Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (2nd 100 Pages) (part 2)

from alloxantin, also from malonic acid and urea, and regarded as a substituted urea.
Bar¶ble (?), n. See Barbel.
Bar¶boÏtine (?), n. [F.] A paste of clay used in decorating coarse pottery in relief.
Bar¶bre (?), a. Barbarian. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
Bar¶bule (?), n. [L. barbula, fr. barba beard.]
1. A very minute barb or beard.
Booth.
2. (Zo”l.) One of the processes along the edges of the barbs of a feather, by which adjacent barbs interlock. See Feather.
Bar¶caÏrolle (?), n. [F. barcarolle, fr. It. barcaruola, fr. barca bark, barge.] (Mus.) (a) A popular song or melody sung by Venetian gondoliers. (b) A piece of music composed in imitation of such a song.
Bar¶con (?), n. [It. barcone, fr. barca a bark.] A vessel for freight; Ð used in Mediterranean.
Bard (?), n. [Of Celtic origin; cf. W. bardd, Arm. barz, Ir. & Gael. bard, and F. barde.] 1. A professional poet and singer, as among the ancient Celts, whose occupation was to compose and sing verses in honor of the heroic achievements of princes and brave men.
2. Hence: A poet; as, the bard of Avon.
Bard, Barde (?), n. [F. barde, of doubtful origin.]
1. A piece of defensive (or, sometimes, ornamental) armor for a horse's neck, breast, and flanks; a barb. [Often in the pl.]
2. pl. Defensive armor formerly worn by a man at arms.
3. (Cookery) A thin slice of fat bacon used to cover any meat or game.
Bard, v.t. (Cookery) To cover (meat or game) with a thin slice of fat bacon.
Bard¶ed, p.a. [See Bard horse armor.] 1. Accoutered with defensive armor; Ð said of a horse.
2. (Her.) Wearing rich caparisons.
Fifteen hundred men … barded and richly trapped.
Stow.
Bard¶ic, a. Of or pertaining to bards, or their poetry.
½The bardic lays of ancient Greece.¸
G.P. Marsh.
Bard¶ish, a. Pertaining to, or written by, a bard or bards. ½Bardish impostures.¸
Selden.
Bard¶ism (?), n. The system of bards; the learning and maxims of bards.
Bard¶ling (?), n. An inferior bard.
J. Cunningham.
Bard¶ship, n. The state of being a bard.
Bare (?), a. [OE. bar, bare, AS. b‘r; akin to D. & G. baar, OHG. par, Icel. berr, Sw. & Dan. bar, OSlav. bos? barefoot, Lith. basas; cf. Skr. bh¾s to shine ?.]
1. Without clothes or covering; stripped of the usual covering; naked; as, his body is bare; the trees are bare.
2. With head uncovered; bareheaded.
When once thy foot enters the church, be bare.
Herbert.
3. Without anything to cover up or conceal one's thoughts or actions; open to view; exposed.
Bare in thy guilt, how foul must thou appear !
Milton.
4. Plain; simple; unadorned; without polish; bald; meager. ½Uttering bare truth.¸
Shak.
5. Destitute; indigent; empty; unfurnished or scantily furnished; Ð used with of (rarely with in) before the thing wanting or taken away; as, a room bare of furniture. ½A bare treasury.¸
Dryden.
6. Threadbare; much worn.
It appears by their bare liveries that they live by your bare words.
Shak.
7. Mere; alone; unaccompanied by anything else; as, a bare majority. ½The bare necessaries of life.¸
Addison.
Nor are men prevailed upon by bare of naked truth.
South.
Under bare poles (Naut.), having no sail set.
Bare, n. 1. Surface; body; substance. [R.]
You have touched the very bare of naked truth.
Marston.
2. (Arch.) That part of a roofing slate, shingle, tile, or metal plate, which is exposed to the weather.
Bare, v.t. [imp. & p.p. Bared(?); p. pr. & vb. n. Baring.] [AS. barian. See Bare, a.] To strip off the covering of; to make bare; as, to bare the breast.
Bare. Bore; the old preterit of Bear, v.
Bare¶back· (?), adv. On the bare back of a horse, without using a saddle; as, to ride bareback.
Bare¶backed· (?), a. Having the back uncovered; as, a barebacked horse.
Bare¶bone· (?), n. A very lean person; one whose bones show through the skin.
Shak.
Bare¶faced· (?), a. 1. With the face uncovered; not masked. ½You will play barefaced.¸
Shak.
2. Without concealment; undisguised. Hence: Shameless; audacious. ½Barefaced treason.¸
J. Baillie.
Bare¶faced·ly, adv. Openly; shamelessly.
Locke.
Bare¶faced·ness, n. The quality of being barefaced; shamelessness; assurance; audaciousness.
Bare¶foot (?), a. & adv. With the feet bare; without shoes or stockings.
Bare¶foot·ed, a. Having the feet bare.
ØBaÏr‚ge¶ (?), n. [F. bar‚ge, so called from Bar‚ges, a town in the Pyrenees.] A gauzelike fabric for ladies' dresses, veils, etc. of worsted, silk and worsted, or cotton and worsted.
Bare¶hand·ed (?), n. Having bare hands.
Bare¶head·ed (?), Bare¶head, a. & adv. Having the head uncovered; as, a bareheaded girl.
Bare¶legged· (?), a. Having the legs bare.
Bare¶ly, adv. 1. Without covering; nakedly.
2. Without concealment or disguise.
3. Merely; only.
R. For now his son is duke.
W. Barely in title, not in revenue.
Shak.
4. But just; without any excess; with nothing to spare ( of quantity, time, etc.); hence, scarcely; hardly; as, there was barely enough for all; he barely escaped.
Bare¶necked· (?), a. Having the neck bare.
Bare¶ness, n. The state of being bare.
Bare¶sark (?), n. [Literally, bare sark or shirt.] A Berserker, or Norse warrior who fought without armor, or shirt of mail. Hence, adverbially: Without shirt of mail or armor.
Bar¶fish· (?), n. (Zo”l.) Same as Calico bass.
Bar¶ful (?), a. Full of obstructions. [Obs.]
Shak.
Bar¶gain (?), n. [OE. bargayn, bargany, OF. bargaigne, bargagne, prob. from a supposed LL. barcaneum, fr. barca a boat which carries merchandise to the shore; hence, to traffic to and fro, to carry on commerce in general. See Bark a vessel. ] 1. An agreement between parties concerning the sale of property; or a contract by which one party binds himself to transfer the right to some property for a consideration, and the other party binds himself to receive the property and pay the consideration.
A contract is a bargain that is legally binding.
Wharton.
2. An agreement or stipulation; mutual pledge.
And whon your honors mean to solemnize
The bargain of your faith.
Shak.
3. A purchase; also ( when not qualified), a gainful transaction; an advantageous purchase; as, to buy a thing at a bargain.
4. The thing stipulated or purchased; also, anything bought cheap.
She was too fond of her most filthy bargain.
Shak.
Bargain and sale (Law), a species of conveyance, by which the bargainor contracts to convey the lands to the bargainee, and becomes by such contract a trustee for and seized to the use of the bargainee. The statute then completes the purchase; i.e., the bargain vests the use, and the statute vests the possession. Blackstone. Ð Into the bargain, over and above what is stipulated; besides. Ð To sell bargains, to make saucy ( usually indelicate) repartees. [Obs.] Swift. Ð To strike a bargain, to reach or ratify an agreement. ½A bargain was struck.¸ Macaulay.
Syn. Ð Contract; stipulation; purchase; engagement.
Bar¶gain, v.i. [OE. barganien, OF. bargaigner, F. barguigner, to hesitate, fr. LL. barcaniare. See Bargain, n.] To make a bargain; to make a contract for the exchange of property or services; Ð followed by with and for; as, to bargain with a farmer for a cow.
So worthless peasants bargain for their wives.
Shak.
Bar¶gain, v.t. [imp. & p.p. Bargained (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bargaining.] To transfer for a consideration; to barter; to trade; as, to bargain one horse for another.
To bargain away, to dispose of in a bargain; Ð usually with a sense of loss or disadvantage; as, to bargain away one's birthright. ½The heir … had somehow bargained away the estate.¸
G.Eliot.
Bar·fainÏee¶ (?), n. [OF. bargaign‚, p.p. See Bargain, v.i.] (Law) The party to a contract who receives, or agrees to receive, the property sold.
Blackstone.
Bar¶gainÏer (?), n. One who makes a bargain; Ð sometimes in the sense of bargainor.
Bar·gainÏor¶ (?), n. (Law) One who makes a bargain, or contracts with another; esp., one who sells, or contracts to sell, property to another.
Blackstone.
Barge (?), n. [OF. barge, F. berge, fr. LL. barca, for barica (not found), prob. fr. L. baris an Egyptian rowboat, fr. Gr. ?, prob. fr. Egyptian: cf. Coptic bari a boat. Cf. Bark a vessel.] 1. A pleasure boat; a vessel or boat of state, elegantly furnished and decorated.
2. A large, roomy boat for the conveyance of passengers or goods; as, a ship's barge; a charcoal barge.
3. A large boat used by flag officers.
4. A doubleÐdecked passenger or freight vessel, towed by a steamboat. [U.S.]
5. A large omnibus used for excursions. [Local, U.S.]
Barge¶board· (?), n. [Perh. corrup. of vergeboard; or cf. LL. bargus a kind of gallows.] A vergeboard.
Barge¶course· (?), n. [See Bargeboard.] (Arch.) A part of the tiling which projects beyond the principal rafters, in buildings where there is a gable.
Gwilt.
BarÏgee¶ (?), n. A bargeman. [Eng.]
Barge¶man (?), n. The man who manages a barge, or one of the crew of a barge.
Barge¶mast·ter (?), n. The proprietor or manager of a barge, or one of the crew of a barge.
Bar¶ger (?),n. The manager of a barge. [Obs.]
Bar¶ghest· (?), n. [Perh. G. berg mountain + geist demon, or b„r a bear + geist.] A goblin, in the shape of a large dog, portending misfortune. [Also written barguest.]
Ba¶riÏa (?), n. [Cf. Barium.] (Chem.) Baryta.
Bar¶ic (?), a. (Chem.) Of or pertaining to barium; as, baric oxide.
Bar¶ic, a. [Gr. ? weight.] (Physics) Of or pertaining to weight, esp. to the weight or pressure of the atmosphere as measured by the barometer.
BaÏril¶la (?), n. [Sp. barrilla.] 1. (Bot.) A name given to several species of Salsola from which soda is made, by burning the barilla in heaps and lixiviating the ashes.
2. (Com.) (a) The alkali produced from the plant, being an impure carbonate of soda, used for making soap, glass, etc., and for bleaching purposes. (b) Impure soda obtained from the ashes of any seashore plant, or kelp.
Ure.
Copper barilla (Min.), native copper in granular form mixed with sand, an ore brought from Bolivia; Ð called also Barilla de cobre.
ØBar¶ilÏlet (?), n. [F., dim. of baril barrel.] A little cask, or something resembling one.
Smart.
Bar¶ i·ron (?). See under Iron.
Ba¶rite (?), n. (Min.) Native sulphate of barium, a mineral occurring in transparent, colorless, white to yellow crystals (generally tabular), also in granular form, and in compact massive forms resembling marble. It has a high specific gravity, and hence is often called heavy spar. It is a common mineral in metallic veins.
Bar¶iÏtone (?), a. & n. See Barytone.
Ba¶riÏum (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. ? heavy.] (Chem.) One of the elements, belonging to the alkaline earth group; a metal having a silverÐwhite color, and melting at a very high temperature. It is difficult to obtain the pure metal, from the facility with which it becomes oxidized in the air. Atomic weight, ?137. Symbol, Ba. Its oxide called baryta. [Rarely written barytum.]
µ Some of the compounds of this element are remarkable for their high specific gravity, as the sulphate, called heavy spar, and the like. The oxide was called barote, by Guyton de Morveau, which name was changed by Lavoisier to baryta, whence the name of the metal.
Bard (?), n. [Akin to Dan. & Sw. bark, Icel. b”rkr, LG. & HG. borke.] 1. The exterior covering of the trunk and branches of a tree; the rind.
2. Specifically, Peruvian bark.
Bark bed. See Bark stove (below). Ð Bark pit, a pit filled with bark and water, in which hides are steeped in tanning. Ð Bark stove (Hort.), a glazed structure for keeping tropical plants, having a bed of tanner's bark ( called a bark bed) or other fermentable matter which produces a moist heat.
Bark, v.t. [imp. & p.p. Barked (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Barking.] 1. To strip the bark from; to peel.
2. To abrade or rub off any outer covering from; as to bark one's heel.
3. To girdle. See Girdle, v.t., 3.
4. To cover or inclose with bark, or as with bark; as, to bark the roof of a hut.
Bark, v.i. [OE. berken, AS. beorcan; akin to Icel. berkja, and prob. to E. break.] 1. To make a short, loud, explosive noise with the vocal organs; Ð said of some animals, but especially of dogs.
2. To make a clamor; to make importunate outcries.
They bark, and say the Scripture maketh heretics.
Tyndale.
Where there is the barking of the belly, there no other commands will be heard, much less obeyed.
Fuller.
Bark, n. The short, loud, explosive sound uttered by a dog; a similar sound made by some other animals.
Bark, Barque (?), n. [F. barque, fr. Sp. or It. barca, fr. LL. barca for barica. See Barge.]
1. Formerly, any small sailing vessel, as a pinnace, fishing smack, etc.; also, a rowing boat; a barge. Now applied poetically to a sailing vessel or boat of any kind.
Byron.
2. (Naut.) A threeÐmasted vessel, having her foremast and mainmast squarerigged, and her mizzenmast schoonerÐrigged.
Bark¶anÏtine (?), n. Same as Barkentine.
Bark¶ bee·tle (?). (Zo”l.) A small beetle of many species (family Scolytid‘), which in the larval state bores under or in the bark of trees, often doing great damage.
Bark¶bound· (?), a. Prevented from growing, by having the bark too firm or close.
Bar¶keep·er (?), n. One who keeps or tends a bar for the sale of liquors.
Bark¶en (?), a. Made of bark. [Poetic]
Whittier.
Bark¶enÏtine (?), n. [See Bark, n., a vessel.] (Naut.) A threemasted vessel, having the foremast squareÐrigged, and the others schoonerÐrigged. [Spel? also barquentine, barkantine, etc.] See Illust. in Append.
Bark¶er (?), n. 1. An animal that barks; hence, any one who clamors unreasonably.
2. One who stands at the doors of shops to urg? passers by to make purchases. [Cant, Eng.]
3. A pistol. [Slang]
Dickens.
4. (Zo”l.) The spotted redshank.
Bark¶er, n. One who strips trees of their bark.
Bark¶er's mill· (?). [From Dr. Barker, the inventor.] A machine, invented in the 17th century, worked by a form of reaction wheel. The water flows into a vertical tube and gushes from apertures in hollow horizontal arms, causing the machine to revolve on its axis.
Bark¶erÏy (?), n. A tanhouse.
Bark¶ing i·rons (?). 1. Instruments used in taking off the bark of trees.
Gardner.
2. A pair of pistols. [Slang]
Bark¶less, a. Destitute of bark.
Bark¶ louse· (?). (Zo”l.) An insect of the family Coccid‘, which infests the bark of trees and vines.
µ The wingless females assume the shape of scales. The bark louse of vine is Pulvinaria innumerabilis; that of the pear is Lecanium pyri. See Orange scale.
Bark¶y (?), a. Covered with, or containing, bark. ½The barky fingers of the elm.¸
Shak.
Bar¶ley (?), n. [OE. barli, barlich, AS. b‘rlic; bere barley + lÆc (which is prob. the same as E. like, adj., or perh. a form of AS. le¾c leek). AS. bere is akin to Icel, barr barley, Goth. barizeins made of barley, L. far spelt; cf. W. barlys barley, bara bread. ?92. Cf. Farina, 6th Bear.] (Bot.) A valuable grain, of the family of grasses, genus Hordeum, used for food, and for making malt, from which are prepared beer, ale, and whisky.

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Barley bird (Zo”l.), the siskin. Ð Barley sugar, sugar boiled till it is brittle (formerly with a decoction of barley) and candied. Ð Barley water, a decoction of barley, used in medicine, as a nutritive and demulcent.
Bar¶leyÏbrake· Bar¶leyÏbreak· } (?), n. An ancient rural game, commonly played round stacks of barley, or other grain, in which some of the party attempt to catch others who run from a goal.
Bar¶leyÐbree· (?), n. [Lit. barley broth. See Brew.] Liquor made from barley; strong ale. [Humorous] [Scot.]
Burns.
Bar¶leyÏcorn· (?), n. [See Corn.] 1. A grain or ½corn¸ of barley.
2. Formerly , a measure of length, equal to the average length of a grain of barley; the third part of an inch.
John Barleycorn, a humorous personification of barley as the source of malt liquor or whisky.
Barm (?), n. [OE. berme, AS. beorma; akin to Sw. b„rma, G. b„rme, and prob. L. fermenium. û93. Foam rising upon beer, or other malt liquors, when fermenting, and used as leaven in making bread and in brewing; yeast.
Shak.
Barm , n. [OE. bearm, berm, barm, AS. beorma; akin to E. bear to support.] The lap or bosom. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
Bar¶maid· (?), n. A girl or woman who attends the customers of a bar, as in a tavern or beershop.
A bouncing barmaid.
W. Irving.
Bar¶mas·ter (?), n. [Berg + master: cf. G. Bergmeister.] Formerly, a local judge among miners; now, an officer of the barmote. [Eng.]
Barm¶cloth· (?), n. Apron. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
Bar¶meÏci·dal (?), a. [See Barmecide.] Unreal; illusory. ½A sort of Barmecidal feast.¸
Hood.
Bar¶meÏcide (?), n. [A prince of the Barmecide family, who, as related in the ½Arabian Nights' Tales¸, pretended to set before the hungry Shacabac food, on which the latter pretended to feast.] One who proffers some illusory advantage or benefit. Also used as an adj.: Barmecidal. ½A Barmecide feast.¸
Dickens.
Bar¶mote· (?), n. [Barg + mote meeting.] A court held in Derbyshire, in England, for deciding controversies between miners.
Blount.
Balm¶y (?), a. Full of barm or froth; in a ferment. ½Barmy beer.¸
Dryden.
Barn (?), n. [OE. bern, AS. berern, bern; bere barley + ern, ‘rn, a close place. ?92. See Barley.] A covered building used chiefly for storing grain, hay, and other productions of a farm. In the United States a part of the barn is often used for stables.
Barn owl (Zo”l.), an owl of Europe and America (Aluco flammeus, or Strix flammea), which frequents barns and other buildings. Ð Barn swallow (Zo”l.), the common American swallow (Hirundo horreorum), which attaches its nest of mud to the beams and rafters of barns.
Barn, v.t. To lay up in a barn. [Obs.]
Shak.
Men … often barn up the chaff, and burn up the grain.
Fuller.
Barn, n. A child. [Obs.] See Bairn.
Bar¶naÏbite (?), n. (Eccl. Hist.) A member of a religious order, named from St. Barnabas.
Bar¶naÏcle (?), n. [Prob. from E. barnacle a kind of goose, which was popularly supposed to grow from this shellfish; but perh. from LL. bernacula for pernacula, dim. of perna ham, sea mussel; cf. Gr. ? ham Cf. F. bernacle, barnacle, E. barnacle a goose; and Ir. bairneach, barneach, limpet.] (Zo”l.) Any cirriped crustacean adhering to rocks, floating timber, ships, etc., esp. (a) the sessile species (genus Balanus and allies), and (b) the stalked or goose barnacles (genus Lepas and allies). See Cirripedia, and Goose barnacle.
Barnacle eater (Zo”l.), the orange filefish. Ð Barnacle scale (Zo”l.), a bark louse (Ceroplastes cirripediformis) of the orange and quince trees in Florida. The female scale curiously resembles a sessile barnacle in form.
Bar¶naÏcle, n. [See Bernicle.] A bernicle goose.
Bar¶naÏcle, n. [OE. bernak, bernacle; cf. OF. bernac, and Prov. F. (Berri) berniques, spectacles.] 1. pl. (Far.) An instrument for pinching a horse's nose, and thus restraining him. [Formerly used in the sing.]
The barnacles … give pain almost equal to that of the
switch.
Youatt.
2. pl. Spectacles; Ð so called from their resemblance to the barnacles used by farriers. [Cant, Eng.]
Dickens.
Barn¶yard· (?), n. A yard belonging to a barn.
ØBaÏroc¶co (?), a. [It.] (Arch.) See Baroque.
Bar¶oÏgraph (?), n. [Gr.? weight + Ðgraph.] (Meteor.) An instrument for recording automatically the variations of atmospheric pressure.
BaÏro¶ko (?), n. [A mnemonic word.] (Logic) A form or mode of syllogism of which the first proposition is a universal affirmative, and the other two are particular negative.
BaÏrol¶oÏgy (?), n. [Gr. ? weight + Ðlogy.] The science of weight or gravity.
Bar·oÏmaÏcrom¶eÏter (?), n. [Gr. ? weight + ? long + Ðmeter.] (Med.) An instrument for ascertaining the weight and length of a newborn infant.
BaÏrom¶eÏter (?), n. [Gr. ? weight + Ðmeter: cf. F. baromŠtre.] An instrument for determining the weight or pressure of the atmosphere, and hence for judging of the probable changes of weather, or for ascertaining the height of any ascent.
µ The barometer was invented by Torricelli at Florence about 1643. It is made in its simplest form by filling a graduated glass tube about 34 inches long with mercury and inverting it in a cup containing mercury. The column of mercury in the tube descends until balanced by the weight of the atmosphere, and its rise or fall under varying conditions is a measure of the change in the atmospheric pressure. At the sea level its ordinary height is about 30 inches (760 millimeters). See Sympiesometer.
Nichol.
Aneroid barometer. See Aneroid barometer, under Aneroid. Ð Marine barometer, a barometer with tube contracted at bottom to prevent rapid oscillations of the mercury, and suspended in gimbals from an arm or support on shipboard. Ð Mountain barometer, a portable mercurial barometer with tripod support, and long scale, for measuring heights. Ð Siphon barometer, a barometer having a tube bent like a hook with the longer leg closed at the top. The height of the mercury in the longer leg shows the pressure of the atmosphere. Ð Wheel barometer, a barometer with recurved tube, and a float, from which a cord passes over a pulley and moves an index.
Bar·oÏmet¶ric (?), Bar·oÏmet¶ricÏal (?), } a. Pertaining to the barometer; made or indicated by a barometer; as, barometric changes; barometrical observations.
Bar·oÏmet¶ricÏalÏly, adv. By means of a barometer, or according to barometric observations.
Bar·oÏmet¶roÏgraph (?), n. [Gr. ? weight + ? measure + Ðgraph.] A form of barometer so constructed as to inscribe of itself upon paper a record of the variations of atmospheric pressure.
BaÏrom¶eÏtry (?), n. The art or process of making barometrical measurements.
Bar¶oÏmetz (?), n. [ Cf. Russ. baranets' clubmoss.] (Bot.) The woollyÐskinned rhizoma or rootstock of a fern (Dicksonia barometz), which, when specially prepared and inverted, somewhat resembles a lamb; Ð called also Scythian lamb.
Bar¶on (?), n. [OE. baron, barun, OF. baron, accus. of ber, F. baron, prob. fr. OHG. baro (not found) bearer, akin to E. bear to support; cf. O. Frisian bere, LL. baro, It. barone, Sp. varon. From the meaning bearer (of burdens) seem to have come the senses strong man, man (in distinction from woman), which is the oldest meaning in French, and lastly, nobleman. Cf. L. baro, simpleton. See Bear to support.]
1. A title or degree of nobility; originally, the possessor of a fief, who had feudal tenants under him; in modern times, in France and Germany, a nobleman next in rank below a count; in England, a nobleman of the lowest grade in the House of Lords, being next below a viscount.
µ ½The tenants in chief from the Crown, who held lands of the annual value of four hundred pounds, were styled Barons; and it is to them, and not to the members of the lowest grade of the nobility (to whom the title at the present time belongs), that reference is made when we read of the Barons of the early days of England's history…. Barons are addressed as 'My Lord,' and are styled 'Right Honorable.' All their sons and daughters 'Honorable.'¸
Cussans.
2. (Old Law) A husband; as, baron and feme, husband and wife. [R.]
Cowell.
Baron of beef, two sirloins not cut asunder at the backbone. Ð Barons of the Cinque Ports, formerly members of the House of Commons, elected by the seven Cinque Ports, two for each port. Ð Baron of the exchequer, the judges of the Court of Exchequer, one of the three ancient courts of England, now abolished.
Bar¶onÏage (?), n. [OE. barnage, baronage, OF.barnage, F. baronnage; cf. LL. baronagium.]
1. The whole body of barons or peers.
The baronage of the kingdom.
Bp. Burnet.
2. The dignity or rank of a baron.
3. The land which gives title to a baron. [Obs.]
Bar¶onÏess (?), n. A baron's wife; also, a lady who holds the baronial title in her own right; as, the Baroness BurdettÐCoutts.
Bar¶onÏet (?), n. [Baron + Ðet.] A dignity or degree of honor next below a baron and above a knight, having precedency of all orders of knights except those of the Garter. It is the lowest degree of honor that is hereditary. The baronets are commoners.
µ The order was founded by James I. in 1611, and is given by patent. The word, however, in the sense of a lesser baron, was in use long before. ½Baronets have the title of 'Sir' prefixed to their Christian names; their surnames being followed by their dignity, usually abbreviated Bart. Their wives are addressed as 'Lady' or 'Madam'. Their sons are possessed of no title beyond 'Esquire.'¸
Cussans.
Bar¶onÏetÏage (?), n. 1. State or rank of a baronet.
2. The collective body of baronets.
Bar¶onÏetÏcy (?), n. The rank or patent of a baronet.
BaÏro¶niÏal (?), a. Pertaining to a baron or a barony. ½Baronial tenure.¸
Hallam.
Bar¶oÏny (?), n.; pl. Baronies (?). [OF. baronie, F. baronnie, LL. baronia. See Baron.] 1. The fee or domain of a baron; the lordship, dignity, or rank of a baron.
2. In Ireland, a territorial division, corresponding nearly to the English hundred, and supposed to have been originally the district of a native chief. There are 252 of these baronies. In Scotland, an extensive freehold. It may be held by a commoner.
Brande & C.
BaÏroque¶ (?), a. [F.; cf. It. barocco.] (Arch.) In bad taste; grotesque; odd.
Bar¶oÏscope (?), n. [Gr. ? weight + Ðscope: cf. F. baroscope.] Any instrument showing the changes in the weight of the atmosphere; also, less appropriately, any instrument that indicates Ðor foreshadows changes of the weather, as a deep vial of liquid holding in suspension some substance which rises and falls with atmospheric changes.
Bar·oÏscop¶ic (?), Bar·oÏscop¶icÏal (?), } a. Pertaining to, or determined by, the baroscope.
BaÏrouche¶ (?), n. [G. barutsche, It. baroccio, biroccio, LL. barrotium, fr. L. birotus twoÐwheeled; bi=bis twice + rota wheel.] A fourÐwheeled carriage, with a falling top, a seat on the outside for the driver, and two double seats on the inside arranged so that the sitters on the front seat face those on the back seat.
Ba·rouÏchet¶(?), n. A kind of light barouche.
Bar¶post· (?), n. A post sunk in the ground to receive the bars closing a passage into a field.
Barque (?), n. Same as 3d Bark, n.
Bar¶raÏcan (?), n. [F. baracan, bouracan (cf. Pr. barracan, It. baracane, Sp. barragan, Pg. barregana, LL. barracanus), fr. Ar. barrak¾n a kind of black gown, perh. fr. Per. barak a garment made of camel's hair.] A thick, strong stuff, somewhat like camlet; Ð still used for outer garments in the Levant.
Bar¶rack (?), n. [F. baraque, fr. It. baracca (cf. Sp. barraca), from LL. barra bar. See Bar, n.]
1. (Mil.) A building for soldiers, especially when in garrison. Commonly in the pl., originally meaning temporary huts, but now usually applied to a permanent structure or set of buildings.
He lodged in a miserable hut or barrack, composed of dry branches and thatched with straw.
Gibbon.
2. A movable roof sliding on four posts, to cover hay, straw, etc. [Local, U.S.]
Bar¶rack, v.t. To supply with barracks; to establish in barracks; as, to barrack troops.
Bar¶rack, v.i. To live or lodge in barracks.
Bar¶raÏclade (?), n. [D. baar, OD. baer, naked, bare + kleed garment, i.e., cloth undressed or without nap.] A homeÐmade woolen blanket without nap. [Local, New York]
Bartlett.
Bar¶raÏcoon· (?), n. [Sp. or Pg. barraca. See Barrack.] A slave warehouse, or an inclosure where slaves are quartered temporarily.
Du Chaillu.
Bar·raÏcu¶da (?), Bar·raÏcou¶ata (?), } n. 1. (Zo”l.) A voracious pikelike, marine fish, o? the genus Sphyr‘na, sometimes used as food.
µ That of Europe and our Atlantic coast is Sphyr‘na spet (or S. vulgaris); a southern species is S. picuda; the Californian is S. argentea.
2. (Zo”l.) A large edible freshÐwater fish of Australia and New Zealand (Thyrsites atun).
Bar¶rage (?), n. [F., fr. barrer to bar, from barre bar.] (Engin.) An artificial bar or obstruction placed in a river or water course to increase the depth of water; as, the barrages of the Nile.
ØBarÏran¶ca (?), n. [Sp.] A ravine caused by heavy rains or a watercourse. [Texas & N. Mex.]
ØBar¶ras (?), n. [F.] A resin, called also galipot.
Bar¶raÏtor (?), n. [OE. baratour, OF. barateor deceiver, fr. OF. barater, bareter, to deceive, cheat, barter. See Barter, v.i.] One guilty of barratry.
Bar¶raÏtrous (?), ? (Law) Tainter with, or constituting, barratry. Ð Bar¶raÏtrousÏly, adv.
Kent.
Bar¶raÏtry (?), n. [Cf. F. baraterie, LL. barataria. See Barrator, and cf. Bartery.] 1. (Law) The practice of exciting and encouraging lawsuits and quarrels. [Also spelt barretry.]
Coke. Blackstone.
2. (Mar. Law) A fraudulent breach of duty or willful act of known illegality on the part of a master of a ship, in his character of master, or of the mariners, to the injury of the owner of the ship or cargo, and without his consent. It includes every breach of trust committed with dishonest purpose, as by running away with the ship, sinking or deserting her, etc., or by embezzling the cargo.
Kent. Part.
3. (Scots Law) The crime of a judge who is influenced by bribery in pronouncing judgment.
Wharton.
Barred¶ owl¶ (?). (Zo”l.) A large American owl (Syrnium nebulosum); Ð so called from the transverse bars of a dark brown color on the breast.
Bar¶rel (?), n.[OE. barel, F. baril, prob. fr. barre bar. Cf. Barricade.] 1.A round vessel or cask, of greater length than breadth, and bulging in the middle, made of staves bound with hoops, and having flat ends or heads.
2. The quantity which constitutes a full barrel. This varies for different articles and also in different places for the same article, being regulated by custom or by law. A barrel of wine is 31 1/2 gallons; a barrel of flour is 196 pounds.
3. A solid drum, or a hollow cylinder or case; as, the barrel of a windlass; the barrel of a watch, within which the spring is coiled.

