List of Abbreviations Used in This Dictionary (part 4)

Benison, ben′izn, n. benediction, blessing, esp. blessing of God. [O. Fr. beneiçun—L. benediction-em.]

Benitier, bā-nē′tiā, n. the vase or vessel for holy water in R.C. churches, known in England as the holy-water font, vat, pot, stone, stock, or stoup. [Fr.—Low L. benedictarium—L. benedictus.]

Benjamin, ben′jä-min, n. a kind of overcoat formerly worn by men. [Suggested possibly by 'Joseph's coat.' The Gipsy béngari, 'waistcoat,' has been proposed as an etymon.]

Benjamin, ben′jä-min, n. gum benjamin, an essence made from benzoin.—n. Ben′jamin-tree, a North American aromatic shrub, with stimulant tonic bark and berries: the tree which yields benzoin—Styrax Benzoin. [A corr. of Benzoin.]

Bennet, ben′et, n. the herb Bennet or common avens (Geum urbanum), a yellow-flowered wayside plant throughout Europe. [Through Fr. from L. 'herba benedicta,' the flower being a protective against the devil.]

Bennet, ben′et, n. the same as Bent, indeed an earlier form.

Bent, bent, pa.t. and pa.p. of Bend.

Bent, bent, n. leaning or bias: tendency: intention: natural inclination of the mind towards anything: the condition of being bent, curved form: (rare) slope or declivity: (Shak.) a cast, as of the eye: the extent to which a bow may be bent—degree of tension, capacity of endurance, as in the phrase 'to the top of one's bent' = to the full measure of one's inclination. [See Bend.]

Bent, bent, n. any stiff or wiry grass: the old dried stalks of grasses: a special genus (Agrostis) containing about sixty species of grasses, all slender and delicate in appearance, and some useful as pasture-grasses and for hay: a place covered with such, a heath: a hillside.—Often Bent′-grass.—Ben′net is a variant, a name applied to the wild barley-grass.—adj. Bent′y.—To take to the bent (Scot.), to fly to the moors, to escape from some danger by flight. [A.S. beonet, found in place-names, as Beonetléah, Bentley; the history is obscure, but the word is doubtless Teut.; cf. Ger. binse.]

Benthamism, ben′tham-izm, n. a name applied to the social and political doctrines of Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832), whose leading principle is the doctrine of utility, that happiness is identical with pleasure, summed up in Priestley's famous phrase, 'the greatest happiness of the greatest number.'

Benumb, be-num′, v.t. to make insensible or powerless: to stupefy (now chiefly of cold): to deaden the feelings: to paralyse generally.—p.adj. Benumbed′.—ns. Benumbed′ness, Benumb′ment. [Pfx. be- and Numb.]

Benzene, ben′zēn, n. a compound of carbon and hydrogen, discovered by Faraday in 1825, in a tarry liquid resulting from the distillation of oil. It is found amongst the products of the destructive distillation of a great many organic bodies, but the most abundant source is coal-tar. It must not be confounded with benzine or benzoyl, which names have at different times been used for benzene.—Ben′zine is the name given to a distillate from American petroleum, which is much used as a substitute for turpentine, and for dissolving oils and fats; Ben′zoyl is the commercial name applied to a mixture of substances, including benzene and its homologues.—Ben′zol is synonymous with benzene, while Ben′zoline is a name applied to benzine and impure benzene indiscriminately.

Benzoin, ben′zō-in, or -zoin, n. gum benjamin, the aromatic and resinous juice of the Styrax Benzoin of Java and Sumatra. It is used in perfumery, in pastilles, and for incense, and its compound tincture yields Friar's Balsam or Jesuit's Drops, and is used in making court-plaster. [In the 16th century, Benjoin. Most prob. through It. from Ar. lubān jāwī, frankincense of Java, Sumatra, &c.]

Bepaint, be-pānt′, v.t. to paint over: to colour.

Bepat, be-pat′, v.t. to pat frequently, to beat.

Bepatched, be-patcht′, p.adj. mended with patches: wearing patches on the face by way of adornment.

Bepearl, be-pėrl′, v.t. to cover over with pearls.

Bepelt, be-pėlt′, v.t. to pelt vigorously.

Bepepper, be-pep′ėr, v.t. to pelt with a rain of shot or of blows.

Bepester, be-pest′ėr, v.t. to vex or pester greatly.

Bepity, be-pit′i, v.t. to pity greatly.

Beplumed, be-plōōmd′, p.adj. adorned with feathers.

Bepommel, be-pom′el, v.t. to pommel soundly.

Bepowder, be-pow′dėr, v.t. to powder over.

Bepraise, be-prāz′, v.t. to praise extravagantly.

Beprose, be-prōz′, v.t. to reduce to prose: to discuss in prose, and tediously.

Bepuff, be-puf′, v.t. to puff out: to praise beyond measure.

Bequeath, be-kwēth′, v.t. to leave personal property by will to another: to transmit to posterity, to leave behind: to commit or entrust to any one.—adj. Bequeath′able.—ns. Bequeath′al, Bequeath′ment. [A.S. becweðan; pfx. be-,and cweðan, to say. See Quoth.]

Bequest, be-kwest′, n. act of bequeathing: that which is bequeathed, a legacy. [M. E. bi-queste—A.S. bi'-cwiss; bi'-, a form of pfx. be-, qithan, to say. See Quoth.]

Berate, be-rāt′, v.t. (U.S.) to scold or chide vigorously.

Berber, bėr′bėr, n. and adj. a member of one of the Hamitic tribes inhabiting the mountainous regions of Barbary and the northern portions of the Great Desert, originally occupying the whole southern coast of the Mediterranean: the language spoken by the Berbers. [Derived by Barth either from the name of their supposed ancestor, Ber, which we recognise in the L. A-fer, an African; or from the Gr. and L. term Barbari.]

Bere, another spelling of Bear, barley (q.v.).

Berean, bē-rē′an, n. one of an extinct Scottish sect of the 18th century, named from the people of Berea (Acts, xvii. 11, who derived all knowledge of God from the Bible, but differed little from ordinary Calvinists.

Bereave, be-rēv′, v.t. to rob a person of anything valued: to leave destitute:—pa.t. and pa.p. bereaved′—the latter also Bereft′.—adj. Bereaved′, robbed by death of some dear relative or friend.—n. Bereave′ment, the fact or state of being so bereaved. [A.S. beréafian, to plunder. See Reave.]

Beret, Berret, bėr′et, n. a flat woollen cap worn by the Basques. [Fr.]

Berg, berg, n. a mass or mountain of ice.—ns. Berg′fall, the fall of a mountain rock; Berg′field, an expanse of ice covered with bergs. [See Iceberg.]

Bergamask, bėr′ga-mask, adj. of or pertaining to Bergamo, whose natives are clownish in manners and dialect.—n. a rustic dance of theirs.

Bergamot, bėr′ga-mot, n. a kind of citron whose aromatic rind yields the well-known oil of Bergamot, used in making pomades, fragrant essences, eau de Cologne, liqueurs, &c.: the essence so extracted. [From the town of Bergamo.]

Bergamot, bėr′ga-mot, n. a group of varieties of pear of fine flavour. [Fr.—It.—Turk. begarmūdi.]

Bergmehl, bėrg′māl, n. a deposit of diatomaceous white earth or powder, that used in Norway to be mixed with flour and used as food. [Ger. 'mountain-flour.']

Beriberi, ber′i-ber-i, n. an Eastern disease marked by anæmia, paralysis, and dropsical symptoms. [Singh.]

Berkeleianism, berk′lē-an-izm, n. the philosophy of Bishop Berkeley (1685-1753), who maintained that the world we see and touch is not an abstract independent substance, of which conscious mind may be an effect, but is the very world which is presented to our senses, and which depends for its actuality on being perceived.—adj. and n. Berkelei′an.

Berlin, bėr′lin, n. an old-fashioned four-wheeled covered carriage, with a seat behind covered with a hood—also Ber′line.—Berlin blue, Prussian blue; Berlin wool, a fine dyed wool for worsted-work, knitting, &c.

Berm, bėrm, n. a ledge: esp. a fortification. [Fr. berme; Ger. berme.]

Bernardine, bėr′nard-in, adj. Cistercian. [From St Bernard of Clairvaux, founder of the order.]

Berob, be-rob′, v.t. (Spens.) to rob or plunder.

Berry, ber′i, n. a popular term for any small succulent fruit, but restricted in botanical language to simple fruits with pericarp succulent throughout, whether developed from superior (grape, potato, bitternut, belladonna, bryony, asparagus, tomato), or more commonly inferior ovary (gooseberry, currant, barberry, bilberry, &c.)—thus, strictly, the strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, are not berries.—v.i. to come into berry, to swell.—adj. Ber′ried, bearing berries. [A.S. berie.]

Bersaglieri, bār-sal-yā′rē, n.pl. the riflemen or sharpshooters of the Italian army, first organised in the Sardinian army in 1836. [It.; pl. of bersagliere, bersaglio, a mark.]

Berserk, -er, bėr′serk, -ėr, n. a Norse warrior whom the sight of the field of battle would fill with a frenzied and resistless fury—'the berserker rage.' [Ice. berserkr; Vigfusson explains the word as 'bear-sark,' and most probably a reference to the uncanny Werewolf superstition is involved.]

Berth, bėrth, n. a ship's station at anchor; a room or sleeping-place in a ship, a sleeping-carriage, &c.: any allotted or assigned place: a situation or place of employment, usually a comfortable one—even without such a qualifying adjective as 'a snug berth.'—v.t. to moor a ship: to furnish with a berth.—To give a wide berth to, to keep well away from generally. [A doublet of Birth; from Bear.]

Beryl, bėr′il, n. a precious stone resembling the emerald, but colourless, yellowish, greenish yellow or blue—its finer varieties are called precious beryl, and sometimes aquamarine. It has important uses as a magic crystal in which the future becomes visible.—adj. beryl-like in colour. [O. Fr. beryl—L. beryllus—Gr. bēryllos.]

Besaint, be-sānt′, v.t. to make a saint of.—pa.p. Besaint′ed, canonised: haunted with saints.

Bescatter, be-skat′ėr, v.t. to scatter over.

Bescrawl, be-skrawl′, v.t. to scrawl or scribble over.

Bescreen, be-skrēn′, v.t. to screen: to overshadow.

Bescribble, be-skrib′l, v.t. to write in a scribbling hand: to scribble about or upon.

Beseech, be-sēch′, v.t. to entreat, to implore (as a person, for a thing, or to do a thing): to ask or pray earnestly: to solicit—(Spens.) Beseeke′:—pa.t. and pa.p. besought′.—ns. Beseech′er; Beseech′ing.—adv. Beseech′ingly.—ns. Beseech′ingness; Beseech′ment. [Pfx. be-, and M. E. sechen, to Seek.]

Beseem, be-sēm′, v.t. to be seemly or fit for: to become: to be fit for or worthy of: (Spens.) to become or appear.—ns. Beseem′ing, Beseem′ingness—adv. Beseem′ingly.

Beseen, be-sēn′, pa.p. of good appearance, comely: well furnished (with well).—Besee′ is quite obsolete.

Beset, be-set′, v.t. to surround or set round with anything (now only in pa.p.): to surround with hostile intentions, to besiege: to occupy so as to allow none to go out or in: to assail, perplex, endanger, as by temptations, obstacles, &c.:—pr.p. beset′ting; pa.t. and pa.p. beset′.—ns. Beset′ment; Beset′ter.—p.adj. Beset′ting, that besets, as in 'besetting sin.'

Beshadow, be-shad′ō, v.t. to cast a shadow over.

Beshame, be-shām′, v.t. to put to shame.

Beshine, be-shīn′, v.i. to light up.—p.adj. Beshone′.

Beshrew, be-shrōō′, v.t. to invoke evil upon, to curse—now only in such mild imprecations as 'beshrew me,' or 'thee'—prob. not imperative but elliptical, like '(I) thank you.' [Pfx. be-, and Shrew.]

Beside, be-sīd′, prep. and adv. by the side of, near: over and above (in this sense, now usually Besides′), distinct from: apart from, not falling within, as of a question, resolution, &c.—Beside the mark, away from the mark aimed at, irrelevant.—To be beside one's self, to be out of one's senses. [M. E. bi siden—A.S. be si'dan, by the side (dat.).]

Besides, be-sīdz′, prep. and adv. in addition, otherwise, aside: over and above, in addition to, away from. [Beside, with the s of the adv. gen.]

Besiege, be-sēj′, v.t. to lay siege to: to beset with armed forces: to throng round.—n. Besieg′er.—adv. Besieg′ingly (rare), urgently.

Besigh, be-sī′, v.t. to sigh over.

Besing, be-sing′, v.t. to celebrate in song.—p.adj. Besung′.

Besit, be-sit′, v.t. (obs.) to besiege: to sit well on, as clothes, to become.—p.adj. Besit′ting (Spens.), becoming.

Beslave, be-slāv′, v.t. to make a slave of: to call slave.

Beslaver, be-slāv′ėr, v.t. to slaver or slobber upon: to cover with fulsome flattery.

Beslobber, be-slob′ėr, v.t. to besmear with the spittle running from one's mouth: to cover with drivelling kisses: to flatter fulsomely.—v.t. Beslub′ber, to bedaub or besmear.

Besmear, be-smēr′, v.t. to smear over: to bedaub: to pollute.

Besmirch, be-smirch′, v.t. to soil, as with smoke or soot: to sully.—v.t. Besmutch′, to besmirch.

Besmut, be-smut′, v.t. to blacken with soot.—p.adj. Besmut′ted.

Besogno, Besonio. Same as Bezonian.

Besom, bē′zum, n. an implement for sweeping, a broom: any cleansing or purifying agent: (Scot.) a term of reproach for a woman.—ns. Bē′som-head, a blockhead; Bē′som-rid′er, a witch.—To jump the besom (see Broom). [A.S. besema, besma; a common Teut. word; Ger. besen, Dut. bezem.]

Besort, be-sort′, v.t. (obs., Shak.) to match with, befit, become.—n. suitable company.

Besot, be-sot′, v.t. to make sottish, dull, or stupid: to make a sot of: to cause to dote on: to infatuate (with):—pr.p. besot′ting; pa.p. besot′ted.—p.adj. Besot′ted, infatuated.—adv. Besot′tedly.—n. Besot′tedness.

Besought, be-sawt′, pa.t. and pa.p. of Beseech.

Besouled, be-sōld′, adj. endowed with a soul.

Bespangle, be-spang′gl, v.t. to adorn with spangles, or with anything sparkling or shining.

Bespate, be-spāt′, p.adj. spit upon.

Bespatter, be-spat′ėr, v.t. to spatter or sprinkle with dirt or anything moist: to defame.

Bespeak, be-spēk′, v.t. to speak for or engage beforehand: to stipulate or ask for: to betoken.—v.i. (obs.) to speak:—pa.t. bespōke′; pa.p. bespōke′ and bespōk′en.—n. an actor's benefit, so called because the actor's friends and patrons bespeak or choose the piece to be performed that night.

Bespeckle, be-spek′l, v.t. to mark with speckles or spots.

Bespectacled, be-spek′ta-kld, pa.p. having spectacles on.

Bespeed, be-spēd′, v.t. to help on.—p.adj. Besped′.

Bespice, be-spīs′, v.t. (Shak.) to season with spice: to drug or poison.

Bespoke, be-spōk′, Bespoken, be-spōk′n, pa.p. of Bespeak, ordered, as boots, clothes, &c.

Bespot, be-spot′, v.t. to cover with spots.—p.adj. Bespot′ted.—n. Bespot′tedness.

Bespout, be-spowt′, v.t. to spout over: to declaim pompously.

Bespread, be-spred′, v.t. to spread over: to cover:—pr.p. bespread′ing; pa.t. and pa.p. bespread′.

Besprent, be-sprent′, pa.p. sprinkled over: scattered. [A.S. besprengan. See Sprinkle.]

Besprinkle, be-spring′kl, v.t. to sprinkle over.

Bessemer, bes′ėm-ėr, adj. derived from the name of the inventor, Sir H. Bessemer, applied to steel for rails, tires, ship-plates, &c., prepared by the Bessemer process.

Best, best, adj. (serves as superl. of Good) good in the highest degree: first: highest: most excellent.—n. one's utmost endeavour: the highest perfection.—adv. (superl. of Well) in the highest degree: in the best manner.—v.t. (coll.) to get the better of.—Best man and Best maid, the groomsman and bridesmaid at a wedding.—At the best, or At best, in the best possible way, at most after every allowance is made; For the best, with the best intentions; I were best = it were best for me.—To have the best of it, to gain the advantage in a contest; To make the best of one's way, to go by the best possible road; To put one's best foot foremost, to do the best, or to make the best show, one can. [A.S. betst, betest. See Better.]

Bestain, be-stān′, v.t. to stain all over.

Bestead, be-sted′, v.t. to help, relieve: to be of use to, to avail.—v.i. to profit, be advantageous.

Bestead, Bested, be-sted′, p.adj. set about (with): beset (with by, of foes; with, of dangers, &c.): situated—usually with ill, hard, &c.

Bestial, best′i-al, adj. like a beast: rude: brutally sensual.—n. (Scot.) a collective name for cattle.—v.t. Best′ialise, to make like a beast.—ns. Best′ialism, irrationality; Bestial′ity, beastliness: disgusting vice. [L. bestialis. See Beast.]

Bestiary, best′i-ar-i, n. the name given to a class of books of great popularity in the Middle Ages, describing all the animals of creation, real or fabled, generally illustrated by drawings, and allegorised for edification. [Low L. bestiarium, a menagerie.]

Bestick, be-stik′, v.t. to stick over, as with sharp points.

Bestill, be-stil′, v.t. to make quiet, to hush.

Bestir, be-stėr′, v.t. to put into lively action: arouse into activity: (refl.) to rouse one's self—p.adj. Bestir′ring.

Bestorm, be-storm′, v.t. to assail with storms or tumult.

Bestow, be-stō′, v.t. to stow, place, or put by: to give or confer: to accommodate with quarters: to apply (with on and upon): (refl., Shak.) to acquit one's self.—ns. Bestow′al, act of bestowing: disposal; Bestow′er; Bestow′ment.

Bestraddle, be-strad′dl, v.t. to bestride.

Bestraught, be-strawt′, adj. (obs.) distraught: distracted: mad. [Formed with pfx. be-, on the analogy of distraught—L. dis-tractus.]

Bestreak, be-strēk′, v.t. to overspread with streaks.

Bestrew, be-strōō′, v.t. to strew or scatter loosely over:—pa.p. bestrewed′, bestrōwn′, bestrewn′ (with).

Bestride, be-strīd′, v.t. to stride over: to sit or stand across: to defend, protect, from the sense of standing over a fallen man to defend him:—pa.t. bestrid′, bestrōde′; pa.p. bestrid′, bestrid′den.

Bestuck, be-stuk′, pa.t. and pa.p. of Bestick, to stick about, adorn: to transfix.

Bestud, be-stud′, v.t. to adorn as with studs, as the sky with stars.

Bet, bet, n. a wager: something staked to be lost or won on the result of a doubtful issue, as a horse-race, or the like.—v.t. and v.i. to lay or stake, as a bet:—pr.p. bet′ting; pa.t. and pa.p. bet or bet′ted.—ns. Bet′ter, one who bets—also Bet′tor; Bet′ting, act of betting or proposing a wager.—An even bet, an equal chance.—You bet, in American slang, certainly. [Prob. shortened from the noun Abet.]

Betake, be-tāk′, v.t. to take one's self to, to go (with self): to apply or have recourse:—pa.t. betook′; pa.p. betāk′en.

Beteem, be-tēm′, v.t. (Shak.) to grant, to suffer, to allow. [Most prob. from pfx. be-, and Teem.]

Betel, bē′tl, n. the betel-nut, or nut of the areca palm, with lime and the leaves of the Betel-Pepper, chewed by the Malays as a stimulant. [Through Port. from Malay vettila.]

Bethankit, be-thank′it, Scotch for 'God be thanked.'

Bethel, beth′el, n. a hallowed spot, a name applied by some Methodists to their places of worship: an old ship fitted up in a port as a place of worship for sailors. [Heb. Bēth-ēl, house of God.]

Bethink, be-thingk′, v.t. to think on or call to mind: to recollect (generally followed by a reflective pronoun and of): to propose to one's self.—v.i. to consider:—pa.t. and pa.p. bethought (be-thawt′). [A.S. bithencan; cf. Ger. bedenken. See Think.]

Bethrall, be-thrawl′, v.t. (Spens.) to enslave.

Bethumb, be-thum′, v.t. to mark with the thumbs:—pa.p. bethumbed′.

Bethump, be-thump′, v.t. to thump or beat soundly.

Bethwack, be-thwak′, v.t. to thrash soundly.

Betide, be-tīd′, v.i. to happen to, to befall—in third person, and often impersonally, with dative object, now little used save in phrase, 'woe betide!': (rare) to betoken:—pa.p. (Shak.) Betid′. [See Tide.]

Betime, be-tīm′, v.i. (Shak.) to betide.

Betimes, be-tīmz′, adv. in good time: early: seasonably: speedily. [Pfx. be-, and Time, with adv. gen. -s; like besides from beside.]

Betitle, be-tī′tl, v.t. to give a name to.

Betoil, be-toil′, v.t. to weary with toil.

Betoken, be-tō′kn, v.t. to show by a sign: to foreshow. [See Token.]

Betony, bet′on-i, n. a common British labiate plant growing in woods, of great repute in ancient and medieval medicine, used to dye wool yellow. [Fr.—L. betonica, vettonica.]

Betook, be-took′, pa.t. of Betake.

Betossed, be-tost′, pa.p. (Shak.) agitated.

Betray, be-trā′, v.t. to give up treacherously: to disclose in breach of trust: to let go basely or weakly: to deceive the innocent and trustful, to seduce: to discover or show: to show signs of.—ns. Betray′al, act of betraying; Betray′er, a traitor, the seducer of a trustful girl. [Pfx. be-, and O. Fr. traïr (Fr. trahir)—L. tradĕre, to deliver up.]

Betrim, be-trim′, v.t. to trim or set in order, to deck, to dress.

Betrodden, be-trod′n, pa.t. and pa.p. of Betread′, to tread over or walk upon.

Betroth, be-troth′, v.t. to contract or promise in order to marriage: to affiance: (obs.) to pledge one's self to any cause.—ns. Betroth′al, Betroth′ment, an agreement or contract with a view to marriage. [Pfx. be-, and Troth or Truth.]

Better, bet′ėr, adj. (serves as comp. of Good) good in a greater degree: preferable: improved: more suitable: larger: kinder: stronger in health.—adv. (comp. of Well) well in a greater degree: more fully or completely: over or more than: with greater advantage: (pl.) superiors.—v.t. to make better (also reflexively, to better one's self), to improve: to benefit: also with intransitive sense, to grow better.—p.adjs. Bet′tered, improved, amended; Bet′tering, improving.—ns. Bet′tering, Bet′terment, Bet′terness.—adj. Bet′termost.—Better half, a jocose term for a wife, once applied seriously to either wife or husband, and even the soul as opposed to the body.—I had better = I should hold it better to—the original construction having been a dative pronoun.—To be better off, to be in superior circumstances; To be better than one's self, to do more than one had promised; To get the better of, to gain the advantage over. [A.S. bet (adv.), betera, better; Goth. batiza, Ger. besser. Prob. cog. with Boot.]

Betty, bet′ti, n. a man who troubles himself with the women's work in a household: a slang name for a burglar's jemmy or jenny. [Betty, Bet, familiar abbrev. of Elizabeth.]

Betumbled, be-tum′bld, adj. (Shak.) tumbled or disordered.

Betutor, be-tū′tor, v.t. to tutor or instruct.

Between, be-twēn′, Betwixt, be-twikst′, prep. in the middle of two, of space, time, or degree: in the middle or intermediate space, to defend or separate: expressing reciprocal relation from one to another: by the joint action of two or more persons.—ns. Between′-decks, the space between any two decks of a ship; Between′ity (rare), state of being between.—prep. Between′-whiles, at intervals.—Between ourselves, in confidence; Betwixt and between, in a middling position.—To go between, to act as a mediator. [A.S. betwéonum betweónan—be, and twegen, twa, two, twain.]

Bevel, bev′el, n. a slant or inclination of a surface: an instrument opening like a pair of compasses, and adjustable for measuring angles.—adj. having the form of a bevel: slanting.—v.t. to form with a bevel or slant:—pr.p. bev′elling; pa.p. bev′elled.—ns. Bev′el-gear, Bev′el-wheels (mech.), wheels working on each other in different planes, the cogs of the wheels being bevelled or at oblique angles to the shafts.—p.adj. Bev′elled, cut to an oblique angle, sloped off. [Fr. biveau, an instrument for measuring angles; orig. unknown.]

Bever, an obsolete form of Beaver.

Beverage, bev′ėr-āj, n. drink: a mixture of cider and water: any agreeable liquor for drinking.—n. Be′ver, a small repast between meals: (obs.) a time for drinking.—v.i. to take such a repast. [O. Fr. bevrage (Fr. breuvage), beivre—L. bibere, to drink.]

Bevy, bev′i, n. a brood or flock of birds, esp. of quails: a company, esp. of ladies. [M. E. bevey, prob. the same as O. Fr. bevee, buvee, drink, It. bevuta, a draught; the transference of sense being perh. from a drink or a drinking-bout to a drinking-party.]

Bewail, be-wāl′, v.t. to lament: to mourn loudly over (esp. the dead).—v.i. to utter lamentations.—adjs. Bewail′able, Bewail′ing. [See Wail.]

Beware, be-wār′, v.i. to be on one's guard: to be suspicious of danger: to take care (with of; with clause—lest, that, not, how). [From the words be and ware run together. See Wary.]

Beweep, be-wēp′, v.t. to weep over, to lament.—p.adj. Bewept′, disfigured by weeping.

Beweltered, be-wel′tėrd, p.adj. besmeared by weltering in blood. [Pfx. be-, and Welter.]

Bewet, be-wet′, v.t. (Shak.) to wet or moisten.

Bewig, be-wig′, to cover with a wig.—p.adj. Bewigged′.

Bewilder, be-wil′dėr, v.t. to perplex or lead astray.—p.adj. Bewil′dered, lost, confused in mind, trackless.—adj. Bewil′dering.—adv. Bewil′deringly.—n. Bewil′derment, confusion, mental confusion: perplexity. [Pfx. be-, and prov. Eng. wildern, a wilderness.]

Bewitch, be-wich′, v.t. to affect by witchcraft (mostly malignantly): to fascinate or charm.—ns. Bewitch′ery, Bewitch′ment.—adj. Bewitch′ing, charming, enchanting.—adv. Bewitch′ingly.

Bewray, be-rā′, v.t. (B.) to accuse: to point out: to betray or divulge unintentionally. [M. E. bewreien, be-, and A.S. wrégan, to accuse.]

Bey, bā, n. a Turkish governor of a town or province. [Turk. beg, pronounced bā, a governor.]

Beyond, be-yond′, prep. on the farther side of: farther onward than: out of reach of: past in time: above, superior to.—Beyond measure, excessively; Beyond seas, abroad; The back of beyond (De Quincey, &c.), a humorous phrase for any place a great way off; To be beyond one, to pass his comprehension; To go beyond, to surpass: to circumvent: (B., Shak.) to overreach. [A.S. begeondan—pfx. be-, and geond, across, beyond. See Yon.]

Bezant, be-zant′, or bez′ant, n. a gold coin, first struck at Byzantium or Constantinople: (her.) a small circle or, like a gold coin.

Bezel, bez′l, n. the part of the setting of a precious stone which encloses it: the oblique side or face of a cut gem: the grooved flange or rim in which a watch-glass is set: the slope at the edge of a chisel or plane (usually Bas′il). [From an O. Fr. word represented by mod. Fr. biseau; its ult. origin uncertain.]

Bezique, be-zēk′, n. a game at cards for two, three, or four persons, played with two to four packs, from which cards with from two to six pips have been removed. The name Bezique itself is applied to the combination of the knave of diamonds and queen of spades. [Fr. besigue, of obscure origin.]

