List of Abbreviations Used in This Dictionary (part 3)

Atheroma, ath′er-ō-ma, n. a name formerly applied to cysts on the scalp, with contents of the consistence of porridge, but now only used of a common form of inflammation of arteries.—adj. Atherom′atous. [Gr.; atharē, porridge.]

Athirst, a-thėrst′, adj. thirsty: eager for. [A.S. of thyrst. See Thirst.]

Athlete, ath′lēt, n. a contender for victory in feats of strength: one vigorous in body or mind. The form Athlē′ta survived till the later half of the 18th century.—adj. Athlet′ic, relating to athletics: strong, vigorous.—adv. Athlet′ically.—n. Athleticism (ath-let′i-sizm), the act of engaging in athletic exercises: devotion to athletics.—n.pl. Athlet′ics, the art of wrestling, running, &c.: athletic sports. [Gr. athlētēs—athlos, contest.]

Athrill, a-thril′, adv. thrilling.

Athrob, a-throb′, adv. throbbing.

Athwart, a-thwawrt′, prep. across.—adv. sidewise: wrongly: perplexingly. [Prep. a, on, and Thwart.]

Atilt, a-tilt′, adv. on tilt: as a tilter.

Atimy, at′i-mi, n. loss of honour: in ancient Athens, loss of civil rights, public disgrace. [Gr. atimia—a, neg., timē, honour.]

Atkins. See Tommy Atkins.

Atlantean, at-lan-tē′an, adj. relating to or like Atlas, gigantic: also relating to Atlan′tis, according to ancient tradition, a vast island in the Atlantic Ocean, or to Bacon's ideal commonwealth of that name. [See Atlas.]

Atlantes, at-lan′tēz, n.pl. figures of men used instead of columns. [From Atlas.]

Atlantic, at-lan′tik, adj. pertaining to Atlas, or to the Atlantic Ocean.—n. the ocean between Europe, Africa, and America. [From Mount Atlas, in the north-west of Africa, named from the Titan, Atlas.]

Atlas, at′las, n. that piece of the human vertebral column which articulates with the skull, so called because it supports the head: a collection of maps. [Gr. Atlas, Atlantis, a Titan who bore the world on his shoulders, and whose figure used to be given on the title-page of atlases.]

Atlas, at′las, n. a kind of silk-satin manufactured in the East. [Ar.]

Atmology, at-mol′o-ji, n. the science of the phenomena of aqueous vapour.—n. Atmol′ogist. [Gr. atmos, vapour, and logia, discourse—legein, to speak.]

Atmolysis, at-mol′i-sis, n. a method of separating a mixture of gases by taking advantage of their different rates of passage through a porous septum. [Gr. atmos, vapour, and lysis, loosing—lyein, to loose.]

Atmometer, at-mom′e-tėr, n. an instrument for measuring the rate of evaporation from a moist surface. [Gr. atmos, vapour, and Meter.]

Atmosphere, at′mo-sfēr, n. the gaseous envelope that surrounds the earth or any of the heavenly bodies: any gaseous medium: a conventional unit of atmospheric pressure: (fig.) any surrounding influence.—adjs. Atmospher′ic, -al, of or depending on the atmosphere.—adv. Atmospher′ically.—Atmospheric engine, a variety of steam-engine in which the steam is admitted only to the under side of the piston; Atmospheric hammer, a hammer driven by means of compressed air; Atmospheric railway, a railway where the motive-power is derived from the pressure of the atmosphere acting on a piston working in an iron tube of uniform bore. [Gr. atmos, air, sphaira, a sphere.]

Atoll, a-tol′, or at′ol, n. a coral island consisting of a circular belt of coral enclosing a central lagoon. [A Malay word.]

Atom, at′om, n. a particle of matter so small that it cannot be cut or divided, the unit of matter; anything very small.—adjs. Atom′ic, -al, pertaining to atoms.—ns. Atomic′ity; Atomisā′tion (med.) the reduction of liquids to the form of spray; At′omism, the doctrine that atoms arranged themselves into the universe: the atomic theory; At′omist, one who believes in atomism.—adj. Atomis′tic.—adv. Atomist′ically.—n. At′omy, an atom, or mote: (Shak.) a pygmy.—Atomic philosophy, a system of philosophy enunciated by Democritus, which taught that the ultimate constituents of all things are indivisible particles, differing in form and in their relations to each other; Atomic theory, the hypothesis that all chemical combinations take place between the ultimate particles of bodies, uniting each atom to atom, or in proportions expressed by some simple multiple of the number of atoms. [Gr. atomos—a, not, temnein, tamein, to cut. See Atom.]

Atomy, at′om-i, n. (Shak.) a skeleton, walking skeleton. [Formerly also atamy and natomy, for anatomy, mistakingly divided an atomy.]

Atone, at-ōn′, adv. (Spens.) at one, at once, together. [M.E. also attone, earlier atoon, aton, at one, at on.]

Atone, at-ōn′, v.i. to give satisfaction or make reparation (with for): to make up for deficiencies: (Shak.) to agree, be in accordance.—v.t. to appease, to expiate: (arch.) harmonise, or reconcile.—ns. Atone′ment, the act of atoning; reconciliation: expiation: reparation: esp. (theol.) the reconciliation of God and man by means of the incarnation and death of Christ; Aton′er.—adv. Aton′ingly. [See Atone, above.]

Atony, at′on-i, n. want of tone or energy: debility: relaxation.—adj. At′onic (pros.), without tone: unaccented. [Gr. atonia—a, neg., tonos, tone, strength. See Tone.]

Atop, a-top′, adv. on or at the top. [Prep. a, and Top.]

Atrabiliar, at-ra-bil′i-ar, adj. of a melancholy temperament: hypochondriac: splenetic, acrimonious.—Also Atrabil′iary, Atrabil′ious. [L. ater, atra, black, bilis, gall, bile. See Bile.]

Atramental, at-ra-men′tal, adj. (Sir T. Browne) inky, black. [From L. atramentum, ink—atra, black.]

Atremble, a-trem′bl, adv. trembling.

Atrip, a-trip′, adv. said of an anchor when it is just drawn out of the ground in a perpendicular direction—of a sail, when it is hoisted from the cap, sheeted home, and ready for trimming. [Prep. a, on, and Trip.]

Atrium, ā′tri-um, n. the entrance-hall or chief apartment of a Roman house. [Prob. orig. the kitchen, and so lit. 'the apartment blackened with smoke'—L. ater, black; others connect the word with ædes, orig. a fireplace, then a house, a temple.]

Atrocious, a-trō′shus, adj. extremely cruel or wicked: heinous: very grievous: execrable.—adv. Atrō′ciously.—ns. Atrō′ciousness; Atroc′ity, atrociousness: an atrocious act. [L. atrox, atrocis, cruel—ater, black.]

Atropal, at′ro-pal, adj. (bot.) not inverted. [Gr. atropos—a, neg., and trepein, to turn.]

Atrophy, a′trof-i, n. an alteration of the vital processes in a living organism, either animal or vegetable, resulting in a diminution of size and functional activity of the whole organism (general atrophy), or of certain of its organs or tissues: emaciation.—adjs. Atroph′ic, At′rophied. [Gr. a, neg., and trophē, nourishment.]

Atropia, a-trō′pi-a, Atropin, Atropine, at′ro-pin, n. a poisonous alkaloid existing in the deadly nightshade.—n. At′ropism, poisoning by atropin. [From Gr. Atropos, one of the Fates, who cuts the thread of life.]

Attach, at-tach′, v.t. to bind or fasten: to seize: to gain over: to connect, associate: to join to in action or function: (Shak.) to arrest.—v.i. to adhere, to be fastened upon: (rare) to come into effect.—adj. Attach′able.—p.adj. Attached′, fastened, fixed, joined by taste or affection (with to), fond, devoted to.—n. Attach′ment, a bond of fidelity or affection: the seizure of any one's goods or person by virtue of a legal process. [O. Fr. atachier, from à (—L. ad), and the root of Tack (q.v.).]

Attaché, a-ta′shā, n. a young diplomatist attached to the suite of an ambassador. [Participle of Fr. attacher, to attach.]

Attack, at-tak′, v.t. to fall upon violently: to assault: to assail with unfriendly words or writing: to begin to affect, fall upon (of diseases).—n. an assault or onset: the offensive part in any contest: the beginning of active operations on anything, even dinner: severe criticism or calumny.—adj. Attack′able. [Fr. attaquer. See Attach, of which it is a doublet.]

Attain, at-tān′, v.t. to reach or gain by effort: to obtain: to reach a place: to reach.—v.i. to come or arrive: to reach.—adj. Attain′able, that may be reached.—ns. Attain′ableness, Attainabil′ity; Attain′ment, act of attaining: the thing attained: acquisition: (pl.) acquirements in learning. [O. Fr. ataindre—L. atting-ĕre—ad, to, tang-ĕre, to touch.]

Attainder, at-tān′dėr, n. act of attainting: (law) loss of civil rights through conviction for high-treason.—v.t. Attaint′, to convict: to deprive of rights for being convicted of treason: to accuse of: disgrace, stain (from a fancied connection with taint).—n. (arch.) the act of touching, a hit (in tilting): (Shak.) infection: attainder: a stain, disgrace.—Older pa.p. Attaint′—(Shak.) corrupted, tainted.—ns. Attaint′ment, Attaint′ure, state of being attainted. [O. Fr. ataindre—L. atting-ĕre. See Attain.]

Attar, at′ar, n. a very fragrant essential oil made in Turkey and other Eastern lands, chiefly from the damask rose.—Also Otto. [Pers. atar.]

Attask, at-task′, v.t. to task. [Pfx. a-, and Task.]

Attemper, at-tem′pėr, v.t. to mix in due proportion: to modify or moderate: to adapt.—p.adj. Attem′pered, tempered, mild, regulated. [O. Fr. atemprer—L. attemperāre—ad, to, and temperāre. See Temper.]

Attempt, at-temt′, v.t. to try or endeavour: to try to obtain: tempt, entice: to make an effort or attack upon.—v.i. to make an attempt or trial.—n. a trial: endeavour or effort: a personal assault: (Milton) temptation: (law) any act which can fairly be described as one of a series which, if uninterrupted and successful, would constitute a crime.—n. Attemptabil′ity.—adj. Attempt′able, that may be attempted.—n. Attempt′er (Milton), a tempter. [O. Fr. atempter—L. attentāre—ad, and tem-pt, tentāre, to try—tendĕre, to stretch.]

Attend, at-tend′, v.t. to wait on or accompany: to be present at: to wait for: to give attention (with to).—v.i. to yield attention: to act as an attendant: to wait, be consequent (with to, on, upon).—ns. Attend′ance, act of attending: (B.) attention, careful regard: presence: the persons attending; Attend′ancy (obs.), attendance, a retinue: (obs.) relative position.—adj. Attend′ant, giving attendance: accompanying.—n. one who attends or accompanies: a servant: what accompanies or follows: (law) one who owes a duty or service to another.—ns. Attend′er, one who gives heed: a companion:—fem. Atten′dress; Attend′ment (Sir T. Browne), attention.—adj. Attent′ (Spens.), giving attention.—n. (Spens.) attention.—In attendance on, waiting upon, attending. [O. Fr. atendre—L. attendĕre—ad, to, tendĕre, to stretch.]

Attention, at-ten′shun, n. act of attending, as in to pay, give, call, or attract attention: steady application of the mind: heed: civility, courtesy: care.—interj. (mil.) a cautionary word used as a command to execute some manœuvre.—adj. Attent′ive, full of attention: courteous, mindful.—adv. Attent′ively.—n. Attenti′veness. [L. attention-em—attend-ĕre. See Attend.]

Attenuate, at-ten′ū-āt, v.t. to make thin or lean: to break down into finer parts: to reduce in density: reduce in strength or value, simplify.—v.i. to become thin or fine: to grow less.—n. Atten′uant, anything possessing this property.—adjs. Atten′uate, Atten′uated, made thin or slender: dilute, rarefied:—n. Attenuā′tion, process of making slender: reduction of intensity, density, or force: specially in homeopathy, the reduction of the active principles of medicines to minute doses. [L. attenuāre, -ātum—ad, to, tenuis, thin.]

Attest, at-test′, v.t. to testify or bear witness to: to affirm by signature or oath: to give proof of, to manifest: (obs.) to call to witness.—v.i. to bear witness.—n. (Shak.) witness, testimony.—adjs. Attest′able, Attest′ative.—ns. Attestā′tion, act of attesting: administration of an oath; Attest′or, Attest′er, one who attests or vouches for. [L. attestāri, ad, to, testis, a witness.]

Attic, at′ik, adj. pertaining to Attica or to Athens: chaste, refined, elegant like the Athenians.—v.t. Att′icise, to make conformable to the language or idiom of Attica.—v.i. to use the idioms of the Athenians: to side with the Athenians, to affect Attic or Greek style or manners.—n. At′ticism.—Attic salt, wit of a dry, delicate, and refined quality. [Gr. Attikos, Attic, Athenian, Attikē, Attica, perh. from aktē, headland, though connected by some with astu, city.]

Attic, at′ik, n. (archit.) a low story above the cornice that terminates the main part of an elevation: a room in the roof of a house. [Introduced in architecture from the idea that the feature to which it alluded was constructed in the Athenian manner.]

Attire, at-tīr′, v.t. to dress, array, or adorn: to prepare.—n. dress: any kind of covering, even the plants that clothe the soil: (Shak.) a dress or costume.—ns. Attire′ment, Attir′ing. [O. Fr. atirer, put in order—à tire, in a row—à (L. ad), to, and tire, tiere, order, dress. See Tier.]

Attitude, at′ti-tūd, n. posture, or position: gesture: any condition of things or relation of persons viewed as expressing some thought, feeling, &c.—adj. Attitud′inal.—n. Attitudinā′rian, one who studies attitudes.—v.i. Attitud′inise, to assume affected attitudes.—n. Attitudinī′ser.—To strike an attitude, to assume a position or figure to indicate a feeling or emotion not really felt. [Fr. or It. from L. aptitudin-em, aptus, fit.]

Attollent, at-tol′lent, adj. lifting up, raising.—n. a muscle with this function. [L. attollens, -entis, pr.p. of attollĕre, to lift up—ad, to, tollĕre, to lift.]

Attorney, at-tur′ni, n. one legally authorised to act for another—hence the sense of the phrases 'in person' and 'by attorney:' one legally qualified to manage cases in a court of law: a solicitor—a solicitor or attorney prepares cases and does general law business, while a barrister pleads before the courts: (pl.) Attor′neys.—v.t. Attor′ney (Shak.), to perform by proxy, to employ as a proxy.—ns. Attor′ney-gen′eral, the first ministerial law-officer of the Crown in England and Ireland: the title of the king's attorney in the duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall, and the county palatine of Durham: in the United States, one of the seven officials who constitute the president's cabinet, the head of the department of Justice; Attor′neyship, Attor′neyism, Attor′neydom.—Attorney-at-law, or Public attorney, a professional and duly qualified legal agent; Attorney in fact, or Private attorney, one duly appointed by letter or power of attorney to act for another in matters of contract, money payments, and the like.—Letter warrant, or Power of attorney, the formal instrument by one person authorising another to perform certain acts for him. [O. Fr. atorne—Low L. attornatus—atornāre, to commit business to another. See Turn.]

Attract, at-trakt′, v.t. to draw to or cause to approach: to allure: to entice: to draw forth.—adj. Attract′able, that may be attracted.—n. Attrac′tion, act of attracting: the force which draws or tends to draw bodies or their particles to each other: that which attracts.—adj. Attract′ive, having the power of attracting: alluring.—advs. Attract′ively, Attract′ingly.—ns. Attract′iveness, Attractabil′ity; Attract′or, Attract′er, an agent of attraction. [L. attrahĕre, attractus—ad, to, trahĕre, to draw.]

Attrahent, at′tra-hent, adj. attracting or drawing.—n. that which attracts. [L. attrahens, -entis, pr.p. of attrahĕre. See Attract.]

Attrap, at-trap′, v.t. (Spens.) to adorn with trappings: to dress or array. [L. ad, to, and Trap.]

Attribute, at-trib′ūt, v.t. to ascribe, assign, or consider as belonging.—adj. Attrib′utable.—ns. At′tribute, that which is attributed: that which is inherent in, or inseparable from, anything: that which can be predicated of anything: a quality or property; Attribū′tion, act of attributing: that which is attributed: commendation.—adj. Attrib′utive, expressing an attribute.—n. a word denoting an attribute. [L. attribuĕre, -tributum—ad, to, tribu-ĕre, to give.]

Attrist, at-trist′, v.t. (obs.) to sadden. [Fr.—L. ad, to, tristis, sad.]

Attrite, at-trīt′, adj. worn by rubbing or friction: (theol.) repentant through fear of punishment, not yet from the love of God.—n. Attri′tion, the rubbing of one thing against another: a wearing by friction: (theol.) a defective or imperfect sorrow for sin. [L. attritus—atter-ĕre—ad, and terĕre, tritum, to rub.]

Attune, at-tūn′, v.t. to put in tune: to make one sound accord with another: to arrange fitly: to make musical.—n. Attune′ment. [L. ad, to, and Tune.]

Atwain, a-twān′, adv. in twain: (arch.) asunder. [Prep. a, and Twain.]

Atween, a-twēn′, adv. (Spens.) between. [Prep. a, and Twain.]

Atwixt, a-twikst′, adv. (Spens.) betwixt, between. [Pfx. a-, and 'twixt, Betwixt.]

Aubade, ō-bäd′, n. a musical announcement of dawn: a sunrise song. [Fr. aube, dawn—L. alba, white.]

Auberge, ō-bėrj′, n. an inn.—adj. Auberg′ical (H. Walpole).—n. Aubergiste (ō-bėrj-ēst′). [Fr., of Teut. origin. See Harbour.]

Aubergine, ō′ber-jēn, n. the fruit of the egg-plant, the brinjal. [Fr. dim. of auberge, a kind of peach—Sp. albérchigo—Ar. al, the, pérsigo—L. persicum, a peach.]

Auburn, aw′burn, adj. reddish brown. [The old meaning was a light yellow, or lightish hue; Low L. alburnus, whitish—L. albus, white.]

Auction, awk′shun, n. a public sale in which the bidder offers an increase on the price offered by another, and the articles go to him who bids highest.—v.t. to sell by auction.—adj. Auc′tionary.—n. Auctioneer′, one who is licensed to sell by auction.—v.t. to sell by auction.—Dutch auction, a kind of mock auction at which the salesman starts at a high price, and comes down till he meets a bidder. [L. auction-em, an increasing—augēre, auctum, to increase.]

Auctorial, awk′tōr-i-al, adj. of or pertaining to an author or his trade. [L. auctor.]

Audacious, aw-dā′shus, adj. daring: bold: impudent.—adv. Audā′ciously.—ns. Audā′ciousness, Audacity (aw-das′i-ti). [Fr. audacieux—L. audax—audēre, to dare.]

Audible, awd′i-bl, adj. able to be heard.—ns. Aud′ibleness, Audibil′ity.—adv. Aud′ibly.—n. Aud′ience, the act of hearing: a judicial hearing: admittance to a hearing: a ceremonial interview: an assembly of hearers: a court of government or justice in Spanish America, also the territory administered by it—Sp. audiencia.—adj. Aud′ient, listening: paying attention.—n. a hearer. [L. audibilis—audīre, to hear, conn. with Ger. ous, ōtos, the ear.]

Audiometer, awd-i-om′et-ėr, n. an instrument for measuring and recording differences in the power of hearing.

Audiphone, awd′i-fōn, n. an instrument which is pressed against the upper front teeth, the convex side outwards, in order to communicate sounds to the teeth and bones of the skull, thence to the organs of hearing.

Audit, awd′it, n. an examination of accounts by one or more duly authorised persons: a calling to account generally: a statement of account: (obs.) a periodical settlement of accounts: (obs.) audience, hearing.—v.t. to examine and verify by reference to vouchers, &c.—ns. Audi′tion, the sense of hearing: the act of hearing: (rare) something heard; Aud′itor, a hearer: one who audits accounts:—fem. Aud′itress; Auditōr′ium, in an opera-house, public hall, or the like, the space allotted to the hearers: the reception-room of a monastery; Aud′itorship.—adj. Aud′itory, relating to the sense of hearing.—n. an audience: a place where lectures, &c., are heard.—Audit ale, an ale of special quality brewed for some Oxford and Cambridge colleges; orig. for use on the day of audit. [L. auditus, a hearing—audīre, to hear. See Audible.]

Augean, aw-jē′an, adj. filthy: difficult. [From Augeas, a fabled king of Elis in Greece, whose stalls, containing 3000 oxen, and uncleaned for thirty years, were swept out by Hercules in one day by his turning the river Alpheus through them.]

Auger, aw′gėr, n. a carpenter's tool used for boring holes in wood.—n. Au′ger-bit, an auger that fits into a carpenter's brace (see Brace). [A corr. of nauger, an auger, A.S. nafugár—nafu, a nave of a wheel, gár, a piercer. See Nave (of a wheel), Gore, a triangular piece.]

Aught, awt, n. a whit: ought: anything: a part. [A.S. á-wiht, contr. to áht, whence ōht, ōght, and ought. Shakespeare, Milton, and Pope use ought and aught without distinction. Awiht is from á, ó, ever, and wiht, creature, a wight, a thing.]

Augite, aw′jīt, n. one of the Pyroxene group of minerals, closely allied to hornblende, usually of a greenish colour, occurring crystallised in prisms, and forming an essential component of many igneous rocks.—adj. Augit′ic. [Gr. augē, brightness.]

Augment, awg-ment′, v.t. to increase: to make larger.—v.i. to grow larger.—n. Aug′ment, increase: (gram.) the prefixed vowel to the past tenses of the verb in Sanskrit and Greek. Sometimes applied also to such inflectional prefixes as the ge- of the German perfect participle.—adjs. Augment′able, Augment′ative, having the quality or power of augmenting.—n. (gram.) a word formed from another to express increase of its meaning.—ns. Augmentā′tion, increase: addition: (her.) an additional charge in a coat-of-arms bestowed by the sovereign as a mark of honour: (mus.) the repetition of a melody in the course of the piece in notes of greater length than the original: (Scots law) an increase of stipend obtained by a parish minister by an action raised in the Court of Teinds against the titular and heritors; Augment′er. [L. augmentum, increase—augēre, to increase, Gr. auxan-ein.]

Augur, aw′gur, n. among the Romans, one who gained knowledge of secret or future things by observing the flight and the cries of birds: a diviner; a soothsayer.—v.t. to foretell from signs.—v.i. to guess or conjecture: to forebode.—adj. Au′gural.—ns. Au′gurship; Au′gury, the art or practice of auguring: an omen.—The words Au′gurate and Augurā′tion are obsolete. [L.; prob. from avis, bird, and root, gar, in L. garrīre, to chatter, Sans. gir, speech.]

August, aw-gust′, adj. venerable: imposing: sublime: majestic—adv. August′ly.—n. August′ness. [L. augustus—augēre, to increase, honour.]

August, aw′gust, n. the eighth month of the year, so called after the Roman emperor Augustus Cæsar.

Augustan, aw-gust′an, adj. pertaining to the Emperor Augustus, or to the time in which he reigned (31 B.C.-14 A.D.)—the most brilliant age in Roman literature, hence applied to any similar age, as the reign of Anne in English, or that of Louis XIV. in French literature: classic: refined.

Augustine, aw-gust′in, Augustinian, aw-gus-tin′i-an, n. one of an order of monks who derive their name and rule from St Augustine: (theol.) one who holds the opinions of St Augustine, esp. on predestination and irresistible grace.—adj. Augustin′ian, of or relating to St Augustine.—n. Augustin′ianism.

Auk, awk, n. a genus of web-footed sea-birds, with short wings used only as paddles, found in the northern seas. The Great Auk is supposed to have become extinct in 1844. [Ice. álka.]

Aula, aw′la, n. a hall.—adj. Aulā′rian, relating to a hall.—n. at Oxford, a member of a hall, as distinguished from a collegian.—Aula regis, also called Curia Regis, a name used in English history for a feudal assembly of tenants-in-chief, for the Privy Council, and for the Court of King's Bench. [L. aula, a hall.]

Auld, awld, adj. (Scot.) old.—adjs. Auld′-far′rant (lit. 'favouring the old'), old-fashioned, wise beyond their years, as of children; Auld′-warld, old-world, ancient.—Auld langsyne, old long since, long ago.

Aulic, awl′ik, adj. pertaining to a royal court.—Aulic Council (Ger. Reichshofrath), a court or personal council of the Holy Roman Empire, established in 1501 by Maximilian I., and co-ordinate with the Imperial Chamber (Reichskammergericht). [L. aulicus—aula, Gr. aulē, a royal court.]

Aumail, aw-māl′, v.t. to enamel: (Spens.) to figure or variegate. [See Enamel.]

Aumbry, awm′bri, n. Same as Ambry.

Aumil, o′mil, n. Same as Amildar.

Aumuce, aw′mūs, n. Same as Amice.

Aunt, änt, n. a father's or a mother's sister—also the wife of one's uncle: (obs.) an old woman, a gossip, a procuress or bawd.—Aunt Sally, a pastime at English fairs, in which a wooden head is set on a pole, and in the mouth a pipe, which has to be smashed by throwing sticks or the like at it. [O. Fr. ante (Fr. tante)—L. amita, a father's sister.]

Aura, awr′a, n. a supposed subtle emanation proceeding from anything, esp. that essence which is claimed to emanate from all living things and to afford an atmosphere for the operations of animal magnetism and such-like occult phenomena: (fig.) air, distinctive character: (path.) a sensation as of a current of cold air—a premonitory symptom of epilepsy and hysteria.—adj. Aur′al, pertaining to the air, or to a subtle vapour or exhalation arising from a body. [L. aura.]

Aural, awr′al, adj. pertaining to the ear.—adv. Aur′ally. [L. auris, ear.]

Aurate, awr′āt, n. a compound of auric oxide with a base.—adjs. Aur′ated, gold-coloured: compounded with auric acid; Aur′eate, gilded: golden.—n. Aurē′ity, the peculiar properties of gold. [L. aurum, gold.]

Aurelia, awr-ēl′ya, n. the chrysalis of an insect, from its golden colour.—adj. Aurel′ian—formerly also a name for an entomologist devoted esp. to butterflies and moths. [L. aurum, gold.]

Aureola, awr-ē′o-la, n. in Christian art, the gold colour surrounding the whole figure in sacred pictures, distinct from the nimbus, which only covers the head, usually reserved for representations of the three Divine Persons, of Christ, and the Virgin and Child: (theol.) an increment to the ordinary blessedness of heaven gained by virgins, martyrs, and doctors for their triumph respectively over the flesh, the world, and the devil.—n. Aur′eole, the aureola: the gold disc round the head in early pictures symbolising glory: (fig.) a glorifying halo: a halo of radiating light, as in eclipses.—p.adj. Aur′eoled, encircled with an aureole. [L. aureolus, dim. of aureus, golden.]

Auric, awr′ik, adj. pertaining to gold: (chem.) applied to compounds in which gold combines as a triad. [L. aurum, gold.]

Auricle, awr′i-kl, n. the external ear: (pl.) the two upper cavities of the heart into which the blood comes from the veins.—adj. Aur′icled, having appendages like ears.—n. Auric′ula, a species of primrose, also called bear's ear, from the shape of its leaf.—adj. Auric′ular, pertaining to the ear: known by hearing, or by report.—adv. Auric′ularly.—adjs. Auric′ulate, Auric′ulated, ear-shaped.—Auricular confession, secret, told in the ear. [L. auricula, dim. of auris, the ear.]

Auriferous, awr-if′ėr-us, adj. bearing or yielding gold.—v.t. and v.i. Aur′ify, to turn into gold. [L. aurifer—aurum, gold, ferre, to bear.]

Auriform, awr′i-form, adj. ear-shaped. [L. auris, ear, and Form.]

Auriscope, aw′ri-skōp, n. an instrument for examining the Eustachian passage of the ear. [L. auris, ear, and Gr. skopein, to look.]