<— p. 121 —>

4. A metallic tube, as of a gun, from which a projectile is discharged.
Knight.
5. A jar. [Obs.]
1 Kings xvii. 12.
6. (Zo”l.) The hollow basal part of a feather.
Barrel bulk (Com.), a measure equal to five cubic feet, used in estimating capacity, as of a vessel for freight. Ð Barrel drain (Arch.), a drain in the form of a cylindrical tube. Ð Barrel of a boiler, the cylindrical part of a boiler, containing the flues. Ð Barrel of the ear ( ? ), the tympanum, or tympanic cavity. Ð Barrel organ, an instrument for producing music by the action of a revolving cylinder. Ð Barrel vault. See under Vault.
Bar¶rel (?), v.t. [imp. & p.p. Barreled (?), or Barrelled; p. pr. & vb. n. Barreling, or Barrelling.] To put or to pack in a barrel or barrels.
Bar¶reled, Bar¶relled (?), a. Having a barrel; Ð used in composition; as, a doubleÐbarreled gun.
Bar¶ren (?), a. [OE. barein, OF. brehaing, ?em. brehaigne, baraigne, F. br‚haigne; of uncertain origin; cf. Arm. br‚kha?, markha?, sterile; LL. brana a sterile mare, principally in Aquitanian and Spanish documents; Bisc. barau, baru, fasting.] 1. Incapable of producing offspring; producing no young; sterile; Ð ?aid of women and female animals.
She was barren of children.
Bp. Hall.
2. Not producing vegetation, or useful vegetation; ?rile. ½Barren mountain tracts.¸
Macaulay.
3. Unproductive; fruitless; unprofitable; empty.
Brilliant but barren reveries.
Prescott.
Some schemes will appear barren of hints and matter.
Swift.
4. Mentally dull; stupid.
Shak.
Barren flower, a flower which has only stamens without a pistil, or which as neither stamens nor pistils. Ð Barren Grounds (Geog.), a vast tract in British America northward of the forest regions. Ð Barren Ground bear (Zo”l.), a peculiar bear, inhabiting the Barren Grounds, now believed to be a variety of the brown bear of Europe. Ð Barren Ground caribou (Zo”l.), a small reindeer (Rangifer Gr?nlandicus) peculiar to the Barren Grounds and Greenland.
Bar¶ren, n. 1. A tract of barren land.
2. pl. Elevated lands or plains on which grow small trees, but not timber; as, pine barrens; oak barrens. They are not necessarily sterile, and are often fertile. [Amer.]
J. Pickering.
Bar¶renÏly, adv. Unfruitfully; unproductively.
Bar¶renÏness, n. The condition of being barren; sterility; unproductiveness.
A total barrenness of invention.
Dryden.
Bar¶renÏwort· (?), n. (Bot.) An herbaceous plant of the Barberry family (Epimedium alpinum), having leaves that are bitter and said to be sudorific.
Bar¶ret (?), n. [F. barrette, LL. barretum a cap. See Berretta, and cf. Biretta.] A kind of cap formerly worn by soldiers; Ð called also barret cap. Also, the flat cap worn by Roman Catholic ecclesiastics.
Bar·riÏcade¶ (?), n. [F. barricade, fr. Sp. barricada, orig. a barring up with casks; fr. barrica cask, perh. fr. LL. barra bar. See Bar, n., and cf. Barrel, n.]
1. (Mil.) A fortification, made in haste, of trees, earth, palisades, wagons, or anything that will obstruct the progress or attack of an enemy. It is usually an obstruction formed in streets to block an enemy's access.
2. Any bar, obstruction, or means of defense.
Such a barricade as would greatly annoy, or absolutely stop,
the currents of the atmosphere.
Derham.
Bar·riÏcade¶, v. t. [imp. & p.p. Barricaded; p. pr. & vb. n. Barricading.] [Cf. F. barricader. See Barricade, n.] To fortify or close with a barricade or with barricades; to stop up, as a passage; to obstruct; as, the workmen barricaded the streets of Paris.
The further end whereof [a bridge] was barricaded with barrels.
Hakluyt.
Bar·riÏcad¶er (?), n. One who constructs barricades.
Bar·riÏca¶do (?), n. & v.t. See Barricade.
Shak.
Bar¶riÏer (?), n. [OE. barrere, barere, F. barriŠre, fr. barre bar. See Bar, n.] 1. (Fort.) A carpentry obstruction, stockade, or other obstacle made in a passage in order to stop an enemy.
2. A fortress or fortified town, on the frontier of a country, commanding an avenue of approach.
3. pl. A fence or railing to mark the limits of a place, or to keep back a crowd.
No sooner were the barriers opened, than he paced into the lists.
Sir W. Scott.
4. An any obstruction; anything which hinders approach or attack. ½Constitutional barriers.¸
Hopkinson.
5. Any limit or boundary; a line of separation.
'Twixt that [instinct] and reason, what a nice barrier !
Pope.
Barrier gate, a heavy gate to close the opening through a barrier. Ð Barrier reef, a form of coral reef which runs in the general direction of the shore, and incloses a lagoon channel more or less extensive. Ð To fight at barriers, to fight with a barrier between, as a martial exercise. [Obs.]
ØBar·riÏgu¶do (?),n. [Native name, fr. Sp. barrigudo bigÐbellied.] (Zo”l.) A large, darkÐcolored, South American monkey, of the genus Lagothrix, having a long prehensile tail.
Bar·ringÏout¶ (?), n. The act of closing the doors of a schoolroom against a schoolmaster; Ð a boyish mode of rebellion in schools.
Swift.
Bar¶risÏter (?), n. [From Bar, n.] Counselor at law; a counsel admitted to plead at the bar, and undertake the public trial of causes, as distinguished from an attorney or solicitor. See Attorney. [Eng.]
Bar¶room· (?), n. A room containing a bar or counter at which liquors are sold.
Bar¶row (?), n. [OE. barow, fr. AS. beran to bear. See Bear to support, and cf. Bier.] 1. A support having handles, and with or without a wheel, on which heavy or bulky things can be transported by hand. See Handbarrow, and Wheelbarrow.
2. (Salt Works) A wicker case, in which salt is put to drain.
Bar¶row (?), n. [OE. barow, bargh, AS. bearg, bearh; akin to Icel. b”rgr, OHG. barh, barug, G. barch. ?95.] A hog, esp. a male hog castrated.
Holland.
Bar¶row, n. [OE. bergh, AS. beorg, beorh, hill, sepulchral mound; akin to G. berg mountain, Goth. bairgahei hill, hilly country, and perh. to Skr. b?hant high, OIr. brigh mountain. Cf. Berg, Berry a mound, and Borough an incorporated town.] 1. A large mound of earth or stones over the remains of the dead; a tumulus.
2. (Mining) A heap of rubbish, attle, etc.
Bar¶rowÏist, n. (Eccl. Hist.) A follower of Henry Barrowe, one of the founders of Independency or Congregationalism in England. Barrowe was executed for nonconformity in 1953.
Bar¶ruÏlet (?), n. [Dim. of bar, n.] (Her.) A diminutive of the bar, having one fourth its width.
Bar¶ruÏly (?), a. (Her.) Traversed by barrulets or small bars; Ð said of the field.
Bar¶ry (?), a. (Her.), Divided into bars; Ð said of the field.
Barse (?), n. [AS. bears, b‘rs, akin to D. baars, G. bars, barsch. Cf. 1st Bass, n.] The common perch. See 1st Bass. [Prov. Eng.]
Halliwell.
Bar¶tend·er (?), n. A barkeeper.
Bar¶ter (?), v.i. [imp. & p.p. Bartered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bartering.] [OE. bartren, OF. barater, bareter, to cheat, exchange, perh. fr. Gr. ? to do, deal (well or ill), use practices or tricks, or perh. fr. Celtic; cf. Ir. brath treachery, W. brad. Cf. Barrator.] To traffic or trade, by exchanging one commodity for another, in distinction from a sale and purchase, in which money is paid for the commodities transferred; to truck.
Bar¶ter, v.t. To trade or exchange in the way of barter; to exchange (frequently for an unworthy consideration); to traffic; to truck; Ð sometimes followed by away; as, to barter away goods or honor.
Bar¶ter, n. 1. The act or practice of trafficking by exchange of commodities; an exchange of goods.
The spirit of huckstering and barter.
Burke.
2. The thing given in exchange.
Syn. Ð Exchange; dealing; traffic; trade; truck.
Bar¶terÏer (?), n. One who barters.
Bar¶terÏy (?), n. Barter. [Obs.]
Camden.
Barth (?), n. [Etymol. unknown.] A place of shelter for cattle. [Prov. Eng.]
Halliwell.
BarÏthol¶oÏmew tide· (?). Time of the festival of St. Bartholomew, August 24th.
Shak.
Bar¶tiÏzan· (?), n. [Cf. Brettice.] (Arch.) A small, overhanging structure for lookout or defense, usually projecting at an angle of a building or near an entrance gateway.
Bart¶lett (?), n. (Bot.) A Bartlett pear, a favorite kind of pear, which originated in England about 1770, and was called Williams' Bonchr‚tien. It was brought to America, and distributed by Mr. Enoch Bartlett, of Dorchester, Massachusetts.
Bar¶ton (?), n. [AS. beret?n courtyard, grange; bere barley + t?n an inclosure. ] 1. The demesne lands of a manor; also, the manor itself. [Eng.]
Burton.
2. A farmyard. [Eng.]
Southey.
Bar¶tram (?), n. (Bot.) See Bertram.
Johnson.
Bar¶way· (?), n. A passage into a field or yard, closed by bars made to take out of the posts.
Bar¶wise· (?), adv. (Her.) Horizontally.
Bar¶wood· (?), n. A red wood of a leguminous tree (Baphia nitida), from Angola and the Gaboon in Africa. It is used as a dyewood, and also for ramrods, violin bows and turner's work.
Bar·yÏcen¶tric (?), a. [Gr. ? heavy + ? center.] Of or pertaining to the center of gravity. See Barycentric calculus, under Calculus.
BaÏryph¶oÏny (?), n. [Gr. ? heavy + ? a sound voice.] (Med.) Difficulty of speech.
BaÏry¶ta (?), n. [Gr. ? heavy. Cf. Baria.] (Chem.) An oxide of barium (or barytum); a heavy earth with a specific gravity above 4.
BaÏry¶tes (?), n. [Gr. ? heavy: cf. Gr. ? heaviness, F. baryte.] (Min.) Barium sulphate, generally called heavy spar or barite. See Barite.
BaÏryt¶ic (?), a. Of or pertaining to baryta.
BaÏry¶toÐcal¶cite (?), n. [Baryta + calcite.] (Min.) A mineral of a white or gray color, occurring massive or crystallized. It is a compound of the carbonates of barium and calcium.
Bar¶yÏtone, Bar¶iÏtone (?), a. [Gr. ?; ? heavy + ? tone.] 1. (Mus.) Grave and deep, as a kind of male voice.
2. (Greek Gram.) Not marked with an accent on the last syllable, the grave accent being understood.
Bar¶yÏtone, Bar¶iÏtone , n. [F. baryton: cf. It. baritono.] 1. (Mus.) (a) A male voice, the compass of which partakes of the common bass and the tenor, but which does not descend as low as the one, nor rise as high as the other. (b) A person having a voice of such range. (c) The viola di gamba, now entirely disused.
2. (Greek Gram.) A word which has no accent marked on the last syllable, the grave accent being understood.
BaÏry¶tum (?), n. [NL.] (Chem.) The metal barium. See Barium. [R.]
Ba¶sal (?), a. Relating to, or forming, the base.
Basal cleavage. See under Cleavage. Ð Basal plane (Crystallog.), one parallel to the lateral or horizontal axis.
Ba¶salÐnerved· (?), a. (Bot.) Having the nerves radiating from the base; Ð said of leaves.
BaÏsalt¶ (?),n. [N. basaltes (an African word), a dark and hard species of marble found in Ethiopia: cf. F. basalte.] 1. (Geol.) A rock of igneous origin, consisting of augite and triclinic feldspar, with grains of magnetic or titanic iron, and also bottleÐgreen particles of olivine frequently disseminated.
µ It is usually of a greenish black color, or of some dull brown shade, or black. It constitutes immense beds in some regions, and also occurs in veins or dikes cutting through other rocks. It has often a prismatic structure as at the Giant's Causeway, in Ireland, where the columns are as regular as if the work of art. It is a very tough and heavy rock, and is one of the best materials for macadamizing roads.
2. An imitation, in pottery, of natural basalt; a kind of black porcelain.
BaÏsalt¶ic (?),a. [Cf. F. basaltique.] Pertaining to basalt; formed of, or containing, basalt; as basaltic lava.
BaÏsalt¶iÏform (?), a. [Basalt + Ðform.] In the form of basalt; columnar.
BaÏsalt¶oid (?), a. [Basalt + Ðoid.] Formed like basalt; basaltiform.
Bas¶an (?), n. Same as Basil, a sheepskin.
Bas¶aÏnite (?), n. [L. basanites lapis, Gr. ? the touchstone: cf. F. basanite.] (Min.) Lydian stone, or black jasper, a variety of siliceous or flinty slate, of a grayish or bluish black color. It is employed to test the purity of gold, the amount of alloy being indicated by the color left on the stone when rubbed by the metal.
ØBas·bleu¶ (?), n. [F., fr. bas stocking + bleu blue.] A bluestocking; a literary woman. [Somewhat derisive]
Bas¶ciÏnet (?), n. [OE. bacinet, basnet, OF. bassinet, bacinet, F. bassinet, dim. of OF. bacin, F. bassin, a helmet in the form of a basin.] A light helmet, at first open, but later made with a visor. [Written also basinet, bassinet, basnet.]
Bas¶cule (?), n. [F., a seesaw.] In mechanics an apparatus on the principle of the seesaw, in which one end rises as the other falls.
Bascule bridge, a counterpoise or balanced drawbridge, which is opened by sinking the counterpoise and thus lifting the footway into the air.
Base (?), a. [OE. bass, F. bas, low, fr. LL. bassus thick, fat, short, humble; cf. L. Bassus, a proper name, and W. bas shallow. Cf. Bass a part in music.] 1. Of little, or less than the usual, height; of low growth; as, base shrubs. [Archaic]
Shak.
2. Low in place or position. [Obs.]
Shak.
3. Of humble birth; or low degree; lowly; mean. [Archaic] ½A pleasant and base swain.¸
Bacon.
4. Illegitimate by birth; bastard. [Archaic]
Why bastard? wherefore base?
Shak.
5. Of little comparative value, as metal inferior to gold and silver, the precious metals.
6. Alloyed with inferior metal; debased; as, base coin; base bullion.
7. Morally low. Hence: LowÐminded; unworthy; without dignity of sentiment; ignoble; mean; illiberal; menial; as, a base fellow; base motives; base occupations. ½A cruel act of a base and a cowardish mind.¸ Robynson (More's Utopia). ½Base ingratitude.¸
Milton.
8. Not classical or correct. ½Base Latin.¸
Fuller.
9. Deep or grave in sound; as, the base tone of a violin. [In this sense, commonly written bass.]
10. (Law) Not held by honorable service; as, a base estate, one held by services not honorable; held by villenage. Such a tenure is called base, or low, and the tenant, a base tenant.
Base fee, formerly, an estate held at the will of the lord; now, a qualified fee. See note under Fee, n., 4. Ð Base metal. See under Metal.
Syn. Ð Dishonorable; worthless; ignoble; lowÐminded; infamous; sordid; degraded. Ð Base, Vile, Mean. These words, as expressing moral qualities, are here arranged in the order of their strength, the strongest being placed first. Base marks a high degree of moral turpitude; vile and mean denote, in different degrees, the want of what is valuable or worthy of esteem. What is base excites our abhorrence; what is vile provokes our disgust or indignation; what is mean awakens contempt. Base is opposed to highÐminded; vile, to noble; mean, to liberal or generous. Ingratitude is base; sycophancy is vile; undue compliances are mean.
Base, n.[F. base, L. basis, fr. Gr. ? a stepping step, a base, pedestal, fr. ? to go, step, akin to E. come. Cf. Basis, and see Come.] 1. The bottom of anything, considered as its support, or that on which something rests for support; the foundation; as, the base of a statue. ½The base of mighty mountains.¸
Prescott.
2. Fig.: The fundamental or essential part of a thing; the essential principle; a groundwork.
3. (Arch.) (a) The lower part of a wall, pier, or column, when treated as a separate feature, usually in projection, or especially ornamented. (b) The lower part of a complete architectural design, as of a monument; also, the lower part of any elaborate piece of furniture or decoration.
4. (Bot.) That extremity of a leaf, fruit, etc., at which it is attached to its support.

<— p. 122 —>

5. (Chem.) The positive, or nonÐacid component of a salt; a substance which, combined with an acid, neutralizes the latter and forms a salt; Ð applied also to the hydroxides of the positive elements or radicals, and to certain organic bodies resembling them in their property of forming salts with acids. 6. (Pharmacy) The chief ingredient in a compound. 7. (Dyeing) A substance used as a mordant. Ure. 8. (Fort.) The exterior side of the polygon, or that imaginary line which connects the salient angles of two adjacent bastions. 9. (Geom.) The line or surface constituting that part of a figure on which it is supposed to stand. 10. (Math.) The number from which a mathematical table is constructed; as, the base of a system of logarithms. 11. [See Base low.] A low, or deep, sound. (Mus.) (a) The lowest part; the deepest male voice. (b) One who sings, or the instrument which plays, base. [Now commonly written bass.] The trebles squeak for fear, the bases roar. Dryden. 12. (Mil.) A place or tract of country, protected by fortifications, or by natural advantages, from which the operations of an army proceed, forward movements are made, supplies are furnished, etc. 13. (Mil.) The smallest kind of cannon. [Obs.] 14. (Zo”l.) That part of an organ by which it is attached to another more central organ. 15. (Crystallog.) The basal plane of a crystal. 16. (Geol.) The ground mass of a rock, especially if not distinctly crystalline. 17. (Her.) The lower part of the field. See Escutcheon. 18. The housing of a horse. [Obs.] 19. pl. A kind of skirt ( often of velvet or brocade, but sometimes of mailed armor) which hung from the middle to about the knees, or lower. [Obs.] 20. The lower part of a robe or petticoat. [Obs.] 21. An apron. [Obs.] ½Bakers in their linen bases.¸ Marston. 22. The point or line from which a start is made; a starting place or a goal in various games. To their appointed base they went. Dryden. 23. (Surv.) A line in a survey which, being accurately determined in length and position, serves as the origin from which to compute the distances and positions of any points or objects connected with it by a system of triangles. Lyman. 24. A rustic play; Ð called also prisoner's base, prison base, or bars. ½To run the country base.¸ Shak. 25. (Baseball) Any one of the four bounds which mark the circuit of the infield. Altern base. See under Altern. Ð Attic base. (Arch.) See under Attic. Ð Base course. (Arch.) (a) The first or lower course of a foundation wall, made of large stones of a mass of concrete; Ð called also foundation course. (b) The architectural member forming the transition between the basement and the wall above. Ð Base hit (Baseball), a hit, by which the batsman, without any error on the part of his opponents, is able to reach the first base without being put out. Ð Base line. (a) A main line taken as a base, as in surveying or in military operations. (b) A line traced round a cannon at the rear of the vent. Ð Base plate, the foundation plate of heavy machinery, as of the steam engine; the bed plate. Ð Base ring (Ordnance), a projecting band of metal around the breech, connected with the body of the gun by a concave molding. H.L. Scott. Base (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Based (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Basing.] [From Base, n.] To put on a base or basis; to lay the foundation of; to found, as an argument or conclusion; Ð used with on or upon. Bacon. Base, v. t. [See Base, a., and cf. Abase.] 1. To abase; to let, or cast, down; to lower. [Obs.] If any … based his pike. Sir T. North. 2. To reduce the value of; to debase. [Obs.] Metals which we can not base. Bacon. Base¶ball¶ (?), n. 1. A game of ball, so called from the bases or bounds ( four in number) which designate the circuit which each player must endeavor to make after striking the ball. 2. The ball used in this game. Base¶board (?), n. (Arch.) A board, or other woodwork, carried round the walls of a room and touching the floor, to form a base and protect the plastering; Ð also called washboard (in England), mopboard, and scrubboard. Base¶born· (?), a. 1. Born out of wedlock. Gay. 2. Born of low parentage. 3. Vile; mean. ½Thy baseborn heart.¸ Shak. Base¶Ðburn·er (?), n. A furnace or stove in which the fuel is contained in a hopper or chamber, and is fed to the fire as the lower stratum is consumed. Base¶Ðcourt· (?), n. [F. basseÐcour. See Base, a., and Court, n.] 1. The secondary, inferior, or rear courtyard of a large house; the outer court of a castle. 2. (Law) An inferior court of law, not of record. Based (?), p.p. & a. 1. Having a base, or having as a base; supported; as, broadÐbased. 2. [See Base, n., 18Ð21.] Wearing, or protected by, bases. [Obs.] ½Based in lawny velvet.¸ E.Hall. Ba¶seÏdow's disÏease¶ (?). [Named for Dr. Basedow, a German physician.] (Med.) A disease characterized by enlargement of the thyroid gland, prominence of the eyeballs, and inordinate action of the heart; Ð called also exophthalmic goiter. Flint. Bas¶eÏlard (?), n. [OF. baselarde, LL. basillardus.] A short sword or dagger, worn in the fifteenth century. [Written also baslard.] Fairholt. Base¶less, a. Without a base; having no foundation or support. ½The baseless fabric of this vision.¸ Shak. Base¶ly, adv. 1. In a base manner; with despicable meanness; dishonorably; shamefully. 2. Illegitimately; in bastardy. [Archaic] Knolles. Base¶ment (?), n. [F. soubassement. Of uncertain origin. Cf. Base, a., Bastion.] (Arch.) The outer wall of the ground story of a building, or of a part of that story, when treated as a distinct substructure. ( See Base, n., 3 (a).) Hence: The rooms of a ground floor, collectively. Basement membrane (Anat.), a delicate membrane composed of a single layer of flat cells, forming the substratum upon which, in many organs, the epithelioid cells are disposed. Base¶ness (?), n. The quality or condition of being base; degradation; vileness. I once did hold it a baseness to write fair. Shak. Bas¶eÏnet (?), n. See Bascinet. [Obs.] Base¶ vi·ol (?). See Bass viol. Bash (?), v. t. & i. [OE. baschen, baissen. See Abash.] To abash; to disconcert or be disconcerted or put out of countenance. [Obs.] His countenance was bold and bashed not. Spenser. BaÏshaw¶ (?), n. [See Pasha.] 1. A Turkish title of honor, now written pasha. See Pasha. 2. Fig.: A magnate or grandee. 3. (Zo”l.) A very large siluroid fish (Leptops olivaris) of the Mississippi valley; Ð also called goujon, mud cat, and yellow cat. Bash¶ful (?), a. [See Bash.] 1. Abashed; daunted; dismayed. [Obs.] 2. Very modest, or modest excess; constitutionally disposed to shrink from public notice; indicating extreme or excessive modesty; shy; as, a bashful person, action, expression. Syn. Ð Diffident; retiring; reserved; shamefaced; sheepish. Bash¶fulÏly, adv. In a bashful manner. Bash¶fulÏness, n. The quality of being bashful. Syn. Ð Bashfulness, Modesty, Diffidence, Shyness. Modesty arises from a low estimate of ourselves; bashfulness is an abashment or agitation of the spirits at coming into contact with others; diffidence is produced by an undue degree of selfÐdistrust; shyness usually arises from an excessive selfÐconsciousness, and a painful impression that every one is looking at us. Modesty of deportment is becoming at all; bashfulness often gives rise to mistakes and blundering; diffidence is society frequently makes a man a burden to himself; shyness usually produces a reserve or distance which is often mistaken for haughtiness. ØBash¶iÏbaÏzouk¶ (?), n. [Turkish, lightÐheaded, a foolish fellow.] A soldier belonging to the irregular troops of the Turkish army. Bash¶less, a. Shameless; unblushing. [Obs.] Spenser. Bas¶hyle (?), n. (Chem.) See Basyle. Ba¶siÏ (?). A combining form, especially in anatomical and botanical words, to indicate the base or position at or near a base; forming a base; as, basibranchials, the most ventral of the cartilages or bones of the branchial arches; basicranial, situated at the base of the cranium; basifacial, basitemporal, etc. Ba¶sic (?), a. 1. (Chem.) (a) Relating to a base; performing the office of a base in a salt. (b) Having the base in excess, or the amount of the base atomically greater than that of the acid, or exceeding in proportion that of the related neutral salt. (c) Apparently alkaline, as certain normal salts which exhibit alkaline reactions with test paper. 2. (Min.) Said of crystalline rocks which contain a relatively low percentage of silica, as basalt. Basic salt (Chem.), a salt formed from a base or hydroxide by the partial replacement of its hydrogen by a negative or acid element or radical. BaÏsic¶erÏite (?), n. [BasiÐ + Gr. ? horn, antenna.] (Zo”l.) The second joint of the antenn‘ of crustaceans. BaÏsic¶iÏty, n. (Chem.) (a) The quality or state of being a base. (b) The power of an acid to unite with one or more atoms or equivalents of a base, as indicated by the number of replaceable hydrogen atoms contained in the acid. BaÏsid¶iÏoÏspore (?), n. [Basidium + spore.] (Bot.) A spore borne by a basidium. Ð BaÏsid·iÏoÏspor¶ous (?), a. ØBaÏsid¶iÏum (?), n. [NL., dim. of Gr. ? base.] (Bot.) A special oblong or pyriform cell, with slender branches, which bears the spores in that division of fungi called Basidiomycetes, of which the common mushroom is an example. Ba¶siÏfi·er (?), n. (Chem.) That which converts into a salifiable base. BaÏsif¶uÏgal (?), a. [Base, n. + L. fugere to flee.] (Bot.) Tending or proceeding away from the base; as, a basifugal growth. Ba¶siÏfy (?), v.t. [Base + Ðfy.] (Chem.) To convert into a salifiable base. ØBa·siÏgyn¶iÏum (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. ? base + ? woman.] (Bot.) The pedicel on which the ovary of certain flowers, as the passion flower, is seated; a carpophore or thecaphore. Ba·siÏhy¶al (?), a. [BasiÐ + Gr. ? (the letter ½upsilon¸); from the shape.] (Anat.) Noting two small bones, forming the body of the inverted hyoid arch. Ba·siÏhy¶oid (?), n. [BasiÐ + hyoid.] (Anat.) The central tongue bone. Bas¶il (?), n. [Cf. F. basile and E. Bezel.] The slope or angle to which the cutting edge of a tool, as a plane, is ground. Grier. Bas¶il, v.t. [imp. & p.p. Basiled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Basiling.] To grind or form the edge of to an angle. Moxon. Bas¶il, n. [F. basilic, fr. L. badilicus royal, Gr. ?, fr. ? king.] (Bot.) The name given to several aromatic herbs of the Mint family, but chiefly to the common or sweet basil (Ocymum basilicum), and the bush basil, or lesser basil (O. minimum), the leaves of which are used in cookery. The name is also given to several kinds of mountain mint (Pycnanthemum). Basil thyme, a name given to the fragrant herbs Calamintha Acinos and C. Nepeta. Ð Wild basil, a plant (Calamintha clinopodium) of the Mint family. Bas¶il (?), n. [Corrupt. from E. basan, F. basane, LL. basanium, bazana, fr. Ar. bith¾na, prop., lining.] The skin of a sheep tanned with bark. Bas¶iÏlar (?), Bas¶iÏlaÏry (?), } a. [F. basilaire, fr. L. basis. See Base, n.] 1. Relating to, or situated at, the base. 2. Lower; inferior; applied to impulses or springs of action. [R.] ½Basilar instincts.¸ H. W. Beecher. BaÏsil¶ic (?), n. [F. basilique.] Basilica. BaÏsil¶ic (?), BaÏsil¶icÏal (?), } a. [See Basilica.] 1. Royal; kingly; also, basilican. 2. (Anat.) Pertaining to certain parts, anciently supposed to have a specially important function in the animal economy, as the middle vein of the right arm. BaÏsil¶iÏca (?), n.; pl. Basilicas (?); sometimes Basilic?e (?). [L. basilica, Gr. ? ( sc. ?, or ?) fr. ? royal, fr. ? king.] 1. Originally, the place of a king; but afterward, an apartment provided in the houses of persons of importance, where assemblies were held for dispensing justice; and hence, any large hall used for this purpose. 2. (Arch.) (a) A building used by the Romans as a place of public meeting, with court rooms, etc., attached. (b) A church building of the earlier centuries of Christianity, the plan of which was taken from the basilica of the Romans. The name is still applied to some churches by way of honorary distinction. BaÏsil¶iÏca, n. A digest of the laws of Justinian, translated from the original Latin into Greek, by order of Basil I., in the ninth century. P. Cyc. BaÏsil¶iÏcan (?), a. Of, relating to, or resembling, a basilica; basilical. There can be no doubt that the first churches in Constantinople were in the basilican form. Milman. BaÏsil¶iÏcok (?), n. [OF. basilicoc.] The basilisk. [Obs.] Chaucer ØBaÏsil¶iÏcon (?), n. [L. basilicon, Gr. ?, neut. of ?: cf. F. basilicon. See Basilica.] (Med.) An ointment composed of wax, pitch, resin, and olive oil, lard, or other fatty substance. Bas¶iÏlisk (?), n. [L. basiliscus, Gr. ? little king, kind of serpent, dim. of ? king; Ð so named from some prominences on the head resembling a crown.] 1. A fabulous serpent, or dragon. The ancients alleged that its hissing would drive away all other serpents, and that its breath, and even its look, was fatal. See Cockatrice. Make me not sighted like the basilisk. Shak. 2. (Zo”l.) A lizard of the genus Basiliscus, belonging to the family Iguanid‘. µ This genus is remarkable for a membranous bag rising above the occiput, which can be filled with air at pleasure; also for an elevated crest along the back, that can be raised or depressed at will. 3. (Mil.) A large piece of ordnance, so called from its supposed resemblance to the serpent of that name, or from its size. [Obs.] Ba¶sin (?), n. [OF. bacin, F. bassin, LL. bacchinus, fr. bacca a water vessel, fr. L. bacca berry, in allusion to the round shape; or perh. fr. Celtic. Cf. Bac.] 1. A hollow vessel or dish, to hold water for washing, and for various other uses. 2. The quantity contained in a basin. 3. A hollow vessel, of various forms and materials, used in the arts or manufactures, as that used by glass grinders for forming concave glasses, by hatters for molding a hat into shape, etc. 4. A hollow place containing water, as a pond, a dock for ships, a little bay. 5. (Physical Geog.) (a) A circular or oval valley, or depression of the surface of the ground, the lowest part of which is generally occupied by a lake, or traversed by a river. (b) The entire tract of country drained by a river, or sloping towards a sea or lake. 6. (Geol.) An isolated or circumscribed formation, particularly where the strata dip inward, on all sides, toward a center; Ð especially applied to the coal formations, called coal basins or coal fields. Ba¶sined (?), a. Inclosed in a basin. ½Basined rivers.¸ Young. Bas¶iÏnet (?), n. Same as Bascinet. Ba·siÏocÏcip¶iÏtal (?), a. [BasiÐ + occipital.] (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the bone in the base of the cranium, frequently forming a part of the occipital in the adult, but usually distinct in the young. Ð n. The basioccipital bone. ØBa¶siÏon (?), n. [Gr. ? a base.] (Anat.) The middle of the anterior margin of the great foramen of the skull. BaÏsip¶oÏdite (?), n. [BasiÐ + ?, ?, foot.] (Anat.) The basal joint of the legs of Crustacea. ØBaÏsip·teÏryg¶iÏum (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. ? a base + ? a fin.] (Anat.) A bar of cartilage at the base of the embryonic fins of some fishes. It develops into the metapterygium. Ð BaÏsip·terÏyg¶iÏal (?), a. Ba·sipÏter¶yÏgoid (?), a. & n. [BasiÐ + pierygoid.] (Anat.) Applied to a protuberance of the base of the sphenoid bone. Ba¶sis (?),n.; pl. Bases (?). [L. basis, Gr. ?. See Base, n.] 1. The foundation of anything; that on which a thing rests. Dryden. 2. The pedestal of a column, pillar, or statue. [Obs.] If no basis bear my rising name. Pope.

