly U.S.), wit, intellect, savvy (slang), nous (Brit. slang), suss (slang), shrewdness, sagacity ◼ RELATED WORD: adjective cerebralbrainwashing NOUN = indoctrination, conditioning, persuasion, re-educationbrainwave NOUN = idea, thought, bright idea, stroke of geniusbrainy ADJECTIVE = intelligent, quick, bright, sharp, brilliant, acute, smart, alert, clever, rational, knowing, quick-wittedbrake NOUN Illness had put a brake on his progress. = control, check, curb, restraint, constraint, rein ▸ VERB She braked to a halt and switched off. = slow, decelerate, reduce speedbranch NOUN 1 the low, overhanging branches of a giant pine tree = bough, shoot, arm, spray, limb, sprig, offshoot, prong, ramification 2 The local branch is handling the accounts. = office, department, unit, wing, chapter, bureau, local office 3 He had a fascination for submarines and joined this branch of the service. = division, part, section, subdivision, subsection 4 an experimental branch of naturopathic medicine = discipline, section, subdivision ● branch out I continued studying moths, and branched out to other insects. = expand, diversifybrand NOUN 1 a supermarket's own brand = trademark 2 The brand on the barrel stood for Elbert Anderson and Uncle Sam. = label, mark, sign, stamp, symbol, logo, trademark, marker, hallmark (Brit.), emblem 3 the brand of shame = stigma, mark, stain, disgrace, taint, slur, blot, infamy, smirch ▸ VERB 1 I was instantly branded as a rebel. = stigmatize, mark, label, expose, denounce, disgrace, discredit, censure, pillory, defame 2 The owner couldn't be bothered to brand the cattle. = mark, burn, label, stamp, scarbrandish VERB = wave, raise, display, shake, swing, exhibit, flourish, wield, flauntbrash ADJECTIVE = bold, forward, rude, arrogant, cocky, pushy (informal), brazen, presumptuous, impertinent, insolent, impudent, bumptious, cocksure, overconfident, hubristic, full of yourself ◼ OPPOSITE: timidbrassy ADJECTIVE 1 Musicians blast their brassy jazz from street corners. = strident, loud, harsh, piercing, jarring, noisy, grating, raucous, blaring, shrill, jangling, dissonant, cacophonous 2 brash and brassy advertising campaigns = brazen, forward, bold, brash, saucy, pushy (informal), pert, insolent, impudent, loud-mouthed, barefaced 3 big brassy ear-rings = flashy, loud, blatant, vulgar, gaudy, garish, jazzy (informal), showy, obtrusive ◼ OPPOSITE: discreetbrat NOUN = youngster, kid (informal), urchin, imp, rascal, spoilt child, devil, puppy (informal), cub, scallywag (informal), whippersnapper, guttersnipebravado NOUN = swagger, boast, boasting, swaggering, vaunting, bluster, swashbuckling, bombast, braggadocio, boastfulness, fanfaronade (rare)brave ADJECTIVE brave people who dare to challenge the tyrannical regimes = courageous, daring, bold, heroic, adventurous, gritty, fearless, resolute, gallant, gutsy (slang), audacious, intrepid, valiant, plucky, undaunted, unafraid, unflinching, dauntless, lion-hearted, valorous ◼ OPPOSITE: timid ▸ VERB They had to brave her anger and confess. = confront, face, suffer, challenge, bear, tackle, dare, endure, defy, withstand, stand up to ◼ OPPOSITE: give in tobravery NOUN = courage, nerve, daring, pluck, spirit, bottle (Brit. slang), guts (informal), grit, fortitude, heroism, mettle, boldness, bravura, gallantry, valour, spunk (informal), hardiness, fearlessness, intrepidity, indomitability, hardihood, dauntlessness, doughtiness, pluckiness, lion-heartedness ◼ OPPOSITE: cowardicebravo INTERJECTION = congratulations, well donebravura NOUN = brilliance, energy, spirit, display, punch (informal), dash, animation, vigour, verve, panache, boldness, virtuosity, élan, exhibitionism, brio, ostentationbrawl NOUN He had been in a street brawl. = fight, battle, row (informal), clash, disorder, scrap (informal), fray, squabble, wrangle, skirmish, scuffle, punch-up (Brit. informal), free-for-all (informal), fracas, altercation, rumpus, broil, tumult, affray (Law), shindig (informal), donnybrook, ruckus (informal), scrimmage, shindy (informal), biffo (Austral. slang), bagarre (French), melee or mêlée ▸ VERB They brawled in the street. = fight, battle, scrap (informal), wrestle, wrangle, tussle, scuffle, go at it hammer and tongs, fight like Kilkenny cats, altercatebrawn NOUN = muscle, might, power, strength, muscles, beef (informal), flesh, vigour, robustness, muscularity, beefiness (informal), brawninessbray VERB 1 The donkey brayed and tried to bolt. = neigh, bellow, screech, heehaw 2 Pavel brayed with angry laughter. = roar, trumpet, bellow, hoot ▸ NOUN 1 It was a strange laugh, like the bray of a donkey. = neigh, bellow, screech, heehaw 2 She cut him off with a bray of laughter. = roar, cry, shout, bellow, screech, hoot, bawl, harsh