Aurist, awr′ist, n. one skilled in diseases of the ear. [L. auris, ear.]

Aurochs, awr′oks, n. the European bison or wild ox. [Ger. auerochs. Old High Ger. ûrohso, ur (L. urus, Gr. ouros), a kind of wild ox, and ochs, ox.]

Aurora, aw-rō′ra, n. the dawn: in poetry, the goddess of dawn.—adjs. Aurō′ral, Aurō′rean.—adv. Aurō′rally. [Acc. to Curtius, a reduplicated form for ausosa; from a root seen in Sans. ush, to burn; cog. with Gr. ēōs, dawn, hēlios, the sun; Etruscan, Usil, the god of the sun.]

Aurora Borealis, aw-rō′ra bō-rē-ā′lis, the northern aurora or light: a luminous meteoric phenomenon of electrical character seen in northern latitudes, with a tremulous motion, and giving forth streams of light.—Aurora Australis (aws-trā′lis), a similar phenomenon in the southern hemisphere:—pl. Aurō′ras. [L. borealis, northern—boreas, the north wind. See Austral.]

Auscultation, aws-kult-ā′shun, n. the art of discovering the condition of the lungs and heart by applying the ear or the stethoscope to the part.—v.i. to examine by auscultation.—n. Auscultā′tor, one who practises auscultation, or an instrument for such: in Germany, a title formerly given to one who had passed his first public examination in law, and who was merely retained, not yet employed or paid by government.—adj. Auscult′ātory, relating to auscultation. [L. auscultāre, to listen.]

Ausonian, aw-sō′ni-an, adj. Italian. [L. Ausonia, a poetical name for Italy.]

Auspice, aw′spis, n. an omen drawn from observing birds: augury—generally used in pl. Au′spices, protection: patronage: a good start (generally in phrase, Under the auspices of).—v.t. Au′spicate, to foreshow: to initiate or inaugurate with hopes of good luck:—pr.p. au′spicāting; pa.p. au′spicāted.—adj. Auspi′cious, having good auspices or omens of success: favourable: fortunate: propitious.—adv. Auspi′ciously.—n. Auspi′ciousness. [Fr.—L. auspicium—auspex, auspicis, a bird-seer, from avis, a bird, specĕre, to observe.]

Auster, aws′tėr, n. the south wind. [L.]

Austere, aws-tēr′, adj. harsh: severe: stern: grave: sober: severe in self-discipline, strictly moral or abstinent: severely simple, without luxury.—adv. Austere′ly.—ns. Austere′ness, Auster′ity, quality of being austere: severity of manners or life: harshness: asceticism: severe simplicity of style, dress, or habits. [L. austerus—Gr. austēros—au-ein, to dry.]

Austral, aws′tral, adj. southern.—adj. Australasian (aws-tral-ā′zhi-an), pertaining to Australasia, or the islands and island-groups that lie to the south of Asia.—n. a native or colonist of one of these.—adj. Austrā′lian, of or pertaining to Australia, a large island between the Indian and Pacific Oceans.—n. an aboriginal native of Australia proper, later also a white colonist or resident. [L. australis—auster, the south wind.]

Austrian, aws′tri-an, adj. of or pertaining to Austria, an empire of Central Europe.—n. a native of Austria.

Austringer, aw′string-ėr, n. a keeper of goshawks.—Also A′stringer. [O. Fr. ostruchier, austruchier. See Ostrich.]

Autarchy, awt′är-ki, n. absolute power. [Gr., from autos, self, and archein, to rule.]

Authentic, -al, aw-thent′ik, -al, adj. real: genuine, as opposed to counterfeit, apocryphal: original: true: entitled to acceptance, of established credibility. A distinction is sometimes made between authentic and genuine—the former, that the writing is trustworthy, as setting forth real facts; the latter, that we have it as it left its author's hands—an authentic history: a genuine text.—adv. Authent′ically. [Fr. and L. from Gr. authentēs, one who does anything with his own hand—autos, self.]

Authenticate, aw-thent′ik-āt, v.t. to make authentic: to prove genuine: to give legal validity to: to certify the authorship of.—ns. Authenticā′tion, act of authenticating: confirmation; Authentic′ity, quality of being authentic: state of being true or in accordance with fact: genuineness.

Author, awth′or, n. one who originates or brings anything into being: a beginner or first mover of any action or state of things: the writer of an original book: elliptically for an author's writings: one's authority for something: an informant:—fem. Auth′oress.—adjs. Authō′rial, Auth′orish; Authorīs′able.—n. Authorisā′tion.—v.t. Auth′orise, to give authority to: to sanction: to permit: to justify: to establish by authority.—adj. Auth′orless, anonymous.—ns. Auth′orling, a petty author; Auth′orship, Auth′oring, Auth′orism, state or quality of being an author. [Through Fr. from L. auctor—augēre, auctum, to cause things to increase, to produce.]

Authority, awth-or′it-i, n. legal power or right: power derived from office or character: weight of testimony: permission:—pl. Author′ities, precedents: opinions or sayings carrying weight: persons in power.—adj. Author′itative, having the sanction or weight of authority: dictatorial.—adv. Author′itatively.—n. Author′itativeness. [L. auctoritatem, auctoritas, auctor.]

Autobiography, aw-to-bī-og′raf-i, n. the biography or life of a person written by himself.—n. Autobiog′rapher, one who writes his own life.—adjs. Autobiograph′ic, -al. [Gr. autos, one's self, bios, life, graphein, to write.]

Auto-car, aw′to-kär, n. a vehicle for the road moved from within by steam, electric power, &c. instead of by traction. [Gr. autos, self, and Car.]

Autocarpous, aw-to-kär′pus, adj. applied to such fruit as consists only of the pericarp, with no adnate parts. [Gr. autos, self, karpos, fruit.]

Autochthon, aw-tok′thon, n. one of the primitive inhabitants of a country: an aboriginal:—pl. Autoch′thons and Autoch′thones.—adj. Autoch′thonous.—ns. Autoch′thony, Autoch′thonism, the condition of being autochthonous. [Gr.; made up of autos, self, chthōn, chthonos, the soil; the Athenians claiming to have actually sprung from the soil on which they lived.]

Autocrat, aw′to-krat, n. one who rules by his own power: an absolute sovereign.—n. Autoc′racy, an absolute government by one man: despotism.—adj. Autocrat′ic,—adv. Autocrat′ically. [Gr. autokratēs—autos, self, kratos, power.]

Auto-da-fé, aw′to-da-fā′, n. the public declaration of the judgment passed on heretics in Spain and Portugal by the Inquisition, also the infliction of the punishment which immediately followed thereupon, esp. the public burning of the victims:—pl. Autos-da-fé. [Port. auto da fé = Sp. auto de fe; auto—L. actum, act; da—L. de, of; and fe—L. fides, faith.]

Autogenous, aw-toj′e-nus, adj. self-generated: independent.—n. Autog′eny, a mode of spontaneous generation. [Gr. autogenēs, autos, self, genos, offspring.]

Autograph, aw′to-graf, n. one's own handwriting: a signature: an original manuscript.—v.t. to write with one's hand.—adj. Autograph′ic.—adv. Autograph′ically.—n. Au′tography, act of writing with one's own hand: reproduction of the outline of a writing or drawing by fac-simile. [Gr. autos, self, graphē, writing.]

Autogravure, aw-to-grav′ūr, n. a process of photo-engraving akin to autotype. [Gr. auto, self; Fr. gravure, engraving.]

Autolatry, aw-tol′a-tri, n. worship of one's self.—n. Autol′ogy is merely a justifiable enough scientific study of ourselves. [Gr. autos, self, latreia, worship.]

Autolycus, aw-tol′i-kus, n. a thief: a snapper up of unconsidered trifles: a plagiarist. [From the character in Shakespeare's Winter's Tale.]

Automaton, aw-tom′a-ton, n. a self-moving machine, or one which moves by concealed machinery: a living being regarded as without consciousness: the self-acting power of the muscular and nervous systems, by which movement is effected without intelligent determination: a human being who acts by routine, without intelligence:—pl. Autom′atons, Autom′ata.—adjs. Automat′ic, -al.—adv. Automat′ically.—ns. Autom′atism, automatic or involuntary action: power of self-moving: power of initiating vital processes from within the cell, organ, or organism, independently of any direct or immediate stimulus from without: the doctrine that animals are automata, their motions, &c., being the result of mechanical laws; Autom′atist, one who holds the doctrine of automatism. [Gr. automatos, self-moving—autos, self, and a stem mat-, to strive after, to move.]

Automobile, aw-to-mō′bil, adj. self-moving.—n. a motor-car. [Gr. autos, self, L. mobilis, mobile.]

Automorphic, aw-to-mor′fik, adj. marked by automorphism, the ascription to others of one's own characteristics. [Gr. autos, self, morphē, form.]

Autonomy, aw-ton′om-i, n. the power or right of self-government: (Kant's philos.) the doctrine that the human will carries its guiding principle within itself.—adjs. Auton′omous, Autonom′ic. [Gr.—autos, and nomos, law.]

Autonym, aw′ton-im, n. a writing published under the author's real name. [Gr. autos, self, onoma, a name.]

Autophagous, aw-tof′ag-us, adj. self-devouring.—n. Autoph′agy, sustenance by self-absorption of the tissues of the body. [Gr. autos, self, phagein, to eat.]

Autophoby, aw-tof′ob-i, n. a shrinking from making any reference to one's self. [Gr. autos, self, phobia, fear.]

Autophony, aw-tof′on-i, n. observation of the resonance of one's own voice, heard by placing the ear to the patient's chest. [Gr. autos, self, phōnē, sound.]

Autoplasty, aw′to-plas-ti, n. a mode of surgical treatment which consists in replacing a diseased part by means of healthy tissue from another part of the same body. [Gr. auto-plastos, self-formed.]

Autopsy, aw′top-si, n. personal inspection, esp. the examination of a body after death.—Also Autop′sia. [Gr.; autos, self, opsis, sight.]

Autoptic, -al, aw-topt′ik, -al, adj. seen with one's own eyes.—adv. Autopt′ically. [See Autopsy.]

Autoschediasm, aw-to-sked′i-azm, n. anything extemporised.—v.t. Autosched′iase.—adj. Autoschedias′tic. [Gr. autos, self, schedios, off-hand.]

Autotheism, aw′to-thē-izm, n. assumption of divine powers: the doctrine of the self-subsistence of God, esp. of the second person in the Trinity.—n. Au′totheist, a self-deifier. [Gr. autos, self, theos, a god.]

Autotype, aw′to-tīp, n. a true impress or copy of the original: a process of printing from a photographic negative in a permanent black or other pigment.—v.t. to reproduce by such a process.—n. Autotypog′raphy, a process by which drawings made on gelatine are transferred to a plate from which impressions may be taken. [Gr. autos, self, typos, a stamp.]

Autumn, aw′tum, n. the third season of the year when fruits are gathered in, popularly comprising the months of August, September, and October—in North America, September, October, and November. Astronomically, in the northern hemisphere, it begins at the autumnal equinox, when the sun enters Libra, 22d September, and ends at the winter solstice, when the sun enters Capricorn, 21st December.—adj. Autum′nal.—adv. Autum′nally. [L. autumnus, auctumnus, anciently referred to aug-ēre, as the season of increase; by Corssen and others, to the Sans. av, to do good to.]

Auxesis, awk-sē′sis, n. gradual deepening in force of meaning: hyperbole. [Gr.]

Auxiliar, awg-zil′yar, Auxiliary, awg-zil′yar-i, adj. helping: subsidiary, as troops.—ns. Auxil′iar, an auxiliary; Auxil′iary, a helper: an assistant: (gram.) a verb that helps to form the moods and tenses of other verbs. [L. auxiliaris—auxilium, help—aug-ēre, to increase.]

Ava, ä′va, n. native name in the Sandwich Islands for a species of cordyline yielding an intoxicating drink, also called kava: any similar drink.

Avail, a-vāl′, v.t. to be of value or service to: to benefit: to take the benefit of (used reflexively with of).—v.i. to be of use: to answer the purpose: (obs.) to take or draw advantage: (Amer.) to inform, assure of.—n. benefit: profit: service.—adj. Avail′able, that one may avail one's self of, utilise: profitable: suitable, obtainable: accessible.—ns. Avail′ableness, Availabil′ity, quality of being available: power in promoting an end in view: validity.—advs. Avail′ably; Avail′ingly, in an availing manner. [Fr.—L. ad, to, val-ēre, to be strong, to be worth.]

Avail. Same as Avale.

Avalanche, av′al-ansh, n. a mass of snow and ice sliding down from a mountain: a snow-slip.—v.i. Avāle′ (Spens.), to descend.—v.t. (Spens.) to cause to descend. [Fr. avaler, to slip down—L. ad, to, vall-em, the valley.]

Avant, av′ang, prefix used as adj. in combination, as in Av′ant-cour′ier, one who runs before, in pl. the skirmishers or advance-guard of an army; Av′ant-garde, the vanguard of an army. [Fr.;—L. ante.]

Avanturine. See Aventurine.

Avarice, av′ar-is, n. eager desire for wealth: covetousness.—adj. Avari′cious, extremely covetous: greedy.—adv. Avari′ciously.—n. Avari′ciousness. [Fr.—L. avaritia—avarus, greedy—avēre, to pant after.]

Avast, a-väst′, interj. (naut.) hold fast! stop! [Dut. houd vast, hold fast.]

Avatar, a-va-tär′, n. the descent of a Hindu deity in a visible form: incarnation: (fig.) supreme glorification of any principle. [Sans.; ava, away, down, tar, to pass over.]

Avaunt, a-vawnt′, interj. move on! begone! (Shak.) used as n. 'to give her the avaunt.'—v.i. (Spens.) to advance: (obs.) depart. [Fr. avant, forward—L. ab, from, ante, before.]

Avaunt, a-vawnt′, v.i. (Spens.) to advance boastfully. [O. Fr. avanter—Low L. vanitare, to boast—L. vanus, vain.]

Ave, ā′vē, interj. and n. be well or happy: hail, an address or prayer to the Virgin Mary: in full, Ave Marī′a.—Ave Maria, or Ave Mary, the Hail Mary, or angelic salutation (Luke, i. 28). [L. avēre, to be well or propitious. See Angelus.]

Avenaceous, av′en-ā-shus, adj. of the nature of oats. [L. avena, oats.]

Avenge, a-venj′, v.t. to vindicate: take vengeance on some one on account of some injury or wrong (with on, upon; of obsolete).—adj. Avenge′ful.—ns. Avenge′ment; Aveng′er, one who avenges:—fem. Aveng′eress. [O. Fr. avengier—L. vindicāre. See Vengeance.]

Avens, ā′vens, n. popular name of two species of Geum—the herb bennet (once used to flavour ale) and the sub-alpine mountain-avens. [Fr.]

Aventail, Aventaile, av′en-tāl, n. the flap or movable part of a helmet in front, for admitting air to the wearer. [O. Fr. esventail, air-hole—L. ex, out, ventus, wind.]

Aventre, a-ven′tr, v.t. or v.i. (Spens.) to throw, as a spear or dart. [O. Fr. venter, to cast to the wind.]

Aventure, a-vent′ūr, v.t. obsolete form of Adventure.

Aventurine, a-ven′tū-rin, n. a brown, spangled kind of Venetian glass: a kind of quartz.—Also Avan′turine. [It. avventura, chance—because of the accidental discovery of the glass.]

Avenue, av′en-ū, n. the principal approach to a country-house, usually bordered by trees: a double row of trees, with or without a road: a wide and handsome street, with or without trees, esp. in America: any passage or entrance into a place: (fig.) means of access or attainment. [Fr.: from L. ad, to, venīre, to come.]

Aver, a-vėr′, v.t. to declare to be true: to affirm or declare positively: (law) to prove or justify a plea:—pr.p. aver′ring; pa.p. averred.—n. Aver′ment, positive assertion: (law) a formal offer to prove a plea: the proof offered. [Fr. avérer—L. ad, and verus, true.]

Average, av′ėr-āj, n. the mean value or quantity of a number of values or quantities: any expense incurred beyond the freight, payable by the owner of the goods shipped, as in the phrase Petty average: any loss or damage to ship or cargo from unavoidable accidental causes—Particular average. Again, General average is the apportionment of loss caused by measures taken for the ship's safety, as cutting away the masts, throwing overboard cargo, accepting towage, or the like.—adj. containing a mean value: ordinary.—v.t. to fix an average.—v.i. to exist in, or form, a mean quantity. [Dr Murray says the word first appears about 1500 in connection with the maritime trade of the Mediterranean (Fr. avarie, Sp. averia, It. avaria); probably averia is a derivative of It. avere (O. Fr. aveir), goods, the original sense being a 'charge on property or goods.' The It. avere and O. Fr. aveir meant goods, substance, cattle—L. habēre, to have. The Old Eng. aver in the same sense is obsolete, but in Scotland aver still means an old horse.]

Averroism, av-er-ō′izm, n. the doctrine of the Arabian philosopher Averrhoes (died 1198), that the soul is perishable, the only immortal soul being the world-soul from which individual souls went forth, and to which they return.—n. Averrō′ist, one who holds this doctrine.

Averruncate, a-vėr-ungk′āt, v.t. (rare) to avert or ward off: to pull up by the roots.—ns. Averruncā′tion, act of averting: extirpation; Averrunc′ātor, an instrument for cutting off branches of trees. [L. averruncāre, to avert.]

Averse, a-vėrs′, adj. having a disinclination or hatred (with to; from is, however, still used): disliking: turned away from anything: turned backward; (her.) turned so as to show the back, as of a right hand.—n. Aversā′tion (obs.).—adv. Averse′ly.—n. Averse′ness. [L. aversus, turned away, pa.p. of avert-ĕre. See Avert.]

Aversion, a-vėr′-shun, n. dislike: hatred: the object of dislike. [See Avert.]

Avert, a-vėrt′, v.t. to turn from or aside: to prevent: ward off.—p.adj. Avert′ed.—adv. Avert′edly.—adj. Avert′ible, capable of being averted. [L. avert-ēre—ab, from, vert-ĕre, to turn.]

Avertiment, for Advertisement (Milton).

Aves, ā′vēz, n.pl. birds. [L.]

Aviary, ā′vi-ar-i, n. a place for keeping birds.—n. A′viarist, one who keeps an aviary. [L. aviarium—avis, a bird.]

Aviculture, ā′vi-kul-tūr, n. rearing of birds: bird-fancying. [L. avis, bird, and Culture.]

Avidity, a-vid′i-ti, n. eagerness: greediness.—adj. Av′id, greedy: eager. [L. aviditas—avidus, greedy—avēre, to pant after.]

Avifauna, ā′vi-fawn-a, n. the whole of the birds found in a region or country: the fauna as regards birds. [L. avis, bird, and Fauna.]

Avised. See Black-avised.

Aviso. See Adviso (under Advice).—Avis, Avise, obsolete forms of Advise.—adj. Avise′ful (Spens.), watchful, circumspect.

Avital, av′i-tal, adj. of a grandfather: ancestral. [L. avitus, pertaining to a grandfather (avus).]

Avizandum, av-iz-an′dum, n. (Scots law) private consideration of a case by a judge before giving judgment.—Also Avisan′dum. [Gerund of Low L. avisare, to advise.]

Avocado, a-vo-kä′do, n. the alligator-pear, a West Indian fruit. [Corr. from Mexican.]

Avocation, a-vo-kā′shun, n. formerly and properly, a diversion or distraction from one's regular employment—now, one's proper business = Vocation: business which calls for one's time and attention: (arch.) diversion of the thoughts from any employment: the calling of a case from an inferior to a superior court. [Through Fr. from avocation-em, a calling away—ab, from, vocāre, to call.]

Avocet, Avoset, av′o-set, n. a widely spread genus of birds, with webbed feet, long legs, bare thighs, a long, slender, upward-curved, elastic bill, and snipe-like habit. [Fr. avocette, It. avosetta.]

Avoid, a-void′, v.t. to try to escape from: to shun: (law) to invalidate: (Shak.) to leave, to quit.—adj. Avoid′able.—n. Avoid′ance, the act of avoiding or shunning: act of annulling. [Pfx. a- = Fr. es = L. ex, out, and Void.]

Avoirdupois, av-or-dū-poiz′, adj. or n. a system of weights in which the lb. equals 16 oz. [O. Fr. aveir de pes (avoir du pois), to have weight—L. hab-ēre, to have, pensum, that which is weighed.]

Avoset. See Avocet.

Avouch, a-vowch′, v.t. to avow: to assert or own positively: to maintain: guarantee; to appeal to. v.i. to give assurance of.—n. (Shak.) evidence.—adj. Avouch′able.—n. Avouch′ment. [O. Fr. avochier—L. advocāre, to call to one's aid. See Vouch.]

Avoure, a-vowr′, n. (Spens.) confession, acknowledgment, justification. [See Avow.]

Avow, a-vow′, v.t. to declare openly: to own or confess: to affirm or maintain: (law) to justify an act done.—n. a solemn promise: a vow.—pa.p. as adj. self-acknowledged.—adj. Avow′able.—ns. Avow′ableness, Avow′ance (obs.); Avow′al, a positive declaration: a frank confession.—adv. Avow′edly.—n. Avow′ry (law), the act of avowing and justifying in one's own right the distraining of goods: (obs.) advocacy considered as personified in a patron saint. [O. Fr. avouer, orig. to swear fealty to—L. ad, and Low L. votāre—votum, a vow. See Vow.]

Avulse, a-vuls′, v.t. to pluck or tear away.—n. Avul′sion, forcible separation. [L. avell-ĕre, avulsum.]

Avuncular, a-vung′kū-lar, adj. pertaining to an uncle.—v.t. or v.i. Avunc′ulise (Fuller), to act like an uncle. [L. avunculus, an uncle.]

Await, a-wāt′, v.t. to wait or look for: to be in store for: to attend: (obs.) to lie in wait for, to watch. [Through Fr. from the common Teutonic root of Ger. wacht, en, Eng. Wait.]

Awake, a-wāk′, v.t. to rouse from sleep: to rouse from a state of inaction.—v.i. to cease sleeping: to rouse one's self from sleep or indifference:—pa.p. awaked′, or awoke′.—adj. not asleep: vigilant.—adj. Awak′able, capable of being awakened.—v.t. and v.i. Awak′en, to awake: to rouse into interest or attention: (theol.) to call to a sense of sin.—adj. Awak′enable.—ns. Awak′enment, Awak′ing, Awak′ening, the act of awaking or ceasing to sleep: an arousing from indifference: a revival of religion.—To be awake to, to be fully aware of anything. [A.S. awæcnan. See Wake, Watch.]

Awanting, a-wont′ing, adj. wanting: missing. [Framed as if from a verb awant—mostly Scotch.]

Award, a-wawrd′, v.t. to adjudge: to determine.—n. judgment: final decision, esp. of arbitrators.—adj. Award′able, that may be awarded.—n. Award′ment. [O. Fr. ewarder, eswarder, from an assumed Romanic form compounded of ex, thoroughly, and guardare, watch. See Ward, Guard.]

Aware, a-wār′, adj. wary: informed, conscious (with of)—ns. Aware′dom (H. Walpole), Aware′ness. [A.S. gewær, pfx. ge-, and wær, cautious. See Wary.]

Awarn, a-wawrn′, v.t. (Spens.) to warn. [Pfx, a-, and Warn.]

Awash, a-wosh′, adv. on a level with the surface of the water: floating at the mercy of the waves. [Pfx. a-, and Wash.]

Awaste, a-wāst′, adv. wasting.

Awatch, a-wotch′, adv. watching.

Awave, a-wāv′, adv. waving.

Away, a-wā′, adv. onward, along: forthwith: in the direction of, about: absent: gone, dead, fainted.—interj. begone!—Away (elliptically), to go away, esp. imperatively, Away! or Away with you!—Away with him = take him away.—Fire away, fire at once, without hesitation.—I cannot away with = bear or endure.—Make away with, to destroy.—Once and away, once in a way (the usual modern form), once.—There away, in that direction, thereabout.—To do away (with), to make an end of anything; To explain away, to explain till the thing that needs explanation is itself removed; To fall away (with from), to desert; To fight away, to go on fighting; To work away, to keep on working. [A.S. a-weg—prep. a, on, weg, way, lit. 'on one's way.']

Awe, aw, n. reverential fear, or wonder: dread: (arch.) power to inspire awe.—v.t. to strike with or influence by fear.—adj. Awe′less, without fear.—n. Awe′lessness.—adjs. Awe′some, Aw′some (Scot.), full of awe: inspiring awe: weird, dreadful.—v.t. Awe′-strike, to strike with awe.—adjs. Awe′-struck, struck or affected with awe; Aw′ful, full of awe: dreadful: inspiring respect: expressive of awe: (slang) ugly: and as a mere intensive of anything.—adv. Aw′fully (also in slang merely = very).—n. Aw′fulness. [Ice. agi, A.S. ege, fear; cog. with Gael. eaghal; Gr. achos, anguish.]

Aweary, a-wē′ri, adj. weary (with of).—adj. Awea′ried, weary. [Pfx. a-, and Weary.]

A-weather, a-weth′ėr, adv. (naut.) towards the weather or windward side, in the direction from which the wind blows, applied to the position of a helm when its tiller is moved to the windward side of the ship—opp. to A-lee. [Prep. a, on, and Weather.]

A-week, a-wēk′, adv. phrase, in the week, per week. [Prep. a, and Week.]

A-weigh, a-wā′, adv. in the act of being weighed, as an anchor, when the strain on the cable has just raised it from the bottom. [Prep. a, and Weigh.]

Awhape, a-hwāp′, v.t. (Spens.) to strike: to terrify. [Dr Murray compares the Goth. af hwapjan, to choke, which would give an A.S. ofhweppan. See Whap.]

Awhile, a-hwīl′, adv. for some time: for a short time. [A.S. áne hwíle = a while; combined as early as 13th century.]

A-wing, a-wing′, adv. phrase, on the wing. [Prep. a, and Wing.]

Awkward, awk′ward, adj. clumsy: ungraceful: embarrassed: difficult to deal with: (Shak.) unfavourable: (obs.) froward.—adj. Awk′wardish.—adv. Awk′wardly, clumsily, embarrassingly, dangerously.—n. Awk′wardness. [Prob. Ice. afug, turned wrong way, and suff. -ward, expressing direction.]

Awl, awl, n. a pointed instrument for boring small holes in leather. [A.S. æl; cog. with Ice. alr, Ger. ahle.]

Awn, awn, n. a scale or husk: beard of corn or grass.—adjs. Awned; Awn′less; Awn′y. [Ice. ögn; Ger. ahne.]

Awning, awn′ing, n. a covering to shelter from the sun's rays. [Perh. due to the Fr. auvent, a screen of cloth before a shop window, with Eng. ending -ing. Skeat suggests Pers. áwan, áwang, anything suspended. The history of the word is still unsolved.]

Awoke, a-wōk′, did awake—pa.t. of Awake.

Awork, a-wurk′, adv. at work. [Prep. a, and Work.]

Awrack, a-rak′, adv. in a state of wreck.

Awrong, a-rong′, adv. wrongly.

Awry, a-rī′, adj. twisted to one side: distorted, crooked: wrong: perverse.—adv. unevenly: perversely: erroneously.—To look awry, to look askance at anything; To walk awry, to go wrong. [Prep. a, on, and Wry.]

Axe, Ax, aks, n. a well-known tool or instrument for hewing or chopping, usually of iron with a steel edge:—pl. Ax′es. [A.S. æx; L. ascia; Gr. axinē.]

Axile, aks′il, adj. lying in the axis of anything, as an embryo in the axis of a seed.

Axilla, aks′il-la, n. (anat.) the armpit.—ns. Ax′illa, Ax′il (bot.), the angle between the upper side of a branch and the trunk, or a petiole and the stem it springs from.—adjs. Ax′illar, Ax′illary. [L. axilla, the armpit.]

Axinomancy, aks′in-o-man-si, n. a mode of divination from the motions of an axe poised upon a stake, or of an agate placed upon a red-hot axe. [Gr. axinē, an axe, and manteia, divination.]