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3. The ground work the first or fundamental principle; that which supports.
The basis of public credit is good faith.
A. Hamilton.
4. The principal component part of a thing.
BaÏsis¶oÏlute (?), a. [BasiÏ + solute, a.] (Bot.) Prolonged at the base, as certain leaves.
Ba·siÏsphe¶noid (?), Ba·siÏspheÏnoid¶al (?), } a. [BasiÏ + spheroid.] (Anat.) Of or pertaining to that part of the base of the cranium between the basioccipital and the presphenoid, which usually ossifies separately in the embryo or in the young, and becomes a part of the sphenoid in the adult.
Ba·siÏsphe¶noid, n. (Anat.) The basisphenoid bone.
Bask, v. i. [imp. & p.p. Basked (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Basking.] [ OScand. ba?ask to bathe one's self, or perh. bakask to bake one's self, sk being reflexive. See Bath, n., Bake, v. t.] To lie in warmth; to be exposed to genial heat.
Basks in the glare, and stems the tepid wave.
Goldsmith.
Bask, v. t. To warm by continued exposure to heat; to warm with genial heat.
Basks at the fire his hairy strength.
Milton.
Bas¶ket (?), n. [Of unknown origin. The modern Celtic words seem to be from the English.] 1. A vessel made of osiers or other twigs, cane, rushes, splints, or other flexible material, interwoven. ½Rude baskets … woven of the flexile willow.¸
Dyer.
2. The contents of a basket; as much as a basket contains; as, a basket of peaches.
3. (Arch.) The bell or vase of the Corinthian capital. [Improperly so used.]
Gwilt.
4. The two back seats facing one another on the outside of a stagecoach. [Eng.]
Goldsmith.
Basket fish (Zo”l.), an ophiuran of the genus Astrophyton, having the arms much branched. See Astrophyton. Ð Basket hilt, a hilt with a covering wrought like basketwork to protect the hand. Hudibras. Hence, Baskethilted, a. Ð Basket work, work consisting of plaited osiers or twigs. Ð Basket worm (Zo”l.), a lepidopterous insect of the genus Thyridopteryx and allied genera, esp. T. ephemer‘formis. The larva makes and carries about a bag or basketÐlike case of silk and twigs, which it afterwards hangs up to shelter the pupa and wingless adult females.
Bas¶ket, v. t. To put into a basket. [R.]
Bas¶ketÏful (?), n.; pl. Basketfuls (?). As much as a basket will contain.
Bas¶ketÏry (?), n. The art of making baskets; also, baskets, taken collectively.
Bask¶ing shark· (?). (Zo”l.) One of the largest species of sharks (Cetorhinus maximus), so called from its habit of basking in the sun; the liver shark, or bone shark. It inhabits the northern seas of Europe and America, and grows to a length of more than forty feet. It is a harmless species.
Bas¶net (?), n. Same as Bascinet.
ØBaÏsom·maÏtoph¶oÏra (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. ? base + ? eye + ? to bear.] (Zo”l.) A group of Pulmonifera having the eyes at the base of the tentacles, including the common pond snails.
Ba¶son (?), n. A basin. [Obs. or Special form]
Basque (?), a. [F.] Pertaining to Biscay, its people, or their language.
Basque (?), n. [F.] 1. One of a race, of unknown origin, inhabiting a region on the Bay of Biscay in Spain and France.
2. The language spoken by the Basque people.
3. A part of a lady's dress, resembling a jacket with a short skirt; Ð probably so called because this fashion of dress came from the Basques.
Basqu¶ish (?), a. [F. Basque Biscayan: cf. G. Baskisch.] Pertaining to the country, people, or language of Biscay; Basque [Obs.]
Sir T. Browne.
Bas·ÐreÏlief¶ (?), n. [F. basÏrelief; bas law + relief raised work, relever to raise: cf. It. bassorilievo.] Low relief; sculpture, the figures of which project less than half of their true proportions; Ð called also bassrelief and bassoÏrilievo. See AltoÏrilievo.
Bass (?), n.; pl. Bass, and sometimes Basses (?). [A corruption of barse.] (Zo”l.) 1. An edible, spinyÐfinned fish, esp. of the genera Roccus, Labrax, and related genera. There are many species.
µ The common European bass is Labrax lupus. American species are: the striped bass (Roccus lineatus); white or silver bass of the lakes. (R. chrysops); brass or yellow bass (R. interruptus).
2. The two American freshÐwater species of black bass (genus Micropterus). See Black bass.
3. Species of Serranus, the sea bass and rock bass. See Sea bass.
4. The southern, red, or channel bass (Sci‘na ocellata). See Redfish.
µ The name is also applied to many other fishes. See Calico bass, under Calico.
Bass, n. [A corruption of bast.] 1. (Bot.) The linden or lime tree, sometimes wrongly called whitewood; also, its bark, which is used for making mats. See Bast.
2. (Pron. ? ) A hassock or thick mat.
Bass (?), n. [F. basse, fr. bas low. See Base, a.]
1. A bass, or deep, sound or tone.
2. (Mus.) (a) The lowest part in a musical composition. (b) One who sings, or the instrument which plays, bass. [Written also base.]
Thorough bass. See Thorough bass.
Bass, a. Deep or grave in tone.
Bass clef (Mus.), the character placed at the beginning of the staff containing the bass part of a musical composition. [See Illust. under Clef.] Ð Bass voice, a deepsounding voice; a voice fitted for singing bass.
Bass, v. t. To sound in a deep tone. [R.]
Shak.
Bas¶sa (?), BasÏsaw¶ (?), n. See Bashaw.
Bass· drum¶ (?). (Mus.) The largest of the different kinds of drums, having two heads, and emitting a deep, grave sound. See Bass, a.
Bas¶set (?),n. [F. bassette, fr.It. bassetta. Cf. Basso.] A game at cards, resembling the modern faro, said to have been invented at Venice.
Some dress, some dance, some play, not to forget
Your piquet parties, and your dear basset.
Rowe.
Bas¶set (?), a. [Cf. OF. basset somewhat low, dim. of bas low.] (Geol.) Inclined upward; as, the basset edge of strata.
Lyell.
Bas¶set, n. (Geol.) The edge of a geological stratum at the surface of the ground; the outcrop.
Bas¶set, v. i. [imp. & p.p. Basseted; p. pr. & vb. n. Basseting.] (Geol.) To inclined upward so as to appear at the surface; to crop out; as, a vein of coal bassets.
Bas¶set horn·(?). [See Basset, a.] (Mus.) An instrument blown with a reed, and resembling a clarinet, but of much greater compass, embracing nearly four octaves.
Bas¶set hound· (?). [F. basset.] (Zo”l.) A small kind of hound with a long body and short legs, used as an earth dog.
Bas¶setÏing, n. The upward direction of a vein in a mine; the emergence of a stratum at the surface.
ØBasÏset¶to (?),n. [It., adj., somewhat low; n., counter tenor. See Basso.] (Mus.) A tenor or small bass viol.
Bass¶ horn¶ (?). (Mus.) A modification of the bassoon, much deeper in tone.
Bas¶siÏnet (?), n. [Cf. F. bassinet, dim. of bassin. See Basin, and cf. Bascinet.] 1. A wicker basket, with a covering or hood over one end, in which young children are placed as in a cradle.
2. See Bascinet.
Lord Lytton.
ØBas¶so (?), n. [It., fr. LL. bassus. See Base, a.] (Mus.) (a) The bass or lowest part; as, to sing basso. (b) One who sings the lowest part. (c) The double bass, or contrabasso.
ØBasso continuo (?). [It., bass continued.] (Mus.) A bass part written out continuously, while the other parts of the harmony are indicated by figures attached to the bass; continued bass.
Bas¶sock (?), n. A hassock. See 2d Bass, 2.
BasÏsoon¶ (?), n. [F. basson, fr. basse bass; or perh. fr. bas son low sound. See Bass a part in music. ] (Mus.) A wind instrument of the double reed kind, furnished with holes, which are stopped by the fingers, and by keys, as in flutes. It forms the natural bass to the oboe, clarinet, etc.
µ Its compass comprehends three octaves. For convenience of carriage it is divided into two parts; whence it is also called a fagot.
BasÏsoon¶ist, n. A performer on the bassoon.
Busby.
ØBas¶soÐriÏlie¶vo (?), Bas¶soÐreÏlie¶vo (?), n. [It. bassoÐrilievo.] Same as BasÐrelief.
Bas¶soÏrin (?), n. [Cf. F. bassorine.] (Chem.) A constituent part of a species of gum from Bassora, as also of gum tragacanth and some gum resins. It is one of the amyloses.
Ure.
Bass¶ÐreÏlief· (?), n. Some as BasÐrelief.
Bass¶ vi·ol (?). (Mus.) A stringed instrument of the viol family, used for playing bass. See 3d Bass, n., and Violoncello.
Bass¶wood· (?), n. (Bot.) The bass (Tilia) or its wood; especially, T. Americana. See Bass, the lime tree.
All the bowls were made of basswood,
White and polished very smoothly.
Longfellow.
Bast (?), n. [AS. b‘st; akin to Icel., Sw., Dan., D., & G. bast, of unknown origin. Cf. Bass the tree.] 1. The inner fibrous bark of various plants; esp. of the lime tree; hence, matting, cordage, etc., made therefrom.
2. A thick mat or hassock. See 2d Bass, 2.
ØBas¶ta (?), interj. [It.] Enough; stop.
Shak.
Bas¶tard (?),n. [OF. bastard, bastart, F. b?tard, prob. fr. OF. bast, F. b?t, a packsaddle used as a bed by the muleteers (fr. LL. bastum) + Ïard. OF. fils de bast son of the packsaddle; as the muleteers were accustomed to use their saddles for beds in the inns. See Cervantes, ½Don Quixote,¸ chap. 16; and cf.G. bankert, fr. bank bench.] 1. A ½natural¸ child; a child begotten and born out of wedlock; an illegitimate child; one born of an illicit union.
µ By the civil and canon laws, and by the laws of many of the United States, a bastard becomes a legitimate child by the intermarriage of the parents at any subsequent time. But by those of England, and of some states of the United States, a child, to be legitimate, must at least be born after the lawful marriage.
Kent. Blackstone.
2. (Sugar Refining) (a) An inferior quality of soft brown sugar, obtained from the sirups that ? already had several boilings. (b) A large size of mold, in which sugar is drained.
3. A sweet Spanish wine like muscadel in flavor.
Brown bastard is your only drink.
Shak.
4. A writing paper of a particular size. See Paper.
Bas¶tard (?), a. 1. Begotten and born out of lawful matrimony; illegitimate. See Bastard, n., note.
2. Lacking in genuineness; spurious; false; adulterate; Ð applied to things which resemble those which are genuine, but are really not so.
That bastard selfÐlove which is so vicious in itself, and productive of so many vices.
Barrow.
3. Of an unusual make or proportion; as, a bastard musket; a bastard culverin. [Obs.]
4. (Print.) Abbreviated, as the half title in a page preceding the full title page of a book.
Bastard ashlar (Arch.), stones for ashlar work, roughly squared at the quarry. Ð Bastard file, a file intermediate between the coarsest and the second cut. Ð Bastard type (Print.), type having the face of a larger or a smaller size than the body; e. g., a nonpareil face on a brevier body. Ð Bastard wing (Zo”l.), three to five quill feathers on a small joint corresponding to the thumb in some mam malia; the alula.
Bas¶tard, v. t. To bastardize. [Obs.]
Bacon.
Bas¶tardÏism (?),n. The state of being a bastard; bastardy.
Bas¶tardÏize (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bastardized (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bastardizing.] 1. To make or prove to be a bastard; to stigmatize as a bastard; to declare or decide legally to be illegitimate.
The law is so indulgent as not to bastardize the child, if born, though not begotten, in lawful wedlock.
Blackstone.
2. To beget out of wedlock. [R.]
Shak.
Bas¶tardÏly, a. Bastardlike; baseborn; spurious; corrupt. [Obs.] Ð adv. In the manner of a bastard; spuriously. [Obs.]
Shak. Donne.
Bas¶tarÏdy (?), n. 1. The state of being a bastard; illegitimacy.
2. The procreation of a bastard child.
Wharton.
Baste (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Basted; p. pr. & vb. n. Basting.] [Cf. Icel. beysta to strike, powder; Sw. basa to beat with a rod: perh. akin to E. beat.]
1. To beat with a stick; to cudgel.
One man was basted by the keeper for carrying some people
over on his back through the waters.
Pepys.
2. (Cookery) To sprinkle flour and salt and drip butter or fat on, as on meat in roasting.
3. To mark with tar, as sheep. [Prov. Eng.]
Baste, v. t. [OE. basten, OF. bastir, F. b?tir, prob. fr. OHG. bestan to sew, MHG. besten to bind, fr. OHG. bast bast. See Bast.] To sew loosely, or with long stitches; Ð usually, that the work may be held in position until sewed more firmly.
Shak.
BasÏtile¶ BasÏtille¶ } (?), n. [F. bastille fortress, OF. bastir to build, F. b?tir.]
1. (Feud. Fort.) A tower or an elevated work, used for the defense, or in the siege, of a fortified place.
The high bastiles … which overtopped the walls.
Holland.
2. ½The Bastille¸, formerly a castle or fortress in Paris, used as a prison, especially for political offenders; hence, a rhetorical name for a prison.
Bas·tiÏnade¶ (?), n. See Bastinado, n.
Bas·tiÏnade¶, v. t. To bastinado. [Archaic]
Bas·tiÏna¶do (?), n.; pl. Bastinadoes (?). [Sp. bastonada (cf. F. bastonnade), fr. baston (cf. F. b?ton) a stick or staff. See Baston.]
1. A blow with a stick or cudgel.
2. A sound beating with a stick or cudgel. Specifically: A form of punishment among the Turks, Chinese, and others, consisting in beating an offender on the soles of his feet.
Bas·tiÏna¶do, v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bastinadoes (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bastinadoing.] To beat with a stick or cudgel, especially on the soles of the feet.
Bas¶tion (?), n. [F. bastion (cf. It. bastione), fr. LL. bastire to build (cf. F. b?tir, It. bastire), perh. from the idea of support for a weight, and akin to Gr. ? to lift, carry, and to E. baston, baton.] (Fort.) A work projecting outward from the main inclosure of a fortification, consisting of two faces and two flanks, and so constructed that it is able to defend by a flanking fire the adjacent curtain, or wall which extends from one bastion to another. Two adjacent bastions are connected by the curtain, which joins the flank of one with the adjacent flank of the other. The distance between the flanks of a bastion is called the gorge. A lunette is a detached bastion. See Ravelin.
Bas¶tioned (?),a. Furnished with a bastion; having bastions.

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Bas¶to (?), n. [Sp.] The ace of clubs in qua?rille and omber. Pope. Bas¶ton (?), n. [OF. baston, F. b?ton, LL. basto. See Bastion, and cf. Baton, and 3d Batten.] 1. A staff or cudgel. [Obs.] ½To fight with blunt bastons.¸ Holland. 2. (Her.) See Baton. 3. An officer bearing a painted staff, who formerly was in attendance upon the king's court to take into custody persons committed by the court. Mozley & W. Bas¶yle (?), n. [Gr. ? base + ? wood. See Ïyl.] (Chem.) A positive or nonacid constituent of compound, either elementary, or, if compound, performing the functions of an element. Bas¶yÏlous (?), a. Pertaining to, or having the nature of, a basyle; electroÐpositive; basic; Ð opposed to chlorous. Graham. Bat (?), n. [OE. batte, botte, AS. batt; perhaps fr. the Celtic; cf. Ir. bat, bata, stick, staff; but cf. also F. batte a beater (thing), wooden sword, battre to beat.] 1. A large stick; a club; specifically, a piece of wood with one end thicker or broader than the other, used in playing baseball, cricket, etc. 2. (Mining) Shale or bituminous shale. Kirwan. 3. A sheet of cotton used for filling quilts or comfortables; batting. 4. A part of a brick with one whole end. Bat bolt (Machinery), a bolt barbed or jagged at its butt or tang to make it hold the more firmly. Knight. Bat, v. t. [imp. & p.p. Batted (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Batting.] To strike or hit with a bat or a pole; to cudgel; to beat. Holland. Bat, v. i. To use a bat, as in a game of baseball. Bat, n. [Corrupt. from OE. back, backe, balke; cf. Dan. aftenÐbakke (aften evening), Sw. nattÐbacka (natt night), Icel. le?rÐblaka (le?r leather), Icel. blaka to flutter.] (Zo”l.) One of the Cheiroptera, an order of flying mammals, in which the wings are formed by a membrane stretched between the elongated fingers, legs, and tail. The common bats are small and insectivorous. See Cheiroptera and Vampire. Bat tick (Zo”l.), a wingless, dipterous insect of the genus Nycteribia, parasitic on bats. Bat¶aÏble (?), a. [Abbrev. from debatable.] Disputable. [Obs.] µ The border land between England and Scotland, being formerly a subject of contention, was called batable or debatable ground. Bat¶ailled (?), a. Embattled. [Obs.] Chaucer. ØBa·tarÏdeau¶ (?),n. [F.] 1. A cofferdam. Brande & C. 2. (Mil.) A wall built across the ditch of a fortification, with a sluice gate to regulate the height of water in the ditch on both sides of the wall. ØBaÏta¶tas (?), ØBaÏta¶ta (?), } n. An aboriginal American name for the sweet potato (Ipom‘a batatas). BaÏta¶viÏan (?), a. Of or pertaining to (a) the Batavi, an ancient Germanic tribe; or to (b) ?atavia or Holland; as, a Batavian legion. Batavian Republic, the name given to Holland by the French after its conquest in 1795. BaÏta¶viÏan, n. A native or inhabitant of Batavia or Holland. [R.] Bancroft. Batch (?), n. [OE. bache, bacche, fr. AS. bacan to bake; cf. G. geb„ck and D. baksel. See Bake, v. t.] 1. The quantity of bread baked at one time. 2. A quantity of anything produced at one operation; a group or collection of persons or things of the same kind; as, a batch of letters; the next batch of business. ½A new batch of Lords.¸ Lady M. W. Montagu. Bate (?), n. [Prob. abbrev. from debate.] Strife; contention. [Obs.] Shak. Bate, v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bated; p. pr. & vb. n. Bating.] [From abate.] 1. To lessen by retrenching, deducting, or reducing; to abate; to beat down; to lower. He must either bate the laborer's wages, or not employ or not pay him. Locke. 2. To allow by way of abatement or deduction. To whom he bates nothing or what he stood upon with the parliament. South. 3. To leave out; to except. [Obs.] Bate me the king, and, be he flesh and blood. He lies that says it. Beau. & Fl. 4. To remove. [Obs.] About autumn bate the earth from about the roots of olives, and lay them bare. Holland. 5. To deprive of. [Obs.] When baseness is exalted, do not bate The place its honor for the person's sake. Herbert. Bate, v. i. 1. To remit or retrench a part; Ð with of. Abate thy speed, and I will bate of mine. Dryden. 2. To waste away. [Obs.] Shak. Bate (?), v. t. To attack; to bait. [Obs.] Spenser. Bate, imp. of Bite. [Obs.] Spenser. Bate, v. i. [F. battre des ailes to flutter. Cf. Bait to flutter.] To flutter as a hawk; to bait. [Obs.] Bacon. Bate, n. (Jewish Antiq.) See 2d Bath. Bate, n. [Cf. Sw. beta maceration, soaking, G. beize, and E. bite.] An alkaline solution consisting of the dung of certain animals; Ð employed in the preparation of hides; grainer. Knight. Bate, v. t. To steep in bate, as hides, in the manufacture of leather. ØBaÏteau¶ (?), n.; pl. Bateaux (?). [F. bateau, LL. batellus, fr. battus, batus, boa, which agrees with AS. b¾t boat: cf. W. bad boat. See Boat, n.] A boat; esp. a flatÐbottomed, clumsy boat used on the Canadian lakes and rivers. [Written also, but less properly, batteau.] Bateau bridge, a floating bridge supported by bateaux. Bat¶ed (?), a. Reduced; lowered; restrained; as, to speak with bated breath. Macaulay. Bate¶ful (?), a. Exciting contention; contentious. [Obs.] ½It did bateful question frame. ¸ Sidney. Bate¶less, a. Not to be abated. [Obs.] Shak. Bate¶ment (?), n. [For Abatement. See 2d Bate.] Abatement; diminution. Moxon. Batement light (Arch.), a window or one division of a window having vertical sides, but with the sill not horizontal, as where it follows the rake of a staircase. Bat¶fish· (?), n. (Zo”l.) A name given to several species of fishes: (a) The Malthe vespertilio of the Atlantic coast. (b) The flying gurnard of the Atlantic (Cephalacanthus spinarella). (c) The California batfish or sting ray (Myliobatis Californicus.) Bat¶fowl·er (?), n. One who practices or finds sport in batfowling. Bat¶fowl·ing (?), n. [From Bat a stick.] A mode of catching birds at night, by holding a torch or other light, and beating the bush or perch where they roost. The birds, flying to the light, are caught with nets or otherwise. Bat¶ful (?), a. [Icel. bati amelioration, batna to grow better; akin to AS. bet better. Goth. gaÏbatnan to profit. ?255. Cf. Batten, v. i., Better.] Rich; fertile. [Obs.] ½Batful valleys.¸ Drayton. Bath (?), n.; pl. Baths (?). [AS. b‘?; akin to OS. & Icel. ba?, Sw., Dan., D., & G. bad, and perh. to G. b„hen to foment.] 1. The act of exposing the body, or part of the body, for purposes of cleanliness, comfort, health, etc., to water, vapor, hot air, or the like; as, a cold or a hot bath; a medicated bath; a steam bath; a hip bath. 2. Water or other liquid for bathing. 3. A receptacle or place where persons may immerse or wash their bodies in water. 4. A building containing an apartment or a series of apartments arranged for bathing. Among the ancients, the public baths were of amazing extent and magnificence. Gwilt. 5. (Chem.) A medium, as heated sand, ashes, steam, hot air, through which heat is applied to a body. 6. (Photog.) A solution in which plates or prints are immersed; also, the receptacle holding the solution. µ Bath is used adjectively or in combination, in an obvious sense of or for baths or bathing; as, bathroom, bath tub, bath keeper. Douche bath. See Douche. Ð Order of the Bath, a high order of British knighthood, composed of three classes, viz., knights grand cross, knights commanders, and knights companions, abbreviated thus: G. C. B., K. C. B., K. B. Ð Russian bath, a kind of vapor bath which consists in a prolonged exposure of the body to the influence of the steam of water, followed by washings and shampooings. Ð Turkish bath, a kind of bath in which a profuse perspiration is produced by hot air, after which the body is washed and shampooed. Ð Bath house, a house used for the purpose of bathing; Ð also a small house, near a bathing place, where a bather undresses and dresses. Bath (?), n. [Heb.] A Hebrew measure containing the tenth of a homer, or five gallons and three pints, as a measure for liquids; and two pecks and five quarts, as a dry measure. Bath (?), n. A city in the west of England, resorted to for its hot springs, which has given its name to various objects. Bath brick, a preparation of calcareous earth, in the form of a brick, used for cleaning knives, polished metal, etc. Ð Bath chair, a kind of chair on wheels, as used by invalids at Bath. ½People walked out, or drove out, or were pushed out in their Bath chairs.¸ Dickens. Ð Bath metal, an alloy consisting of four and a half ounces of zinc and one pound of copper. Ð Bath note, a folded writing paper, 8 1/2 by 14 inches. Ð Bath stone, a species of limestone (o”lite) found near Bath, used for building. Bathe (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bathed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bathing.] [OE. ba?ien, AS. ba?ian, fr. b‘? bath. See 1st Bath, and cf. Bay to bathe.] 1. To wash by immersion, as in a bath; to subject to a bath. Chancing to bathe himself in the River Cydnus. South. 2. To lave; to wet. ½The lake which bathed the foot of the Alban mountain.¸ T. Arnold. 3. To moisten or suffuse with a liquid. And let us bathe our hands in C‘sar's blood. Shak. 4. To apply water or some liquid medicament to; as, to bathe the eye with warm water or with sea water; to bathe one's forehead with camphor. 5. To surround, or envelop, as water surrounds a person immersed. ½The rosy shadows bathe me. ¸ Tennyson. ½The bright sunshine bathing all the world.¸ Longfellow. Bathe (?), v. i. 1. To bathe one's self; to take a bath or baths. ½They bathe in summer.¸ Waller. 2. To immerse or cover one's self, as in a bath. ½To bathe in fiery floods.¸ Shak. ½Bathe in the dimples of her cheek.¸ Lloyd. 3. To bask in the sun. [Obs.] Chaucer. Bathe, n. The immersion of the body in water; as to take one's usual bathe. Edin. Rev. Bath¶er (?), n. One who bathes. BaÏthet¶ic (?), a. Having the character of bathos. [R.] Bath¶ing (?), n. Act of taking a bath or baths. Bathing machine, a small room on wheels, to be driven into the water, for the convenience of bathers, who undress and dress therein. Bath¶mism (?), n. See Vital force. BaÏthom¶eÏter (?), n. [Gr. ? depth + Ïmeter.] An instrument for measuring depths, esp. one for taking soundings without a sounding line. Bat¶horse· (?), n. [F. b?t packsaddle (cheval de b?t packhorse) + E. horse. See Bastard.] A horse which carries an officer's baggage during a campaign. Ba¶thos (?), n. [Gr. ? depth, fr. ? deep.] (Rhet.) A ludicrous descent from the elevated to the low, in writing or speech; anticlimax. ØBaÏthyb¶iÏus (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. ? deep + ? life] (Zo”l.) A name given by Prof. Huxley to a gelatinous substance found in mud dredged from the Atlantic and preserved in alcohol. He supposed that it was free living protoplasm, covering a large part of the ocean bed. It is now known that the substance is of chemical, not of organic, origin. Bath·yÏmet¶ric (?), Bath·yÏmet¶ricÏal (?), } a. Pertaining to bathymetry; relating to the measurement of depths, especially of depths in the sea. BaÏthym¶eÏtry (?), n. [Gr. ? depth + Ïmetry.] The art or science of sounding, or measuring depths in the sea. Bat¶ing (?), prep. [Strictly p. pr. of Bat? to abate.] With the exception of; excepting. We have little reason to think that they bring many ideas with them, bating some faint ideas of hunger and thirst. Locke. BaÏtiste¶ (?), n. [F. batiste, from the name of the alleged first maker, Baptiste of Cambrai. Littr‚.] Originally, cambric or lawn of fine linen; now applied also to cloth of similar texture made of cotton. Bat¶let (?), n. [Bat stick + Ïlet.] A short bat for beating clothes in washing them; Ð called also batler, batling staff, batting staff. Shak. ØBat¶man (?), n. [Turk. batman.] A weight used in the East, varying according to the locality; in Turkey, the greater batman is about 157 pounds, the lesser only a fourth of this; at Aleppo and Smyrna, the batman is 17 pounds. Simmonds. Bat¶man (?), n.; pl. Batmen (?). [F. b?t packsaddle + E. man. Cf. Bathorse.] A man who has charge of a bathorse and his load. Macaulay. ØBaÏtoi¶deÏi (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. ? a kind of ray + Ïoid.] (Zo”l.) The division of fishes which includes the rays and skates. Bat¶on (?), n. [F. b?ton. See Baston.] 1. A staff or truncheon, used for various purposes; as, the baton of a field marshal; the baton of a conductor in musical performances. He held the baton of command. Prescott. 2. (Her.) An ordinary with its ends cut off, borne sinister as a mark of bastardy, and containing one fourth in breadth of the bend sinister; Ð called also bastard bar. See Bend sinister. BaÏtoon¶ (?), n. See Baton, and Baston. Bat¶ print·ing (?). (Ceramics) A mode of printing on glazed ware. ØBaÏtra¶chiÏa (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. ? belonging to a frog, fr. ? frog.] (Zo”l.) The order of amphibians which includes the frogs and toads; the Anura. Sometimes the word is used in a wider sense as equivalent to Amphibia. BaÏtra¶chiÏan (?), a. (Zo”l.) Pertaining to the Batrachia. Ð n. One of the Batrachia. Bat¶raÏchoid (?), a. [Batrachia + Ïoid.] (Zo”l.) Froglike. Specifically: Of or pertaining to the Batrachid‘, a family of marine fishes, including the toadfish. Some have poisonous dorsal spines. Bat·raÏchoÏmyÏom¶aÏchy (?), n. [Gr. ?; ? frog + ? mouse + ? battle.] The battle between the frogs and mice; Ð a Greek parody on the Iliad, of uncertain authorship. Bat·raÏchoph¶aÏgous (?), a. [Gr. ? frog + ? to eat.] Feeding on frogs. Quart. Rev. Bats¶man (?), n.; pl. Batsmen (?). The one who wields the bat in cricket, baseball, etc. Bat's¶Ðwing¶ (?) or Bat¶wing, a. Shaped like a bat's wing; as, a bat'sÐwing burner. ØBat¶ta (?), n. [Prob. through Pg. for Canarese bhatta rice in the husk.] Extra pay; esp. an extra allowance to an English officer serving in India. Whitworth.

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ØBat¶ta (?), n. [Hind. ba??a.] Rate of exchange; also, the discount on uncurrent coins. [India] Bat¶taÏble (?), a. [See Batful.] Capable of culti?ation; fertile; productive; fattening. [Obs.] Burton. Bat¶tailÏant (?), a. [F. bataillant, p. pr. See Battle, v. i. ] [Obs.] Prepared for battle; combatant; warlike. Spenser. Ð n. A combatant. Shelton. Bat¶tailÏous (?), a. [OF. bataillos, fr. bataille. See Battle, n.] Arrayed for battle; fit or eager for battle; warlike. [Obs.] ½In battailous aspect.¸ Milton. BatÏtal¶ia (?), n. [LL. battalia battle, a body of troops. See Battle, n.] 1. Order of battle; disposition or arrangement of troops (brigades, regiments, battalions, etc.), or of a naval force, for action. A drawing up the armies in battalia. Jer. Taylor. 2. An army in battle array; also, the main battalia or body. [Obs.] Shak. BatÏtal¶ion (?), n. [F. bataillon, fr. It. battaglione. See Battalia.] 1. A body of troops; esp. a body of troops or an army in battle array. ½The whole battalion views.¸ Milton. 2. (Mil.) A regiment, or two or more companies of a regiment, esp. when assembled for drill or battle. BatÏtal¶ion (?), v. t. To form into battalions. [R.] Bat¶tel (?), n. [Obs. form. of Battle.] (Old Eng. Law) A single combat; as, trial by battel. See Wager of battel, under Wager. Bat¶tel, n. [Of uncertain etymology.] Provisions ordered from the buttery; also, the charges for them; Ð only in the pl., except when used adjectively. [Univ. of Oxford, Eng.] Bat¶tel, v. i. To be supplied with provisions from the buttery. [Univ. of Oxford, Eng.] Bat¶tel, v. t. [Cf. Batful, Batten, v. i.] To make fertile. [Obs.] ½To battel barren land.¸ Ray. Bat¶tel, a. Fertile; fruitful; productive. [Obs.] A battel soil for grain, for pasture good. Fairfax. Bat¶telÏer (?), Bat¶tler (?), n. [See 2d Battel, n.] A student at Oxford who is supplied with provisions from the buttery; formerly, one who paid for nothing but what he called for, answering nearly to a sizar at Cambridge. Wright. Bat¶ten (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Battened (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Battening.] [See Batful.] 1. To make fat by plenteous feeding; to fatten. ½Battening our flocks.¸ Milton. 2. To fertilize or enrich, as land. Bat¶ten, v. i. To grow fat; to grow fat in ease and luxury; to glut one's self. Dryden. The pampered monarch lay battening in ease. Garth. Skeptics, with a taste for carrion, who batten on the hideous facts in history, Ð persecutions, inquisitions. Emerson. Bat¶ten, n . [F. b?ton stick, staff. See Baton.] A strip of sawed stuff, or a scantling; as, (a) pl. (Com. & Arch.) Sawed timbers about 7 by 2 1/2 inches and not less than 6 feet long. Brande & C. (b) (Naut.) A strip of wood used in fastening the edges of a tarpaulin to the deck, also around masts to prevent chafing. (c) A long, thin strip used to strengthen a part, to cover a crack, etc. Batten door (Arch.), a door made of boards of the whole length of the door, secured by battens nailed crosswise. Bat¶ten, v. t. To furnish or fasten with battens. To batten down, to fasten down with battens, as the tarpaulin over the hatches of a ship during a storm. Bat¶ten, n. [F. battant. See Batter, v. t.] The movable bar of a loom, which strikes home or closes the threads of a woof. Bat¶tenÏing (?), n. (Arch.) Furring done with small pieces nailed directly upon the wall. Bat¶ter (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Battered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Battering.] [OE. bateren, OF. batre, F. battre, fr. LL. battere, for L. batuere to strike, beat; of unknown origin. Cf. Abate, Bate to abate.] 1. To beat with successive blows; to beat repeatedly and with violence, so as to bruise, shatter, or demolish; as, to batter a wall or rampart. 2. To wear or impair as if by beating or by hard usage. ½Each battered jade.¸ Pope. 3. (Metallurgy) To flatten (metal) by hammering, so as to compress it inwardly and spread it outwardly. Bat¶ter, n. [OE. batere, batire; cf. OF. bateure, bature, a beating. See Batter, v. t.] 1. A semiÐliquid mixture of several ingredients, as, flour, eggs, milk, etc., beaten together and used in cookery. King. 2. Paste of clay or loam. Holland. 3. (Printing) A bruise on the face of a plate or of type in the form. Bat¶ter, n. A backward slope in the face of a wall or of a bank; receding slope. Batter rule, an instrument consisting of a rule or frame, and a plumb line, by which the batter or slope of a wall is regulated in building. Bat¶ter, v. i. (Arch.) To slope gently backward. Bat¶ter, n. One who wields a bat; a batsman. Bat¶terÏer (?), n. One who, or that which, batters. Bat¶terÏingÐram· (?), n. 1. (Mil.) An engine used in ancient times to beat down the walls of besieged places. µ It was a large beam, with a head of iron, which was sometimes made to resemble the head of a ram. It was suspended by ropes t a beam supported by posts, and so balanced as to swing backward and forward, and was impelled by men against the wall. Grose. 2. A blacksmith's hammer, suspended, and worked horizontally. Bat¶terÏing train· (?). (Mil.) A train of artillery for siege operations. Bat¶terÏy (?), n.; pl. Batteries (?). [F. batterie, fr. battre. See Batter, v. t.] 1. The act of battering or beating. 2. (Law) The unlawful beating of another. It includes every willful, angry and violent, or negligent touching of another's person or clothes, or anything attached to his person or held by him. 3. (Mil.) (a) Any place where cannon or mortars are mounted, for attack or defense. (b) Two or more pieces of artillery in the field. (c) A company or division of artillery, including the gunners, guns, horses, and all equipments. In the United States, a battery of flying artillery consists usually of six guns. Barbette battery. See Barbette. Ð Battery d'enfilade, or Enfilading battery, one that sweeps the whole length of a line of troops or part of a work. Ð Battery en ‚charpe, one that plays obliquely. Ð Battery gun, a gun capable of firing a number, of shots simultaneously or successively without stopping to load. Ð Battery wagon, a wagon employed to transport the tools and materials for repair of the carriages, etc., of the battery. Ð In battery, projecting, as a gun, into an embrasure or over a parapet in readiness for firing. Ð Masked battery, a battery artificially concealed until required to open upon the enemy. Ð Out of battery, or From battery, withdrawn, as a gun, to a position for loading. 4. (Elec.) (a) A number of coated jars (Leyden jars) so connected that they may be charged and discharged simultaneously. (b) An apparatus for generating voltaic electricity. µ In the trough battery, copper and zinc plates, connected in pairs, divide the trough into cells, which are filled with an acid or oxidizing liquid; the effect is exhibited when wires connected with the two endÐplates are brought together. In Daniell's battery, the metals are zinc and copper, the former in dilute sulphuric acid, or a solution of sulphate of zinc, the latter in a saturated solution of sulphate of copper. A modification of this is the common gravity battery, so called from the automatic action of the two fluids, which are separated by their specific gravities. In Grove's battery, platinum is the metal used with zinc; two fluids are used, one of them in a porous cell surrounded by the other. In Bunsen's or the carbon battery, the carbon of gas coke is substituted for the platinum of Grove's. In Leclanch‚'s battery, the elements are zinc in a solution of ammonium chloride, and gas carbon surrounded with manganese dioxide in a porous cell. A secondary battery is a battery which usually has the two plates of the same kind, generally of lead, in dilute sulphuric acid, and which, when traversed by an electric current, becomes charged, and is then capable of giving a current of itself for a time, owing to chemical changes produced by the charging current. A storage battery is a kind of secondary battery used for accumulating and storing the energy of electrical charges or currents, usually by means of chemical work done by them; an accumulator. 5. A number of similar machines or devices in position; an apparatus consisting of a set of similar parts; as, a battery of boilers, of retorts, condensers, etc. 6. (Metallurgy) A series of stamps operated by one motive power, for crushing ores containing the precious metals. Knight. 7. The box in which the stamps for crushing ore play up and down. 8. (Baseball) The pitcher and catcher together. Bat¶ting (?), n. 1. The act of one who bats; the management of a bat in playing games of ball. Mason. 2. Cotton in sheets, prepared for use in making quilts, etc.; as, cotton batting. Bat¶tle (?), a. Fertile. See Battel, a. [Obs.] Bat¶tle, n. [OE. bataille, bataile, F. bataille battle, OF., battle, battalion, fr. L. battalia, battualia, the fighting and fencing exercises of soldiers and gladiators, fr. batuere to strike, beat. Cf. Battalia, 1st Battel, and see Batter, v. t. ] 1. A general action, fight, or encounter, in which all the divisions of an army are or may be engaged; an engagement; a combat. 2. A struggle; a contest; as, the battle of life. The whole intellectual battle that had at its center the best poem of the best poet of that day. H. Morley. 3. A division of an army; a battalion. [Obs.] The king divided his army into three battles. Bacon. The cavalry, by way of distinction, was called the battle, and on it alone depended the fate of every action. Robertson. 4. The main body, as distinct from the van and rear; battalia. [Obs.] Hayward. µ Battle is used adjectively or as the first part of a selfÐexplaining compound; as, battle brand, a ½brand¸ or sword used in battle; battle cry; battlefield; battle ground; battlearray; battle song. Battle piece, a painting, or a musical composition, representing a battle. Ð Battle royal. (a) A fight between several gamecocks, where the one that stands longest is the victor. Grose. (b) A contest with fists or cudgels in which more than two are engaged; a mˆl‚e. Thackeray. Ð Drawn battle, one in which neither party gains the victory. Ð To give battle, to attack an enemy. Ð To join battle, to meet the attack; to engage in battle. Ð Pitched battle, one in which the armies are previously drawn up in form, with a regular disposition of the forces. Ð Wager of battle. See under Wager, n. Syn. Ð Conflict; encounter; contest; action. Battle, Combat, Fight, Engagement. These words agree in denoting a close encounter between contending parties. Fight is a word of less dignity than the others. Except in poetry, it is more naturally applied to the encounter of a few individuals, and more commonly an accidental one; as, a street fight. A combat is a close encounter, whether between few or many, and is usually premeditated. A battle is commonly more general and prolonged. An engagement supposes large numbers on each side, engaged or intermingled in the conflict. Bat¶tle (?), v. i. [imp. & p.p. Battled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Battling.] [F. batailler, fr. bataille. See Battle, n.] To join in battle; to contend in fight; as, to battle over theories. To meet in arms, and battle in the plain. Prior. Bat¶tle, v. t. To assail in battle; to fight. Bat¶tleÐax· Bat¶tleÐaxe· } (?), n. (Mil.) A kind of broadax formerly used as an offensive weapon. Bat¶tled (?), p. p. Embattled. [Poetic] Tennyson. Bat¶tleÏdoor· (?), n. [OE. batyldour. A corrupted form of uncertain origin; cf. Sp. batallador a great combatant, he who has fought many battles, Pg. batalhador, Pr. batalhador, warrior, soldier, fr. L. battalia; or cf. Pr. batedor batlet, fr. batre to beat, fr. L. batuere. See Battle, n.] 1. An instrument, with a handle and a flat part covered with parchment or crossed with catgut, used to strike a shuttlecock in play; also, the play of battledoor and shuttlecock. 2. [OE. battleder.] A child's hornbook. [Obs.] Halliwell. Bat¶tleÏment (?), n. [OE. batelment; cf. OF. bataillement combat, fr. batailler, also OF. bastillier, bateillier, to fortify. Cf. Battle, n., Bastile, Bastion.] (Arch.) (a) One of the solid upright parts of a parapet in ancient fortifications. (b) pl. The whole parapet, consisting of alternate solids and open spaces. At first purely a military feature, afterwards copied on a smaller scale with decorative features, as for churches. Bat¶tleÏmentÏed (?), a. Having battlements. A battlemented portal. Sir W. Scott. BatÏtol¶oÏgist (?), n. One who battologizes. BatÏtol¶oÏgize (?), v. t. To keep repeating needlessly; to iterate. Sir T. Herbert. BatÏtol¶oÏgy (?), n. [F. battologie, fr. Gr. ?; ? a stammerer + ? speech.] A needless repetition of words in speaking or writing. Milton. Bat¶ton (?), n. See Batten, and Baton. ØBat¶tue· (?), n. [F. battue, fr. battre to beat. See Batter, v. t., and cf. Battuta.] (Hunting) (a) The act of beating the woods, bushes, etc., for game. (b) The game itself. (c) The wanton slaughter of game. Howitt. ØBat·ture¶ (?), n. [F., fr. battre to beat. ] An elevated river bed or sea bed. ØBatÏtu¶ta (?), n. [It. battuta, fr. battere to beat.] (Mus.) The measuring of time by beating. Bat¶ty (?), a. Belonging to, or resembling, a bat. ½Batty wings.¸ Shak. Bat¶ule (?), n. A springboard in a circus or gymnasium; Ð called also batule board. ØBatz (?), n.; pl. Batzen (?). [Ger. batz, batze, batzen, a coin bearing the image of a bear, Ger. b„tz, betz, bear.] A small copper coin, with a mixture of silver, formerly current in some parts of Germany and Switzerland. It was worth about four cents. BauÏbee¶ (?), n. Same as Bawbee. Bau¶ble (?), n. [Cf. OF. baubel a child's plaything, F. babiole, It. babbola, LL. baubellum gem, jewel, L. babulus,a baburrus, foolish.] 1. A trifling piece of finery; a gewgaw; that which is gay and showy without real value; a cheap, showy plaything. The ineffective bauble of an Indian pagod. Sheridan. 2. The fool's club. [Obs.] ½A fool's bauble was a short stick with a head ornamented with an ass's ears fantastically carved upon it.¸ Nares. Bau¶bling (?), a. See Bawbling. [Obs.] Bau¶deÏkin (?), n. [OE. bawdekin rich silk stuff, OF. baudequin. See Baldachin.] The richest kind of stuff used in garments in the Middle Ages, the web being gold, and the woof silk, with embroidery : Ð made originally at Bagdad. [Spelt also baudkin, baudkyn, bawdekin, and baldakin.] Nares. Bau¶drick (?), n. A belt. See Baldric. Bauk, Baulk (?), n. & v. See Balk. Baun¶scheidtÏism (?), n. [From the introducer, a German named Baunscheidt.] (Med.) A form of acupuncture, followed by the rubbing of the part with a stimulating fluid. Baux¶ite, Beaux¶ite (?), n. [F., fr. Baux or Beaux, near Arles.] (Min.) A ferruginous hydrate of alumina. It is largely used in the preparation of aluminium and alumina, and for the lining of furnaces which are exposed to intense heat. BaÏva¶riÏan (?), a. Of or pertaining to Bavaria. Ð n. A native or an inhabitant of Bavaria. Bavarian cream. See under Cream. Bav¶aÏroy (?), n. [F. Bavarois Bavarian.] A kind of cloak or surtout. [Obs.] Johnson. Let the looped bavaroy the fop embrace. Gay.