Bezoar, bē′zōr, n. a stony concretion found in the stomachs of goats, antelopes, llamas, chamois, &c., formerly esteemed an antidote to all poisons. [Through Sp. bezaar and Ar. bāzahr, from Pers. pād-zahr, counter-poison, zahr, poison.]

Bezonian, be-zō′ni-an, n. (Shak.) a beggar, a low fellow. [It. bisogno; Sp. bisoño, Fr. bisogne.]

Bezzle, bez′l, v.i. (obs.) to drink hard: to squander:—pr.p. bezz′ling; pa.p. bezz′led. [O. Fr. besiler. See Embezzle.]

Bhang, bang, n. the native name for the Indian preparation of hemp which is smoked or swallowed for its narcotic and intoxicating qualities—in Arabic known as hashish. [See Assassin. Hind. bhāng; Pers. bang; Sans. bhangā.]

Bias, bī′as, n. a bulge or greater weight on one side of a bowl (in the game of bowling), making it slope or turn to one side: a slant or leaning to one side: a one-sided inclination of the mind, prejudice: any special influence that sways the mind.—v.t. to cause to turn to one side: to prejudice or prepossess:—pa.p. bī′ased or bī′assed.—ns. Bī′as-draw′ing (Shak.), a turn awry; Bī′asing, a bias or inclination to one side. [Fr. biais, of dubious origin; Diez suggests L. bifax, bifacem, two-faced.]

Biaxal, bī-aks′al, adj. having two optic axes.—Also Biaxial. [L. bi-, and Axial.]

Bib, bib, n. a cloth put under an infant's chin: a similar article of dress for adults, worn over the breast or above the apron.—v.t. and v.i. to drink, to tipple.—adj. Bībā′cious.—ns. Bibā′tion, tippling; Bib′ber, a tippler: chiefly used in composition as (B.) wine-bibber. [M. E. bibben, most prob. from L. bib-ĕre, to drink.]

Bib, bib, n. a fish of the same genus as the cod and haddock, also called the Pout.

Bibble-babble, bib′bl-bab′bl, n. (Shak.) idle talk. [Reduplication of Babble.]

Bible, bī′bl, n. the sacred writings of the Christian Church, consisting of the Old and New Testaments.—adj. Bib′lical, of or relating to the Bible: scriptural.—adv. Bib′lically.—ns. Bib′licism, biblical doctrine, learning, or literature; Bib′licist, Bīb′list, one versed in biblical learning: one who makes Scripture the sole rule of faith. [Fr.—Low L. biblia, fem. sing., earlier neut. pl., from Gr. ta biblia, lit. 'the books,' esp. the canonical books of Scripture, biblion, a book, dim. of biblos, papyrus, paper.]

Bibliography, bib-li-og′raf-i, n. the description or knowledge of books, in regard to their authors, subjects, editions, and history.—n. Bibliog′rapher, one versed in bibliography or the history of books.—adj. Bibliograph′ic. [Gr. biblion, a book, graphia, description.]

Bibliolatry, bib-li-ol′at-ri, n. superstitious reverence for the Bible.—ns. Bibliol′atrist, Bibliol′ater, one given to bibliolatry. [Gr. biblion, a book, latreia, worship.]

Bibliology, bib-li-ol′ō-ji, n. an account of books: biblical literature, or theology. [Gr. biblion, a book, logos, discourse.]

Bibliomancy, bib′li-ō-man-si, n. divination by selecting passages of the Bible at hazard, and drawing from them indications concerning future events. [Gr. biblion, a book, manteia, divination.]

Bibliomania, bib-li-ō-mān′i-a, n. a mania for possessing rare and curious books.—n. Bibliomān′iac, one who has a mania for possessing rare and curious books.—adj. Bibliomanī′acal. [Gr. biblion, a book, and Mania.]

Bibliophile, bib′li-ō-fīl, n. a lover of books, esp. a collector of rare books. [Fr.—Gr. biblion, a book, philos, friend.]

Bibliopole, bib′li-ō-pōl, n. a bookseller.—Also Bibliop′olist. [Gr. biblion, a book, pōleein, to sell.]

Bibulous, bib′ū-lus, adj. drinking or sucking in: spongy. [L. bibulus—bib-ĕre, to drink.]

Bicameral, bī-kam′ėr-al, adj. having two chambers. [L. bi-, twice, and camera, chamber.]

Bicarbonate, bī-kär′bon-āt, n. a carbonate or salt having two equivalents of carbonic acid to one equivalent of base. [L. bi-, twice, and Carbonate.]

Bice, bīs, n. a pale blue or green paint. [Fr. bis.]

Bicentenary, bī-sen′te-na-ri, Bicentennial, bī-sen-ten′ni-al, adj. pertaining to the two hundredth.—n. the two hundredth anniversary.

Bicephalous, bī-sef′al-us, adj. double-headed. [L. bis, twice, and Gr. kēphalē, head.]

Biceps, bī′seps, n. the muscle in front of the arm between the shoulder and elbow. [L. biceps, two-headed—bis, twice, and caput, head.]

Bichromate, bī-krō′māt, adj. having two parts of chromic acid to one of other ingredients. [L. bis, twice, and Chromate.]

Bicipital, bī-sip′it-al, adj. (anat.) having two heads or origins.—Earlier form Bicip′itous.

Bicker, bik′ėr, v.i. to contend in a petty way: to quiver: to move quickly and tremulously, as running water.—n. a fight, a quarrel: a clattering noise: a short run.—n. Bick′erment (Spens.), bickering, strife. [Acc. to Skeat, bicker = pick-er, or peck-er, to peck repeatedly with the beak.]

Bicker, bik′ėr, n. a bowl for holding liquor, esp. of wood: a vessel made of wooden staves for holding porridge. [Scot. form of Beaker.]

Biconcave, bī-kon′kāv, adj. concave on both sides. [L. bi-, twice, and Concave.]

Biconvex, bī-kon′veks, adj. convex on both sides. [L. bi-, twice, and Convex.]

Bicorporate, bī-kor′por-āt, adj. (her.) double-bodied, as the head of a lion to which two bodies are attached. [L. bis, twice, and Corporate.]

Bicuspid, bī-kus′pid, adj. having two cusps: a pre-molar tooth. [L. bi-, twice, and Cusp.]

Bicycle, bī′si-kl, n. a cycle or velocipede with two wheels furnished with rubber tires, arranged one before the other, impelled by pedals, and steered by transverse handles affixed to the front wheel—also Bike (colloq.).—n. Bī′cyclist. [Formed from L. bi-, bis, twice, and Gr. kyklos, a circle.]

Bid, bid, v.t. to offer: to propose: to proclaim, as the banns of marriage: to invite: to command: to make an offer, and to increase the amount offered for a thing—at an auction:—pr.p. bid′ding; pa.t. bid or bade; pa.p. bid, bid′den.—n. an offer of a price.—ns. Bid′der, one who bids or offers a price; Bid′ding, offer: invitation: command; Bid′ding-pray′er, a form of prayer directed to be used before all sermons, lectures, and homilies preached apart from the daily service or holy communion—as university sermons, so called because in it the preacher is directed to bid or exhort the people to pray for certain specified objects.—To bid fair, to seem likely. [A.S. béodan; Goth. biudan, Ger. bieten, to offer.]

Bid, bid, v.t. to ask for: (nearly obs.): to pray. [A.S. biddan; Goth. bidjan; Ger. bitten; the connection with Bid, to command, is dub. See Bead.]

Bide, bīd, v.t. and v.i. same as Abide, to wait for.—n. Bid′ing (Shak.), residence, habitation. [A.S. bídan; Goth. beidan.]

Bidentate, bī-dent′āt, adj. having two teeth.—Also Bident′al. [L. bi-; twice, dens, dentis, a tooth.]

Bield, bēld, n. (Wordsworth) shelter: protection. [Scot.; conn. with Bold.]

Biennial, bī-en′yal, adj. lasting two years: happening once in two years.—n. a plant that lasts two years.—adv. Bienn′ially. [L. biennalis—bi-, twice, and annus, a year.]

Bier, bēr, n. a carriage or frame of wood for bearing the dead to the grave. [A.S. bǽr; Ger. bahre, L. fer-etrum. From root of verb Bear.]

Biestings. Same as Beestings.

Bifacial, bī-fā′shyal, adj. having two like faces or opposite surfaces. [L. bi-, twice, and Facial.]

Biffins, bif′inz, n. apples slowly dried in bakers' ovens and flattened into cakes—prepared in great quantities in Norfolk. [Said to be properly beefins, because like raw beef.]

Bifidate, bif′id-āt, adj. (bot.) cleft in two.—Also Bif′id. [L. bifidus—bi-, bis, twice, and findĕre, perf. fidi, to cleave or split.]

Biflorate, bī-flō′rāt, adj. bearing two flowers. [L. bi-, twice, and flos, floris, a flower.]

Bifold, bī′fōld, adj. twofold: (Shak.) of two kinds. [L. bi-, twice, and Fold.]

Bifoliate, bī-fō′li-āt, adj. having two leaves. [L. bi-, twice, and Foliate.]

Biform, bī′form, adj. having two forms. [L. bi-, twice, and Form.]

Bifurcate, bī-fur′kāt, Bifurcated, bī-fur′kāt-ed, adj. two-forked; having two prongs or branches.—n. Bifurcā′tion, a forking or division into two branches. [L. bifurcus—bi-, bis, twice, furca, a fork.]

Big, big, adj. large or great: pregnant: great in air, mien, or spirit: loud: pompous, esp. 'to talk big,' 'look big.'—adjs. Big-bell′ied, having a big belly; pregnant (with); Big′gish, rather big.—ns. Big′ness, bulk, size; Big′wig (colloq.), a leading man, a person of some importance. [M. E. big; origin very obscure—Skeat suggests that it is bilg, the l being dropped, and compares Ice. belgja, to puff out.]

Big, big, v.t. (Scot.) to build, to pile up.—n. Big′gin, anything built, a house. [Sc. byggja; A.S. búian.]

Bigamy, big′am-i, n. the crime of having two wives or two husbands at once.—n. Big′amist, one who has committed bigamy. [Fr.—L. bi-, bis, twice, and Gr. gamos, marriage.]

Bigg, big, n. a kind of barley. [Scand.; Ice. bygg, Dan. byg.]

Biggin, big′in, n. a child's cap or hood. [Fr. béguin, from the cap worn by the Beguines, a religious society of women in France.]

Bight, bīt, n. a bend of the shore, or small bay: a bend or coil of a rope. [A.S. byht; cf. Dan. and Sw. bugt, Dut. bocht; from būgan, to bow.]

Bignonia, big-nō′ni-a, n. a genus of tropical plants with trumpet-shaped flowers, named from the Abbé Bignon, Louis XIV.'s librarian.

Bigot, big′ot, n. one blindly and obstinately devoted to a particular creed or party.—adj. Big′oted, having the qualities of a bigot.—n. Big′otry, blind or excessive zeal, esp. in religious matters. [O. Fr.; of dub. origin; variously conn. with Visigoth, they being Arians, while the Franks were orthodox; with Sp. bigote, a moustache; with Beguine (q.v.); and by Wace with a worthless legend that the Norman Rollo, in refusing to kiss the foot of Charles the Simple, said, 'Ne se, bi got.']

Bijou, be-zhōō′, n. a trinket: a jewel: a little box:—pl. Bijoux (be-zhōō′).—n. Bijou′try, jewellery: small articles of virtu. [Fr.]

Bike, bīk, n. a nest of wasps, wild bees, &c.: a swarm of people. [Scot.; ety. dub.]

Bike. See Bicycle.

Bilabiate, bī-lā′bi-āt, adj. having two lips, as some corollas. [L. bi-, twice, and Labiate.]

Bilander, bī′land-ėr, n. a two-masted hoy, having her mainsail bent to the whole length of her yard, hanging fore and aft, and inclined to the horizontal at an angle of about 45º.—Also By′lander. [Dut. bijlander.]

Bilateral, bī-lat′ėr-al, adj. having two sides.—adv. Bilat′erally. [L. bi-, twice, and Lateral.]

Bilberry, bil′ber-i, n. called also Whortleberry, a shrub and its berries, which are dark blue. [Cf. Dan. böllebær; Scot. blaeberry; Ger. blaubeere.]

Bilbo, bil′bō, n. a rapier or sword:—pl. Bilboes (bil′bōz), fetters. [From Bilbao, in Spain.]

Bile, bīl, n. a thick bitter fluid secreted by the liver—yellow in man and carnivorous animals, green in vegetable feeders: (fig.) ill-humour.—n. Bile′-duct, the duct which conveys the bile from the liver and the gall-bladder to the small intestine.—adjs. Bil′iary, belonging to or conveying bile; Bil′ious, pertaining to or affected by bile.—adv. Bil′iously. [Fr.—L. bilis.]

Bilge, bilj, n. the bulging part of a cask: the broadest part of a ship's bottom.—v.i. to spring a leak by a fracture in the bilge, as a ship.—ns. Bilge′-pump; Bilge′-wat′er.—adj. Bilg′y, having the appearance and disagreeable smell of bilge-water. [Most prob. conn. with Bulge.]

Bilharzia, bil′här-zi-a, n. a human parasitic flat worm in the fluke or Trematode order, with differentiated sexes. [From the helminthologist, Theodor Bilharz.]

Bilingual, bī-ling′wal, adj. of or containing two tongues or languages.—Also Bilin′guar. [L. bilinguis—bi-, twice, lingua, tongue.]

Biliteral, bī-lit′ėr-al, adj. consisting of two letters. [L. bi-, twice, and litera, a letter.]

Bilk, bilk, v.t. to elude; to cheat. [Perh. a dim. of Balk; at first a term in cribbage.]

Bill, bil, n. a kind of concave battle-axe with a long wooden handle: a kind of hatchet with a long blade and wooden handle in the same line with it, often with a hooked point, used in cutting thorn hedges or in pruning.—ns. Bill′hook, a bill or hatchet having a hooked or curved point; Bill′man, a soldier armed with a bill. [A.S. bil; Ger. bille.]

Bill, bil, n. the beak of a bird, or anything like it, applied even to a sharp promontory, as Portland Bill: the point of the fluke of an anchor—hence Bill′-board, n., used to protect the planking from being injured by the bill when the anchor is weighed.—v.i. to join bills as doves: to caress fondly.—adj. Billed. [A.S. bile, most prob. the same word as the preceding.]

Bill, bil, n. an account of money: a draft of a proposed law: a written engagement to pay a sum of money at a fixed date: a placard or advertisement: any written statement of particulars: in the criminal law of England, the formal name of a written accusation of serious crime preferred before a grand-jury.—n. Bill′-book, a book used in commerce in which an entry is made of all bills accepted and received.—n.pl. Bill′-brok′ers, persons who, being skilled in the money-market, the state of mercantile and personal credit, and the rates of exchange, engage, either on their own account or that of their employers, in the purchase and sale of foreign and inland bills of exchange and promissory notes: the business of Bill′-discount′ers, or discount-brokers, again, consists in discounting or advancing the amount of bills of exchange and notes which have some time to run before they come due, on the faith of the credit of the parties to the bill.—n. Bill′-cham′ber, a department of the Court of Session in Scotland which deals with summary business—so called because formerly both summonses and diligence or execution were for the most part commenced by a writ called a bill; Bill′-stick′er, one who sticks or posts up bills or placards.—Bill of adventure, a writing by a merchant stating that goods shipped by him, and in his name, are the property of another, whose adventure or chance the transaction is—the shipping merchant, on the other hand, undertaking to account to the adventurer for the produce; Bill of complaint, the name given in the English Court of Chancery, prior to the Judicature Act of 1873, to the formal statement of the facts and prayer for relief submitted by a plaintiff to the court; Bill of costs, an account stating in detail the charges and disbursements of an attorney or solicitor in the conduct of his client's business; Bill of exceptions, a statement of objections, by way of appeal, against the decision of a judge who is trying a case with a jury in the Court of Session; Bill of exchange, a document purporting to be an instrument of pecuniary obligation for value received, and which is employed for the purpose of settling a debt in a manner convenient to the parties concerned; Bill of fare, in a hotel, the list of dishes or articles of food; Bill of health, an official certificate of the state of health on board ship before sailing; Bill of lading, a paper signed by the master of a ship, by which he makes himself responsible for the safe delivery of the goods specified therein; Bill of mortality, an official account of the births and deaths occurring in a certain district within a given time; Bill of sale, in English law, a formal deed assigning personal property, the usual mode of transferring ships, and valuable as mercantile securities over stock-in-trade, furniture, &c.; Bill of sight, an entry of imported goods of which the merchant does not know the quantity or the quality; Bill of store, a license from the customs authorities to reimport British goods formerly exported; Bill of victualling, a list of necessary stores shipped from the bonded warehouse, or for drawback on board vessels proceeding on oversea voyages. [Through Low L. billa, from L. bulla, anything round, a knob, a seal appended to a charter, hence a document bearing a seal, &c. See Bull, an edict.]

Billet, bil′et, n. a little note or paper: a ticket assigning quarters to soldiers.—v.t. to quarter or lodge, as soldiers. [Fr.; dim. of Bill.]

Billet, bil′et, n. a small log of wood used as fuel: (archit.) an ornament in Norman architecture resembling billets of wood.—n. Bill′et-head, a billet or round piece of wood fixed in the bow or stern of a whale-boat, round which the harpoon-line is turned when the whale is struck. [Fr. billette—bille, the young stock of a tree, prob. of Celt. orig., perh. allied to Bole, the trunk of a tree.]

Billet-doux, bil-e-dōō′, n. a sweet note: a love-letter. [Fr. billet, a letter, doux, sweet.]

Billiards, bil′yardz, n. a game played with a cue or mace and balls on a table having pockets at the sides and corners.—adj. Bill′iard.—n. Bill′iard-mark′er, a person who marks the points made by the players. [Fr. billard—bille, a ball.]

Billingsgate, bil′ingz-gāt, n. foul and abusive language like that once familiar to the ear at Billingsgate (the great fish-market of London).

Billion, bil′yun, n. a million or thousand thousand of millions (1,000,000,000,000); or, according to the French method of numeration, one thousand millions (1,000,000,000). [L. bi-, twice, and Million.]

Billon, bil′on, n. base metal: esp. an alloy of silver with copper, tin, or the like. [Fr., from same root as Billet.]

Billow, bil′ō, n. a great wave of the sea swelled by the wind: (poet.) a wave, the sea.—v.i. to roll in large waves.—adjs. Bill′owed, Bill′owy. [Scand.; Ice. bylgja; Sw. bölja, Dan. bölge, a wave. See Bilge, Bulge.]

Billy, Billie, bil′i, n. a comrade, a companion-in-arms: an Australian bushman's boiling-pan or tea-pot:—pl. Bill′ies.—n. Bill′y-goat, a he-goat. [Prob. from Bill, a familiar abbrev. of William.]

Billyboy, bil′i-boi, n. a bluff-bowed one-masted trading-vessel. [Prob. conn. with Bilander.]

Billycock, bil′i-kok, n. a man's low-crowned felt hat. [From bully-cocked, i.e. cocked like the bullies.]

Bilobed, bī′lōbd, Bilobular, bī-lob′ū-lar, adj. having two lobes. [L. bi-, twice, and lobe, a Lobule.]

Bilocation, bī-lok-ā′shun, n. the power of being in two places at the same time. [Coined from bi-, twice, and Location.]

Bilocular, bī-lok′ū-lar, adj. divided into two cells. [L. bi-, twice, and L. loculus, dim. of locus, place.]

Bimana, bīm′an-a, or bim′an-a, n. a term used by Blumenbach, Cuvier, &c., to describe the human species in contrast to other mammals—now rarely used, men and monkeys being now zoologically united in the old Linnæan order—Primates.—adj. Bī′manous.

Bimensal, bī-mens′al, adj. happening once in two months: bimonthly.—adj. Bimes′trial, of two months' duration. [L. bi-, and mensis, a month.]

Bimetallism, bī-met′al-izm, n. the name given to a monetary system in which gold and silver are on precisely the same footing as regards mintage and legal tender.—adj. Bimetal′lic, adapted to that standard.—n. and adj. Bimet′allist. [A recent coinage, from Gr. bi-, double, and Metal.]

Bimonthly, bī-munth′li, adj. once in two months; also twice a month. [L. bi-, two, and Month.]

Bin, bin, n. a place for storing corn, wine. [A.S. binn, a manger.]

Bin, bin, (Shak.) used for Be and Been.

Binary, bī′nar-i, adj. composed of two: twofold.—adjs. Bī′nate, growing in pairs: double; Binaur′al, having two ears: needing the use of both ears.—Binary scale (math.), the scale of notation whose radix or base is 2 (instead of 10); Binary theory (chem.), that which assumes all salts to contain merely two substances, either both simple, or one simple and the other a compound playing the part of a simple body. [L. binarius—bini, two by two—bis, twice.]

Bind, bīnd, v.t. to tie or fasten together with a band (with to, upon): to encircle round (with about, with): to sew a border on: to tie up or bandage a limb, or the like: to fasten together (the leaves of a book) and put a cover on: to lay under obligation to answer a charge: to oblige by oath or promise to or from an action: to restrain, to make fast any one—also of disease, a magic spell, a passion, &c.: to hold or cement firmly: to render hard.—v.i. to produce constipation:—pa.t. and pa.p. bound.—n. a stalk of hops, so called from its twining or binding itself round a pole or tree: the indurated clay of coal-mines: (mus.) the tie for grouping notes together.—ns. Bind′er, one who binds, as books or sheaves: an attachment to a reaping-machine for tying the bundles of grain cut and thrown off, a reaping-machine provided with such; Bind′ery (U.S.), a bookbinder's establishment.—adj. Bind′ing, restraining: obligatory.—n. the act of binding: anything that binds: the covering of a book.—ns. Bind′weed, the convolvulus, a genus of plants, so called from their twining or binding; Bine, the slender stem of a climbing plant.—I dare or will be bound, I will be responsible for the statement. [A.S. bindan; cog. with Ger. binden, Sans. bandh.]

Binervate, bī-nėrv′āt, adj. (bot.) applied to leaves that have two ribs or nerves: (entom.) having the wings supported by two nerves. [L. bi-, bis, twice, and Nerve.]

Bing, bing, n. a heap or pile, often applied like Bin. [Scand.]

Bingo, bing′ō, n. a familiar name for brandy. [Prob. B, and stingo.]

Bink, bingk, n. a Scotch form of Bench.

Binnacle, bin′a-kl, n. (naut.) the box in which on shipboard the compass is kept. [Formerly bittacle—Port. bitácola—L. habitaculum, a dwelling-place—habit-āre, to dwell.]

Binocle, bin′o-kl, n. a telescope through which an object can be viewed with both eyes at the same time.—adj. Binoc′ular, having two eyes: suitable for two eyes.—adv. Binoc′ularly. [L. bini, two by two, oculus, an eye.]

Binomial, bī-nōm′i-al, adj. and n. (alg.) a quantity consisting of two terms or parts, as a+b.—Binomial theorem, a series of analytical formulæ by which any power of a binomial can be expressed and developed. [L. bi-, bis, twice, and nomen, a name, a term.]

Binturong, bin′tū-rong, n. the native name for an Indian prehensile-tailed carnivore, akin to the civet.

Bio-, bī′ō, a prefix from Gr. bios, life, used in many scientific words to express having organic life.—adj. Biobibliograph′ical, dealing with the life and writings of any one.—n. Bī′oblast, a formative cell, a minute mass of bioplasm or protoplasm about to become a definite cell.—adj. Biodynam′ical.—ns. Biodynam′ics, that part of biology which deals with vital force; Biogenesis (-jen′e-sis), the process of natural generation of life from life, as opposed to spontaneous generation, or abiogenesis.—adj. Biogenet′ic.—ns. Biog′enist; Biog′eny; Biomag′netism, animal magnetism; Biom′etry, the measurement or calculation of the probable duration of life; Bī′oplasm, the germinal matter of all living beings.

Biograph, bī′o-graf, n. a name sometimes applied to a form of the zoetrope contrived so as to exhibit the successive movements of a living body, thus simulating life. [Gr. bios, life, graphein, to write, describe.]

Biography, bī-og′raf-i, n. a written account or history of the life of an individual: the art of writing such accounts.—n. Biog′rapher, one who writes biography.—adjs. Biograph′ic, -al.—adv. Biograph′ically. [Gr. bios, life, graphein, to write.]

Biology, bī-ol′oj-i, n. the science that treats of life or of organised beings, which seeks to classify and generalise the multitude of phenomena presented by and peculiar to the living world.—adj. Biolog′ical.—adv. Biolog′ically.—n. Biolo′gist, one who studies biology. [Gr. bios, life, logos, a discourse.]

Biotaxy, bī′ō-tak-si, n. classification according to the sum of the morphological character. [Gr. bios, life, and Taxis.]

Biotic, bī-ot′ik, adj. pertaining to life. [Gr. bios, life.]

Biparous, bip′ar-us, adj. bearing two at a birth. [L. bis, twice, par-ĕre, to bring forth.]

Bipartite, bi′part-īt, or bī-pärt′īt, adj. divided into two like parts.—n. Biparti′tion, the act of dividing into two corresponding parts. [L. bi-, bis, twice, partitus, divided—part-īre, to divide.]

Biped, bī′ped, n. an animal with two feet.—adjs. Bī′ped, Bī′pedal, having two feet. [L. bipes—bi-, bis, twice, ped-em, foot.]

Bipennate, bī-pen′āt, Bipennated, bī-pen′āt-ed, adj. having two wings. [L. bi-, and Pennate.]

Bipennis, bī-pen′nis, n. an axe with two blades, one on each side of the handle, usually seen depicted in the hands of the Amazons. [L.—bis, twice, penna, wing.]

Bipetalous, bī-pet′al-us, adj. having two petals or flower-leaves. [L. bi-, twice, and Petal.]

Bipinnate, bī-pin′nāt, adj. doubly pinnate. [L. bi-, twice, and Pinnate.]

Biquadratic, bī-kwod-rat′ik, n. a quantity twice squared, or raised to the fourth power.—Biquadratic equation, an equation with one unknown quantity raised to the fourth power; Biquadratic root, the square root of the square root of a number. [L. bi- twice, and quadratus, squared.]

Biquintile, bī-kwin′til, n. (astron.) the aspect of planets when they are twice the fifth part (144 degrees) of a great circle from each other. [L. bi-, twice, quintus, the fifth.]

Birch, bėrch, n. a hardy forest-tree, with smooth, white bark and very durable wood: a rod for punishment, consisting of a birch twig or twigs.—adjs. Birch, Birch′en, made of birch. [A.S. berc, bierce; Ice. björk, Sans. bhūrja.]

Bird, bėrd, n. a general name for feathered animals.—v.i. to catch or snare birds.—ns. Bird′-bolt (Shak.), a short thick bolt or arrow with a blunted point, used for killing birds without piercing them; Bird′-cage, a cage or box made of wire and wood for holding birds; Bird′-call, an instrument used by fowlers to call or allure birds to them, by imitating their notes; Bird′-catch′er, one who catches birds: a fowler; Bird′-catch′ing, the art or practice of catching birds; Bird′-cher′ry, a bush bearing an astringent wild-fruit in drupes.—adj. Bird′-eyed, having eyes quick of sight, like those of a bird: quick-sighted.—ns. Bird′-fan′cier, one who has a fancy for rearing birds: one who keeps birds for sale; Bird′ing (Shak.), catching birds by means of hawks trained for the purpose; Bird′ing-piece, a fowling-piece; Bird′-lime, a sticky substance used for catching birds; Bird′-of-Par′adise, a kind of Eastern bird with splendid plumage; Bird's′-eye, a kind of tobacco; Bird's′-nest, the nest in which a bird lays her eggs and hatches her young; Bird′-spī′der, a species of large spiders which prey on small birds, found in Brazil.—adj. Bird′-wit′ted, flighty: incapable of sustained attention.—Bird's-eye view, a general view from above, as if by a bird on the wing, a representation of such, a general view or résumé of a subject; Bird's-foot trefoil, the popular name of several leguminous plants, having clusters of cylindrical pods resembling a bird's foot.—A little bird told me, I heard in a way I will not reveal. [A.S. brid, the young of a bird, a bird: either from root of Breed (bredan, to breed) or of Birth (beran, to bear).]