Axiom, aks′yum, n. a self-evident truth: a universally received principle in an art or science.—adjs. Axiomat′ic, Axiomat′ical.—adv. Axiomat′ically. [Gr. axiōma—axio-ein, to think worth, to take for granted—axios, worth.]

Axis, aks′is, n. the axle, or the line, real or imaginary, on which a body revolves: the straight line about which the parts of a body or system are systematically arranged, or which passes through the centre of all the corresponding parallel sections of it, as of a cylinder, globe, or spheroid. The axis of a curved line is formed by a right line dividing the curve into two symmetrical parts, as in the parabola, ellipse, and hyperbola:—pl. Axes (aks′ēz).—adj. Ax′ial.—adv. Ax′ially.—n. Ax′oid, a curve generated by the revolution of a point round an advancing axis.—Axis of a lens, the right line passing through a lens in such a manner as to be perpendicular to both sides of it; Axis of a telescope, a right line which passes through the centres of all the glasses in the tube; Axis of incidence, the line passing through the point of incidence perpendicularly to the refracting surface; Axis of refraction, the continuation of the same line through the refracting medium; Axis of the equator, the polar diameter of the earth, which is also the axis of rotation; Axis of the eye, the right line passing through the centres of the pupil and the crystalline lens. [L. axis; cf. Gr. axōn, Sans. aksha, A.S. eax.]

Axis, aks′is, n. the hog-deer of India. [L. axis, Pliny's name for an Indian quadruped.]

Axle, aks′l, Axle-tree, aks′l-trē, n. the pin or rod in the nave of a wheel on which the wheel turns: a pivot or support of any kind; the imaginary line of ancient cosmographers on which a planet revolved.—adj. Ax′led. [More prob. Norse öxull than a dim. from A.S. eax.]

Axolotl, aks′o-lotl, n. a reptile found in Mexico, allied to the tailed batrachia, but distinguished by retaining its gills through life. [Mexican.]

Ay, ā, interj. ah! oh! alas! esp. in ay me! [M. E. ey, ei, perh. from Fr. ahi, aï; cf. Sp. ay de mi!]

Ay, Aye, ī, adv. yea: yes: indeed.—n. Aye (ī), a vote in the affirmative: (pl.) those who vote in the affirmative. [Perh. a dial. form of aye, ever; perh. a variant of yea.]

Ayah, ā′ya, n. a native Indian waiting-maid. [Anglo-Ind.: Hind. āya, derived from the Port. aia, nurse.]

Aye, Ay, ā, adv. ever: always: for ever.—For aye, For ever and aye, for ever, to all eternity.—In combination, with sense of 'ever,' as in Shakespeare's 'aye-remaining,' &c. [Ice. ei, ever; A.S. a; conn. with Age, Ever.]

Aye-aye, ī′ī, n. a quadruped about the size of a hare found in Madagascar, closely allied to the lemurs, with much of the aspect of a squirrel. [Malagasy aiay.]

Ayelp, a-yėlp′, adv. yelping.

Ayenbite, ī′en-bīt, n. (obs.) remorse, as in the book-title Ayenbite of Inwyt ('remorse of conscience'). [M. E. ayen, again bite.]

Aygulets, obsolete form of Aiglets.

Ayme, obsolete form of Aim.

Ayry. See Eyry.

Azalea, a-zā′le-a, n. a genus of shrubby plants, with fine white, yellow, or crimson flowers, mostly natives of China or North America, closely allied to the rhododendron. [Gr. azaleos, dry—aza, dryness.]

Azimuth, az′im-uth, n. the arc of the horizon between the meridian of a place and a vertical circle passing through any celestial body.—adj. Az′imuthal, pertaining to the azimuth. [Ar. as-sumūt, as = al, the, sūmut, samt, direction. See Zenith.]

Azo-, in combination, for Azote.

Azoic, a-zō′ik, adj. without life: before the existence of animal life: formed when there was no animal life on the globe, as rocks. [Gr. a, neg., and zōē, life—za-ein, to live.]

Azonic, a-zon′ik, adj. not limited to a zone, not local. [Gr.; a, neg., zōnē, a belt region.]

Azote, a-zōt′, n. an old name for nitrogen, so called because it does not sustain animal life.—adj. Azot′ic.—v.t. Az′otise, to impregnate with acid.—n. Az′otite, a salt of azotic or nitrous acid.—adj. Azot′ous, nitrous. [Gr. a, neg., and za-ein, to live.]

Azoth, äz′ōth, n. the alchemist's name for mercury: Paracelsus's universal remedy. [From Ar. az-zāūg, az = al, the, zāūg, from Pers. zhīwah, quicksilver.]

Azrael, az′rā-el, n. in Mohammedan mythology, the angel of death.

Aztec, az′tek, adj. relating to or descended from the Aztecs, the dominant tribe in Mexico at the time of the arrival of the Spaniards.

Azure, azh′ūr, or ā′zhūr, adj. of a faint blue: sky-coloured; clear, cloudless.—n. a delicate blue colour: the sky.—adjs. Azurē′an, Az′urine, azure.—n. Az′urite, blue carbonate of copper.—adjs. Az′urn (Milton), azure; Az′ury, bluish. [O. Fr. azur—Low L. azura—Ar. (al) lazward, Pers. lājward, lapis lazuli, blue colour.]

Azygous, az′i-gus, adj. not yoked or joined with another: (anat.) not one of a pair, as a muscle. [Gr. azygos—a, neg., and zygos, a yoke, from zeugnumi, to join.]

Azymous, az′i-mus, adj. unfermented: unleavened.—ns. Az′ym, Az′yme, unleavened bread; Az′ymite, a member of a church using unleavened bread in the Eucharist—a name applied by the Eastern Church to the Western, as well as to the Armenian and Maronite Churches. [Gr. azymos—a, neg., ēzym, leaven.]

the second letter of our alphabet, called by the Phœnicians beth, 'the house,' coresponding to Greek βετα, 'beta.'—B in music is the seventh note of the scale of C major; B or B flat, a humorous euphemism for the domestic bug.

Baa, bä, n. the cry of a sheep.—v.i. to cry or bleat as a sheep.—n. Baa′ing. [From the sound.]

Baal, bā′al, n. the chief male deity of the Phœnician nations: a false god generally:—pl. Bā′alim.—ns. Bā′alism; Bā′alite. [Heb.]

Babble, bab′bl, v.i. to speak like a baby: to make a continuous murmuring sound like a brook, &c.: to make a babbling noise: to tell secrets.—v.t. to prate: to utter.—adjs. Bab′blative, Bab′bly.—ns. Bab′ble, Bab′blement, Bab′bling, idle senseless talk: prattle: confused murmur, as of a stream; Bab′bler, one who babbles. [Prob. imit., from the repeated syllable ba; cf. Dut. babbelen, Ger. pappelen, Fr. babiller.]

Babe, bāb, Baby, bā′bi, n. an infant or child: a doll, puppet: the reflection of one's self in miniature seen in the pupil of another's eye.—ns. Bā′by-farm′er, one who takes in infants to nurse on payment; Bā′byhood.—adj. Bā′byish.—n. Bā′by-jump′er, a seat suspended from the ceiling of a room by elastic straps, to enable a baby to jump. [Prob. imitative. See Babble.]

Babel, bā′bel, n. a lofty structure: a confused combination of sounds: a scene of confusion.—ns. Bā′beldom, Bā′belism. [Heb. Babel, explained in Gen. xi. as confusion.]

Babiroussa, -russa, ba-bi-rōō′sa, n. a species of wild hog found in the East Indies, often called the horned or deer hog. [Malay bâbi, hog, and rûsa, deer.]

Baboo, bä′bōō, n. orig. the Hindu title corresponding to our Mr, but often applied disparagingly to a Hindu with a superficial English education, or adjectively as in 'baboo English,' which is more copious than correct, with long and learned words often most ingeniously misapplied.—ns. Ba′boodom, Ba′booism. [Hind. bābū.]

Baboon, ba-bōōn′, n. a species of large monkey, having a long face, dog-like tusks, large lips, and a short tail.—n. Baboon′ery.—adj. Baboon′ish. [Fr. babouin; remoter origin unknown.]

Babylonian, bab-i-lōn′i-an, adj. pertaining to Babylon: hence (fig.) huge, gigantic: Romish, popish (obs. from the identification with Rome of the scarlet woman of Rev. xvii.); Babel-like, confused in language.—Also Babylon′ish.

Baccalaureate, bak-ka-law′re-āt, n. the university degree of bachelor.—adj. Baccalau′rean [Low L. baccalaureus, corrupted from, baccalarius, with some imaginary reference to bacca lauri, the laurel berry. See Bachelor.]

Baccarat, Baccara, bak-ar-ā′, n. a French game of cards played by any number of betters and a banker. [Fr. baccara.]

Baccate, bak′āt, adj. having berries: berry-like or pulpy.—adjs. Bacciferous (bak-sif′ėr-us), bearing berries; Bac′ciform, of the shape of a berry; Bacciv′orous, living on berries. [L. baccatus—bacca, a berry.]

Bacchanal, bak′a-nal, n. a worshipper of Bacchus: one who indulges in drunken revels: a dance or song in honour of Bacchus.—adj. relating to drunken revels—also Bacchanā′lian.—ns.pl. Bacchanā′lia, Bac′chanals, originally feasts in honour of Bacchus: drunken revels.—n. Bacchanā′lianism.—n. and adj. Bacchant (bak′kant), a priest of Bacchus, the god of wine: a reveller: a drunkard.—n. Bacchante (bak-kant′, bak′kant, bak-kant′i), a priestess of Bacchus, the god of wine: a female bacchanal:—pl. Bacchant′es.—adj. Bacchic (bak′kik), relating to Bacchus: jovial: drunken. [L. Bacchanalis, Bacchus, Gr. Bacchos, the god of wine.]

Baccy, Bacco, abbreviations of Tobacco.

Bacharach, bak′ar-ak, n. an excellent wine named from Bacharach, a town on the Rhine.

Bachelor, bach′el-or, n. a young knight who followed the banner of another, as being too young to display his own: an unmarried man: one who has taken his first degree at a university.—ns. Bach′elorhood, Bach′elorship; Bach′elorism, habit of a bachelor; Bach′elor's-but′ton, the popular name of the double-flowered yellow or white varieties of buttercup.—Knight bachelor, title of one who has been knighted, but not attached to any special order. [O. Fr. bacheler. Ety. disputed; acc. to Brachet from Low L. baccalarius, a farm-servant, orig. a cowherd, from bacca, Low L. for vacca, a cow.]

Bacillus, ba-sil′us, n. properly the name of a distinct genus of Schizomycetes, but popularly used in the same sense as Bacterium:—pl. Bacil′lī.—adjs. Bacil′lar, Bacil′lary, of the shape or nature of a bacillus, consisting of little rods.—n. Bacil′licide, that which destroys bacilli.—adj. Bacil′liform. [Low L. bacillus, dim. of baculus, a rod.]

Back, bak, n. a brewer's or dyer's tub or trough. [Dut. bak.]

Back, bak, n. the hinder part of the body in man, and the upper part in beasts, extending from the neck and shoulders to the extremity of the backbone: put for the whole body in speaking of clothes: the hinder part, or the part opposite to the front side: the convex part of a book, opposite to the opening of the leaves: the thick edge of a knife or the like: the upright hind part of a chair: the surface of the sea, or of a river: the keel and keelson of a ship: (football) one of the players stationed behind the 'forwards,' the full back's duty being merely to guard the goal: (mining) that side of an inclined mineral lode which is nearest the surface of the ground—the back of a level is the ground between it and the level above.—adv. to the place from which one came: to a former state or condition: behind: behind in time: in return: again.—v.t. to get upon the back of: to help, as if standing at one's back: to force back: to support one's opinion by a wager or bet—'to back a horse,' to bet money on his winning in a race, 'to back the field,' to bet upon all the horses in a field, against one in particular: to countersign a warrant, or indorse a cheque or bill; to write or print at the back of, as a parliamentary bill, or the like: to put or propel backward, or in the opposite direction, by reversing the action, as of an engine or a boat—hence the phrases, To back the oars, To back water.—v.i. to move or go back.—n. Back′-band, a broad strap or chain passing over the cart saddle, and serving to keep up the shafts of a vehicle.—v.t. Back′bite, to speak evil of any one behind his back or in his absence.—ns. Back′biter; Back′biting; Back′-board, a board placed at the back of a cart, boat, &c.: a board fastened across the back to straighten the figure; Back′bond (Scots law), a deed attaching a qualification or condition to the terms of a conveyance or other instrument—used when particular circumstances render it necessary to express in a separate form the limitations or qualifications of a right; Back′bone, the bone of the back, the vertebral column: the main support of anything: mainstay: firmness, reliableness; Back′-door, a door in the back part of a building: (attrib.) unworthily secret: clandestine.—adj. Backed, as in humpbacked.—ns. Back′-end, the later part of a season: the late autumn; Back′er, one who backs or supports another in a contest: one who bets on a horse or the like; Back′-fall, a fall on the back in wrestling—also figuratively: a lever in the coupler of an organ; Back′friend (obs.), a pretended friend: a backer, a friend who stands at one's back; Back′ground, ground at the back: a place of obscurity: the space behind the principal figures of a picture; Back′-hair, the long hair at the back of a woman's head; Back′-hand, the hand turned backwards in making a stroke: handwriting with the letters sloped backwards.—adj. Back′-hand′ed, with the hand turned backward (as of a blow): indirect.—ns. Back′-hand′er, a blow with the back of the hand: an extra glass of wine out of turn, the bottle being passed back; Back′ing, support at the back: mounting of a horse: the action of putting back: a body of helpers: anything used to form a back or line the back; Back′ing-down, shirking; Back′-lash, the jarring reaction of a wheel in a machine when the motion is not uniform; Back′-log, a log at the back of a fire.—adj. Back′most, farthest to the back.—ns. Back′-piece, Back′-plate, a piece or plate of armour for the back; Back′-set, a setting back, reverse: an eddy or counter-current; Back′side, the back or hinder side or part of anything: the hinder part of an animal; Back′-sight, in surveying, a sight taken backwards: the sight of a rifle nearer the stock; Back′-slang, slang in which every word is pronounced backwards.—v.t. Backslide′, to slide or fall back in faith or morals:—pa.p. backslid′, or backslid′den.—ns. Backslid′er; Backslid′ing.—n.pl. Back′stairs, back or private stairs of a house.—adj. secret or underhand.—n.pl. Back′stays, ropes or stays extending from the topmast-heads to the sides of a ship, and slanting a little backward, to second the shrouds in supporting the mast when strained by a weight of sail in a fresh wind: any stay or support at the back.—ns. Back′stitch, a method of sewing in which, for every new stitch, the needle enters behind, and comes out in front of, the end of the previous one; Back′sword, a sword with a back or with only one edge: a stick with a basket-handle; Backsword′man (Shak.); Back′-wash, a backward current.—v.t. to affect with back-wash: to clean the oil from wool after combing.—n. Back′water, water held back in a mill-stream or river by the obstruction of a dam below—a pool or belt of water connected with a river, but not in the line of its course or current: water thrown back by the turning of a water-wheel: a backward current of water: the swell of the sea formed by the paddles of a steamship.—n.pl. Back′woods, the forest or uncultivated part of a country beyond the cleared country, as in North American Backwoods′man.—Back! go back, turn back (imperatively).—At the back of (in U.S. often Back of), in support or pursuit; On, Upon the back of, weighing down as a burden.—To and back (Shak.), forward and backward.—To back down, to abandon one's opinion or position; To back out, to recede from an engagement or promise; To back up, to give support to; To be on one's back, to have come to the end of one's resources; To break the back of, to overburden, to complete the hardest part of a task; To cast behind the back (B.), to forgive; To set or put up the back, to arouse to resentment; To the backbone, thoroughly. [A.S. bæc, Sw. bak, Dan. bag.]

Backare, Baccare, bak′āre, interj. (Shak.) back! stand back! [Perh. for back there!]

Backet, bak′et (Scot.), n. a shallow wooden trough for carrying ashes, coals, &c. [Fr. baquet, dim. of bac, back.]

Backgammon, bak-gam′un, n. a game played by two persons on a board with dice and fifteen men or pieces each. [M.E. gamen, play; and named from the fact that the pieces are sometimes taken up and obliged to go back—that is, re-enter at the table. Always called Tables till the 17th century.]

Backsheesh, Backshish, bak′shēsh, n. a gift or present of money in the East, a gratuity or tip. [Pers.]

Backward, bak′ward, adv. towards the back: on the back: towards the past: from a better to a worse state: in a direction opposite to the normal—also Back′wards.—adj. Back′ward, keeping back: unwilling: slow: late: dull or stupid.—n. the past portion of time.—n. Back′wardation, percentage paid by a seller of stock for keeping back its delivery till the following account.—adv. Back′wardly.—n. Back′wardness.—Backward and forward, to and fro.—To ring bells backward, to ring them, beginning with the bass bell, in order to give tidings of dismay. [Back, and affix Ward, Wards, in the direction of.]

Bacon, bā′kn, n. swine's flesh salted or pickled and dried: (Shak.) a rustic, 'chaw-bacon.'—To save or sell one's bacon, i.e. one's own flesh or body. [O. Fr. bacon, of Teut. origin; cf. Old High Ger. bahho, bacho; Ger. bache.]

Baconian, bak-ōn′i-an, adj. pertaining to Lord Bacon (1561-1626), or to his philosophy, which was inductive or based on experience.

Bacterium, bak-tē′ri-um, n., Bacteria, bak-tē′ri-a, n.pl. Schizomycetes, extremely small, single-celled, fungoid plants, single or grouped, reproducing rapidly by cross division or by the formation of spores, almost always associated with the decomposition of albuminoid substances, and regarded as the germs or active cause of many diseases.—ns. Bacteriol′ogist; Bacteriol′ogy, the scientific study of bacteria. [Gr. baktērion, dim. of baktron, stick, staff.]

Baculine, bak′ū-līn, adj. pertaining to the stick or cane—in flogging. [L. baculum.]

Baculite, bak′ū-līt, n. a genus of fossil shells, allied to the ammonites, having a shell of perfectly straight form, tapering to a point. [L. baculum, a stick.]

Bad, bad, adj. ill or evil: wicked: hurtful: incorrect, faulty: unfavourable: painful:—comp. Worse; superl. Worst.—adj. Bad′dish, somewhat bad: not very good.—adv. Bad′ly.—ns. Bad′ness.—Bad blood, angry feeling; Bad coin, false coin; Bad debts, debts that cannot be recovered; Bad shot, a wrong guess.—To go bad, to decay; To go to the bad, to go to ruin; To the bad, to a bad condition: in deficit.—With bad grace, unwillingly. [Ety. very obscure. The M. E. badde is referred by Zupitza to A.S. bæddel, a hermaphrodite, bædling, an effeminate fellow.]

Bade, bad, pa.t. of Bid.

Badge, baj, n. a mark or sign by which a person or object is known or distinguished. [M.E. bage—Low L. bagia, bagea, connected by Skeat with Low L. baga, a golden ring, from L. bacca, baca, a berry, also the link of a chain.]

Badger, baj′ėr, n. a burrowing, nocturnal, hibernating animal about the size of a fox, eagerly hunted by dogs.—v.t. to pursue with eagerness, as dogs hunt the badger: to pester or worry.—ns. Badg′er-bait′ing, the sport of setting dogs to draw out a badger from its hole; Badg′er-dog, a long-bodied and short-legged dog used in drawing the badger—the Ger. dachshund.—adj. Badg′er-legged, having legs of unequal length, as the badger was vulgarly supposed to have.—adv. Badg′erly, like a badger: grayish-haired, elderly.—To overdraw one's badger, to overdraw one's banking account. [Prob. from Badge and suffix -ard, in reference to the white mark borne like a badge on its forehead. Derivations connecting the word with O. Fr. blaier, thus meaning 'little corn hoarder,' in allusion to a popular notion about the animal's habits, seem to be erroneous.]

Badinage, bad′in-äzh, n. light playful talk: banter. [Fr. badinage—badin, playful or bantering.]

Badminton, bad′min-ton, n. a cooling summer drink compounded of claret, sugar, and soda-water: a predecessor of lawn-tennis, played with shuttlecocks. [From Badminton in Gloucester, a seat of the Duke of Beaufort.]

Baff, bäf, v.t. (golf) to strike the ground with a club in playing, and so to send the ball up in the air.

Baffle, baf′fl, v.t. to check or make ineffectual: (obs.) to cheat, hoodwink, bewilder, bring to nought: (obs.) to disgrace publicly.—ns. Baf′fle (obs.), confusion, check; Baf′fler, a bewilderer, confounder.—To baffle out of (obs.), to juggle out of anything. [Prob. Scotch and connected with bauchle; but cf. Fr. beffler, from O. Fr. befe, mockery. Paul Meyer suggests a derivation from Prov. baf, interj. of disdain.]

Baft, baft, n. a coarse fabric, originally Oriental, now manufactured in and shipped from England. [Pers. baft, woven.]

Baft, baft, n. adv. and prep. behind, in the rear (mostly naut.). [A.S. beæftan, from be, by, and æftan, behind.]

Bag, bag, n. a sack, pouch: specially the silken pouch to contain the back-hair of the wig: a measure of quantity for produce: a game-bag, i.e. the quantity of fish or game secured: an udder: (vulg. in pl.) trousers.—v.i. to bulge, swell out: (naut.) to drop away from the right course.—v.t. to cram full: to put into a bag, specially of game, hence to kill game, to seize, steal:—pr.p. bag′ging; pa.p. bagged.—ns. Bag′ging, cloth or material for bags; Bag′git, a salmon that has just spawned.—adj. Bag′gy, loose like a bag: inflated, verbose.—ns. Bag′man, a familiar name for a commercial traveller; Bag′-wig, an 18th-cent. wig, the back-hair of which was enclosed in an ornamental bag.—Bag and baggage, originally a military expression, hence the phrase, 'to march out with bag and baggage,' i.e. with all belongings saved: to make an honourable retreat: now used in the sense of 'to clear out completely.'—Bag of bones, an emaciated living being.—In the bottom of the bag, remaining as a last resource; The whole bag of tricks, every expedient; To give one the bag to hold, to engage any one and meanwhile disappear; To let the cat out of the bag, to disclose the secret. [M. E. bagge, perh. Scand.; not Celtic, as Diez suggests.]

Bagasse, ba-gas′, n. refuse in sugar-making. [Fr.; Sp. bagazo, husks of grapes or olives after pressing.]

Bagatelle, bag-a-tel′, n. a trifle: a piece of music in a light style: a game played on a board (7 feet long and 21 inches broad) with nine balls and a cue, the object being to put the balls down into as many numbered holes at the farther semicircular end of the board. [Fr.—It. bagatella, a conjurer's trick, a trifle.]

Baggage, bag′āj, n. the tents, provisions, and other necessaries of an army: (U.S.) traveller's luggage; a worthless woman: a saucy woman. [O. Fr. bagage—baguer, to bind up, from which we may infer all the meanings, without reference to Fr. bagasse, It. bagáscia, a strumpet.]

Bagnio, ban′yō, n. a bath, esp. one with hot baths: an Oriental place of detention: a stew or house of ill-fame. [It. bagno—L. balneum, a bath.]

Bagpipe, bag′pīp, n. a musical wind-instrument, consisting of a leathern bag fitted with pipes. The Highland bagpipe has five pipes: a, the mouthpiece, to keep the bag filled with air; b, the chanter, having a reed and finger-holes to produce the melody; and c, three drones with reeds, tuned to act as a bass to the chanter: (pl.) an inflated, senseless talker.—n. Bag′piper.

Bah, bä, interj. an exclamation of disgust or contempt. [Fr.]

Bahadur, ba-had′ōōr, n. a title of respect often added by natives to the names of English officers in India. [Hind. bahadur, brave.]

Baignoire, bān′war, n. a box at the theatre on a level with the stalls. [Orig. = 'bathing-box,' Fr. baigner, to bathe.]

Bail, bāl, n. one who procures the release of an accused person by becoming guardian or security for his appearing in court: the security given: (Spens.) jurisdiction.—v.t. to set a person free by giving security for him: to release on the security of another.—adj. Bail′able.—ns. Bail′-bond, a bond given by a prisoner and his surety upon being bailed; Bail′-dock, Bale′-dock, a room at the Old Bailey, London, in which prisoners were kept during the trials; Bailee′, one to whom goods are delivered in trust upon a contract; Bail′er, one who delivers goods to another in trust; Bail′ment, a delivery of goods in trust: the action of bailing a prisoner; Bails′man, one who gives bail for another.—To accept, admit to, allow bail, are all said of the magistrate; the prisoner offers, surrenders to his bail; the one who provides it goes, gives, or stands bail.—To give leg bail, to be beholden to one's legs for escape. [O. Fr. bail, jurisdiction—baillier, to control, deliver. Primarily implying 'custody' or 'charge,' the word became associated with Norm. Fr. bailler, to deliver—L. bajulus.]

Bail, bāl, v.t. (rare) to confine.—To bail up (Australia), to secure a cow's head during milking: to disarm travellers so as to be able to rob them without resistance. [Prob. conn. with the preceding word.]

Bail, bāl, n. palisades, barriers: a pole separating horses in an open stable. [M. E.—O. Fr. baile, perh. from baillier, to enclose. Others suggest a derivation from L. baculum, a stick.]

Bail, bāl, n. one of the cross pieces on the top of the wicket in cricket.—n. Bail′er, a ball bowled so as to hit the bails. [Prob. conn. with the preceding word.]

Bail, bāl, v.t. to clear (a boat) of water with bails or shallow buckets.—n. a man or instrument for bailing water out of a ship, pit, &c.—Also spelled Bale. [Fr. baille, a bucket, perh. from Low L. bacula, dim. of baca.]

Bailey, bāl′i, n. the outer court of a feudal castle: either of the two courts formed by the spaces between the circuits of walls, hence Outer and Inner Bailey.—The Old Bailey in London, the Central Criminal Court, from the ancient bailey between Lud Gate and New Gate. [Fr. baille, from Low L. ballium.]

Bailie, bāl′i, n. a municipal officer in Scotland corresponding to an English alderman: (obs.) a sheriff's officer; but cf. Scotch Wat′er-bail′ies, constables employed to carry out the Tweed Fisheries Acts: (obs.) the chief magistrate of a Scottish barony or part of a county, with functions like a sheriff's. [O. Fr. bailli, land-steward, officer of justice. See Bailiff.]

Bailiff, bāl′if, n. formerly any king's officer, e.g. sheriffs, mayors, &c., but applied specially to the chief officer of a hundred, still the title of the chief magistrate of various towns (e.g. High-bailiff of Westminster, cf. Bailiff of Dover Castle, also the bailly or first civil officer of the Channel Islands: a sheriff's officer: an agent or land-steward.—n. Bail′iwick, the jurisdiction of a bailiff. [O. Fr. baillif—Low L. bajulivus—bajalus, carrier, administrator. See Bail.]

Bairam, bī′ram, n. the name of two Mohammedan festivals—the Lesser Bairam lasting three days, after the feast of Ramadan, and the Greater Bairam seventy days later, lasting four days. [Pers.]

Bairn, bārn, n. (Scot.) a child.—adj. Bairn′-like.—ns. Bairn′team, Bairn′time, brood of children. [A.S. bearn—beran, to bear.]

Baisemain, bāz′mang, n. (obs.) mostly in pl., compliment paid by kissing the hand. [Fr. baiser, to kiss, and main, hand.]

Bait, bāt, n. food put on a hook to allure fish or make them bite: any allurement or temptation: a refreshment taken on a journey, or the time taken up by such.—v.t. to set food as a lure: to give refreshment on a journey: to set dogs on a bear, badger, &c.: to worry, persecute, harass.—v.i. to take refreshment on a journey. [M. E. beyten—Scand. beita, to make to bite, causal of bíta, to bite.]

Baize, bāz, n. a coarse woollen cloth with a long nap, used mainly for coverings, linings, &c., but in some countries for clothing. [Fr. baies, pl. of bai—L. badius, bay-coloured.]

