■ verb ( ~s , ~bing , ~bed )
1》 apply firm pressure to the surface of, using a repeated back and forth motion.
↘move to and fro against a surface.
↘apply with a ~bing action: she ~bed some cream on her nose.
↘( ~ something in/into/through ) blend or mix ingredients together using a ~bing action: ~ in the fat.
↘( ~ something down ) dry, smooth, or clean something by ~bing.
↘( ~ something out ) chiefly Brit. erase pencil marks with a ~ber.
2》 ( ~ off ) be transferred by contact or association.
3》 ( ~ along ) Brit. informal cope or get along without undue difficulty.
4》 reproduce the design of (a sepulchral brass or a stone) by ~bing paper laid on it with pencil or chalk.
5》 Bowls (of a bowl) be slowed or diverted by the unevenness of the ground.
■ noun
1》 an act of ~bing.
2》 an ointment designed to be ~bed on the skin.
3》 (usu. the ~ ) the central or most important difficulty. [from Shakespeare's Hamlet (III. i. 65).]
4》 Bowls an inequality of the ground impeding or diverting a bowl.
↘the diversion or hindering of a bowl by this.
Phrases
the ~ of the green
1》 Golf an accidental or unpredictable influence on the course or position of the ball.
2》 good fortune.
~ one's hands ~ one's hands together to show keen satisfaction.
~ it in (or ~ someone's nose in something ) informal emphatically draw someone's attention to an embarrassing fact.
~ noses ~ one's nose against someone else's in greeting (especially as traditional among Maoris and some other peoples).
~ shoulders (or N. Amer. elbows ) associate or come into contact.
~ someone (or Brit. ~ someone up ) the wrong way anger or irritate someone.
Origin
ME: perh. from Low Ger. ~ben , of unknown ultimate origin.