Bireme, bī′rēm, n. an ancient vessel with two rows of oars. [Fr.—L. biremis—bi-, twice, and remus, an oar.]

Biretta, bir-et′a, n. a square cap worn by clergy—by priests, black; bishops, purple; cardinals, red. [It. berretta—Low L. birretum, a cap.]

Birk, bėrk, n. Scotch and prov. Eng. for Birch.—adj. Birk′en (Scot.), birchen.

Birkie, birk′i, n. a strutting or swaggering fellow: a fellow generally.—adj. active. [Scot. A dubious connection with Scand. berkja, to bark, boast, has been suggested.]

Birl, birl, v.t. to spin anything round: to throw down a coin as one's share in a joint contribution.—v.i. to whirl round. [Scot., an onomatopœic word.]

Birle, birl, v.t. and v.i. (Scot.) to ply with drink: to carouse.—ns. Birl′er (Cumberland); Birl′ing, the act of drawing liquor. [A.S. byrelian, byrele, a cup-bearer, beran, to bear.]

Birlinn, bir′lin, n. a chief's barge in the Western Isles. [Gael.]

Birminghamise, bir′ming-ham-īz, v.t. to make up artificially. [See Brummagem.]

Birostrate, bī-ros′trāt, adj. having a double beak. [L. bi-, twice, and rostratus, beaked—rostrum, a beak.]

Birr, bir, n. impetus: a violent push: stress in pronunciation: any sharp whirring sound. [Scot.; Ice. byrr, a favouring wind.]

Birse, birs, n. bristle.—adj. Birs′y.—To lick the birse, to draw a hog's bristle through the mouth—part of the ceremony of citizenship in Selkirk; To set up one's birse, to rouse the wrath of, from the habit of animals bristling up when enraged. [Scot.; A.S. byrst.]

Birsle, birs′l, v.t. to scorch, to toast. [Scot.]

Birth, bėrth, n. a ship's station at anchor. [Same as Berth.]

Birth, bėrth, n. the act of bearing or bringing forth: the offspring born: dignity of family: origin.—n. Birth′day, the day on which one is born, or the anniversary of that day.—adj. relating to the day of one's birth.—ns. Birth′day-book, a book in diary form, in which the birthdays of one's friends are entered in their autographs; Birth′dom (Shak.), birthright; Birth′-mark, a peculiar mark on one's body at birth; Birth′night, the night on which one is born, or the anniversary of that night; Birth′place, the place of one's birth; Birth′right, the right or privilege to which one is entitled by birth: native rights.—adj. Birth′-strang′led (Shak.), strangled in birth.—n. Birth′-wort, a genus of perennial plants, formerly used medicinally in cases of difficult parturition. [M. E. birÞe, prob. Scand.; cf. Goth, ga-baurÞs, Ger. ge-burt.]

Bis, bis, adv. twice: (mus.) a direction that a passage is to be repeated [L.].—n. Bīseg′ment, a segment of a line or figure cut into two equal parts.—adjs. Bīser′rate (bot.), doubly serrate; Bīsex′ual, of both sexes: (bot.) applied to flowers which contain both stamens and pistils within the same envelope.

Biscayan, bis′kā-an, adj. and n. of or pertaining to the Basque province of Biscay in Spain, or its people: Basque generally: a long heavy musket, or the bullet fired by such.

Biscuit, bis′kit, n. hard dry bread in small cakes: a kind of unglazed earthenware. [O. Fr. bescoit (mod. biscuit)—L. bis, twice, coquĕre, coctum, to cook or bake.]

Bise, bēz, n. a cold north or north-east wind prevalent at certain seasons in Switzerland and neighbouring parts of France and Italy. [Fr.]

Bisect, bī-sekt′, v.t. to cut into two equal parts.—n. Bisec′tion. [L. bi, twice, and secāre, sectum, to cut.]

Biserial, bī-sē′ri-al, adj. arranged in two series or rows. [L. bi-, and Series.]

Bishop, bish′op, n. in the Western and Eastern Churches, and in the Anglican communion, a clergyman consecrated for the spiritual direction of a diocese, under an archbishop, and over the priests or presbyters and deacons: a spiritual overseer in the early Christian Church, whether of a local church or of a number of churches—the terms bishop [Gr. episcopos] and presbyter [Gr. presbyteros] are used interchangeably in the New Testament for the officers who direct the discipline and administer the affairs of a single congregation—the differentiation in function and dignity is, however, well marked by the end of the 2d century: one of the pieces or men in chess, from the upper part being carved into the shape of a bishop's mitre (formerly the archer): a wholesome hot drink compounded of red wine (claret, Burgundy, &c.) poured warm or cold upon ripe bitter oranges, sugared and spiced to taste.—v.t. (jocularly) to play the bishop, to confirm: to supply with bishops: to let milk or the like burn while cooking.—ns. Bish′opess, a she-bishop, a bishop's wife; Bish′opric, the office and jurisdiction of a bishop: a diocese—also Bish′opdom.—Bishop in partibus (see Partibus). [A.S. biscop—L. episcopus—Gr. episcopos, an overseer—epi, upon, skop-ein, to view.]

Bisk. See Bisque (1).

Bismar, bis′mar, n. a kind of steelyard still used in Orkney. [Dan. bismer.]

Bismillah, bis-mil′a, interj. in the name of Allah or God—a common Mohammedan exclamation. [Ar.]

Bismuth, biz′muth, n. a brittle metal of a reddish-white colour used in the arts and in medicine. [Ger. bismuth, wissmuth; origin unknown.]

Bison, bī′son, or bis′on, n. a large wild animal like the bull, found in Lithuania, the Caucasus, &c., with shaggy hair and a fatty hump on its shoulders.—The American 'buffalo' is also a bison. [From L. pl. bisontes, prob. of Teut. origin; cf. Old High Ger. wisunt, A.S. wesend.]

Bisque, bisk, n. a rich soup made of meat or fish slowly stewed and seasoned, crayfish soup.—Also Bisk. [Fr.]

Bisque, bisk, n. pottery that has undergone the first firing before being glazed. [See Biscuit.]

Bisque, bisk, n. a term at tennis for the odds given by one player to another, in allowing him to score one point once during the set—a means of equalising a strong and a weak player. [Fr.]

Bissextile, bis-sext′il, n. leap-year.—adj. containing the Bissext (L. bissextus), or extra day which the Julian calendar inserts in leap-year—the sixth before the kalends of March, 24th February. [L. bis, twice, and sextus, sixth.]

Bisson, bis′son, adj. (Shak.) blind, blinding. [A.S. bísene, blind.]

Bistort, bis′tort, n. a perennial plant with astringent properties (Polygonum bistorta), so named from its twisted roots, called also Snakeweed and Adder's Wort. [Fr.—L. bistorta; bis, twice, torta, twisted.]

Bistoury, bis′tōōr-i, n. a narrow surgical knife for making incisions, having a straight, convex, or concave edge. [Fr.]

Bistre, Bister, bis′tėr, n. a pigment of a warm brown colour made from the soot of wood, esp. beechwood.—adj. Bis′tred. [Fr. bistré; origin unknown.]

Bisulcate, bī-sul′kāt, adj. (zool.) cloven-footed. [L. bi-, twice, sulcus, a furrow.]

Bisulphate, bī-sul′fāt, n. a salt of sulphuric acid, in which one-half of the hydrogen of the acid is replaced by a metal. [L. bi-, twice, and Sulphate.]

Bit, bit, n. a bite, a morsel: a small piece: the smallest degree: a small tool for boring (see Brace): the part of the bridle which the horse holds in his mouth (see Bridle)—hence, To take the bit in his teeth, to be beyond restraint.—v.t. to put the bit in the mouth; to curb or restrain:—pr.p. bit′ting; pa.p. bit′ted.—Bit by bit, piecemeal, gradually. [From Bite.]

Bitch, bich, n. the female of the dog, wolf, and fox. [A.S. bicce; Ice. bikkja.]

Bite, bīt, v.t. to seize or tear with the teeth: to sting or pain: to wound by reproach: to deceive, or take in—now only passive:—pa.t. bit; pa.p. bit or bit′ten.—n. a grasp by the teeth: a nibble at the bait by a fish: something bitten off: a mouthful.—v.t. Bite′-in, to eat out the lines of an etching with acid: to repress.—n. Bit′er, one who bites: a fish apt to take the bait: a cheat.—n. and adj. Bit′ing.—To bite the dust, to fall, to die; To bite the thumb, to express defiance by putting the thumbnail into the mouth and knocking it against the teeth. [A.S. bítan; Goth. beitan, Ice. bita, Ger. beissen.]

Bitt, bit, v.t. (naut.) to fasten round the Bitts (q.v.).

Bittacle. Same as Binnacle.

Bitter, bit′ėr, adj. biting or acrid to the taste: sharp: painful.—n. any substance having a bitter taste.—adj. Bitt′erish.—adv. Bitt′erly.—n. Bitt′erness.—n.pl. Bitt′ers, a liquid prepared from bitter herbs or roots, and used as a stomachic.—n. Bitt′er-sweet, the Woody Nightshade, a slender, climbing hedge-plant, having red poisonous berries, said to be named from its root, when chewed, having first a bitter, then a sweet taste: (Shak.) an apple that has a compound taste of sweet and bitter: a mixture of sweet and bitter. [A.S. bítan, to bite.]

Bitter (Spens.), used for Bittern.

Bittern, bit′ėrn, n. a bird of the heron family, said to have been named from the resemblance of its voice to the lowing of a bull. [M. E. bittour—Fr.—Low L. butorius (bos, taurus).]

Bittern, bit′ėrn, n. an oily liquid remaining in salt-works after the crystallisation of the salt, and used in the manufacture of Epsom salts.

Bittor, Bittour, bit′tur, n. (Dryden) the bird Bittern.

Bitts, bits, n. a frame in the forepart of a ship round which the cables are passed when the vessel rides at anchor.

Bitumen, bi-tū′men, or bit′yu-men, n. a name applied to various inflammable mineral substances, as naphtha, petroleum, asphaltum.—v.t. Bitū′minate, to mix with or make into bitumen—also Bitū′minise.—adjs. Bitū′minous, Bitūmed′ (Shak.), impregnated with bitumen. [L.]

Bivalve, bī′valv, n. an animal having a shell in two valves or parts, like the oyster: a seed-vessel of like kind.—adj. having two valves.—adj. Bivalv′ular. [L. bi-, twice, valva, a valve.]

Bivious, biv′i-us, adj. leading two, or different, ways. [L. bivius—bi-, twice, via, a way.]

Bivouac, biv′ōō-ak, n. the resting at night of soldiers in the open air, instead of under cover in camp.—v.i. to pass the night in the open air:—pr.p. biv′ouacking; pa.p. biv′ouacked. [Fr.—Ger. beiwacht, to watch beside—bei by, wachen, to watch.]

Bi-weekly, bī′-wēk′li, adj. properly, occurring once in two weeks, but usually twice in every week. [L. bi-, twice, and Week.]

Bizarre, bi-zär′, adj. odd: fantastic: extravagant.—n. Bizar′rerie. [Fr.—Sp. bizarro, high-spirited; acc. to Littré, adapted from Basque bizarre, the beard.]

Bizcacha. See Viscacha.

Blab, blab, v.i. to talk much: to tell tales.—v.t. to tell what ought to be kept secret (with out, forth):—pr.p. blab′bing; pa.p. blabbed.—n. an open-mouthed person, a tattler: tattling.—n. Blab′ber, one who blabs. [M. E. blabbe, a chatterer, also Blabber, to babble, with which cf. Norse blabbra, Ger. plappern.]

Black, blak, adj. of the darkest colour: without colour: obscure: dismal: sullen: horrible: dusky: foul, dirty: malignant: dark-haired, wearing dark armour or clothes.—n. black colour: absence of colour: a negro: mourning: the dark smut which attacks wheat: a speck of black on the face, a sooty particle in the air: black clothes, esp. dress trousers.—v.t. to make black: to soil or stain: to draw in black.—n. Black′amoor, a black Moor: a negro.—adjs. Black′-and-tan, having black hair on the back, and tan or yellowish-brown elsewhere, esp. of a terrier; Black′-a-vised, of dark complexion (probably originally black-à-vis).—v.t. Black′ball, to reject in voting by putting a black ball into a ballot-box.—ns. Black′balling, the act of so rejecting a candidate; Black′-band, iron ore containing enough of coal to calcine it; Black′-bee′tle, a cockroach; Black′berry, the berry of the bramble; Black′bird, a species of thrush of a black colour: a current name for a negro or Polynesian kidnapped for labour; Black′birding, the kidnapping of such; Black′board, a board painted black, used in schools for writing, forming figures, &c.—adjs. Black′-bod′ing, of evil omen; Black′-browed, having black eyebrows: sullen.—ns. Black′-cap, a bird, a species of warbler, so called from its black crown: (cook.) an apple roasted until it is black, and served up in a custard: the full-dress cap put on by English judges when about to pronounce sentence of death; Black′-catt′le, oxen, bulls, and cows; Black′-chalk, a variety of clay-slate of a bluish-black colour, used for drawing, and also for making black paint; Black′cock, a species of grouse, common in the north of England and in Scotland; Black′-curr′ant, a garden shrub with black fruit used in making preserves; Black′-death, a name given to the plague of the 14th century from the black spots which appeared on the skin; Black′-draught, the popular name for a purgative medicine consisting chiefly of senna and Epsom salts; Black′-drop, a liquid preparation of opium, vinegar, and sugar.—v.t. Black′en, to make black: to defame.—adj. Black′faced, having a black face: dismal.—ns. Black′-flag, the flag of a pirate, or that hoisted at the execution of a criminal—from its colour; Black′-friar, a friar of the Dominican order, so called from his black mantle (over a white woollen habit): (pl.) the region in a city, as London, where their convent stood; Blackguard (blag′ärd), originally applied to the lowest menials about a court, who took charge of the pots, kettles, &c.: a low, ill-conducted fellow.—adj. low: scurrilous.—v.t. to treat as a blackguard; v.i. to play the blackguard.—n. Black′guardism.—adv. Black′guardly.—ns. Black′-heart′edness; Black′-hole, formerly the name for the punishment-cell in a barrack: the memorable black-hole in the Fort-William barracks at Calcutta, into which, in in 1756, as many as 146 Europeans were thrust over night, of whom only 23 were found surviving in the morning; Black′ing, a substance used for blacking leather, &c.—adj. Black′ish.—ns. Black′-jack, a vessel for holding drink, originally made of leather: (naut.) the flag of a pirate; Black′-lead, a black mineral (plumbago, not lead) used in making pencils, blacking grates, &c.; Black′leg, a low, gambling fellow: a turf-swindler: a term applied by strikers to men willing to work for the wages against which themselves have struck—also Black′-neb; Black′-let′ter, the old English (also called Gothic) letter ; Black′-list, a list of defaulters; Black′-Marī′a, the closely covered, usually black-painted van in which prisoners are conveyed between the court and the prison; Black′-Mon′day, Easter Monday, so called on account of the sufferings experienced by the army of Edward III. from the severity of the weather on that day in 1360; Black′-monk, a monk of the order of St Benedict, from his garments; Black′ness; Black′-pudd′ing, a blood-pudding (q.v.).; Black′-rod, the usher of the chapter of the Garter and of the House of Lords, so called from the black wand tipped with a golden lion which he carries; Black′-sheep, a disreputable member of a family or group; Black′smith, a smith who works in iron, as opposed to a Whitesmith, or one who works in tin; Black′thorn, a species of dark-coloured thorn: the sloe: a stick made from its stem.—adjs. Black′-tressed, having black tresses; Black-visaged (blak′-viz′ājd), having a black visage or appearance.—n. Black′-wash, a lotion of calomel and lime-water: anything that blackens.—Black and blue, with the livid colour of a bruise in the flesh; Black book, an official book bound in black, a book recording the names of persons deserving punishment; Black eye, an eye of which the iris is dark—a point of beauty: a discoloration around the eye due to a blow or fall; Black fellow, a native in Australia.—In black and white, in writing or in print: in art, in no colours but black and white.—To be black in the face, to have the face purple through strangulation, passion, or effort; To be in any one's black books, to have incurred any one's displeasure; To black out, to obliterate with black. [A.S. blac, blæc, black.]

Black-art, blak′-ärt, n. necromancy: magic. [Acc. to Trench, a translation of the Low L. nigromantia, substituted erroneously for the Gr. necromanteia (see Necromancy), as if the first syllable had been L. niger, black.]

Blackmail, blak′māl, n. rent or tribute formerly paid to robbers for protection: hush-money extorted under threat of exposure or denunciation, esp. of a baseless charge.—v.t. to extort money from a person by this expedient. [Black and A.S. mal, tribute, toll.]

Blad, blad, n. a fragment of anything, a good lump. [Scot.]

Bladder, blad′ėr, n. a thin bag distended with liquid or air: the receptacle for the urine.—adjs. Bladd′ered, Bladd′ery, swollen like a bladder.—n. Bladd′erwort, a genus of slender aquatic plants, the leaves floating. [A.S. blǽdre—blawan; Old Ger. blahan, blajan, to blow; Ger. blase, bladder—blasen, to blow; cf. L. flat-us, breath.]

Blade, blād, n. the leaf or flat part of grass or corn: the cutting part of a knife, sword, &c.: the flat part of an oar: a dashing fellow.—n. Blade′bone, the flat bone at the back of the shoulder: the scapula.—adj. Blad′ed. [A.S. blæd; Ice. blad, Ger. blatt.]

Blae, blā, adj. blackish or blue in colour: livid: bleak.—n. Blae′berry, Scotch name for the bilberry or whortleberry. [M. E. blo, bloo—Scand. blá.]

Blague, blag, n. blustering humbug. [Fr.]

Blain, blān, n. a boil or blister. [A.S. blegen, a blister, prob. from blawan, to blow.]

Blame, blām, v.t. to find fault with: to censure.—n. imputation of a fault: crime: censure.—adj. Blam′able, deserving of blame: faulty.—n. Blam′ableness.—adv. Blam′ably.—adj. Blame′ful, meriting blame: criminal.—adv. Blame′fully.—n. Blame′fullness.—adj. Blameless, without blame: guiltless: innocent.—adv. Blame′lessly.—ns. Blame′lessness; Blame′worthiness, quality of being worthy of blame: blamableness.—adj. Blame′worthy, worthy of blame: culpable. [Fr. blâmer, blasmer—Gr. blasphēme-ein, to speak ill. See Blaspheme.]

Blanch, blansh, v.t. to whiten.—v.i. to grow white. [Fr. blanchir—blanc, white. See Blank.]

Blanc-mange, bla-mawngzh′, n. a white jelly prepared with milk. [Fr. blanc, white, manger, food.]

Bland, bland, adj. smooth: gentle: mild.—adv. Blandly.—n. Bland′ness. [L. blandus, perh.—mla(n)dus—Eng. mild.]

Bland, bland, n. an Orcadian name for butter-milk and water. [Scand. blanda.]

Blandish, bland′ish, v.t. to flatter and coax, to cajole.—n. Bland′ishment, act of expressing fondness: flattery: winning expressions or actions. [Fr. blandir, blandiss-, from L. blandīri.]

Blank, blangk, adj. without writing or marks, as in white paper: empty, empty of results: vacant, confused: (poetry) not having rhyme.—n. a paper without writing: a lottery-ticket having no mark, and therefore valueless: an empty space, a void, or vacancy: (archery) the white mark in the centre of a target at which an arrow is aimed, hence the object or aim of anything: a form of document having blank spaces afterwards to be filled in.—v.t. to make pale: (Milton) to confuse.—n. Blank′-cart′ridge, a cartridge without a bullet.—p.adj. Blanked, a minced form of damned, from the usual form of printing d——d.—adv. Blank′ly.—ns. Blank′ness; Blank′-verse, verse without rhyme, esp. the heroic verse of five feet. [Fr. blanc, from root of Ger. blinken, to glitter—Old High Ger. blichen, Gr. phlegein, to shine.]

Blanket, blangk′et, n. a white woollen covering for beds: a covering for horses, &c.—v.t. to cover with a blanket: to toss in a blanket.—n. Blank′eting, cloth for blankets: the punishment of being tossed in a blanket. [Fr. blanchet, dim. of blanc, from its null white colour,]

Blare, blār, v.i. to roar, to sound loudly, as a trumpet.—n. roar, noise. [M. E. blaren, orig. blasen, from A.S. blæsan, to blow. See Blast.]

Blarney, blar′ni, n. pleasing flattery or cajoling talk.—v.t. to beguile with such. [Blarney Castle, near Cork, where there is a stone difficult to reach, he who kisses which ever after possesses the gift of blarney.]

Blasé, bla-zā, adj. fatigued with pleasures, used up. [Fr. blaser.]

Blash, blash, n. watery stuff.—adj. Blash′y. [Scot.]

Blaspheme, blas-fēm′, v.t. and v.i. to speak impiously of, as of God: to curse and swear.—n. Blasphem′er.—adj. Blas′phemous, containing blasphemy: impious.—adv. Blas′phemously.—n. Blas′phemy, profane speaking: contempt or indignity offered to God. [Gr. blasphēme-ein—blaptein, to hurt, phēmi to speak. See Blame.]

Blast, blast, n. a blowing or gust of wind: a forcible stream of air: sound of a wind instrument; an explosion of gunpowder: anything pernicious.—v.t. to strike with some pernicious influence, to blight: to affect with sudden violence or calamity: to rend asunder with gunpowder.—adj. Blast′ed, blighted: cursed, damned.—ns. Blast′-fur′nace, a smelting furnace into which hot air is blown; Blast′-hole, a hole in the bottom of a pump through which water enters; Blast′ing, the separating of masses of stone by means of an explosive substance; Blast′ing-gel′atine, a powerful explosive made of gun-cotton and nitro-glycerine; Blast′ment, withering or shrivelling up caused by blasting; Blast′-pipe, a pipe in a steam-engine, to convey the waste-steam up the chimney. [A.S. blǽst; cf. Ice. beása; Ger. blasen.]

Blastoderm, blas′to-derm, n. an embryological term applied to the layer or layers of cells arising from the germinal disc, or the portion of a partially segmenting egg which undergoes division. [Gr. blasto-, blastos, a sprout, derma, dermat-, skin.]

Blatant, blāt′ant, adj. noisy, clamorous, loud.—adv. Blat′antly. [Prob. a coinage of Spenser.]

Blate, blāt, adj. bashful, timidly awkward. [Scot.; A.S. blát, pale.]

Blatter, blat′tėr, v.i. to talk overmuch, to prate.—v.i. to hurry or rush noisily.—n. a clatter of words, sound of rapid motion. [L. blaterāre.]

Blawort, blä′wort, n. the harebell: the corn blue-bottle.—Also Blē′wart. [Scot. Blae, and wort, herb.]

Blay, blā, n. the fish bleak.—Also Bley. [See Bleak, a fish.]

Blaze, blāz, n. a rush of light or of flame: a bursting out or active display: a white spot on the face of a horse or ox: a mark made on a tree by cutting off a strip of bark to mark a track or a boundary.—v.i. to burn with a flame: to throw out light.—n. Blaz′er, a cricket or golf jacket of bright colour.—Blazes, from the fires of hell, in imprecations like To blazes; also Like blazes = with fury.—To blaze a tree, to make a white mark by cutting off a piece of the bark. [A.S. blæse, a torch, from root of Blow.]

Blaze, blāz, Blazon, blā′zn, v.t. to proclaim, to spread abroad.—n. Blaz′er (Spens.), one who spreads abroad or proclaims. [Same as Blare; Blazon is the M. E. blasen, with the n retained.]

Blazon, blā′zn, v.t. to make public: to display: to draw or to explain in proper terms the figures, &c., in armorial bearings.—n. the science or rules of coats-of-arms.—ns. Blaz′oner, one who blazons: a herald: a slanderer; Blaz′onry, the art of drawing or of deciphering coats-of-arms: heraldry. [Fr. blason, a coat-of-arms, from root of Blaze.]

Bleach, blēch, v.t. to make pale or white: to whiten, as textile fabrics.—v.i. to grow white.—ns. Bleach′er, one who bleaches, or that which bleaches; Bleach′ery, a place for bleaching; Bleach′-field, a place for bleaching cloth: a bleacher's office or works; Bleach′ing, the process of whitening or decolourising cloth; Bleach′ing-green, a green for bleaching clothes on; Bleach′ing-pow′der, chloride of lime. [A.S. blǽcan, from root of Bleak.]

Bleak, blēk, adj. colourless: dull and cheerless: cold, unsheltered.—adv. Bleak′ly.—n. Bleak′ness. [A.S. blæc, blâc, pale, shining; a different word from blac (without accent), black. The root is blican, to shine.]

Bleak, blēk, n. a small white river-fish.

Blear, blēr, adj. (as in Blear-eyed, blēr′-īd) sore or inflamed: dim or blurred with inflammation. [Low Ger. bleer-oged, 'blear-eyed.']

Bleat, blēt, v.i. to cry as a sheep.—n. the cry of a sheep, any similar cry, even of the human voice.—n. Bleat′ing, the cry of a sheep. [A.S. blǽtan; L. balāre, Gr. blēchē, a bleating; root bla-; formed from the sound.]

Bleb, bleb, n. a transparent blister of the cuticle: a bubble, as in water. [See Bulb.]

Bled, bled, pa.t. and pa.p. of Bleed.

Blee, blē, n. (Mrs Browning) complexion, colour. [A.S. bléo.]

Bleed, blēd, v.i. to lose blood: to die by slaughter: to issue forth or drop as blood: to have money extorted from one: to feel great pity for, as in the phrase, 'the heart bleeds:' to be as red as blood.—v.t. to draw blood from, esp. surgically: to extort sums of money from:—pa.t. and pa.p. bled.—n. Bleed′ing, a discharge of blood: the operation of letting blood.—adj. full of compassion: emitting sap: terribly weakened by war: (Shak.) bloody. [A.S. blédan. See Blood.]

Blemish, blem′ish, n. a stain or defect: reproach.—v.t. to mark with any deformity: to tarnish: to defame.—n. Blem′ishment (Spens.), the state of being blemished, disgrace. [O. Fr. blesmir, blemir, pr.p. blemissant, to stain, of dubious origin. Prof. Skeat thinks it Scand., Ice. blâman, livid colour—blâr, Blue.]

Blench, blensh, v.i. to shrink or start back: to flinch. [From root of Blink.]

Blench, blensh, adj. or adv. based on the payment of a nominal yearly duty.—Also Blanch. [See Blank.]

Blend, blend, v.t. to mix together: to confound.—v.i. to be mingled or mixed:—pa.p. blend′ed and blent.—n. a mixture:—n. Blend′ing, the act of mingling: the process by which the fusion of paints is effected. [A.S. blandan.]

Blende, blend, n. native sulphuret of zinc. [Ger. blenden, to dazzle, from the lustre of the crystals.]

Blenheim, blen′em, n. a kind of spaniel named from the Duke of Marlborough's house.

Blennorrhœa, blen-no-rē′a, n. discharge of mucus. [Gr. blennos, mucus.]

Blenny, blen′ni, n. a genus of acanthopterygious fishes, covered with mucus or slimy matter. [Gr. blennos, mucus.]

Blent, blent, (obs.) pa.p. of Blend—mixed: mingled: (Spens.) blinded, obscured.

Bless, bles, v.t. to invoke a blessing upon: to make joyous, happy, or prosperous: to consecrate by some religious rite, to cross one's self: to extol as holy, to pronounce happy, to invoke the divine favour upon: to wish happiness to: to praise or glorify:—pa.p. blessed (blest), or blest.—adj. Bless′ed, happy: prosperous: happy in heaven, beatified.—adv. Bless′edly.—ns. Bless′edness; Bless′ing, a wish or prayer for happiness or success: any means or cause of happiness: (B.) a gift or present: a form of invoking the favour of God at a meal.—adv. Bless′ingly.—Single blessedness, the celibate life, the unmarried state generally. [A.S. blétsian, to bless, prob. from blót, sacrifice; the word taken as—benedicĕre.]