Bajan. See Bejan.

Bake, bāk, v.t. to dry, harden, or cook by the heat of the sun or of fire: to prepare bread or other food in an oven: to harden as by frost.—v.i. to work as a baker: to become firm through heat.—pa.p. baked (bākt); pr.p. bāk′ing.—ns. Bake′house, a house or place used for baking in; Bake′meat (B.), pastry, pies.—pa.p. Bak′en = baked.—ns. Bak′er, one who bakes bread, &c.—(obs.) Bax′ter; Bak′ery, a bakehouse; Bake′stone, a flat stone or plate of iron on which cakes are baked in the oven; Bak′ing, the process by which bread is baked: the quantity baked at one time. [A.S. bacan; cog. with Ger. backen, to bake, Gr. phog-ein, to roast.]

Baksheesh. See Backsheesh.

Balaam, bā′lam, n. a prophet who strives to mislead, like Balaam in Numb. xxii.-xxiv.: unimportant paragraphs kept in readiness to fill up a newspaper.—ns. Bā′laam-box, or -bas′ket, a place in which paragraphs such as the foregoing are kept in readiness; Bā′laamite.—adj. Bālaamit′ical.

Balance, bal′ans, n. an instrument for weighing, usually formed of two dishes or scales hanging from a beam supported in the middle: act of weighing two things: equality or just proportion of weight or power, as the balance of power: the sum required to make the two sides of an account equal, hence the surplus, or the sum due on an account: what is needed to produce equilibrium, a counterpoise: (watchmaking) a contrivance which regulates the speed of a clock or watch.—v.t. to weigh in a balance: to counterpoise: to compare: to settle, as an account, to examine and test accounts in book-keeping, to make the debtor and creditor sides of an account agree.—v.i. to have equal weight or power, &c.: to hesitate or fluctuate.—p.adj. Bal′anced, poised so as to preserve equilibrium: well arranged, stable.—ns. Bal′ancer, an acrobat; Bal′ance-sheet, a sheet of paper showing a summary and balance of accounts; Bal′ance-wheel, a wheel in a watch or chronometer which regulates the beat or rate. [Fr.—L. bilanx, having two scales—bis, double, lanx, lancis, a dish or scale.]

Balanus. See Acorn-shell.

Balas, bal′as, n. a variety of the spinel ruby. [O. Fr. balais (It. balascio)—Low L. balascus—Pers. Badakhshān, a place near Samarcand where they are found.]

Balata, bal′a-ta, n. the gum of the bullet or bully tree of South America, used as a substitute for gutta-percha in insulating telegraph-wires.

Balbutient, bal-bū′shi-ent, adj. stammering. [L. balbutiens—balbūtīre, to stutter.]

Balcony, balk′on-i (18th c., bal-kō′ni), n. a stage or platform projecting from the wall of a building within or without, supported by pillars or consoles, and surrounded with a balustrade or railing: in theatres, usually the gallery immediately above the dress circle.—n. Bal′conette, a miniature balcony.—adj. Bal′conied. [It. balcōne—balco, of Teut. origin; Old High Ger. balcho (Ger. balken), Eng. Balk.]

Bald, bawld, adj. without hair (feathers, &c.) on the head (or on other parts of the body): bare, unadorned, destitute of literary grace: paltry, trivial: undisguised.—ns. Bald′-coot, popular name for the coot, from its pure white wide frontal plate: a monk—also Bald′icoot; Bald′-ea′gle, a common but inaccurate name for the American white-headed eagle, used as the national emblem.—adj. Bald′-faced, having white on the face, as a horse.—n. Bald′head, a person bald on the head.—adjs. Bald′-headed; Bald′ish, somewhat bald.—adv. Bald′ly.—ns. Bald′ness; Bald′pate, one destitute of hair: a kind of wild-duck.—adjs. Bald′pate, Bald′pated, destitute of hair. [Orig. 'shining,' 'white,' Ir. and Gael. bàl, 'white' spot; but perh. conn. with ball in the sense of 'rounded,' whence 'smooth,' 'hairless.']

Baldachin, bal′da-kin, n. silk brocade: a canopy, either supported on pillars, or fastened to the wall, over a throne, pulpit, or altar, &c.: in R.C. processions, a canopy borne over the priest who carries the Host. [It. baldacchino, Fr. baldaquin, a canopy, from It. Baldacco, Bagdad, whence was brought the stuff of which they were made.]

Balderdash, bawl′dėr-dash, n. idle senseless talk: anything jumbled together without judgment: obscene language or writing. [Ety. dub.; but cf. the prov. Eng. balder, to use coarse language, Dut. balderen, to roar. Some adduce Welsh baldorrdus—baldordd, idle noisy talk.]

Baldmoney, bawld′mun-i, n. popular name for several kinds of Gentian. [Ety. quite unknown.]

Baldrick, bawld′rik, n. a warrior's belt or shoulder-sash: (Spens.) the zodiac, being regarded as a gem-studded belt. [O. Fr. baldrei (Mid. High Ger. balderich, girdle)—Low L. baldringus, perh. from L. balteus.]

Bale, bāl, n. a bundle, or package of goods: (obs.) the set of dice for any special game.—v.t. to make into bales. [M. E. bale, perh. from O. Fr. bale—Old High Ger. balla, palla, ball. See Ball.]

Bale, bāl, v.t. to throw out water [See Bail.]

Bale, bāl, n. evil, injury, mischief: misery: woe.—adj. Bale′ful, full of misery, destructive: full of sorrow, sad.—adv. Bale′fully.—n. Bale′fulness.—Bliss and bale are often alliteratively opposed; also Boot and bale. [A.S. bealu; Old High Ger. balo; Ice. böl.]

Bale, bāl, n. (arch.—Morris) a fire, funeral pyre: (Scot.) a beacon-fire.—n. Bale′-fire, a blazing fire: a beacon-fire: a bonfire. Spenser confounds with Bale, woe. [A.S. bæl; Scand. bál; cog. with Gr. phalos, bright. See Beltane.]

Baleen, bā-lēn′, n. the whalebone of commerce. [Fr.—L. balæna, whale.]

Balistraria, bal-is-trār′i-a, n. an aperture or loophole in the wall of a fortification through which crossbowmen might discharge their bolts.—n. Bal′ister (obs.), name for an arbalester or crossbowman, also an arbalest or crossbow itself. [Low L. ballistrarius, balistra, a variant form of ballista, a crossbow.]

Balk, Baulk, bawk, n. a ridge left unploughed, intentionally or through carelessness: (obs.) an omission: squared timber: a tie-beam of a house, stretching from wall to wall, esp. when laid so as to form a loft, 'the balks:' (obs.) the beam of a balance: the rope by which fishing-nets are fastened together: a hindrance or disappointment.—v.t. to ignore, pass over: refuse: avoid: let slip: to check, disappoint, or elude: to meet arguments with objections.—v.i. to swerve, pull up: (Spens.) lie out of the way.—n. Balk′-line, in billiards, a line drawn across the table 28½ inches from the face of the bottom cushion—a ball is said to be in balk when within this space. [A.S. balca, ridge; Old High Ger. balcho.]

Ball, bawl, n. anything round: any celestial body, esp. the 'globe:' the golden orb borne with the sceptre as the emblem of sovereignty: a globular body to play with in tennis, football, golf, billiards, &c.: any rounded protuberant part of the body: a bullet, or any missile thrown from an engine of war: a rounded mass of anything: a throw or delivery of the ball at cricket: a well-known game played with a ball.—v.i. to gather itself into a ball, become clogged.—ns. Ball′-cart′ridge, a cartridge containing both powder and ball [Ball and Cartridge]; Ball′-cock, the stopcock of a cistern, attached to one end of a lever, at the other end of which is a hollow metal ball which rises and falls with the water, thus regulating the supply; Ball′-flow′er, an ornament of the decorated style of Gothic architecture, resembling a ball placed in a circular flower.—adj. Ball′-proof, proof against balls discharged from firearms.—Ball and socket, a joint formed of a ball partly enclosed in a cup, thus insuring great strength; Ball of the eye, the eye within the lids and socket.—No ball, a ball unfairly bowled.—Three golden or brass balls, the sign of a pawnbroker.—To have the ball at one's feet, to have a thing in one's power; To keep the ball up or rolling, to keep from flagging; To take up the ball, to take one's turn in anything.—Wide ball, one out of the batsman's reach. [M. E. bal, Scand. böllr; cog. with Old High Ger. ballo, pallo.]

Ball, bawl, n. an entertainment of dancing.—n. Ball′room.—To open the ball, to begin the dancing, to begin operations. [O. Fr. bal, baller, to dance—Low L. ballare, referred by some to Gr. ballizein.]

Ballad, bal′lad, n. a simple spirited narrative poem in short stanzas of two or four lines, in which a story is told in straightforward verse, often with great elaborateness and detail in incident, but always with graphic simplicity and force—a sort of minor epic: a simple song, usually of a romantic or sentimental nature, in two or more verses, each sung to the same melody, as in the so-called Ballad Concerts: any popular song, often scurrilous.—ns. Bal′ladist, a writer or singer of ballads; Bal′lad-monger, a dealer in ballads. [Fr. ballade, from ballare, to dance, being orig. a song sung to the rhythmic movement of a dancing chorus—a dramatic poem sung or acted in the dance, of which a shadow survives in the ring-songs of our children.]

Ballade, ba-lad′, n. a poem of one or more terns or triplets of seven or eight lined stanzas, each ending with the same line as refrain, and usually an envoy: now frequently used of any poem in stanzas of equal length.—Ballade royal, stanzas of seven or eight lines of ten syllables—called also Rime or Rhythm royal. [An earlier spelling of Ballad.]

Balladine, bal′a-dēn, n. a female public dancer. [Fr.]

Ballast, bal′last, n. heavy matter employed to give a ship sufficient immersion in the water, to insure her safe sailing with spread canvas, when her cargo and equipment are too light: that which renders anything steady.—v.t. to load with ballast: to make or keep steady: (Shak.) load.—n. Bal′last-heav′er. [Probably the Old Sw. barlast—bar, bare, and last, load, the mere load.]

Ballerina, bal-ler-ēn′a, n. a female dancer:—pl. Ballerine (bal-ler-in′), Ballerin′as. [It.]

Ballet, bal′lā, n. a theatrical exhibition composed of dancing, posturing, and pantomimic action: (obs.) a dance. [Fr.; dim. of bal, a dance.]

Ballista, Balista, bal-lis′ta, n. a Roman military engine in the form of a crossbow, which, like the catapulta and the onager, propelled large and heavy missiles, chiefly through the reaction of a tightly twisted rope, or else by a violent movement of levers.—adj. Ballis′tic, projectile.—ns. Ballis′tic-pen′dulum, an instrument for ascertaining the velocity of military projectiles; Ballis′tite, an improved kind of gunpowder. [L.—Gr. ballein, to throw.]

Ballium, bal′li-um, n. the Low L. form of Bailey.

Balloon, bal-lōōn′, n. an inflated air-tight envelope of paper or silk, constructed to float in the air and carry a considerable weight when filled with heated air or light gas: anything inflated, empty: (obs.) a game played with a large inflated ball.—v.i. to ascend in a balloon: to puff out like a balloon.—n. Balloon′ist, an aeronaut. [It. ballone, augmentative of balla, ball.]

Ballot, bal′ut, n. a little ball or ticket used in voting: a method of secret voting by putting a ball or ticket into an urn or box.—v.i. to vote by ballot: to select by secret voting (with for): draw lots for:—pr.p. bal′loting; pa.p. bal′loted.—ns. Bal′lotage, in France, the second ballot to decide which of two candidates has come nearest to the legal majority; Bal′lot-box, a box to receive balls or tickets when voting by ballot. [It. ballotta, dim. of balla, ball. See Ball.]

Balm, bäm, n. an aromatic substance: a fragrant and healing ointment: aromatic fragrance: anything that heals or soothes pain: a tree yielding balm: name of some fragrant garden herbs.—v.t. (arch.) to embalm: (Shak.) to anoint with fragrant oil: (arch.) to soothe.—n. Balm′iness.—adj. Balm′y, fragrant: mild and soothing: bearing balm.—Balm, or Balsam, of Gilead, the resin of the tree Balsamodendron Gileadense, formerly esteemed as an antiseptic, the name originating in the belief that this is the substance mentioned in the Bible as found in Gilead, and called in the English translation 'balm.' [O. Fr. basme—L. balsamum. See Balsam.]

Balm-cricket, bäm′-krik′et, n. (Tennyson) a cicada. [Ger. baum, a tree, and Cricket.]

Balmoral, bal-mor′al, n. a kind of Scotch cap: a figured woollen petticoat: a kind of boot lacing in front.

Balneology, bal-ne-ol′o-ji, n. the scientific study of bathing and of mineral springs. [L. balneum, bath.]

Balsam, bawl′sam, n. the common name of a genus of succulent herbaceous plants: a resinous oily substance generally supposed to be derived from a species of Balsamodendron, early famous in the East for its fragrance and medicinal virtues: (fig.) any healing agent.—v.t. to heal: (rare) embalm.—adjs. Balsam′ic, Bal′samous, having the qualities of balsam: soothing; Balsamif′erous, producing balsam; Bal′samy, fragrant.—Canada balsam, a kind of turpentine obtained from the Balm of Gilead fir. [L. balsamum—Gr. balsamon; prob. of Semitic origin.]

Baltimore, bal′tim-ōr, n. a finch-like perching bird of the starling family, very common in North America, called also Baltimore oriole, Fire-bird, &c. [From Lord Baltimore, whose livery was orange and black—its colour.]

Baluster, bal′ust-ėr, n. a small pillar used as a support to the rail of a staircase, &c.—adj. Bal′ustered.—n. Bal′ustrade, a row of balusters joined by a rail, forming an ornamental parapet to a balcony, &c. [Fr. balustre—Low L. balaustium—Gr. balaustion, the flower of the pomegranate; from the similarity of form.]

Bam, bam, n. a slang word for a hoax: a false tale.—v.t. to cheat or hoax. [See Bamboozle.]

Bambino, bam-bi′no, n. a term in art descriptive of the child Jesus, esp. of the swaddled figure of the infant Saviour exhibited at Christmas in Catholic churches. [It., dim. of bambo.]

Bamboo, bam-bōō′, n. a gigantic Indian reed or grass, with hollow-jointed stem, and of hard texture. [Malay bambu.]

Bamboozle, bam-bōō′zl, v.t. to deceive: to confound or mystify.—n. Bamboo′zlement. [Of cant origin—but not Gipsy; first appears about 1700.]

Ban, ban, n. a proclamation: sentence of banishment: outlawry: anathematisation: a denunciation: a curse.—v.t. (arch.) to curse: (prov.) to chide or rail upon: to anathematise: to proscribe. [A.S. bannan, to summon; the noun bann does not appear in A.S. (which has gebann), but is a common Teut. word, as in Old High Ger. and Scand. bann. The O. Fr. ban and Low L. bannum are of the same origin.]

Ban, ban, n. the governor of a Banat, an old name for the military divisions on the eastern boundaries of the Hungarian kingdom.—ns. Banate, Bannat. [Pers. bān, lord.]

Banal, bān′al, or ban′al, adj. commonplace, trivial.—n. Banal′ity, triviality. [Fr.]

Banana, ba-nä′na, n. a gigantic herbaceous plant, remarkable for its nutritious fruit. [Sp. or Port. banana, from the native name in Guinea.]

Banbury, ban′ber-i, n. a kind of cake made at Banbury, a town in Oxfordshire.

Banco, bang′ko, n. a commercial term meaning the standard money in which a bank keeps its accounts, as distinguished from the current money of the place.—In banco, applied to the sittings of a superior court of common law as a full court distinguished from sittings at Nisi Prius or on circuit. [It. See Bank.]

Band, band, n. that by which loose things are held together: (fig.) a moral bond of restraint or of obligation: a tie or connecting piece: (pl.) shackles, bonds, fetters (B.): (arch.) an agreement or promise given: (arch.) security given: (Spens.) a pledge. [M. E. band, bond; A.S. bend, from bindan, to bind. See Bind.]

Band, band, n. a strip of cloth, or the like, to bind round anything, as a hat-band, waist-band, &c.: a stripe crossing a surface distinguished by its colour or appearance: the neck-band or collar of a shirt, also the collar or ruff worn by both sexes in the 17th century (termed a falling-band later, when turned down over the shoulders): (pl.) the pair of linen strips hanging down in front from the collar, worn by some Protestant clergymen and by English barristers.—n. Band′age, a strip or swathe of cloth used by surgeons to keep a part of the body at rest, to apply pressure, or to retain dressings or apparatus in position—the two chief varieties, the roller and the triangular handkerchief bandage: a piece of cloth used to blindfold the eyes.—v.t. to bind with such.—n. Band′box, a light kind of box for holding bands, caps, millinery, &c.—p.adj. Band′ed, fastened as with a band: striped with bands: leagued, allied.—ns. Band′fish, a name given to various kinds of fish with long, thin, flat bodies; Band′saw, an endless saw, consisting of a toothed steel belt; Band′ster, one who binds the sheaves after the reapers. [M. E. bande—O. Fr. bande, of Teut. origin; cf. A.S. bindan; Ger. binde, a band, Eng. Bind.]

Band, band, n. a number of persons bound together for any common purpose: a troop of conspirators, confederates, &c.: a body of musicians, the company of musicians attached to a particular regiment in the army: (Scot.) band = bond.—v.t. to bind together.—v.i. to associate, assemble, confederate.—ns. Band′master, the leader of a band of musicians; Bands′man, a member of a band of musicians; Band′-stand, a platform for accommodating a band of musicians.—Band of Hope, an association of young persons—often mere infants—pledged to lifelong abstinence from alcoholic drinks—first instituted about 1847. [Fr. bande, of Teut. origin; cf. Bend, Bind.]

Band, band, v.t. (Spens.) to ban or banish.

Band, an obsolete pa.t. of Bind.

Bandana, Bandanna, ban-dan′a, n. a kind of silk or cotton coloured handkerchief, with a pattern of spots or diamond prints, originally from India. [Hind. bandhnū, the mode of dyeing these, bāndh, a cord.]

Bandeau, ban′dō, n. a fillet or narrow band worn by women to bind their hair:—pl. Ban′deaux. [Fr.]

Bandelet, band′e-let, n. (archit.) a small flat moulding or fillet surrounding a column. [Fr. bandelette.]

Bandelier, ban-de-lēr′, n. a form of Bandoleer.

Banderol, Banderole, ban′de-rōl, n. a small banner or streamer, as that borne on the shaft of a lance: (archit.) a flat band with an inscription common in Renaissance buildings. [Fr.]

Bandicoot, ban′di-kōōt, n. a genus of insectivorous marsupials found in Australia: the largest species of rat, found in India and Ceylon, called also Malabar rat and Pig-rat. [Telegu pandikokku, pig-rat.]

Bandied. See Bandy.

Bandit, ban′dit, n. an outlaw: a robber:—pl. Ban′dits, Banditt′i. [It. bandito—Low L. bannire, bandire, to proclaim. See Ban.]

Bandog, ban′dog, n. a dog tied up as a watch-dog, or because of its ferocity. [Band, fastening, and Dog.]

Bandoleer, Bandolier, ban-do-lēr′, n. a leathern belt worn by musketeers, to which their ammunition was fixed. [O. Fr. bandouillere—It. bandoliera, banda, a band.]

Bandoline, ban′do-lin, n. a gummy substance used for stiffening the hair and keeping it in shape. [Prob. from Band.]

Bandore, ban-dōr′, n. a musical instrument like a guitar, with three or more strings. [Sp. bandurria, Fr. mandore; L. pandura, Gr. pandoura.]

Bandrol, band′rōl, n. Same as Banderol.

Bands, of clergymen and barristers. See Band (2).

Bandy, ban′di, n. a club bent at the end for striking a ball: a game at ball with such a club (bandy-ball = hockey).—v.t. to beat to and fro as with a bandy: to toss from one to another (as words with any one) = to discuss or debate; to give and take blows or reproaches: (Shak.) to fight, strive:—pa.p. ban′died.—n. Ban′dying.—adj. Ban′dy-legged, having bandy or crooked legs. [Fr. bander, perh. conn. with bande, a side.]

Bane, bān, n. destruction: death: mischief: poison.—v.t. (arch.) to harm, to poison.—adj. Bane′ful, destructive.—adv. Bane′fully.—n. Bane′fulness. [A.S. bana, a murderer; Ice. bani, death.]

Bang, bang, n. a heavy blow: a sudden loud noise: an explosion.—v.t. to beat: to strike violently: to slam, as a door: to make a loud noise: to beat or surpass, to bounce upon.—interj. Bang, used with verbs like 'go,' &c., and in such a phrase as 'bang off.'—p.adj. Bang′ing, dealing blows: overwhelming.—adj. Bang′-up (slang), in the height of style or fashion.—n. Bang′ster (prov.), a braggart, a victor. [Scand. banga, to hammer; cf. Ger. bengel, a cudgel.]

Bang, bang, n. a woman's hair cut square across the brow.—p.adj. Banged, wearing the hair in such a way.—n. Bang′-tail, a horse's tail with the end squared. [An Americanism, doubtless from the phrase 'bang off.']

Bang. Same as Bhang.

Bangle, bang′gl, n. a ring, bracelet, or anklet.—adj. Ban′gled, adorned with such. [Hind. bangrī.]

Banian, Banyan, ban′yan, n. an Indian tree of the fig family, remarkable for its vast rooting branches: a Hindu trader, esp. from Guzerat, sometimes loosely applied to all Hindus in Western Asia: a loose flannel jacket or gown worn in India.—Banian days, a sailor's phrase, meaning days on which no meat is served out, hence days of short commons generally, from the abstinence from flesh of the Banian merchants. [Port. banian, perh. through Ar. banyān, from Hind. banya—Sans. vanij, a merchant.]

Banish, ban′ish, v.t. to condemn to exile: to drive away: to expel (with from, out of).—n. Ban′ishment, exile. [Fr. bannir—Low L. bannire, to proclaim. See Ban.]

Banister, ban′istėr, n. a corr. of Baluster.

Banjo, ban′jo, n. a musical instrument of the guitar kind, played with the fingers, but without frets to guide the stopping, having a long neck, a body of stretched parchment like a drum, and from five to nine catgut strings. [Corr. of Fr. bandore or pandore—L. pandura—Gr. pandoura.]

Bank, bangk, n. a mound or ridge of earth: the earthy margin of a river, lake, &c.: the raised edge of a road, railway cutting, &c.: (min.) the surface at the pit-mouth, as in banksman: rising ground in the sea.—v.t. to enclose with a bank: to deposit or pile up: to make up a fire by covering it with a heap of fuel so pressed down as to remain a long time burning slowly—banked fires.—n. Banks′man, an overseer at a pit-mouth.—From bank to bank, from the time the collier begins to descend the pit for his spell of work till he reaches the top again. [M. E. banke, of Scand. origin; cog. with Bank, Bench.]

Bank, bangk, n. a bench in a galley: a tier or rank of oars: the bench on which judges sat. [O. Fr. banc, of Teut. origin, cog. with the foregoing word.]

Bank, bangk, n. a place where money is deposited: an institution for the keeping, lending, and exchanging, &c. of money: in games of hazard, the money the proprietor, who plays against all the others, has before him.—v.t. to deposit in a bank, as money.—ns. Bank′-ā′gent, the head of a branch bank; Bank′-bill, a bill drawn by one bank upon another, payable at a future date, or on demand; Bank′-cheque, an order to pay issued upon a bank; Bank′er, one who keeps a bank: one employed in banking business:—fem. Bank′eress; Bank′-hol′iday, a day on which banks are legally closed, bills falling due on these being payable the following day; Bank′ing, the business of a banker.—adj. pertaining to a bank.—ns. Bank′-note, a note issued by a bank, which passes as money, being payable to bearer on demand; Bank′-pap′er, bank-notes in circulation; Bank′-stock, a share or shares in the capital stock of a bank; Branch′-bank, a branch office of a bank; Sav′ings-bank, one intended originally to develop a spirit of saving amongst the poor.—Bank annuities, the consolidated three per cent. annuities—British Government funds.—Bank of issue, one that issues its own notes, or promises to pay; Joint-stock bank, one of which the capital is subscribed by a large number of shareholders; Private bank, one carried on by any number of persons less than ten.—To break the bank, to win, as in faro, from the management a certain sum which has been fixed upon as the limit the bank is willing to lose on any one day; To play against the bank, to take the risks of a game against the manager who holds the bank, as at rouge-et-noir, &c. [Fr. banque, of Teut. origin, cog. with two foregoing words.]

Bankrupt, bangk′rupt, n. one who breaks or fails in business; an insolvent person.—adj. insolvent: destitute (with of).—n. Bank′ruptcy, the state of being or act of becoming bankrupt. [Fr. banque-route, It. banca rotta.]

Banksia, bangk′sia, n. a genus of Australian shrubs, named in honour of Sir Joseph Banks (1744-1820).

Banner, ban′ėr, n. a military standard: a flag or ensign bearing some device, as in processions, &c.—adj. Ban′nered, furnished with banners. [O. Fr. banere—Low L. bandum, bannum; cog. with Band and Bind.]

Banneret, ban′ėr-et, n. a higher class of knight, inferior to a baron. [Fr. dim. of Banner.]

Bannerol, ban′ėr-ol, n. Same as Banderol.

Banning, ban′ning, n. cursing. [See Ban.]

Bannock, ban′nok, n. a flat home-made cake of oatmeal, barley, or pease-meal. [Gael. bannach.]

Banns, banz, n.pl. a proclamation of marriage.—To forbid the banns, to make formal objection to a projected marriage. [From Ban.]

Banquet, bangk′wet, n. a feast: any rich treat or entertainment: a course of sweetmeats, fruit, and wine, separately, or after the principal meal—still used in the Scotch phrase, 'a cake and wine banquet.'—v.t. to give a feast to.—v.i. to fare sumptuously.—ns. Banq′ueter, Banq′ueteer; Banq′ueting; Banq′ueting-house. [Fr.;—banc, bench, like It. banchetto, from banco.]

Banquette, bang-ket′, n. a raised way inside a parapet; the long seat behind the driver in a French diligence. [Fr.; It. banchetta, dim. of banca, seat.]

Banshee, ban′shē, n. a female fairy in Ireland and elsewhere, who makes herself known by wailings and shrieks before a death in the particular family to which she is attached. [Ir. bean sídhe, Old Ir. ben síde, woman of the fairies.]

Bantam, ban′tam, n. a small variety of the common domestic fowl, supposed to be named from Bantam in Java, notable for courage.—adj. of bantam-breed: little and combative.

Banter, bant′ėr, v.t. to assail with good-humoured raillery: to joke or jest at: (arch.) to impose upon, trick.—n. humorous raillery: jesting.—ns. Bant′erer; Bant′ering.—adv. Bant′eringly.—adj. Bant′ery (Carlyle). [Ety. quite unknown.]

Banting, bant′ing, n. a system of diet for reducing superfluous fat.—n. Bant′ingism. [From W. Banting (1797-1878), a London cabinetmaker, who recommended it to the public in 1863.]

Bantling, bant′ling, n. a child. [So called from the bands in which it is wrapped.]

Bantu, ban′tōō, n. a native name sometimes applied to the South African family of languages and the peoples speaking these, including Kaffirs and Zulus, Bechuans, and the peoples from the Hottentot country to the Gulf of Guinea.

Banxring, bangks′ring, n. a small insectivorous animal of Java and Sumatra. [Jav.]

Banyan. See Banian.

Baobab, bā′o-bab, n. a magnificent tree, native to tropical Western Africa, whose trunk is 20 to 30 feet thick, called also the Monkey-bread Tree. [African.]

Baphomet, baf′ō-mėt, n. the alleged name of a mysterious idol the Templars were accused of worshipping.—adj. Baph′ometic. [A medieval corr. of the name Mahomet.]

