# ben

/ˈbɛn/ (US) · /bˈɛn/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ben
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. a mountain

noun · CEFR B2 · British English · Dialect

a high mountain or peak, especially in Scotland.

For teachers: a high mountain or peak; used primarily in Scottish and Irish geographical naming conventions.

- We spent the whole day hiking up the ben to see the view from the top.
- The climbers struggled against the wind as they neared the summit of the ben, which remained shrouded in thick mist throughout the afternoon.

### 2. a $100 bill

noun · CEFR C1 · American English · Slang

a one-hundred-dollar bill in the United States.

For teachers: a United States one-hundred-dollar bill, referring to the portrait of Benjamin Franklin.

- He pulled a couple of bens out of his wallet to pay for the new bike.
- The lyrics frequently reference stacking bens as a metaphor for achieving rapid financial success in the music industry.

### 3. an inner room

noun · CEFR C2 · British English · Dialect · Archaic

the inner room of a small house or cottage.

For teachers: the inner or principal room of a two-room cottage, traditionally distinguished from the 'but' or outer room.

- The family gathered in the ben where it was warmer and more private.
- In traditional Scottish architecture, the ben served as the more formal living space, reserved for receiving guests or sleeping.

### 4. inside

adverb · CEFR C2 · British English · Dialect

inside or towards the inner part of a house.

For teachers: in or towards the inner part of a building; used as a directional adverb.

- She invited the neighbours to come ben and have some tea.
- The host gestured for the visitors to step ben, away from the cold draft of the open doorway.

### 5. the name Ben

noun · CEFR A1

a short form of the male names Benjamin or Benedict.

For teachers: a common hypocorism or shortened form of the masculine given names Benjamin or Benedict.

- My friend Ben is coming over to help me fix my computer tonight.
- While his legal name was Benjamin, he preferred to be addressed as Ben in all professional and social contexts.

## Examples

- The technician adjusted the Ben to focus on the lead actor.
- During the technical rehearsal, the lighting designer asked for more intensity from the Ben positioned in the wings.
- While modern LED fixtures are becoming the industry standard, many traditional venues still rely on the warm, distinct beam of a classic Ben for dramatic monologues.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.