Bless, bles, v.t. (Spens.) to brandish. [Blaze(?).]

Blest, blest, pa.p. of Bless.

Blether, bleth′er, v.i. to talk garrulous nonsense.—n. fluent, garrulous nonsense—also Blath′er.—p.adj. Bleth′ering, over-talkative.—ns. Bleth′erskate, Blath′erskite (Amer.), a blustering, noisy, talkative fellow. [M. E. blather, of Scand. origin, Ice. blaðra, to talk foolishly, blaðr, nonsense.]

Blew, blōō, pa.t. of Blow.

Blewits, blū′its, n. a kind of mushroom. [Fr. Blue.]

Blight, blīt, n. a disease in plants, which blasts or withers them: anything that injures or destroys.—v.t. to affect with blight: to blast: to frustrate.—p.adj. Blight′ing, withering, blasting. [Dr Murray notes that it first appears in literature in the 17th century; prob. orig. of Scand. origin; cf. Ice. blettr, a stain; perh. related to Bleach, Bleak.]

Blin, blin, v.t. (Spens.) to cease.—n. cessation: stoppage. [A.S. blinnan, to cease, pfx. be-, and linnan, to cease.]

Blind, blīnd, adj. without sight: dark: ignorant or undiscerning: without an opening.—n. something to mislead: a window-screen: a shade.—v.t. to make blind; to darken, obscure, or deceive; to dazzle.—pa.p. blīnd′ed; pr.p. blīnd′ing.—ns. Blind′age (mil.) a temporary wooden screen faced with earth as a protection against splinters of shell and the like; Blind′-coal, non-bituminous coal.—adj. Blind′ed, deprived of sight: without intellectual discernment.—n. Blind′er, one who or that which blinds; (pl.) a horse's blinkers.—adj. Blind′fold, having the eyes bandaged, so as not to see: thoughtless: reckless.—v.t. to cover the eyes: to mislead.—adj. Blind′ing, tending to make blind.—pr.p. making blind.—adv. Blind′ly.—ns. Blind′ness, want of sight, ignorance, folly; Blind′-side, the side on which a person is blind to danger: weak point; Blind′worm, a small reptile, like a snake, having eyes so small as to be supposed blind.—Blind-man's buff, a game in which one of the party is blindfolded and tries to catch the others. [A.S. blind; Ice. blindr.]

Blink, blingk, v.i. to glance, twinkle, or wink: to see obscurely, or with the eyes half-closed: to shine unsteadily.—v.t. to shut out of sight: to avoid or evade.—n. a glimpse, glance, or wink: a momentary gleam of light, a spark.—n. Blink′ard, one who blinks or has bad eyes.—p.adj. Blinked, affected with blinking.—n.pl. Blink′ers, pieces of leather fastened to the cheek-pieces of a horse's head-stall in driving to prevent him seeing in any direction except straightforward. [M. E. a variant of blenk, prob. the same as Blench (q.v.).]

Blirt, blirt, n. (Scot.) a fit of crying.—v.i. to burst into tears. [Prob. the same as Blurt.]

Bliss, blis, n. the highest happiness: the special happiness of heaven, heaven.—adj. Bliss′ful.—adv. Bliss′fully.—n. Bliss′fulness.—adj. Bliss′less, without bliss. [A.S. blíðs, blíðe, Blithe.]

Blist, blist, pa.t. (Spens.) wounded: struck. [From Fr. blesser, to wound.]

Blister, blis′tėr, n. a thin bubble or bladder on the skin, containing watery matter: a pustule: a plaster applied to raise a blister.—v.t. to raise a blister.—ns. Blis′ter-bee′tle, Blis′ter-fly, the cantharis, or Spanish fly, used for blistering; Blis′ter-plas′ter, a plaster made of Spanish flies used to raise a blister; Blis′ter-steel, Blis′tered-steel, steel blistered in the process of manufacture, used for making tools, &c.—adj. Blis′tery. [M. E.; most prob. O. Fr. blestre, conn. with Old Norse blástr, blása, to blow; Ger. blase.]

Blithe, blīth, adj. happy: gay; sprightly.—adv. Blithe′ly.—n. Blithe′ness.—adj. Blithe′some, joyous.—adv. Blithe′somely.—n. Blithe′someness. [A.S. blíðe, joyful. See Bliss.]

Blive, blīv, adv. (Spens.). Same as Belive.

Blizzard, bliz′ard, n. a blinding storm of wind and snow, a snow-squall.—adjs. Blizz′ardly, Blizz′ardous. [A modern coinage—most prob. onomatopœic, on the analogy of blow, blast, &c.]

Bloat, blōt, v.t. to swell or puff out: to dry by smoke (applied to fish).—v.i. to swell or dilate: to grow turgid.—p.adj. Bloat′ed.—n. Bloat′er, a herring partially dried in smoke, esp. at Yarmouth. [Scand., as in Sw. blöt, soft.]

Blob, blob, n. a drop of liquid: anything soft and round, like a gooseberry: a round spot. [Imit.]

Block, blok, n. an unshaped mass of wood or stone, &c.: the wood on which criminals were wont to be beheaded: (mech.) a pulley together with its framework; a piece of wood on which something is formed: a connected group of houses: an obstruction: a blockhead.—v.t. to enclose or shut up: to obstruct: to shape or sketch out roughly.—n. Blockade′, the blocking up of a place by surrounding it with troops or by ships.—v.t. to block up by troops or ships.—ns. Block′-head, one with a head like a block, a stupid fellow; Block′-house, a small temporary fort generally made of logs.—adj. Block′ish, like a block: stupid: dull.—ns. Block′-print′ing, printing of Block′-books, from engraved wooden blocks or pages; Block′-ship, a war-ship, inefficient for service in action on account of age, but useful in defence of ports; Block′-sys′tem, a system of working trains in which no train is allowed on to a section of line so long as any other train is on that section; Block′-tin, tin in the form of blocks or ingots. [Widely spread, but acc. to Skeat, of Celt. origin, Gael. ploc, Old Ir. blog, a fragment. See Plug.]

Bloke, blōk, n. a fellow, a man familiarly. [Ety. quite unknown—at any rate not Gipsy.]

Bloncket, blongk′et, adj. (Spens.) gray. [Fr. blanchet, whitish, dim. of blanc, white.]

Blonde, blond, n. a person of fair complexion with light hair and blue eyes—opp. to Brunette.—adj. of a fair complexion: fair. [Fr.]

Blond-lace, blond′-lās, n. lace made of silk, so called from its colour.

Blont, blont, adj. (Spens.). Same as Blunt.

Blood, blud, n. the red fluid in the arteries and veins of men and animals: descent, of human beings, good birth: relationship, kindred: elliptically for a blood-horse, one of good pedigree: a rake or swaggering dandy about town: the blood-royal, as in 'princes of blood:' temperament: bloodshed or murder: the juice of anything, esp. if red: the supposed seat of passion—hence temper, anger, as in the phrase, 'his blood is up,' &c.: the sensual nature of man.—interj. 's blood—God's blood.—adjs. Blood′-bespot′ted (Shak.), spotted with blood; Blood′-bolt′ered (Shak.), sprinkled with blood as from a bolter or sieve; Blood′-bought, bought at the expense of blood or life; Blood′-froz′en (Spens.), having the blood frozen or chilled.—ns. Blood′guilt′iness, the guilt of shedding blood, as in murder; Blood′heat, heat of the same degree as that of the human blood (about 98° Fahr.); Blood′-horse, a horse of the purest and most highly prized blood, origin, or stock.—adj. Blood′-hot, as hot or warm as blood.—n. Blood′hound, a large hound formerly employed in tracing human beings: a blood-thirsty person.—adv. Blood′ily.—adj. Blood′less, without blood, dead: without the shedding of blood: (Shak.) without spirit or activity.—ns. Blood′-let′ting, the act of letting blood, or bleeding by opening a vein; Blood′-mon′ey, money earned by laying or supporting a capital charge against any one, esp. if the charge be false or made by an accomplice; Blood′-pois′oning, a name popularly, but loosely, used of pyæmia and allied diseases; Blood′-pud′ding, a pudding made with blood and other materials; Blood′-relā′tion, one related by blood or marriage; Blood′-sac′rifice (Shak.), a sacrifice made with bloodshed; Blood′shed, the shedding of blood: slaughter.—adjs. Blood′shot (of the eye), red or inflamed with blood; Blood′-sized, sized or smeared with blood.—n. Blood′-spav′in, a disease of horses consisting of the swelling of a vein on the inside of the hock, from a checking of the blood.—adj. Blood′-stained, stained with blood: guilty of murder.—ns. Blood′-stone, a dark-green variety of quartz, variegated with blood-like spots of red jasper, the heliotrope; a brown ore of iron, hematite; Blood′-suck′er, an animal that sucks blood, esp. a leech: an extortioner, one who sponges upon another.—adj. Blood′-suck′ing (Shak.), that sucks or draws blood.—ns. Blood′-tax, conscription or universal military service, as drawing from the nation a certain number of lives or recruits annually; Blood′-thirst′iness, thirst or desire for shedding blood.—adj. Blood′-thirst′y, having a thirst or desire to shed blood.—ns. Blood′-ves′sel, a vessel in which blood circulates, a vein or artery; Blood′-worm, a small red earthworm used by anglers.—adj. Blood′y, of the nature of blood: stained with blood: murderous, cruel: vulgarly, as an adj. emphasising anger or the like: as an adv. employed as a mere intensive—most prob. from the habits of the 'bloods' about the beginning of the 18th century (Etheredge, 'bloody-drunk').—v.t. to make bloody.—n. Blood′y-bones, a phrase, together with Rawhead, applied to a children's bugbear.—adjs. Blood′y-eyed; Blood′y-faced.—ns. Blood′y-flux, dysentery, in which the discharges from the bowels are mixed with blood; Blood′y-hand (her.), the armorial device of Ulster, hence of baronets.—adj. Blood′y-mind′ed.—ns. Blood′y-mind′edness; Blood′y-sweat, a sweat accompanied with the discharge of blood.—Avenger of blood, the next-of-kin to a murdered man, whose duty it was to avenge his death—the Hebrew Goël.—Eating of blood, prohibited under the Old Testament dispensation, Jews still killing their own butcher-meat.—In blood, in full vigour; In hot or cold blood, under or free from excitement or sudden passion. [A.S. blód—root blówan, to bloom; cog. with Old. Fris. blód, Ger. blut.]

Bloom, blōōm, v.i. to put forth blossoms: to flower: to be in a state of beauty or vigour: to flourish: to give a bloom or warm tint to anything.—n. a blossom or flower: the opening of flowers: rosy colour: the prime or highest perfection of anything: the first freshness of beauty of anything: the flush or glow on the cheek—(Spens.) Blosme.—p.adj. Bloom′ing, bright, shining, flourishing: (slang) full-blown.—adjs. Bloom′less, without bloom; Bloom′y, flowery: flourishing. [Ice. blóm; cf. Goth. blôma, Ger. blume.]

Bloomer, blōōm′ėr, n. and adj. a dress for women, partly resembling men's dress, devised by Mrs Bloomer of New York about 1849, consisting of a jacket with close sleeves, a skirt falling a little below the knee, and a pair of Turkish trousers.

Bloomery, blōōm′ėr-i, n. the first forge through which iron passes after it has been melted from the ore, and where it is made into Blooms, or rough ingots, for hammering or drawing out.

Blore, blōr, n. a violent gust of wind. [Prob. related to Blare and Blow.]

Blosme. See Bloom.

Blossom, blos′om, n. a flower-bud, the flower that precedes fruit.—v.i. to put forth blossoms or flowers: to flourish and prosper.—n. Bloss′oming.—adj. Bloss′omy, covered with flowers, flowery. [A.S. blóstm, blóstma, from root of Bloom.]

Blot, blot, n. a spot or stain: an obliteration, as of something written: a stain in reputation.—v.t. to spot or stain: to obliterate or destroy: to disgrace: to dry writing with blotting-paper:—pr.p. blot′ting; pa.p. blot′ted.—n. and adj. Blot′tesque, a painting executed with heavy blot-like touches, a daub or (fig.) a vigorous descriptive sketch.—n. Blotting-pā′per, unsized paper, used for absorbing ink.—adj. Blot′ty. [Prob. Scand., as in Dan. plet, Ice. blettr, a spot.]

Blot, blot, n. a piece liable to be taken at backgammon: a weak place in anything. [Ety. obscure; Dut. bloot, naked.]

Blotch, bloch, n. a dark spot on the skin: a pustule.—v.t. to mark or cover with blotches.—adjs. Blotched, Blotch′y. [Prob. formed on Blot.]

Blouse, blowz, n. a loose sack-like outer garment, somewhat like the English smock-frock. [Fr.]

Blow, blō, n. a stroke or knock: a sudden misfortune or calamity.—At a blow, by a single action, suddenly; To come to blows, To exchange blows, to come to hostilities; Without striking a blow, without a struggle. [A.S. bléowan is doubtful, cog. with Dut. blouwen, to dress (beat) flax, Ger. blāuen, to beat hard. The noun appears in the 15th century without evidence of parentage.]

Blow, blō, v.i. to bloom or blossom:—pr.p. blōw′ing; pa.p. blōwn. [A.S. blówan; Ger. blühen. See Bloom, Blossom.]

Blow, blō, v.i. to produce a current of air: to move, as air or the wind.—v.t. to drive air upon or into: to drive by a current of air, as 'to blow away, down,' &c.: to sound, as a wind-instrument: to breathe hard or with difficulty: to spout, as whales: (prov.) to boast: to spread by report: to fan or kindle:—pa.t. blew (blōō); pa.p. blown (blōn).—ns. Blow′-ball, the downy head of a dandelion in seed; Blow′er, a metal plate put upon the upper part of a fireplace, so as to increase the draught through the fire: a machine for driving a blast of air, as into a furnace; Blow′-fly, or Flesh-fly, an insect of the order Diptera, and of the large family Muscidæ, to which the common house-fly and blue-bottle belong.—p.adj. Blown, out of breath, tired: swelled: stale, worthless.—n. Blow′pipe, a pipe through which a current of air is blown on a flame, to increase its heat: a kind of weapon much used by some of the Indian tribes of South America both in hunting and war, consisting of a long straight tube in which a small poisoned arrow is placed, and forcibly expelled by the breath.—adj. Blow′y.—To blow hot and cold, to be favourable and unfavourable by turns, to be irresolute; To blow off (steam, &c.), to allow to escape, to escape forcibly; To blow one's own trumpet, to sound one's own praises; To blow over, to pass away, to subside, as a danger or a scandal; To blow up, to shatter or destroy by explosion: to scold; To blow upon, to take the bloom, freshness, or the interest off anything, to bring into discredit: to inform upon. [A.S. bláwan; Ger. blähen, blasen; L. flare.]

Blowze, blowz, n. a ruddy, fat-faced wench.—adjs. Blowzed, Blowz′y, fat and ruddy, or flushed with exercise, dishevelled, slatternly. [Perh. related to root of Blush; or of cant origin.]

Blubber, blub′ėr, n. the fat of whales and other sea animals.—v.i. to weep effusively.—p.adj. Blubb′ered, of a face swollen with weeping. [M. E. blober, bluber; most likely onomatopœic]

Blucher, blōōch′ėr, n. a strong leather half-boot or high shoe, named from Marshal Blücher, the Prussian general at Waterloo.

Bludgeon, blud′jun, n. a short stick with a heavy end to strike with. [First in 18th century; origin very obscure; from a cant word conn. with Blood.]

Blue, blōō, n. the colour of the sky when unclouded—hence the sea, the sky, as in 'a bolt from the blue:' one of the seven primary colours.—adj. of the colour blue: learned, pedantic: indecent or obscene, as in blue stories.—ns. Blue′-beard, a monster who murders a series of wives in Perrault's famous conte, before he is himself cut off: one who is 'unfortunate' with his wives after the fashion of Henry VIII.; Blue′bell, a plant that bears blue bell-shaped flowers; Blue′-bird, a small American bird akin to the warblers; Blue′-black, black with a tinge of blue; Blue′-book, the name popularly applied to the reports and other papers printed by parliament, because usually stitched up in blue paper wrappers; Blue′-bot′tle, a common name for the Blue Cornflower: a familiar name for a policeman or beadle; Blue′-cap, a fish of the salmon kind with blue spots on its head: the blue titmouse: (Shak.) a Scotchman, from his blue bonnet; Blue′-eye, a beautiful little bird in New South Wales, one or the honey-eaters; Blue′-fish, a fish of the family Scomberidæ, abundant on the east coast of North America.—n.pl. Blue′-gowns, the name commonly given to a former class of privileged mendicants in Scotland—called also the King's Bedesmen.—ns. Blue′-grass, a permanent grass found in Europe and North America; Blue′-gum, a kind of Eucalyptus; Blue′-jack′et, a seaman in the navy, as distinguished from a marine; Blue′-jay, a common North American bird of the jay family; Blue′ness; Blue′-nose, a nickname for a Nova Scotian; Blue′-pē′ter, a blue flag with white square in the centre, used in the navy as a signal for sailing; Blue′pill, a mercurial pill, used as a purgative in cases of torpid or inflamed liver; Blue′-stock′ing, a name given to learned ladies who display their acquirements in a pedantic manner, to the neglect of womanly graces—about 1750 Mrs Montague and others began to substitute literary conversation for cards, and the name implying a disregard for the conventional costume of polite society was suggested by the blue stockings of Benjamin Stillingfleet—the French bas bleu is a translation; Blue′-stone, blue copperas, sulphate of copper; Blue′-throat, or Blue′-breast, a beautiful and melodious bird, nearly allied to the nightingale; Blue′-wing, a kind of duck, either a sub-genus of Anas, or a special genus Cyanopterus—the best-known species, the Common or Lunate Blue-wing, the Blue-winged Teal of the United States.—adj. Blū′ish, slightly blue.—Blue blood, aristocratic blood—the sangre azul of the Spanish hidalgoes; Blue bonnet, a round flat cap of blue woollen, much worn in Scotland: a blue-bonneted Scotch peasant or soldier; Blue-bottle fly, the meat-fly or blow-fly; Blue-coat boy, a scholar of Christ's Hospital—also (from the blue coat having formerly been the usual dress of servants) a servant, beadle, soldier; Blue devil, an evil demon: (pl.) deep despondency, the apparitions seen in delirium tremens; Blue funk (slang), great terror; Blue ribbon, a term applied to any great prize, as the Derby stakes—from the blue ribbon worn by Knights of the Garter: the badge assumed by the so-called Blue Ribbon Army introduced from America in 1878; Blue water, the deep sea, as opposed to port or a narrow channel.—Light blue, and Dark blue, the distinctive colours in their athletic contests of Eton and Cambridge, and of Harrow and Oxford respectively; The Blues, the Royal Horse Guards; The blues (for blue devils), a colloquial expression for depression of spirits.—To be a blue, to be chosen to represent Oxford or Cambridge at an inter-university contest in cricket, football, rowing, or athletics; An old blue, one once so chosen.—To drink till all's blue, until everything around one looks blue; To look blue, to be down-spirited.—True blue, faithful to the principles of the political party wearing blue as its colour, in many places identified with Conservative. [M. E. blew—O. Fr. bleu, of Teut. origin; as also Scand. blá, which gave M. E. bla, blo, and modern blae.]

Bluff, bluf, adj. blustering: rough and hearty in manners: outspoken: steep.—n. a high steep bank overlooking the sea or a river: the act of bluffing at cards, as in poker—hence any kind of boastful swagger intended to impose upon another: (slang) an excuse.—adjs. Bluff′-bowed, having broad and flat bows, as a ship; Bluff′-head′ed, applied to a ship having her stem too straight up.—adv. Bluff′ly.—n. Bluff′ness. [Prob. Dut.]

Blunder, blun′der, v.i. to make a gross mistake, to flounder about: to utter thoughtlessly.—n. a gross mistake.—p.adj. Blun′dering, apt to make gross mistakes: apt to stumble.—To blunder away, to throw away some opportunity or advantage. [M. E. blondren; prob. conn. with Bland; perh. from Ice. blunda, to doze.]

Blunderbuss, blun′dėr-bus, n. a short hand-gun with a wide bore. [Corr. of Dut. donderbus—donder, thunder, bus, a box, barrel of a gun, a gun; Ger. donnerbüchse.]

Blunt, blunt, adj. having a dull edge or point; rough, outspoken, dull.—v.t. to dull the edge or point: to weaken.—n. (slang) money.—adj. Blunt′ish.—adv. Bluntly.—n. Blunt′ness.—adj. Blunt′-wit′ted (Shak.) dull, stupid. [Orig. sleepy, dull; prob. conn. with Ice. blunda, to doze; perh. akin to Blind.]

Blur, blur, n. a blot, stain, or spot.—v.t. to blot, stain, obscure, or blemish (with out, over):—pr.p. blur′ring; pa.p. blurred. [A variety of Blear.]

Blurt, blurt, v.t. to utter suddenly or unadvisedly (with out).—n. an abrupt outburst.—p.adj. Blurt′ing, impulsively frank. [From sound. Cf. Blirt.]

Blush, blush, n. a red glow on the face caused by shame, modesty, &c.: any reddish colour: sudden appearance.—v.i. to show shame or confusion by growing red in the face: to grow red.—n. Blush′et (Ben Jonson), a young, modest girl.—adj. Blush′ful, full of blushes: modest—n. Blush′ing, the act of turning red: the appearance of colour upon the cheek.—p.adj. showing blushes: modest.—adv. Blush′ingly.—At the first blush, at the first glance.—To put to the blush, to cause to blush. [Prob. Scand.; cog. with A.S. blysa, a blaze. See Blaze, Blowze.]

Bluster, blus′tėr, v.i. to make a noise like a blast of wind: to bully or swagger.—n. a blast or roaring as of the wind: bullying or boasting language: a storm of anger.—n. Blus′tering, a noisy blowing as of a blast: swaggering: noisy pretension.—adj. stormy: tumultuous: boastful.—adv. Blus′teringly.—adjs. Blus′terous (Shak.) noisy: boastful; Blus′tery, stormy: (Carlyle) swaggering. [An augmentative of Blast.]

Bo, bō, interj. a word used to frighten children.—To say bo to a goose, to open the mouth, to say even a word.

Boa, bō′a, n. a genus of serpents which includes the largest species of serpents (the Boa-Constric′tor), which kill their prey by constriction or pressure: a long serpent-like coil of fur, feathers, or the like, worn round the neck by ladies. [Perh. conn. with L. bos, an ox.]

Boad. Same as Abode, pa.p. of Abide: also the same as Bode.

Boanerges, bo-an-erj′es, n. a noisy preacher or shouting orator. ['Sons of thunder'—Mark, iii. 17.]

Boar, bōr, n. the male of swine, or its flesh.—adj. Boar′ish, swinish: brutal.—n. Boar′-spear, a spear used in boar-hunting. [A.S. bár; Dut. beer; Ger. bär.]

Board, bōrd, n. a broad and thin strip of timber: a table to put food on: food: a table round which persons meet for some kind of business: any council or authorised body of men, as a 'school-board:' the deck of a ship: (pl.) the stage: a kind of thick stiff paper, as in pasteboard, Bristol-board, esp. that used in the binding of books.—v.t. to cover with boards: to supply with food at fixed terms: to enter a ship: to attack.—v.i. to receive food or take meals.—ns. Board′er, one who receives board (food): one who boards a ship; Board′ing, the act of covering with boards: the covering itself: act of boarding a ship; Board′ing-house, a house where boarders are kept; Board′ing-pike, a pike used in boarding a ship, or in defending it when attacked; Board′ing-school, a school in which board is given as well as instruction; Board′-school, a school under control of a school-board, as elected by the Elementary Education Act of 1870.—n.pl. Board′-wā′ges, wages allowed to servants to keep themselves in food.—Above board, openly.—By the board, over the board or side of a ship—hence, To go by the board, to be lost or destroyed.—To sweep the board, to take all the cards. [A.S. bord, a board, the side of a ship; Ice. borð, the side of a ship: conn. either with Bear or with Broad.]

Boast, bōst, v.i. to talk vaingloriously: to brag (with of),—v.t. to brag of: speak proudly or confidently of, esp. justifiably: to magnify or exalt one's self.—n. an expression of pride: a brag: the cause of boasting.—adj. Boast′ful, given to brag.—adv. Boast′fully.—ns. Boast′fulness, Boast′ing, ostentatious display: vaunting.—adj. Boast′less, without boasting; simple, unostentatious. [M. E. bost, of doubtful origin; apparently W. bostio, Gael. bòsd, a bragging, are borrowed.]

Boat, bōt, n. a small open vessel usually moved by oars: a small ship: a vessel like a boat in shape, as a 'sauce-boat.'—v.i. to sail about in a boat.—ns. Boat′-hook, an iron hook fixed to a pole used for pulling or pushing off a boat; Boat′-house, a house or shed for a boat: Boat′ing, the art or practice of sailing in boats; Boat′man, a man who has charge of a boat: a rower.—In the same boat, in the same circumstances.—To have an oar in another's boat, to meddle with the affairs of others. [A.S. bát; Dut. boot; Fr. bateau.]

Boatswain, bōt′swān (colloq. bō′sn), n. a petty officer on board ship who looks after the boats, rigging, &c., and calls the seamen to duty with a whistle. [Boat, and swain, Scand. sveinn, a boy.]

Bob, bob, v.i. to move quickly up and down, to dangle: to fish with a bob.—v.t. to move in a short, jerking manner:—pr.p. bob′bing; pa.p. bobbed.—n. a short jerking motion: a slight blow: anything that moves with a bob or swing: a pendant: a knot of hair, as in Bob′-wig, one with the ends turned up into short curls: a bunch of lobworms, used in catching eels: any small roundish body: the refrain or burden of a song: a term in bell-ringing—a Bob minor is rung upon six bells; a Bob major on eight; a Bob royal on ten; a Bob maximus on twelve.—adj. Bob′bish, in good spirits.—n. Bob′ble, the movement of water in commotion. [Perh. Celt., Gael. baban, babag.]

Bob, bob, n. (slang) a shilling. [Hardly the O. Fr. bobe = 1½d.]

Bob, bob, Bobby, bob′i, n. a shortened familiar form of Robert: a familiar name for a policeman—from Sir Robert Peel, Home Secretary at the passing of the Metropolitan Police Act of 1828.—n. Light′-bob, a soldier of the light infantry.

Bobadil, bob′a-dil, n. a swaggering boaster, from Ben Jonson's Every Man in his Humour.

Bobbery, bob′er-i, n. a noisy row. [Hindi bāp re! O father!—Col. Yule.]

Bobbin, bob′in, n. a small piece of wood on which thread is wound.—n. Bobb′inet, a kind of fine netted lace made by machines. [Fr. bobine, prob. Celt.; cf. Gael. baban, a tassel.]

Bobolink, bob′ō-lingk, n. a North American singing bird, found in the northern states in spring and summer. [At first Bob Lincoln, from the note of the bird.]

Bobstays, bob′stāz, n.pl. (naut.) ropes or stays used to confine the bowsprit downward to the stem or cutwater, and counteract the strain of the foremast-stays.

Bobtail, bob′tāl, n. a short or cut tail: a word applied in contempt to the rabble, as in 'tag-rag and bobtail.'—adj. Bob′tailed, with tail cut short.

Bocage. See Boscage.

Bode, bōd, v.t. to portend or prophesy.—v.i. to be an omen: to foreshow.—adj. Bode′ful, boding, ominous.—n. Bode′ment, an omen, presentiment.—pr.p. Bod′ing, presaging.—n. an omen or portent. [A.S. bodian, to announce—bod, a message; allied to Bid.]

Bode, bōd (Spens.). Same as Abode.

Bodega, bo-dē′ga, n. a wine-shop. [Sp.]