Baptise, bapt-īz′, v.t. to administer baptism to: to christen, give a name to.—n. Bapt′ism, immersion in or sprinkling with water as a religious ceremony—a sign and seal of the covenant of grace. It is symbolic of spiritual purification, and as a religious rite marks initiation into the Christian community.—adj. Baptis′mal.—adv. Baptis′mally.—ns. Bapt′ist, one who baptises: one who approves only of baptising by immersion, and that only to persons who profess their faith in Christ; Bap′tistery, a place where baptism is administered, either a separate building or a portion of a church.—Baptismal regeneration, the doctrine of the remission of sin original and actual, and of the new birth into the life of sanctifying grace, in and through the sacrament of baptism; Baptism by desire, the grace given to a believer who ardently desires baptism, but dies before he can receive it; Baptism for the dead, the vicarious baptism of a living Christian for an unbaptised dead Christian, who was thereby accounted baptised and received into bliss—it is supposed to be alluded to in 1 Cor. xv. 29; Baptism of blood, martyrdom for Christ's sake; Baptism of fire, the gift of the Holy Spirit: martyrdom by fire for Christ's sake: (fig.) any trying ordeal to be endured, as a young soldier's first experience of being under fire; Clinical baptism, baptism administered to sick persons; Conditional (or Hypothetical) baptism, baptism administered to those about whom it is doubtful whether they were baptised or whether the form of their earlier baptism was valid; Name of baptism, the Christian or personal name given at baptism; Private baptism, baptism administered at home, or elsewhere, not in the church. [Gr. baptiz-ein—bapt-ein, to dip in water.]

Bar, bär, n. a rod of any solid substance: a bolt: a hindrance or obstruction—the barrier of a city or street, as the bars of York, Temple Bar, a toll-bar: a bank of sand or other matter at the mouth of a river: any terminus or limit (of life)—e.g. as in To cross the bar: the railing that encloses a space in a tavern, the counter across which drinks are served, a public-house: the wooden rail dividing off the judge's seat, at which prisoners are placed for arraignment or sentence—hence, To appear at the bar, To pass the bar = to be formally referred for trial from a lower court to a higher: any tribunal: the pleaders in a court as distinguished from the judges: a division in music.—v.t. to fasten or secure, as with a bar: to hinder or exclude:—pr.p. bar′ring; pa.p. barred.—ns. Bar′-ī′ron, iron in malleable bars; Bar′maid, a female waiter at the bar of a tavern or hotel.—prep. Bar′ring, excepting, saving.—ns. Bar′ring-out, the shutting of the school-room doors and windows by the pupils against the master, in order to enforce assent to their demands; Bar′wood, a kind of red dye-wood imported from Africa in bars. [O. Fr. barre—Low L. barra, perh. of Celt. origin.]

Baracan. Same as Barracan.

Baragouin, bä-rag-wēn, n. any jargon or unintelligible language. [Fr.; from Bret. bara, bread, and gwîn, wine, supposed to have originated in the Breton soldiers' astonishment at white bread.]

Barb, bärb, n. the beard-like jag near the point of an arrow, fish-hook, &c.—v.t. to arm with barbs, as an arrow, &c.: to shave, trim, mow, to pierce, as with a barb.—adjs. Barb′ate (bot.), bearing a hairy tuft; Barb′ated, barbed, bearded.—n. Barbe, a term applied by the Waldenses to their teachers.—adjs. Barbed, furnished with a barb: of a horse, armed or caparisoned with a barb or bard; Barb′ellate (bot.), having barbed or bearded bristles. [Fr.—L. barba, a beard.]

Barb, bärb, n. a swift kind of horse, the breed of which came from Barbary in North Africa.

Barbacan. See Barbican.

Barbarous, bär′bar-us, adj. uncivilised: rude: savage: brutal.—adjs. Bar′baresque, pertaining to Barbary: barbarous, esp. in art; Barbār′ian, uncivilised: savage: without taste or refinement: foreign.—n. an uncivilised man, a savage: a cruel, brutal man.—adj. Barbar′ic, foreign: uncivilised.—n. Barbarisā′tion.—v.t. Bar′barise, to make barbarous: to corrupt as a language.—ns. Bar′barism, savage life: rudeness of manners: an incorrect form of speech; Barbar′ity, savageness: cruelty.—adv. Bar′barously.—n. Bar′barousness. [L.—Gr. barbaros, foreign, lit. stammering, from the unfamiliar sound of foreign tongues.]

Barbary ape, bär′bar-i āp, n. the magot, or small tailless ape found in Africa and also on the rock of Gibraltar.

Barbecue, bärb′e-kū, v.t. to roast whole, as a pig: to cure flesh by exposing it on a barbecue.—n. a framework on which to dry and smoke meat above a fire: an animal roasted whole: an open floor on which coffee-beans and the like are spread out to dry: (Amer.) a large social or political entertainment, where the hospitalities are on a lavish scale. [Sp. barbacoa—Haytian barbacòa, a framework of sticks set upon posts.]

Barbel, bärb′el, n. a fresh-water fish with beard-like appendages at its mouth. [O. Fr. barbel—Low L. barbellus—L. barba, a beard.]

Barber, bärb′ėr, n. one who shaves beards and dresses hair.—ns. Barb′er-mong′er (Shak.), a man decked out by his barber, a fop; Barb′er-sur′geon, one who let blood and drew teeth as well as shaved—the company of Barber-surgeons was incorporated in 1461, but by an act in 1545 barbers were confined to the more humble function.—Barber's block, a round block on which wigs are made; Barber's pole, the barber's sign in England, a pole striped spirally with alternate bands of colours, generally red or black and white, having often a brass basin hung at the end. [Fr.—L. barba, a beard.]

Barberry, bär′ber-i, n. a thorny shrub with yellow flowers and red berries, common in hedges. [Low L. berberis; the Ar. barbaris is borrowed.]

Barbette, bar-bėt′, n. an earthen terrace inside the parapet of a rampart, serving as a platform for heavy guns: in ironclad ships, a heavily armoured redoubt amidships. [Fr.]

Barbican, bär′bi-kan, n. a projecting watch-tower over the gate of a castle or fortified town, esp. the outwork intended to defend the drawbridge. [O. Fr. barbacane, also in Sp., Port., and It. forms; perh. of Ar. or Pers. origin. Col. Yule suggests bābkhānah, gate-house, name in the East for a towered gateway.]

Barbule, bärb′ūl, n. (bot.) a small barb or beard: a pointed barb-like process fringing the barbs of a feather. [See Barbel.]

Barcarolle, bär′ka-rōl, n. a boat-song of the Venetian gondoliers: a musical composition of a similar character. [It. barcaruolo, a boatman, from barca, a bark, a barge, a boat.]

Bard, bärd, n. a poet and singer among the ancient Celts: a poet—dims. Bard′ling, Bard′let, poetaster.—n. Bard′-craft (Browning).—adj. Bard′ic. [Gael. and Ir. bàrd.]

Barded, bärd′ed, adj. caparisoned, as horses.—n. Bard (obs.), the protective covering of a war-horse or a man-at-arms. [Fr. barde—Sp. albarda, pack-saddle, perh. from Ar. al-barda‛ah; al, the, and barda‛ah, mule's pack-saddle.]

Bare, bār, adj. uncovered: naked: open to view: poor, scanty: unadorned: (Shak.) unarmed: mere or by itself: (Shak.) paltry, desolate: empty: (Spens.) rude.—v.t. to strip or uncover.—adj. Bare′backed, with bare back: unsaddled.—n. Bare′bone (Shak.), a very lean person.—adj. Bare′faced, with the face uncovered: (Shak.) avowed: impudent.—adv. Bare′facedly.—n. Bare′facedness.—adjs. Bare′foot, -ed, having the feet bare, often of some monastic orders; Bare′-gnawn (Shak.), gnawed bare; Bare′headed, having the head bare; Bar′ish (Carlyle), somewhat bare; Bare′legged, having the legs bare.—adv. Bare′ly.—ns. Bare′ness; Bare′sark, a fierce Norse fighter, a berserker.—adv. in a shirt only. [A.S. bær; Ger. baar, bar; Ice. berr.]

Bare, bār, old pa.t. of Bear.

Barage, ba-rāzh′, n. a light, silky dress-stuff, named from Barèges in the Pyrenees.

Bargain, bär′gin, n. a contract or agreement: a favourable transaction: an advantageous purchase: (Shak.) chaffering.—v.i. to make a contract or agreement: to chaffer: to count on, take into consideration (with for): to lose by bad bargaining (with away).—n. Bar′gainer.—Bargain and sale, in law, a mode of conveyance whereby property may be assigned or transferred for valuable consideration.—Into the bargain, over and above; To make the best of a bad bargain, to make the best of difficult circumstances; To sell any one a bargain (Shak.), to befool him; To strike a bargain, to come to terms about a purchase. [O. Fr. bargaigner—Low L. barcaniare; acc. to Diez from barca, a boat.]

Barge, bärj, n. flat-bottomed freight boat, with or without sails, used on rivers and canals: the second boat of a man-of-war: a large pleasure or state boat.—ns. Bar′gee, a bargeman; Barge′man, The manager of a barge; Barge′-mas′ter, the proprietor of a barge. [O. Fr. barge—Low L. barga. Prob. a doublet of Bark, a barge.]

Barge-board, barj′-bōrd, n. a board extending along the edge of the gable of a house to cover the rafters and keep out the rain. [The barge here may be conn. with Low L. bargus, a gallows.]

Barghest, bär′gest, n. a dog-like goblin portending death. [Perh. conn. with Ger. berg-geist, mountain-ghost.]

Baric. See Barium.

Barilla, bar-il′a, n. an impure carbonate of soda obtained by burning several marine plants (that grow chiefly on the east coast of Spain), used in the manufacture of soap, glass, &c. [Sp. barrilla.]

Baritone, bar′i-tōn. Same as Barytone.

Barium, bā′ri-um, n. the metal present in heavy spar (sulphate of baryta) and baryta, formerly thought to be white, but now known to possess a yellow colour.—adj. Bar′ic. [From Baryta; cf. soda, sodium.]

Bark, bärk, n. the abrupt cry uttered by a dog, wolf, &c.—v.i. to yelp like a dog: to clamour.—v.t. (Spens.) to utter with a bark.—n. Bark′er, a shop-tout: (slang) a pistol, cannon.—His bark is worse than his bite, his angry expressions are worse than his actual deeds. [A.S. beorcan, prob. a variety of brecan, to crack, snap. See Break.]

Bark, Barque, bärk, n. a barge: a ship of small size, square-sterned, without head-rails: technically, a three-masted vessel whose mizzen-mast is fore-and-aft rigged instead of being square-rigged, like the fore and main masts—barks of over 3000 tons are now frequently built.—ns. Bar′kantine, Bar′quentine, a three-masted vessel, with the fore-mast square-rigged, and the main-mast and mizzen-mast fore-and-aft rigged. [Fr. barque—Low L. barca; perh. from Gr. baris, a Nile-boat.]

Bark, bärk, n. the rind or covering of the trunk and branches of a tree: that used in tanning or dyeing, or the residue thereof, laid upon a street to deaden the sound, &c.: the envelopment or outer covering of anything.—v.t. to strip or peel the bark from: to rub off (skin).—n. Bark′-bed, a hotbed made of spent bark.—v.t. Bark′en, to dry up into a barky substance.—v.i. to become like bark.—adjs. Bark′less; Bark′y.—Cinchona, Jesuits', Peruvian bark, the bark of the cinchona, from which quinine is made. [Scand. börkr; Dan. bark.]

Barker's mill, bärk′ėrz mil, a water-wheel invented in the 18th century by Dr Barker.

Barley, bär′li, n. a hardy grain used for food, but chiefly for making malt liquors and spirits.—ns. Bar′ley-bree, -broth, strong ale; Bar′ley-corn, personified as John Barleycorn, the grain from which malt is made: a single grain of barley: a measure of length = ⅓ of an inch; Bar′ley-su′gar, a mixture of sugar with a decoction of pearl-barley, boiled till it is candied; Bar′ley-wat′er, a decoction of pearl-barley; Pearl′-bar′ley, the grain stripped of husk and pellicle, and completely rounded by grinding; Pot′-bar′ley, the grain deprived by milling of its outer husk, used in making broth, &c. [A.S. bærlíc, bere, and suffix -líc.]

Barley, bär′li, interj. (Scot.) a term used in games in demand of a truce, parley (of which it is most prob. a corruption).

Barley-brake, bär′li-brāk, n. an old country game, originally played by three couples, of which one, left in a middle den called 'hell,' had to catch the others, who could break or separate when about to be overtaken. [Perh. from the grain, barley, because often played in a barley-field; or perh. from the word preceding.]

Barm, bärm, n. froth of beer or other fermenting liquor, used as leaven: yeast.—adjs. Barm′y; Barm′y-brained, flighty. [A.S. beorma; cog. with Dan. bärme, Ger. bärme.]

Barmbrack, bärm′brak, n. a currant-bun. [Ir. bairigen breac, speckled cake.]

Barm-cloth, bärm′-kloth, n. (Morris) an apron. [A.S. barm, bosom, -beran, to bear, and Cloth.]

Barmecide, bär′me-sīd, n. one who offers an imaginary or pretended banquet or other benefit.—adjs. Bar′mecide, Barmecī′dal. [From a story in the Arabian Nights, in which a beggar is entertained to an imaginary feast by one of the Barmecides, a Persian family who attained to great influence at the court of the Abbasside caliphs.]

Barmkin, bärm′kin, n. the rampart of a castle.

Barn, bärn, n. a building in which grain, hay, &c. are stored.—v.t. to store in a barn.—ns. and adjs. Barn′-door, Barn′-yard, as in barn-yard fowl.—n. Barn′-owl, the commonest of British owls.—Barn-door, in cricket, used of a player who blocks every ball: humorously, any large target. [A.S. bere-ern, contracted bern, from bere, barley, ern, a house.]

Barnaby, bärn′a-bi, n. form of Barnabas, the apostle.—n. Bar′nabite, a member of the congregation of regular canons of St Paul, founded at Milan in 1530, so called from their preaching in the church of St Barnabas there.—Barnaby-day, Barnaby bright, or Long Barnaby, St Barnabas' Day, 11th June, in Old Style reckoned the longest day.

Barnacle, bär′na-kl, n. a shellfish which adheres to rocks and the bottoms of ships: a companion who sticks closely.—n. Bar′nacle-goose, a species of wild goose belonging to the Northern seas, so called from a notion that they were produced from the barnacles mentioned. [O. Fr. bernaque—Low L. bernaca; by some referred to a supposed form pernacula, dim. of perna, a kind of shellfish; by others to a Celtic origin.]

Barnacle, bär′na-kl, n. an instrument consisting of two branches joined by a hinge, placed on the nose of horses to keep them quiet: (pl.) a colloquial term for 'spectacles.'—adj. Bar′nacled. [O. Fr. bernac, of which bernacle seems to be a dim. form. The sense of 'spectacles' has been traced to O. Fr. bericle, eye-glass—berillus, beryl; but this is improbable.]

Barney, bär′ni, n. (slang) humbug: a prize-fight.

Barnumise, bär′num-īz, v.t. to advertise and display on a great scale.—n. Bar′numism. [From Barnum, a great showman (1810-91).]

Barograph, bar′o-graf, n. a barometer which records automatically variations of atmospheric pressure. [Gr. baros, weight, graphein, to write.]

Barometer, bar-om′et-ėr, n. an instrument by which the weight or pressure of the atmosphere is measured, and changes of weather, or heights above sea-level, indicated.—adj. Baromet′ric.—adv. Baromet′rically.—n. Barom′etry. [Gr. baros, weight, metron, measure.]

Barometz, bar′o-metz, n. the hairy prostrate stem of a fern found near the Caspian Sea, at one time supposed to be at once plant and animal, to grow on a stalk, and to eat grass like a lamb, &c.; hence also called, as by Mandeville, the Scythian Lamb. [Erroneous form of Russ. baranetz, dim. of baran, ram.]

Baron, bar′on, n. a title of rank, the lowest in the House of Peers: formerly a title of the judges of the Court of Exchequer: in feudal times the tenants-in-chief of the Crown, later the peers or great lords of the realm generally: till 1832, the name for the parliamentary representatives of the Cinque Ports: in Germany, the signification, instead of becoming restricted as in England, has become extended—the greater or dynasty barons having all been elevated to higher titles, a large number being designated barons in virtue of a diploma from some reigning prince, the title being used also by all his descendants.—ns. Bar′onage, the whole body of barons; Bar′on-bail′ie, a magistrate appointed by the lord-superior in a burgh of barony; Bar′oness, a baron's wife, or a lady holding a baronial title in her own right.—adj. Barōn′ial, pertaining to a baron or barony.—n. Bar′ony, the territory of a baron: in Ireland, a division of a county: in Scotland, a large freehold estate, or manor, even though not carrying with it a baron's title and rank: the rank of baron.—Baron of beef, a joint consisting of two sirloins left uncut at the backbone. [O. Fr. barun, -on—Low L. baro, -onem; in the Romance tongues the word meant a man as opposed to a woman, a strong man, a warrior; traced by some to Celt. bar, a hero; by others to Old High Ger. bero, bearer, carrier.]

Baronet, bar′on-et, n. the lowest hereditary title in the United Kingdom (of England—now of Great Britain—since 1611; of Scotland—or of Nova Scotia—since 1625; of Ireland, since 1619).—ns. Bar′onetage, the whole body of baronets: a list of such; Bar′onetcy.—adj. Baronet′ical. [Dim. of Baron.]

Baroque, bar-ōk′, adj. originally a jeweller's term, but applied in art generally to extravagant ornamental designs: whimsical, odd. [Fr. baroque; perh. from L. verruca, wart, but referred by some to Ar. burāq, hard earth mixed with stones.]

Baroscope, bar′ō-skōp, n. an instrument for indicating changes in the density of the air. [Gr. baros, weight, skopein, to see.]

Barouche, ba-rōōsh′, n. a double-seated four-wheeled carriage with a falling top. [It. baroccio—L. birotus, two-wheeled, from bis, twice, rota, a wheel.]

Barque. Same as Bark (2).

Barquentine, bär′ken-tēn, n. same as Barkantine (q.v. under Bark, a ship). [Formed from Barque, like Brigantine from Brig.]

Barracan, bar′a-kan, n. a thick, strong stuff resembling camlet. [Fr.; It.—Ar. barrakān, a dark dress, Pers. barak, a stuff made of camel's hair.]

Barrace, bar′as, n. (obs.) the lists in a tournament. [O. Fr. barras—barre, bar.]

Barrack, bar′ak, n. a building for soldiers, esp. in garrison (generally in pl.). [Fr. baraque (It. baracca, Sp. barraca, a tent); acc. to Diez from barra, bar.]

Barracoon, bar′a-kōōn, n. a depôt for slaves. [Sp.—barraca.]

Barracoota, -cuda, bar′a-kōō′ta, -kōō′da, n. a voracious West Indian fish.—Also Barracou′ta, an Australian food-fish. [Sp.]

Barrage, bär′āj, n. the forming of an artificial bar in order to deepen a river. [Fr. barrage—barre, bar.]

Barrator, bar-āt′or, n. one who vexatiously stirs up lawsuits, quarrels, &c.—adj. Bar′ratrous.—adv. Bar′ratrously.—n. Bar′ratry, fraudulent practices on the part of the master or mariners of a ship to the prejudice of the owners: vexatious litigation, or the stirring up of suits and quarrels among subjects, forbidden under penalties to lawyers: traffic in offices of church or state. [O. Fr. barateor—barat, deceit; traced by some to Gr. prattein, by others to a Celt. or a Scand. origin.]

Barrel, bar′el, n. a cylindrical wooden vessel made of curved staves bound with hoops: the quantity which such a vessel contains (36 imperial gallons of ale and beer): a certain weight or quantity of other goods usually sold in casks called barrels: anything long and hollow, as the barrel of a gun, or cylindrical and barrel-shaped.—v.t. to put in a barrel.—n. Bar′rel-bulk, a measurement of five cubic feet.—p.adj. Bar′relled, having a barrel or barrels: placed in a barrel.—ns. Bar′rel-or′gan, an organ in which the music is produced by a barrel or cylinder set with pins, the revolution of which opens the key-valves and produces the music; Barrel-vault, a vault with a simple semi-cylindrical roof.—adj. Bar′rel-vault′ed. [Fr. baril (Sp. barril, It. barile)—Low L. barile, barillus, possibly from barra, bar.]

Barren, bar′en, adj. incapable of bearing offspring: unfruitful: dull, stupid: unprofitable (with of).—adj. Bar′ren-beat′en.—adv. Bar′renly.—n. Bar′renness.—adjs. Bar′ren-spir′ited; Bar′ren-wit′ted. [O. Fr. barain, brahain, brehaing, perh. from bar, man, as if 'male-like, not producing offspring.']

Barret, bar′et, n. a flat cap, esp. the Biretta (q.v.). [Fr. barrette, Sp. birreta. See Biretta.]

Barricade, bar′ik-ād, n. a temporary fortification raised to hinder the advance of an enemy, as in the street fights of Parisian insurrections.—v.t. to obstruct: to fortify.—Earlier form Barricā′do. [Fr.; barrique, a cask, the first street barricades having consisted of casks filled with stones, &c. See Bar.]

Barrico, bar-ē′ko, n. a small cask. [Sp.]

Barrier, bar′i-ėr, n. a defence against attack: a limit or boundary: a fence, railing, gate where customs are collected: the lists in a tournament: any obstacle that keeps apart: (pl.) a martial exercise in 15th and 16th centuries.—v.t. to shut by means of a barrier.—n. Bar′rier-reef, a coral-reef surrounding an island or fringing a coast with a navigable channel inside.—Barrier Act, an act passed by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1697 as a security against innovations, decreeing that changes in the law of the Church, even when approved by the Assembly, shall not become law till approved also by a majority of presbyteries. [O. Fr. barrière—Low L. barraria—barra, bar.]

Barrister, bar′is-tėr, n. one who is qualified to plead at the bar in an English or Irish law-court.—adj. Barristēr′ial.—n. Bar′ristership.—Revising barrister, a barrister appointed annually by the English judges to revise the lists and settle who are the persons entitled to vote for members of parliament. [From barra, bar, the suffix being undetermined.]

Barrow, bar′rō, n. a small hand or one-wheel carriage used to bear or convey a load.—n. Bar′row-tram, the shaft of a barrow. [M. E. barewe, from an assumed A.S. form bearwe—beran, to bear.]

Barrow, bar′rō, n. originally a mountain, hillock: a mound raised over graves in former times. [A.S. beorg; cog. with Ger. berg.]

Barrow, bar′rō, n. a long sleeveless flannel garment for infants. [A.S. beorgan, to protect.]

Bar-sinister. Variant of Baton-sinister (q.v. under Baton).

Barter, bär′tėr, v.t. to give one thing in exchange for another (with for, away).—v.i. to traffic by exchanging.—n. traffic by exchange of commodities.—n. Bar′terer, one who barters. [Prob. from O. Fr. barat.]

Bartholomew-tide, bar-thol′o-mū-tīd, n. the day of the festival of St Bartholomew, 24th August: the name was also applied to things sold at the fair.—Often spelt Bar′tlemy.—Black Bartholomew, 24th August 1662, the day on which the Act of Uniformity came into force within the Church of England.

Bartisan, bär′ti-zan, n. a small overhanging turret projecting from an angle on the top of a tower. [Apparently an adaptation by Scott of Scot. bertisene, traceable to O. Fr. bretesche, a parapet of wood.]

Barton, bar′ton, n. a farm-yard. [A.S. bere-tún, yard, bere, barley, and tún, enclosure.]

Barycentric, bar-i-sen′trik, adj. pertaining to the centre of gravity. [Gr. barys, heavy, kentron, centre.]

Baryta, ba-rī′ta, Barytes, ba-rī′tēz, n. the earth present in the minerals witherite and heavy spar.—adj. Baryt′ic, of or containing baryta. [From Gr. barys, heavy.]

Barytone, bar′i-tōn, n. a deep-toned male voice between bass and tenor: a singer with such a voice: in Greek, applied to words not having an acute accent on the last syllable. [Through Fr. from Gr. barys, heavy, deep, and tonos, a tone.]

Basalt, bas-awlt′, n. a hard, dark-coloured rock of igneous origin.—adj. Basalt′ic. [L. basaltes, an African word.]

Basanite, bas′an-īt, n. a kind of quartz serviceable for testing the purity of the precious metals by the marks made. [Gr. basanos, touchstone.]

Basbleu. Same as Blue-stocking (q.v. under Blue).

Bascinet. Same as Basinet.

Bascule, bas′kūl, n. an apparatus of the lever kind, in which one end is raised while the other is depressed. [Fr. bas, down, and cul, the posteriors.]

Base, bās, n. that on which a thing rests: foot: bottom: foundation: support: the chief ingredient, as in dyeing and chemistry: the starting-point, in a race: the fixed goal across which the ball is struck in hockey, the fixed stations at base-ball: the point from which the operations of a campaign are conducted: a measured line serving as a basis for trigonometrical calculations: the surface on which a plane or solid figure stands: (chem.) a term applied to a compound body, generally consisting of a metal united with oxygen; (archit.) the foot or lower member of a pillar, on which the shaft rests: (her.) the lower portion of the shield—any figure placed on it is said to be 'in base:' a small portion of the base of a shield parted off by a horizontal line is sometimes called a base.—v.t. to found or place on a base:—pr.p. bās′ing; pa.p. based (bāst).—adjs. Bas′al, Bas′ilar, pertaining to or situated at the base, esp. of the skull; Base′less, without a base or foundation.—ns. Base′lessness; Base′ment, the base or lowest story of a building.—adj. Bas′en-wide (Spens.), widely extended.—n. Base′-plate, the foundation plate of a piece of heavy machinery.—n.pl. Bas′es, a kind of embroidered mantle which hung down from the middle to about the knees or lower, worn by knights on horseback: (Spens.) armour for the legs.—ns. Base′-string, the string of a musical instrument that gives the lowest note; Base′-vīol (same as Bass-viol).—adj. Bas′ic (chem.), belonging to or of the nature of a base.—v.t. Bas′ify (chem.), to convert into a salifiable base:—pr.p. bās′ifying; pa.p. bās′ifīed. [Fr.—L.—Gr. basis—ba-, in bainein, to go.]

Base, bās, adj. low in place, value, estimation, or principle: mean: vile: worthless: debased: counterfeit: (law) servile, as opposed to free: humble: (B. and Shak.) lowly.—adj. Base′-born, illegitimate.—adv. Base′ly.—adj. Base′-mind′ed, of a low mind or spirit: mean.—n. Base′ness.—adj. Base′-spir′ited, mean-spirited. [Fr. bas—Low L. bassus, thick, fat, a vulgar Roman word, found also in name Bassus.]

Base, bās, v.t. a form of Abase.

Base, bās, n. an old game played by two sides occupying contiguous spaces, called bases or homes, off which any player is liable to be touched with the hand or struck by a ball by the enemy, and so attached to their sides. Forms of this game are known as Prisoner's Base or Bars, and Rounders, and the national American game of Base-ball is a development from it.

Base-ball, bās′-bawl, n. a game played with a bat and a ball, and run round bases, marking the circuit to be taken by each player of the inside after striking the ball. There are nine players on each side; the pitcher, of the one side, throws the ball; one of the other side tries to hit it as it passes him; and the runs to the bases are regulated according as the ball falls inside or outside certain lines, &c. A development from rounders, base-ball has been the American national game since 1865. [Coupled with cricket in Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey (written 1798).]

Basecourt, bās′kōrt, n. the outer court of a mansion, which contained the stable-yard and servants' accommodation, as distinguished from the principal quadrangle: an inferior court of justice. [Fr. basse-court.]

Basenet. Same as Basinet.

Bash, bash, v.t. to beat or smash in.—n. Bash. [Prob. Scand.]

Bashaw, ba-shaw′, n. a pasha: a haughty man—now usually written Pasha or Pacha (q.v.).—ns. Bashaw′ism, Bashaw′ship. [Turk.]

Bashful, bash′fōōl, adj. easily confused: modest: shy: wanting confidence.—v.i. Bash (Spens.), to be abashed.—adv. Bash′fully.—n. Bash′fulness.—adj. Bash′less, unashamed. [See Abash.]

