baby

ba|by1 [ `beıbi ] noun count ***

▸ 1 young child/animal

▸ 2 project you care about

▸ 3 someone being weak or silly

▸ 4 someone you love

▸ 5 youngest member

▸ + PHRASES

1. ) a very young child who cannot yet talk or walk. A baby who is old enough to walk is a toddler:

May I hold the baby?

their new baby daughter

give birth to/have a baby: I'm hoping to have the baby at home.

be expecting/having a baby (=be pregnant): She's expecting a baby in November.

a ) usually before noun a very young animal:

a baby elephant

baby seals

2. ) INFORMAL a project or piece of work that you care about a lot, especially because it was your idea:

Steve has always seen the book as his baby.

3. ) someone who is behaving in a way that is weak, silly, or not brave:

Don't be such a big baby!

4. ) SPOKEN used for talking to someone you love, especially to someone you are in a romantic relationship with or to your child:

What's the matter, baby?

a ) someone's baby the person that someone loves or is having a romantic relationship with

b ) used by some men when they are talking to a young woman. Many women find this offensive.

5. ) INFORMAL the youngest member of a family or other group:

At 18, Owen was the baby of the team.

this/that baby SPOKEN

used for referring to an exciting or interesting vehicle or machine:

Let's take this baby out for a drive.

throw the baby out with the bathwater

to get rid of the good and useful aspects of something without intending to, while you try to get rid of its negative aspects

baby

ba|by 2 [ `beıbi ] verb transitive

to treat someone like a young child when they are old enough to do things for themselves:

Grandma still likes to baby us.

baby

ba|by 3 [ `beıbi ] adjective only before noun

baby vegetables are smaller than usual and have a sweeter taste:

baby carrots

baby corn