Bodge, boj, v.i. to make bad work, to fail.—n. Bodg′er, a botcher, a pedlar. [A form of Botch.]

Bodice, bod′is, n. a woman's outer garment covering the waist and bust: the close-fitting waist or body of a woman's gown.

Bodikin, bod′i-kin, n. a form of an oath, ''Od's bodikins' = God's little body.

Bodkin, bod′kin, n. a small dagger: a small instrument for pricking holes or for dressing the hair: a large blunt needle.—To sit, or ride, bodkin, to be wedged in tight between two others. [Prob. conn. with W. bidog, a dagger.]

Bodle, bod′l, n. a Scotch copper coin, equal to about one-sixth of an English penny, the smallest coin. [Said to be named from a mint-master, one Bothwell.]

Bodrages, bod′rā-jiz, n.pl. (Spens.) a hostile attack, a raid. [Ir. buaidhreadh, a disturbance.]

Body, bod′i, n. the whole frame of a man or lower animal: the main part of an animal, as distinguished from the limbs: the main or middle part of anything: matter, as opposed to spirit: substance or substantial quality: a mass: a person: a number of persons united by some common tie.—v.t. to give form to: to embody:—pr.p. bod′ying; pa.p. bod′ied.—adj. Bod′iless, without a body: incorporeal.—adv. Bod′ily, relating to the body, esp. as opposed to the mind.—ns. Bod′y-col′our, a term applied to paints to express their degree of consistence, substance, and tingeing power; Bod′y-cur′er (Shak.), a doctor; Bod′yguard, a guard to protect the person, esp. of the sovereign; Bod′y-pol′itic, the collective body of the people in its political capacity; Bod′y serv′ant, a personal attendant; Bod′y-snatch′er, one who secretly disinters the bodies of the dead for the purposes of dissection. [A.S. bodig, of dubious origin.]

Bœotian, be-ō′shyan, adj. pertaining to Bœotia in Greece, noted for the dullness of its inhabitants—hence stupid, dull.

Boer, bōōr, n. a Dutch colonist at the Cape engaged in agriculture. [Dut. boer. See Boor.]

Bog, bog, n. soft ground: a marsh or quagmire.—v.t. to sink or to entangle.—n. Bog′-butt′er, a mineral substance, resembling butter, found in Irish bogs.—adj. Bogg′y.—ns. Bog′let, Bog′land; Bog′-moss, a genus of moss plants; Bog′-oak, trunks of oak embedded in bogs and preserved from decay—of a deep black colour, often used for making ornaments; Bog′-ore, a kind of iron ore found in boggy land; Bog′-spav′in, a lesion of the hock-joint of the horse, consisting in distension of the capsule enclosing the joint, usually arising suddenly from a sprain in action; Bog′-trot′ter, one who lives in a boggy country, hence an Irishman. [Ir. bogach; Gael. bog, soft.]

Boggard, Boggart. See Bogle.

Boggle, bog′l, v.i. to stop or hesitate as if at a bogle: to start with fright: to make difficulties about a thing: to equivocate.—n. a scruple, objection: a bungle.—n. Bogg′ler, one who boggles: a doubter: (Shak.) one who starts from the right path. [See Bogle.]

Bogie, Bogey, bōg′i, n. a low truck on four wheels, so constructed as to turn easily, a trolly: a revolving under-carriage, as in a locomotive engine. [Ety. unknown; perh. conn. with Bogy, a fiend.]

Bogle, bōg′l, n. a spectre or goblin: a scarecrow: a bugbear, or source of terror—also Bogg′le.—Bogg′ard is a common form in the North country. [Scot. bogle, a ghost; W. bwg, a goblin. See Bug.]

Bogus, bō′gus, adj. counterfeit, spurious. [An American cant word, of very doubtful origin—it may possibly be ult. related to Bogy.]

Bogy, Bogey, bōg′i, n. a goblin: a bugbear or special object of dread, the devil.—n. Bog′yism. [A form of Boggle and Boggard.]

Bohea, bo-hē′, n. the lowest quality of black tea: tea generally. [Chin.]

Bohemian, bo-hē′mi-an, n. and adj. applied to persons of loose or irregular habits: an artist or man of letters, or indeed any one, who sets social conventionalities aside.—n. Bohē′mianism. [Fr. bohémien, a gipsy, from the belief that these wanderers came from Bohemia.]

Boiar. Same as Boyar.

Boil, boil, v.i. to bubble up from the action of heat: to be hot: to be excited or agitated.—v.t. to heat to a boiling state: to cook or dress by boiling.—ns. Boil′er, one who boils: that in which anything is boiled: a vessel in which steam, usually for a steam-engine, is generated: a vessel for heating water for baths, &c.; Boil′ing, the bubbling up of any liquid by the application of heat: the act of dressing food by boiling water.—adj. bubbling: swelling with heat or passion.—n. Boil′ing-point, the temperature at which liquids begin to boil under heat.—To boil down, to reduce in bulk by boiling, to extract the substance of, to epitomise; To boil over, to bubble over the sides of the containing vessel, to break out into unrestrained indignation. [O. Fr. boillir—L. bullīre—bulla, a bubble.]

Boil, boil, n. an inflamed swelling or tumour. [A.S. býl; Ger. beule.]

Boisterous, bois′tėr-us, adj. wild: noisy: turbulent: stormy.—adv. Bois′terously.—n. Bois′terousness. [M. E. boistous, approximating, but not in sense, to the O. Fr. boisteus, whence modern boiteux, lame. The Celtic words throw no light upon its origin.]

Bolas, bō′las, n. missiles used by the South American gauchos, consisting of balls or stones strung together, swung round the head and hurled, usually so as to entangle the legs of an animal running. [Sp.]

Bold, bōld, adj. daring or courageous: forward or impudent: presumptuous: executed with spirit: striking to the sight, well marked: steep or abrupt.—v.t. Bold′en (obs.), to make bold.—adj. Bold′faced, impudent.—adv. Bold′ly.—n. Bold′ness.—To make bold, to take the liberty, to make free. [A.S. bald; Old High Ger. bald, Ice. ballr.]

Bole, bōl, n. the round stem or body of a tree. [Scand. bolr; Ger. bohle, a plank.]

Bole, bōl, n. an earthy mineral resembling clay in structure, and consisting essentially of silica, alumina, red oxide of iron, and water; the bole of Lemnos, Lemnian Earth, is red in colour, and was once used as a tonic and astringent medicine. [Gr. bōlos, a clod.]

Bole, bōl, n. a recess in a wall: an opening to admit light and air. [Scot.; origin unknown.]

Bolero, bo-lā′ro, or bo-lē′ro, n. Spanish national dance: also the air to which it is danced. [Sp.]

Boletus, bol-ē′tus, n. a genus of fungi, having a pore-like surface occupying the place of gills. [Gr. bōlitēs, mushroom.]

Bolide, bol′īd, n. a large meteor or fireball. [Fr.—L. bolid-em, bolis—Gr. bolis, ballein, to throw.]

Bolin, an obsolete form of Bowline.

Boll, bōl, n. one of the round heads or seed-vessels of flax, poppy, &c.: a pod or capsule.—p.adjs. Bolled (bōld), swollen, podded; Bollen (bōln), swollen (Shak.). [A form of Bowl; A.S. bolla.]

Boll, bōl, n. a measure of capacity for grain, &c., used in Scotland and the north of England—in Scotland = 6 imperial bushels; in England, varying from 2 to 6 bushels: also a measure of weight, containing, for flour, 140 lb. [Scot. bow; prob. a Scand. word; cf. Ice. bolli.]

Bollandist, bol′an-dist, n. one of the Jesuit writers who continued the Acta Sanctorum (q.v.), begun by John Bolland (1596-1665).

Bollard, bol′ard, n. a post on a wharf to which vessels are secured: a thick piece of wood on the forepart of a whale-boat, round which the line is turned when a whale is harpooned. [Prob. Bole.]

Bologna, bol-ōn′ya, adj. from a town of Italy, which gives its name to Bologna phial, Bologna phosphorus, and Bologna or 'Polony' sausages.—adj. Bologn′ese.

Bolometer, bō-lom′e-tėr, n. an instrument for measuring minute amounts of radiant heat. [Gr. bolē, ray (ballein, to throw), metron, a measure.]

Bolster, bōl′stėr, n. a long round pillow or cushion: a pad: anything resembling it in form or use, esp. any piece of mechanism affording a support against pressure.—v.t. to support with a bolster: to hold up.—p.adj. Bol′stered, supported: swelled out.—n. Bol′stering, a propping up or supporting. [A.S. bolster; from root of Bowl.]

Bolt, bōlt, n. a bar or pin used to fasten a door, &c.: an arrow: a thunderbolt, as in 'a bolt from the blue.'—v.t. to fasten with a bolt: to throw or utter precipitately: to expel suddenly: to swallow hastily.—v.i. to rush away (like a bolt from a bow): to start up: (U.S.) to break away from one's political party.—ns. Bolt′-head, the head of a bolt: a chemical flask; Bolt′-rope, a rope sewed all round the edge of a sail to prevent it from tearing; Bolt′sprit (same as Bowsprit).—adv. Bolt′-up′right, upright and straight as a bolt or arrow.—n. Bolt′-up′rightness. [A.S. bolt; Old High Ger. bolz.]

Bolt, bōlt, v.t. (better spelling, Boult), to sift, to separate the bran from, as flour: to examine by sifting: to sift through coarse cloth.—ns. Bolt′er, a sieve: a machine for separating bran from flour; Bolt′ing, the process by which anything is bolted or sifted; Bolt′ing-hutch, a hutch or large box into which flour falls when it is bolted. [O. Fr. bulter, or buleter = bureter, from bure—Low L. burra, a coarse reddish-brown cloth—Gr. pyrros, reddish.]

Bolus, bō′lus, n. a rounded mass of anything: a large pill. [L. bolus—Gr. bōlos, a lump.]

Bomb, bom, or bum, n. a hollow projectile, usually of cast-iron, fired from a mortar, filled with gunpowder and fitted with a time-fuse: any similar missile or case of explosives, as a dynamite bomb.—n. Bom′bard, an engine or great gun for throwing bombs: (Shak.) a barrel or large vessel for holding liquor.—v.t. Bombard′, to attack with bombs.—ns. Bombardier′, the lowest non-commissioned officer in the British artillery, formerly a man employed about the mortars and howitzers; Bombard′ment; Bombar′don, a deep-toned brass instrument, with a tube likened to a bombard.—adj. Bomb′-proof, proof or secure against the force of bombs.—ns. Bomb′-shell (same as Bomb); Bomb′-vess′el, Bomb′-ketch, a vessel for carrying the mortars used in bombarding from the sea.—Bombardier beetle, a name given to several species of beetles, which discharge an acrid volatile fluid with explosive force from the abdomen. [Fr. bombe—L. bombus—Gr. bombos, a humming sound—an imitative word.]

Bombasine, Bombazine, bom′-, bum-ba-zēn′, n. a twilled or corded fabric of silk and worsted, or of cotton and worsted.—n. Bom′bax, a genus of silk-cotton trees, native to tropical America. [Fr. bombasin—Low L. bombasinum—Gr. bombyx, silk.]

Bombast, bom′-, bum′bast, n. inflated or high-sounding language: originally cotton or any soft material used for stuffing garments.—adj. Bombas′tic, high-sounding: inflated. [Low L. bombax, cotton—Gr. bombyx, silk.]

Bombax. See Bombasine.

Bombay-duck, bom-bā′-duk, n. a fish of the family Scopelidæ, nearly allied to the salmon and trout family, which is salted, dried, and eaten as a relish.

Bombyx, bom′biks, n. the silkworm. [Gr.]

Bon, bong, adj. good—French, occurring in some English but not Anglicised phrases, as Bon accord, good-will, agreement; Bon mot, a jest or smart saying; Bon ton, good style, the fashionable world; Bon vivant, one who lives well or luxuriously.

Bona fide, bō′na fīd′ā, adv. and adj. in good faith, with sincerity, genuine. [L.]

Bonanza, bon-an′za, n. a term common in the Pacific States for a rich mass of gold: any mine of wealth or stroke of luck. [Sp.]

Bonapartism, bō′na-pärt-izm, n. attachment to the dynasty of Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of the French.—n. Bō′napartist.

Bona-roba, bō′na-rō′ba, n. (Shak.) a showy wanton, a courtesan. [It. buona roba, lit. a fine gown.]

Bonbon, bong′bong, n. a sweetmeat.—n. Bonbon′iere, a fancy box for holding such. [Fr., 'very good'—bon, good.]

Bond, bond, n. that which binds, a band: link of connection or union: a writing of obligation to pay a sum or to perform a contract: any constraining or any cementing force: in building, the connection of one stone or brick with another, made by lapping the one over the other as the work is carried up, as in English bond, Flemish bond, &c.: (pl.) imprisonment, captivity.—adj. bound: in a state of servitude.—v.t. to put imported goods in the customs' warehouses till the duties on them are paid—hence Bonded stores or warehouses, To take out of bond, &c.—p.adj. Bond′ed, secured by bond, as duties.—ns. Bond′er, a binding stone or brick; Bond′-hold′er, a person who holds bonds of a private person or public company; Bond′ing, that arrangement by which goods remain in the customs' warehouses till the duties are paid; Bond′maid, Bond′woman, Bonds′woman, a woman-slave; Bond′man, a man-slave; Bond′manship; Bond′serv′ant, a slave; Bond′-serv′ice, the condition of a bond-servant: slavery; Bond′-slave, a slave; Bonds′man, a bondman or slave: a surety; Bond′-stone, a stone which reaches a considerable distance into or entirely through a wall for the purpose of binding it together; Bond′-tim′ber, timber built into a wall as it is carried up for the purpose of binding it together in a longitudinal direction.—Bonded debt, the debt of a corporation represented by the bonds it has issued, as contrasted with its floating debt. [A variant of band—A.S. bindan, to bind.]

Bondage, bond′āj, n. state of being bound: captivity: slavery.—n. Bond′ager, a female outworker in the Border and North country, whom the hind or married cottar was bound to provide for the farm-work. [O. Fr.; Low L. bondagium, a kind of tenure. Acc. to Skeat, this is from A.S. bonda, a boor, a householder, from Ice. bóndi = búandi, a tiller, a husbandman, búa, to till, cog. with A.S. búan.]

Bone, bōn, n. a hard substance forming the skeleton of mammalian animals: a piece of the skeleton of an animal: (pl.) the bones collectively: mortal remains: pieces of bone held between the fingers of the hand and rattled together to keep time to music: dice, as made of bone, ivory, &c.—v.t. to take the bones out of, as meat: to seize, to steal.—ns. Bone′-ache (Shak.), aching or pain in the bones; Bone′-ash, Bone′-earth, the remains when bones are burnt in an open furnace; Bone′-black, the remains when bones are heated in a close vessel.—adj. Boned—used in composition, as high-boned: having bones: having the bones removed.—ns. Bone′-dust, ground or pulverised bones, used in agriculture; Bone′-lace, lace woven with bobbins, which were frequently made of bone.—adj. Bone′less, wanting bones.—ns. Bone′-set′ter, one who treats broken bones without being a duly qualified surgeon; Bone′-shāk′er, a name familiarly given to the earlier forms of bicycle before india-rubber tires; Bone′-spav′in, a bony excrescence or hard swelling on the inside of the hock of a horse.—adj. Bon′y, full of, or consisting of, bones.—A bone of contention, something that causes strife; A bone to pick, something to occupy one, a difficulty, a grievance, controversy, dispute.—To make no bones of, to have no scruples in regard to something; To the bone, to the inmost part. [A.S. bán, Ger. bein.]

Bonfire, bon′fīr, n. a large fire in the open air on occasions of public rejoicing, &c.—originally a fire in which bones were burnt. [Not Fr. bon, good, and Fire.]

Bongrace, bon′grās, n. a shade from the sun once worn by women on the front of the bonnet: a broad-brimmed hat or bonnet. [Fr.]

Bonhomie, bon′o-mē, n. easy good-nature. [Fr.; bon homme, a good fellow.]

Boniface, bon′i-fās, n. a generic name for an innkeeper, like 'mine host' or 'landlord'—from the hearty Boniface of Farquhar's Beaux' Stratagem.

Boning, bōn′ing, n. the act of estimating straightness by looking along a series of poles, as in boning-rod or telescope.

Bonito, bo-nēto, n. a name given to several fishes of the mackerel family—the Stripe-bellied Tunny of the tropical parts of the Atlantic and Pacific; the Mediterranean Bonito; the Plain Bonito. [Sp.]

Bonne, bon, n. a French nursemaid. [Fr.; fem. of bon, good.]

Bonne-bouche, bon-bōōsh, n. a delicious morsel. [Fr.]

Bonnet, bon′et, n. a covering for the head worn by women, without a brim, tied on by strings, and now letting the whole face be seen, although formerly a bonnet (esp. a Poke′-bonn′et) covered the sides of the face: a soft cap: the velvet cap within a coronet: (fort.) a small work before the salient or flanked angle of the ravelin: (naut.) an additional part laced to the foot of jibs, or other fore-and-aft sails, to gather more wind: a wire-covering over a chimney-top: a decoy or pretended player or bidder at a gaming-table or an auction, the accomplice of a thimble-rigger or other petty swindler.—v.t. to put a bonnet on: to crush a man's hat over his eyes.—adj. and p.adj. Bonn′eted.—ns. Bonn′et-piece, a gold coin of James V. of Scotland, on which the king wears a bonnet instead of a crown; Bonn′et-rouge, the red cap of liberty of the French Revolution, shaped like a nightcap.—Bonnet laird, a Scotch name for a petty landowner who wore a bonnet, not the hat of the gentry.—Balmoral bonnet, a flat cap resembling the Scotch (Lowland) bonnet; Glengarry bonnet, rising to a point in front, with ribbons hanging down behind; Scotch bonnet, of a broad, round, flat shape, of dark-blue colour, with a tuft on the top, the fabric thick-milled woollen, without seam or lining—like the Basque béret. [O. Fr.—Low L. bonnetum, orig. the name of a stuff.]

Bonny, bon′i, adj. beautiful: handsome: gay: plump: pleasant-looking: as a general term expressing appreciation = considerable, &c., often ironically: cheerful: (Shak.) stout, strong.—adv. Bonn′ily, beautifully: gaily.—n. Bonn′iness, handsomeness: gaiety. [Fr. bon, bonne—L. bonus.]

Bonspiel, bon′spēl, n. a great curling-match. [Dr Murray suggests an assumed Dut. bondspel, from bond = verbond, 'covenant, alliance, compact,' and; spel, play; the word having entered Scotch as a whole, spiel, spel, having never been in common use for 'play.']

Bonus, bōn′us, n. a premium beyond the usual interest for a loan: an extra dividend to shareholders: an extra gratuity paid to workmen: a douceur or bribe. [L. bonus, good.]

Bonze, bon′ze, n. a Buddhist priest. [Jap. bonzó or bonzi, a priest.]

Boo, Booh, bōō, interj. a sound expressive of disapprobation or contempt.—v.i. to utter 'boo!' to hoot.—v.t. Boo′-hoo′, to weep noisily.

Booby, bōō′bi, n. a silly or stupid fellow: a sea-bird, of the gannet tribe, remarkable for its apparent stupidity in allowing itself to be knocked down with a stick.—adjs. Boo′by, Boo′byish, like a booby: stupid.—ns. Boo′byism; Boo′by-trap, a rude form of practical joke among boys, by which something is made to fall upon some one entering a door, or the like. [Sp. bobo, a dolt: may prob. be cog. with Ger. bube.]

Boodle, bōōd′l, n. a crowd, pack—'the whole boodle:' stock-in-trade, capital. [May be conn. with Dut. boedel.]

Boodle, bōōd′l, n. (slang) a stupid noodle.

Boody, bōōd′i, v.i. to sulk or mope. [Fr. bouder, to pout.]

Book, book, n. a collection of sheets of paper bound together, either printed, written on, or blank: a literary composition: a division of a volume or subject: the Bible: a betting-book, or record of bets made with different people: (fig.) any source of instruction: the libretto of an opera, &c.: (pl.) formal accounts of transactions, as minutes of meetings, records kept of his business by a merchant.—v.t. to write in a book.—ns. Book′-account′, an account of debt or credit in a book; Book′binder, one who binds books; Book′binding, the art or practice of binding or putting the boards on books; Book′-case, a case with shelves for books; Book′-club, an association of persons who buy new books for circulation among themselves; Book′-debt, a debt for articles charged by the seller in his book-account.—adj. Book′ful, full of information gathered from books.—ns. Book′-hold′er, one who holds the book of the play and prompts the actor in the theatre; Book′-hunt′er, one who rejoices in discovering rare books; Book′ing-of′fice, an office where names are booked or tickets are taken.—adj. Book′ish, fond of books: acquainted only with books.—ns. Book′ishness; Book′-keep′ing, the art of keeping accounts in a regular and systematic manner; Book′-land, land taken from the folcland or common land, and granted by bóc or written charter to a private owner; Book′-learn′ing, learning got from books, as opposed to practical knowledge.—adj. Book′less, without books, unlearned.—ns. Book′let, a small book; Book′-mak′er, one who makes up books from the writings of others, a compiler: one who makes a system of bets in such a way that the gains must exceed the losses, entering them in a memorandum book; Book′-mak′ing, the art or practice of compiling books from the writings of others: compilation: systematic betting; Book′-man, a scholar, student; Book′-mark, something placed in a book to mark a particular page or passage; Book′-mate (Shak.), a mate or companion in the study of books: a schoolfellow; Book′-mus′lin, muslin used in bookbinding; Book′-oath (Shak.), an oath made on the Book or Bible; Book′plate, a label usually pasted inside the cover of a book, bearing the owner's name, crest, coat-of-arms, or peculiar device; Book′-post, the department in the Post-office for the transmission of books; Book′seller, one who sells books; Book′selling; Book′shelf, a shelf on which books are placed; Book′shop, a shop where books are sold; Book′-stall, a stall or stand, generally in the open air, where books are sold; Book′-stand, a book-stall: a stand or support for holding up a book when reading; Book′-trade, the trade of dealing in books; Book′worm, a worm or mite that eats holes in books: a hard reader: one who reads without discrimination or profit.—To be upon the books, to have one's name in an official list; To bring to book, to bring to account; To take a leaf out of another's book, to follow the example of some one; To talk like a book, to talk pedantically, or in a preternaturally well-informed manner. [A.S. bóc, a book, the beech; Ger. buche, the beech, buch, a book, because the Teutons first wrote on beechen boards.]

Boom, bōōm, n. a pole by which a sail is stretched: a chain or bar stretched across a harbour. [Dut. boom, a beam, a tree.]

Boom, bōōm, v.i. to make a hollow sound or roar: to go on with a rush, to become suddenly prosperous.—v.t. to push anything into sudden prominence:—pa.p. boomed (bōōmd); pr.p. boom′ing.—n. a hollow roar, as of the sea, the cry of the bittern, &c.: a sudden increase of activity in business, or the like—often the direct consequence of puffing advertisements or less legitimate intrigues.—p.adj. Boom′ing, rushing with violence. [From a Low Ger. root found in A.S. byme, a trumpet, Dut. bommen, to drum; like Bomb, of imit. origin.]

Boomerang, bōōm′e-rang, n. a hard-wood missile used by the natives of Australia, shaped like the segment of a circle, and so balanced that when thrown to a distance it returns towards the thrower. [Australian.]

Boon, bōōn, n. a petition: a gift or favour. [Ice. bôn, a prayer; A.S. ben.]

Boon, bōōn, adj. gay, merry, or kind. [Fr. bon—L. bonus, good.]

Boor, bōōr, n. a countryman, a peasant: a Dutch colonist in South Africa: a coarse or awkward person.—adj. Boor′ish, like a boor: awkward or rude.—adv. Boor′ishly.—n. Boor′ishness. [Dut. boer; Ger. bauer. The A.S. gebúr, a farmer, may explain the East Anglian bor, neighbour, as a form of address.]

Boord, an obsolete form of Board.

Boose. See Bouse.

Boot, bōōt, n. a covering for the foot and lower part of the leg generally made of leather: an infamous instrument of judicial torture, in which the legs were forced into a strong case and wedges driven in until bone, muscle, and marrow were crushed together—also Boot′ikin: a box or receptacle in a coach.—v.t. to put on boots.—n. Boot′-clos′er, one who closes the upper leathers of boots.—pa.p. Boot′ed, having boots on, equipped for riding.—ns. Boot′-hook, an instrument for pulling on long boots; Boot′hose (Shak.), hose or stockings used in place of boots; Boot′-jack, an instrument for taking off boots; Boot′lace, a lace for fastening boots; Boot′-last, Boot′-tree, the last or wooden mould on which boots or shoes are made or stretched to keep their shape.—adj. Boot′less, without boots: referring also, as in Tennyson's metaphorical use, 'wedded to a bootless calf,' to the ancient custom at a marriage by proxy of the quasi bridegroom putting one unbooted leg into the bride's bed.—n. Boots, the servant at an inn who cleans the boots, runs messages, &c.—in combination, as Lazyboots, Slyboots.—Boot and saddle (a corr. of Fr. bouteselle, place saddle), the signal to cavalry to mount.—Like old boots (slang), vigorously, heartily.—Six feet in his boots, quite six feet high.—To die in his boots, to be cut off in the midst of health, as by the rope; To have one's heart in one's boots, to be in a state of extreme terror. [O. Fr. bote (mod. botte)—Low L. botta, bota, of dubious origin.]

Boot, bōōt, v.t. to profit or advantage.—n. advantage: profit: any reparation or compensation paid, like the man-bote of old English law: (Shak.) booty.—adj. Boot′less, without boot or profit: useless.—adv. Boot′lessly.—n. Boot′lessness.—To boot, in addition; To make boot of (Shak.), to make profit of. [A.S. bót, compensation, amends, whence betan, to amend, to make Better.]

Bootes, bo-ō′tez, n. a northern constellation beside the Great Bear, containing the bright star Arcturus. [Gr.; an ox-driver.]

Booth, bōōth, n. a hut or temporary erection formed of slight materials: a covered stall at a fair or market. [Ice. buð, Ger. bude.]

Booty, bōōt′i, n. spoil taken in war or by force: plunder, a prize.—To play booty, to join with others in order to cheat one player, to play a game with intention to lose. [Ice. býti, share—býta, to divide.]

Booze. See Bouse.

Bo-peep, bo-pēp′, n. a simple play among children in which one peeps from behind something and cries 'Bo.'

Bora, bō′ra, n. a strong north-east wind in the upper Adriatic. [Diez explains the word as a Venetian variant of It. borea—L. boreas; acc. to others, Slav.; cf. Servian bura.]

Borachio, bor-ach′i-o, n. a Spanish wine-bottle of leather: a drunken fellow. [Sp. borracha.]

Borage, bur′āj, n. a plant of the genus Borago, formerly in great repute as a cordial. [Low L. borago.]

Borax, bō′raks, n. a mineral salt used for soldering, as a flux in metallurgy, in enamelling and glazing, as a mordant in dyeing, as a substitute for soap, and also in medicine.—adj. Borac′ic, of or relating to borax.—ns. Bor′acite, a mineral composed of boracic acid and carbonate of magnesia; Bō′rate, a salt of boracic acid.—Boracic acid, an acid obtained by dissolving borax, and also found native in mineral springs in Italy. [Through Fr. and Low L. borax, borac-em, from Ar. bûraq.]

Bordar, bord′ar, n. a villein who held his hut at his lord's pleasure. [Low L. bordarius; of Teut. origin. See Board.]

Bordeaux, bor-dō′, n. claret, wine of Bordeaux, a great city in the south-west of France.

Bordel, bor′del, n. a house for prostitution. [O. Fr. bordel, a cabin—Low L. borda.]

Border, bord′ėr, n. the edge or margin of anything: the march or boundary of a country, esp. that between England and Scotland: a flower-bed in a garden: a piece of ornamental edging or trimming round a garment, &c.—v.i. to resemble (with on): to be adjacent (with upon, with).—v.t. to make or adorn with a border: to bound.—ns. Bord′erer, one who dwells on the border of a country; Bord′er-land.—adj. Bord′erless. [O. Fr. bordure; from root of Board.]