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Ba¶viÏan (?), n. [See Baboon.] A baboon.
Bav¶in (?), n. [Cf. Gael. & Ir. baban tuft, tassel.] 1. A fagot of brushwood, or other light combustible matter, for kindling fires; refuse of brushwood. [Obs. or Dial. Eng.]
2. Impure limestone. [Prov. Eng.]
Wright.
BawÏbee¶ (?), n. [Perh. corrupt. fr. halfpenny.] A halfpenny. [Spelt also baubee.] [Scot. & Prov. Eng.]
Baw¶ble (?), n. A trinket. See Bauble.
Baw¶bling, a. Insignificant; contemptible. [Obs.]
Baw¶cock (?), n. [From F. beau fine + E. cock (the bird); or more prob. fr. OF. baud bold, gay + E. cock. Cf. Bawd.] A fine fellow; Ð a term of endearment. [Obs.] ½How now, my bawcock ?¸
Shak.
Bawd (?), n. [OE. baude, OF. balt, baut, baude, bold, merry, perh. fr. OHG. bald bold; or fr. Celtic, cf. W. baw dirt. Cf. Bold, Bawdry.] A person who keeps a house of prostitution, or procures women for a lewd purpose; a procurer or procuress; a lewd person; Ð usually applied to a woman.
Bawd, v. i. To procure women for lewd purposes.
Bawd¶iÏly (?), adv. Obscenely; lewdly.
Bawd¶iÏness, n. Obscenity; lewdness.
Bawd¶rick (?), n. A belt. See Baldric.
Bawd¶ry (?), n. [OE. baudery, OF. bauderie, balderie, boldness, joy. See Bawd.] 1. The practice of procuring women for the gratification of lust.
2. Illicit intercourse; fornication.
Shak.
3. Obscenity; filthy, unchaste language. ½The pert style of the pit bawdry.¸
Steele.
Bawd¶y, a. /1. Dirty; foul; Ð said of clothes. [Obs.]
It [a garment] is al bawdy and toÐtore also.
Chaucer.
2. Obscene; filthy; unchaste. ½A bawdy story.¸
Burke.
Baw¶dyÏhouse· (?), n. A house of prostitution; a house of ill fame; a brothel.
Baw¶horse· (?), n. Same as Bathorse.
Bawl (?), v. i. [imp. & p.p. Bawled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bawling.] [Icel. baula to low, bellow, as a cow; akin to Sw. b”la; cf. AS bellan, G. bellen to bark, E. bellow, bull.] 1. To cry out with a loud, full sound; to cry with vehemence, as in calling or exultation; to shout; to vociferate.
2. To cry loudly, as a child from pain or vexation.
Bawl, v. t. To proclaim with a loud voice, or by outcry, as a hawker or townÐcrier does.
Swift.
Bawl, n. A loud, prolonged cry; an outcry.
Bawl¶er (?), n. One who bawls.
Bawn (?), n. [Ir. & Gael. babhun inclosure, bulwark.] 1. An inclosure with mud or stone walls, for keeping cattle; a fortified inclosure. [Obs.]
Spenser.
2. A large house. [Obs.]
Swift.
Baw¶rel (?), n. [Cf. It. barletta a tree falcon, or hobby.] A kind of hawk. [Obs.]
Halliwell.
Baw¶sin (?), Baw¶son (?), } n. [OE. bawson, baucyne, badger (named from its color), OF. bauzan, baucant, bauchant, spotted with white, pied; cf. It. balzano, F. balzan, a whiteÐfooted horse, It. balza border, trimming, fr. L. balteus belt, border, edge. Cf. Belt.] 1. A badger. [Obs.]
B. Jonson.
2. A large, unwieldy person. [Obs.]
Nares.
Bax¶ter (?), n. [OE. bakestre, bakistre, AS. b‘cestre, prop. fem. of b‘cere baker. See Baker.] A baker; originally, a female baker. [Old Eng. & Scotch]
Bay (?), a. [F. bai, fr. L. badius brown, chestnutcolored; Ð used only of horses.] Reddish brown; of the color of a chestnut; Ð applied to the color of horses.
Bay cat (Zo”l.), a wild cat of Africa and the East Indies (Felis aurata). Ð Bay lynx (Zo”l.), the common American lynx (Felis, or Lynx, rufa).
Bay, n. [F. baie, fr. LL. baia. Of uncertain origin: cf. Ir. & Gael. badh or bagh bay harbor, creek; Bisc. baia, baiya, harbor, and F. bayer to gape, open the mouth.] 1. (Geol.) An inlet of the sea, usually smaller than a gulf, but of the same general character.
µ The name is not used with much precision, and is often applied to large tracts of water, around which the land forms a curve; as, Hudson's Bay. The name is not restricted to tracts of water with a narrow entrance, but is used foe any recess or inlet between capes or headlands; as, the Bay of Biscay.
2. A small body of water set off from the main body; as a compartment containing water for a wheel; the portion of a canal just outside of the gates of a lock, etc.
3. A recess or indentation shaped like a bay.
4. A principal compartment of the walls, roof, or other part of a building, or of the whole building, as marked off by the buttresses, vaulting, mullions of a window, etc.; one of the main divisions of any structure, as the part of a bridge between two piers.
5. A compartment in a barn, for depositing hay, or grain in the stalks.
6. A kind of mahogany obtained from Campeachy Bay.
Sick bay, in vessels of war, that part of a deck appropriated to the use of the sick.
Totten.
Bay, n. [ F. baie a berry, the fruit of the laurel and other trees, fr. L. baca, bacca, a small round fruit, a berry, akin to Lith. bapka laurel berry.] 1. A berry, particularly of the laurel. [Obs.]
2. The laurel tree (Laurus nobilis). Hence, in the plural, an honorary garland or crown bestowed as a prize for victory or excellence, anciently made or consisting of branches of the laurel.
The patriot's honors and the poet's bays.
Trumbull.
3. A tract covered with bay trees. [Local, U. S.]
Bay leaf, the leaf of the bay tree (Laurus nobilis). It has a fragrant odor and an aromatic taste.
Bay, v. i. [imp. & p.p. Bayed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Baying.] [ OE. bayen, abayen, OF. abaier, F. aboyer, to bark; of uncertain origin.] To bark, as a dog with a deep voice does, at his game.
The hounds at nearer distance hoarsely bayed.
Dryden.
Bay (?), v. t. To bark at; hence, to follow with barking; to bring or drive to bay; as, to bay the bear.
Shak.
Bay (?), n. [See Bay, v. i.] 1. DeepÐtoned, prolonged barking. ½The bay of curs.¸
Cowper.
2. [OE. bay, abay, OF. abai, F. aboi barking, pl. abois, prop. the extremity to which the stag is reduced when surrounded by the dogs, barking (aboyant); aux abois at or a difficulty, when escape has become impossible.
Embolden'd by despair, he stood at bay.
Dryden.
The most terrible evils are just kept at bay by incessant efforts.
I. Taylor
Bay, v. t. [Cf. OE. b‘wen to bathe, and G. b„hen to foment.] To bathe. [Obs.]
Spenser.
Bay, n. A bank or dam to keep back water.
Bay, v. t. To dam, as water; Ð with up or back.
ØBa¶ya (?), n. [Native name.] (Zo”l.) The East Indian weaver bird (Ploceus Philippinus).
ØBaÏyad¶ (?), BaÏyatte¶ (?), n. [Ar. bayad.] (Zo”l.) A large, edible, siluroid fish of the Nile, of two species (Bagrina bayad and B. docmac).
Ba·yaÏdere¶ (?), n. [F., from Pg. bailadeira a female dancer, bailar to dance.] A female dancer in the East Indies. [Written also bajadere.]
Bay¶Ðant·ler (?), n. [See BezÐAntler.] (Zo”l.) The second tine of a stag's horn. See under Antler.
Bay¶ard (?), n. 1. [OF. bayard, baiart, bay horse; bai bay + Ïard. See Bay, a., and Ïard.] Properly, a bay horse, but often any horse. Commonly in the phrase blind bayard, an old blind horse.
Blind bayard moves the mill.
Philips.
2. [Cf. F. bayeur, fr. bayer to gape.] A stupid, clownish fellow. [Obs.]
B. Jonson.
Bay¶ardÏly, a. Blind; stupid. [Obs.] ½A formal and bayardly round of duties.¸
Goodman.
Bay¶berÏry (?), n. (Bot.) (a) The fruit of the bay tree or Laurus nobilis. (b) A tree of the West Indies related to the myrtle (Pimenta acris). (c) The fruit of Myrica cerifera (wax myrtle); the shrub itself; Ð called also candleberry tree.
Bayberry tallow, a fragrant green wax obtained from the bayberry or wax myrtle; Ð called also myrtle wax.
Bay¶bolt· (?), n. A bolt with a barbed shank.
Bayed (?), a. Having a bay or bays. ½The large bayed barn.¸
Drayton.
Bay¶ ice· (?). See under Ice.
Bay¶ leaf· (?). See under 3d Bay.
Bay¶oÏnet (?), n. [F. bayonnette, ba‹onnette; Ð so called, it is said, because the first bayonets were made at Bayonne.]
1. (Mil.) A pointed instrument of the dagger kind fitted on the muzzle of a musket or rifle, so as to give the soldier increased means of offense and defense.
µ Originally, the bayonet was made with a handle, which required to be fitted into the bore of the musket after the soldier had fired.
2. (Mach.) A pin which plays in and out of holes made to receive it, and which thus serves to engage or disengage parts of the machinery.
Bayonet clutch. See Clutch. Ð Bayonet joint, a form of coupling similar to that by which a bayonet is fixed on the barrel of a musket.
Knight.
Bay¶oÏnet, v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bayoneted; p. pr. & vb. n. Bayoneting.] 1. To stab with a bayonet.
2. To compel or drive by the bayonet.
To bayonet us into submission.
Burke.
Bay¶ou (?), n.; pl. Bayous (?). [North Am. Indian bayuk, in F. spelling bayouc, bayouque.] An inlet from the Gulf of Mexico, from a lake, or from a large river, sometimes sluggish, sometimes without perceptible movement except from tide and wind. [Southern U. S.]
A dark slender thread of a bayou moves loiteringly northeastward into a swamp of huge cypresses.
G. W. Cable.
Bay¶ rum¶ (?). A fragrant liquid, used for cosmetic and medicinal purposes.
µ The original bay rum, from the West Indies, is prepared, it is believed, by distillation from the leaves of the bayberry (Myrcia acris). The bay rum of the Pharmacop?ia (spirit of myrcia) is prepared from oil of myrcia (bayberry), oil of orange peel, oil of pimento, alcohol, and water.
Bays, Bayze (?), n. See Baize. [Obs.]
Bay¶ salt· (?). Salt which has been obtained from sea water, by evaporation in shallow pits or basins, by the heat of the sun; the large crystalline salt of commerce.
Bacon. Ure.
Bay¶ tree·. A species of laurel. (Laurus nobilis).
Bay¶ win¶dow (?). (Arch.) A window forming a bay or recess in a room, and projecting outward from the wall, either in a rectangular, polygonal, or semicircular form; Ð often corruptly called a bow window.
Bay¶ yarn· (?). Woolen yarn. [Prov. Eng.]
Wright.
BaÏzaar¶ BaÏzar¶ } (?), n. [Per. b¾zar market.] 1. In the East, an exchange, marketplace, or assemblage of shops where goods are exposed for sale.
2. A spacious hall or suite of rooms for the sale of goods, as at a fair.
3. A fair for the sale of fancy wares, toys, etc., commonly for a charitable objects.
Macaulay.
Bdel¶lium (?), n. [L., fr. Gr. ?; cf. Heb. b'dolakh bdellium (in sense 1).] 1. An unidentified substance mentioned in the Bible (Gen. ii. 12, and Num. xi. 7), variously taken to be a gum, a precious stone, or pearls, or perhaps a kind of amber found in Arabia.
2. A gum resin of reddish brown color, brought from India, Persia, and Africa.
µ Indian bdellium or false myrrh is an exudation from Balsamodendron Roxb?rghii. Other kinds are known as African, Sicilian, etc.
ØBdelÏloi¶deÏa (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. ? leech + Ïoid.] (Zo”l.) The order of Annulata which includes the leeches. See Hirudinea.
BdelÏlom¶eÏter (?), n. [Gr. ? leech + Ïmeter.] (Med.) A cupping glass to which are attached a scarificator and an exhausting syringe.
Dunglison.
ØBdel·loÏmor¶pha (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. ? leech + ? form.] (Zo”l.) An order of Nemertina, including the large leechlike worms (Malacobdella) often parasitic in clams.
Be (?), v. i. [imp. Was (?); p. p. Been (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Being.] [OE. been, beon, AS. be¢n to be, be¢m I am; akin to OHG. bim, pim, G. bin, I am, Gael. & Ir. bu was, W. bod to be, Lith. buÐti, O. Slav. byÐti, to be, L. fuÐi I have been, fuÐturus about to be, foÐre to be about to be, and perh to fieri to become, Gr. ? to be born, to be, Skr. bh? to be. This verb is defective, and the parts lacking are supplied by verbs from other roots, is, was, which have no radical connection with be. The various forms, am, are, is, was, were, etc., are considered grammatically as parts of the verb ½to be¸, which, with its conjugational forms, is often called the substantive verb. ?97. Cf. Future, Physic.] 1. To exist actually, or in the world of fact; to have ex?stence.
To be contents his natural desire.
Pope.

To be, or not to be: that is the question.
Shak.
2. To exist in a certain manner or relation, Ð whether as a reality or as a product of thought; to exist as the subject of a certain predicate, that is, as having a certain attribute, or as belonging to a certain sort, or as identical with what is specified, Ð a word or words for the predicate being annexed; as, to be happy; to be here; to be large, or strong; to be an animal; to be a hero; to be a nonentity; three and two are five; annihilation is the cessation of existence; that is the man.
3. To take place; to happen; as, the meeting was on Thursday.
4. To signify; to represent or symbolize; to answer to.
The field is the world.
Matt. xiii. 38.
The seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
Rev.i. 20.
µ The verb to be (including the forms is, was, etc.) is used in forming the passive voice of other verbs; as, John has been struck by James. It is also used with the past participle of many intransitive verbs to express a state of the subject. But have is now more commonly used as the auxiliary, though expressing a different sense; as, ½Ye have come too late Ð but ye are come. ¸ ½The minstrel boy to the war is gone.¸ The present and imperfect tenses form, with the infinitive, a particular future tense, which expresses necessity, duty, or purpose; as, government is to be supported; we are to pay our just debts; the deed is to be signed toÐmorrow.
Have or had been, followed by to, implies movement. ½I have been to Paris.¸ Sydney Smith. ½Have you been to Franchard ?¸ R. L. Slevenson.
µ Been, or ben, was anciently the plural of the indicative present. ½Ye ben light of the world.¸ Wyclif, Matt. v. 14. Afterwards be was used, as in our Bible: ½They that be with us are more than they that be with them.¸ 2 Kings vi. 16. Ben was also the old infinitive: ½To ben of such power.¸ R. of Gloucester. Be is used as a form of the present subjunctive: ½But if it be a question of words and names.¸ Acis xviii. 15. But the indicative forms, is and are, with if, are more commonly used.
Be it so, a phrase of supposition, equivalent to suppose it to be so; or of permission, signifying let it be so. Shak. Ð If so be, in case. Ð To be from, to have come from; as, from what place are you ? I am from Chicago. Ð To let be, to omit, or leave untouched; to let alone. ½Let be, therefore, my vengeance to dissuade.¸
Spenser.
Syn. Ð To be, Exist. The verb to be, except in a few rare case, like that of Shakespeare's ½To be, or not to be¸, is used simply as a copula, to connect a subject with its predicate; as, man is mortal; the soul is immortal. The verb to exist is never properly used as a mere copula, but points to things that stand forth, or have a substantive being; as, when the soul is freed from all corporeal alliance, then it truly exists. It is not, therefore, properly synonymous with to be when used as a copula, though occasionally made so by some writers for the sake of variety; as in the phrase ½there exists [is] no reason for laying new taxes.¸ We may, indeed, say, ½a friendship has long existed between them,¸ instead of saying, ½there has long been a friendship between them;¸ but in this case, exist is not a mere copula. It is used in its appropriate sense to mark the friendship as having been long in existence.
BeÏ. [AS. be, and in accented form bÆ, akin to OS. be and bÆ, OHG. bi, pi, and pÆ, MHG. be and bÆ, G. be and bei, Goth. bi, and perh. Gr. ? about (cf. AS. bese¢n to look about). ?203. Gr. By, AmbÏ.] A prefix, originally the same word as by; joined with verbs, it serves: (a) To intensify the meaning; as, bespatter, bestir. (b) To render an intransitive verb transitive; as, befall (to fall upon); bespeak (to speak for). (c) To make the action of a verb particular or definite; as, beget (to get as offspring); beset (to set around).
It is joined with certain substantives, and a few adjectives, to form verbs; as, bedew, befriend, benight, besot; belate (to make late); belittle (to make little). It also occurs in certain nouns, adverbs, and prepositions,

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often with something of the force of the preposition by, or about; as, belief (believe), behalf, bequest (bequeath); because, before, beneath, beside, between. In some words the original force of be is obscured or lost; as, in become, begin, behave, behoove, belong. Beach (?), n.; pl. Beaches (?). [Cf. Sw. backe hill, Dan. bakke, Icel. bakki hill, bank. Cf. Bank.] 1. Pebbles, collectively; shingle. 2. The shore of the sea, or of a lake, which is washed by the waves; especially, a sandy or pebbly shore; the strand.

Beach flea (Zo”l.), the common name of many species of amphipod Crustacea, of the family Orchestid‘, living on the sea beaches, and leaping like fleas. Ð Beach grass (Bot.), a coarse grass (Ammophila arundinacea), growing on the sandy shores of lakes and seas, which, by its interlaced running rootstocks, binds the sand together, and resists the encroachment of the waves. Ð Beach wagon, a light open wagon with two or more seats. Ð Raised beach, an accumulation of waterÐworn stones, gravel, sand, and other shore deposits, above the present level of wave action, whether actually raised by elevation of the coast, as in Norway, or left by the receding waters, as in many lake and river regions.
Beach, v. t. [imp. & p.p. Beached (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Beaching.] To run or drive (as a vessel or a boat) upon a beach; to strand; as, to beach a ship.
Beach¶ comb·er (?). A long, curling wave rolling in from the ocean. See Comber. [Amer.]
Beached (?), p. p. & a. 1. Bordered by a beach.
The beached verge of the salt flood.
Shak.
2. Driven on a beach; stranded; drawn up on a beach; as, the ship is beached.
Beach¶y (?), a. Having a beach or beaches; formed by a beach or beaches; shingly.
The beachy girdle of the ocean.
Shak.
Bea¶con (?), n. [OE. bekene, AS. be cen, b?cen; akin to OS. b?kan, Fries. baken, beken, sign, signal, D. baak, OHG. bouhhan, G. bake; of unknown origin. Cf. Beckon.] 1. A signal fire to notify of the approach of an enemy, or to give any notice, commonly of warning.
No flaming beacons cast their blaze afar.
Gay.
2. A signal or conspicuous mark erected on an eminence near the shore, or moored in shoal water, as a guide to mariners.
3. A high hill near the shore. [Prov. Eng.]
4. That which gives notice of danger.
Modest doubt is called
The beacon of the wise.
Shak.
Beacon fire, a signal fire.
Bea¶con, v. t. [imp. & p.p. Beaconed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Beaconing.] 1. To give light to, as a beacon; to light up; to illumine.
That beacons the darkness of heaven.
Campbell.
2. To furnish with a beacon or beacons.
Bea¶conÏage (?), n. Money paid for the maintenance of a beacon; also, beacons, collectively.
Bea¶conÏless, a. Having no beacon.
Bead (?), n. [OE. bede prayer, prayer bead, AS. bed, gebed, prayer; akin to D. bede, G. bitte, AS. biddan, to ask, bid, G. bitten to ask, and perh. to Gr. ? to persuade, L. fidere to trust. Beads are used by the Roman Catholics to count their prayers, one bead being dropped down a string every time a prayer is said. Cf. Sp. cuenta bead, fr. contar to count. See Bid, in to bid beads, and Bide.] 1. A prayer. [Obs.]
2. A little perforated ball, to be strung on a thread, and worn for ornament; or used in a rosary for counting prayers, as by Roman Catholics and Mohammedans, whence the phrases to tell beads, to at one's beads, to bid beads, etc., meaning, to be at prayer.
3. Any small globular body; as, (a) A bubble in spirits. (b) A drop of sweat or other liquid. ½Cold beads of midnight dew.¸ Wordsworth. (c) A small knob of metal on a firearm, used for taking aim (whence the expression to draw a bead, for, to take aim). (d) (Arch.) A small molding of rounded surface, the section being usually an arc of a circle. It may be continuous, or broken into short embossments. (e) (Chem.) A glassy drop of molten flux, as borax or microcosmic salt, used as a solvent and color test for several mineral earths and oxides, as of iron, manganese, etc., before the blowpipe; as, the borax bead; the iron bead, etc.
Bead and butt (Carp.), framing in which the panels are flush, having beads stuck or run upon the two edges. Knight. Ð Beat mold, a species of fungus or mold, the stems of which consist of single cells loosely jointed together so as to resemble a string of beads. [Written also bead mould.] Ð Bead tool, a cutting tool, having an edge curved so as to make beads or beading. Ð Bead tree (Bot.), a tree of the genus Melia, the best known species of which (M. azedarach), has blue flowers which are very fragrant, and berries which are poisonous.
Bead, v. t. [imp. & p.p. Beaded; p. pr. & vb. n. Beading.] To ornament with beads or beading.
Bead, v. i. To form beadlike bubbles.
Bead¶house·, Bede¶house· (?), n. [OE. bede prayer + E. house. See Bead, n.] An almshouse for poor people who pray daily for their benefactors.
Bead¶ing, n. 1. (Arch.) Molding in imitation of beads.
2. The beads or beadÐforming quality of certain liquors; as, the beading of a brand of whisky.
Bea¶dle (?), n. [OE. bedel, bidel, budel, OF. bedel, F. bedeau, fr. OHG. butil, putil, G. bttel, fr. OHG. biotan, G. bieten, to bid, confused with AS. bydel, the same word as OHG. butil. See. Bid, v.] 1. A messenger or crier of a court; a servitor; one who cites or bids persons to appear and answer; Ð called also an apparitor or summoner.
2. An officer in a university, who precedes public processions of officers and students. [Eng.]
µ In this sense the archaic spellings bedel (Oxford) and bedell (Cambridge) are preserved.
3. An inferior parish officer in England having a variety of duties, as the preservation of order in church service, the chastisement of petty offenders, etc.
Bea¶dleÏry (?), n. Office or jurisdiction of a beadle.]
Bea¶dleÏship, n. The state of being, or the personality of, a beadle.
A. Wood.
Bead¶ proof· (?). 1. Among distillers, a certain degree of strength in alcoholic liquor, as formerly ascertained by the floating or sinking of glass globules of different specific gravities thrown into it; now ascertained by more accurate meters.
2. A degree of strength in alcoholic liquor as shown by beads or small bubbles remaining on its surface, or at the side of the glass, when shaken.
Bead¶roll· (?), n. (R. C. Ch.) A catalogue of persons, for the rest of whose souls a certain number of prayers are to be said or counted off on the beads of a chaplet; hence, a catalogue in general.
On Fame's eternal beadroll worthy to be field.
Spenser.
It is quite startling, on going over the beadroll of English worthies, to find how few are directly represented in the male line.
Quart. Rev.
Beads¶man, Bedes¶man (?), n.; pl. Ïmen (?). A poor man, supported in a beadhouse, and required to pray for the soul of its founder; an almsman.
Whereby ye shall bind me to be your poor beadsman for ever unto Almighty God.
Fuller.
Bead¶snake· (?), n. (Zo”l.) A small poisonous snake of North America (Elaps fulvius), banded with yellow, red, and black.
Beads¶wom·an, Bedes¶wom·an (?), n.; pl. Ïwomen (?). Fem. of Beadsman.
Bead¶work· (?), n. Ornamental work in beads.
Bead¶y (?), a. 1. Resembling beads; small, round, and glistening. ½Beady eyes.¸
Thackeray.
2. Covered or ornamented with, or as with, beads.
3. Characterized by beads; as, beady liquor.
Bea¶gle (?), n. [OE. begele; perh. of Celtic origin; cf. Ir. & Gael. beag small, little, W. bach. F. bigle is from English.] 1. A small hound, or hunting dog, twelve to fifteen inches high, used in hunting hares and other small game. See Illustration in Appendix.
2. Fig.: A spy or detective; a constable.
Beak (?), n. [OE. bek, F. bec, fr. Celtic; cf. Gael. & Ir. bac, bacc, hook, W. bach.] 1. (Zo”l.) (a) The bill or nib of a bird, consisting of a horny sheath, covering the jaws. The form varied much according to the food and habits of the bird, and is largely used in the classification of birds. (b) A similar bill in other animals, as the turtles. (c) The long projecting sucking mouth of some insects, and other invertebrates, as in the Hemiptera. (d) The upper or projecting part of the shell, near the hinge of a bivalve. (e) The prolongation of certain univalve shells containing the canal.
2. Anything projecting or ending in a point, like a beak, as a promontory of land.
Carew.
3. (Antiq.) A beam, shod or armed at the end with a metal head or point, and projecting from the prow of an ancient galley, in order to pierce the vessel of an enemy; a beakhead.
4. (Naut.) That part of a ship, before the forecastle, which is fastened to the stem, and supported by the main knee.
5. (Arch.) A continuous slight projection ending in an arris or narrow fillet; that part of a drip from which the water is thrown off.
6. (Bot.) Any process somewhat like the beak of a bird, terminating the fruit or other parts of a plant.
7. (Far.) A toe clip. See Clip, n. (Far.)
8. A magistrate or policeman. [Slang, Eng.]
Beaked (?), a. 1. Having a beak or a beaklike point; beakÐshaped. ½Each beaked promontory.¸
Milton.
2. (Biol.) Furnished with a process or a mouth like a beak; rostrate.
Beaked whale (Zo”l.), a cetacean of the genus Hyperoodon; the bottlehead whale.
Beak¶er (?), n. [OE. biker; akin to Icel. bikarr, Sw. b„gare, Dan. baeger, G. becher, It. bicchiere; Ð all fr. LL. bicarium, prob. fr. Gr. ? wine jar, or perh. L. bacar wine vessel. Cf. Pitcher a jug.] 1. A large drinking cup, with a wide mouth, supported on a foot or standard.
2. An openÐmouthed, thin glass vessel, having a projecting lip for pouring; Ð used for holding solutions requiring heat.
Knight.
Beak¶head· (?), n. 1. (Arch.) An ornament used in rich Norman doorways, resembling a head with a beak.
Parker.
2. (Naut.) (a) A small platform at the fore part of the upper deck of a vessel, which contains the water closets of the crew. (b) (Antiq.) Same as Beak, 3.
Beak¶iÏron (?), n. [From Bickern.] A bickern; a bench anvil with a long beak, adapted to reach the interior surface of sheet metal ware; the horn of an anvil.
Beal (?), n. [See Boil a tumor.] (Med.) A small inflammatory tumor; a pustule. [Prov. Eng.]
Beal, v. i. [imp. & p.p. Bealed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bealing.] To gather matter; to swell and come to a head, as a pimple. [Prov. Eng.]
Be¶Ðall· (?), n. The whole; all that is to be. [Poetic]
Shak.
Beam (?), n. [AS. be m beam, post, tree, ray of light; akin to OFries. b¾m tree, OS. b?m, D. boom, OHG. boum, poum, G. baum, Icel. ba?mr, Goth. bahms and Gr. ? a growth, ? to become, to be. Cf. L. radius staff, rod, spoke of a wheel, beam or ray, and G. strahl arrow, spoke of a wheel, ray or beam, flash of lightning. ?97. See Be; cf. Boom a spar.] 1. Any large piece of timber or iron long in proportion to its thickness, and prepared for use.
2. One of the principal horizontal timbers of a building or ship.
The beams of a vessel are strong pieces of timber stretching across from side to side to support the decks.
Totten.
3. The width of a vessel; as, one vessel is said to have more beam than another.
4. The bar of a balance, from the ends of which the scales are suspended.
The doubtful beam long nods from side to side.
Pope.
5. The principal stem or horn of a stag or other deer, which bears the antlers, or branches.
6. The pole of a carriage. [Poetic]
Dryden.
7. A cylinder of wood, making part of a loom, on which weavers wind the warp before weaving; also, the cylinder on which the cloth is rolled, as it is woven; one being called the fore beam, the other the back beam.
8. The straight part or shank of an anchor.
9. The main part of a plow, to which the handles and colter are secured, and to the end of which are attached the oxen or horses that draw it.
10. (Steam Engine) A heavy iron lever having an oscillating motion on a central axis, one end of which is connected with the piston rod from which it receives motion, and the other with the crank of the wheel shaft? Ð called also working beam or walking beam.
11. A ray or collection of parallel rays emitted from the sun or other luminous body; as, a beam of light, or of heat.
How far that little candle throws his beams !
Shak.
12. Fig.: A ray; a gleam; as, a beam of comfort.
Mercy with her genial beam.
Keble.
13. One of the long feathers in the wing of a hawk; Ð called also beam feather.
Abaft the beam (Naut.), in an are of the horizon between a line that crosses the ship at right angles, or in the direction of her beams, and that point of the compass toward which her stern is directed. Ð Beam center (Mach.), the fulcrum or pin on which the working beam of an engine vibrates. Ð Beam compass, an instrument consisting of a rod or beam, having sliding sockets that carry steel or pencil points; Ð used for drawing or describing large circles. Ð Beam engine, a steam engine having a working beam to transmit power, in distinction from one which has its piston rod attached directly to the crank of the wheel shaft. Ð Before the beam (Naut.), in an arc of the horizon included between a line that crosse the ship at right angles and that point of the compass toward which the ship steers. Ð On the beam , in a line with the beams, or at right angled with the keel. Ð On the weather beam, on the side of a ship which faces the wind. Ð To be on her beam ends, to incline, as a vessel, so much on one side that her beams approach a vertical position.
Beam, v. t. [imp. & p.p. Beamed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Beaming.] To send forth; to emit; Ð followed ordinarily by forth; as, to beam forth light.
Beam, v. i. To emit beams of light.
He beamed, the daystar of the rising age.
Trumbull.
Beam¶bird· (?), n. (Zo”l.) A small European flycatcher (Muscicapa gricola), so called because it often nests on a beam in a building.
Beamed (?), a. Furnished with beams, as the head of a stag.
Tost his beamed frontlet to the sky.
Sir W. Scott.
Beam¶ful (?), a. Beamy; radiant.
Beam¶iÏly (?), adv. In a beaming manner.
Beam¶iÏness, n. The state of being beamy.
Beam¶ing, a. Emitting beams; radiant.
Beam¶ingÏly, adv. In a beaming manner; radiantly.
Beam¶less, a. 1. Not having a beam.
2. Not emitting light.
Beam¶let (?), n. A small beam of light.
Beam¶ tree· (?). [AS. be m a tree. See Beam.] (Bot.) A tree (Pyrus aria) related to the apple.
Beam¶y (?), a. 1. Emitting beams of light; radiant; shining. ½Beamy gold.¸
Tickell.

