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The Oxford Thesaurus An A-Z Dictionary of Synonyms INTRO ...

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critics <strong>of</strong> art because they have been biased.<br />

biased adj. biased, prejudiced, partial; warped, distorted, jaundiced:<br />

I don't want to listen to your biased opinions about women's<br />

rights.<br />

bicker v. dispute, quarrel, wrangle, argue, squabble, tiff, Colloq<br />

spat: <strong>The</strong> couple next door are always bickering about trifling<br />

matters.<br />

bid v. 1 <strong>of</strong>fer, make an <strong>of</strong>fer (for), tender, pr<strong>of</strong>fer: We bid œ500<br />

for the painting. 2 Archaic or literary ask, pray, press,<br />

entreat, beg, request, suggest, invite: She bade me leave her<br />

to mourn alone. 3 Formal command, demand, order, tell, enjoin,<br />

dictate: Please bid him enter. Custom bade him blow his horn.<br />

bidding n. 1 invitation, summons: We attended the ceremony at the<br />

bidding <strong>of</strong> the vice-chancellor. 2 command, order, dictate,<br />

direction, instruction, demand: <strong>The</strong> letter was sent to all<br />

theatre directors at the bidding <strong>of</strong> the Arts Minister.<br />

big adj. 1 large, great, grand; huge, enormous, immense, gigantic,<br />

giant, tremendous, colossal, Brobdingnagian, jumbo, Colloq Brit<br />

socking or whacking big or great, US humongous: We live in a<br />

big house in the country. 2 ample, hefty, huge, bulky, fat,<br />

obese; large, hulking, beefy, burly, brawny, strapping,<br />

gargantuan, elephantine, enormous, gigantic, immense, monstrous:<br />

<strong>The</strong> sumo wrestler was one <strong>of</strong> the biggest men I'd ever seen. 3<br />

tall, grown, mature, grown-up, large: Christopher is certainly<br />

big for his age. 4 important, significant, outstanding,<br />

weighty, consequential, major, grave, momentous, notable,<br />

noteworthy, telling: Changing careers can be one <strong>of</strong> the biggest<br />

decisions <strong>of</strong> your life. 5 important, prominent, illustrious,<br />

noteworthy, notable, renowned, eminent, distinguished, esteemed:<br />

Mr Johnson is a big man in our town. 6 generous, magnanimous,<br />

charitable, unselfish, giving: It was very big <strong>of</strong> her to take<br />

on the support <strong>of</strong> the orphanage. 7 popular, famous, well-known,<br />

successful: That band is very big with the kids these days. 8<br />

capital, large, upper case, majuscule: Always spell London with<br />

a big L.<br />

--adv. 9 pompously, boastfully, conceitedly, arrogantly,<br />

pretentiously: Alfred talks big at home, but he's very modest

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