Bord-raging. See Bodraging.

Bordure, bor′dūr, n. (her.) a border surrounding a shield, generally said to occupy one-fifth of the field. [Border.]

Bore, bōr, v.t. to pierce so as to form a hole; to weary or annoy.—n. a hole made by boring: the size of the cavity of a gun; a person or thing that wearies (not from the foregoing, according to Dr Murray, who says both verb and noun arose after 1750).—ns. Bor′er, the person or thing that bores: a genus of sea-worms that pierce wood; a name common to many insects that pierce wood; Bor′ing, the act of making a hole in anything: a hole made by boring: (pl.) the chips produced by boring. [A.S. borian, to bore; cf. Ger. bohren; allied to L. for-āre, to bore, Gr. pharynx, the gullet.]

Bore, bōr, did bear, pa.t. of Bear.

Bore, bōr, n. a tidal flood which rushes with great violence up the estuaries of certain rivers, also called Eagre. [Ice. bára, a wave or swell.]

Boreas, bō′re-as, n. the north wind.—adj. Bō′real. [L. and Gr.]

Boric. Same as Boracic (q.v. under Borax).

Born, bawrn,—pa.p. of Bear, to bring forth.—Born again, having received new spiritual life or regeneration through Christ.—Born in, or with, inherited by birth; Born of, sprung from.—A born fool, one whose folly is from his birth—also in compounds, as English-born, eldest-born, base-born, gently-born, well-born, &c.—In one's born days, in one's life-time.

Borne, bōrn, pa.p. of Bear, to carry.

Borné, bor′nā, adj. limited, narrow-minded. [Fr. pa.p. of borner, to limit.]

Boron, bō′ron, n. a simple non-metallic element present in borax and boracic acid, obtained in crystals which resemble diamonds. [See Borax.]

Borough, bur′ō, n. a town with a corporation and special privileges granted by royal charter; a town that sends representatives to parliament.—ns. Bor′ough-English, a custom in some ancient English boroughs, by which estates descend to the youngest son or the youngest brother; Bor′oughmonger, one who buys or sells the patronage of boroughs; Bor′ough-reeve, the chief municipal official in some unincorporated English towns prior to 1835.—Close or Pocket borough, a borough the representation of which was in the nomination of some person—common before 1832; County borough, a borough of above 50,000 inhabitants, constituted by the Local Government Act of 1888; Rotten borough, one which still returned members to parliament although the constituency had disappeared—all abolished in 1832.—The Scotch terms are grouped under Burgh. [A.S. burg, burh, a city, from beorgan; Ger. bergen, to protect.]

Borrel, bor′el, adj. (Spens.) rustic, clownish. [O. Fr. burel, coarse cloth worn by peasantry.]

Borrow, bor′ō, v.t. to obtain on loan or trust: to adopt from a foreign source: to derive one's authority from another (with from, of).—p.adj. Borr′owed, taken on loan, counterfeit, assumed.—n. Borr′ower.—Borrowing days, the last three days of March (O.S.), supposed in Scotch folklore to have been borrowed by March from April, and to be especially stormy. [A.S. borgian—borg, borh, a pledge, security.]

Borstall, bor′stal, n. a way up a hill, still used in the district of the Downs. [A.S. beorh, a hill, and stigel, a stile.]

Bort, bort, n. diamond-dust. [Fr.]

Borzoi, bor′zoi, n. a breed of dogs of great grace and beauty, in shape like a gigantic greyhound, though covered with a soft coat about the length of a deerhound's. [Russ.]

Boscage, bosk′āj, n. thick foliage: woodland. [Fr. boscage, bocage—Low L. boscus (hence Fr. bois), conn. with Ger. busch, Eng. Bush.]

Bosh, bosh, n. used also as interj. nonsense, foolish talk or opinions. [Turk. bosh, worthless, frequent in Morier's popular novel Ayesha (1834).]

Bosky, bosk′i, adj. woody or bushy: shady.—ns. Bosk′et, Bosk (Tennyson), a thicket.

Bosom, bōōz′um, n. the breast of a human being, or the part of the dress which covers it: (fig.) the seat of the passions and feelings: the heart: embrace, enclosure, as within the arms: any close or secret receptacle.—adj. (in composition) confidential: intimate.—v.t. to enclose in the bosom.—Abraham's bosom, the abode of the blessed dead.—To take to one's bosom, to marry: to make an intimate friend of. [A.S. bósm; Ger. busen.]

Boson, bō′sn, n. a corruption of Boatswain.

Boss, bos, n. a knob or stud: a raised ornament.—v.t. to ornament with bosses.—adj. Boss′y, having bosses.—p.adj. Bossed, embossed. [O. Fr. boce (Fr. bosse), from Old Ger. bôzan, to beat.]

Boss, bos, n. the chief or leader: the master, manager, or foreman: the person who pulls the wires in political intrigues.—adj. chief: excellent.—v.t. to manage or control.—To boss the show, to be supreme director of an enterprise. [Amer.; from the New York Dutch baas, master; cog. with Ger. base, a cousin.]

Bostangi, bos-tan′ji, n. a Turkish guard of the palace. [Turk.]

Boston, bost′on, n. a game at cards, somewhat similar to whist. [From Boston in Mass., U.S.]

Boswellian, bos-wel′li-an, adj. after the manner of Boswell, the famous biographer of Samuel Johnson.—v.i. Bos′wellise, to write after the manner of Boswell—full of an absolute admiration for one's hero and interest in him descending to the smallest particulars.—n. Bos′wellism.

Bot. See Bots.

Botany, bot′an-i, n. the science of plants.—adj. Botan′ic.—adv. Botan′ically.—v.i. Bot′anise, to seek for and collect plants for study.—ns. Bot′anist, one skilled in botany; Bot′anomancy, divination by means of plants, esp. the leaves of the sage and fig.—Botany Bay, a famous convict settlement in New South Wales, near to what is now Sydney: convict settlements generally. [Gr. botanē, herb, plant—bosk-ein, to feed, L. vescor, I feed myself; perh. cog. with A.S. woed.]

Botargo, bot-ar′go, n. a relish made of mullet or tunny roe. [It.—Ar.]

Botch, boch, n. a swelling on the skin: a clumsy patch: ill-finished work.—v.t. to patch or mend clumsily: to put together unsuitably or unskilfully.—ns. Botch′er, one who botches; Botch′work, Botch′ery.—adj. Botch′y, marked with or full of botches. [From root of Boss.]

Botfly. See Bots.

Both, bōth, adj. and pron. the two: the one and the other.—conj. as well: on the one side. [Ice. bathi, Ger. beide; A.S. bâ; cf. L. am-bo, Gr. am-phō, Sans. ubha, orig. ambha.]

Bother, both′ėr, v.t. to perplex or tease.—ns. Both′er; Botherā′tion.—adj. Both′ersome. [Murray notes that the word first appeared in the writings of Irish-born men, as Dr Sheridan, Swift, and Sterne. Perh. from Ir. buaidhirt, trouble.]

Bothy, Bothie, both′i, n. a humble cottage or hut: a temporary house for men engaged in some common work, esp. the barely furnished quarters provided for farm-servants, generally unmarried men, in the eastern and north-eastern counties of Scotland.—The Bothy system is apparently economical, but is detrimental to health and to morality.

Botoné, Bottony, bot′un-i, adj. (her.) having buds or knobs at the extremity, applied to a cross having each arm terminated in three buds, like trefoil. [O. Fr. See Button.]

Bo-tree, bō′-trē, n. the name given in Ceylon to the Pipal or Peepul of India (Ficus religiosa), held sacred by the Buddhists, and planted close by every temple. [Singh. bo, from Pali bodhi, perfect knowledge.]

Bots, Botts, botz, n. the larvæ of the botfly found in the flesh and in the intestines of animals.—n. Bot′fly, a family of dipterous insects, resembling the blue-bottle fly, which deposit their eggs on cattle. [Ety. unknown; hardly conn. with Bite.]

Bottine, bot′ēn, n. a high boot, a half-boot. [Fr., dim. of botte, a boot.]

Bottle, bot′l, n. a bundle of hay.—To look for a needle in a bottle of hay, to engage in a hopeless search. [O. Fr. botel.]

Bottle, bot′l, n. a hollow vessel for holding liquids: the contents of such a vessel: the habit of drinking.—v.t. to enclose in bottles.—n. Bott′le-chart, one which purports to show the track of sealed bottles thrown from ships into the sea.—p.adj. Bott′led, enclosed in bottles: shaped or protuberant like a bottle: kept in restraint.—ns. Bott′le-glass, a coarse green glass used in the making of bottles; Bott′le-gourd, or False Calabash, a climbing, musky-scented Indian annual, whose fruit is shaped like a bottle, an urn, or a club.—adjs. Bott′le-green, dark green in colour, like bottle-glass.—Bott′le-head, Bott′le-nosed, having a rounded prominent head, with a short snout, as a certain genus of whale.—ns. Bott′le-hold′er, one who attends upon a boxer at a prize-fight, a backer or supporter generally; Bott′le-imp, an imp supposed to be confined in a bottle; Bott′le-wash′er, one whose business it is to wash out the bottles, a factotum generally.—A three-bottle man, one who could drink three bottles without losing his decorum.—To bottle off, to draw from the cask and put into bottles; To bottle up (one's wrath, &c.), to keep enclosed as in a bottle; To bring up on the bottle, to rear an infant artificially rather than by the breast; To pass the bottle, to make the drink go round; To pass the bottle of smoke, to acquiesce in some falsehood, to make pretence. [O. Fr. bouteille, dim. of botte, a vessel for liquids—Low L. butis, a vessel.]

Bottom, bot′um, n. the lowest part of anything: that on which anything rests or is founded: the sitting part of the human body: the foot of a page, &c.: low land, as in a valley: the keel of a ship, hence the vessel itself: the fundamental character of anything, as physical stamina, financial resources, &c.: the portion of a wig hanging down over the shoulder, as in 'full-bottom'—full-bottomed wig: (Shak.) a ball of thread.—v.t. to found or rest upon: (Shak.) to wind round or upon.—adj. Bott′omed.—ns. Bott′om-glade, a glade or open space in a bottom or valley; Bott′om-grass (Shak.) grass growing on bottom lands.—adj. Bott′omless.—n. Bott′omry, a contract by which money is borrowed on the security of a ship or bottom.—Bottomless pit—hell.—At bottom, in reality.—From the bottom of the heart, from the very heart.—To be at the bottom of, to be the real origin of; To stand on one's own bottom, to be independent of; To touch bottom, to reach the lowest point. [A.S. botm; Ger. boden; conn. with L. fundus, bottom, Gael. bonn, the sole.]

Bottony. See Botoné.

Boudoir, bōōd′war, n. a lady's private room. [Fr.—bouder, to pout, to be sulky.]

Bouffant, boof′ang, adj. puffed out, in dressmaking. [Fr.]

Bouffe. See Opera-bouffe.

Bougainvillæa, bōōg-ān-vil-ē′a, n. a neotropical genus of Nyctaginaceæ, frequently trained over trellises or under the roofs of greenhouses, their triplets of flowers almost concealed by rosy or purple bracts. [From the first French circumnavigator of the globe, Louis Antoine de Bougainville (1729-1811).]

Bough, bow, n. a branch of a tree: the gallows. [A.S. bóg, bóh, an arm, the shoulder (Ger. bug, the shoulder, the bow of a ship)—A.S. bugan, to bend.]

Bought, bawt, pa.t. and pa.p. of Buy.—Bought′en in an archaic form.

Bought, bowt, n. a bight or bend: (Spens.) a twist or coil: the bend of a sling in which the stone is placed. [See Bight.]

Bougie, bōō′zhi, n. an instrument made of elastic, gum, wax, or metal, for distending contracted mucous canals, as the gullet, bowels, or urethra. [Fr. a 'wax candle,' because the instrument was orig. made of waxed linen, from Bougie in Algeria.]

Bouillabaisse, bōō-lya-bās′, n. a Provençal kind of fish chowder, familiar through Thackeray's appreciative ballad. [Fr.]

Bouilli, bōō′-yē, n. boiled or stewed meat.—n. Bouillon (bōō-yong), soup. [Fr. See Boil.]

Boulder, bōld′ėr, n. a large stone rounded by the action of water: (geol.) a mass of rock transported by natural agencies from its native bed.—adj. containing boulders.—n. Bould′er-clay (see Till, 4). [Acc. to Wedgwood, from Swed. bullra, Dan. buldre, to roar like thunder, as large pebbles do.]

Boulevard, bōōl′e-vär, n. a broad walk or promenade bordered with trees, originally applied to those formed upon the demolished fortifications of a town.—n. Boul′evardier, a frequenter of the boulevards. [Fr.—Ger. bollwerk. See Bulwark.]

Bouleversement, bōōl-vers-mang, n. an overturning. [Fr.]

Boult, bōlt, v.t. (Spens.). Same as Bolt (2).

Boun, Bowne, bown, v.t. (used refl.) to prepare one's self, to have recourse to.—v.i. to prepare, dress: to set out, to go to a place—(Spens.) Bound. [Boun, earlier form of bound—revived by Scott.]

Bounce, bowns, v.i. to jump or spring suddenly: to bound like a ball, to throw one's self about: (obs.) to beat: to burst into or out of a room, &c.: to boast, to exaggerate.—n. a heavy, sudden blow: a leap or spring: a boast: a bold lie.—adv. and interj. expressing sudden movement.—n. Bounc′er, one who bounces: something big: a bully: a liar.—adj. Bounc′ing, large and heavy: lusty: swaggering. [Dut. bonzen, to strike, from bons, a blow.]

Bound, bownd, pa.t. and pa.p. of Bind, confined, bandaged: intimately connected with—'bound up in:' of books, having a cover of, as 'bound in morocco,' &c. (with in): under obligation or necessity to, as 'bound to win.'—n. Bound′-bail′iff, a sheriff's officer, so called from his bond given to the sheriff for the discharge of his duty.

Bound, bownd, n. a limit or boundary: the limit of anything, as patience—'to break bounds,' to go beyond what is reasonable or allowable: (pl.) a border-land, land generally within certain understood limits, the district.—v.t. to set bounds to: to limit, restrain, or surround.—n. Bound′ary, a visible limit: border: termination.—p.adj. Bound′ed, restricted, cramped.—n. Bound′er, a boisterous or overbearing person.—adj. Bound′less, having no limit: vast.—n. Bound′lessness. [O. Fr. bonne—Low L. bodina, of doubtful origin; cf. Bret. bonn, a boundary.]

Bound, bownd, v.i. to spring or leap.—n. a spring or leap.—p.adj. Bound′ing, moving forward with a bound: leaping.—By leaps and bounds, by startlingly rapid stages. [Fr. bondir, to spring, in O. Fr. to resound—L. bombitāre. See Boom, the sound.]

Bound, bownd, adj. ready to go—as in 'outward bound,' &c. [Ice. búinn, pa.p of búa, to prepare.]

Bounden, bownd′n, adj. binding: required: obligatory. [From Bind.]

Bounty, bown′ti, n. liberality in bestowing gifts: the gift bestowed: money offered as an inducement to enter the army, or as a premium to encourage any branch of industry.—adjs. Boun′teous, Boun′tiful, liberal in giving: generous.—advs. Boun′teously, Boun′tifully.—ns. Boun′teousness, Boun′tifulness; Boun′tihood.—Lady Bountiful, a character in Farquhar's Beaux' Stratagem, now used for the great lady of any district. [O. Fr. bontet (bonté), goodness—L. bonitatem—bonus—good.]

Bouquet, bōōk′ā, n. a bunch of flowers: a nosegay: the perfume exhaled by wine. [Fr. bosquet, dim. of bois, a wood—It. bosco. See Boscage, Bush.]

Bourasque, bōō-rask′, n. a tempest. [Fr. bourrasque; It. borasco, a storm.]

Bourbonist, bōōr′bun-ist, n. an adherent of the Bourbons, the old French royal dynasty.

Bourd, bōōrd, n. (Spens.) a jest, sport.—n. Bourd′er (obs.), a jester. [O. Fr. bourde, origin unknown.]

Bourdon, bōōr′dun, n. the refrain of a song: a bass stop in an organ or harmonium. [See Burden.]

Bourdon, bōōr′dun, n. (obs.) a pilgrim's staff: a club. [Fr.—Low L. burdon-em, a mule.]

Bourg, burg, n. Same as Burgh, Borough.

Bourgeois, bur-jois′, n. a kind of printing type, larger than brevier and smaller than longprimer. [Fr.—perh. from the name of the typefounder.]

Bourgeoisie, bōōrzh′waw-zē, n. the middle class of citizens, esp. traders. [From Fr. bourgeois, a citizen, often taken as a typical word for the mercantile middle class—used also adjectively, like such in manners or ways of thinking.]

Bourgeon, bur′jun, v.i. to put forth sprouts or buds: to grow. [Fr. bourgeon, a bud, shoot.]

Bourignian, bōōr-in′yan, adj. of or pertaining to Antoinette Bourignon (1616-80), a religious visionary who made religion consist in inward emotion, not in knowledge or practice.—Bourign′ianism was strong in Scotland about the beginning of the 18th century, and ministers at ordination renounced it down till 1889.

Bourlaw. See Byrlaw.

Bourn, Bourne, bōrn, or bōōrn, n. a boundary, a limit, or goal: (Keats) domain. [Fr. borne, a limit. See Bound (2).]

Bourn, Bourne. See Burn (1).

Bourse, bōōrs, n. an exchange where merchants meet for business. [Fr. bourse. See Purse.]

Bourtree, bōōr′trē, n. the elder-tree—also Boun′tree.—n. Bour′tree-gun, a pop-gun made of a piece of its wood by taking out the pith. [Scot.; ety. unknown.]

Bouse, Booze, Boose, bōōz, v.i. to drink deeply.—n. a drinking bout.—adj. Bous′ing, drinking.—n. Bous′ingken, a low drinking-shop.—adj. Bous′y, inclined to bouse: drunken. [Dut. buysen, to drink deeply—buis, a tube or flask; allied to Box.]

Boustrophedon, bow-strof-ē′don, adj. and adv. written ploughwise, alternately from right to left and from left to right—a form of alphabetic writing intermediate between the oldest Greek inscriptions (from right to left, as in Semitic scripts) and the more convenient method of left to right (from 7th century). [Gr.; bou-strophos, ox-turning.]

Bout, bowt, n. a turn, trial, or round: an attempt: a contest or trial—a fencing bout, or a continued fit of drinking. [Doublet of Bight; from root of Bow, to bend.]

Boutade, bōō-tad′, n. a sudden outburst. [Fr.; bouter, to thrust.]

Bouts-rimés, bōō-rē-mā′, n.pl. rhyming words given out by some one of a party as the endings of a stanza, the others having to fill up the lines as best they may. [Fr.]

Bovine, bō′vīn, adj. pertaining to cattle. [L. bos, bovis, Gr. bous, an ox or cow.]

Bovril, bov′ril, n. a registered trade-mark applied to a special meat extract. [Coined from Gr. bous, bovis, an ox, and vril, the electric fluid represented as the one common origin of the forces in matter, in Lytton's novel The Coming Race, 1871.]

Bow, bow, v.i. to bend the body in saluting a person, acknowledging a compliment, &c.: to submit.—v.t. to bend or incline downwards, to crush down (with down, to, in or out, up or down).—n. a bending of the body in saluting a person.—adj. Bow′-backed, crook-backed.—A bowing acquaintance, a slight acquaintance.—To make one's bow, to retire ceremoniously, to leave the stage. [A.S. búgan, to bend; akin to L. fug-ĕre, to flee, to yield.]

Bow, bō, n. a piece of elastic wood or other material for shooting arrows, bent by means of a string stretched between its two ends: anything of a bent or curved shape, as the rainbow: the instrument by which the strings of a violin are sounded: a ring of metal forming a handle: a knot composed of one or of two loops and two ends (single bow, double bow), a looped knot of ribbons, a necktie or the like, so tied.—adj. Bow′bent (Milton), bent like a bow.—n. Bow′-boy, a boy archer: (Shak.) Cupid.—n.pl. Bow′-com′passes, compasses, one leg of which slides on a bow or curved plate of metal to steady its motion: a small pair of compasses for describing circles with ink or pencil.—adj. Bowed.—ns. Bow′-hand, in archery, the left hand, the one by which the bow is held: (mus.) the right hand, the one that draws the bow; Bow′-leg, a leg crooked like a bow.—adj. Bow′-legged, having crooked legs.—ns. Bow′line, a rope from the weather side of the square sails (to which it is fastened by bridles) to the larboard or starboard bow, to keep the sail close to the wind; Bow′man, an archer; Bow′shot, the distance to which an arrow can be shot from a bow; Bow′string, the string by which a bow is drawn: a string with which the Turks strangled offenders; Bow′-win′dow, a bent or semicircular window.—adj. Bow′-win′dowed (slang), pot-bellied.—n. Bow′yer (obs.), a bowman: a maker of bows.—Bowline knot, a simple but secure knot, used in fastening the bowline bridles to the cringles.—On the bow hand, wide of the mark.—To draw the long bow, to make extravagant statements; To have two (or more) strings to one's bow, to have other alternatives. [A.S. boga; cog. with Ger. bogen.]

Bow, bow, n. the general name for the stem and forepart of a ship, or that which cuts the water—often used in pl., the ship being considered to have starboard and port bows, meeting at the stem.—ns. Bow′er, Bow′er-anch′or, an anchor at the bow or forepart of a ship—usually two, the best-bower and the small-bower; Bow′-oar, the oar nearest the bow.—A bold, or bluff, bow, a broad bow; A lean bow, a narrow one.—On the bow, within 45° of the point right ahead.

Bowdlerise, bowd′lėr-īz, v.t. to expurgate a book or writing, to remove indelicate words or phrases, esp. to do so unnecessarily.—ns. Bowdlerisā′tion; Bowd′leriser; Bowd′lerism. [From Dr T. Bowdler (1754-1825), who published an expurgated Shakespeare in ten volumes in 1818.]

Bowels, bow′elz, n.pl. the interior parts of the body, the entrails, the intestines: the interior part of anything: (fig.) the heart, pity, tenderness (the emotions being supposed to be seated in the bowels—B. and Shak.).—v.t. Bow′el, to take out the bowels. [O. Fr. boel—L. botellus, a sausage, also an intestine.]

Bower, bow′ėr, n. a shady enclosure or recess in a garden, an arbour: an inner apartment, esp. the private room of a lady, a boudoir.—n. Bow′er-bird, an Australian bird of the Starling family, remarkable for its habit of making bower-like erections ornamented with gay feathers, shells, &c.—adj. Bow′ery, containing bowers: shady. [A.S. búr, a chamber; Scot, byre—root A.S. búan, to dwell.]

Bower, bow′ėr, n. the name in euchre for the two highest cards, the knave of trumps, and the other knave of the same colour, the right and left bower respectively. [Ger. bauer, peasant.]

Bowie-knife, bō′i-nīf, n. a dagger-knife with a blade about twelve inches long, carried in the southern states of America—so named from its inventor, Colonel Bowie.

Bowl, bōl, n. a wooden ball used for rolling along the ground.—v.t. and v.i. to play at bowls: to roll along like a bowl: to throw a ball, as in cricket.—ns. Bowl′er, one who plays at bowls: one who bowls the ball in cricket; Bowl′ing, the act of playing at bowls, or of throwing a ball, as in cricket; Bowl′ing-al′ley, a long narrow covered place for bowling; Bowl′ing-green, a green or grassy plat kept smooth for bowling. [Fr. boule—L. bulla.]

Bowl, bōl, n. a basin for domestic use, esp. of earthenware or porcelain, nearly hemispherical in shape: a large punch-bowl, for brewing punch in: a round drinking-cup, rather wide than deep—hence 'the bowl,' 'the flowing bowl,' as synonyms for conviviality; the round hollow part of anything. [A.S. bolla. See Bole.]

Bowlder, bōld′ėr, n. Same as Boulder.

Bowse. Same as Bouse.

Bowsprit, bō′sprit, n. a strong spar projecting over the stem-head or bows of a sailing-ship, and also of a steamship when her stem is of the curved or cutwater description. [Dut. boegspriet.]

Box, boks, n. a tree remarkable for the hardness and smoothness of its wood—also Box-tree (Shak.): a case or receptacle for holding anything: the contents of a box: a small house or lodge, as a shooting-box, &c.: in a theatre, a small enclosure with several seats—the boxes = their occupants, the ladies: an old square pew or similar enclosure, as a sentry-box, signal-box, &c.: the driver's seat on a carriage: the case in which the ship's compass is kept.—v.t. to put into or furnish with boxes: (slang) to overturn a watchman in his box.—ns. Box′-bed, a kind of bed once common in Scotch cottages, having its ends, sides, and roof of wood, and capable of being closed in front by two sliding panels; Box′-day, one of the Court of Session vacation days when papers ordered to be deposited in court must be lodged.—adj. Box′en, made of or like boxwood.—ns. Box′ing-day, in England, the day after Christmas, when boxes or presents are given; Box′-ī′ron, a hollow smoothing-iron which is heated by a heater put into it; Box′-keep′er, an attendant who opens the doors of boxes at theatres or other places of public amusement; Box′-lobb′y, the lobby leading to the boxes in a theatre; Box′wood, wood of the box-tree.—In the wrong box, in a false position, in a scrape.—To be in a box, to be in a fix; To box Harry, to take a beefsteak, mutton-chop, or bacon and eggs with tea or ale, instead of the regulation dinner of the commercial traveller; To box the compass, to name the 32 points in their order and backwards, hence to make a complete roundabout in any opinion. [A.S. box—L. buxus—Gr. pyxos, the tree, pyxis, a box.]

Box, boks, n. a blow on the head or ear with the hand.—v.t. to strike with the hand or fist.—v.i. to fight with the fists.—ns. Box′er; Box′ing, the act of fighting with the fists: a combat with the fists; Box′ing-glove, a padded glove worn in boxing.

Boxhaul, boks′hawl, v.t. to veer a ship sharp round on her heel, by putting the helm a-lee, bracing the head-yards flat aback, and hauling to windward the head-sheets.

Boy, boy, n. a male child: a lad: a young man generally, used for 'man' in Ireland and elsewhere: (Shak.) a camp-follower: (obs.) knave: a native servant in South India, China, a male negro slave or native labourer in the South Seas.—v.t. to play the boy.—n. Boy′hood.—adj. Boy′ish.—adv. Boy′ishly.—n. Boy′ishness.—Boy's love, a popular name for southernwood; Boy's play, trifling. [M. E. boi, boy; Fris. boi; Dut. boef, Ger. bube.]

Boyar, boy′är, n. an order of the old Russian aristocracy, holding the chief military and civil offices prior to the reforms of Peter the Great.

Boycott, boy′kot, v.t. to shut out from all social and commercial intercourse—a kind of secular excommunication. [From Captain Boycott of County Mayo, who was so treated by his neighbours in Dec. 1880.]

Brabble, brab′bl, v.i. to babble or clamour: to brawl or wrangle.—n. (Shak.) a clamorous contest, a brawl: a quibble. [Dut. brabbelen, to stammer, to jabber.]

Braccio, brach′yo, n. an Italian measure of length, varying from half a yard to a yard:—pl. Braccia (brach-ya). [It., an arm.]

Brace, brās, n. anything that draws together and holds tightly: a bandage: a pair or couple: an instrument of wood or iron used by carpenters and metal-workers for turning boring tools: in printing, a mark connecting two or more words or lines (}): (pl.) straps for supporting the trousers: ropes for squaring or traversing horizontally the yards of a ship.—v.t. to tighten or strengthen, to give firmness to.—adj. Brac′ing, giving strength or tone. [O. Fr. brace (Fr. bras), the arm, power—L. brachium, Gr. brachiōn, the arm, as holding together.]

Brace, brās, v.t. (Spens.) to embrace, encompass.

Bracelet, brās′let, n. an ornament for the wrist. [Fr.; dim. of O. Fr. brac. See Brace.]