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2. Resembling a beam in size and weight; massy. His doubleÐbiting ax, and beamy spear. Dryden. 3. Having horns, or antlers. Beamy stags in toils engage. Dryden. Bean (?), n. [OE. bene, AS.be n; akin to D. boon, G. bohne, OHG. p?na, Icel. baun, Dan. b”nne, Sw. b”na, and perh. to Russ. bob, L. faba.] 1. (Bot.) A name given to the seed of certain leguminous herbs, chiefly of the genera Faba, Phaseolus, and Dolichos; also, to the herbs. µ The origin and classification of many kinds are still doubtful. Among true beans are: the blackÐeyed bean and China bean, included in Dolichos Sinensis; black Egyptian bean or hyacinth bean, D. Lablab; the common haricot beans, kidney beans, string beans, and pole beans, all included in Phaseolus vulgaris; the lower bush bean, Ph. vulgaris, variety nanus; Lima bean, Ph. lunatus; Spanish bean and scarlet runner, Ph. maltiflorus; Windsor bean, the common bean of England, Faba vulgaris. As an article of food beans are classed with vegetables. 2. The popular name of other vegetable seeds or fruits, more or less resembling true beans. Bean aphis (Zo”l.), a plant louse (Aphis fab‘) which infests the bean plant. Ð Bean fly (Zo”l.), a fly found on bean flowers. Ð Bean goose (Zo”l.), a species of goose (Anser se?etum). Ð Bean weevil (Zo”l.), a small weevil that in the larval state destroys beans. The American species in Bruchus fab‘. Ð Florida bean (Bot.), the seed of Mucuna urens, a West Indian plant. The seeds are washed up on the Florida shore, and are often polished and made into ornaments. Ð Ignatius bean, or St. Ignatius's bean (Bot.), a species of Strychnos. Ð Navy bean, the common dried white bean of commerce; probably so called because an important article of food in the navy. Ð Pea bean, a very small and highly esteemed variety of the edible white bean; Ð so called from its size. Ð Sacred bean. See under Sacred. Ð Screw bean. See under Screw. Ð Sea bean. (a) Same as Florida bean. (b) A red bean of unknown species used for ornament. Ð Tonquin bean, or Tonka bean, the fragrant seed of Dipteryx odorata, a leguminous tree. Ð Vanilla bean. See under Vanilla. Bean¶ ca·per. (Bot.) A deciduous plant of warm climates, generally with fleshy leaves and flowers of a yellow or whitish yellow color, of the genus Zygophyllum. Bean¶ tre¶foil. (Bot.) A leguminous shrub of southern Europe, with trifoliate leaves (Anagyris f?tida). Bear (?), v. t. [imp. Bore (?) (formerly Bare (?)); p. p. Born (?), Borne (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bearing.] [OE. beren, AS. beran, beoran, to bear, carry, produce; akin to D. baren to bring forth, G. geb„ren, Goth. ba¡ran to bear or carry, Icel. bera, Sw. b„ra, Dan. b‘re, OHG. beran, peran, L. ferre to bear, carry, produce, Gr. ?, OSlav brati to take, carry, OIr. berim I bear, Skr. bh? to bear. ?92. Cf. Fertile.] 1. To support or sustain; to hold up. 2. To support and remove or carry; to convey. I 'll bear your logs the while. Shak. 3. To conduct; to bring; Ð said of persons. [Obs.] Bear them to my house. Shak. 4. To possess and use, as power; to exercise. Every man should bear rule in his own house. Esther i. 22. 5. To sustain; to have on (written or inscribed, or as a mark), as, the tablet bears this inscription. 6. To possess or carry, as a mark of authority or distinction; to wear; as, to bear a sword, badge, or name. 7. To possess mentally; to carry or hold in the mind; to entertain; to harbor Dryden. The ancient grudge I bear him. Shak. 8. To endure; to tolerate; to undergo; to suffer. Should such a man, too fond to rule alone, Bear, like the Turk, no brother near the throne. Pope. I cannot bear The murmur of this lake to hear. Shelley. My punishment is greater than I can bear. Gen. iv. 13. 9. To gain or win. [Obs.] Some think to bear it by speaking a great word. Bacon. She was … found not guilty, through bearing of friends and bribing of the judge. Latimer. 10. To sustain, or be answerable for, as blame, expense, responsibility, etc. He shall bear their iniquities. Is. liii. 11. Somewhat that will bear your charges. Dryden. 11. To render or give; to bring forward. ½Your testimony bear¸ Dryden. 12. To carry on, or maintain; to have. ½The credit of bearing a part in the conversation.¸ Locke. 13. To admit or be capable of; that is, to suffer or sustain without violence, injury, or change. In all criminal cases the most favorable interpretation should be put on words that they can possibly bear. Swift. 14. To manage, wield, or direct. ½Thus must thou thy body bear.¸ Shak. Hence: To behave; to conduct. Hath he borne himself penitently in prison ? Shak. 15. To afford; to be to ; to supply with. ?is faithful dog shall bear him company. Pope. 16. To bring forth or produce; to yield; as, to bear apples; to bear children; to bear interest. Here dwelt the man divine whom Samos bore. Dryden. µ In the passive form of this verb, the best modern usage restricts the past participle born to the sense of brought forth, while borne is used in the other senses of the word. In the active form, borne alone is used as the past participle. To bear down. (a) To force into a lower place; to carry down; to depress or sink. ½His nose, … large as were the others, bore them down into insignificance.¸ Marryat. (b) To overthrow or crush by force; as, to bear down an enemy. Ð To bear a hand. (a) To help; to give assistance. (b) (Naut.) To make haste; to be quick. Ð To bear in hand, to keep (one) up in expectation, usually by promises never to be realized; to amuse by false pretenses; to delude. [Obs.] ½How you were borne in hand, how crossed.¸ Shak. Ð To bear in mind, to remember. Ð To bear off. (a) To restrain; to keep from approach. (b) (Naut.) To remove to a distance; to keep clear from rubbing against anything; as, to bear off a blow; to bear off a boat. (c) To gain; to carry off, as a prize. Ð To bear one hard, to owe one a grudge. [Obs.] ½C‘sar doth bear me hard.¸ Shak. Ð To bear out. (a) To maintain and support to the end; to defend to the last. ½Company only can bear a man out in an ill thing.¸ South. (b) To corroborate; to confirm. Ð To bear up, to support; to keep from falling or sinking. ½Religious hope bears up the mind under sufferings.¸ Addison. Syn. Ð To uphold; sustain; maintain; support; undergo; suffer; endure; tolerate; carry; convey; transport; waft. Bear (?), v. i. 1. To produce, as fruit; to be fruitful, in opposition to barrenness. This age to blossom, and the next to bear. Dryden. 2. To suffer, as in carrying a burden. But man is born to bear. Pope. 3. To endure with patience; to be patient. I can not, can not bear. Dryden. 4. To press; Ð with on or upon, or against. These men bear hard on the suspected party. Addison. 5. To take effect; to have influence or force; as, to bring matters to bear. 6. To relate or refer; Ð with on or upon; as, how does this bear on the question? 7. To have a certain meaning, intent, or effect. Her sentence bore that she should stand a certain time upon the platform. Hawthorne. 8. To be situated, as to the point of compass, with respect to something else; as, the land bears N. by E. To bear against, to approach for attack or seizure; as, a lion bears against his prey. [Obs.] Ð To bear away (Naut.), to change the course of a ship, and make her run before the wind. Ð To bear back, to retreat. ½Bearing back from the blows of their sable antagonist.¸ Sir W. Scott. Ð To bear down upon (Naut.), to approach from the windward side; as, the fleet bore down upon the enemy. Ð To bear in with (Naut.), to run or tend toward; as, a ship bears in with the land. Ð To bear off (Naut.), to steer away, as from land. Ð To bear up. (a) To be supported; to have fortitude; to be firm; not to sink; as, to bear up under afflictions. (b) (Naut.) To put the helm up (or to windward) and so put the ship before the wind; to bear away. Ha?ersly. Ð To bear upon (Mil.), to be pointed or situated so as to affect; to be pointed directly against, or so as to hit (the object); as, to bring or plant guns so as to bear upon a fort or a ship; the artillery bore upon the center. Ð To bear up to, to tend or move toward; as, to bear up to one another. Ð To bear with, to endure; to be indulgent to; to forbear to resent, oppose, or punish. Bear (?), n. A bier. [Obs.] Spenser. Bear (?), n. [OE. bere, AS. bera; akin to D. beer, OHG. bero, pero, G. b„r, Icel. & Sw. bj”rn, and possibly to L. fera wild beast, Gr. ? beast, Skr. bhalla bear.] 1. (Zo”l.) Any species of the genus Ursus, and of the closely allied genera. Bears are plantigrade Carnivora, but they live largely on fruit and insects. The European brown bear (U. arctos), the white polar bear (U. maritimus), the grizzly bear (U. horribilis), the American black bear, and its variety the cinnamon bear (U. Americanus), the Syrian bear (Ursus Syriacus), and the sloth bear, are among the notable species. 2. (Zo”l.) An animal which has some resemblance to a bear in form or habits, but no real affinity; as, the woolly bear; ant bear; water bear; sea bear. 3. (Astron.) One of two constellations in the northern hemisphere, called respectively the Great Bear and the Lesser Bear, or Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. 4. Metaphorically: A brutal, coarse, or morose person. 5. (Stock Exchange) A person who sells stocks or securities for future delivery in expectation of a fall in the market. µ The bears and bulls of the Stock Exchange, whose interest it is, the one to depress, and the other to raise, stocks, are said to be so called in allusion to the bear's habit of pulling down, and the bull's of tossing up. 6. (Mach.) A portable punching machine. 7. (Naut.) A block covered with coarse matting; Ð used to scour the deck. Australian bear. (Zo”l.) See Koala. Ð Bear baiting, the sport of baiting bears with dogs. Ð Bear caterpillar (Zo”l.), the hairy larva of a moth, esp. of the genus Euprepia. Ð Bear garden. (a) A place where bears are kept for diversion or fighting. (b) Any place where riotous conduct is common or permitted. M. Arnold. Ð Bear leader, one who leads about a performing bear for money; hence, a facetious term for one who takes charge of a young man on his travels. Bear, v. t. (Stock Exchange) To endeavor to depress the price of, or prices in; as, to bear a railroad stock; to bear the market. Bear, Bere (?), n. [AS. bere. See Barley.] (Bot.) Barley; the sixÐrowed barley or the fourÐrowed barley, commonly the former (Hord?um hexastichon or H. vulgare). [Obs. except in North of Eng. and Scot.] Bear¶aÏble (?), a. Capable of being borne or endured; tolerable. Ð Bear¶aÏbly, adv. Bear¶berÏry (?), n. (Bot.) A trailing plant of the heath family (Arctostaphylos uvaÐursi), having leaves which are tonic and astringent, and glossy red berries of which bears are said to be fond. Bear¶bind· (?), n. (Bot.) The bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis). Beard (?), n. [OE. berd, AS. beard; akin to Fries. berd, D. baard, G. bart, Lith. barzda, OSlav. brada, Pol. broda, Russ. boroda, L. barba, W. barf. Cf. 1st Barb.] 1. The hair that grows on the chin, lips, and adjacent parts of the human face, chiefly of male adults. 2. (Zo”l.) (a) The long hairs about the face in animals, as in the goat. (b) The cluster of small feathers at the base of the beak in some birds (c) The appendages to the jaw in some Cetacea, and to the mouth or jaws of some fishes. (d) The byssus of certain shellfish, as the muscle. (e) The gills of some bivalves, as the oyster. (f) In insects, the hairs of the labial palpi of moths and butterflies. 3. (Bot.) Long or stiff hairs on a plant; the awn; as, the beard of grain. 4. A barb or sharp point of an arrow or other instrument, projecting backward to prevent the head from being easily drawn out. 5. That part of the under side of a horse's lower jaw which is above the chin, and bears the curb of a bridle. 6. (Print.) That part of a type which is between the shoulder of the shank and the face. 7. An imposition; a trick. [Obs.] Chaucer. Beard grass (Bot.), a coarse, perennial grass of different species of the genus Andropogon. Ð To one's beard, to one's face; in open defiance. Beard (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bearded; p. pr. & vb. n. Bearding.] 1. To take by the beard; to seize, pluck, or pull the beard of (a man), in anger or contempt. 2. To oppose to the gills; to set at defiance. No admiral, bearded by three corrupt and dissolute minions of the palace, dared to do more than mutter something about a court martial. Macaulay. 3. To deprive of the gills; Ð used only of oysters and similar shellfish. Beard¶ed, a. Having a beard. ½Bearded fellow.¸ Shak. ½Bearded grain.¸ Dryden. Bearded vulture, Bearded eagle. (Zo”l.) See Lammergeir. Ð Bearded tortoise. (Zo”l.) See Matamata. Beard¶ie (?), n. [From Beard, n.] (Zo”l.) The bearded loach (Nemachilus barbatus) of Europe. [Scot.] Beard¶less, a. 1. Without a beard. Hence: Not having arrived at puberty or manhood; youthful. 2. Destitute of an awn; as, beardless wheat. Beard¶lessÏness, n. The state or quality of being destitute of beard. Bear¶er (?), n. 1. One who, or that which, bears, sustains, or carries. ½Bearers of burdens.¸ 2 Chron. ii. 18. ½The bearer of unhappy news.¸ Dryden. 2. Specifically: One who assists in carrying a body to the grave; a pallbearer. Milton. 3. A palanquin carrier; also, a house servant. [India] 4. A tree or plant yielding fruit; as, a good bearer. 5. (Com.) One who holds a check, note, draft, or other order for the payment of money; as, pay to bearer. 6. (Print.) A strip of reglet or other furniture to bear off the impression from a blank page; also, a type or typeÐhigh piece of metal interspersed in blank parts to support the plate when it is shaved. Bear¶herd· (?), n. A man who tends a bear. Bear¶hound· (?), n. A hound for baiting or hunting bears. Car??le. Bear¶ing (?), n. 1. The manner in which one bears or conducts one's self; mien; behavior; carriage. I know him by his bearing. Shak. 2. Patient endurance; suffering without complaint. 3. The situation of one object, with respect to another, such situation being supposed to have a connection with the object, or influence upon it, or to be influenced by it; hence, relation; connection. But of this frame, the bearings and the ties, The strong connections, nice dependencies. Pope. 4. Purport; meaning; intended significance; aspect. 5. The act, power, or time of producing or giving birth; as, a tree in full bearing; a tree past bearing. [His mother] in travail of his bearing. R. of Gloucester. 6. (Arch.) (a) That part of any member of a building which rests upon its supports; as, a lintel or beam may have four inches of bearing upon the wall. (b) The portion of a support on which anything rests. (c) Improperly, the unsupported span; as, the beam has twenty feet of bearing between its supports. 7. (Mach.) (a) The part of an axle or shaft in contact with its support, collar, or boxing; the journal. (b) The part of the support on which a journal rests and rotates. 8. (Her.) Any single emblem or charge in an escutcheon or coat of arms Ð commonly in the pl. A carriage covered with armorial bearings. Thackeray. 9. (Naut.) (a) The situation of a distant object, with regard to a ship's position, as on the bow, on the lee quarter, etc.; the direction or point of the compass in which an object is seen; as, the bearing of the cape was M. N. W. (b) pl. The widest part of a vessel below the plankÐsheer. (c) pl. The line of flotation of a vessel when properly trimmed with cargo or ballast. Ball bearings. See under Ball. Ð To bring one to his bearings, to bring one to his senses. Ð To lose one's bearings, to become bewildered. Ð To take bearings, to ascertain by the compass the position of an object; to ascertain the relation of one object or place to another; to ascertain one's position by reference to landmarks or to the compass; hence (Fig.), to ascertain the condition of things when one is in trouble or perplexity. Syn. Ð Deportment; gesture; mien; behavior; manner; carriage; demeanor; port; conduct; direction; relation; tendency; influence. Bear¶ing cloth· (?). A cloth with which a child is covered when carried to be baptized. Shak. Bear¶ing rein· (?). A short rein looped over the check hook or the hames to keep the horse's head up; Ð called in the United States a checkrein. Bear¶ish, a. Partaking of the qualities of a bear; resembling a bear in temper or manners. Harris. Bear¶ishÏness, n. Behavior like that of a bear. Bearn (?), n. See Bairn. [Obs.] Bear's¶Ðbreech· (?), n. (Bot.) (a) See Acanthus, n., 1. (b) The English cow parsnip (Heracleum sphondylium) Dr. Prior.

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Bear'sÐear· (?), n. (Bot.) A kind of primrose (Primula auricula), so called from the shape of the leaf. Bear's¶Ðroot· (?), n. (Bot.) A species of hellebore (Helleborus f?tidus), with digitate leaves. It has an offensive smell and acrid taste, and is a powerful emetic, cathartic, and anthelmintic. Bear¶skin· (?), n. 1. The skin of a bear. 2. A coarse, shaggy, woolen cloth for overcoats. 3. A cap made of bearskin, esp. one worn by soldiers. Bear's¶Ðpaw· (?), n. (Zo”l.) A large bivalve shell of the East Indies (Hippopus maculatus), often used as an ornament. Bear¶ward· (?), n. [Bear + ward a keeper.] A keeper of bears. See Bearherd. [R.] Shak. Beast (?), n. [OE. best, beste, OF. beste, F. bˆte, fr. L. bestia.] 1. Any living creature; an animal; Ð including man, insects, etc. [Obs.] Chaucer. 2. Any fourÐfooted animal, that may be used for labor, food, or sport; as, a beast of burden. A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast. Prov. xii. 10. 3. As opposed to man: Any irrational animal. 4. Fig.: A coarse, brutal, filthy, or degraded fellow. 5. A game at cards similar to loo. [Obs.] Wright. 6. A penalty at beast, omber, etc. Hence: To be beasted, to be beaten at beast, omber, etc. Beast royal, the lion. [Obs.] Chaucer. Syn. Ð Beast, Brute. When we use these words in a figurative sense, as applicable to human beings, we think of beasts as mere animals governed by animal appetite; and of brutes as being destitute of reason or moral feeling, and governed by unrest?ained passion. Hence we speak of beastly appetites; beastly indulgences, etc.; and of brutal manners; brutal inhumanity; brutal ferocity. So, also, we say of a drunkard, that he first made himself a beast, and then treated his family like a brute. Beast¶hood (?), n. State or nature of a beast. Beast¶ings (?), n. pl. See Biestings. Beast¶liÏhead (?), n. [Beastly + Ïhead state.] Beastliness. [Obs.] Spenser. Beast¶like¶ (?), a. Like a beast. Beast¶liÏness, n. The state or quality of being beastly. Beast¶ly (?), a. 1. Pertaining to, or having the form, nature, or habits of, a beast. Beastly divinities and droves of gods. Prior. 2. Characterizing the nature of a beast; contrary to the nature and dignity of man; brutal; filthy. The beastly vice of drinking to excess. Swift. 3. Abominable; as, beastly weather. [Colloq. Eng.] Syn. Ð Bestial; brutish; irrational; sensual; degrading. Beat (?), v. t. [imp. Beat; p.p. Beat, Beaten (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Beating.] [OE. beaten, beten, AS. be tan; akin to Icel. bauta, OHG. b?zan. Cf. 1st Butt, Button.] 1. To strike repeatedly; to lay repeated blows upon; as, to beat one's breast; to beat iron so as to shape it; to beat grain, in order to force out the ?eeds; to beat eggs and sugar; to beat a drum. Thou shalt beat some of it [spices] very small. Ex. xxx. 36. They did beat the gold into thin plates. Ex. xxxix. 3. 2. To punish by blows; to thrash. 3. To scour or range over in hunting, accompanied with the noise made by striking bushes, etc., for the purpose of rousing game. To beat the woods, and rouse the bounding prey. Prior. 4. To dash against, or strike, as with water or wind. A frozen continent … beat with perpetual storms. Milton. 5. To tread, as a path. Pass awful gulfs, and beat my painful way. Blackmore. 6. To overcome in a battle, contest, strife, race, game, etc.; to vanquish or conquer; to surpass. He beat them in a bloody battle. Prescott. For loveliness, it would be hard to beat that. M. Arnold. 7. To cheat; to chouse; to swindle; to defraud; Ð often with out. [Colloq.] 8. To exercise severely; to perplex; to trouble. Why should any one … beat his head about the Latin grammar who does not intend to be a critic? Locke. 9. (Mil.) To give the signal for, by beat of drum; to sound by beat of drum; as, to beat an alarm, a charge, a parley, a retreat; to beat the general, the reveille, the tattoo. See Alarm, Charge, Parley, etc. To beat down, to haggle with (any one) to secure a lower price; to force down. [Colloq.] Ð To beat into, to teach or instill, by repetition. Ð To beat off, to repel or drive back. Ð To beat out, to extend by hammering. Ð To beat out of a thing, to cause to relinquish it, or give it up. ½Nor can anything beat their posterity out of it to this day.¸ South. Ð To beat the dust. (Man.) (a) To take in too little ground with the fore legs, as a horse. (b) To perform curvets too precipitately or too low. Ð To beat the hoof, to walk; to go on foot. Ð To beat the wing, to flutter; to move with fluttering agitation. Ð To beat time, to measure or regulate time in music by the motion of the hand or foot. Ð To beat up, to attack suddenly; to alarm or disturb; as, to beat up an enemy's quarters. Syn. Ð To strike; pound; bang; buffet; maul; drub; th?ap; baste; thwack; thrash; pommel; cudgel; belabor; conquer; defeat; vanquish; overcome. Beat, v. i. 1. To strike repeatedly; to inflict repeated bla?s; to knock vigorously or loudly. The men of the city … beat at the door. Judges. xix. 22. 2. To move with pulsation or throbbing. A thousand hearts beat happily. Byron. 3. To come or act with violence; to dash or fall with force; to strike anything, as, rain, wind, and waves do. Sees rolling tempests vainly beat below. Dryden. They [winds] beat at the crazy casement. Longfellow. The sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wisbed in himself to die. Jonah iv. 8. Public envy seemeth to beat chiefly upon ministers. Bacon. 4. To be in agitation or doubt. [Poetic] To still my beating mind. Shak. 5. (Naut.) To make progress against the wind, by sailing in a zigzag line or traverse. 6. To make a sound when struck; as, the drums beat. 7. (Mil.) To make a succession of strokes on a drum; as, the drummers beat to call soldiers to their quarters. 8. (Acoustics & Mus.) To sound with more or less rapid alternations of greater and less intensity, so as to produce a pulsating effect; Ð said of instruments, tones, or vibrations, not perfectly in unison. A beating wind (Naut.), a wind which necessitates tacking in order to make progress. Ð To beat about, to try to find; to search by various means or ways. Addison. Ð To beat about the bush, to approach a subject circuitously. Ð To beat up and down (Hunting), to run first one way and then another; Ð said of a stag. Ð To beat up for recruits, to go diligently about in order to get helpers or participators in an enterprise. Beat (?), n. 1. A stroke; a blow. He, with a careless beat, Struck out the mute creation at a heat. Dryden. 2. A recurring stroke; a throb; a pulsation; as, a beat of the heart; the beat of the pulse. 3. (Mus.) (a) The rise or fall of the hand or foot, marking the divisions of time; a division of the measure so marked. In the rhythm of music the beat is the unit. (b) A transient grace note, struck immediately before the one it is intended to ornament. 4. (Acoustics & Mus.) A sudden swelling or re‰nforcement of a sound, recurring at regular intervals, and produced by the interference of sound waves of slightly different periods of vibrations; applied also, by analogy, to other kinds of wave motions; the pulsation or throbbing produced by the vibrating together of two tones not quite in unison. See Beat, v. i., 8. 5. A round or course which is frequently gone over; as, a watchman's beat. 6. A place of habitual or frequent resort. 7. A cheat or swindler of the lowest grade; Ð often emphasized by dead; as, a dead beat. [Low] Beat of drum (Mil.), a succession of strokes varied, in different ways, for particular purposes, as to regulate a march, to call soldiers to their arms or quarters, to direct an attack, or retreat, etc. Ð Beat of a watch, or clock, the stroke or sound made by the action of the escapement. A clock is in beat or out of beat, according as the strokes is at equal or unequal intervals. Beat, a. Weary; tired; fatigued; exhausted. [Colloq.] Quite beat, and very much vexed and disappointed. Dickens. Beat¶en (?), a. 1. Made smooth by beating or treading; worn by use. ½A broad and beaten way.¸ Milton. ½Beaten gold.¸ Shak. 2. Vanquished; conquered; baffled. 3. Exhausted; tired out. 4. Become common or trite; as, a beaten phrase. [Obs.] 5. Tried; practiced. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl. Beat¶er (?), n. 1. One who, or that which, beats. 2. A person who beats up game for the hunters. Black. Beath (?), v. t. [AS. be?ian to foment.] To bathe; also, to dry or heat, as unseasoned wood. [Obs.] Spenser. Be·aÏtif¶ic (?), Be·aÏtif¶icÏal (?), } a. [Cf. F. b‚atifique, L. beatificus. See Beatify.] Having the power to impart or complete blissful enjoyment; blissful. ½The beatific vision.¸ South. Ð Be·aÏtif¶icÏalÏly, adv. Be·aÏtif¶iÏcate (?), v. t. To beatify. [Obs.] Fuller. BeÏat·iÏfiÏca¶tion (?), n. [Cf. F. b‚atification.] The act of beatifying, or the state of being beatified; esp., in the R. C. Church, the act or process of ascertaining and declaring that a deceased person is one of ½the blessed,¸ or has attained the second degree of sanctity, Ð usually a stage in the process of canonization. ½The beatification of his spirit.¸ Jer. Taylor. BeÏat¶iÏfy (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Beatified (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Beatifying.] [L. beatificare; beatus happy (fr. beare to bless, akin to bonus good) + facere to make: cf. F. b‚atifier. See Bounty.] 1. To pronounce or regard as happy, or supremely blessed, or as conferring happiness. The common conceits and phrases that beatify wealth. Barrow. 2. To make happy; to bless with the completion of celestial enjoyment. ½Beatified spirits.¸ Dryden. 3. ( R. C. Ch.) To ascertain and declare, by a public process and decree, that a deceased person is one of ½the blessed¸ and is to be reverenced as such, though not canonized. Beat¶ing (?), n. 1. The act of striking or giving blows; punishment or chastisement by blows. 2. Pulsation; throbbing; as, the beating of the heart. 3. (Acoustics & Mus.) Pulsative sounds. See Beat, n. 4. (Naut.) The process of sailing against the wind by tacks in zigzag direction. BeÏat¶iÏtude (?), n. [L. beatitudo: cf. F. b‚atitude. See Beatify.] 1. Felicity of the highest kind; consummate bliss. 2. Any one of the nine declarations (called the Beatitudes), made in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. v. 3Ð12), with regard to the blessedness of those who are distinguished by certain specified virtues. 3. (R. C. Ch.) Beatification. Milman. Syn. Ð Blessedness; felicity; happiness. Beau (?), n.; pl. F. Beaux (E. pron. b?z), E. Beaus (?). [F., a fop, fr. beau fine, beautiful, fr. L. bellus pretty, fine, for bonulus, dim. of bonus good. See Bounty, and cf. Belle, Beauty.] 1. A man who takes great care to dress in the latest fashion; a dandy. 2. A man who escorts, or pays attentions to, a lady; an escort; a lover. Beau¶catch·er (?), n. A small flat curl worn on the temple by women. [Humorous] Beau¶fet (?), n. [See Buffet.] A niche, cupboard, or sideboard for plate, china, glass, etc.; a buffet. A beaufet … filled with gold and silver vessels. Prescott. Beau¶fin (?), n. See Biffin. Wright. Beau¶ iÏde¶al (?). [F. beau beautiful + id‚al ideal.] A conception or image of consummate beauty, moral or physical, formed in the mind, free from all the deformities, defects, and blemishes seen in actual existence; an ideal or faultless standard or model. Beau¶ish (?), n. Like a beau; characteristic of a beau; foppish; fine. ½A beauish young spark.¸ Byrom. ØBeau· monde¶ (?). [F. beau fine + monde world.] The fashionable world; people of fashion and gayety. Prior. Beau¶pere· (?), n. [F. beau p‚re; beau fair + p‚re father.] 1. A father. [Obs.] Wyclif. 2. A companion. [Obs.] Spenser. ØBeau·se·ant¶ (?), n. [F. beauc‚ant.] The black and white standard of the Knights Templars. Beau¶ship (?), n. The state of being a beau; the personality of a beau. [Jocular] Dryden. Beau¶teÏous (?), a. Full of beauty; beautiful; very handsome. [Mostly poetic] Ð Beau¶teÏousÏly, adv. Ð Beau¶teÏousÏness, n. Beau¶tied (?), p. a. Beautiful; embellished. [Poetic] Shak. Beau¶tiÏfi·er (?), n. One who, or that which, beautifies or makes beautiful. Beau¶tiÏful (?), a. Having the qualities which constitute beauty; pleasing to the sight or the mind. A circle is more beautiful than a square; a square is more beautiful than a parallelogram. Lord Kames. Syn. Ð Handsome; elegant; lovely; fair; charming; graceful; pretty; delightful. See Fine. Ð Beau¶tiÏfulÏly, adv. Ð Beau¶tiÏfulÏness, n. Beau¶tiÏfy (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Beautified (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Beautifying.] [Beauty + Ïfy.] To make or render beautiful; to add beauty to; to adorn; to deck; to grace; to embellish. The arts that beautify and polish life. Burke. Syn. Ð To adorn; grace; ornament; deck; decorate. Beau¶tiÏfy, v. i. To become beautiful; to advance in beauty. Addison. Beau¶tiÏless, a. Destitute of beauty. Hammond. Beau¶ty (?), n.; pl. Beauties (?). [OE. beaute, beute, OF. beaut‚, biaut‚, Pr. beltat, F. beaut‚, fr. an assumed LL. bellitas, from L. bellus pretty. See Beau.] 1. An assemblage or graces or properties pleasing to the eye, the ear, the intellect, the ‘sthetic faculty, or the moral sense. Beauty consists of a certain composition of color and figure, causing delight in the beholder. Locke. The production of beauty by a multiplicity of symmetrical parts uniting in a consistent whole. Wordsworth. The old definition of beauty, in the Roman school, was, ½multitude in unity;¸ and there is no doubt that such is the principle of beauty. Coleridge. 2. A particular grace, feature, ornament, or excellence; anything beautiful; as, the beauties of nature. 3. A beautiful person, esp. a beautiful woman. All the admired beauties of Verona. Shak. 4. Prevailing style or taste; rage; fashion. [Obs.] She stained her hair yellow, which was then the beauty. Jer. Taylor. Beauty spot, a patch or spot placed on the face with intent to heighten beauty by contrast. Beaux (?), n., pl. of Beau. Beaux¶ite (?), n. (Min.) See Bauxite. Bea¶ver (?), n. [OE. bever, AS. beofer, befer; akin to D. bever, OHG. bibar, G. biber, Sw. b„fver, Dan. b‘ver, Lith. bebru, Russ. bobr', Gael. beabhar, Corn. befer, L. fiber, and Skr. babhrus large ichneumon; also as an adj., brown, the animal being probably named from its color. ?253. See Brown.] 1. (Zo”l.) An amphibious rodent, of the genus Castor. µ It has palmated hind feet, and a broad, flat tail. It is remarkable for its ingenuity in constructing its valued for its fur, and for the material called castor, obtained from two small bags in the groin of the animal. The European species is Castor fiber, and the American is generally considered a variety of this, although sometimes called Castor Canadensis. 2. The fur of the beaver. 3. A hat, formerly made of the fur of the beaver, but now usually of silk. A brown beaver slouched over his eyes. Prescott. 4. Beaver cloth, a heavy felted woolen cloth, used chiefly for making overcoats. Beaver rat (Zo”l.), an aquatic ratlike quadruped of Tasmania (Hydromys chrysogaster). Ð Beaver skin, the furry skin of the beaver. Ð Bank beaver. See under 1st Bank. Bea¶ver, n. [OE. baviere, bauier, beavoir, bever; fr. F. baviŠre, fr. bave slaver, drivel, foam, OF., prattle, drivel, perh. orig. an imitative word. BaviŠre, according to Cotgrave, is the bib put before a (slavering) child.] That piece of armor which protected the lower part of the face, whether forming a part of the helmet or fixed to the breastplate. It was so constructed (with joints or otherwise) that the wearer could raise or lower it to eat and drink. Bea¶vered (?), a. Covered with, or wearing, a beaver or hat. ½His beavered brow.¸ Pope. Bea¶verÏteen (?), n. A kind of fustian made of coarse twilled cotton, shorn after dyeing. Simmonds.