Bashi-bazouk, bash′i-ba-zōōk′, n. a Turkish irregular trooper. They are mostly Asiatics, and are brutal plundering ruffians, capable, as in 1876 in Bulgaria, of the most devilish atrocities. [Turk. bashi-bozuq.]

Bashlyk, bash′lik, n. a kind of hood with long ends worn in Russia. [Russ. bashluikŭ, a Caucasian hood.]

Basil, baz′il, n. a mainly tropical or subtropical genus of Labiatæ, characterised by a pleasant aromatic smell and taste, and reckoned amongst sweet herbs.—Sweet basil is an Indian annual long cultivated in Europe for seasoning purposes. [O. Fr. basile—L. basilisca—Gr. basilikon, royal.]

Basil, baz′il, n. a sheepskin roughly tanned and undressed.

Basil. See Bezel.

Basilica, baz-il′ik-a, n. among the Romans, a large oblong hall, with double colonnades and a semicircular apse at the end, used for judicial and commercial purposes—many of them were afterwards converted into Christian churches: a magnificent church built after the plan of the ancient basilica.—adj. Basil′ican. [L. basilica, Gr. basilikē (oikia, a house), belonging to a king, from basileus, a king.]

Basilicon, baz-il′ik-on, n. a name given to various kinds of ointment as possessing sovereign virtues. [Gr. basilikon, royal.]

Basilisk, baz′il-isk, n. a fabulous creature, about a foot long, with a black-and-yellow skin and fiery red eyes, so named, according to Pliny, from the crest on the head like a crown—variously regarded as a kind of dragon or cockatrice: in modern zoology, a harmless crested lizard of tropical South America: an ancient brass cannon throwing a shot of about 200 lb. weight. [Gr. basiliskos, dim. of basileus, a king.]

Basin, bās′n, n. a wide open vessel or dish: any hollow place containing water, as a dock: the area drained by a river and its tributaries. [O. Fr. bacin—Low L. bachinus, perh. from the Celtic.]

Basinet, bas′i-net, n. a light globular headpiece worn alone with a visor, or with the great helm resting on the shoulders, worn over it.—Also Bas′net.

Basis, bās′is, n. the foundation, or that on which a thing rests: the pedestal of a column: the groundwork or first principle:—pl. Bas′es. [See Base (1).]

Bask, bask, v.i. to lie in the warmth or sunshine. [Scand. badask, to bathe.]

Basket, bas′ket, n. a vessel made of plaited twigs, rushes, or other flexible materials.—ns. Bas′ketful, as much as fills a basket; Bas′ket-hilt, the hilt of a sword with a covering wrought like basket-work to defend the hand from injury; Bas′ket-mak′er; Bas′ket-work, any structure of interlaced twigs or the like. [Prob. the L. bascauda; the W. basged is apparently borrowed from the English.]

Basque, bask, adj. relating to the Basques, or their wonderful language, with its extreme variability of dialects—the only example of a consistently incorporating language.—n. a native of the Basque provinces: the distinctive language of the Basques: a kind of short-skirted jacket worn by women, a continuation of the bodice a little below the waist.—adj. Basqued (baskt), furnished with a basque.—n. Basq′uine, an outer petticoat worn by Basque and Spanish women. [Fr. Basque—Low L. Vasco, an inhabitant of Vasconia, whence Gascony. The Basques themselves call their tongue Eskuara, Euscara, whence the Fr. Euscarien.]

Bas-relief, bä-re-lēf′, Bass-relief, bas′re-lēf′, n. (sculp.) figures which do not stand far out from the ground on which they are formed—also used in the Italian form Bass′o-rilie′vo. [See Base, low, and Relief.]

Bass, bās, n. the low or grave part in music.—adj. low, deep, grave.—v.t. to sound in a deep tone.—ns. Bass′-horn, a musical wind-instrument, a modification of the bassoon, much lower and deeper in its tones; Thor′ough-bass, the theory of harmony. [See Base, low.]

Bass. Same as Bast.

Bass, Basse, bas, n. a marine fish allied to the perch. [A.S. bærs; cf. Ger. bars, the perch.]

Bassa, bas′sa, n. Same as Bashaw.

Basset, bas′et, n. a short-legged dog used in unearthing foxes and badgers: an old Venetian game at cards, resembling faro, widely popular in the 18th century: (geol.) the outcrop or emergence of mineral strata at the surface.—v.i. to incline upward so as to appear at the surface, to crop up.—n. Bas′set-horn (It. corno di bassetto), the richest and softest of all wind-instruments, similar to a clarionet in tone and fingering, but with a twice-bent wooden tube, having a compass of two and a half octaves. [Fr. bas, low.]

Bassinet, Bassinette, bas′si-net, n. a kind of basket with a hood in which an infant is placed as in a cradle: a similarly shaped perambulator. [Fr. dim. of basin, a basin.]

Basso, bas′so, n. the same as Bass (1): also a bass singer.

Bassoon, bas-ōōn′, n. (It. fagotto) a musical wind-instrument filling an important place in the modern orchestra, of the reed species, made of maple-wood or plane-tree, its compass from B flat below the bass stave to C in the treble.—The Double bassoon (It. contrafagotto) sounds an octave lower.—n. Bassoon′ist. [It. bassone, augmentative of basso, low, from root of Base.]

Bass-viol, bās′-vī′ol, n. a musical instrument with four strings, used for playing the bass in concerted music; the violoncello. [See Bass, low, and Viol.]

Bast, bast, n. the inner bark of the lime-tree: matting made of it. [A.S. bæst; Dut., Dan., Ger. bast.]

Bastard, bas′tard, n. a child born of parents not married.—adj. born out of wedlock: not genuine: resembling, but not identical with, the species bearing the name: of abnormal shape or size: false.—n. Bas′tard-bar, a popular but inaccurate name for the baton-sinister in heraldry.—v.t. Bas′tardise, to prove to be a bastard.—adv. Bas′tardly (obs.).—ns. Bas′tard-wing, three, four, or five feathers springing from the side of the wing of a bird near the point, attached to a bony process which is the homologue of the thumb in some mammalia; Bas′tardy, Bas′tardism, the state of being a bastard.—Bastard title, an abbreviated title of a book on an otherwise blank page preceding the full title-page; Bastard types, types cast with an extra deep bevel to obviate the use of leads, as Longprimer face on Pica body. [Fr. bâtard; O. Fr. fils de bast, son of the pack-saddle, bast (bât) being a coarse saddle for beasts of burden.]

Baste, bāst, v.t. to beat with a stick. [Prob. conn. with Ice. beysta, Dan. böste, to beat.]

Baste, bāst, v.t. to drop fat or butter over meat while roasting to keep it from burning and to improve the flavour. [Ety. unknown.]

Baste, bāst, v.t. to sew slightly or with long stitches. [O. Fr. bastír, from Old High Ger. bestan, to sew.]

Bastille, bast-ēl′, n. an old fortress in Paris long used as a stale prison, and demolished by a revolutionary mob in July 1789: any prison regarded as a symbol of tyranny. [Fr.—O. Fr. bastir (Fr. bâtir), to build.]

Bastinado, bast-in-ād′o, v.t. to beat with a baton or stick, esp. on the soles of the feet (a form of punishment in the East):—pr.p. bastinād′ing or bastinād′oing; pa.p. bastinād′ed or bastinād′oed.—ns. Bastinade′, Bastinād′o. [Sp. bastonada, Fr. bastonnade—baston, bâton. See Baton.]

Bastion, bast′yun, n. a kind of tower at the angles of a fortification.—adj. Bast′ioned. [Fr.—O. Fr. bastir, to build.]

Bat, bat, n. a heavy stick: a flat club for striking the ball in cricket, a club for base-balls, a batsman: the clown's sword in a pantomime: a piece of brick: (slang) rate of speed, style.—v.i. to use the bat in cricket:—pr.p. bat′ting; pa.p. bat′ted.—ns. Bat′ter, Bats′man, one who wields the bat at cricket, &c.; Bat′ting, the management of a bat in playing games: cotton fibre prepared in sheets. [Perh. from A.S. bat (a doubtful form), prob. Celt. bat, staff.]

Bat, bat, n. an animal with a body like a mouse, but which flies on wings attached mainly to its fore-feet, but extending along its sides to the hind-feet. [M. E. bakke, apparently from Scand.; cf. Dan. aftenbakke, evening-bat.]

Batable, bāt′a-bl, adj. debatable, disputable. [A contr. of Debatable.]

Batata, ba-tä′ta, n. a plant with tuberous roots, the sweet potato. [Sp. batata, potato.]

Batavian, ba-tā′vi-an, adj. pertaining to the ancient Batavi in the Low Countries, or to the modern Dutch, their descendants.

Batch, bach, n. the quantity of bread baked or of anything made or got ready at one time: a set. [From Bake.]

Bate. Same as Abate.

Bate, bāt, n. (Spens.) strife, contention.—adj. Bate′-breed′ing (Shak.). [Abbrev. of Debate.]

Bate, bāt, n. diminution (dial., esp. in combination).

Bate, bāt, v.i. (Shak.) to beat the wings impatiently: (obs.) to be impatient. [O. E. batre—Low L. batĕre.]

Bateau, bä-to′, n. a light river-boat, esp. those used on Canadian rivers. [Fr.—O. Fr. batel, boat.]

Bateless, bāt′les, adj. (Shak.) that cannot be bated or blunted.

Batfowling, bat′fowl-ing, n. the catching birds at night when at roost. [Bat, club, and Fowl.]

Bath, bäth, n. water for plunging the body into: a bathing: a house for bathing: a place for undergoing medical treatment by means of bathing: (phot.) a solution in which plates are plunged:—pl. Baths (bäthz).—ns. Bath′-brick, a preparation of siliceous silt, manufactured at Bridgwater in the form of bricks, and used in cleaning knives; Bath′chair, a large wheeled chair for invalids; Bath′house; Bath′man; Bath′room; Bath′-stone, a building stone quarried at Bath; Bath′woman; Blood′-bath, a massacre.—Bath Guide, a poem of the 18th century, often taken as a type of 'Society' verse.—Order of the Bath, an English order of knighthood, so named from the bath before installation (including three classes—military and civil knights grand-cross, G.C.B.; knights commanders, K.C.B.; and companions, C.B.). [A.S. bæth, cog. with Ger. bad.]

Bath, bäth, n. the largest Jewish liquid measure, containing about six gallons. [Heb.]

Bathe, bāth, v.t. to wash as in a bath: to wash or moisten with any liquid: to moisten, suffuse, encompass.—v.i. to take a bath.—n. the act of taking a bath.—ns. Bath′ing-box, a box for bathers to undress and dress in; Bath′ing-machine′, a small carriage in which a bather may be carried out into water conveniently deep for bathing. [A.S. bathian; Old High Ger. badôn, bathôn (Ger. baden).]

Bathometer, bath-om′et-ėr, n. an instrument for ascertaining depth. [Gr. bathos, depth, metron, measure.]

Bathorse, baw′hors, n. a packhorse carrying the baggage of an officer. [Fr. bât, a pack-saddle.]

Bathos, bā′thos, n. a ludicrous descent from the elevated to the mean in writing or speech.—adj. Bathet′ic, irregularly formed on the analogy of pathos, pathetic. [Gr. bathos, depth, from bathys, deep.]

Bathybius, bath-ib′i-us, n. name given to a supposed low form of life at the bottom of some parts of the deep sea. [Formed from Gr. bathys, deep, and bios, life.]

Bathymetry, bath-im′et-ri, n. the science of measuring the depth of seas and lakes. [Gr. bathys, deep, metria, measurement.]

Bating, bāt′ing, prep. abating, excepting.

Batiste, ba-tēst′, n. usual French name for cambric: applied in commerce to a fine texture of linen and cotton. [Littré derives from Baptiste, the original maker; others from its use in wiping the heads of children after baptism.]

Batlet, bat′let, n. a wooden mallet used by laundresses for beating clothes. [Dim. of Bat.]

Batman, bat′man, baw′man, n. a man who has charge of a bathorse. [See Bathorse.]

Baton, bat′on, Batoon, ba-toon′, n. a staff or truncheon, esp. of a policeman: a marshal's staff.—v.t. to strike with a baton.—n. Bat′on-sin′ister, a well-known heraldic indication of illegitimacy, improperly called Bar-sinister, a diminutive of a bend-sinister, not extending to the sides of the shield, so as to resemble a marshal's baton laid diagonally over the family arms from left to right. [Fr. bâton—Low L. basto, a stick; of unknown origin.]

Batrachia, ba-trā′ki-a, n.pl. the order of reptiles which includes the frogs.—adj. and n. Batrā′chian. [From Gr. batrachos, a frog.]

Batswing, bats′wing, n. a kind of gas-burner, with a slit at the top which causes the flame to take the shape of a bat's wing.

Batta, bat′ta, n. an allowance to officers in the British Indian army in addition to their ordinary pay: subsistence money. [Hind.]

Battailant, bat′tāl-ant, adj. (Spens.) fighting.—adj. Bat′tailous (arch.), war-like. [Fr. bataillant, pr.p. of batailler, to fight. See Battle.]

Battalia, bat-tāl′ya, n. the order of battle: the main body of an army in array. [It. battaglia. Doublet of Battle.]

Battalia pie, bat-tāl′ya pī, titbits in a pie: articles like pin-cushions, embroidered by nuns in convents with scenes from the Bible. [Corrupted from Fr. béatilles, dim. formed from L. beatus.]

Battalion, bat-al′yun, n. a body of soldiers consisting of several companies: a body of men drawn up in battle-array. [Fr.; from root of Battle.]

Battels, bat′lz, n.pl. an Oxford term signifying accounts for provisions received from college kitchens and butteries: applied generally to the whole of the sums for tuition, &c., charged in college accounts.—v.i. Bat′till, Bat′tel (Spens.), to fatten. [Late L. batilli, perh. conn. with Battle, to feed.]

Batten, bat′n, v.i. to grow fat: to live in luxury.—v.t. (obs.) to fatten. [Ice. batna, to grow better—bati, advantage; cf. Dut. baten, to avail.]

Batten, bat′n, n. a piece of board: a ledge, clamp: in ships, a strip of wood used to fasten down the hatches.—n. Bat′tening, battens forming a structure. [Same as Baton.]

Batter, bat′er, v.t. to beat with successive blows: to wear with beating or by use: to attack with artillery.—n. ingredients beaten along with some liquid into a paste: paste for sticking.—ns. Bat′tering-charge, the full charge of powder for a cannon; Bat′tering-ram, an ancient engine for battering down walls, consisting of a large beam with an iron head like that of a ram. [O. Fr. batre (Fr. battre), from the root of Bat.]

Batter, bat′ėr, n. the inclination of a wall from the perpendicular.—v.i. to slope backward from the perpendicular. [Perh. from Fr. battre, to beat down.]

Battery, bat′ėr-i, n. (Shak.) a wound: a number of cannon with their equipment: the place on which cannon are mounted: the men and horses attending one battery, constituting the unit in the artillery: an instrument used in electric and galvanic experiments: (law) an assault by beating or wounding: apparatus for preparing or serving meals.—Cross batteries, two batteries commanding the same spot from different directions; Floating battery (see Float); Masked battery, a battery in action out of the enemy's view; To change one's battery, to alter the direction of attacking.

Battle, bat′l, n. a contest between opposing armies: a fight or encounter: (arch.) a body of troops in battle array, esp. in phrase 'main battle.'—v.i. to contend in fight: to maintain, champion (with against, with).—ns. Bat′tle-axe, -ax, a kind of axe once used in battle; Bat′tle-cry, a war-shout; Bat′tlefield, the place on which a battle is fought; Bat′tle-piece, a passage, or a painting, describing a battle.—adj. Bat′tle-scarred, scarred in battle.—ns. Bat′tleship, a war-ship of the first class; Pitched′-bat′tle, a battle fought on chosen ground.—Battle royal, a general mêlée—Half the battle, said of anything which ensures success.—Line of battle, troops in array for battle; Line-of-battle ship, a ship strong enough to form one of the line.—To join, do battle, to fight. [Fr. bataille—battre, to beat. See Batter.]

Battle, bat′l, adj. (dial.) nourishing.—v.t. (obs.) to feed. [Most prob. from Ice. bati, improvement. See Batten.]

Battledoor, Battledore, bat′l-dōr, n. a light bat for striking a ball or shuttlecock.—Not to know a B from a battledoor, to be thoroughly ignorant. [Sp. batidor, a beater, a washing-beetle; but this is doubtful.]

Battlement, bat′l-ment, n. a wall or parapet on the top of a building with openings or embrasures, originally used only on fortifications: the towering roof of heaven,—adj. Bat′tlemented, fortified with battlements—also pa.p. Bat′tled (poet.).

Battology, bat-ol′o-ji, n. repetition in speech or writing.—adj. Battolog′ical. [Gr. battos, a person who repeated himself, and legein, to speak.]

Battue, bat-tōō′, n. a method of hunting in which the woods are beaten and the game driven from cover into some place for the convenience of the shooters: any indiscriminate slaughter. [Fr.—battre, to beat.]

Bauble, baw′bl, n. a trifling piece of finery: a child's plaything: a stick surmounted by a head with ass's ears, and forming the mock emblem of the court-jester: a piece of childish foolery: (Shak.) a foolish person.—adj. Bau′bling (obs.), trifling. [O. Fr. babel, prob. from the root seen in L. babulus, a babbler.]

Baudekin, bawd′i-kin, Bawdkin, bawd′kin. Same as Baldachin.

Baudric, bawd′rik. Same as Baldrick.

Baudrons, bawd′runs, n. Scotch name for the cat. [Perh. of Celt. origin; cf. Ir. beadrac, frolicsome, Gael. beadrach, a frolicsome girl.]

Bauk, Baulk. Same as Balk.

Bausond, bawz′ond, adj. (obs.) having white spots, esp. on the forehead, or a white stripe down the face.—adj. Baus′on-faced (Scott), with a face like a badger. [O. Fr. bausant (It. balzano), black and white spotted. Further ety. dub.]

Bauxite, bō′zīt, n. a clay found at Les Baux, near Arles, yielding alumina.—Also Beau′xite.

Bavardage, bav-ar-dāj′, n. chattering. [Fr. bavard, garrulous—bave, drivel.]

Bavin, bav′in, n. a fagot of brushwood.—Bavin wits (Shak.), wits that blaze and die like bavins. [O. Fr. baffe, a fagot; but this is doubtful.]

Bawbee, baw-bē′, n. a halfpenny: originally a Scotch coin of base silver equivalent to six Scotch pennies. [Ety. dub., but very prob. derived from a 16th-cent. Scotch mint-master, the laird of Sillebawby; others identify with 'baby.']

Bawble. Same as Bauble.

Bawcock, baw′kok, n. (Shak.) a fine fellow. [From Fr. beau, fine, and coq, a cock.]

Bawd, bawd, n. a procurer or procuress of women for lewd purposes—fem. only since about 1700.—n. Bawd′ry.—adj. Bawd′y, obscene, unchaste, filthy.—n. Bawd′y-house, a brothel. [Perh. abbrev. from Bawd′strot, a word for a pander, now obsolete, derived from O. Fr. baldestrot—bald, gay, and perh. the Teut. root found in strut.]

Bawd, bawd, n. (Shak.) a hare. [Perh. a contr. of Baudrons.]

Bawl, bawl, v.i. to shout or cry out loudly (with at, against).—n. a loud cry or shout.—n. Bawl′er. [Perh. from Low L. baulare, to bark like a dog; but cf. Ice. baula, to low like a cow, baula, a cow.]

Bawn, bawn, n. a fortification round a house: an enclosure for cattle. [Ir. bábhun, enclosure.]

Baxter. See Bake.

Bay, bā, adj. reddish brown inclining to chestnut.—n. elliptical for 'bay-horse.'—n. Bayard (bā′ard), a bay-horse: a name for any horse generally, from 'Bayard,' the famous bay-coloured magic horse given to Renaud by Charlemagne: a man recklessly blind to danger: a fellow bold in his ignorance: a type of the knight, from Bayard (1476-1524), 'the knight without fear and without reproach.' [Fr. bai—L. badius, chestnut-coloured.]

Bay, bā, n. an inlet of the sea with a wider opening than a gulf: an inward bend of the shore. [Fr. baie—Low L. baia, a harbour.]

Bay, bā, n. the space between two columns: (Shak.) the space under one house gable: any recess.—n. Bay′-win′dow, any window forming a recess.—adj. Bay′-win′dowed. [O. Fr. baée—baer, to gape, be open; prob. conn. with the foregoing word.]

Bay, bā, n. the laurel-tree: (pl.) an honorary garland or crown of victory, originally of laurel: literary renown.—ns. Bay′berry; Bay′-rum, an aromatic stimulant used for the skin and hair, and prepared by distilling the leaves of the bay-berry (Pimenta acris) with rum, or otherwise mixing the volatile oil of the leaves with alcohol. [O. Fr. baie, a berry—L. baca.]

Bay, bā, n. barking, baying (esp. of a dog when in pursuit): the combined cry of hounds in conflict with a hunted animal: used often of the last stand of a hunted animal when it faces the hounds at close quarters.—v.i. to bark (esp. of large dogs).—v.t. to bark at: to utter by baying: to follow with barking: to bring to bay.—To hold, keep at bay, said of the hunted animal; To stand, be, at bay, at close quarters. [These senses show a confusion of two distinct words, according to Murray: (1) to hold at bay = O. Fr. tenir a bay = It. tenere a bada, bay, bada, denoting the suspense indicated by the open mouth; (2) in the phrase 'to stand at bay,' the word points to O. Fr. abai, barking, bayer, to bark.]

Bay, Baye, bā, v.t. (Spens.) to bathe.

Bayadère, bā-ya-dēr′, n. a Hindu dancing-girl. [Fr.—Port. bailadeira.]

Bayonet, bā′on-et, n. a stabbing instrument of steel fixed to the muzzle of a musket or rifle: military force: (pl.) soldiers armed with bayonets.—v.t. to stab with a bayonet. [Fr. baïonnette, perh. from Bayonne, in France, where it was supposed to have been first made; others derive from O. Fr. bayon, arrow.]

Bayou, bā′ōō, n. name given to the marshy offshoots of lakes and rivers, esp. in North America. [Perh. corrupted from Fr. boyau, gut.]

Bay-salt, bā′-sält, n. salt obtained by slow evaporation originally from sea-water. [Prob. from Bay, an inlet, and Salt.]

Bazaar, Bazar, ba-zär′, n. an Eastern marketplace or exchange: a fancy fair in imitation of an Eastern bazaar. [Pers. bāzār, a market.]

Bdellium, del′i-um, n. a kind of gum. [Gr. bdellion, used to translate, but prob. unconnected with Heb. b'dōlakh, Gen. ii. 12.]

Be, bē, v.i. to live: to exist: to have a certain state or quality:—pr.p. bē′ing; pa.p. been.—n. Be′-all (Shak.), the whole being. [A.S. béon; Ger. bin; Gael. bi, to exist; W. byw, to live; Gr. phu-ein, L. fui, fio, Sans. bhu, to be, orig. meaning to grow.]

Beach, bēch, n. the shore of the sea or of a lake, esp. when sandy or pebbly: the strand.—v.t. to haul a boat up on the beach.—n. Beach′-comb′er, a long rolling wave: a drunken loafer about the wharfs in Pacific seaports: a settler on a Pacific island who maintains himself by pearl-fishery, and often by less reputable means.—adjs. Beached, having a beach, driven on a beach; Beach′y, pebbly. [Orig. a prov. Eng. word for shingle. The derivation from Ice. bakki, bank, is untenable.]

Beacon, bē′kn, n. a fire on an eminence used as a sign of danger: a hill on which such could be lighted: anything that warns of danger, esp. an erection of stone, wood, or iron often bearing a light, and marking rocks or shoals in rivers or navigable channels.—v.t. to act as a beacon to: to light up: to mark by means of beacons.—n. Float′ing-bea′con, a light-ship. [A.S. béacn, a beacon, a sign.]

Bead, bēd, n. a little ball pierced for stringing, a series of which forms the rosary or paternoster, used in counting the prayers recited: any small ball of glass, amber, &c. strung in a series to form a necklace: a bead-like drop: the small knob of metal forming the front-sight of a gun—whence the Americanism, To draw a bead upon = to take aim at: (archit.) a narrow moulding with semicircular section.—v.t. to furnish with beads.—v.i. to form a bead or beads.—adj. Bead′ed, furnished with beads.—ns. Bead′-house, a house for poor people who were required to pray for the soul of the founder: an almshouse; Bead′ing, a moulding in imitation of beads.—adj. Bead′-proof, of such proof or strength as to carry beads or bubbles when shaken, as alcoholic liquors.—ns. Bead′-roll, in pre-Reformation times, a roll or list of the dead to be prayed for, hence a list of names, a long series: a rosary; Beads′man, Bedes′man, one employed to pray for others, or one endowed to do so: (Scot.) a public alms-man or licensed beggar:—fem. Beads′woman.—adj. Bead′y, bead-like, small and bright (of eyes): covered with beads or bubbles.—To say, tell, count one's beads, to offer a prayer. [A.S. bed, gebed, a prayer, from biddan, to pray. See Bid.]

Beadle, bēd′l, n. a mace-bearer (esp. of the 'bedels' or 'bedells,' official attendants of the Oxford and Cambridge vice-chancellors): a petty officer of a church, college, parish, &c.: a parish officer with the power of punishing petty offenders: in Scotland, used of the 'church-officer' attending on the clergyman: (obs.) a messenger or crier of a court.—ns. Bead′ledom, Bead′lehood, stupid officiousness; Bead′leship, Bed′elship, the office of beadle or bedel. [A.S. bydel—béodan, to proclaim, to bid.]

Beadman. Same as Beadsman (q.v. under Bead).

Beagle, bē′gl, n. a small hound tracking by scent, formerly much used in hunting hares, but now superseded by the harrier: a spy: a bailiff: a small kind of shark.—The beagle was often followed by men on foot, hence Foot′-bea′gle. [Ety. unknown. The Fr. bigle is borrowed from English. Dr Murray suggests Fr. bégueule, from béer, to gape, and gueule, throat.]

Beak, bēk, n. the bill of a bird: anything pointed or projecting: the nose: in the ancient galley, a pointed iron fastened to the prow for piercing the enemy's vessel: (slang) a magistrate.—adj. Beaked (bēkt). [O. Fr. bec—Low L. beccus, of Celt. (Gaulish) origin.]

Beaker, bēk′ėr, n. a large drinking-bowl or cup, or its contents: a glass vessel marked for measuring liquids, with a beak or pointed mouth, used by chemists. [Scand. bikarr (Scot. bicker), prob. from Low L. bicarium, acc. to Diez from Gr. bikos, a drinking-bowl.]

Beam, bēm, n. a large and straight piece of timber or iron forming one of the main supports against lateral pressure of a building, ship, &c.: (fig.) from the figure of the mote and the beam—Matt. vii. 3: any of the transverse pieces of framing extending across a ship's hull, the greatest width of a ship or boat: the part of a balance from which the scales hang: the pole of a carriage: a cylinder of wood in a loom: a ray of light.—v.t. to send forth light: to shine.—n. Beam′-en′gine, a steam-engine which has a beam connecting the piston-rod with the crank of the wheel-shaft, as distinguished from one that has its piston-rod directly attached to the crank.—adv. Beam′ily.—n. Beam′iness.—adjs. Beam′less, without beams: emitting no rays of light; Beam′y, shining.—A beam sea, one rolling against the ship's side.—Before the beam, the bearing of any object when seen more in advance than on the beam; Abaft the beam, the reverse.—Lee or Weather beam, the side away from or towards the wind.—On her beam ends, a phrase applied to the position of a ship when so much inclined to one side that the beams become nearly vertical.—On the starboard beam, applied to any distant point out at sea, at right angles to the keel, and on the starboard or right-hand (as viewed from the stern) side of the ship; On the port beam similarly applies to the left hand. [A.S. béam, a tree, stock of a tree, a ray of light; Ger. baum, a tree; Gr. phyma, a growth—phy-ein, to grow.]