Brach, brach, n. a dog for the chase, a bitch-hound. [O. Fr. brachet, pl. brachès, dim. of brac—Low L. bracco, of Teut. origin.]

Brachial, brak′i-al, adj. belonging to the arm.—Brachial artery, the great arterial trunk supplying the upper extremity between the armpit and the elbow—the direct continuation of the axillary artery. [See Brace.]

Brachiopoda, brak-i-op′o-da, Brachiopods, brak′i-o-pods, n.pl. a class of shelled animals having certain affinities with worms and with Polyzoa, but less with molluscs, provided with two long arm-like processes arising from the sides of the mouth, probably respiratory, and certainly serving to waft little food particles to the mouth. [Gr. brachiōn, an arm, and pous, pod-os, a foot.]

Brachycephalic, brak-i-sef-al′ik (also sef′-), Brachycephalous, brak-i-sef′al-us, adj. short-headed, applied in ethnology to skulls of which the breadth is at least four-fifths of the length—opp. to Dolichocephalic.

Brachypterous, brak-ip′tėr-us, adj. lit. short-winged: having wings which, when folded, do not reach to the base of the tail. [Gr. brachys, short, pteron, a wing.]

Brack, brak, n. a flaw in cloth. [See Break.]

Bracken, brak′en, n. fern. [See Brake.]

Bracket, brak′et, n. a support for something fastened to a wall, the ornamental metal pipe bearing gas-lamps, &c.: (pl.) in printing, the marks used to enclose one or more words: one of the side pieces of a gun-carriage, supporting the trunnions.—v.t. to support by brackets: to enclose by brackets: to group two names, as in an honour list, implying equality. [Fr. braguette; Sp. bragueta—L. braca, bracæ, breeches.]

Brackish, brak′ish, adj. saltish: applied to water mixed with salt or with sea-water.—n. Brack′ishness. [Dut. brak, brackish; prob. the same as brak, refuse.]

Bract, brakt, n. an irregularly developed leaf at the base of the flower-stalk.—adjs. Brac′teal, Brac′teate, Bract′ed, Brac′teolate.—n. Brac′teole, a little bract at the base of the stalk of a single flower which is itself on a main stalk supporting several flowers.—adj. Bract′less, destitute of bracts. [L. bractea, a thin plate of metal, gold-leaf.]

Brad, brad, n. a small nail having a slight projection at the top on one side instead of a head.—n. Brad′awl, an awl to pierce holes. [Scot. brod, an instrument for pricking with; Ice. broddr, a pointed piece of iron.]

Bradypeptic, brad-i-pep′tik, adj. slow of digestion. [Gr. bradys, slow, and Peptic.]

Brae, brā, n. (Scot.) the slope above a river bank, a hill-slope. [Scand. brá.]

Brag, brag, v.i. to boast or bluster:—pr.p. brag′ging; pa.p. bragged.—n. a boast or boasting: the thing boasted of: a game at cards, very like poker.—adj. Brag′ging.—advs. Brag′gingly, Brag′ly (Spens.). [Most prob. Celt.; cf. W. bragio, to boast; Ir. bragaim. The Fr. braguer, to brag, and bragard, a braggart, are not the parents of the Eng. word.]

Braggadocio, brag-a-dō′shi-o, n. and adj. a braggart or boaster: empty boasting. [From Braggadochio, a boastful character in Spenser's Faerie Queene.]

Braggart, brag′art, adj. boastful.—n. a vain boaster.—n. Bragg′ardism (Shak.), boastfulness. [Fr. bragard, vain, bragging; prob. of Celt. origin; Diez prefers Scand., and quotes Sw. brak, Dan. brag, &c.]

Brahman, brä′man, Brahmin, brä′min, n. a person of the highest or priestly caste among the Hindus.—adjs. Brahman′ic, -al, Brahmin′ic, -al, Brah′minee, appropriated to the Brahmans.—ns. Brah′manism, Brah′minism, one of the religions of India, the worship of Brahma. [From Brahma, the supreme post-Vedic Hindu deity.]

Braid, brād, v.t. to plait or entwine.—n. cord, or other texture made by plaiting.—p.adj. Braid′ed, plaited, embroidered, trimmed with braid.—n. Braid′ing, the act of making braids: embroidery with braid. [A.S. bregdan; Ice. bregða, to weave.]

Braid, brād, adj. (Shak.) dissembling, deceitful. [A.S. brægd, falsehood, from bregdan, brægd, to weave.]

Braid, brād, v.t. (Shak.) to upbraid, to reproach. [Prob. from Abraid, or Braid (1).]

Braidism, brād′ism, n. mesmerism or hypnotism. [From Dr James Braid, who practised it about 1842.]

Brail, brāl, n. a piece of leather to bind up a hawk's wing: (pl.) the feathers about a hawk's rump: (naut.) one of the ropes used to truss up a sail.—v.t. to haul in, as a sail, by pulling upon the brails. [O. Fr. brail—L. bracale, a waist-belt for holding up the breeches—bracæ.]

Braille, brāl, n. and adj. a kind of type for the blind, having arbitrary signs consisting of varying combinations of six points arranged thus , there being sixty-two possible combinations of these six points. [From Louis Braille, the inventor.]

Brain, brān, n. the term applied to that part of the central nervous system which in vertebrated animals is contained within the cranium or skull, and in the invertebrata, to the nervous ganglia near the head end of the body: the seat of the intellect and of sensation: the intellect.—v.t. to dash out the brains of: (Shak.) to conceive of.—n. Brain′-cor′al, the popular name of certain kinds of coral, so called from their general resemblance to a brain.—p.adj. Brained, having brains.—n. Brain′-fe′ver, a loose popular term which includes congestion of the brain and its membranes, delirium tremens, and inflammation of the brain substance itself.—adjs. Brain′ish (Shak.), brain-sick, hot-headed, furious; Brain′less, without brains or understanding: silly.—n. Brain′-pan, the skull.—adj. Brain′-sick, diseased in the understanding, deranged.—adv. Brain′sick′ly (Shak.).—n. Brain′-sick′ness. [A.S. brægn; Dut. brein, prov. Ger. bregen]

Braird, brārd, n. the first shoots of corn or other crop.—v.i. to appear above ground. [Orig. Scot.; A.S. brerd, the edge, and brord, a point.]

Braise, brāz, v.t. to stew meat together with slices of bacon, &c., properly with a charcoal fire above and below the braising-pan.—p.adj. Braised. [Fr. braiser.]

Brake, brāk, obsolete, pa.t. of Break.

Brake, brāk, n. a fern: a place overgrown with ferns or briers; a thicket.—adj. Brak′y. [A doublet of Bracken; ety. dub.]

Brake, brāk, n. an instrument to break flax or hemp: a harrow: a contrivance for retarding by friction the speed of carriages, wagons, trains, or revolving drums.—adj. Brake′less, without a brake.—ns. Brake′man, the man whose business it is to manage the brake of a railway-train; Brake′-van, the carriage wherein the brake is worked; Brake′-wheel, the wheel to which a brake is applied. [From root of Break; cf. Dut. braak, a flax-brake.]

Brake, brāk, n. a handle, as of a pump: a lever for working a machine. [Prob. through O. Fr. brac, from L. brachium, an arm.]

Bramah-press, brä′ma-pres, n. a hydraulic press invented by Joseph Bramah of London (1748-1814), inventor also of the Bramah-lock, &c.

Bramble, bram′bl, n. a wild prickly shrub bearing blackberries, a blackberry bush: any rough prickly shrub.—ns. Bram′ble-berr′y, Bram′ble-bush, a collection of brambles growing together; Bram′ble-finch, Bram′bling, a bird nearly allied to the chaffinch.—adj. Bram′bly. [A.S. brémel; Dut. braam, Ger. brom-beere.]

Brame, brām, n. (Spens.) sharp passion, longing. [It. brama.]

Bran, bran, n. the refuse of grain: the inner husks of corn sifted from the flour: the coarser part of anything.—n. Bran′fulness.—adj. Bran′ny. [O. Fr. bran, bran; prob. Celt.]

Brancard, brank′ard, n. a horse litter. [Fr.]

Branch, bransh, n. a shoot or arm-like limb of a tree: anything like a limb of a tree: any offshoot or subdivision, a section or department of a subject: any subordinate division of a business, &c., as a branch-bank or pawn-shop.—v.t. to divide into branches.—v.i. to spread out as a branch (with out, off, from).—adj. Branched.—ns. Branch′er, a young hawk or other bird when it leaves the nest and begins to take to the branches; Branch′ery, branches collectively.—adjs. Branch′ing, furnished with or shooting out branches; Branch′less.—ns. Branch′let, a little branch; Branch′-pī′lot, one who holds the Trinity House certificate; Branch′-work, ornamental figured patterns.—adj. Branch′y.—Root and branch, thoroughly—used also adjectively, as in a 'root-and-branch' policy. [Fr. branche—Low L. branca, a beast's paw—L. brachium.]

Branchiæ, brangk′i-ē, n.pl. gills.—adjs. Branch′ial; Branch′iate, furnished with branchiæ.—n. Branchiop′oda, a sub-order of Crustaceans in the order with leaf-like feet (Phyllopods), to which the gills are attached. [L.—Gr.]

Brand, brand, n. a piece of wood burning or partly burned: a mark burned into anything with a hot iron: a trade-mark, made by burning or otherwise, as on casks: a particular sort of goods, from the trade-marks by which they are known, as cigars, &c.: a sword, so called from its glitter: a mark of infamy: a general name for the fungoid diseases or blights of grain crops—bunt, mildew, rust, and smut.—v.t. to burn or mark with a hot iron: to fix a mark of infamy upon.—adj. Brand′ed.—n. Brand′er, a gridiron.—v.t. to cook on the gridiron, as beef-steaks.—p.adjs. Brand′ered, Brand′ering.—ns. Brand′ing-ī′ron, Brand′-ī′ron, an iron to brand with: a trivet or tripod to set a pot or kettle upon: (Spens.) a sword—also Brand′ise, a trivet; Brand′ling, a red worm used by anglers, found commonly in tan-pits.—adj. Brand′-new, quite new (as if newly from the fire).—n. Brand′reth, a stand of wood for a cask or hayrick, a rail round a well.—A brand from the burning, one snatched out of a pressing danger—from Amos, iv. 11. [A.S. brand, brond, from root of Burn.]

Brandish, brand′ish, v.t. to wave or flourish as a brand or weapon.—n. a waving or flourish. [Fr. brandissant—brandir, from root of Brand.]

Brandy, brand′i, n. an ardent spirit distilled from wine.—adj. Bran′died, heartened or strengthened with brandy.—n. Brand′y-pawnee′, brandy and water. [Formerly brandwine—Dut. brandewijn—branden, to burn, to distil, and wijn, wine; cf. Ger. branntwein.]

Brangle, brang′l, v.i. (arch.) to wrangle, squabble.—n. (obs.) a brawl.—v.t. and v.i. Brand′le, to shake, cause to waver: to waver.—n. Brang′ling, disputing. [Prob. the two words are the same; Fr. branler.]

Brank, brangk, n. buckwheat. [Prob. Celt.; cf. L. brance, a Gallic name of a white kind of corn.]

Brank, brangk, v.i. to prance, toss the head: to strut or swagger.—adj. Brank′y (Scot.), showy. [Prob. a variant of Prank.]

Branks, brangks, n. (seldom in sing.) a scold's bridle, having a hinged iron framework to enclose the head and a bit or gag to fit into the mouth and compress the tongue. [Scot.; ety. very obscure; cf. M. E. bernak, whence Barnacle and Brake; Ger. pranger, the pillory, Dut. prang, a fetter; the Gael. brangus, brangas, is most prob. borrowed.]

Brankursine, brangk′ur-sin, n. the plant Acanthus, called also Bear's-breech. [Low L. branca, ursina, a bear's paw.]

Bran-new, bran′-nū, adj. corruption of Brand-new.

Bransle, bran′sl, n. (obs.) a dance: a song for dance music. [Fr.]

Brant-goose. See Brent-goose.

Brantle, bran′tl, n. a kind of dance.

Brasero. Same as Brazier (q.v. under Braze).

Brash, brash, n. broken and angular fragments of rock which occasionally form the basement bed of alluvial deposits: fragments of crushed ice: clippings of hedges or trees.—adj. Brash′y. [Prob. Fr. brèche.]

Brash, brash, n. a slight attack of illness: an eructation or belching of acid water from the stomach—water-brash: a sudden burst of rain: (obs.) an attack.—v.t. to disturb. [Scot.; prob. onomatopœic.]

Brass, bräs, n. an alloy of copper and zinc: (fig.) impudence: money in cash: a monumental plate of brass inlaid on slabs of stone in the pavements of ancient churches.—n.pl. Brass′arts, the brass pieces which, in plate armour, protected the upper part of the arms, and united the shoulder and elbow pieces.—ns. Brass′-band, a band or company of musicians who perform on brass instruments; Brass′et, a casque or armour covering for the head: a helmet; Brass′found′er, a maker of articles in brass.—adjs. Brass′-paved (Spens.), durable, as if paved with brass; Brass′-vis′aged, brazen-faced, impudent.—n. Brass′y, a wooden golf-club with a brass sole.—adj. of or like brass: impudent: unfeeling: pitiless: harsh in tone. [A.S. braes; prob. related to Sw. brasa, fire.]

Brasserie, bras′er-ē, n. in France, any beer garden or saloon. [Fr.]

Brassica, bras′i-ka, n. the turnip and cabbage genus of Cruciferæ. [L.]

Brast. Same as Burst.

Brat, brat, n. a contemptuous name for a child, as in 'beggar's brat:' any over-garment of coarse cloth, a child's pinafore, an apron.—n. Brat′chet, a little brat—better Brat′ling. [A.S. bratt; of Celtic origin, Old Ir. brat, a plaid, Gael. brat, an apron.]

Brattice, brat′is, n. a wooden partition, as in the shaft of a coal-pit, &c.—v.t. to line with wood the sides of a shaft, &c.—n. Bratt′ice-cloth, strong tarred cloth used in mines in place of wooden bratticing. [O. Fr. breteske—Low L. bretachia; prob. Teut.]

Brattling, brat′ling, n. a clattering noise: quarrel: tumult—also Brat′tle.—v.i. Brat′tle, to make a clattering noise. [Onomatopœic.]

Bravado, brav-ā′do, or brav-ä′do, n. a display of bravery: a boastful threat: a swaggerer:—pl. Bravā′does.—v.i. to play the bravado. [Sp. bravada. See Brave.]

Brave, brāv, adj. daring, courageous: noble: finely dressed, showy, handsome (Scot. Braw): a general word for excellent, capital.—v.t. to meet boldly: to defy.—n. (obs.) a bully, a hired assassin: a brave soldier, esp. among the North American Indians: (arch.) bravado: (arch.) bravo.—adv. Brave′ly (Scot. Braw′ly), excellently, well.—n. Brav′ery, courage: heroism: finery, showy dress. [Fr. brave; It. and Sp. bravo; prob. from Celt., as in Bret. braga, to strut about, Gael. breagh, fine. See Brag.]

Bravo, bräv′o, n. a daring villain: a hired assassin:—pl. Bravoes (bräv′ōz). [It. and Sp.]

Bravo, bräv′o, interj. well done: excellent. [It.]

Bravura, bräv-ōōr′a, n. (mus.) a term applied to a florid air or song with difficult and rapid passages requiring great spirit and dash in execution. [It.]

Brawl, brawl, n. a noisy quarrel.—v.i. to quarrel noisily: to murmur or gurgle.—n. Brawl′ing, the act of quarrelling noisily.—adj. quarrelsome: noisy. [M. E. brallen, of doubtful origin; prob. cog. with Dut. brallen, Ger. prahlen, to boast.]

Brawl, brawl, n. a kind of French dance. [Fr. braule.]

Brawn, brawn, n. muscle, esp. of the arm or calf of the leg: thick flesh: muscular strength: a boar: a preparation of meat made from pig's head and ox-feet, cut up, boiled, and pickled.—adj. Brawned.—n. Brawn′iness, quality of being brawny: muscularity.—adj. Brawn′y, fleshy: muscular: strong. [O. Fr. braon, from Old Ger. brato, flesh (for roasting), Old Ger. brâto (Ger. braten), to roast.]

Braxy, brak′si, n. and adj. a Scotch name loosely used for several totally different disorders of sheep.—Braxy mutton, the flesh of a braxy sheep; also, generally, of any sheep that has died of disease or accident. [Prob. the original form is bracks, the sing. of which is a variant of Break.]

Bray, brā, v.t. to break, pound, or grind small, as in a mortar.—n. Bray′er, an instrument to grind or spread ink in printing. [O. Fr. breier (Fr. broyer); It. brigare.]

Bray, brā, n. the cry of the ass: any harsh grating sound.—v.i. to cry like an ass: to give forth harsh sounds, esp. of the trumpet.—ns. Bray′er, one who brays like an ass; Bray′ing, the noise of an ass: any harsh noise.—adj. making a harsh noise. [O. Fr. brai, brait; braire—Low L. bragire, prob. of Celt. origin.]

Braze, brāz, v.t. to solder with an alloy of brass and zinc.—adj. Brā′zen, of or belonging to brass: impudent.—v.t. to face or confront with impudence—as in 'to brazen it out.'—n. Brā′zen-face, one having a brazen or impudent face: one remarkable for impudence.—adj. Brā′zen-faced, impudent.—adv. Brā′zenly.—ns. Brā′zenness, Brā′zenry, effrontery; Brā′zier, Brā′sier, a pan for holding burning coals—also Bras′ero; Brāz′ing, soldering. [O. Fr. braser, to burn; most prob. related to Brass.]

Brazier, brā′zi-ėr, n. one who works in Brass (q.v.).

Brazil, bra-zil′, n. usually Brazil′-wood, the hard reddish wood of an East Indian tree, known as sappan, used in dyeing.—n. Brazil′ian, a native of Brazil, in South America.—adj. belonging to Brazil.—n. Brazil′-nut, the edible seed of a large tree, native of Brazil. [O. Fr. bresil (Sp. brasil, It. brasile)—Low L. brasilium, a red dye-wood, brought from the East, itself prob. a corr. of some Oriental word. When a similar wood was discovered in South America the country became known as terra de brasil, land of red dye-wood, whence Brasil, Brazil.]

Breach, brēch, n. a break or opening, as in the walls of a fortress: a breaking of law, &c., violation of contract, covenant, promise, &c.: a quarrel: a broken condition or part of anything, a break: a gap in a fortification—hence 'to stand in the breach,' often used figuratively: a break in a coast-line, bay, harbour, creek (Judges, v. 17).—v.t. to make a breach or opening in a wall, &c.—Breach of promise, often used simply for breach of promise of marriage; Breach of the peace, a violation of the public peace by riot or the like. [A.S. bryce, brice; related to Break.]

Bread, bred, n. food made of flour or meal baked: food: livelihood.—ns. Bread′-bas′ket, a basket for holding bread: (slang) the stomach; Bread′-chip′per (Shak.), one who chips bread, an under-butler; Bread′-corn, corn of which bread is made.—n.pl. Bread′-crumbs, bread crumbled down for dressing dishes of fried fish, &c.—n. Bread′fruit-tree, a tree of the South Sea Islands, producing a fruit which, when roasted, forms a good substitute for bread; Bread′-nut, the fruit of a tree, a native of Jamaica, closely allied to the breadfruit-tree, which is used as bread when boiled or roasted; Bread′-room, an apartment in a ship's hold where the bread is kept; Bread′-root, a herbaceous perennial plant of North America, with a carrot-like root which is used as food; Bread′-stud′y, any branch of study taken up as a means of gaining a living; Bread′-stuff, the various kinds of grain or flour of which bread is made; Bread′-tree, a tree of South Africa which has a great deal of starch in its stem, and is used as bread by the natives; Bread′-win′ner, one who earns a living for a family.—Bread buttered on both sides, very fortunate circumstances.—To take the bread out of one's mouth, to deprive of the means of living. [A.S. bréad, prob. from a Teut. root meaning a fragment, like the Scot. and Norse country use of 'a piece,' for a bit of bread. The usual A.S. word was hláf.]

Breaded, bred′ed, pa.p. (Spens.) = Braided.

Breadth, bredth, n. extent from side to side: width: a style in painting in which details are strictly subordinated to the harmony of the whole composition.—adv. Breadth′ways, broadside on. [A.S. brǽdu; Ger. briete. See Broad.]

Break, brāk, v.t. to part by force: to shatter: to crush: to tame, or wear out: to violate, or outrage, as a law, a bargain, &c.: to check by intercepting, as a fall: to interrupt, as silence, or the monotony of anything, or in 'to break one off a habit:' to make bankrupt: to degrade from rank, as an officer.—v.i. to part in two: to burst forth: to open or appear, as the morning: to become bankrupt: to crack or give way, as the voice: to dissolve, as frost: to collapse in foam, as a wave: to fall out, as with a friend:—pa.t. brōke; pa.p. brōk′en.—n. the state of being broken: an opening: a pause or interruption: (billiards) a consecutive series of successful strokes, also the number of points attained by such: the dawn.—ns. Break′age, the action of breaking, or its consequences: an interruption; Break′-down, a dance, vigorous rather than graceful, in which much noise is made by the feet of the one performer; Break′er, a wave broken on rocks or the shore.—adj. Break′-neck, likely to cause a broken neck.—ns. Break′-prom′ise, Break′-vow, one who makes a practice of breaking his promise or vow; Break′water, a barrier to break the force of the waves.—Break a jest, to utter a jest unexpectedly; Break a lance with, to enter into a contest with a rival; Break away, to go away abruptly, as from prison, &c.: to be scattered, as clouds after a storm; Break bulk, to open the hold and take out a portion of the cargo; Break cover, to burst forth from concealment, as a fox; Break down, to crush down or level: to collapse, to fail completely; Break forth, to burst out, issue; Break ground, to commence digging or excavation: to begin; Break in, to train to labour, as a horse; Break in, in upon, or into, to enter violently or unexpectedly, to interpose abruptly in a conversation, &c.; Break loose, to extricate one's self forcibly: to break through all restraint; Break news, to make anything known, esp. of bad news, with caution and delicacy; Break off, to separate by breaking, put an end to; Break out, to appear suddenly: to break through all restraint; Break sheer (said of a ship riding at anchor), to be forced by wind or tide out of a position clear of the anchor; Break the heart, to destroy with grief; Break the ice (fig.), to get through first difficulties: Break up, to break open; Break upon the wheel, to punish by stretching a criminal on a wheel and breaking his bones; Break wind, to void wind from the stomach; Break with, to fail out, as friends may do. [A.S. brecan; Ger. brechen.]

Break, Brake, brāk, n. a large wagonette: a carriage frame, all wheels and no body, used in breaking in horses. [Break, v.t.]

Breaker, brāk′ėr, n. a small water-cask, used on shipboard. [Prob. a corr. of Sp. bareca, a barrel.]

Breakfast, brek′fast, n. a break or breaking of a fast: the first meal of the day.—v.i. to take breakfast.—v.t. to furnish with breakfast.—ns. Break′fasting, the act of taking breakfast: a party at breakfast; Break′fast-set, the china or other ware used at breakfast.

Bream, brēm, n. a small fresh-water fish nearly allied to the bleak: a family of sea-breams or Sparidæ. [O. Fr. bresme (Fr. brême)—Old Ger. brahsema (mod. Ger. brassen).]

Bream, brēm, v.t. to clean, as a ship's bottom, by burning off seaweed, shells, &c. [Prob. conn. with Broom, Dut. brem.]

Breare, Brere, brēr, n. (Spens.). Same as Brier.

Breast, brest, n. the forepart of the human body between the neck and the belly: one of the two mammary glands in women, forming soft protuberances on the chest: the corresponding part of any animal: (fig.) conscience, disposition, affections.—v.t. to bear the breast against: to oppose manfully: to mount.—n. Breast′-bone, the bone running down the middle of the breast, to which the first seven ribs are attached.—adv. Breast′-deep, deep, as up to the breast.—adj. Breast′ed, having a breast.—adv. Breast′-high, high as the breast—ns. Breast′-knot, a knot of ribbons worn on the breast; Breast′pin, an ornamental pin for the breast; Breast′plate, a plate or piece of armour for the breast: (B.) an embroidered square of linen worn on the breast of the Jewish high-priest, bearing twelve precious stones, each inscribed with the name of one of the tribes of Israel; Breast′-plough, a kind of spade for cutting turf, with a cross-bar against which the breast is pressed; Breast′rail, the upper rail of a breastwork; Breast′summer, Bres′summer, a summer or beam supporting the whole front of a building in the same way as a lintel supports the portion over an opening; Breast′-wall, a retaining wall; Breast′-wheel, a water-wheel which is turned by water delivered upon it at about half its height; Breast′work, a hastily constructed earthwork.—To make a clean breast of, to make a full confession. [A.S. bréost; Ger. brust, Dut. borst.]

Breath, breth, n. the air drawn into and then expelled from the lungs: power of breathing: life: the time occupied by once breathing: a very slight breeze.—adjs. Breath′ful (Spens.), full of breath or air, also full of scent or odour; Breath′less, out of breath: dead: excessively eager, as if holding one's breath from excitement.—n. Breath′lessness.—To catch the breath, to stop breathing for an instant; To spend one's breath, as in profitless talk; To take breath, to recover freedom of breathing; With bated breath, with breath restrained from reverence or fear. [A.S. brǽth; Ger. brodem, steam, breath.]

Breathe, brēth, v.i. to draw in and expel breath or air from the lungs: to take breath, to rest or pause: to live.—v.t. to draw in and expel from the lungs, as air: to infuse: to give out as breath: to utter by the breath or softly, to whisper: to express: to keep in breath, to exercise: to tire by some brisk exercise.—ns. Breath′er, one who breathes or lives: a spell of exercise; Breath′ing, the act of breathing: aspiration, secret prayer: respite.—adj. life-like.—ns. Breath′ing-time, time to breathe or rest; Breath′ing-while, time sufficient for drawing breath: any very short period.—To breathe again, to be relieved from an anxiety; To breathe freely, to be at ease; To breathe upon, to tarnish or soil. [See Breath.]

Breccia, brech′ya, n. a conglomerate rock composed of angular and unworn fragments, cemented together by lime or other mineral substance.—adj. Brecciated (brech′yāt-ed), noting rocks composed of breccia, [It.; cf. Fr. brèche, breach, flint pebble.]

Bred, bred, pa.t. and pa.p. of Breed.

Brede, brēd, n. an obsolete form of Braid.

Bree, brē, n. the eyebrow. [Still in Scot.; A.S. brǽw, bréaw; cf. Ger. (augen)braue.]

Bree, brē, n. the liquor in which anything has been boiled—barley-bree. [A.S. briw; cf. Ger. brei.]

Breech, brēch, n. the lower part of the body behind: the hinder part of anything, esp. of a gun.—v.t. to put into breeches: to flog.—adj. Breeched.—n.pl. Breeches (brich′ez), a garment worn by men on the lower limbs of the body, strictly, as distinguished from trousers, coming just below the knee, but often used generally for trousers—(Knee-breeches, see under Knee).—n. Breech′ing, a part of a horse's harness attached to the saddle, which comes round the breech and is hooked to the shafts: a strong rope attached to the breech of a gun to secure it to a ship's side.—adj. (Shak.) subject to whipping.—n. Breech′-load′er, a firearm loaded by introducing the charge at the breech instead of the muzzle.—Breeches Bible, a name often given to the Geneva Bible produced by the English Protestant exiles in 1560, so named from the rendering 'breeches' in Gen. iii. 7; Breeches part (theat.), a part in which a girl wears men's clothes.—To wear the breeches, (said of a wife), to usurp the authority of the husband: to be master. [A.S. bréc; found in all Teut. languages; cf. Ger. bruch, Dut. brock.]