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BeÏbee¶rine, or BeÏbi¶rine (?), n. (Chem.) An alkaloid got from the bark of the bebeeru, or green heart of Guiana (Nectandra Rodi?i). It is a tonic, antiperiodic, and febrifuge, and is used in medicine as a substitute for quinine. [Written also bibirine.]
BeÏbleed¶ (?), v. t. To make bloody; to stain with blood. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
BeÏblood¶ (?), BeÏblood¶y (?), v. t. To make bloody; to stain with blood. [Obs.]
Sheldon.
BeÏblot¶ (?), v. t. To blot; to stain.
Chaucer.
BeÏblub¶ber (?), v. t. To make swollen and disfigured or sullied by weeping; as, her eyes or cheeks were beblubbered.
BeÏcalm¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Becalmed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Becalming.] 1. To render calm or quiet; to calm; to still; to appease.
Soft whispering airs … becalm the mind.
Philips.
2. To keep from motion, or stop the progress of, by the stilling of the wind; as, the fleet was becalmed.
BeÏcame¶ (?), imp. of Become.
ØBec¶ard (?), n. (Zo”l.) A South American bird of the flycatcher family. (Tityra inquisetor).
BeÏcause¶ (?), conj. [OE. bycause; by + cause.] 1. By or for the cause that; on this account that; for the reason that.
Milton.
2. In order that; that. [Obs.]
And the multitude rebuked them because they should hold their peace.
Matt. xx. 31.
Because of, by reason of, on account of. [Prep. phrase.]
Because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
Eph. v. 6.
Syn. Ð Because, For, Since, As, Inasmuch As. These particles are used, in certain connections, to assign the reason of a thing, or that ½on account of¸ which it is or takes place. Because (by cause) is the strongest and most emphatic; as, I hid myself because I was afraid. For is not quite so strong; as, in Shakespeare, ½I hate him, for he is a Christian.¸ Since is less formal and more incidental than because; as, I will do it since you request me. It more commonly begins a sentence; as, Since your decision is made, I will say no more. As is still more incidental than since, and points to some existing fact by way of assigning a reason. Thus we say, as I knew him to be out of town, I did not call. Inasmuch as seems to carry with it a kind of qualification which does not belong to the rest. Thus, if we say, I am ready to accept your proposal, inasmuch as I believe it is the best you can offer, we mean, it is only with this understanding that we can accept it.
ØBec·caÏbun¶ga (?), n. [NL. (cf. It. beccabunga, G. bachbunge), fr. G. bach brook + bunge, OHG. bungo, bulb. See Beck a brook.] See Brooklime.
ØBec·caÏfi¶co (?), n.; pl. Beccaficos (?). [It., fr. beccare to peck + fico fig.] (Zo”l.) A small bird. (Silvia hortensis), which is highly prized by the Italians for the delicacy of its flesh in the autumn, when it has fed on figs, grapes, etc.
ØBach¶aÏmel (?), n. [F. b‚chamel, named from its inventor, Louis de B‚chamel.] (Cookery) A rich, white sauce, prepared with butter and cream.
BeÏchance¶ (?), adv. [Pref. beÏ for by + chance.] By chance; by accident. [Obs.]
Grafton.
BeÏchance¶, v. t. & i. To befall; to chance; to happen to.
God knows what hath bechanced them.
Shak.
BeÏcharm¶ (?), v. t. To charm; to captivate.
ØBˆche· de mer¶ (?). [F., lit., a sea spade.] (Zo”l.) The trepang.
Be¶chic (?), a. [L. bechicus, adj., for a cough, Gr. ?, fr. ? cough: cf. F. b‚chique.] (Med.) Pertaining to, or relieving, a cough. Thomas. Ð n. A medicine for relieving coughs.
Quincy.
Beck (?), n. See Beak. [Obs.]
Spenser.
Beck, n. [OE. bek, AS. becc; akin to Icel. bekkr brook, OHG. pah, G. bach.] A small brook.
The brooks, the becks, the rills.
Drayton.
Beck, n. A vat. See Back.
Beck, v. i. [imp. & p.p. Becked (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Becking.] [Contr. of beckon.] To nod, or make a sign with the head or hand. [Archaic]
Drayton.
Beck, v. t. To notify or call by a nod, or a motion of the head or hand; to intimate a command to. [Archaic]
When gold and silver becks me to come on.
Shak.
Beck, n. A significant nod, or motion of the head or hand, esp. as a call or command.
They have troops of soldiers at their beck.
Shak.
Beck¶er (?), n. (Zo”l.) A European fish (Pagellus centrodontus); the sea bream or braise.
Beck¶et (?), n. [Cf. D. bek beak, and E. beak.]
1. (Naut.) A small grommet, or a ring or loop of rope ? metal for holding things in position, as spars, ropes, etc.; also a bracket, a pocket, or a handle made of rope.
2. A spade for digging turf. [Prov. Eng.]
Wright.
Beck¶on, v. t. [imp. & p.p. Beckoned (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Beckoning.] To make a significant sign to; hence, to summon, as by a motion of the hand.
His distant friends, he beckons near.
Dryden.
It beckons you to go away with it.
Shak.
Beck¶on, n. A sign made without words; a beck. ½At the first beckon.¸
Bolingbroke.
BeÏclap (?), v. t. [OE. biclappen.] To catch; to grasp; to insnare. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
BeÏclip¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Beclipped (?).] [AS. beclyppan; pref. be + clyppan to embrace.] To embrace; to surround. [Obs.]
Wyclif.
BeÏcloud¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Beclouded; p. pr. & vb. n. Beclouding.] To cause obscurity or dimness to; to dim; to cloud.
If thou becloud the sunshine of thine eye.
Quarles.
BeÏcome¶ (?), v. i. [imp. Became (?); p.p. Become; p. pr. & vb. n. Becoming.] [OE. bicumen, becumen, AS. becuman to come to, to happen; akin to D. bekomen, OHG.a piqu‰man, Goth. biquiman to come upon, G. bekommen to get, suit. See BeÏ, and Come.] 1. To pass from one state to another; to enter into some state or condition, by a change from another state, or by assuming or receiving new properties or qualities, additional matter, or a new character.
The Lord God … breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Gen. ii. 7.
That error now which is become my crime.
Milton.
2. To come; to get. [Obs.]
But, madam, where is Warwick then become!
Shak.
To become of, to be the present state or place of; to be the fate of; to be the end of; to be the final or subsequent condition of.
What is then become of so huge a multitude?
Sir W. Raleigh.
BeÏcome¶, v. t. To suit or be suitable to; to be con???ous with; to befit; to accord with, in character or circumstances; to be worthy of, or proper for; to cause to appear well; Ð said of persons and things.
It becomes me so to speak of so excellent a poet.
Dryden.
I have known persons so anxious to have their dress become them, as to convert it, at length, into their proper self, and thus actually to become the dress.
Coleridge.
BeÏcom¶ed (?), a. Proper; decorous. [Obs.]
And gave him what becomed love I might.
Shak.
BeÏcom¶ing, a. Appropriate or fit; congruous; suitable; graceful; befitting.
A low and becoming tone.
Thackeray.
Formerly sometimes followed by of.
Such discourses as are becoming of them.
Dryden.
Syn. Ð Seemly; comely; decorous; decent; proper.
BeÏcom¶ing, n. That which is becoming or appropriate. [Obs.]
BeÏcom¶ingÏly, adv. In a becoming manner.
BeÏcom¶ingÏness, n. The quality of being becoming, appropriate, or fit; congruity; fitness.
The becomingness of human nature.
Grew.
BeÏcrip¶ple (?), v. t. To make a cripple of; to cripple; to lame. [R.]
Dr. H. More.
ØBeÏcu¶na (?), n. [Sp.] (Zo”l.) A fish of the Mediterranean (Sphyr‘na spet.) See Barracuda.
BeÏcurl¶ (?), v. t. To curl; to adorn with curls.
Bed (?), n. [AS. bed, bedd; akin to OS. bed, D. bed, bedde, Icel. be?r, Dan. bed, Sw. b„dd, Goth. badi, OHG. betti, G. bett, bette, bed, beet a plat of ground; all of uncertain origin.] 1. An article of furniture to sleep or take rest in or on; a couch. Specifically: A sack or mattress, filled with some soft material, in distinction from the bedstead on which it is placed (as, a feather bed), or this with the bedclothes added. In a general sense, any thing or place used for sleeping or reclining on or in, as a quantity of hay, straw, leaves, or twigs.
And made for him [a horse] a leafy bed.
Byron.
I wash, wring, brew, bake, … make the beds.
Shak.
In bed he slept not for my urging it.
Shak.
2. (Used as the symbol of matrimony) Marriage.
George, the eldest son of his second bed.
Clarendon.
3. A plat or level piece of ground in a garden, usually a little raised above the adjoining ground. ½Beds of hyacinth and roses.¸
Milton.
4. A mass or heap of anything arranged like a bed; as, a bed of ashes or coals.
5. The bottom of a watercourse, or of any body of water; as, the bed of a river.
So sinks the daystar in the ocean bed.
Milton.
6. (Geol.) A layer or seam, or a horizontal stratum between layers; as, a bed of coal, iron, etc.
7. (Gun.) See Gun carriage, and Mortar bed.
8. (Masonry) (a) The horizontal surface of a building stone; as, the upper and lower beds. (b) A course of stone or brick in a wall. (c) The place or material in which a block or brick is laid. (d) The lower surface of a brick, slate, or tile.
Knight.
9. (Mech.) The foundation or the more solid and fixed part or framing of a machine; or a part on which something is laid or supported; as, the bed of an engine.
10. The superficial earthwork, or ballast, of a railroad.
11. (Printing) The flat part of the press, on which the form is laid.
µ Bed is much used adjectively or in combination; as, bed key or bedkey; bed wrench or bedwrench; bedchamber; bedmaker, etc.
Bed of justice (French Hist.), the throne (F. lit bed) occupied by the king when sitting in one of his parliaments (judicial courts); hence, a session of a refractory parliament, at which the king was present for the purpose of causing his decrees to be registered. Ð To be brought to bed, to be delivered of a child; Ð often followed by of; as, to be brought to bed of a son. Ð To make a bed, to prepare a bed; to arrange or put in order a bed and its bedding. Ð From bed and board (Law), a phrase applied to a separation by partial divorce of man and wife, without dissolving the bonds of matrimony. If such a divorce (now commonly called a judicial separation) be granted at the instance of the wife, she may have alimony.
Bed, v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bedded; p. pr. & vb. n. Bedding.] 1. To place in a bed. [Obs.]
Bacon.
2. To make partaker of one's bed; to cohabit with.
I'll to the Tuscan wars, and never bed her.
Shak.
3. To furnish with a bed or bedding.
4. To plant or arrange in beds; to set, or cover, as in a bed of soft earth; as, to bed the roots of a plant in mold.
5. To lay or put in any hollow place, or place of rest and security, surrounded or inclosed; to embed; to furnish with or place upon a bed or foundation; as, to bed a stone; it was bedded on a rock.
Among all chains or clusters of mountains where large bodies of still water are bedded.
Wordsworth.
6. (Masonry) To dress or prepare the surface of stone) so as to serve as a bed.
7. To lay flat; to lay in order; to place in a horizontal or recumbent position. ½Bedded hair.¸
Shak.
Bed (?), v. i. To go to bed; to cohabit.
If he be married, and bed with his wife.
Wiseman.
BeÏdabÏble (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bedabbled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bedabbling (?). To dabble; to sprinkle or wet.
Shak.
BeÏdaff¶ (?), v. t. To make a daff or fool of. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
ØBed¶aÏgat (?), n. The sacred books of the Buddhists in Burmah.
Malcom.
BeÏdag¶gle (?), v. t. To daggle.
BeÏdash¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bedashed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bedashing.] To wet by dashing or throwing water or other liquid upon; to bespatter. ½Trees bedashed with rain.¸
Shak.
BeÏdaub¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bedaubed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bedaubing.] To daub over; to besmear or soil with anything thick and dirty.
Bedaub foul designs with a fair varnish.
Barrow.
BeÏdaz¶zle (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bedazzled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bedazzling (?).] To dazzle or make dim by a strong light. ½Bedazzled with the sun.¸
Shak.
Bed¶bug· (?), n. (Zo”l.) A wingless, bloodsucking, hemipterous insect (Cimex Lectularius), sometimes infesting houses and especially beds. See Illustration in Appendix.
Bed¶chair· (?), n. A chair with adjustable back, for the sick, to support them while sitting up in bed.
Bed¶cham·ber (?), n. A chamber for a bed; an apartment form sleeping in.
Shak.
Lords of the bedchamber, eight officers of the royal household, all of noble families, who wait in turn a week each. [Eng.] Ð Ladies of the bedchamber, eight ladies, all titled, holding a similar official position in the royal household, during the reign of a queen. [Eng.]
Bed¶clothes· (?), n. pl. Blankets, sheets, coverlets, etc., for a bed.
Shak.
Bed¶cord· (?), n. A cord or rope interwoven in a bedstead so as to support the bed.
Bed¶ded (?), a. Provided with a bed; as, doublebedded room; placed or arranged in a bed or beds.
Bed¶ding (?), n. [AS. bedding, beding. See Bed.] 1. A bed and its furniture; the materials of a bed, whether for man or beast; bedclothes; litter.
2. (Geol.) The state or position of beds and layers.
Bede (?), v. t. [See Bid, v. t.] To pray; also, to offer; to proffer. [Obs.]
R. of Gloucester. Chaucer.
Bede, n. (Mining) A kind of pickax.
BeÏdeck¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bedecked (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bedecking.] To deck, ornament, or adorn; to grace.
Bedecked with boughs, flowers, and garlands.
Pennant.
ØBed¶eÏguar, Bed¶eÏgar (?), n. [F., fr. Per. b¾dоward, or b¾dоwardag, prop., a kind of white thorn or thistle.] A gall produced on rosebushes, esp. on the sweetbrier or eglantine, by a puncture from the ovipositor of a gallfly (Rhodites ros‘). It was once supposed to have medicinal properties.
Bede¶house· (?), n. Same as Beadhouse.
Be¶del, Be¶dell (?), n. Same as Beadle.
Be¶delÏry (?), n. Beadleship. [Obs.]
Blount.
ØBed¶en (?), n. (Zo”l.) The Abyssinian or Arabian ibex (Capra Nubiana). It is probably the wild goat of the Bible.
Bedes¶man (?), n. Same as Beadsman. [Obs.]
BeÏdev¶il (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bedevilled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bedeviling or Bedevilling.] 1. To throw into utter disorder and confusion, as if by the agency of evil spirits; to bring under diabolical influence; to torment.
Bedeviled and used worse than St. Bartholomew.
Sterne.
2. To spoil; to corrupt.
Wright.
BeÏdev¶ilÏment (?), n. The state of being bedeviled; bewildering confusion; vexatious trouble. [Colloq.]
BeÏdew¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bedewed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bedewing.] To moisten with dew, or as with dew. ½Falling tears his face bedew.¸
Dryden.
BeÏdew¶er (?), n. One who, or that which, bedews.
BeÏdew¶y (?), a. Moist with dew; dewy. [Obs.]
Night with her bedewy wings.
A. Brewer.
Bed¶fel·low (?), n. One who lies with another in the same bed; a person who shares one's couch.
Bed¶fere· Bed¶phere· } (?), n. [Bed + AS. fera a companion.] A bedfellow. [Obs.]
Chapman.
Bed¶gown· (?), n. A nightgown.
BeÏdight¶ (?), v. t. [ p. p. Bedight, Bedighted.] TO bedeck; to array or equip; to adorn. [Archaic]
Milton.
BeÏdim¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bedimmed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bedimming.] To make dim; to obscure or darken.
Shak.
BeÏdiz¶en (?), v. t. To dress or adorn tawdrily or with false taste.
Remnants of tapestried hangings, … and shreds of pictures with which he had bedizened his tatters.
Sir W. Scott.
BeÏdiz¶enÏment (?), n. That which bedizens; the act of dressing, or the state of being dressed, tawdrily.
Bed¶key· (?), n. An instrument for tightening the parts of a bedstead.
Bed¶lam (?), n. [See Bethlehem.] 1. A place appropriated to the confinement and care of the insane; a madhouse.
Abp. Tillotson.
2. An insane person; a lunatic; a madman. [Obs.]
Let's get the bedlam to lead him.
Shak.
3. Any place where uproar and confusion prevail.
Bed¶lam, a. Belonging to, or fit for, a madhouse. ½The bedlam, brainsick duchess.¸
Shak.
Bed¶lamÏite (?), n. An inhabitant of a madhouse; a madman. ½Raving bedlamites.¸
Beattie.
Bed¶mak·er (?), n. One who makes beds.

<— p. 131 —>

Bed¶Ðmold·ing Bed¶Ðmould·ing } (?), n. (Arch.) The molding of a cornice immediately below the corona.
Oxf. Gloss.
BeÏdote¶ (?), v. t. To cause to dote; to deceive. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
Bed¶ouÏin (?), n. [F. b‚douin, OF. b‚duin, fr. Ar. bedawÆ rural, living in the desert, fr. badw desert, fr. bad¾ to live in the desert, to lead a nomadic life.] One of the nomadic Arabs who live in tents, and are scattered over Arabia, Syria, and northern Africa, esp. in the deserts. Ð Bed¶ouÏinÏism (?), n.
Bed¶ouÏin, a. Pertaining to the Bedouins; nomad.
Bed¶pan· (?), n. 1. A pan for warming beds.
Nares.
2. A shallow chamber vessel, so constructed that it can be used by a sick person in bed.
Bed¶phere· (?), n. See Bedfere. [Obs.]
B. Jonson.
Bed¶piece· (?), Bed¶plate· (?), } n. (Mach.) The foundation framing or piece, by which the other parts are supported and held in place; the bed; Ð called also baseplate and soleplate.
Bed¶post· (?), n. 1. One of the four standards that support a bedstead or the canopy over a bedstead.
2. Anciently, a post or pin on each side of the bed to keep the clothes from falling off. See Bedstaff.
Brewer.
Bed¶quilt· (?), n. A quilt for a bed; a coverlet.
BeÏdrab¶ble (?), v. t. To befoul with rain and mud; to drabble.
BeÏdrag¶gle (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bedraggled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bedraggling (?). To draggle; to soil, as garments which, in walking, are suffered to drag in dust, mud, etc.
Swift.
BeÏdrench¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bedrenched (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bedrenching.] To drench; to saturate with moisture; to soak.
Shak.
BeÏdrib¶ble (?), v. t. To dribble upon.
Bed¶rid· (?), Bed¶rid·den (?), } a. [OE. bedrede, AS. bedreda, bedrida; from bed, bedd, a bed or couch + ridda a rider; cf. OHG. pettiriso, G. bettrise. See Bed, n., and Ride, v. i. ] Confined to the bed by sickness or infirmity. ½Her decrepit, sick, and bedrid father.¸ Shak. ½The estate of a bedridden old gentleman.¸ Macaulay.
Bed¶right· Bed¶rite· } (?), n. [Bed + right, rite.] The duty or privilege of the marriage bed.
Shak.
BeÏdriz¶zle (?), v. t. To drizzle upon.
Bed¶ rock¶ (?). (Mining) The solid rock underlying superficial formations. Also Fig.
Bed¶room (?), n. 1. A room or apartment intended or used for a bed; a lodging room.
2. Room in a bed. [In this sense preferably bed room.]
Then by your side no bed room me deny.
Shak.
BeÏdrop¶ (?), v. t. To sprinkle, as with drops.
The yellow carp, in scales bedropped with gold.
Pope.
BeÏdrug¶ (?), v. t. To drug abundantly or excessively.
Bed¶ screw· (?). 1. (Naut.) A form of jack screw for lifting large bodies, and assisting in launching.
2. A long screw formerly used to fasten a bedpost to one of the adjacent side pieces.
Bed¶side· (?), n. The side of a bed.
Bed¶site· (?), n. A recess in a room for a bed.
Of the three bedrooms, two have fireplaces, and all are of fair size, with windows and bedsite well placed.
Quart. Rev.
Bed¶sore· (?), n. (Med.) A sore on the back or hips caused by lying for a long time in bed.
Bed¶spread· (?), n. A bedquilt; a counterpane; a coverlet. [U. S.]
Bed¶staff· (?), n.; pl. Bedstaves (?). ½A wooden pin stuck anciently on the sides of the bedstead, to hold the clothes from slipping on either side.¸
Johnson.
Hostess, accommodate us with a bedstaff.
B. Jonson.
Say there is no virtue in cudgels and bedstaves.
Brome.
Bed¶stead (?), n. [Bed + stead a frame.] A framework for supporting a bed.
Bed¶ steps· (?). Steps for mounting a bed of unusual height.
Bed¶stock (?), n. The front or the back part of the frame of a bedstead. [Obs. or Dial. Eng.]
Bed¶straw· (?), n. 1. Straw put into a bed.
Bacon.
2. (Bot.) A genus of slender herbs, usually with square stems, whorled leaves, and small white flowers.
Our Lady's bedstraw, which has yellow flowers, is Galium verum. Ð White bedstraw is G. mollugo.
Bed¶swerv·er (?), n. One who swerves from and is unfaithful to the marriage vow. [Poetic]
Shak.
Bed¶tick· (?), n. A tick or bag made of cloth, used for inclosing the materials of a bed.
Bed¶time· (?), n. The time to go to bed.
Shak.
BeÏduck¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Beducked (?).] To duck; to put the head under water; to immerse. ½Deep himself beducked.¸
Spenser.
Bed¶uin (?), n. See Bedouin.
BeÏdung¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bedunged (?).] To cover with dung, as for manuring; to bedaub or defile, literally or figuratively.
Bp. Hall.
BeÏdust¶ (?), v. t. To sprinkle, soil, or cover with dust.
Sherwood.
Bed¶ward (?), adv. Towards bed.
BeÏdwarf¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bedwarfed (?).] To make a dwarf of; to stunt or hinder the growth of; to dwarf.
Donne.
BeÏdye¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bedyed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bedyeing.] To dye or stain.
Briton fields with Sarazin blood bedyed.
Spenser.
Bee (?), p. p. of Be; Ð used for been. [Obs.]
Spenser.
Bee (?), n. [AS. be¢; akin to D. bij and bije, Icel. b?, Sw. & Dan. bi, OHG. pini, G. biene, and perh. Ir. beach, Lith. bitis, Skr. bha. ?97.] 1. (Zo”l.) An insect of the order Hymenoptera, and family Apid‘ (the honeybees), or family Andrenid‘ (the solitary bees.) See Honeybee.
µ There are many genera and species. The common honeybee (Apis mellifica) lives in swarms, each of which has its own queen, its males or drones, and its very numerous workers, which are barren females. Besides the A. mellifica there are other species and varieties of honeybees, as the A. ligustica of Spain and Italy; the A. Indica of India; the A. fasciata of Egypt. The bumblebee is a species of Bombus. The tropical honeybees belong mostly to Melipoma and Trigona.
2. A neighborly gathering of people who engage in united labor for the benefit of an individual or family; as, a quilting bee; a husking bee; a raising bee. [U. S.]
The cellar … was dug by a bee in a single day.
S. G. Goodrich.
3. pl. [Prob. fr. AS. be h ring, fr. b?gan to bend. See 1st Bow.] (Naut.) Pieces of hard wood bolted to the sides of the bowsprit, to reeve the foreÏtopmast stays through; Ð called also bee blocks.
Bee beetle (Zo”l.), a beetle (Trichodes apiarius) parasitic in beehives. Ð Bee bird (Zo”l.), a bird that eats the honeybee, as the European flycatcher, and the American kingbird. Ð Bee flower (Bot.), an orchidaceous plant of the genus Ophrys (O. apifera), whose flowers have some resemblance to bees, flies, and other insects. Ð Bee fly (Zo”l.), a two winged fly of the family Bombyliid‘. Some species, in the larval state, are parasitic upon bees. Ð Bee garden, a garden or inclosure to set beehives in ; an apiary. Mortimer. Ð Bee glue, a soft, unctuous matter, with which bees cement the combs to the hives, and close up the cells; Ð called also propolis. Ð Bee hawk (Zo”l.), the honey buzzard. Ð Bee killer (Zo”l.), a large twoÐwinged fly of the family Asilid‘ (esp. Trupanea apivora) which feeds upon the honeybee. See Robber fly. Ð Bee louse (Zo”l.), a minute, wingless, dipterous insect (Braula c‘ca) parasitic on hive bees. Ð Bee martin (Zo”l.), the kingbird (Tyrannus Carolinensis) which occasionally feeds on bees. Ð Bee moth (Zo”l.), a moth (Galleria cereana) whose larv‘ feed on honeycomb, occasioning great damage in beehives. Ð Bee wolf (Zo”l.), the larva of the bee beetle. See Illust. of Bee beetle. Ð To have a bee in the head or in the bonnet. (a) To be choleric. [Obs.] (b) To be restless or uneasy. B. Jonson. (c) To be full of fancies; to be a little crazy. ½She's whiles crackÐbrained, and has a bee in her head.¸ Sir W. Scott.
Bee¶bread· (?), n. A brown, bitter substance found in some of the cells of honeycomb. It is made chiefly from the pollen of flowers, which is collected by bees as food for their young.
Beech (?), n.; pl. Beeches (?). [OE. beche, AS. b?ce; akin to D. beuk, OHG. buocha, G. buche, Icel. beyki, Dan. b”g, Sw. bok, Russ. buk, L. fagus, Gr. ? oak, ? to eat, Skr. bhaksh; the tree being named originally from the esculent fruit. See Book, and cf. 7th Buck, Buckwheat.] (Bot.) A tree of the genus Fagus.
µ It grows to a large size, having a smooth bark and thick foliage, and bears an edible triangular nut, of which swine are fond. The Fagus sylvatica is the European species, and the F. ferruginea that of America.
Beech drops (Bot.), a parasitic plant which grows on the roots of beeches (Epiphegus Americana).Ð Beech marten (Zo”l.), the stone marten of Europe (Mustela foina). Ð Beech mast, the nuts of the beech, esp. as they lie under the trees, in autumn. Ð Beech oil, oil expressed from the mast or nuts of the beech tree. Ð Cooper beech, a variety of the European beech with copperÐcolored, shining leaves.
Beech¶en (?), a. [AS. b?cen.] Consisting, or made, of the wood or bark of the beech; belonging to the beech. ½Plain beechen vessels.¸
Dryden.
Beech¶nut· (?), n. The nut of the beech tree.
Beech¶ tree· (?). The beech.
Beech¶y (?), a. Of or relating to beeches.
Bee¶Ðeat·er (?), n. (Zo”l.) (a) A bird of the genus Merops, that feeds on bees. The European species (M. apiaster) is remarkable for its brilliant colors. (b) An African bird of the genus Rhinopomastes.
Beef (?), n. [OE. boef, befe, beef, OF. boef, buef, F. b?ef, fr. L. bos, bovis, ox; akin to Gr. ?, Skr. g? cow, and E. cow. See 2d Cow.] 1. An animal of the genus Bos, especially the common species, B. taurus, including the bull, cow, and ox, in their full grown state; esp., an ox or cow fattened for food. [In this, which is the original sense, the word has a plural, beeves (?).]
A herd of beeves, fair oxen and fair kine.
Milton.
2. The flesh of an ox, or cow, or of any adult bovine animal, when slaughtered for food. [In this sense, the word has no plural.] ½Great meals of beef.¸
Shak.
3. Applied colloquially to human flesh.
Beef (?), a. Of, pertaining to, or resembling, beef.
Beef tea, essence of beef, or strong beef broth.
Beef¶eat·er (?), n. [Beef + eater; prob. one who eats another's beef, as his servant. Cf. AS. hl¾f?ta servant, properly a loaf eater.] 1. One who eats beef; hence, a large, fleshy person.
2. One of the yeomen of the guard, in England.
3. (Zo”l.) An African bird of the genus Buphaga, which feeds on the larv‘ of botflies hatched under the skin of oxen, antelopes, etc. Two species are known.
Beef¶steak· (?), n. A steak of beef; a slice of beef broiled or suitable for broiling.
Beef¶Ðwit·ted (?), n. Stupid; dull.
Shak.
Beef¶wood· (?), n. An Australian tree (Casuarina), and its red wood, used for cabinetwork; also, the trees Stenocarpus salignus of New South Wales, and Banksia compar of Queensland.
Beef¶y, a. Having much beef; of the nature of beef; resembling beef; fleshy.
Bee¶hive· (?), n. A hive for a swarm of bees. Also used figuratively.
µ A common and typical form of beehive was a domeshaped inverted basket, whence certain ancient Irish and Scotch architectural remains are called beehive houses.
Bee¶house· (?), n. A house for bees; an apiary.
Bee¶ lark·spur (?). (Bot.) See Larkspur.
Beeld (?), n. Same as Beild.
Fairfax.
Bee¶ line· (?). The shortest line from one place to another, like that of a bee to its hive when loaded with honey; an air line. ½A bee line for the brig.¸
Kane.
BeÏel¶zeÏbub (?), n. The title of a heathen deity to whom the Jews ascribed the sovereignty of the evil spirits; hence, the Devil or a devil. See Baal.
Beem (?), n. [AS. b?me, b?me.] A trumpet. [Obs.]
Bee¶mas·ter (?), n. One who keeps bees.
Been (?). [OE. beon, ben, bin, p. p. of been, beon, to be. See Be.] The past participle of Be. In old authors it is also the pr. tense plural of Be. See 1st Bee.
Assembled been a senate grave and stout.
Fairfax.
Beer (?), n. [OE. beor, ber, AS. be¢r; akin to Fries. biar, Icel. bj?rr, OHG. bior, D. & G. bier, and possibly E. brew. ?93, See Brew.] 1. A fermented liquor made from any malted grain, but commonly from barley malt, with hops or some other substance to impart a bitter flavor.
µ Beer has different names, as small beer, ale, porter, brown stout, lager beer, according to its strength, or other qualities. See Ale.
2. A fermented extract of the roots and other parts of various plants, as spruce, ginger, sassafras, etc.
Small beer, weak beer; (fig.) insignificant matters. ½To suckle fools, and chronicle small beer.¸
Shak.
Beer¶eÏgar (?), n. [Beer + eager.] Sour beer. [Obs.]
Beer¶house· (?), n. A house where malt liquors are sold; an alehouse.
Beer¶iÏness (?), n. Beery condition.
Beer¶y (?), a. Of or resembling beer; affected by beer; maudlin.
Beest¶ings (?), n. Same as Biestings.
Bees¶wax· (?), n. The wax secreted by bees, and of which their cells are constructed.
Bees¶wing· (?), n. The second crust formed in port and some other wines after long keeping. It consists of pure, shining scales of tartar, supposed to resemble the wing of a bee.
Beet (?), n. [AS. bete, from L. beta.] 1. (Bot.) A biennial plant of the genus Beta, which produces an edible root the first year and seed the second year.
2. The root of plants of the genus Beta, different species and varieties of which are used for the table, for feeding stock, or in making sugar.
µ There are many varieties of the common beet (Beta vulgaris). The Old ½white beet¸, cultivated for its edible leafstalks, is a distinct species (Beta Cicla).
Beete, Bete (?), v. t. [AS. b?tan to mend. See Better.] 1. To mend; to repair. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
2. To renew or enkindle (a fire). [Obs.]
Chaucer.
Bee¶tle (?), n. [OE. betel, AS. bÆtl, b?tl, mallet, hammer, fr. be tan to beat. See Beat, v. t.] 1. A heavy mallet, used to drive wedges, beat pavements, etc.
2. A machine in which fabrics are subjected to a hammering process while passing over rollers, as in cotton mills; Ð called also beetling machine.
Knight.

<— p. 132 —>

Bee¶tle (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Beetled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Beetling.] 1. To beat with a heavy mallet.
2. To finish by subjecting to a hammering process in a beetle or beetling machine; as, to beetle cotton goods.
Bee¶tle, n. [OE. bityl, bittle, AS. b?tel, fr. b?tan to bite. See Bite, v. t.] Any insect of the order Coleoptera, having four wings, the outer pair being stiff cases for covering the others when they are folded up. See Coleoptera.
Beetle mite (Zo”l.), one of many species of mites, of the family Oribatid‘, parasitic on beetles. Ð Black beetle, the common large black cockroach (Blatta orientalis).
Bee¶tle, v. i. [See Beetlebrowed.] To extend over and beyond the base or support; to overhang; to jut.
To the dreadful summit of the cliff
That beetles o'er his base into the sea.
Shak.
Each beetling rampart, and each tower sublime.
Wordsworth.
Bee¶tle brow· (?). An overhanging brow.
Bee¶tleÐbrowed· (?), a. [OE. bitelbrowed; cf. OE. bitel, adj., sharp, projecting, n., a beetle. See Beetle an insect.] Having prominent, overhanging brows; hence, lowering or sullen.
µ The earlier meaning was, ½Having bushy or overhanging eyebrows.¸
Bee¶tleÏhead· (?), n. [Beetle a mallet + head.]
1. A stupid fellow; a blockhead.
Sir W. Scott.
2. (Zo”l.) The blackÏbellied plover, or bullhead (Squatarola helvetica). See Plover.
Bee¶tleÐhead·ed (?), a. Dull; stupid.
Shak.
Bee¶tleÏstock· (?), n. The handle of a beetle.
Beet¶ rad·ish (?). Same as Beetrave.
Beet¶rave· (?), n. [F. betterave; bette beet + rave radish.] The common beet (Beta vulgaris).
Beeve (?), n. [Formed from beeves, pl. of beef.] A beef; a beef creature.
They would knock down the first beeve they met with.
W. Irving.
Beeves (?), n.; plural of Beef, the animal.
BeÏfall¶ (?), v. t. [imp. Befell (?); p. p. Befallen (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Befalling.] [ AS. befeallan; pref. beÏ + feallan to fall.] To happen to.
I beseech your grace that I may know
The worst that may befall me.
Shak.
BeÏfall¶, v. i. To come to pass; to happen.
I have revealed … the discord which befell.
Milton.
BeÏfit¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Befitted; p. pr. & vb. n. Befitting.] To be suitable to; to suit; to become.
That name best befits thee.
Milton.
BeÏfit¶ting, a. Suitable; proper; becoming; fitting.
BeÏfit¶tingÏly, adv. In a befitting manner; suitably.
BeÏflat¶ter (?), v. t. To flatter excessively.
BeÏflow¶er (?), v. t. To besprinkle or scatter over with, or as with, flowers.
Hobbes.
BeÏfog¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Befogged (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Befogging (?).] 1. To involve in a fog; Ð mostly as a participle or part. adj.
2. Hence: To confuse; to mystify.
BeÏfool¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Befooled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Befooling.] [OE. befolen; pref. beÏ + fol fool.] 1. To fool; to delude or lead into error; to infatuate; to deceive.
This story … contrived to befool credulous men.
Fuller.
2. To cause to behave like a fool; to make foolish. ½Some befooling drug.¸
G. Eliot.
BeÏfore¶ (?), prep. [OE. beforen, biforen, before, AS. beforan; pref. beÏ + foran, fore, before. See BeÏ, and Fore.] 1. In front of; preceding in space; ahead of; as, to stand before the fire; before the house.
His angel, who shall go
Before them in a cloud and pillar of fire.
Milton.
2. Preceding in time; earlier than; previously to; anterior to the time when; Ð sometimes with the additional idea of purpose; in order that.
Before Abraham was, I am.
John viii. 58.
Before this treatise can become of use, two points are necessary.
Swift.
µ Formerly before, in this sense, was followed by that. ½Before that Philip called thee… I saw thee.¸
John i. 48.
3. An advance of; farther onward, in place or time.
The golden age … is before us.
Carlyle.
4. Prior or preceding in dignity, order, rank, right, or worth; rather than.
He that cometh after me is preferred before me.
John i. 15.
The eldest son is before the younger in succession.
Johnson.
5. In presence or sight of; face to face with; facing.
Abraham bowed down himself before the people.
Gen. xxiii. 12.
Wherewith shall I come before the Lord?
Micah vi. 6.
6. Under the cognizance or jurisdiction of.
If a suit be begun before an archdeacon.
Ayliffe.
7. Open for; free of access to; in the power of.
The world was all before them where to choose.
Milton.
Before the mast (Naut.), as a common sailor, Ð because the sailors live in the forecastle, forward of the foremast. Ð Before the wind (Naut.), in the direction of the wind and by its impulse; having the wind aft.
BeÏfore¶, adv. 1. On the fore part; in front, or in the direction of the front; Ð opposed to in the rear.
The battle was before and behind.
2 Chron. xiii. 14.
2. In advance. ½I come before to tell you.¸
Shak.
3. In time past; previously; already.
You tell me, mother, what I knew before.
Dryden.
4. Earlier; sooner than; until then.
When the butt is out, we will drink water; not a drop before.
Shak.
µ Before is often used in selfÐexplaining compounds; as, beforeÐcited, beforeÐmentioned; beforesaid.
BeÏfore¶hand· (?), adv. [Before + hand.]
1. In a state of anticipation ore preoccupation; in advance; Ð often followed by with.
Agricola … resolves to be beforehand with the danger.
Milton.
The last cited author has been beforehand with me.
Addison.
2. By way of preparation, or preliminary; previously; aforetime.
They may be taught beforehand the skill of speaking.
Hooker.
BeÏfore¶hand·, a. In comfortable circumstances as regards property; forehanded.
Rich and much beforehand.
Bacon.
BeÏfore¶time· (?), adv. Formerly; aforetime.
[They] dwelt in their tents, as beforetime.
2 Kings xiii. 5.
BeÏfor¶tune (?), v. t. To befall. [Poetic]
I wish all good befortune you.
Shak.
BeÏfoul¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Befouled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Befouling.] [Cf. AS. bef?lan; pref. beÏ + f?lan to foul. See Foul, a.] 1. To make foul; to soil.
2. To entangle or run against so as to impede motion.
BeÏfriend¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Befriended; p. pr. & vb. n. Befriending.] To act as a friend to; to favor; to aid, benefit, or countenance.
By the darkness befriended.
Longfellow.
BeÏfriend¶ment (?), n. Act of befriending. [R.]
BeÏfrill¶ (?), v. t. To furnish or deck with a frill.
BeÏfringe¶ (?), v. t. To furnish with a fringe; to form a fringe upon; to adorn as with fringe.
Fuller.
BeÏfud¶dle (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Befuddled (?)] To becloud and confuse, as with liquor.
Beg (?), n. [Turk. beg, pronounced bay. Cf. Bey, Begum.] A title of honor in Turkey and in some other parts of the East; a bey.
Beg (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Begged (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Begging.] [OE. beggen, perh. fr. AS. bedecian (akin to Goth. bedagwa beggar), biddan to ask. (Cf. Bid, v. t.); or cf. beghard, beguin.] 1. To ask earnestly for; to entreat or supplicate for; to beseech.
I do beg your good will in this case.
Shak.
[Joseph] begged the body of Jesus.
Matt. xxvii. 58.
Sometimes implying deferential and respectful, rather than earnest, asking; as, I beg your pardon; I beg leave to disagree with you.
2. To ask for as a charity, esp. to ask for habitually or from house to house.
Yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
Ps. xxxvii. 25.
3. To make petition to; to entreat; as, to beg a person to grant a favor.
4. To take for granted; to assume without proof.
5. (Old Law) To ask to be appointed guardian for, or to ask to have a guardian appointed for.
Else some will beg thee, in the court of wards.
Harrington.
Hence: To beg (one) for a fool, to take him for a fool.
I beg to, is an elliptical expression for I beg leave to; as, I beg to inform you. Ð To bag the question, to assume that which was to be proved in a discussion, instead of adducing the proof or sustaining the point by argument. Ð To go aÏbegging, a figurative phrase to express the absence of demand for something which elsewhere brings a price; as, grapes are so plentiful there that they go aÏbegging.
Syn. Ð To Beg, Ask, Request. To ask (not in the sense of inquiring) is the generic term which embraces all these words. To request is only a polite mode of asking. To beg, in its original sense, was to ask with earnestness, and implied submission, or at least deference. At present, however, in polite life, beg has dropped its original meaning, and has taken the place of both ask and request, on the ground of its expressing more of deference and respect. Thus, we beg a person's acceptance of a present; we beg him to favor us with his company; a tradesman begs to announce the arrival of new goods, etc. Crabb remarks that, according to present usage, ½we can never talk of asking a person's acceptance of a thing, or of asking him to do us a favor.¸ This can be more truly said of usage in England than in America.
Beg, v. i. To ask alms or charity, especially to ask habitually by the wayside or from house to house; to live by asking alms.
I can not dig; to beg I am ashamed.
Luke xvi. 3.
ØBe¶ga (?), n. See Bigha.
BeÏgem¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Begemmed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Begemming.] To adorn with gems, or as with gems.
Begemmed with dewdrops.
Sir W. Scott.
Those lonely realms bright garden isles begem.
Shelley.
BeÏget¶ (?), v. t. [imp. Begot (?), (Archaic) Begat (?); p. p. Begot, Begotten (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Begetting.] [OE. bigiten, bigeten, to get, beget, AS. begitan to get; pref. beÏ + gitan. See Get, v. t. ] 1. To procreate, as a father or sire; to generate; Ð commonly said of the father.
Yet they a beauteous offspring shall beget.
Milton.
2. To get (with child.) [Obs.]
Shak.
3. To produce as an effect; to cause to exist.
Love is begot by fancy.
Granville.
BeÏget¶ter (?), n. One who begets; a father.
Beg¶gaÏble (?), a. Capable of being begged.
Beg¶gar (?), n. [OE. beggere, fr. beg.] 1. One who begs; one who asks or entreats earnestly, or with humility; a petitioner.
2. One who makes it his business to ask alms.
3. One who is dependent upon others for support; Ð a contemptuous or sarcastic use.
4. One who assumes in argument what he does not prove.
Abp. Tillotson.
Beg¶gar, v. t. [imp. & p.p. Beggared (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Beggaring.] 1. To reduce to beggary; to impoverish; as, he had beggared himself.
Milton.
2. To cause to seem very poor and inadequate.
It beggared all description.
Shak.
Beg¶garÏhood (?), n. The condition of being a beggar; also, the class of beggars.
Beg¶garÏism (?), n. Beggary. [R.]
Beg¶garÏliÏness (?), n. The quality or state of being beggarly; meanness.
Beg¶garÏly (?), a. 1. In the condition of, or like, a beggar; suitable for a beggar; extremely indigent; povertyÏstricken; mean; poor; contemptible.½A bankrupt, beggarly fellow.¸ South. ½A beggarly fellowship.¸ Swift. ½Beggarly elements.¸ Gal. iv. 9.
2. Produced or occasioned by beggary. [Obs.]
Beggarly sins, that is, those sins which idleness and beggary usually betray men to; such as lying, flattery, stealing, and dissimulation.
Jer. Taylor.
Beg¶garÏly, adv. In an indigent, mean, or despicable manner; in the manner of a beggar.
Beg¶gar's lice· (?). (Bot.) The prickly fruit or seed of certain plants (as some species of Echinospermum and Cynoglossum) which cling to the clothing of those who brush by them.
Beg¶gar's ticks· (?). The bur marigold (Bidens) and its achenes, which are armed with barbed awns, and adhere to clothing and fleeces with unpleasant tenacity.
Beg¶garÏy (?), n. [OE. beggerie. See Beggar, n.] 1. The act of begging; the state of being a beggar; mendicancy; extreme poverty.
2. Beggarly appearance. [R.]
The freedom and the beggary of the old studio.
Thackeray.
Syn. Ð Indigence; want; penury; mendicancy.
Beg¶garÏy, a. Beggarly. [Obs.]
B. Jonson.
Beg¶geÏstere (?), n. [Beg + Ïster.] A beggar. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
BeÏghard¶ BeÏguard¶ } (?), n. [F. b‚gard, b‚guard; cf. G. beghard, LL. Beghardus, Begihardus, Begardus. Prob. from the root of beguine + Ïard or Ïhard. See Beguine.] (Eccl. Hist.) One of an association of religious laymen living in imitation of the Beguines. They arose in the thirteenth century, were afterward subjected to much persecution, and were suppressed by Innocent X. in 1650. Called also Beguins.
BeÏgild¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Begilded or Begilt (?).] To gild.
B. Jonson.
BeÏgin¶ (?), v. i. [imp. & p.p. Began (?), Begun (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Beginning (?).] [AS. beginnan (akin to OS. biginnan, D. & G. beginnen, OHG. biginnan, Goth., duÏginnan, Sw. begynna, Dan. begynde); pref. beÏ + an assumed ginnan. ?31. See Gin to begin.] 1. To have or commence an independent or first existence; to take rise; to commence.
Vast chain of being ! which from God began.
Pope.
2. To do the first act or the first part of an action; to enter upon or commence something new, as a new form or state of being, or course of action; to take the first step; to start. ½Tears began to flow.¸
Dryden.
When I begin, I will also make an end.
1 Sam. iii. 12.
BeÏgin¶, v. t. 1. To enter on; to commence.
Ye nymphs of Solyma ! begin the song.
Pope.
2. To trace or lay the foundation of; to make or place a beginning of.
The apostle begins our knowledge in the creatures, which leads us to the knowledge of God.
Locke.
Syn. Ð To commence; originate; set about; start.
BeÏgin¶, n. Beginning. [Poetic & Obs.]
Spenser.
BeÏgin¶ner (?), n. One who begins or originates anything. Specifically: A young or inexperienced practitioner or student; a tyro.
A sermon of a new beginner.
Swift.
BeÏgin¶ning (?), n. 1. The act of doing that which begins anything; commencement of an action, state, or space of time; entrance into being or upon a course; the first act, effort, or state of a succession of acts or states.
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Gen. i. 1.
2. That which begins or originates something; the first cause; origin; source.
I am … the beginning and the ending.
Rev. i. 8.
3. That which is begun; a rudiment or element.
Mighty things from small beginnings grow.
Dryden.
4. Enterprise. ½To hinder our beginnings.¸
Shak.
Syn. Ð Inception; prelude; opening; threshold; origin; outset; foundation.
BeÏgird¶ (?), v. t. [imp. Begirt (?), Begirded; p. p. Begirt; p. pr. & vb. n. Begirding.] [AS. begyrdan (akin to Goth. bigairdan); pref. beÏ + gyrdan to gird.] 1. To bind with a band or girdle; to gird.
2. To surround as with a band; to encompass.
BeÏgir¶dle (?), v. t. To surround as with a girdle.
BeÏgirt¶ (?), v. t. To encompass; to begird.
Milton.
ØBeg¶lerÏbeg· (?), n. [Turk. beglerbeg, fr. beg, pl. begler. See Beg, n.] The governor of a province of the Ottoman empire, next in dignity to the grand vizier.
BeÏgnaw¶ (?), v. t. [p. p. Begnawed (?), (R.) Begnawn (?).] [AS. begnagan; pref. beÏ + gnagan to gnaw.] To gnaw; to eat away; to corrode.
The worm of conscience still begnaw thy soul.
Shak.
BeÏgod¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Begodded.] To exalt to the dignity of a god; to deify. [Obs.] ½Begodded saints.¸
South.
BeÏgone¶ (?), interj. [Be, v. i. + gone, p. p.] Go away; depart; get you gone.
BeÏgone¶, p. p. [OE. begon, AS. big¾n; pref. beÏ + g¾n to go.] Surrounded; furnished; beset; environed (as in woeÏbegone). [Obs.]
Gower. Chaucer.
BeÏgo¶niÏa (?), n. [From Michel Begon, a promoter of botany.] (Bot.) A genus of plants, mostly of tropical America, many species of which are grown as ornamental plants. The leaves are curiously oneÐsided, and often exhibit brilliant colors.