Bean, bēn, n. the name of several kinds of leguminous plants and their seeds: applied also to the seeds of some other plants, from their bean-like form, as the Calabar bean, &c.—ns. Bean′-feast, an annual dinner given by employers to their hands, perhaps from there having been served on such occasions beans or a Bean′-goose, a species of goose said to be so called from its fondness for devouring new-sown beans; Bean′-king, the king of the festivities on Twelfth Night, chosen on his finding a bean hidden in the Twelfth Cake. [A.S. béan; Ger. bohne, W. ffäen; L. faba.]

Bear, bār, v.t. to carry or support: to endure: to admit of: to be entitled to: to afford: to import: to manage: to behave or conduct one's self: to bring forth or produce.—v.i. to suffer: to be patient: to have reference to: to press (with on or upon): to be situated:—pr.p. bear′ing; pa.t. bōre; pa.p. bōrne (but the pa.p. when used to mean 'brought forth' is born).—adj. Bear′able, that may be borne or endured.—n. Bear′ableness.—adv. Bear′ably.—ns. Bear′er, one who or that which bears, esp. one who assists in carrying a body to the grave: a carrier or messenger; Bear′ing, behaviour: situation of one object with regard to another: relation: that which is borne upon an escutcheon: (mach.) the part of a shaft or axle in contact with its supports; Bear′ing-cloth, the mantle or cloth in which a child was carried to the font; Bear′ing-rein, the fixed rein between the bit and the saddle, by which a horse's head is held up in driving and its neck made to arch.—Bear hard (Shak.), to press or urge; Bear in hand (Shak.), to keep in expectation, to flatter one's hopes; To bear a hand, to give assistance; To bear away, to sail away; To bear down (with upon or towards), to sail with the wind; To bear out, to corroborate; To bear up, to keep up one's courage; To bear up for (a place), to sail towards; To bear with, to make allowance for; To be borne in (upon the) mind, to be forcibly impressed upon it; To bring to bear, to bring into operation (with against, upon); To lose one's bearings, to become uncertain as to one's position. [A.S. beran; Goth. bairan, L. ferre, Gr. pher-ein, Sans. bhri.]

Bear, an obsolete form of Bier.

Bear, bār, n. a heavy quadruped of the order Carnivora, with long shaggy hair and hooked claws: any rude, rough, or ill-bred fellow: one who sells stocks for delivery at a future date, anticipating a fall in price so that he may buy first at an advantage—opp. to Bull: the old phrase 'a bearskin jobber' suggests an origin in the common proverb, 'to sell the bearskin before one has caught the bear' (hence To bear, to speculate for a fall): (astron.) the name of two constellations, the Great and the Little Bear.—ns. Bear′-ber′ry, a trailing plant of the heath family, a species of the Arbutus; Bear′bine, a species of convolvulus, closely allied to the bindweed; Bear′-gar′den, an enclosure where bears are kept; a rude, turbulent assembly.—adj. Bear′ish, like a bear.—ns. Bear′ishness; Bear′-lead′er, a person who leads about a bear for exhibition: the tutor or governor of a youth at the university or on travel; Bear's′-breech, a common name for plants of the genus Acanthus; Bear's′-ear, a common English name for the auricula; Bear's′-foot, a species of hellebore; Bear′skin, the skin of a bear: a shaggy woollen cloth for overcoats: the high fur cap worn by the Guards in England; Bear′-ward, a warden or keeper of bears. [A.S. bera; Ger. bär; cf. L. fera, a wild beast, akin to Gr. thēr, Æolian phēr.]

Bear, bēr, n. barley, applied in Scotland to the now little grown variety Hordeum hexastichon. [A.S. bere.]

Beard, bērd, n. the hair that grows on the chin and adjacent parts of a grown man's face: the tuft on the lower jaw of a goat, seal, &c.: the barbel of the cod, loach, &c.; prickles on the ears of corn: the barb of an arrow: the gills of oysters, &c.—v.t. to take by the beard: to oppose to the face.—adj. Beard′ed, having a beard: prickly: barbed.—n. Beard′-grass, a kind of bearded grass.—adj. Beard′less. [A.S.; W. barf, Ger. bart, Russ. boroda, L. barba.]

Beast, bēst, n. an irrational animal, as opposed to man: a four-footed animal: a brutal person: the Beast, Antichrist in the Revelation—dim. Beast′ies.—n.pl. Beast′-fā′bles, stories in which animals play human parts—a widely-spread primitive form of literature, often surviving in more or less developed forms in the more advanced civilisations.—ns. Beast′hood; Beast′lihead (Spens.), the state or nature of a beast, beastliness; Beast′liness.—adj. Beast′ly, like a beast in actions or behaviour: coarse: obscene: (colloq.) vile, disagreeable. [O. Fr. beste (Fr. bête)—L. bestia.]

Beastings. Same as Biestings.

Beat, bēt, v.t. to strike repeatedly: to break or bruise: to strike, as bushes, in order to rouse game: to thrash: to overcome: to be too difficult for: to spread flat and thin by beating with a tool, as gold by a gold-beater—also To beat out.—v.i. to give strokes repeatedly: to throb: to dash, as a flood or storm:—pr.p. beat′ing; pa.t. beat; pa.p. beat′en.—n. a recurrent stroke: a stroke recurring at intervals, or its sound, as of a watch or the pulse: a round or course, as a policeman's beat: a place of resort.—adj. weary: fatigued.—adj. Beat′en, made smooth or hard by beating or treading: trite: worn by use.—ns. Beat′er, one that beats or strikes: one who rouses or beats up game: a crushing instrument; Beat′ing, the act of striking: chastisement by blows: regular pulsation or throbbing: rousing of game: exercising the brain.—Beaten work, metal shaped by being hammered on an anvil or block of the necessary shape.—Dead beat, completely exhausted.—To beat about the bush, to approach a subject in an indirect way; To beat a retreat, to retreat, originally to beat the drum as a signal for retreat; To beat off, to drive back; To beat out, to work out fully, to make gold or silver leaf out of solid metal; To beat the air, to fight to no purpose, or against an imaginary enemy; To beat the bounds, to trace out the boundaries of a parish in a periodic survey or perambulation, certain natural objects in the line of journey being formally struck with a rod, and sometimes also the boys whipped to make them remember; To beat the brains, to puzzle one's brains about something; To beat the tattoo (mil.), to sound the drum for evening roll-call; To beat up, to alarm by a sudden attack: to disturb: to pay an untimeous visit to any one—also in 'to beat up for recruits,' to go about a town to enlist men. [A.S. béatan, pa.t. béot.]

Beath, bēth, v.t. (Spens.) to bathe. [A.S. bethian, to foment.]

Beatify, bē-at′i-fī, v.t. to make blessed or happy: to declare to be in the enjoyment of eternal happiness in heaven.—adjs. Beatif′ic, -al, making supremely happy.—adv. Beatif′ically.—n. Beatificā′tion, act of beatifying: (R.C. Church) a declaration by the Pope that a person is blessed in heaven, authorising a certain definite form of public reverence payable to him—the first step to canonisation.—Beatific vision, a glimpse of the glory of heaven, esp. that which first bursts upon the disembodied soul. [L. beatus, blessed, and facĕre, to make.]

Beatitude, bē-at′i-tūd, n. heavenly happiness, or happiness of the highest kind: (pl.) sayings of Christ in Matt. v., declaring the possessors of certain virtues to be blessed. [L. beatitudo—beatus, blessed.]

Beau, bō, n. a man attentive to dress or fashion: a fop or dandy: a lover:—pl. Beaux (bōz):—fem. Belle.—n. Beau′-idē′al, ideal excellence, or an imaginary standard of perfection: the person in which such is realised.—adj. Beau′ish.—ns. Beau′-monde, the gay or fashionable world; Beaupere′ (Spens.), a term of courtesy for 'father,' esp. of ecclesiastical persons: a companion. [Fr. beau, bel—L. bellus, fine, gay, as if for a benulus, dim. of benus = bonus, good.]

Beaujolais, bō-zhō-lā, n. a kind of red wine produced in South-eastern France. [From Beaujolais, a subdivision of the old province of Lyonnais.]

Beaune, bōn, n. a red wine of Burgundy. [From the town of Beaune.]

Beauty, bū′ti, n. a pleasing combination of qualities in a person or object: a particular grace or excellence: a beautiful person, esp. a woman, also applied collectively to the beautiful women of a special place: (pl.) beautiful passages or extracts from the poets.—v.t. (Shak.) to make beautiful.—adj. Beau′teous, full of beauty: fair: handsome.—adv. Beau′teously.—ns. Beau′teousness; Beau′tifier, one who or that which beautifies or makes beautiful.—adj. Beau′tiful, fair: with qualities that give delight to the senses, esp. the eye and ear, or which awaken admiration in the mind.—adv. Beau′tifully.—v.t. Beau′tify, to make beautiful: to grace: to adorn.—v.i. (rare) to become beautiful, or more beautiful.—ns. Beau′ty-sleep, the sleep before midnight, considered the most refreshing; Beau′ty-spot, a patch placed on the face to heighten or draw attention to a woman's beauty; a foil, or anything that emphasises beauty by contrast. [O. Fr. biaute (Fr. beauté)—Low L. bellitat-em—L. bellus.]

Beauxite. See Bauxite.

Beaver, bēv′ėr, n. an amphibious rodent quadruped valuable for its fur: the fur of the beaver: a hat made of the beaver's fur: a hat: a glove of beaver fur.—adj. Beav′erish (Carlyle), like a beaver, merely instinctive.—n. Beav′ery, a place where beavers are kept. [A.S. befer, beofor; Dut. bever, Ger. biber, Gael, beabhar, L. fiber.]

Beaver, bēv′ėr, n. in medieval armour, the covering for the lower part of the face, the visor being that for the upper part—later the movable beaver was confounded with the visor.—adj. Beav′ered. [So called from a fancied likeness to a child's bib. O. Fr. bavière, from bave, slaver.]

Bebeeru, bē-bē′rōō, n. the native name of the green-heart tree of Guiana.—n. Bebeerine (bē-bē′rin), an alkaloid yielded by it, and used as a substitute for quinine.

Beblubbered, be-blub′ėrd, p.adj. disfigured by weeping [Pfx. be-, and Blubber.]

Becall, be-kawl′, v.t. to call names, miscall.

Becalm, be-käm′, v.t. to make calm, still, or quiet.—p.adj. Becalmed′, motionless from want of wind. [Pfx. be-, and Calm.]

Became, be-kām′, pa.t. of Become.

Because, be-kawz′, adv. and conj. because of: for the reason that: on account of: for (followed by of). [Prep. by, and Cause.]

Beccafico, bek-a-fē′ko, n. a small bird of the family of Sylviadæ or Warblers, considered a delicacy by the Italians:—pl. Beccafi′coes. [It., from beccare to peck, and fico, a fig.]

Bechance, be-chans′, v.t. to happen by chance: to befall—adv. by chance: accidentally. [A.S. be-, by, and Chance.]

Becharm, be-chärm′, v.t. to charm: to enchant.

Bêche-de-mer, bāsh′-dė-mār, n. the trepang or sea-slug, a species of Holothuria, much esteemed in China as a food delicacy. [Fr.]

Beck, bek, n. (Spens.). Same as Beak.

Beck, bek, n. a brook. [Ice. bekkr; Ger. bach.]

Beck, bek, n. a sign with the finger or head: a nod: (Scot.) a gesture of salutation.—v.i. to make such a sign.—v.t. to call by a nod.—At one's beck, subject to one's will. [A contr. of Beckon.]

Becket, bek′et, n. (naut.) a loop of rope having a knot at one end and an eye at the other: a large hook, or a wooden bracket used to keep loose tackle or spars in a convenient place. [Prob. Dut. bogt, bocht, a 'bend' of rope.]

Beckon, bek′n, v.t. to nod or make a sign to. [A.S. bíecnan—béacn, a sign. See Beacon.]

Becloud, be-klowd′, v.t. to obscure by clouds: to dim.

Become, be-kum′, v.i. to pass from one state to another: to come to be: to be the fate or end of (followed by of).—v.t. to suit or befit, to grace or adorn fittingly (with dat. object):—pa.t. becāme′; pa.p. become′.—adj. Becom′ing, suitable to: graceful.—adv. Becom′ingly.—n. Becom′ingness. [A.S. becuman. See Come.]

Becurl, be-kurl′, v.t. to curl.

Bed, bed, n. a couch or place to sleep on: a plot in a garden: a place in which anything rests, in carpentry, architecture, &c.: conjugal union, the marriage-bed, matrimonial rights and duties: the channel of a river: (geol.) a layer or stratum.—v.t. to place in bed, as a couple after a wedding: to provide a bed, or to make a bed, for: to sow or plant: to lay in layers.—v.i. to cohabit or use the same bed with another:—pr.p. bed′ding; pa.p. bed′ded.—ns. Bed′chamber (see Bed′room); Bed′ding, a collective name for the mattress, bed-clothes, &c., also litter for cattle.—adj. Bed′fast, confined to bed.—ns. Bed′fellow, a sharer of the same bed; Bed′maker, the name at Cambridge and elsewhere for those who make the beds and sweep the rooms in college; Bed′-of-hon′our, the grave of a soldier who has fallen in battle; Bed′-of-jus′tice (Fr. lit. de justice), the king's throne in the Parlement of Paris, also a sitting at which the king was present, chiefly for the registration of his own decrees; Bed′plate (mech.), the foundation plate of an engine, lathe, &c.; Bed′post, a post forming an angle of a bedstead, often in former days high enough to support a canopy; Bed′presser (Shak.), a heavy, lazy fellow.—adjs. Bed′rid, Bed′ridden, confined to bed by age or sickness: worn out.—ns. Bed′right (Shak.), the privilege of the marriage-bed; Bed′rock, the solid rock underneath superficial formations; Bed′room, a room in which there is a bed: a sleeping apartment—Bedchamber was the earlier form.—n.pl. Bed′-sores, painful ulcers that often arise in a long confinement to bed, esp. over the bony prominences of the body—the lower parts of the spine, the haunch bones, the heel, and the elbow.—ns. Bed′-staff, a staff or stick formerly used about a bed, in old times a handy weapon, whence perhaps the phrase, 'in the twinkling of a bed-staff;' Bed′stead, a frame for supporting a bed; Bed′straw, the name applied to a genus of the Rubiaceæ, of which eleven species are found in England, the most familiar our Lady's Bedstraw, or Yellow Bedstraw (Galium verum), sometimes called Cheese Rennet from its property of curdling milk; Bed′swerver (Shak.), one who is false to his marriage vow; Bed′tick, the case in which feathers, hair, chaff, &c. are put for bedding.—adv. Bed′ward, in the direction of bed: towards bedtime.—n. Bed′work (Shak.), work easily performed, as if done in bed.—Bed and board, food and lodging: full connubial relations; Bed of down, or roses, any easy or comfortable place.—Lords of the Bedchamber, twelve officers in the British royal household who wait in turn upon the sovereign's person; in the reign of a queen the office is performed by ladies.—To be brought to bed, to be confined in child-birth (with of); To keep one's bed, to remain in bed; To lie in the bed one has made, to have to accept the consequences of one's own conduct; To make a bed, to put a bed in order after it has been used. [A.S. bed; Ger. bett, Ice. bedr.]

Bedabble, be-dab′l, v.t. to dabble or wet. [Pfx. be-, and Dabble.]

Bedad, be-dad′, interj. an Irish minced oath, from begad = by God.

Bedaggle, be-dag′l, v.t. to soil by dragging along the wet ground.

Bedarken, be-dark′n, v.t. to cover with darkness.

Bedash, be-dash′, v.t. to bespatter with water.

Bedaub, be-dawb′, v.t. to daub over or smear with any dirty matter.

Bedazzle, be-daz′l, v.t. to dazzle or overpower by any strong light.—pa.p. Bedaz′zled, Bedazed′, stupefied, besotted.—n. Bedaz′zlement.

Bede. Same as Bead, a prayer.

Bedeafen, be-def′n, v.t. to make deaf: to stun.

Bedeck, be-dek′, v.t. to deck or ornament.

Bedeguar, bed′e-gar, n. a soft spongy gall found on the branches of some species of roses, esp. the sweet-brier, called also the sweet-brier sponge. [Through Fr. from Pers. and Ar. bādā-war, lit. 'wind-brought.']

Bedel, bē′dl, Bedell, be-del′, archaic forms of Beadle (q.v.), still used at Oxford and Cambridge.

Bedesman. Same as Beadsman (q.v. under Bead).

Bedevil, be-dev′il, v.t. to throw into confusion: to 'play the devil' with: to torment: to treat with devilish malignity.—pass. to be possessed of a devil, to be devil-rid.—n. Bedev′ilment.

Bedew, be-dū′, v.t. to moisten gently, as with dew.

Bedight, be-dīt′, adj. (poet.) adorned. [Pfx. be-, and Dight.]

Bedim, be-dim′, v.t. to make dim or dark.—pa.p. Bedimmed′.

Bedizen, be-dīz′n, v.t. to dress gaudily.—adj. Bediz′ened.—n. Bediz′enment.

Bedlam, bed′lam, n. an asylum for lunatics: a madhouse: a place of uproar.—adj. fit for a madhouse.—ns. Bed′lamism, anything characteristic of madness; Bed′lamite, a madman. [Corrupted from Bethlehem (St Mary of Bethlehem), the name of a priory in London, afterwards converted into a madhouse.]

Bedouin, bed′ōō-in, n. the name given to those Arabs who live in tents and lead a nomadic life. [Fr.—Ar. bādāwin, dwellers in the desert.]

Bedraggle, be-drag′l, v.t. to soil by dragging in the wet or dirt—most common, the p.adj. Bedrag′gled. [See Draggle.]

Bedral, bed′ral, n. a beadle.—Also Bed′eral. [A Scand. form of Beadle.]

Bedrench, be-drensh′, v.t. to drench or wet thoroughly.

Bedrop, be-drop′, v.t. to drop upon.—pa.p. Bedropt′, sprinkled as with drops: strewn.

Beduck, be-duk′, v.t. to duck or plunge under water.

Beduin, a form of Bedouin.

Bedung, be-dung′, v.t. to manure: to befoul with dung.

Bedust, be-dust′, v.t. to cover with dust.

Bedwarf, be-dwawrf′, v.t. to make dwarfish.

Bedye, be-dī′, v.t. (Spens.) to dye or stain.

Bee, bē, n. a four-winged insect that makes honey: (U.S.) a gathering of persons to unite their labour for the benefit of one individual or family, or for some joint amusement or exercise, as 'a quilting bee,' 'a husking bee,' 'a spelling bee' (from the bee's habit of combined labour).—Compound words are Bee′-flow′er, Bee′-gar′den, Bee′-house, Bee′-mas′ter.—ns. Bee′-bread, the pollen of flowers collected by bees as food for their young; Bee′-eat′er, a brightly-plumaged family of birds nearly allied to the kingfisher, which feeds on bees; Bee′-glue, the soft glutinous matter by which bees fix their combs to the hive; Bee′hive, a case or box in which bees are kept, of straw-work, wood, &c.—Scotch Bee-skep.—adj. shaped like a beehive, dome-shaped.—ns. Bee′-line, the most direct road from one point to another, like the honey-laden bee's way home to the hive; Bee′-moth, a species of moth whose larvæ are very destructive to young bees; Bees′wax, the wax secreted by bees, and used by them in constructing their cells.—v.t. to polish with beeswax.—n. Bees′wing, a filmy crust of tartar formed in port and some other wines after long keeping.—adj. Bees′winged, so old as to show beeswing.—A bee in one's bonnet, a whimsical or crazy fancy on some point. [A. S. béo; Ger. biene.]

Beech, bēch, n. a common forest tree with smooth silvery-looking bark and small edible nuts.—adj. Beech′en.—ns. Beech′-mast, the mast or nuts of the beech-tree, which yield a valuable oil; Beech′-oil, oil expressed from the nuts of the beech-tree. [A.S. bóece, béce; Ger. buche, L. fagus, Gr. phēgos—from root of phag-ein, to eat.]

Beef, bēf, n. the flesh of an ox or cow:—pl. Beeves, used in original sense, oxen.—adj. consisting of beef.—ns. Beef′-eat′er (bēf′-ēt′ėr), a popular name for a yeoman of the sovereign's guard, also of the warders of the Tower of London [the obvious ety. is the right one, there being no such form as buffetier, connected with buffet, a sideboard, as often stated]; Beef′iness; Beef′steak, a thick slice of beef for broiling or frying; Beef′tea, a stimulating rather than nutritious food for invalids, being the juice of beef strained off, after simmering chopped beef in water.—adjs. Beef′-wit′ted, Beef′-brained, dull or heavy in wits: stupid.—n. Beef′-wood, an Australian wood, of reddish colour, used in cabinetwork.—adj. Beef′y, like beef, fleshy, stolid. [O. Fr. boef (Fr. bœuf)—L. bos, bovis; cf. Gr. bous, Gael. bò, Sans. go, A.S. cú.]

Beelzebub, bē-el′ze-bub, n. the name under which the Philistines at Ekron worshipped their god Baal or Bel: (New Test.) the prince of the evil spirits. [Heb. ba'al z'būb, fly-lord.]

Been, bēn, pa.p. of Be.

Beenah, bē′na, n. a primitive form of marriage (the name taken from Ceylon) in which the man goes to live with his wife's family—he is an unimportant person in the family, and the children are not counted his, but belong to the family and kindred of the wife.

Beer, bēr, n. an alcoholic beverage made by fermentation from malted barley flavoured with hops. It was anciently distinguished from ale by being hopped; now beer is the generic name of malt liquor, including ale and porter.—ns. Beer′-en′gine, Beer′-pump, a machine for drawing beer up from the casks to the bar; Beer′-house, a house where beer or malt liquors are sold; Beer′iness; Beer′-mon′ey, money given to soldiers in the British army, in lieu of beer and spirits.—adj. Beer′y, of or affected by beer.—Beer and skittles, a phrase used vaguely for Bohemian pleasures, from a simple form supposed to be a rustic ideal.—Bitter beer = pale ale, a highly hopped beer made from the very finest selected malt and hops; Mild or Sweet ale being of greater gravity or strength, and comparatively lightly hopped; Black beer, a kind of beer made at Danzig, black and syrupy; Small beer, weak beer, hence trifling things, as in the familiar phrase, 'to think no small beer of one's self.' [A.S. béor; Ger. and Dut. bier, Ice. bjorr.]

Beestings, bēst′ingz, n. the first milk drawn from a cow after calving. [A.S. býsting, béost; Ger. and Dut. biest.]

Beet, bēt, n. a plant with a carrot-shaped succulent root, eaten as food, from which sugar is extracted.—ns. Beet′-fly, a two-winged insect, which deposits its eggs on beet or mangel-wurzel, and whose larvæ are injurious to the plant; Beet′root, the root of the beet plant. [A.S. béte (Fr. bette)—L. bēta.]

Beet, Bete, bēt, v.t. (obs. except dial.) to improve, mend, to kindle a fire, to rouse. [A.S. bóetan, bétan; cf. bót, Boot.]

Beetle, bē′tl, n. an order of insects technically known as Coleoptera, usually with four wings, the front pair forming hard and horny covers for those behind, which alone are used in flight.—The Black Beetle or cockroach is not a true beetle. [M.E. bityl—A.S. bitula, bitela, bítan, to bite.]

Beetle, bē′tl, n. a heavy wooden mallet used for driving wedges, crushing or beating down paving-stones, or the like: a wooden pestle-shaped utensil for mashing potatoes, beating linen, &c.—n. Bee′tle-head, a heavy, stupid fellow.—adj. Bee′tle-head′ed. [A.S. bíetel; cog. with béatan, to beat.]

Beetle-browed, bē′tl-browd, adj. with overhanging or prominent brow: scowling.—v.i. Bee′tle, to jut, to hang over—first used by Shakespeare.—n. Beet′ling.—p.adj. jutting out: prominent: overhanging. [Dr Murray notes that the word is first found in the compound bitel-browed, in the 14th century, and favours the explanation, 'with eyebrows like a beetle's'—i.e. projecting eyebrows. See Beetle (1).]

Beeves, bēvz, n.pl. cattle, oxen. [See Beef.]

Befall, be-fawl′, v.t. to fall or happen to: to occur to.—v.i. to happen or come to pass: (Spens.) to fall in one's way:—pr.p. befall′ing; pa.t. befell′; pa.p. befall′en. [A.S. befeallan. See Fall.]

Befana, Beffana, be-fä′na, n. an Epiphany present or gift—a corruption of Epiphania, which name in Italy has become personified for children as a toy-bringing witch or fairy called La Befana.

Befit, be-fit′, v.t. to fit, or be suitable to: to be proper to, or right for:—pr.p. befit′ting; pa.p. befit′ted.—adj. Befit′ting.—adv. Befit′tingly. [Pfx. be-, and Fit.]

Beflower, be-flow′ėr, v.t. to cover or besprinkle with flowers.

Befoam, be-fōm′, v.t. to bespatter or cover with foam.

Befogged, be-fogd′, adj. enveloped in fog: confused.

Befool, be-fōōl′, v.t. to make a fool of, or deceive: to treat as a fool.

Before, be-fōr′, prep. in front of (time or place): in presence or sight of (Before God): under the cognisance of, as in before the court, the magistrate, or the house: previous to: in preference to: superior to.—adv. in front: sooner than hitherto.—conj. previous to the time when (often with that).—advs. Before′hand, before the time: by way of preparation; Before′time, in former time.—To be beforehand with, to forestall in any action. [A.S. beforan. See Fore.]

Befortune, be-for′tūn, v.t. (Shak.) to happen to, to befall.

Befoul, be-fowl′, v.t. to make foul: to soil.

Befriend, be-frend′, v.t. to act as a friend to: to favour.

Befringe, be-frinj′, v.t. to adorn with fringes.

Beg. Same as Bey.

Beg, beg, v.i. to ask alms or charity, esp. habitually (with of, from; for, of the thing asked).—v.t. to ask earnestly: to beseech: to pray: to take for granted what ought to have been proved, esp. in the phrase in logic, 'to beg the question'—the fallacy of the Petitio Principii:—pr.p. beg′ging; pa.p. begged.—n. Beg′gar, one who begs: one who lives by begging: a mean fellow, a poor fellow—often used with a playful and even affectionate sense.—v.t. to reduce to beggary: to exhaust or impoverish: (fig.) to go beyond the resources of, as of description.—ns. Beg′gardom, the fraternity of beggars; Beg′garliness.—adj. Beggarly, poor: mean: worthless.—adv. meanly.—ns. Beg′gar-my-neigh′bour, a game at cards which goes on till one of the players has gained all the other's cards; Beg′gary, extreme poverty.—adv. Beg′gingly.—To beg off, to obtain another's release through entreaty, to seek that one's self may be relieved of some penalty or liability.—To go a-begging, to be in want of a purchaser, or of a person to fill it (of a situation, &c.). [The ety. is very obscure; the words beg and beggar first appear in the 13th century, and Dr Murray thinks the most likely derivation is from the O. Fr. begart, begard, and begar (L. beghardus = beghard), or its synonym beguine and derivative verb beguigner, beguiner, to act the beguin. The Beghards or Beguines were a lay mendicant order, and in the 13th century mendicants calling themselves by these names swarmed over Western Europe.]

Begad, be-gad′, interj. a minced oath, softened from 'By God.'

Began, bē-gan′, pa.t. of Begin.

Begem, be-jem′, v.t. to adorn, as with gems.

Beget, be-get′, v.t. to produce or cause: to generate: to produce as an effect, to cause:—pr.p. beget′ting; pa.t. begat′, begot′; pa.p. begot′, begot′ten.—n. Beget′ter, one who begets: a father: the agent that occasions or originates anything. [A.S. begitan, to acquire. See Get.]

Beghard. See Beg.

Begift, be-gift′, v.t. to present with gifts.

Begild, be-gild′, v.t. to gild: to cover or overlay with gold-leaf.

