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bank|rupt|cy /bæ nkrʌptsi/ (bankruptcies )

1 N‑UNCOUNT Bankruptcy is the state of being bankrupt. [BUSINESS ] □  Many established firms were facing bankruptcy.

2 N‑COUNT A bankruptcy is an instance of an organization or person going bankrupt. [BUSINESS ] □  The number of corporate bankruptcies climbed in August.

3 N‑UNCOUNT If you refer to something's bankruptcy , you are emphasizing that it is completely lacking in value or worth. [EMPHASIS ] □  The massacre laid bare the moral bankruptcy of the regime.

ba nk state|ment (bank statements ) N‑COUNT A bank statement is a printed document showing all the money paid into and taken out of a bank account. Bank statements are usually sent by a bank to a customer at regular intervals.

ba nned su b|stance (banned substances ) N‑COUNT In sport, banned substances are drugs that competitors are not allowed to take because they could artificially improve their performance.

ban|ner /bæ nə ^r / (banners )

1 N‑COUNT A banner is a long strip of cloth with something written on it. Banners are usually attached to two poles and carried during a protest or rally. □  …a large crowd of students carrying banners denouncing the government.

2 PHRASE If someone does something under the banner of a particular cause, idea, or belief, they do it saying that they support that cause, idea, or belief. □  …proposals to impose more taxation upon motorists under the banner of being 'green'.

ba n|ner ad (banner ads ) N‑COUNT A banner ad is a large advertisement on a website that stretches across the top or down the side of the window. It usually contains a link to the advertiser's website. [COMPUTING ]

ba n|ner hea d|line (banner headlines ) N‑COUNT A banner headline is a large headline in a newspaper that stretches across the front page. □  Today's front page carries a banner headline 'The adulterer, the bungler and the joker.'

bannister /bæ n I stə ^r / → see banister

banns /bæ nz/ N‑PLURAL When a minister or priest reads or publishes the banns , he or she makes a public announcement in church that two people are going to be married.

ban|quet /bæ ŋkw I t/ (banquets ) N‑COUNT A banquet is a grand formal dinner. □  Last night he attended a state banquet at Buckingham Palace.

ban|quet|ing /bæ ŋkw I t I ŋ/ ADJ [ADJ n] A banqueting hall or room is a large room where banquets are held.

ban|quette /bæŋke t/ (banquettes ) N‑COUNT A banquette is a long, low, cushioned seat. Banquettes are usually long enough for more than one person to sit on at a time.

ban|shee /bæ nʃiː/ (banshees ) N‑COUNT In Irish folk stories, a banshee is a female spirit who warns you by her long, sad cry that someone in your family is going to die.

ban|tam /bæ ntəm/ (bantams ) N‑COUNT A bantam is a breed of small chicken.

bantam|weight /bæ ntəmwe I t/ (bantamweights ) N‑COUNT [usu sing, oft N n] A bantamweight is a boxer who weighs between 51 and 53.5 kilograms, or a wrestler who weighs between 52 and 57 kilograms. A bantamweight is heavier than a flyweight but lighter than a featherweight. □  …the European bantamweight title-holder.

ban|ter /bæ ntə ^r / (banters , bantering , bantered )

1 N‑UNCOUNT Banter is teasing or joking talk that is amusing and friendly. □  She heard Tom exchanging good-natured banter with Jane.

2 VERB If you banter with someone, you tease them or joke with them in an amusing, friendly way. □ [V + with ] The soldiers bantered with him as though he was a kid brother. □ [V ] We bantered a bit while I tried to get the car started.

Ban|tu /bæ ntuː , -tuː/

1 ADJ [ADJ n] Bantu means belonging or relating to a group of peoples in central and southern Africa. This use could cause offence.

2 ADJ [ADJ n] Bantu languages belong to a group of languages spoken in central and southern Africa. This use could cause offence.