<— p. 133 —>

BeÏgore¶ (?), v. t. To besmear with gore.
BeÏgot¶ (?), imp. & p. p. of Beget.
BeÏgot¶ten (?), p. p. of Beget.
BeÏgrave¶ (?), v. t. [Pref. beÏ + grave; akin to G. begraben, Goth. bigraban to dig a ditch around.] To bury; also, to engrave. [Obs.]
Gower.
BeÏgrease¶ (?), v. t. To soil or daub with grease or other oily matter.
BeÏgrime¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Begrimed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Begriming.] To soil with grime or dirt deeply impressed or rubbed in.
Books falling to pieces and begrimed with dust.
Macaulay.
BeÏgrim¶er (?), n. One who, or that which, begrimes.
BeÏgrudge¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Begrudged (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Begrudging.] To grudge; to envy the possession of.
BeÏguile¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Beguiled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Beguiling.] 1. To delude by guile, artifice, or craft; to deceive or impose on, as by a false statement; to lure.
The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
Gen. iii. 13.
2. To elude, or evade by craft; to foil. [Obs.]
When misery could beguile the tyrant's rage.
Shak.
3. To cause the time of to pass without notice; to relieve the tedium or weariness of; to while away; to divert.
Ballads … to beguile his incessant wayfaring.
W. Irving.
Syn. Ð To delude; deceive; cheat; insnare; mislead; amuse; divert; entertain.
BeÏguile¶ment (?), n. The act of beguiling, or the state of being beguiled.
BeÏguil¶er (?), n. One who, or that which, beguiles.
BeÏguil¶ing, a. Alluring by guile; deluding; misleading; diverting. Ð BeÏguil¶ingÏly, adv.
ØBe·guin¶ (?), n. [F.] See Beghard.
ØBe·gui·nage¶ (?), n. [F.] A collection of small houses surrounded by a wall and occupied by a community of Beguines.
ØBe·guine¶ (?), n. [F. b‚guine; LL. beguina, beghina; fr. Lambert le BŠgue (the Stammerer) the founder of the order. (Du Cange.)] A woman belonging to one of the religious and charitable associations or communities in the Netherlands, and elsewhere, whose members live in beguinages and are not bound by perpetual vows.
ØBe¶gum (?), n. [Per., fr. Turk., perh. properly queen mother, fr. Turk. beg (see Beg, n.) + Ar. umm mother.] In the East Indies, a princess or lady of high rank.
Malcom.
BeÏgun¶ (?), p. p. of Begin.
BeÏhalf¶ (?), n. [OE. onÏbehalve in the name of, bihalven by the side of, fr. AS. healf half, also side, part: akin to G. halb half, halber on account of. See BeÏ, and Half, n.] Advantage; favor; stead; benefit; interest; profit; support; defense; vindication.
In behalf of his mistress's beauty.
Sir P. Sidney.
Against whom he had contracted some prejudice in behalf of his nation.
Clarendon.
In behalf of, in the interest of. Ð On behalf of, on account of; on the part of.
BeÏhap¶pen (?), v. t. To happen to. [Obs.]
BeÏhave¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Behaved (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Behaving.] [AS. behabban to surround, restrain, detain (akin to G. gehaben (obs.) to have, sich gehaben to behave or carry one's self); pref. beÏ + habban to have. See Have, v. t. ] 1. To manage or govern in point of behavior; to discipline; to handle; to restrain. [Obs.]
He did behave his anger ere 't was spent.
Shak.
2. To carry; to conduct; to comport; to manage; to bear; Ð used reflexively.
Those that behaved themselves manfully.
2 Macc. ii. 21.
BeÏhave¶, v. i. To act; to conduct; to bear or carry one's self; as, to behave well or ill.
µ This verb is often used colloquially without an adverb of manner; as, if he does not behave, he will be punished. It is also often applied to inanimate objects; as, the ship behaved splendidly.
BeÏhav¶ior (?), n. Manner of behaving, whether good or bad; mode of conducting one's self; conduct; deportment; carriage; Ð used also of inanimate objects; as, the behavior of a ship in a storm; the behavior of the magnetic needle.
A gentleman that is very singular in his behavior.
Steele.
To be upon one's good behavior, To be put upon one's good behavior, to be in a state of trial, in which something important depends on propriety of conduct. Ð During good behavior, while (or so long as) one conducts one's self with integrity and fidelity or with propriety.
Syn. Ð Bearing; demeanor; manner. Ð Behavior, Conduct. Behavior is the mode in which we have or bear ourselves in the presence of others or toward them; conduct is the mode of our carrying ourselves forward in the concerns of life. Behavior respects our manner of acting in particular cases; conduct refers to the general tenor of our actions. We may say of soldiers, that their conduct had been praiseworthy during the whole campaign, and their behavior admirable in every instance when they met the enemy.
BeÏhead¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Beheaded; p. pr. & vb. n. Beheading.] [OE. bihefden, AS. behe fdian; pref. beÏ + he fod head. See Head.] To sever the head from; to take off the head of.
BeÏhead¶al (?), n. Beheading. [Modern]
BeÏheld¶ (?), imp. & p. p. of Behold.
Be¶heÏmoth (?), n. [Heb. behem?th, fr. Egyptian PÏeheÏmaut hippopotamus.] An animal, probably the hippopotamus, described in Job xl. 15Ð24.
Be¶hen (?), Behn (?), n. [Per. & Ar. bahman, behmen, an herb, whose leaves resemble ears of corn, saffron.] (Bot.) (a) The Centaurea behen, or sawÐleaved centaury. (b) The Cucubalus behen, or bladder campion, now called Silene inflata. (c) The Statice limonium, or sea lavender.
BeÏhest¶ (?), n. [OE. biheste promise, command, AS. beh?s promise; pref. beÏ + h?s command. See Hest, Hight.] 1. That which is willed or ordered; a command; a mandate; an injunction.
To do his master's high behest.
Sir W. Scott.
2. A vow; a promise. [Obs.]
The time is come that I should send it her, if I keep the behest that I have made.
Paston.
BeÏhest¶, v. t. To vow. [Obs.]
Paston.
BeÏhete¶ (?), v. t. See Behight. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
BeÏhight¶ (?), v. t. [imp. Behight; p. p. Behight, Behoten.] [ OE. bihaten, AS. beh¾tan to vow, promise; pref. beÏ + h¾tan to call, command. See Hight, v.] [Obs. in all its senses.] 1. To promise; to vow.
Behight by vow unto the chaste Minerve.
Surrey.
2. To give in trust; to commit; to intrust.
The keys are to thy hand behight.
Spenser.
3. To adjudge; to assign by authority.
The second was to Triamond behight.
Spenser.
4. To mean, or intend.
More than heart behighteth.
Mir. for Mag.
5. To consider or esteem to be; to declare to be.
All the lookersÏon him dead behight.
Spenser.
6. To call; to name; to address.
Whom … he knew and thus behight.
Spenser.
7. To command; to order.
He behight those gates to be unbarred.
Spenser.
BeÏhight¶, n. A vow; a promise. [Obs.]
Surrey.
BeÏhind¶ (?), prep. [AS. behindan; pref. beÏ + hindan. See Hind, a.] 1. On the side opposite the front or nearest part; on the back side of; at the back of; on the other side of; as, behind a door; behind a hill.
A tall Brabanter, behind whom I stood.
Bp. Hall.
2. Left after the departure of, whether this be by removing to a distance or by death.
A small part of what he left behind him.
Pope.
3. Left a distance by, in progress of improvement Hence: Inferior to in dignity, rank, knowledge, or excellence, or in any achievement.
I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.
2 Cor. xi. 5.
BeÏhind¶, adv. 1. At the back part; in the rear. ½I shall not lag behind.¸
Milton.
2. Toward the back part or rear; backward; as, to look behind.
3. Not yet brought forward, produced, or exhibited to view; out of sight; remaining.
We can not be sure that there is no evidence behind.
Locke.
4. Backward in time or order of succession; past.
Forgetting those things which are behind.
Phil. ii. 13.
5. After the departure of another; as, to stay behind.
Leave not a rack behind.
Shak.
BeÏhind¶, n. The backside; the rump. [Low]
BeÏhind¶hand· (?), adv. & a. [Behind + hand.]
1. In arrears financially; in a state where expenditures have exceeded the receipt of funds.
2. In a state of backwardness, in respect to what is seasonable or appropriate, or as to what should have been accomplished; not equally forward with some other person or thing; dilatory; backward; late; tardy; as, behindhand in studies or in work.
In this also [dress] the country are very much behindhand.
Addison.
BeÏhith¶er (?), prep. On this side of. [Obs.]
Two miles behither Clifden.
Evelyn.
BeÏhold¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Beheld (?) (p. p. formerly Beholden (?), now used only as a p. a.); p. pr. & vb. n. Beholding.] [OE. bihalden, biholden, AS. behealdan to hold, have in sight; pref. beÏ + healdan to hold, keep; akin to G. behalten to hold, keep. See Hold.] To have in sight; to see clearly; to look at; to regard with the eyes.
When he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.
Num. xxi. 9.
Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
John. i. 29.
Syn. Ð To scan; gaze; regard; descry; view; discern.
BeÏhold¶, v. i. To direct the eyes to, or fix them upon, an object; to look; to see.
And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne, … a lamb as it had been slain.
Rev. v. 6.
BeÏhold¶en (?), p. a. [Old p. p. of behold, used in the primitive sense of the simple verb hold.] Obliged; bound in gratitude; indebted.
But being so beholden to the Prince.
Tennyson.
BeÏhold¶er (?), n. One who beholds; a spectator.
BeÏhold¶ing, a. Obliged; beholden. [Obs.]
I was much bound and beholding to the right reverend father.
Robynson (More's Utopia).
So much hath Oxford been beholding to her nephews, or sister's children.
Fuller.
BeÏhold¶ing, n. The act of seeing; sight; also, that which is beheld.
Shak.
BeÏhold¶ingÏness, n., The state of being obliged or beholden. [Obs.]
Sir P. Sidney.
BeÏhoof¶ (?), n. [OE. to bihove for the use of, AS. beh?f advantage, a word implied in beh?flÆc necessary; akin to Sw. behof, Dan. behov, G. behuf, and E. heave, the root meaning to seize, hence the meanings ½to hold, make use of.¸ See Heave, v. t.] Advantage; profit; benefit; interest; use.
No mean recompense it brings
To your behoof.
Milton.
BeÏhoov¶aÏble (?), a. Supplying need; profitable; advantageous. [Obs.]
Udall.
BeÏhoove¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Behooved (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Behooving.] [OE. bihoven, behoven, AS. beh?fian to have need of, fr. beh?f. See Behoof.] To be necessary for; to be fit for; to be meet for, with respect to necessity, duty, or convenience; Ð mostly used impersonally.
And thus it behooved Christ to suffer.
Luke xxiv. 46.
[Also written behove.]
BeÏhoove¶ (?), v. i. To be necessary, fit, or suitable; to befit; to belong as due.
Chaucer.
BeÏhoove¶, n. Advantage; behoof. [Obs.]
It shall not be to his behoove.
Gower.
BeÏhoove¶ful (?), a. Advantageous; useful; profitable. [Archaic] Ð BeÏhoove¶fulÏly, adv. Ð BeÏhoove¶fulÏness, n. [Archaic]
BeÏhove¶ (?), v., and derivatives. See Behoove, & c.
BeÏhove¶ly, a. & adv. Useful, or usefully. [Obs.]
BeÏhowl¶ (?), v. t. To howl at. [Obs.]
The wolf behowls the moon.
Shak.
ØBeige (?), n. [F.] Debeige.
Beild (?), n. [Prob. from the same root as build, v. t.] A place of shelter; protection; refuge. [Scot. & Prov. Eng.] [Also written bield and beeld.]
The random beild o' clod or stane.
Burns.
Be¶ing (?), p. pr. from Be. Existing.
µ Being was formerly used where we now use having. ½Being to go to a ball in a few days.¸ Miss Edgeworth.
µ In modern usage, is, are, was or were being, with a past participle following (as built, made, etc.) indicates the process toward the completed result expressed by the participle. The form is or was building, in this passive signification, is idiomatic, and, if free from ambiguity, is commonly preferable to the modern is or was being built. The last form of speech is, however, sufficiently authorized by approved writers. The older expression was is, or was, aÐbuilding or in building.
A man who is being strangled.
Lamb.
While the article on Burns was being written.
Froude.
Fresh experience is always being gained.
Jowett (Thucyd.)
Be¶ing, n. 1. Existence, as opposed to nonexistence; state or sphere of existence.
In Him we live, and move, and have our being.
Acts xvii. 28.
2. That which exists in any form, whether it be material or spiritual, actual or ideal; living existence, as distinguished from a thing without life; as, a human being; spiritual beings.
What a sweet being is an honest mind !
Beau. & Fl.
A Being of infinite benevolence and power.
Wordsworth.
3. Lifetime; mortal existence. [Obs.]
Claudius, thou
Wast follower of his fortunes in his being.
Webster (1654).
4. An abode; a cottage. [Prov. Eng.]
Wright.
It was a relief to dismiss them [Sir Roger's servants] into little beings within my manor.
Steele.
Be¶ing, adv. Since; inasmuch as. [Obs. or Colloq.]
And being you have
Declined his means, you have increased his malice.
Beau. & Fl.
BeÏjade¶ (?), v. t. To jade or tire. [Obs.]
Milton.
BeÏjape¶ (?), v. t. To jape; to laugh at; to deceive. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
BeÏjaun¶dice (?), v. t. To infect with jaundice.
BeÏjew¶el (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bejeweled or Bejewelled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bejeweling or Bejewelling.] To ornament with a jewel or with jewels; to spangle. ½Bejeweled hands.¸
Thackeray.
BeÏjum¶ble (?), v. t. To jumble together.
ØBe¶kah (?), n. [Heb.] Half a shekel.
BeÏknave¶ (?), v. t. To call knave. [Obs.]
Pope.
BeÏknow¶ (?), v. t. To confess; to acknowledge. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
Bel (?), n. The Babylonian name of the god known among the Hebrews as Baal. See Baal.
Baruch vi. 41.
BeÏla¶bor (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Belabored (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Belaboring.] 1. To ply diligently; to work carefully upon. ½If the earth is belabored with culture, it yieldeth corn.¸
Barrow.
2. To beat soundly; to cudgel.
Ajax belabors there a harmless ox.
Dryden.
Bel·ÐacÏcoyle¶ (?), n. [F. bel beautiful + accueil reception.] A kind or favorable reception or salutation. [Obs.]
BeÏlace¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Belaced (?).]
1. To fasten, as with a lace or cord. [Obs.]
2. To cover or adorn with lace. [Obs.]
Beaumont.
3. To beat with a strap. See Lace. [Obs.]
Wright.
BeÏlam¶ (?), v. t. [See Lam.] To beat or bang. [Prov. & Low, Eng.]
Todd.
Bel¶aÏmour (?), n. [F. bel amour fair love.] 1. A lover. [Obs.]
Spenser.
2. A flower, but of what kind is unknown. [Obs.]
Her snowy brows, like budded belamours.
Spenser.
Bel¶aÏmy (?), n. [F. bel ami fair friend.] Good friend; dear friend. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
BeÏlate¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Belated; p. pr. & vb. n. Belating.] To retard or make too late.
Davenant.
BeÏlat¶ed, a. Delayed beyond the usual time; too late; overtaken by night; benighted. ½Some belated peasant.¸ Milton. Ð BeÏlat¶edÏness, n. Milton.
BeÏlaud¶ (?), v. t. To laud or praise greatly.
BeÏlay¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Belaid, Belayed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Belaying.] [For senses 1 & 2, D. beleggen to cover, belay; akin to E. pref. beÏ, and lay to place: for sense 3, OE. beleggen, AS. belecgan. See pref. BeÏ, and Lay to place.] 1. To lay on or cover; to adorn. [Obs.]
Jacket … belayed with silver lace.
Spenser.
2. (Naut.) To make fast, as a rope, by taking several turns with it round a pin, cleat, or kevel.
Totten.
3. To lie in wait for with a view to assault. Hence: to block up or obstruct. [Obs.]
Dryden.
Belay thee! Stop.

<— p. 134 —>

BeÏlay¶ing pin· (?). (Naut.) A strong pin in the side of a vessel, or by the mast, round which ropes are wound when they are fastened or belayed.
Belch (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Belched (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Belching.] [OE. belken, AS. bealcan, akin to E. bellow. See Bellow, v. i.] 1. To eject or throw up from the stomach with violence; to eruct.
I belched a hurricane of wind.
Swift.
2. To eject violently from within; to cast forth; to ?mit; to give vent to; to vent.
Within the gates that now
Stood open wide, belching outrageous flame.
Milton.
Belch, v. i. 1. To eject wind from the stomach through the mouth; to eructate.
2. To issue with spasmodic force or noise.
Dryden.
Belch, n. 1. The act of belching; also, that which is belched; an eructation.
2. Malt liquor; Ð vulgarly so called as causing eructation. [Obs.]
Dennis.
Belch¶er (?), n. One who, or that which, belches.
Bel¶dam Bel¶dame } (?), n. [Pref. belÏ, denoting relationship + dame mother: cf. F. belledame fair lady, It. belladonna. See Belle, and Dame.]
1. Grandmother; Ð corresponding to belsire.
To show the beldam daughters of her daughter.
Shak.
2. An old woman in general; especially, an ugly old woman; a hag.
Around the beldam all erect they hang.
Akenside.
BeÏlea¶guer (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Beleaguered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Beleaguering.] [D. belegeren (akin to G. belagern, Sw. bel„gra, Dan. beleire); pref. beÏ = E. beÏ + leger bed, camp, army, akin to E. lair. See Lair.] To surround with an army so as to preclude escape; to besiege; to blockade.
The wail of famine in beleaguered towns.
Longfellow.
Syn. Ð To block up; environ; invest; encompass.
BeÏlea¶guerÏer (?), n. One who beleaguers.
BeÏleave¶ (?), v. t. & i. [imp. & p.p. Beleft (?).] To leave or to be left. [Obs.]
May.
BeÏlec¶ture (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Belectured (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Belecturing.] To vex with lectures; to lecture frequently.
BeÏlee¶ (?), v. t. To place under the lee, or unfavorably to the wind.
Shak.
BeÏlem¶nite (?), n. [Gr. ? dart, fr. ? dart, fr. ? to throw: cf. F. b‚lemnite.] (Paleon.) A conical calcareous fossil, tapering to a point at the lower extremity, with a conical cavity at the other end, where it is ordinarily broken; but when perfect it contains a small chambered cone, called the phragmocone, prolonged, on one side, into a delicate concave blade; the thunderstone. It is the internal shell of a cephalopod related to the sepia, and belonging to an extinct family. The belemnites are found in rocks of the Jurassic and Cretaceous ages. Ð BelÏemÏnit¶ic, a.
BeÏlep¶er (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Belepered (?).] To infect with leprosy. [Obs.]
Beau. & Fl.
ØBel¶ÐesÏprit¶ (?), n.; pl. BeauxÏesprits (?). [F., fine wit.] A fine genius, or man of wit. ½A man of letters and a bel esprit.¸
W. Irving.
Bel¶fry (?), n. [OE. berfray movable tower used in sieges, OF. berfreit, berfroit, F. beffroi, fr. MHG. bervrit, bercvrit, G. bergfriede, fr. MHG. bergen to protect (G. bergen to conceal) + vride peace, protection, G. friede peace; in compounds often taken in the sense of security, or place of security; orig. therefore a place affording security. G. friede is akin to E. free. See Burg, and Free.] 1. (Mil. Antiq.) A movable tower erected by besiegers for purposes of attack and defense.
2. A bell tower, usually attached to a church or other building, but sometimes separate; a campanile.
3. A room in a tower in which a bell is or may be hung; or a cupola or turret for the same purpose.
4. (Naut.) The framing on which a bell is suspended.
BelÏgard¶ (?), n. [It. bel guardo.] A sweet or loving look. [Obs.]
Spenser.
Bel¶giÏan (?), a. Of or pertaining to Belgium. Ð n. A native or inhabitant of Belgium.
Bel¶gic (?), a. [L. Belgicus, fr. Belgae the Belgians.] 1. Of or pertaining to the Belg‘, a German tribe who anciently possessed the country between the Rhine, the Seine, and the ocean.
How unlike their Belgic sires of old.
Goldsmith.
2. Of or pertaining to the Netherlands or to Belgium.
BelÏgra¶viÏan (?), a. Belonging to Belgravia (a fashionable quarter of London, around Pimlico), or to fashionable life; aristocratic.
Be¶liÏal (?), n. [Heb. beli ya'al; beli without + ya'al profit.] An evil spirit; a wicked and unprincipled person; the personification of evil.
What concord hath Christ with Belia ?
2 Cor. vi. 15.
A son (or man) of Belial, a worthless, wicked, or thoroughly depraved person.
1 Sam. ii. 12.
BeÏli¶bel (?), v. t. [See Libel, v. t. ] To libel or traduce; to calumniate.
Fuller.
BeÏlie¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Belied (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Belying (?).] [OE. bilien, bili?en, AS. bele¢gan; pref. beÏ + le¢gan to lie. See Lie, n.] 1. To show to be false; to convict of, or charge with, falsehood.
Their trembling hearts belie their boastful tongues.
Dryden.
2. To give a false representation or account of.
Should I do so, I should belie my thoughts.
Shak.
3. To tell lie about; to calumniate; to slander.
Thou dost belie him, Percy, thou dost belie him.
Shak.
4. To mimic; to counterfeit. [Obs.]
Dryden.
5. To fill with lies. [Obs.] ½The breath of slander] doth belie all corners of the world.¸
Shak.
BeÏlief¶ (?), n. [OE. bileafe, bileve; cf. AS. gele fa. See Believe.] 1. Assent to a proposition or affirmation, or the acceptance of a fact, opinion, or assertion as real or true, without immediate personal knowledge; reliance upon word or testimony; partial or full assurance without positive knowledge or absolute certainty; persuasion; conviction; confidence; as, belief of a witness; the belief of our senses.
Belief admits of all degrees, from the slightest suspicion to the fullest assurance.
Reid.
2. (Theol.) A persuasion of the truths of religion; faith.
No man can attain [to] belief by the bare contemplation of heaven and earth.
Hooker.
3. The thing believed; the object of belief.
Superstitious prophecies are not only the belief of fools, but the talk sometimes of wise men.
Bacon.
4. A tenet, or the body of tenets, held by the advocates of any class of views; doctrine; creed.
In the heat of persecution to which Christian belief was subject upon its first promulgation.
Hooker.
Ultimate belief, a first principle incapable of proof; an intuitive truth; an intuition.
Sir W. Hamilton.
Syn. Ð Credence; trust; reliance; assurance; opinion.
BeÏlief¶ful (?), a. Having belief or faith.
BeÏliev¶aÏble (?), a. Capable of being believed; credible. Ð BeÏliev¶aÏbleÏness, n. Ð BeÏliev·aÏbil¶iÏty (?), n.
BeÏlieve¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Believed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Believing.] [OE. bileven (with pref. beÏ for AS. geÏ), fr. AS. gel?fan, gel?fan; akin to D. gelooven, OHG. gilouban, G. glauben, OS. gil?bian, Goth. galaubjan, and Goth. liubs dear. See Lief, a., Leave, n.] To exercise belief in; to credit upon the authority or testimony of another; to be persuaded of the truth of, upon evidence furnished by reasons, arguments, and deductions of the mind, or by circumstances other than personal knowledge; to regard or accept as true; to place confidence in; to think; to consider; as, to believe a person, a statement, or a doctrine.
Our conqueror (whom I now
Of force believe almighty).
Milton.
King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets ?
Acts xxvi. ?7.
Often followed by a dependent clause.
I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
Acts viii. 37.
Syn. Ð See Expect.
BeÏlieve¶, v. i. 1. To have a firm persuasion, esp. of the truths of religion; to have a persuasion approaching to certainty; to exercise belief or faith.
Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
Mark ix. 24.
With the heart man believeth unto righteousness.
Rom. x. 10.
2. To think; to suppose.
I will not believe so meanly of you.
Fielding.
To believe in. (a) To believe that the subject of the thought (if a person or thing) exists, or (if an event) that it has occurred, or will occur; Ð as, to believe in the resurrection of the dead. ½She does not believe in Jupiter.¸ J. H. Newman. (b) To believe that the character, abilities, and purposes of a person are worthy of entire confidence; Ð especially that his promises are wholly trustworthy. ½Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.¸ John xiv. 1. (c) To believe that the qualities or effects of an action or state are beneficial: as, to believe in sea bathing, or in abstinence from alcoholic beverages. Ð To believe on, to accept implicitly as an object of religious trust or obedience; to have faith in.
BeÏliev¶er (?), n. 1. One who believes; one who is persuaded of the truth or reality of some doctrine, person, or thing.
2. (Theol.) One who gives credit to the truth of the Scriptures, as a revelation from God; a Christian; Ð in a more restricted sense, one who receives Christ as his Savior, and accepts the way of salvation unfolded in the gospel.
Thou didst open the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers.
Book of Com. Prayer.
3. (Eccl. Hist.) One who was admitted to all the rights of divine worship and instructed in all the mysteries of the Christian religion, in distinction from a catechumen, or one yet under instruction.
BeÏliev¶ing, a. That believes; having belief. Ð BeÏliev¶ingÏly, adv.
BeÏlight¶ (?), v. t. To illuminate. [Obs.]
Cowley.
BeÏlike¶ (?), adv. [Pref. beÏ (for by) + like.] It is likely or probably; perhaps. [Obs. or Archaic] Ð BeÏlike¶ly, adv.
Belike, boy, then you are in love.
Shak.
BeÏlime¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Belimed (?).] To besmear or insnare with birdlime.
BeÏlit¶tle (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Belittled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Belittling.] To make little or less in a moral sense; to speak of in a depreciatory or contemptuous way.
T. Jefferson.
BeÏlive¶ (?), adv. [Cf. Live, a.] Forthwith; speedily; quickly. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
Belk (?), v. t. [See Belch.] To vomit. [Obs.]
Bell (?), n. [AS. belle, fr. bellan to bellow. See Bellow.] 1. A hollow metallic vessel, usually shaped somewhat like a cup with a flaring mouth, containing a clapper or tongue, and giving forth a ringing sound on being struck.
µ Bells have been made of various metals, but the best have always been, as now, of an alloy of copper and tin.
The Liberty Bell, the famous bell of the Philadelphia State House, which rang when the Continental Congress declared the Independence of the United States, in 1776. It had been cast in 1753, and upon it were the words ½Proclaim liberty throughout all the land, to all the inhabitants thereof.¸
2. A hollow perforated sphere of metal containing a loose ball which causes it to sound when moved.
3. Anything in the form of a bell, as the cup or corol of a flower. ½In a cowslip's bell I lie.¸
Shak.
4. (Arch.) That part of the capital of a column included between the abacus and neck molding; also used for the naked core of nearly cylindrical shape, assumed to exist within the leafage of a capital.
5. pl. (Naut.) The strikes of the bell which mark the time; or the time so designated.
µ On shipboard, time is marked by a bell, which is struck eight times at 4, 8, and 12 o'clock. Half an hour after it has struck ½eight bells¸ it is struck once, and at every succeeding half hour the number of strokes is increased by one, till at the end of the four hours, which constitute a watch, it is struck eight times.
To bear away the bell, to win the prize at a race where the prize was a bell; hence, to be superior in something. Fuller. Ð To bear the bell, to be the first or leader; Ð in allusion to the bellwether or a flock, or the leading animal of a team or drove, when wearing a bell. Ð To curse by bell, book, and candle, a solemn form of excommunication used in the Roman Catholic church, the bell being tolled, the book of offices for the purpose being used, and three candles being extinguished with certain ceremonies. Nares. Ð To lose the bell, to be worsted in a contest. ½In single fight he lost the bell.¸ Fairfax. Ð To shake the bells, to move, five notice, or alarm.
Shak.
µ Bell is much used adjectively or in combinations; as, bell clapper; bell foundry; bell hanger; bellÏmouthed; bell tower, etc., which, for the most part, are selfÏexplaining.
Bell arch (Arch.), an arch of unusual form, following the curve of an ogee. Ð Bell cage, or Bell carriage (Arch.), a timber frame constructed to carry one or more large bells. Ð Bell cot (Arch.), a small or subsidiary construction, frequently corbeled out from the walls of a structure, and used to contain and support one or more bells. Ð Bell deck (Arch.), the floor of a belfry made to serve as a roof to the rooms below. Ð Bell founder, one whose occupation it is to found or cast bells. Ð Bell foundry, or Bell foundery, a place where bells are founded or cast. Ð Bell gable (Arch.), a small gableÏshaped construction, pierced with one or more openings, and used to contain bells. Ð Bell glass. See Bell jar. Ð Bell hanger, a man who hangs or puts up bells. Ð Bell pull, a cord, handle, or knob, connecting with a bell or bell wire, and which will ring the bell when pulled. Aytoun. Ð Bell punch, a kind of conductor's punch which rings a bell when used. Ð Bell ringer, one who rings a bell or bells, esp. one whose business it is to ring a church bell or chime, or a set of musical bells for public entertainment. Ð Bell roof (Arch.), a roof shaped according to the general lines of a bell. Ð Bell rope, a rope by which a church or other bell is rung. Ð Bell tent, a circular conicalÏtopped tent. Ð Bell trap, a kind of bell shaped stench trap.
Bell (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Belled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Belling.] 1. To put a bell upon; as, to bell the cat.
2. To make bellÏmouthed; as, to bell a tube.
Bell, v. i. To develop bells or corollas; to take the form of a bell; to blossom; as, hops bell.
Bell, v. t. [AS. bellan. See Bellow.] To utter by bellowing. [Obs.]
Bell, v.i. To call or bellow, as the deer in rutting time; to make a bellowing sound; to roar.
As loud as belleth wind in hell.
Chaucer.
The wild buck bells from ferny brake.
Sir W. Scott.
Bel·laÏdon¶na (?), n. [It., literally fine lady; bella beautiful + donna lady.] (Bot.) (a) An herbaceous European plant (Atropa belladonna) with reddish bellÏshaped flowers and shining black berries. The whole plant and its fruit are very poisonous, and the root and leaves are used as powerful medicinal agents. Its properties are largely due to the alkaloid atropine which it contains. Called also deadly nightshade. (b) A species of Amaryllis. (A. belladonna); the belladonna lily.
Bell¶ an·iÏmal¶cule (?). (Zo”l.) An infusorian of the family Vorticellid‘, common in freshÏwater ponds.
Bell¶ bear·er (?). (Zo”l.) A Brazilian leaf hopper (Bocydium tintinnabuliferum), remarkable for the four bellÏshaped appendages of its thorax.
Bell¶bird· (?), n. [So called from their notes.] (Zo”l.) (a) A South American bird of the genus Casmarhincos, and family Cotingid‘, of several species; the campanero. (b) The Myzantha melanophrys of Australia.
Bell¶ crank· (?). A lever whose two arms form a right angle, or nearly a right angle, having its fulcrum at the apex of the angle. It is used in bell pulls and in changing the direction of bell wires at angles of rooms, etc., and also in machinery.

