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[beyond measure]{adj.} or {adv. phr.}, {formal} So much that it can not be measured or figured without any limits. •/With her parents reunited and present at her graduation, she had happiness beyond measure./ •/No one envied him for he was popular beyond measure./

[beyond one’s depth]{adj.} or {adv. phr.} 1. Over your head in water; in water too deep to touch bottom. •/Jack wasn’t a good swimmer and nearly drowned when he drifted out beyond his depth./ 2. In or into something too difficult for you; beyond your understanding or ability. •/Bill decided that his big brother’s geometry book was beyond his depth./ •/Sam’s father started to explain the atom bomb to Sam but he soon got beyond his depth./ •/When Bill played checkers against the city champion, Bill was beyond his depth./ Compare: OVER ONE’S HEAD(1).

[beyond one’s means]{adj. phr.} Too expensive, not affordable. •/Unfortunately, a new Mercedes Benz is beyond my means right now./

[beyond one’s nose] See: SEE BEYOND ONE’S NOSE.

[beyond question(1)]{adj. phr.} Not in doubt certain; sure. — Used in the predicate. •/People always believe anything that Mark says; his honesty is beyond question./ Contrast: IN QUESTION.

[beyond question(2)] or [without question] {adv. phr.} Without doubt or argument; surely; unquestionably. •/Beyond question, it was the coldest day of the winter./ •/John’s drawing is without question the best in the class./

[beyond reasonable doubt]{adv. phr.}, {formal and legal} Virtually certain; essentially convincing. •/The judge instructed the jurors to come up with a verdict of guilty only if they were convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that Algernon was the perpetrator./

[beyond the pale]{adv.} or {adj. phr.} In disgrace; with no chance of being accepted or respected by others; not approved by the members of a group. •/After the outlaw killed a man he was beyond the pale and not even his old friends would talk to him./ •/Tom’s swearing is beyond the pale; no one invites him to dinner any more./

[beyond the shadow of a doubt]{adv. phr.}, {formal and legal} Absolutely certain, totally convincing. •/Fred burglarized Mrs. Brown’s apartment, beyond the shadow of a doubt./

[bib] See: BEST BIB AND TUCKER.

[bide one’s time]{v. phr.} To await an opportunity; wait patiently until your chance comes. •/Refused work as an actor, Tom turned to other work and bided his time./ •/Jack was hurt deeply, and he bided his time for revenge./

[bid fair]{v.}, {literary} To seem likely; promise. •/He bids fair to be a popular author./ •/The day bids fair to be warm./

[big] See: IN A BIG WAY, LITTLE FROG IN A BIG POND, LITTLE PITCHERS HAVE BIG EARS, TALK BIG, TOO BIG FOR ONE’S BREECHES, WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA.

[big as life] or [large as life] {adj. phr.} 1. or [life-size] The same size as the living person or thing. •/The statue of Jefferson was big as life./ •/The characters on the screen were life-size./ 2. or [big as life and twice as natural] {informal} In person; real and living. •/I had not seen him for years, but there he was, big as life and twice as natural./