Begin, be-gin′, v.i. to take rise: to enter on something new: to commence.—v.t. to enter on: to commence (with at, with, upon):—pr.p. begin′ning; pa.t. began′; pa.p. begun′.—ns. Begin′ner, one who begins: one who is beginning to learn or practise anything; Begin′ning, origin or commencement: rudiments—(Spens.) Beginne′.—adj. Begin′ningless. [A.S. beginnan (more usually onginnan), from be, and ginnan, to begin.]

Begird, be-gird′, v.t. to gird or bind with a girdle; to surround or encompass (with):—pa.t. begirt′, begird′ed; pa.p. begirt′. [A.S. begyrdan. See Gird.]

Beglerbeg, bėg′lėr-bėg, n. the governor of a Turkish province, in rank next to the grand vizier. [Turk., lit. 'bey of beys.']

Begloom, be-glōōm′, v.t. to render gloomy.

Begnaw, be-naw′, v.t. to gnaw or bite, to eat away.

Begone, be-gon′, interj. lit. be gone! be off! get away! In Woe′-begone′, beset with woe, we have the pa.p. of A.S. begán, to go round, to beset.

Begonia, be-gōn′ya, n. a genus of plants cultivated in our greenhouses for their pink flowers and their remarkable unequal-sided and often coloured leaves—'Elephant's Ears,' 'Angel's Wings.' [Named from the botanist Michel Begon, 1638-1710.]

Begored, be-gōrd′, adj. (Spens.) besmeared with gore.

Begot, be-got′, Begotten, be-got′n, pa.p. of Beget.

Begrime, be-grīm′, v.t. to grime or soil deeply.

Begrudge, be-gruj′, v.t. to grudge: to envy any one the possession of.

Beguile, be-gīl′, v.t. to cheat or deceive: to divert attention from anything tedious or painful: to divert or amuse: to wile any one into some course.—ns. Beguile′ment; Beguil′er.—adv. Beguil′ingly. [See Guile.]

Beguines, beg′in (see Beg).—n. Beguinage (beg′in-āj), an establishment for Beguines.

Begum, bē′gum, n. a Hindu princess or lady of rank. [Urdu begam.]

Begun, be-gun′, pa.p. of Begin.

Behalf, be-häf′, n. favour or benefit: cause: sake, account: part—only in phrases 'on,' 'in behalf of,' 'on his behalf.' [M. E. behalve—A.S. be healfe, by the side. See Half.]

Behappen, be-hap′n, v.t. (Spens.) to happen to.

Behave, be-hāv′, v.t. to bear or carry, to conduct (with self).—v.i. to conduct one's self, also to conduct one's self well: to act.—n. Behaviour (be-hāv′yür), conduct: manners or deportment, esp. good manners: general course of life: treatment of others.—To be upon one's behaviour, to be placed where one's best behaviour is politic or necessary. [Formed, according to Dr Murray, in 15th century from be- and Have; apparently unconnected with A.S. behabban.]

Behead, be-hed′, v.t. to cut off the head.—ns. Behead′al (rare); Behead′ing, the act of cutting off the head.

Beheld, be-held′, pa.t. and pa.p. of Behold.

Behemoth, bē′he-moth, n. an animal described in the book of Job, usually taken to be the hippopotamus. [Either the pl. of Heb. behêmâh, a beast, or a Hebraistic form of the Egyptian p-ehe-mout, 'water-ox.']

Behest, be-hest′, n. command: charge. [A.S. behǽs, a promise. See Hest.]

Behight, be-hīt′, v.t. (Spens.) to promise, to entrust, to speak to, to command, to reckon or esteem to be:—pr.p. behīght′ing; pa.t. behōte′; pa.p. behīght.—n. (obs.) a vow, a promise. [A.S. behátan, be-, and hátan, to call.]

Behind, be-hīnd′, prep. at the back of (place, or as support): remaining after or coming after (time, rank, order): inferior to, or not so far advanced as.—adv. at the back, in the rear: backward: past.—adj. or adv. Behind′hand, being behind: tardy, or in arrears of debt, &c.: clandestine. [A.S. behindan; Ger. hinten. See Hind.]

Behold, be-hōld′, v.t. to look upon: to contemplate.—v.i. to look: to fix the attention:—pa.t. and pa.p. beheld′.—imper. or interj. see! lo! observe!—adj. Behold′en, bound in gratitude: obliged (with to).—n. Behold′er, one who beholds: an onlooker.—adj. Behold′ing (Shak.), beholden.—n. (Shak.) sight, contemplation. [A.S. behealdan, to hold, observe—pfx. be-, and healdan, to hold.]

Behoof, be-hōōf′, n. benefit: convenience (with to, for, on).

Behot, Behote (Spens.) pa.t. of Behight.

Behove, Behoove, be-hōōv, v.t. to be fit, right, or necessary for—now only used impersonally with it.—adj. Behove′ful, useful: profitable.—adv. Behove′fully (obs.). [M. E. behóf, dat. behove; A.S. behófian, to be fit, to stand in need of.]

Behowl, be-howl′, v.t. (Shak.) to howl at. Warburton first suggested this as an emendation for 'behold' in Midsummer Night's Dream, V. 379.

Beige, bāzh, n. a woollen fabric made of undyed wool. [Fr.]

Bein, bēn, adj. and adv. (Scot.) comfortable: well off: well found: (slang) good.—n. Bein′ness. [M. E. bene, of dubious origin; the derivation has been sought in Scand. beinn, or in L. bene, Fr. bien.]

Being, bē′ing, n. existence: substance: essence: any person or thing existing.—adj. Bē′ing, existing, present.—adj. Bē′ingless.—n. Bē′ingness. [From the pr.p. of Be.]

Beinked, bē-inkt′, p.adj. smeared with ink.

Bejade, be-jād′, v.t. (obs.) to tire out.

Bejan, bē′jan, n. a freshman at the universities of Aberdeen and St Andrews, and formerly in several continental universities. [Fr. bejaune, a novice, from bec jaune, 'yellow beak,' a term used for a nestling or unfledged bird.]

Bejesuit, be-jėz′ū-it, v.t. to initiate or seduce into Jesuitism.

Bejewel, be-jōō′ėl, v.t. to deck with jewels.

Bekah, bē′ka, n. (B.) a half-shekel (4.39 drs. avoir.). [Heb.]

Bekiss, be-kis′, v.t. to cover with kisses.

Beknave, be-nāv′, v.t. to call or treat as a knave.

Beknown, bē-nōn′, p.adj. known, acquainted.

Belabour, be-lā′bur, v.t. to beat soundly.

Bel-accoyle, bel-ak-koil′, n. (Spens.) favourable or kind reception. [O. Fr. bel acoil, fair welcome. See Accoil.]

Belace, be-lās′, v.t. to adorn with lace.

Belamour, bel′a-mōōr, n. (Spens.) a gallant: a fair lady: a kind of flower. [Fr. bel amour, fair love.]

Belamy, bel′a-mi, n. (Spens.) a good or intimate friend. [Fr. bel ami, fair friend.]

Belate, be-lāt′, v.t. to make late: to retard:—pr.p. belāt′ing; pa.p. belāt′ed.—p.adj. Belāt′ed, made too late: out of date: benighted.—n. Belāt′edness.

Belaud, be-lawd′, v.t. to laud or praise highly.

Belay, be-lā′, v.t. (naut.) to fasten a running rope by coiling it round a cleat or Belay′ing-pin: to make fast: (Spens.) to lay ornament round anything.—Belay there (naut. slang), hold! that is enough. [A.S. belecgan; Ger. belegen, Dut. beleggen. See Lay.]

Belch, belch, belsh, v.t. to void wind from the stomach by the mouth: to eject violently: to cast up, as of the smoke from a volcano or a cannon.—n. eructation. [A.S. bealcian; Dut. balken.]

Belcher, bel′sher, n. a neckerchief with dark-blue ground, mottled with white spots, each having a dark-blue spot in the centre. [From Jim Belcher, a famous English boxer.]

Beldam, Beldame, bel′dam, n. an old woman, esp. an ugly one: a hag, a furious woman: (obs.) a grandmother. [Formed from dam, mother, and bel-, expressing relationship. Cf. belsire.]

Beleaguer, be-lēg′ėr, v.t. to lay siege to.—n. Beleag′uerment. [Dut. belegeren, to besiege—be, and leger, camp. See Leaguer.]

Belee, be-lē′, v.t. (Shak.) to place on the lee-side of.

Belemnite, bel′em-nīt, n. a fossil pointed like a dart, being the internal shell of a genus of cephalopods, formerly known as Thunder-bolt, Thunder-stone, Elf-bolt. [Gr. belemnitēs—belemnon, a dart.]

Belfry, bel′fri, n. the part of a steeple or tower in which bells are hung: a bell-tower, sometimes standing apart: a movable wooden tower, used in the Middle Ages in attacking a fortification.—adj. Bel′fried, having a belfry. [Orig. and properly a watch-tower, from O. Fr. berfroi—Mid. High Ger. berchfrit—frid, frit, a tower, bergan, to protect.]

Belgard, bel-gärd′, n. (Spens.) fair or kind looks. [It. bel guardo, lovely look.]

Belgian, bel′ji-an, adj. belonging to Belgium, a country of Europe.—n. a native of Belgium.

Belgic, bel′jik, adj. pertaining to the Belgæ who anciently possessed Belgium, or to Belgium. [L. Belgicus—Belgæ, the Belgians.]

Belgravian, bel-grā′vi-an, adj. belonging to Belgravia (a fashionable part of London), or to fashionable life: aristocratic.

Belial, bēl′yal, n. a name for the devil, and, in Milton, for one of the fallen angels. Not a proper name in Old Test. [Heb. b’li-ya‛al, b’li, without ya‛al, usefulness.]

Belie, be-lī′, v.t. to give the lie to: to speak falsely of: to present in a false character: to counterfeit: to be false to: falsify: (Shak.) to fill with lies:—pr.p. bely′ing; pa.p. belīed′. [A.S. be, and Lie.]

Believe, be-lēv′, v.t. to regard as true: to trust in.—v.i. to be firmly persuaded of anything: to exercise faith (with in, on): to think or suppose.—n. Belief′, persuasion of the truth of anything: faith: the opinion or doctrine believed: intuition, natural judgment (as used by some philosophers).—adjs. Belief′less; Believ′able, that may be believed.—n. Believ′er, one who believes: a professor of Christianity.—p.adj. Believ′ing, trustful.—adv. Believ′ingly.—The Belief (arch.), the Apostles' Creed.—To make believe, to pretend. [M. E. bileven—bi-, be-, and leven. Murray says that believe is an erroneous spelling of the 17th century, prob. after relieve. The A.S. form geléfan survived to the 14th century; the present compound, which superseded it, appears in the 12th century.]

Belike, be-līk′, adv. probably: perhaps. [A.S. pfx. be-, and Like.]

Belittle, be-lit′l, v.t. to make small: to cause to appear small, to depreciate or disparage.—n. Belit′tlement.—adj. Belit′tling. [Pfx. be-, and Little.]

Belive, be-līv′, adv. (Scot.) with speed: soon, erelong. [M. E. bi life; be, bí, by, life, dat. of līf, life.]

Bell, bel, n. a hollow vessel of metal, which gives forth a ringing sound when struck by the tongue or clapper suspended inside—as in church-bell, hand-bell, alarm-bell, night-bell, marriage-bell, &c.: a corolla shaped like a bell: the body of a Corinthian or composite capital, without the surrounding foliage: anything bell-shaped, as in diving-bell, bell-glass, the bell or outward-turned orifice of a trumpet, &c.: a bell rung to tell the hour: (naut.) the bell struck on shipboard every half-hour as many times as there are half-hours of the watch elapsed—'two bells,' 'three bells,' &c., meaning that there are two or three half-hours past; the watch of four hours is eight bells.—v.t. to furnish with a bell, esp. in To bell the cat, to take the leading part in any hazardous movement, from the ancient fable of the mice who proposed to hang a warning bell round the cat's neck.—ns. Bell′cote (archit.), an ornamental structure made to contain one or two bells, and often crowned by a small spire; Bell′-crank, a rectangular lever in the form of a crank, used for changing the direction of bell-wires; Bell′-found′er, one who founds or casts bells; Bell′-glass, a bell-shaped glass for sheltering flowers; Bell′-hang′er, one who hangs and repairs bells; Bell′man, one who rings a bell, esp. on the streets, before making public announcements: a town-crier; Bell′-met′al, the metal of which bells are made—an alloy of copper and tin; Bell′-punch, a hand-punch containing a signal-bell, used for punching a hole in a ticket in order to keep a record of the number of fares taken; Bell′-ring′er, one whose business it is to ring a bell on stated occasions: a performer with musical hand-bells; Bell′-rope, the rope by which a bell is rung.—adj. Bell′-shaped.—ns. Bell′-tow′er, a tower built to contain one or more bells, a campanile; Bell′-tur′ret, a turret containing a bell-chamber, usually crowned with a spire; Bell′-weth′er, the leading sheep of a flock, on whose neck a bell is hung: (fig.) any loud, turbulent fellow, esp. the leader of a mob.—Bell, book, and candle, a phrase popularly used in reference to a form of excommunication ending with the words, 'Do to [shut] the book, quench the candle, ring the bell.'—To bear or carry off the bell, to have or to gain the first place. [A.S. belle; cog. with Dut. bel.]

Bell, bel, n. a bubble formed in a liquid. [Ety. dub.; cf. Dut. bel, a bubble in water, perh. from L. bulla, bubble in water.]

Bell, bel, v.i. to bellow, roar: to utter loudly.—n. the cry of a stag at rutting-time. [A.S. bellan, to roar; cf. Ger. bellen.]

Belladonna, bel′la-don-na, n. the deadly nightshade or dwale, all parts of which are narcotic and poisonous from the presence therein of the alkaloid atropia: the drug prepared from the foregoing. [It. bella donna, fair lady; one property of belladonna is to enlarge the pupil, and so add a brilliance to the eyes.]

Bellarmine, bel′lar-mēn, n. a large stoneware drinking jug with a big belly and a narrow neck, decorated with a bearded face, originally that of Cardinal Bellarmine, made in mockery by the Dutch Protestants.

Belle, bel, n. a handsome woman: the chief beauty of a place: a fair lady generally. [Fr. belle—L. bella, bellus.]

Belles-lettres, bel-let′r, n.pl. polite or elegant literature, including poetry, fiction, criticism, æsthetics, &c.—ns. Bellet′rist, Bellet′trist.—adj. Belletris′tic. [Fr., lit. 'fine letters.']

Bellibone, bel′i-bōn, n. (Spens.) a beautiful and good woman.

Bellicose, bel′ik-ōs, adj. contentious, war-like.—adv. Bel′licosely.—n. Bellicos′ity. [L. bellicosus.]

Bellied, bel′lid, p.adj. with a belly, esp. a big belly, pot-bellied: bulging: puffed out. [See Belly.]

Belligerent, bel-ij′ėr-ėnt, adj. carrying on regular war.—n. a party or person waging such.—n. Bellig′erency. [L. belligerant-em, belligerāre, to wage war.]

Bellona, bel′lō-na, n. the Roman goddess of war—hence (fig.) a woman of great spirit and vigour.

Bellow, bel′lō, v.i. to roar like a bull: to make any violent outcry, often with sense of contempt or ridicule: to shout aloud: to roar, as of cannon, the ocean, &c.—with objective, to give forth a loud sound.—n. the roar of a bull: any deep sound or cry. [M. E. belwen; there is an A.S. bellan, to roar.]

Bellows, bel′lōz, or bel′lus, n.pl. an instrument for producing a current of air so as to blow up a fire, either in a kitchen, a furnace, or a forge—or for producing the current of air by which the pipes and reeds of an organ are sounded: (fig.) that which fans the fire of hatred, jealousy, &c.: the lungs. [Same as Belly (q.v.); now used only in pl., the sing. not having survived the 15th century.]

Belly, bel′li, n. the part of the body between the breast and the thighs, containing the bowels: the stomach, as the receptacle of the food: the bowels proper: the womb or uterus: the interior of anything: the bulging part of anything, as a bottle, or any concave or hollow surface, as of a sail: the inner or lower surface of anything, as opposed to the back, as of a violin, &c.—adj. ventral, abdominal: (theol.) belonging to the flesh, carnal.—v.i. to swell or bulge out.—ns. Bel′ly-band, a saddle-girth: a band fastened to the shafts of a vehicle, and passing under the belly of the horse drawing it; Bel′lyful, a sufficiency; Bel′ly-god, one who makes a god of his belly, a glutton.—p.adj. Bel′lying.—n. Bel′ly-tim′ber, provisions. [M. E. bali, bely—A.S. bælig, belig; bælg, belg, bag.]

Belomancy, bel′o-man-si, n. a kind of divination by means of arrows. [Gr. belos, a dart, manteia, divination.]

Belong, be-long′, v.i. to go along with: to pertain to: to be one's property: to be a part of, or appendage of, or in any way connected with: to be specially the business of: (U.S.) to be a native of, or have a residence in.—n.pl. Belong′ings, circumstances or relations of any person: possessions: persons connected, relatives: accessories. [Bi-, be-longen, intens. of longen, with pfx. be-. See Long.]

Beloved, be-luvd′, or be-luv′ed, p.adj. much loved, very dear—often compounded with well-; best-, &c.—n. one who is much loved.—adj. Belov′ing (Shak.) = loving.

Below, be-lō′, prep. beneath in place, rank, or quality: underneath: not worthy of.—adv. in a lower place: (fig.) on earth, or in hell, as opposed to heaven. [Pfx. be-, and adj. Low.]

Belt, belt, n. a girdle, zone, or band: such a piece, as of leather, worn by way of ornament, or given as a prize or badge of victory in wrestling or the like: a broad strip of anything, different in colour or material: that which confines or restrains: (geog.) a strait.—v.t. to surround with a belt, or to invest formally with such, as in knighting a man: to encircle: to thrash with a belt.—p.adj. Belt′ed, wearing a belt, of a knight: marked with a belt, as the 'belted kingfisher.'—n. Belt′ing, flexible belts for the transmission of motion in machinery, made of leather, indiarubber, &c.—as in chainbelt, crossed belt, endless belt, &c.; a thrashing.—To hold the belt, to hold the championship in wrestling, boxing, or the like. [A.S. belt; Ice. belti, Gael. balt, L. balteus.]

Beltane, bel′tān, n. an ancient Celtic heathen festival, held in the beginning of May, when bonfires were lighted on the hills: the first day of May (O.S.)—one of the four old quarter-days of Scotland, the others being Lammas, Hallowmas, and Candlemas.—adj. in Beltane games, &c. [Gael. bealltainn, beilteine; usually explained as 'Beal's fire,' Beal being a supposed Celtic deity who has been courageously identified with the Baal or Bel of the Phœnicians and other Semitic peoples, and Gael. teine, fire. But even this last is doubtful.]

Beluga, be-lōō′ga, n. the white whale, one of the dolphin family, closely allied to the narwhal, 12 to 16 feet long, of creamy-white colour, found in droves round Greenland and all over the Arctic seas: applied also to a great Russian sturgeon—the Acipenser Huso. [Russ.]

Belvedere, bel′ve-dēr, n. a pavilion or raised turret or lantern on the top of a house, open for the view, or to admit the cool evening breeze: a summer-house on an eminence in a park or garden. [It. belvedere; bel, beautiful, vedere, a view.]

Bema, bē′ma, n. the tribune or rostrum from which Athenian orators made their speeches—hence the apse or chancel of a basilica. [Gr. bēma, a step.]

Bemad, be-mad′, v.t. to madden.

Bemaul, be-mawl′, v.t. to maul thoroughly.

Bemazed, be-māzd′, p.adj. stupefied, bewildered.

Bembex, bem′beks, n. a genus of solitary sand-wasps, with broad heads and very large eyes, noted for their making a loud buzz during their rapid flight. [Gr. bembix.]

Bemean, be-mēn′, v.t. to make mean, to lower or debase: (obs.) to signify.

Bemire, be-mīr′, v.t. to soil with mire.—p.adj. Bemired′.

Bemoan, be-mōn′, v.t. to lament: bewail: to pity.—v.i. to grieve.—ns. Bemoan′er; Bemoan′ing.

Bemock, be-mok′, v.t. to mock at, to deride.

Bemoil, be-moil′, v.t. (Shak.) to bemire, to bedraggle.

Bemonster, be-mon′ster, v.t. to make monstrous: to regard or treat as a monster.

Bemouth, be-mowth′, v.i. to declaim, to overpraise.

Bemud, be-mud′, v.t. to bespatter with mud: to confuse.

Bemuddle, be-mud′l, v.t. to confuse or muddle completely.

Bemuffle, be-muf′l, v.t. to wrap or muffle up completely.

Bemuse, be-mūz′, v.t. to put in confusion: stupefy.

Ben, ben, n. a mountain peak. [Gael. beann.]

Ben, ben, prep. and adv. in toward the inner apartment of a house.—n. the inner apartment of a house, as opposed to the But or kitchen through which one must generally pass first.—To be far ben with one, to be on terms of great intimacy or friendship with; To live but and ben, to live respectively in these rooms, in close neighbourhood with any one. [M. E. binne—A.S. binnan, within.]

Bench, bensh, n. a long seat or form with or without a back: a seat in a boat: a mechanic's work-table: a judge's seat: the body or assembly of judges: a tribunal: the dignity of holding an official seat, as the 'bench of bishops,' the 'civic bench.'—v.t. to place on or furnish with benches.—ns. Bench′er, a senior member of an inn of court; Bench′ership; Bench′-mark, a surveyor's mark cut on a rock, gatepost, wall, or the like, into which a crooked iron is set so as to form a bench or temporary support for the levelling instrument; Bench′-war′rant, one issued by a judge rather than a justice or magistrate. [A.S. benc; cog. with Ger. and Dut. bank.]

Bend, bend, v.t. to curve or bow: to make crooked: to turn or incline—mostly in passive, to be inclined to, towards, to be given to: to subdue: to direct to a certain point: to apply closely, to strain, to nerve one's self to: (naut.) to tie, fasten, make fast.—v.i. to be crooked or curved: to incline in any direction: to stoop: to lean: to bow in submission (with to, before, towards):—pa.p. bend′ed or bent.—n. a curve or crook: the bent part of anything; (her.) one of the nine ordinaries, consisting of the space contained between two parallel lines crossing the shield diagonally from dexter chief to sinister base. It is said to occupy a fifth part of the shield unless charged, when it occupies a third part—its diminutives are the Bendlet, Cotise, and Ribbon.—Bend sinister, an occasionally occurring variety of the bend, drawn from sinister chief to dexter base. [Old Eng. bendan.]

Bend, bend, n. in leather, half a butt cut lengthwise.

Beneath, be-nēth′, prep. under, or lower in place: inside of, behind: unworthy the dignity of, unbecoming. [A.S. bi-nathan.]

Benedicite, ben-ē-dis′i-te, n. the canticle beginning 'Benedicite omnia opera Domini' ('O all ye works of the Lord'), from the Apocryphal Song of the Three Holy Children—in the Anglican morning service an alternate to the Te Deum: the blessing before a repast.

Benedict, ben′e-dikt, n. a common name for a newly married man, esp. a bachelor who has long held out against marriage, but at last succumbed—from Benedick in Shakespeare's Much Ado about Nothing.—adj. blessed: benign.

Benedictine, ben-e-dik′tin, adj. pertaining to St Benedict or his monastic rule.—n. a Black Friar or monk of the order founded at Monte Cassino by St Benedict of Nursia (480-543), which became famous for its learning: a cordial or liqueur resembling Chartreuse, distilled at Fécamp in Normandy—once distilled by Benedictine monks.

Benediction, ben-e-dik′shun, n. a solemn invocation of the divine blessing on men or things—a priestly benediction is defined by Romanists as a formula of imperative prayer which transmits a certain grace or virtue to the object over which it is pronounced: a brief and popular service in the Romish Church, consisting of certain canticles and antiphons sung in presence of the host, and concluding with the priest making the sign of the cross over the people with the monstrance, and giving in silence the benediction of the most holy sacrament.—adj. Benedict′ory.—n. Benedict′us, the canticle of Zacharias (Luke, i. 68-79), used in the Roman service of matin-lauds, and occurring after the second lesson in Anglican matins.—p.adj. Benedight′ (Longfellow), blessed.—Apostolic benediction, that given in 2 Cor. xiii. 14.

Benefaction, ben-e-fak′shun, n. the act of doing good: a good deed done or benefit conferred: a grant or endowment.—n. Benefac′tor, one who gives a benefit to another, esp. one who leaves a legacy to some charitable or religious institution, a patron:—fem. Benefac′tress.—adj. Benefac′tory. [L. benefaction-em.]

Benefice, ben′e-fis, n. any kind of church promotion or dignity, esp. with cure of souls, such as rectories, vicarages, and other parochial cures, as distinguished from bishoprics, deaneries, cathedral preferments, &c.: an ecclesiastical living.—adj. Ben′eficed, possessed of a benefice. [Through Fr. from L. beneficium.]

Beneficence, be-nef′i-sens, n. active goodness: kindness: charity: a beneficent gift.—n. Benefic′ency (obs.).—adjs. Benef′icent; Beneficen′tial.—adv. Benef′icently. [L. beneficentia.]

Beneficial, ben-e-fish′al, adj. useful; advantageous: (law) enjoying the usufruct of property.—adj. Benef′ic, of good influence astrologically: beneficent, kindly.—adv. Benefic′ially.—ns. Benefic′ialness; Benefic′iary, a legal term to denote a person who enjoys, or has the prospect of enjoying, any interest or estate held in trust by others. [L. beneficium.]

Benefit, ben′e-fit, n. a kindness: a favour: any advantage, natural or other: a performance at a theatre, the proceeds of which go to one of the company.—v.t. to do good to.—v.i. to gain advantage (with from),—ns. Ben′efit-of-cler′gy, in old English law, the exemption of the persons of ecclesiastics from criminal process before a secular judge, they being responsible only to their ordinary. This privilege, at first limited to those in actual orders, was in 1350 extended to all manner of clerks, and in later practice to all who could read, whether of clergy or laity; Ben′efit-of-in′ventory (Scots law), a legal privilege whereby an heir secured himself against unlimited liability for his ancestor, by giving up within the annus deliberandi an inventory of his heritage or real estate, to the extent of which alone was the heir liable.—Benefit societies, associations for mutual benefit chiefly among the labouring classes, better known as Friendly societies. [M. E. benfet, through Fr. from L. benefactum.]

Benet, be-net′, v.t. to catch in a net, to ensnare.

Benet, ben′et, n. an exorcist, the third of the four lesser orders in the Roman Church. [Through Fr. from L. benedict-us, blessed.]

Benevolence, ben-ev′ol-ens, n. disposition to do good: an act of kindness: generosity: a gift of money, esp. for support of the poor: (Eng. hist.) a kind of forced loan or contribution, levied by kings without legal authority, first so called under Edward IV. in 1473.—adj. Benev′olent, charitable, generous, well disposed to.—adv. Benev′olently. [Through Fr. from L. benevolentia.]

Bengali, ben-gaw′lē, adj. of or belonging to Bengal.—n. a native of Bengal: the language of Bengal.—n. Bengal′-light, a brilliant signal-light used at sea in a case of shipwreck, and in ordinary pyrotechny for illuminating a district of country—prepared from nitre, sulphur, and the black sulphide of antimony.

Benighted, be-nīt′ed, adj. overtaken by night: involved in darkness, intellectual or moral: ignorant.—v.t. Benight′, to involve in such darkness: to cloud with disappointment.—ns. Benight′ening; Benight′er; Benight′ing; Benight′ment. [Pfx. be- and Night.]

Benign, ben-īn′, adj. favourable, esp. in astrology, as opposed to malign: gracious: kindly: (med.) of a mild type, as opposed to malignant: salubrious.—n. Benig′nancy, benignant quality.—adj. Benig′nant, kind: gracious: beneficial.—adv. Benig′nantly.—n. Benig′nity, goodness of disposition: kindness: graciousness: favourable circumstances—of climate, weather, disease, planets.—adv. Benign′ly. [O. Fr. benigne—L. benignus, for benigenus; bene, well, genus, born.]