<— p. 135 —>

Belle (?), n. [F. belle, fem. of bel, beau, beautiful, fine. See Beau.] A young lady of superior beauty and attractions; a handsome lady, or one who attracts notice in society; a fair lady.
Belled (?), a. Hung with a bell or bells.
BelleÐlet¶trist (?), n. One versed in belleslettres.
ØBelÏler¶oÏphon (?), n. (Paleon.) A genus of fossil univalve shells, believed to belong to the Heteropoda, peculiar to the Paleozoic age.
ØBellesÐlet¶tres (?), n. pl. [F.] Polite or elegant literature; the humanities; Ð used somewhat vaguely for literary works in which imagination and taste are predominant.
Bel·leÏtris¶tic (?), Bel·leÏtris¶ticÏal (?), } a. Occupied with, or pertaining to, bellesÏlettres. ½An unlearned, belletristic trifler.¸
M. Arnold.
Bell¶Ðfaced· (?), a. Having the striking surface convex; Ð said of hammers.
Bell¶flow·er (?), n. (Bot.) A plant of the genus Campanula; Ð so named from its bellÏshaped flowers.
Bell¶flow·er, n. [ F. bellefleur, lit., beautiful flower.] A kind of apple. The yellow bellflower is a large, yellow winter apple. [Written also bellefleur.]
Bel¶liÏbone (?), n. [F. belle et bonne, beautiful and good.] A woman excelling both in beauty and goodness; a fair maid. [Obs.]
Spenser.
Bel¶lic (?), Bel¶liÏcal (?), } a. [L. bellicus. See Bellicose.] Of or pertaining to war; warlike; martial. [Obs.] ½Bellic C‘sar.¸
Feltham.
Bel¶liÏcose· (?), a. [L. bellicosus, fr. bellicus of war, fr. bellum war. See Duel.] Inclined to war or contention; warlike; pugnacious.
Arnold was, in fact, in a bellicose vein.
W. Irving.
Bel¶liÏcose·ly, adv. In a bellicose manner.
Bel¶liÏcous (?), a. Bellicose. [Obs.]
Bel¶lied (?), a. Having (such) a belly; puffed out; Ð used in composition; as, potÏbellied; shadÏbellied.
BelÏlig¶erÏence (?), BelÏlig¶erÏenÏcy (?), } n. The quality of being belligerent; act or state of making war; warfare.
BelÏlig¶erÏent (?), a. [L. bellum war + gerens, Ïentis, waging, p. pr. of gerere to wage: cf. F. bellig‚rant. See Bellicose, Jest.] 1. Waging war; carrying on war. ½Belligerent powers.¸
E. Everett.
2. Pertaining, or tending, to war; of or relating to belligerents; as, a belligerent tone; belligerent rights.
BelÏlig¶erÏent, n. A nation or state recognized as carrying on war; a person engaged in warfare.
BelÏlig¶erÏentÏly, adv. In a belligerent manner; hostilely.
Bell¶ing (?), n. [From Bell to bellow.] A bellowing, as of a deer in rutting time.
Johnson.
BelÏlip¶oÏtent (?), a. [ L. bellipotens; bellum war + potens powerful, p. pr. of posse to be able.] Mighty in war; armipotent. [R.]
Blount.
Bell¶ jar· (?). (Phys.) A glass vessel, varying in size, open at the bottom and closed at the top like a bell, and having a knob or handle at the top for lifting it. It is used for a great variety of purposes; as, with the air pump, and for holding gases, also for keeping the dust from articles exposed to view.
Bell¶man (?), n. A man who rings a bell, especially to give notice of anything in the streets. Formerly, also, a night watchman who called the hours.
Milton.
Bell¶ met·al (?). A hard alloy or bronze, consisting usually of about three parts of copper to one of tin; Ð used for making bells.
Bell metal ore, a sulphide of tin, copper, and iron; the mineral stannite.
Bell¶Ðmouthed· (?), a. Expanding at the mouth; as, a bellÐmouthed gun.
Byron.
Bel¶lon (?), n. Lead colic.
ØBelÏlo¶na (?), n. [L., from bellum war.] (Rom. Myth.) The goddess of war.
Bel¶low (?), v. i. [imp. & p.p. Bellowed ; p. pr. & vb. n. Bellowing.] [OE. belwen, belowen, AS. bylgean, fr. bellan; akin to G. bellen, and perh. to L. flere to weep, OSlav. bleja to bleat, Lith. balsas voice. Cf. Bell, n. & v., Bawl, Bull.] 1. To make a hollow, loud noise, as an enraged bull.
2. To bowl; to vociferate; to clamor.
Dryden.
3. To roar; as the sea in a tempest, or as the wind when violent; to make a loud, hollow, continued sound.
The bellowing voice of boiling seas.
Dryden.
Bel¶low, v. t. To emit with a loud voice; to shout; Ð used with out. ½Would bellow out a laugh.¸
Dryden.
Bel¶low, n. A loud resounding outcry or noise, as of an enraged bull; a roar.
Bel¶lowÏer (?), n. One who, or that which, bellows.
Bel¶lows (?), n. sing. & pl. [OE. bely, below, belly, bellows, AS. b‘lg, b‘lig, bag, bellows, belly. Bellows is prop. a pl. and the orig. sense is bag. See Belly.] An instrument, utensil, or machine, which, by alternate expansion and contraction, or by rise and fall of the top, draws in air through a valve and expels it through a tube for various purposes, as blowing fires, ventilating mines, or filling the pipes of an organ with wind.
Bellows camera, in photography, a form of camera, which can be drawn out like an accordion or bellows. Ð Hydrostatic bellows. See Hydrostatic. Ð A pair of bellows, the ordinary household instrument for blowing fires, consisting of two nearly heartÐshaped boards with handles, connected by leather, and having a valve and tube.
Bel¶lows fish· (?). (Zo”l.) A European fish (Centriscus scolopax), distinguished by a long tubular snout, like the pipe of a bellows; Ð called also trumpet fish, and snipe fish.
Bell¶ pep·per (?). (Bot.) A species of Capsicum, or Guinea pepper (C. annuum). It is the red pepper of the gardens.
Bell¶Ðshaped· (?), a. Having the shape of a widemouthed bell; campanulate.
Bel¶luÏine (?), a. [L. belluinus, fr. bellua beast.] Pertaining to, or like, a beast; brutal. [R.]
Animal and belluine life.
Atterbury.
Bell¶weth·er (?), n. 1. A wether, or sheep, which leads the flock, with a bell on his neck.
2. Hence: A leader. [Contemptuous]
Swift.
Bell¶wort¶ (?), n. (Bot.) A genus of plants (Uvularia) with yellowish bellÏshaped flowers.
Bel¶ly (?), n.; pl. Bellies (?). [OE. bali, bely, AS. belg, b‘lg, b‘lig, bag, bellows, belly; akin to Icel. belgr bag, bellows, Sw. b„lg, Dan. b‘lg, D. & G. balg, cf. W. bol the paunch or belly, dim. boly, Ir. bolg. Cf. Bellows, Follicle, Fool, Bilge.] 1. That part of the human body which extends downward from the breast to the thighs, and contains the bowels, or intestines; the abdomen.
µ Formerly all the splanchnic or visceral cavities were called bellies; Ð the lower belly being the abdomen; the middle belly, the thorax; and the upper belly, the head.
Dunglison.
2. The under part of the body of animals, corresponding to the human belly.
Underneath the belly of their steeds.
Shak.
3. The womb. [Obs.]
Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee.
Jer. i. 5.
4. The part of anything which resembles the human belly in protuberance or in cavity; the innermost part; as, the belly of a flask, muscle, sail, ship.
Out of the belly of hell cried I.
Jonah ii. 2.
5. (Arch.) The hollow part of a curved or bent timber, the convex part of which is the back.
Belly doublet, a doublet of the 16th century, hanging down so as to cover the belly. Shak. Ð Belly fretting, the chafing of a horse's belly with a girth. Johnson. Ð Belly timber, food. [Ludicrous] Prior. Ð Belly worm, a worm that breeds or lives in the belly (stomach or intestines). Johnson.
Bel¶ly, v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bellied (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bellying.] To cause to swell out; to fill. [R.]
Your breath of full consent bellied his sails.
Shak.
Bel¶ly, v. i. To swell and become protuberant, like the belly; to bulge.
The bellying canvas strutted with the gale.
Dryden.
Bel¶lyÏache· (?), n. Pain in the bowels; colic.
Bel¶lyÏband· (?), n. 1. A band that passes under the belly of a horse and holds the saddle or harness in place; a girth.
2. A band of flannel or other cloth about the belly.
3. (Naut.) A band of canvas, to strengthen a sail.
Bel¶lyÏbound· (?), a. Costive; constipated.
Bel¶lyÏcheat· (?), n. An apron or covering for the front of the person. [Obs.]
Beau. & Fl.
Bel¶lyÏcheer· (?), n. [Perh. from F. belle chŠre.] Good cheer; viands. [Obs.] ½Bellycheer and banquets.¸ Rowlands. ½Loaves and bellycheer.¸ Milton.
Bel¶lyÏcheer·, v. i. To revel; to feast. [Obs.]
A pack of clergymen [assembled] by themselves to bellycheer in their presumptuous Sion.
Milton.
Bel¶lyÏful (?), n. As much as satisfies the appetite. Hence: A great abundance; more than enough.
Lloyd.
King James told his son that he would have his bellyful of parliamentary impeachments.
Johnson.
Bel¶lyÐgod· (?), n. One whose great pleasure it is to gratify his appetite; a glutton; an epicure.
Bel¶lyÐpinched· (?), a. Pinched with hunger; starved. ½The bellyÐpinched wolf.¸
Shak.
BeÏlock¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Belocked (?).] [Pref. beÏ + lock: cf. AS. bel?can.] To lock, or fasten as with a lock. [Obs.]
Shak.
Bel¶oÏman·cy (?), n. [Gr. ?; ? arrow + ? a diviner: cf. F. b‚lomancie.] A kind of divination anciently practiced by means of marked arrows drawn at random from a bag or quiver, the marks on the arrows drawn being supposed to foreshow the future.
Encyc. Bri?.
BeÏlong¶ (?), v. i. [imp. & p.p. Belonged (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Belonging.] [OE. belongen (akin to D. belangen to concern, G. belangen to attain to, to concern); pref. beÏ + longen to desire. See Long, v. i.] [Usually construed with to.] 1. To be the property of; as, Jamaica belongs to Great Britain.
2. To be a part of, or connected with; to be appendant or related; to owe allegiance or service.
A desert place belonging to … Bethsaids.
Luke ix. 10.
The mighty men which belonged to David.
1 Kings i. 8.
3. To be the concern or proper business or function of; to appertain to. ½Do not interpretations belong to God ?¸
Gen. xl. 8.
4. To be suitable for; to be due to.
Strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age.
Heb. v. 14.
No blame belongs to thee.
Shak.
5. To be native to, or an inhabitant of; esp. to have a legal residence, settlement, or inhabitancy, whether by birth or operation of law, so as to be entitled to maintenance by the parish or town.
Bastards also are settled in the parishes to which the mothers belong.
Blackstone.
BeÏlong¶ (?), v. t. To be deserved by. [Obs.]
More evils belong us than happen to us.
B. Jonson.
BeÏlong¶ing, n. [Commonly in the pl.] 1. That which belongs to one; that which pertains to one; hence, goods or effects. ½Thyself and thy belongings.¸
Shak.
2. That which is connected with a principal or greater thing; an appendage; an appurtenance.
3. Family; relations; household. [Colloq.]
Few persons of her ladyship's belongings stopped, before they did her bidding, to ask her reasons.
Thackeray.
Bel¶oÏnite (?), n. [Gr. ? a needle.] (Min.) Minute acicular or dendritic crystalline forms sometimes observed in glassy volcanic rocks.
BelÏoo¶che BelÏoo¶chee } (?), a. Of or pertaining to Beloochistan, or to its inhabitants. Ð n. A native or an inhabitant of Beloochistan.
BeÏlord¶ (?), v. t. 1. To act the lord over.
2. To address by the title of ½lord¸.
BeÏlove¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Beloved (?).] [OE. bilufien. See pref. BeÏ, and Love, v. t.] To love. [Obs.]
Wodroephe.
BeÏloved¶ (?), p. p. & a. Greatly loved; dear to the heart.
Antony, so well beloved of C‘sar.
Shak.
This is my beloved Son.
Matt. iii. 17.
BeÏlov¶ed (?), n. One greatly loved.
My beloved is mine, and I am his.
Cant. ii. 16.
BeÏlow¶ (?), prep. [ Pref. beÏ by + low.] 1. Under, or lower in place; beneath not so high; as, below the moon; below the knee.
Shak.
2. Inferior to in rank, excellence, dignity, value, amount, price, etc.; lower in quality. ½One degree below kings.¸
Addison.
3. Unworthy of; unbefitting; beneath.
They beheld, with a just loathing and disdain, … how below all history the persons and their actions were.
Milton.
Who thinks no fact below his regard.
Hallam.
Syn. Ð Underneath; under; beneath.
BeÏlow¶, adv. 1. In a lower place, with respect to any object; in a lower room; beneath.
Lord Marmion waits below.
Sir W. Scott.
2. On the earth, as opposed to the heavens.
The fairest child of Jove below.
Prior.
3. In hell, or the regions of the dead.
What businesss brought him to the realms below.
Dryden.
4. In court or tribunal of inferior jurisdiction; as, at the trial below.
Wheaton.
5. In some part or page following.
BeÏlowt¶ (?), v. t. To treat as a lout; to talk abusively to. [Obs.]
Camden.
Bel¶sire· (?), n. [Pref. belÏ + sire. Cf. Beldam.] A grandfather, or ancestor. ½His great belsire Brute.¸ [Obs.]
Drayton.
Bel¶swag·ger (?), n. [Contr. from bellyswagger.] A lewd man; also, a bully. [Obs.]
Dryden.
Belt (?), n. [AS. belt; akin to Icel. belti, Sw. b„lte, Dan. b‘lte, OHG. balz, L. balteus, Ir. & Gael. balt bo?der, belt.] 1. That which engirdles a person or thing; a band or girdle; as, a lady's belt; a sword belt.
The shining belt with gold inlaid.
Dryden.
2. That which restrains or confines as a girdle.
He cannot buckle his distempered cause
Within the belt of rule.
Shak.
3. Anything that resembles a belt, or that encircles or crosses like a belt; a strip or stripe; as, a belt of trees; a belt of sand.
4. (Arch.) Same as Band, n., 2. A very broad band ? more properly termed a belt.
5. (Astron.) One of certain girdles or zones on the surface of the planets Jupiter and Saturn, supposed to be of the nature of clouds.
6. (Geog.) A narrow passage or strait; as, the Great Belt and the Lesser Belt, leading to the Baltic Sea.
7. (Her.) A token or badge of knightly rank.
8. (Mech.) A band of leather, or other flexible substance, passing around two wheels, and communicating motion from one to the other. [See Illust. of Pulley.]
9. (Nat. Hist.) A band or stripe, as of color, round any organ; or any circular ridge or series of ridges.
Belt lacing, thongs used for lacing together the ends of machine belting.
Belt, v. t. [imp. & p.p. Belted; p. pr. & vb. n. Belting.] 1. To encircle with, or as with, a belt; to encompass; to surround.
A coarse black robe belted round the waist.
C. Reade.
They belt him round with hearts undaunted.
Wordsworth.
2. To shear, as the buttocks and tails of sheep. [Prov. Eng.]
Halliwell.
Bel¶tane (?), n. [Gael. bealltainn, bealltuinn.]
1. The first day of May (Old Style).
The quarterÐdays anciently in Scotland were Hallowmas, Candlemas, Beltane, and Lammas.
New English Dict.
2. A festival of the heathen Celts on the first day of May, in the observance of which great bonfires were kindled. It still exists in a modified form in some parts of Scotland and Ireland.
Belt¶ed (?), a. 1. Encircled by, or secured with, a belt; as, a belted plaid; girt with a belt, as an honorary distinction; as, a belted knight; a belted earl.
2. Marked with a band or circle; as, a belted stalk.
3. Worn in, or suspended from, the belt.
Three men with belted brands.
Sir W. Scott.
Belted cattle, cattle originally from Dutch stock, having a broad band of white round the middle, while the rest of the body is black; Ð called also blanketed cattle.
Bel¶tein (?), Bel¶tin (?), n. See Beltane.
Belt¶ing (?), n. The material of which belt? for machinery are made; also, belts, taken collectively.

<— p. 136 —>

BeÏlu¶ga (?), n. [Russ. bieluga a sort of large sturgeon, prop. white fish, fr. bieluii white.] (Zo”l.) A ??tacean allied to the dolphins.
µ The northern beluga (Delphinapterus catodon) is the white whale and white fish of the whalers. It grows to be from twelve to eighteen feet long.
BeÏlute¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Beluted; p. pr. & vb. n. Beluting.] [Pref. beÏ + L. lutum mud.] To bespatter, as with mud. [R.]
Sterne.
Bel·veÏdere¶ (?), n. [ It., fr. bello, bel, beautiful + vedere to see.] (Arch.) A small building, or a part of a building, more or less open, constructed in a place commanding a fine prospect.
ØBel¶zeÏbuth (?), n. [From Beelzebub.] (Zo”l.) A spider monkey (Ateles belzebuth) of Brazil.
ØBe¶ma (?), n. [Gr. ? step, platform.]
1. (Gr. Antiq.) A platform from which speakers addressed an assembly.
Mitford.
2. (Arch.) (a) That part of an early Christian church which was reserved for the higher clergy; the inner or eastern part of the chancel. (b) Erroneously: A pulpit.
BeÏmad¶ (?), v. t. To make mad. [Obs.]
Fuller.
BeÏman¶gle (?), v. t. To mangle; to tear ?sunder. [R.]
Beaumont.
BeÏmask¶ (?), v. t. To mask; to conceal.
BeÏmas¶ter (?), v. t. To master thoroughly.
BeÏmaul¶ (?), v. t. To maul or beat severely; to bruise. ½In order to bemaul Yorick.¸
Sterne.
BeÏmaze (?), v. t. [OE. bimasen; pref. beÏ + masen to maze.] To bewilder.
Intellects bemazed in endless doubt.
Cowper.
BeÏmean¶ (?), v. t. To make mean; to lower.
C. Reade.
BeÏmeet¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bemet (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bemeeting.] To meet. [Obs.]
Our very loving sister, well bemet.
Shak.
BeÏmete¶ (?), v. t. To mete. [Obs.]
Shak.
BeÏmin¶gle (?), v. t. To mingle; to mix.
BeÏmire¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bemired (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bemiring.] To drag through, encumber with, or fix in, the mire; to soil by passing through mud or dirt.
Bemired and benighted in the dog.
Burke.
BeÏmist¶ (?), v. t. To envelop in mist. [Obs.]
BeÏmoan¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bemoaned (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bemoaning.] [OE. bimenen, AS. bem?nan; pref. beÏ + m?nan to moan. See Moan.] To express deep grief for by moaning; to express sorrow for; to lament; to bewail; to pity or sympathize with.
Implores their pity, and his pain bemoans.
Dryden.
Syn. Ð See Deplore.
BeÏmoan¶er (?), n. One who bemoans.
BeÏmock¶ (?), v. t. To mock; to ridicule.
Bemock the modest moon.
Shak.
BeÏmoil¶ (?), v. t. [Pref. beÏ + moil, fr. F. mouiller to wet; but cf. also OE. bimolen to soil, fr. AS. m¾l spot: cf. E. mole.] To soil or encumber with mire and dirt. [Obs.]
Shak.
Be¶mol (?), n. [F. b‚mol, fr. b‚ ? + mol soft.] (Mus.) The sign ?; the same as B flat. [Obs.]
BeÏmon¶ster (?), v. t. To make monstrous or like a monster. [Obs.]
Shak.
BeÏmourn¶ (?), v. t. To mourn over.
Wyclif.
BeÏmud¶dle (?), v. t. To muddle; to stupefy or bewilder; to confuse.
BeÏmuf¶fle (?), v. t. To cover as with a muffler; to wrap up.
Bemuffled with the externals of religion.
Sterne.
BeÏmuse¶ (?), v. t. To muddle, daze, or partially stupefy, as with liquor.
A parson much bemused in beer.
Pope.
Ben (?), Ben¶ nut· (?). [Ar. b¾n, name of the tree.] (Bot.) The seed of one or more species of moringa; as, oil of ben. See Moringa.
Ben, adv. & prep. [AS. binnan; pref. beÏ by + innan within, in in.] Within; in; in or into the interior; toward the inner apartment. [Scot.]
Ben, n. [See Ben, adv.] The inner or principal room in a hut or house of two rooms; Ð opposed to but, the outer apartment. [Scot.]
Ben. An old form of the pl. indic. pr. of Be. [Obs.]
BeÏname¶ (?), v. t. [p. p. Benamed, Benempt.] To promise; to name. [Obs.]
Bench (?), n.; pl. Benches (?). [OE. bench, benk, AS. benc; akin to Sw. b„nk, Dan b‘nk, Icel. bekkr, OS., D., & G. bank. Cf. Bank, Beach.] 1. A long seat, differing from a stool in its greater length.
Mossy benches supplie? ?ne place of chairs.
Sir W. Scott.
2. A long table at which mechanics and other work; as, a carpenter's bench.
3. The seat where judges sit in court.
To pluck down justice from your awful bench.
Shak.
4. The persons who sit as judges; the court; as, the opinion of the full bench. See King's Bench.
5. A collection or group of dogs exhibited to the public; Ð so named because the animals are usually placed on benches or raised platforms.
6. A conformation like a bench; a long stretch of flat ground, or a kind of natural terrace, near a lake or river.
Bench mark (Leveling), one of a number of marks along a line of survey, affixed to permanent objects, to show where leveling staffs were placed. Ð Bench of bishops, the whole body of English prelates assembled in council. Ð Bench plane, any plane used by carpenters and joiners for working a flat surface, as jack planes, long planes. Ð Bench show, an exhibition of dogs. Ð Bench table (Arch.), a projecting course at the base of a building, or round a pillar, sufficient to form a seat.
Bench (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Benched (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Benching.] 1. To furnish with benches.
'T was benched with turf.
Dryden.
Stately theaters benched crescentwise.
Tennyson.
2. To place on a bench or seat of honor.
Whom I … have benched and reared to worship.
Shak.
Bench, v. i. To sit on a seat of justice. [R.]
Shak.
Bench¶er (??), n. 1. (Eng. Law) One of the senior and governing members of an Inn of Court.
2. An alderman of a corporation. [Eng.]
Ashmole.
3. A member of a court or council. [Obs.]
Shak.
4. One who frequents the benches of a tavern; an idler. [Obs.]
Bench¶ war·rant (?). (Law) A process issued by a presiding judge or by a court against a person guilty of some contempt, or indicted for some crime; Ð so called in distinction from a justice's warrant.
Bend (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bended or Bent (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bending.] [AS. bendan to bend, fr. bend a band, bond, fr. bindan to bind. See Bind, v. t., and cf. 3d & 4th Bend.] 1. To strain or move out of a straight line; to crook by straining; to make crooked; to curve; to make ready for use by drawing into a curve; as, to bend a bow; to bend the knee.
2. To turn toward some certain point; to direct; to incline. ½Bend thine ear to supplication.¸
Milton.
Towards Coventry bend we our course.
Shak.
Bending her eyes … upon her parent.
Sir W. Scott.
3. To apply closely or with interest; to direct.
To bend his mind to any public business.
Temple.
But when to mischief mortals bend their will.
Pope.
4. To cause to yield; to render submissive; to subdue. ½Except she bend her humor.¸
Shak.
5. (Naut.) To fasten, as one rope to another, or as a sail to its yard or stay; or as a cable to the ring of an anchor.
Totten.
To bend the brow, to knit the brow, as in deep thought or in anger; to scowl; to frown.
Camden.
Syn. Ð To lean; stoop; deflect; bow; yield.
Bend, v. i. 1. To be moved or strained out of a straight line; to crook or be curving; to bow.
The green earth's end
Where the bowed welkin slow doth bend.
Milton.
2. To jut over; to overhang.
There is a cliff, whose high and bending head
Looks fearfully in the confined deep.
Shak.
3. To be inclined; to be directed.
To whom our vows and wished bend.
Milton.
4. To bow in prayer, or in token of submission.
While each to his great Father bends.
Coleridge.
Bend, n. [See Bend, v. t., and cf. Bent, n.] 1. A turn or deflection from a straight line or from the proper direction or normal position; a curve; a crook; as, a slight bend of the body; a bend in a road.
2. Turn; purpose; inclination; ends. [Obs.]
Farewell, poor swain; thou art not for my bend.
Fletcher.
3. (Naut.) A knot by which one rope is fastened to another or to an anchor, spar, or post.
Totten.
4. (Leather Trade) The best quality of sole leather; a butt. See Butt.
5. (Mining) Hard, indurated clay; bind.
Bends of a ship, the thickest and strongest planks in her sides, more generally called wales. They have the beams, knees, and foothooks bolted to them. Also, the frames or ribs that form the ship's body from the keel to the top of the sides; as, the midship bend.
Bend, n. [AS. bend. See Band, and cf. the preceding noun.] 1. A band. [Obs.]
Spenser.
2. [OF. bende, bande, F. bande. See Band.] (Her.) One of the honorable ordinaries, containing a third or a fifth part of the field. It crosses the field diagonally from the dexter chief to the sinister base.
Bend sinister (Her.), an honorable ordinary drawn from the sinister chief to the dexter base.
Bend¶aÏble (?), a. Capable of being bent.
Bend¶er (?), n. 1. One who, or that which, bends.
2. An instrument used for bending.
3. A drunken spree. [Low, U. S.]
Bartlett.
4. A sixpence. [Slang, Eng.]
Bend¶ing, n. The marking of the clothes with stripes or horizontal bands. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
Bend¶let (?), n. [Bend + Ïlet: cf. E. bandlet.] (Her.) A narrow bend, esp. one half the width of the bend.
Bend¶wise (?), adv. (Her.) Diagonally.
Ben¶dy (?), a. [From Bend a band.] (Her.) Divided into an even number of bends; Ð said of a shield or its charge.
Cussans.
Ben¶e (?), n. (Bot.) See Benne.
Be¶ne (?), n. [AS. b?n.] A prayer; boon. [Archaic]
What is good for a bootless bene ?
Wordsworth.
ØBene, Ben (?), n. [Native name.] (Zo”l.) A hoglike mammal of New Guinea (Porcula papuensis).
BeÏneaped¶ (?), a. (Naut.) See Neaped.
BeÏneath¶ (?), prep. [OE. benethe, bineo?en, AS. beneo?an, beny?an; pref. beÏ + neo?an, ny?an, downward, beneath, akin to E. nether. See Nether.] 1. Lower in place, with something directly over or on; under; underneath; hence, at the foot of. ½Beneath the mount.¸
Ex. xxxii. 19.
Beneath a rude and nameless stone he lies.
Pope.
2. Under, in relation to something that is superior, or that oppresses or burdens.
Our country sinks beneath the yoke.
Shak.
3. Lower in rank, dignity, or excellence than; as, brutes are beneath man; man is beneath angels in the scale of beings. Hence: Unworthy of; unbecoming.
He will do nothing that is beneath his high station.
Atterbury.
BeÏneath¶ (?), adv. 1. In a lower place; underneath.
The earth you take from beneath will be barren.
Mortimer.
2. Below, as opposed to heaven, or to any superior region or position; as, in earth beneath.
ØBen·eÏdic¶iÏte (?), n. [L., (imperative pl.,) bless ye, praise ye.] A canticle (the Latin version of which begins with this word) which may be used in the order for morning prayer in the Church of England. It is taken from an apocryphal addition to the third chapter of Daniel.
ØBen·eÏdic¶iÏte, interj. [See Benedicite, n.] An exclamation corresponding to Bless you !.
Ben¶eÏdict (?), Ben¶eÏdick (?), } n. [From Benedick, one of the characters in Shakespeare's play of ½Much Ado about Nothing.¸] A married man, or a man newly married.
Ben¶eÏdict, a. [L. benedictus, p. p. of benedicere to bless. See Benison, and cf. Bennet.] Having mild and salubrious qualities. [Obs.]
Bacon.
Ben·eÏdic¶tine (?), a. Pertaining to the monks of St. Benedict, or St. Benet.
Ben·eÏdic¶tine, n. (Eccl. Hist.) One of a famous order of monks, established by St. Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century. This order was introduced into the United States in 1846.
µ The Benedictines wear black clothing, and are sometimes called Black Monks. The name Black Fr????rs which belongs to the Dominicans, is also sometimes applied to the Benedictines.
Ben·eÏdic¶tion (?), n. [L. benedictio: cf. F. b‚n‚diction. See Benison.] 1. The act of blessing.
2. A blessing; an expression of blessing, prayer, or kind wishes in favor of any person or thing; a solemn or affectionate invocation of happiness.
So saying, he arose; whom Adam thus
Followed with benediction.
Milton.
Homeward serenely she walked with God's benediction upon her.
Longfellow.
Specifically: The short prayer which closes public worship; as, to give the benediction.
3. (Eccl.) The form of instituting an abbot, answering to the consecration of a bishop.
Ayliffe.
4. (R. C. Ch.) A solemn rite by which bells, banners, candles, etc., are blessed with holy water, and formally dedicated to God.
Ben·eÏdic¶tionÏal (?), n. A book of benedictions.
Ben·eÏdic¶tionÏaÏry (?), n. A collected series of benedictions.
The benedictionary of Bishop Athelwold.
G. Gurton's Needle.
Ben·eÏdic¶tive (?), a. Tending to bless.
Gauden.
Ben·eÏdic¶toÏry (?), a. Expressing wishes for good; as, a benedictory prayer.
Thackeray.
ØBen·eÏdic¶tus (?), n. [L., blessed. See Benedict, a.] The song of Zacharias at the birth of John the Baptist (Luke i. 68); Ð so named from the first word of the Latin version.
Ben¶eÏdight (?), a. Blessed. [R.]
Longfellow.
Ben·eÏfac¶tion (?), n. [L. benefactio, fr. benefacere to do good to one; bene well + facere to do. See Benefit.] 1. The act of conferring a benefit.
Johnson.
2. A benefit conferred; esp. a charitable donation.
Syn. Ð Gift; present; gratuity; boon; alms.
Ben·eÏfac¶tor (?), n. [L.] One who confers a benefit or benefits.
Bacon.
Ben·eÏfac¶tress, n. A woman who confers a benefit.
His benefactress blushes at the deed.
Cowper.
BeÏnef¶ic (?), a. [L. beneficus. See Benefice.] Favorable; beneficent.
Milton.
Ben¶eÏfice (?), n. [F. b‚n‚fice, L. beneficium, a kindness , in LL. a grant of an estate, fr. L. beneficus beneficent; bene well + facere to do. See Benefit.]
1. A favor or benefit. [Obs.]
Baxter.
2. (Feudal Law) An estate in lands; a fief.
µ Such an estate was granted at first for life only, and held on the mere good pleasure of the donor; but afterward, becoming hereditary, it received the appellation of fief, and the term benefice became appropriated to church livings.
3. An ecclesiastical living and church preferment, as in the Church of England; a church endowed with a revenue for the maintenance of divine service. See Advowson.
µ All church preferments are called benefices, except bishoprics, which are called dignities. But, ordinarily, the term dignity is applied to bishoprics, deaneries, archdeaconries, and prebendaryships; benefice to parsonages, vicarages, and donatives.
Ben¶eÏfice, v. t. [imp. & p.p. Beneficed.] To endow with a benefice. [Commonly in the past participle.]
Ben¶eÏficed (?), a. Possessed of a benefice o? church preferment. ½Beneficed clergymen.¸
Burke.
Ben¶eÏficeÏless (?), a. Having no benefice. ½Beneficeless precisians.¸
Sheldon.
BeÏnef¶iÏcence (?), n. [L. beneficentia, fr. beneficus: cf. F. b‚n‚ficence. See Benefice.] The practice of doing good; active goodness, kindness, or charity; bounty springing from purity and goodness.
And whose beneficence no charge exhausts.
Cowper.
Syn. Ð See Benevolence.
BeÏnef·iÏcent (?), a. Doing or producing good; performing acts of kindness and charity; characterized by beneficence.
The beneficent fruits of Christianity.
Prescott.
Syn. Ð See Benevolent.
BeÏnef·iÏcen¶tial (?), a. Relating to beneficence.

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