Breed, brēd, v.t. to generate or bring forth: to train or bring up: to cause or occasion.—v.i. to be with young: to produce offspring: to be produced or brought forth:—pa.t. and pa.p. bred.—n. that which is bred, progeny or offspring: kind or race.—ns. Breed′-bate (Shak.), one who is constantly breeding or producing debate or strife; Breed′er, one who breeds or brings up; Breed′ing, act of producing: education or manners.—Breeding in-and-in, pairing of similar forms: marrying always among near relations. [A.S. brédan, to cherish, keep warm; Ger. brüten, to hatch.]

Breeks, brēks, n.pl. (Scot.) breeches, trousers.

Breer, Brere, brēr, v.i. (Scot.) to sprout.

Breeze, brēz, n. a gentle gale: a wind: a disturbance or quarrel: a whispered rumour.—adjs. Breeze′less, without a breeze: motionless; Breez′y, fanned with or subject to breezes.—To breeze up, to freshen into a breeze. [Old Sp. briza, It. brezza (Fr. brise, a cold wind).]

Breeze, brēz, n. (Shak.) the gadfly.—Also written Breese, Brize. [A.S. briosa.]

Bregma, breg′ma, n. the part of the skull where the frontal and the two parietal bones join—sometimes divided into the right and left bregmata.—adj. Bregmat′ic. [Gr.]

Brehon, brē′hon, n. an ancient Irish judge.—Brehon Laws, the name given by the English to the system of jurisprudence which prevailed among the native Irish from an early period till towards the middle of the 17th century. [Ir. breitheamh, pl. breitheamhuin.]

Breloque, bre-lok′, n. an ornament attached to a watch-chain. [Fr.]

Breme, Breem, brēm, adj. (Spens.) fiery, stern, boisterous, sharp. [Prob. related to A.S. bréman, to rage.]

Bren, bren, v.t. (Spens.) to burn.—pa.p. and adj. Brent. [See Burn.]

Brent, brent, adj. (Scot.) lofty: smooth, unwrinkled. [A.S. brant, steep; cog. with Ice. brattr.]

Brent-goose, brent′-gōōs, n. a small species of wild goose, having the head, neck, long wing feathers, and tail black, the belly white, the rest slaty-gray—it visits the British coasts in winter.—Also Brant′-goose, or Brent barnacle, and often confounded with the barnacle goose. [Prob. branded = brindled.]

Bressummer. Same as Breastsummer (q.v. under Breast).

Brethren, breth′ren, pl. of Brother (q.v.).

Breton, bret′un, adj. belonging to Brittany or Bretagne, in France.

Brettice. Same as Brattice.

Bretwalda, bret-wal′da, n. a title of supremacy applied by the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle to Egbert and seven earlier kings, whose superiority was more or less acknowledged by other kings. [Lit. 'Lord of the Britons,' or 'of Britain.']

Breve, brēv, n. a pope's letter: the longest note now used in music, . [It. breve—L. brevis, short.]

Brevet, brev′et, n. a military commission entitling an officer to take rank above that for which he receives pay.—n. Brevet′cy, the condition of one holding brevet rank. [Fr.—L. brevis, short.]

Breviary, brēv′i-ar-i, n. book containing the daily service of the R.C. Church. [Fr. bréviaire—L. brevis, short.]

Breviate, brē′vi-āt, n. a short compendium: a lawyer's brief. [L. breviātus—breviāre, to shorten—brevis, short.]

Brevier, brev-ēr′, n. a small type between bourgeois and minion, originally used in printing breviaries.

Brevity, brev′it-i, n. shortness: conciseness. [L. brevitas—brevis, short.]

Brew, brōō, v.t. to prepare a liquor, as from malt and other materials: to contrive or plot.—v.i. to perform the operation of brewing ale or beer: to be gathering or forming.—ns. Brew′age, something brewed: mixed liquor; Brew′er, one who brews; Brew′ery, Brew′-house, a place for brewing; Brew′ing, the act of making liquor from malt: the quantity brewed at once; Brew′ster (now only Scot.), a brewer. [A.S. bréowan; cf. Ger. brauen.]

Briar. Same as Brier (1).

Briarean, brī-ā′re-an, adj. relating to Briareus, a hundred-handed giant: hence many-handed. [Gr.—briaros, strong.]

Briar-root. See Brier (2).

Bribe, brīb, n. something given to influence unduly the judgment or corrupt the conduct: allurement.—v.t. to influence by a bribe: to gain over.—v.i. to practise bribery.—ns. Brib′er, one who bribes; Brib′ery, the act of giving or taking bribes; Brib′ery-oath, an oath taken by an elector that he has not been bribed. [O. Fr. bribe, a lump of bread; origin dub.]

Bric-à-brac, brik′a-brak, n. old curiosities, or other articles of value. [Acc. to Littré, formed after the phrase de bric et de broc, 'by hook and by crook.']

Brick, brik, n. an oblong or square piece of burned clay: a loaf of bread in the shape of a brick: (slang) a reliable friend, a good fellow.—v.t. to lay or pave with brick.—ns. Brick′bat, a piece of brick; Brick′clay, a clay used in making bricks; Brick′-dust, dust made by pounding bricks, a colour like that of brick-dust; Brick′-earth, earth used in making bricks; Brick′-field, a place where bricks are made; Brick′-kiln, a kiln in which bricks are burned; Brick′layer, one who lays or builds with bricks; Brick′laying; Brick′maker, one whose trade is to make bricks; Brick′-tea, tea pressed into cakes; Brick′-work, a structure formed of bricks.—Like a brick, with good-will. [Fr. brique, from root of Break.]

Brickle, brik′l, adj. (Spens. and Scot.) apt to break: weak: troublesome. [Older form of Brittle.]

Bricole, brik′el, or brik-ōl′, n. an ancient engine for throwing stones: the rebound of a ball from the wall of a tennis-court, an indirect stroke. [Fr.—Low L. briccola.]

Bridal, brīd′al, n. a marriage feast: a wedding.—adj. belonging to a bride or a wedding: nuptial. [Bride, and Ale, a feast.]

Bride, brīd, n. a woman about to be married: a woman newly married.—v.i. (Shak.) to act the bride.—ns. Bride′-ale (obs.)—Bridal, the ale-drinking at a marriage feast; Bride′-bed, the marriage bed; Bride′cake, the bride's cake, or cake distributed at a wedding; Bride′-cham′ber, a nuptial apartment; Bride′groom, a man about to be married: a man newly married; Bride′maid, Bride's′-maid, Bride′man, Bride's′-man, young unmarried people who attend the bride and bridegroom at a wedding. [A.S. brýd; Ice. brúdr, Ger. braut, a bride.]

Bridewell, brīd′wel, n. a house of correction: a gaol. [From a palace near St Bride's Well in London.]

Bridge, brij, n. a structure raised across a river, &c., or anything like such: the narrow raised platform whence the captain of a steamer gives directions: a thin upright piece of wood supporting the strings in a violin or similar instrument.—v.t. to build a bridge over.—n. Bridge′-head, a fortification covering the end of a bridge nearest to the enemy's position.—adj. Bridge′less, without a bridge.—n. Bridge′-of-boats, a bridge resting on boats moored abreast across a piece of water. [A.S. brycg; Ger. brucke, Ice. bryggja.]

Bridge, brich, n. a modification of whist in which the dealer does not turn up the last card, but has the option (which he may pass to his partner) of declaring which suit shall be trumps.

Bridle, brī′-dl, n. the apparatus on a horse's head, by which it is controlled: any curb or restraint: a gesture expressing pride or vanity.—v.t. to put on or manage by a bridle: to check or restrain.—v.i. to hold up the head proudly or affectedly.—ns. Brī′dle-hand, the hand which holds the bridle in riding—the left hand; Brī′dle-path, a path or way for horsemen; Brī′dler, one who governs or restrains as by a bridle; Bri′dle-rein, the strap of a bridle.—To bridle up (at something), to take something amiss. [A.S. brídel; Old High Ger. brittel.]

Bridoon, brid′ōōn, n. the light snaffle usual in a military bridle, in addition to the ordinary bit, controlled by a separate rein. [Fr. bridon, bride, a bridle.]

Brief, brēf, n. a short account of a client's case for the instruction of counsel: a writ: a short statement of any kind.—adj. short: concise.—adj. Brief′less.—adv. Brief′ly.—n. Brief′ness.—In brief, in few words.—King's briefs, royal mandates ordering collections to be made in chapels for building churches, &c.; Papal brief, such documents as are issued without some of the solemnities proper to bulls.—The brief and the long (Shak.), the short and the long.—To be brief, to speak in a few words; To hold a brief, to be retained as counsel in a case; To take a brief, to undertake a case. [Fr. bref—L. brevis, short.]

Brier, brī′er, n. a prickly shrub: a common name for the wild rose: (Scot.) the thorn of the brier—also Brī′ar.—adjs. Brī′ery, Brī′ered, having briers. [A.S. brér.]

Brier, Briar, brī′ėr, n. the white heath, a shrub grown in France, from the root of which tobacco-pipes are made: a pipe of this wood. [Fr. bruyère, heath.]

Brig, brig, n. a two-masted, square-rigged vessel. [Shortened from Brigantine.]

Brigade, brig-ād′, n. a body of troops consisting of two or more regiments of infantry or cavalry, and commanded by a general officer, two or more of which form a division: a band of people more or less organised.—v.t. to form into brigades.—ns. Brigade′-mā′jor, a staff-officer attached to a brigade; Brigadier′, Brigadier′-gen′eral, a general officer of the lowest grade, who has command of a brigade. [Fr. brigade—It. brigata—Low L. briga, strife.]

Brigand, brig′and, n. a robber or freebooter.—ns. Brig′andage, freebooting: plundering; Brig′andine, Brig′antine, a coat-of-mail, composed of linen or leather, with steel rings or plates sewed upon it. [Fr.—It. brigante—briga, strife.]

Brigantine, brig′an-tīn, n. a two-masted vessel, with the mainmast of a schooner and the foremast of a brig. [Fr. brigantin—It. brigantine, a pirate ship.]

Bright, brīt, adj. shining: full of light: clear: beautiful: cheerful: clever: illustrious.—adv. (Shak.) brightly: clearly.—v.t. Bright′en, to make bright or brighter.—v.i. to grow bright or brighter: to clear up.—adv. Bright′ly.—n. Bright′ness.—adj. Bright′some, bright: brilliant. [A.S. beorht; cog. with Goth. bairhts, clear, L. flagr-āre, to flame.]

Bright's-disease, brīts′-diz-ēz′, n. a generic name for a group of diseases of the kidneys, which may be defined as comprising cases where structural changes in the kidneys, usually inflammatory, but without suppuration, lead to the presence of albumen in the urine. [From Dr Richard Bright (1789-1858).]

Brigue, brig, v.i. to intrigue.—n. strife, intrigue.—n. Brigu′ing, canvassing. [Fr. brigue; derivation uncertain.]

Brill, bril, n. a fish of the same kind as the turbot, spotted with white. [Ety. unknown.]

Brilliant, bril′yant, adj. sparkling: glittering: splendid.—n. a diamond of the finest cut (as opposed to rose-cut or other patterns).—ns. Brill′iancy, Brill′iance.—adv. Brill′iantly.—n. Brill′iantness.[Fr. brillant, pr.p. of briller, to shine, which, like Ger. brille, an eyeglass, is from Low L. beryllus, a beryl.]

Brim, brim, n. the margin or brink of a river or lake: the upper edge of a vessel: the rim of a hat.—v.t. to fill to the brim.—v.i. to be full to the brim:—pr.p. brim′ming; pa.p. brimmed.—adj. Brim′ful, full to the brim.—n. Brim′fulness (Shak.), fullness to the top.—adjs. Brim′less, without a brim; Brimmed, brimful: having a brim—used in composition.—n. Brim′mer, a bowl full to the brim or top.—adj. Brim′ming. [M. E. brymme—bremman, to roar.]

Brimstone, brim′stōn, n. sulphur: (fig.) a virago.—Fire and brimstone! an ejaculation. [Lit. burning stone; from A.S. brýne, a burning—byrnan, to burn, and Stone; cf. Ger. bernstein.]

Brinded, brin′ded, Brindled, brin′dld, adj. marked with spots or streaks.—n. Brin′dle, state of being brindled. [See Brand.]

Brine, brīn, n. salt water: the sea.—ns. Brine′-pit, a pit or pan in which brine is evaporated, so as to form salt: a salt spring; Brine′-shrimp, a small crustacean.—adjs. Brin′ish, like brine: somewhat salt; Brin′y, pertaining to brine or to the sea: salt.—The briny (slang), the sea. [A.S. brýne, a burning; applied to salt liquor, from its burning, biting quality.]

Bring, bring, v.t. to fetch: to carry: to procure: to occasion: to draw or lead:—pa.t. and pa.p. brought (brawt).—Bring about, to bring to pass, effect; Bring down, to humble; Bring forth, to give birth to, produce; Bring home, to prove, to impress; Bring in, to introduce; Bring off, to bring away, as by a boat from a ship, to rescue; Bring on, to cause to advance; Bring out, to express: to produce before the public, as a book, a play, a subscription: to introduce a young woman formally into so-called society; Bring over, to convert; Bring round, to restore from illness; Bring to, to check the course of, as a ship, by trimming the sails so as to counteract each other; Bring under, to subdue; Bring up, to rear or educate. [A.S. bringan, to carry, to bring; allied perh. to Bear.]

Brinjarry, brin-zhar′i, n. a travelling dealer in grain and salt in Southern India. [Hind. bānjāra.]

Brink, bringk, n. the edge or border of a steep place or of a river: (fig.) the very verge of time, at the very point of something—e.g. To be on the brink of death. [Dan. brink, declivity; Ice. bringa, a hillock.]

Brio, brī′o, n. liveliness, vivacity. [It. brio.]

Brioche, bri-osh′, n. a sponge-cake. [Fr.]

Briony. Same as Bryony.

Briquette, bri-ket′, n. a brick-shaped block of coal formed from coal-dust. [Fr. briquette, dim. of brique, a Brick.]

Brisk, brisk, adj. full of life and spirit: active: sharp: effervescing, as liquors.—v.t. to enliven, freshen.—v.i. to cheer up.—adjs. Brisk′ish, Brisk′y, (Shak.).—adv. Brisk′ly.—n. Brisk′ness. [Dr Murray notes that the word is first found in the end of the 16th century; prob. W. brysg, swift of foot; cf. Gael. brisg, Ir. briosg.]

Brisket, brisk′et, n. the breast of an animal: the part of the breast next to the ribs. [Fr. brechet, brichet.]

Bristle, bris′l, n. a short, stiff hair, as of swine.—v.i. to stand erect, as bristles.—v.t. to cover, as with bristles: to make bristly:—pr.p. bris′tling; pa.p. brist′led.—adj. Bristled (bris′ld), furnished with bristles.—n. Brist′liness.—adj. Brist′ly, set with bristles: rough.—To set up one's bristles, to show temper. [A.S. byrst; Scot. birse; cog. with Ger. borste, Ice. burst.]

Bristol-board, bris′tul-bōrd, n. a smooth pasteboard.—ns. Bris′tol-brick, an earthy material for scouring cutlery, like bath-brick; Bris′tol-dī′amond, a kind of crystal found near Bristol. [From the town of Bristol, in England.]

Brisure, bri-zhūr′, n. (fort.) any part of a rampart or parapet which breaks off at an angle from the general direction: (her.) a variation of a coat-of-arms, showing the relation of a younger to the main line. [Fr.—briser, to break.]

Britannia-metal, brit-an′i-a-met′l, n. a metallic alloy largely used in the manufacture of spoons, &c.

Britannic, brit-an′ik, adj. pertaining to Britannia or Great Britain: British.—adj. British, in ethnography, Old Celtic as opposed to Anglo-Saxon: pertaining to Great Britain or its people—ns. Brit′isher, a British subject (Amer.); Brit′on, a native of Britain.

Brittle, brit′l, adj. apt to break: easily broken: frail.—ns. Britt′leness; Britt′le-stars, or Sand-stars, one of the classes of Echinodermata, including forms not far removed from starfishes. [A.S. bréotan, to break.]

Britzka, Britzska, brits′ka, n. an open four-wheeled carriage with shutters to close at pleasure, and only one seat.—Also Britschka, Britska. [Polish bryczka, dim. of bryka, a wagon.]

Broach, brōch, n. a tapering, pointed instrument, used chiefly for boring: a spit: a church spire.—v.t. to pierce as a cask, to tap: to open up or begin: to utter.—n. Broach′er, a broach or spit: one who broaches or utters.—To broach the admiral, to steal some liquor from a cask while being carried by rail or otherwise, or when in store; To broach to, to turn a ship to windward. [Fr. brocher, to pierce, broche, an iron pin—L. brocchus, a projecting tooth.]

Broad, brawd, adj. wide: large, free or open: outspoken: coarse, indelicate: of pronunciation, e.g. a broad accent.—advs. Broad, Broad′ly.—ns. Broad′-ar′row, a mark, thus , stamped on materials belonging to Government; Broad′-brim, a hat with a broad brim, such as those worn by Quakers: (coll.) a Quaker.—adj. Broad′cast, scattered or sown abroad by the hand: dispersed widely.—adv. by throwing at large from the hand, only in phrases, as, 'to scatter broadcast,' &c.—v.t. to scatter freely.—n. Broad′cloth, a fine kind of woollen fulled cloth, used for men's garments.—v.t. Broad′en, to make broad or broader.—v.i. to grow broad or extend in breadth.—adj. Broad′-eyed (Shak.), having a wide or extended survey.—ns. Broad′-gauge (see Gauge); Broad′ness.—n.pl. Broads, lake-like expansions of rivers.—ns. Broad′side, the side of a ship: all the guns on one side of a ship of war, or their simultaneous discharge: a sheet of paper printed on one side, otherwise named Broad′sheet; Broad′sword, a cutting sword with a broad blade: a man armed with such a sword.—Broad Church, a party within the Church of England which advocates a broad and liberal interpretation of dogmatic definitions and creed subscription—the name was first used in 1833 by W. J. Conybeare. [A.S. brád, Goth. braids.]

Brobdingnagian, brob-ding-nā′ji-an, n. an inhabitant of the fabulous region of Brobdingnag in Gulliver's Travels, the people of which were of great stature—hence a gigantic person.—adj. gigantic.—adj. Brobdingnag′, immense.

Brocade, brok-ād′, n. a silk stuff on which figures are wrought.—adj. Brocad′ed, woven or worked in the manner of brocade: dressed in brocade. [It. broccato, Fr. brocart, from It. broccare, Fr. brocher, to prick, stitch; from root of Broach.]

Brocage, brōk′āj, n. Obsolete spelling of Brokage (q.v. under Broker).

Brocard, brok′ärd, n. an elementary law or principle: a canon: (Fr.) a gibe. [Fr. brocard, Low L. brocarda, from Brocard or Burchard, Bishop of Worms, who published a book of ecclesiastical rules.]

Broccoli, brok′o-li, n. a cultivated kind of cabbage resembling cauliflower, of which it is originally a hardy variety. [It.; pl. of broccolo, a sprout, dim. of brocco, a skewer, a shoot.]

Broch, broh, n. the local name applied in the north of Scotland to the ancient dry-built circular castles, known also to the Gaelic-speaking people as duns, and to antiquaries as Pictish towers.—Also Brogh and Brough. [Old Norse borg; A.S. burh.]

Broch, brōch, obsolete spelling of Broach.

Brochure, bro-shōōr′, n. a pamphlet. [Lit. a small book stitched, Fr.—brocher, to stitch—broche, a needle. See Broach.]

Brock, brok, n. a badger—hence, from the smell, a dirty, stinking fellow.—adj. Brocked (Scot.), variegated, having a mixture of black and white. [From the Celt., as in Gael. broc, a badger, which is from Gael. breac, speckled.]

Brode, brōd, adv. (Spens.). Same as Abroad.

Brodekin, Brodkin, brōd′kin, n. a buskin. [Fr. brodequin.]

Brog, brog, n. a pointed steel instrument used for piercing holes: (Scot.) an awl.—v.t. to prick. [Ety. dub.; the Gael. brog; an awl, is prob. borrowed.]

Brogue, brōg, n. a stout coarse shoe: a dialect or manner of pronunciation, esp. the Irish. [Ir. and Gael. brog, a shoe.]

Broider, broid′ėr, Broidery, broid′ėr-i. Same as Embroider, Embroidery.—Broidered (B.) = Embroidered.

Broil, broil, n. a noisy quarrel: a confused disturbance—(Scot.) Brul′yie, Brul′zie.—n. Broil′er, one who stirs up broils. [Fr. brouiller, to trouble.]

Broil, broil, v.t. to cook over hot coals: to grill.—v.i. to be greatly heated. [Ety. dub.]

Broke, brōk, pa.t. and old pa.p. of Break.—p.adj. Brok′en, rent asunder: infirm: humbled or crushed: dispersed, routed: altered in direction: shattered in estate or position: incomplete, fragmentary: uncertain.—adjs. Brok′en-backed, having the back broken, applied to a ship so loosened in her frame as to droop at both ends; Brok′en-down, decayed, ruined in character or strength; Brok′en-heart′ed, crushed with grief: greatly depressed in spirit.—adv. Brok′enly.—ns. Brok′en-man, one under outlawry, esp. in the Highlands and Border country; Brok′en-meat, the leavings of a banquet; Brok′enness.—adj. Brok′en-wind′ed, having short breath or disordered respiration, as a horse.

Broker, brōk′ėr, n. one employed to buy and sell for others: a second-hand dealer: a pander: a commissioner.—v.i. Broke, to bargain, negotiate: (Shak.) to act as a pander or go-between:—pr.p. brōk′ing; pa.p. brōked.—ns. Brok′erage, Brok′age, the business of a broker: the commission charged by a broker: a commission charged for transacting business for others; Brok′ery, the business of a broker.—p.adj. Brok′ing, doing business as a broker: practised by brokers. [M. E. brocour—A.S. brucan; Ger. brauchen, to use, to profit.]

Bromate. See Bromine.

Brome-grass, brōm′-gras, n. a kind of grass bearing a strong resemblance to oats. [Gr. brōmos, and bromos, grass.]

Bromine, brōm′in, n. one of the elements, closely allied to chlorine, so called from its disagreeable smell.—adj. Brom′ic, pertaining to bromine.—ns. Brom′ate, a combination of bromic acid with a salifiable base; Brom′ide, a combination of bromine with a base.—Bromic acid, an acid composed of bromine and oxygen. [Gr. brōmos, a disagreeable odour.]

Bronchiæ, brongk′i-ē, n.pl. a name given to the ramifications of the windpipe which carry air into the lungs.—adjs. Bronch′ic, Bronch′ial.—n. Bronchī′tis, inflammation of the bronchiæ. [L.—Gr. bronchia, the bronchial tubes.]

Broncho, Bronco, brong′ko, n. (U.S.) a half-tamed horse. [Sp. bronco, rough, sturdy.]

Brond. Same as Brand.

Bronze, bronz, n. an alloy of copper and tin used in various ways since the most ancient times: anything cast in bronze: the colour of bronze: (fig.) impudence.—adj. made of bronze: coloured like bronze.—v.t. to give the appearance of bronze to: (fig.) to harden.—adj. Bronzed, coated with bronze: hardened.—ns. Bronze′-steel, or Steel-bronze, a specially hardened bronze; Bronze′-wing, Bronze′-pi′geon, a species of Australian pigeon having wings marked with a lustrous bronze colour.—v.t. Bronz′ify, to make into bronze.—ns. Bronz′ing, the process of giving the appearance of bronze; Bronz′ite, a lustrous kind of diallage.—adj. Bronz′y, having the appearance of bronze.—Bronze age or period, a term in prehistoric archæology denoting the condition or stage of culture of a people using bronze as the material for cutting implements and weapons—as a stage of culture coming between the use of stone and the use of iron for those purposes—not an absolute division of time, but a relative condition of culture. [Fr.—It. bronzo—L. Brundusium, the modern Brindisi.]

Broo, brōō (mod. Scot.—vowel sounded like Ger. ü), n. (Scot.) broth. [Ety. dub.: prob. O. Fr. bro, breu, broth; prob conn. with Bree.]

Brooch, brōch, n. an ornamental pin or instrument for fastening any article of dress, consisting for the most part either of a ring or disc, or of a semicircle, there being a pin in either case passing across it, fastened at one end with a joint or loop, and at the other with a hook.—v.t. (Shak.) to adorn as with a brooch. [Fr. broche, a spit. See Broach.]

Brood, brōōd, v.t. to sit upon or cover in order to breed or hatch: to hatch: to cover, as with wings: to mature or foster with care: to meditate moodily upon.—v.i. to sit as a hen on eggs: to hover over: to think anxiously for some time: to meditate silently (with on, over): to be bred.—n. something bred: offspring, children, or family: a race, kind: parentage: the number hatched at once.—adj. for breeding, as in brood-mare, &c.—adv. Brood′ingly.—adj. Brood′y, inclined to sit or incubate. [A.S. bród; Dut. broed; what is hatched.]

Brook, brōōk, n. a small stream.—ns. Brook′let, a little brook; Brook′lime, a species of speedwell found in ditches. [A.S. bróc, water breaking forth; Dut. broek, Ger. bruch.]

Brook, brōōk, v.t. to enjoy: to bear or endure. [A.S. búrcan, to use, enjoy; Ger. brauchen, L. frui, fructus.]

Brool, brōōl, n. a deep murmur. [Ger. brüll, a roar.]

Broom, brōōm, n. a name given to a number of species of shrubs of the closely allied genera Cytisus, Genista, and Spartium: a besom made of its twigs.—v.t. to sweep with a broom.—ns. Broom′-corn, a species of plant resembling maize, cultivated for its seed and its spikes, of which brooms are made; Broom′-rape, a parasitic plant found adhering to the root of broom, clover, &c.; Broom′staff, Broom′stick, the staff or handle of a broom.—adj. Broom′y, abounding in or consisting of broom.—To marry over the broomstick, or To jump the besom, to go through an irregular form of marriage, in which both jump over a broomstick. [A.S. bróm; Ger. bram.]

Broose, brüz, n. (Scot.) a race at weddings in Scotland. [Derivation unknown.]

Brose, brōz, n. a simple and nutritious food, made by pouring boiling water or milk on oatmeal, seasoned with salt and butter.—Athole brose, a mixture of whisky and honey. [Scot.; O. Fr. broez.]

Broth, broth, n. an infusion or decoction of vegetable and animal substances in water.—A broth of a boy (Irish), a first-rate fellow. [A.S. broth—bréowan, to brew. See Brew.]

Brothel, broth′el, n. a house of ill-fame. [M. E. brothel—A. S. broð-en, ruined, bréðen, to go to ruin.]

Brother, bruth′ėr, n. a male born of the same parents: any one closely united with or resembling another; associated in common interests, occupation, &c.: a fellow-member of a religious order, a fellow-member of a guild, &c.: a fellow-creature, fellow-citizen, a co-religionist: (B.) a kinsman: pl. Broth′ers and Breth′ren, the latter esp. used in the sense of fellow-membership of guilds, religious communities, &c., and is a name given to certain sections of the Church of Christ, as Christian Brethren, Moravian Brethren, Plymouth Brethren, &c.—ns. Broth′er-ger′man, a brother having the same father and mother, in contradistinction to a half-brother, by one parent only; Broth′erhood, the state of being a brother: an association of men for any purpose; Broth′er-in-law, the brother of a husband or wife: a sister's husband.—adjs. Broth′er-like, Broth′erly, like a brother: kind: affectionate.—n. Broth′erliness, state of being brotherly: kindness. [A.S. broðor; cog. with Ger. bruder, Gael. brathair, Fr. frère, L. frater, Sans. bhrátar.]

Brougham, brōō′am, or brōōm, n. a one-horse close carriage, either two or four wheeled, named after Lord Brougham (1778-1868).

Brought, brawt, pa.t. and pa.p. of Bring.

Brow, brow, n. the eyebrow: the ridge over the eyes: the forehead: the edge of a hill: a gallery in a coalmine running across the face of the coal: (fig.) aspect, appearance.—v.t. Brow′beat, to bear down with stern looks or speech: to bully.—adjs. Brow′-bound, having the brow bound as with a crown: crowned; Brow′less, without shame. [A.S. brú; Ice. brün.]