Part 4 out of 94. 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. Credence; trust; reliance; assurance; opinion. Beliefful (?), a. Having belief or faith. Believable (?), a. Capable of being believed; credible. Believableness, n. Believability (?), n. Believe (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Believed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Believing.] [OE. bileven (with pref. be for AS. ge), 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. See Expect. Believe, 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; as, to believe in the resurrection of the dead. She 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; especially that his promises are wholly trustworthy. Let 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. To believe on, to accept implicitly as an object of religious trust or obedience; to have faith in. Believer (?), 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; 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. Believing, a. That believes; having belief. Believingly, adv. Belight (?), v. t. To illuminate. [Obs.] Cowley. Belike (?), adv. [Pref. be (for by) + like.] It is likely or probably; perhaps. [Obs. or Archaic] Belikely, adv. Belike, boy, then you are in love. Shak. Belime (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Belimed (?).] To besmear or insnare with birdlime. Belittle (?), 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. Belive (?), 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. 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 Proclaim 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. In 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. 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 eight 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. To bear the bell, to be the first or leader; in allusion to the bellwether or a flock, or the leading animal of a team or drove, when wearing a bell. 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. To lose the bell, to be worsted in a contest. In single fight he lost the bell. Fairfax. To shake the bells, to move, five notice, or alarm. Shak. Bell is much used adjectively or in combinations; as, bell clapper; bell foundry; bell hanger; bellmouthed; bell tower, etc., which, for the most part, are selfexplaining. Bell arch (Arch.), an arch of unusual form, following the curve of an ogee. Bell cage, or Bell carriage (Arch.), a timber frame constructed to carry one or more large bells. 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. Bell deck (Arch.), the floor of a belfry made to serve as a roof to the rooms below. Bell founder, one whose occupation it is to found or cast bells. Bell foundry, or Bell foundery, a place where bells are founded or cast. Bell gable (Arch.), a small gableshaped construction, pierced with one or more openings, and used to contain bells. Bell glass. See Bell jar. Bell hanger, a man who hangs or puts up bells. Bell pull, a cord, handle, or knob, connecting with a bell or bell wire, and which will ring the bell when pulled. Aytoun. Bell punch, a kind of conductor's punch which rings a bell when used. 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. Bell roof (Arch.), a roof shaped according to the general lines of a bell. Bell rope, a rope by which a church or other bell is rung. Bell tent, a circular conicaltopped tent. 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 bellmouthed; 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. Belladonna (?), n. [It., literally fine lady; bella beautiful + donna lady.] (Bot.) (a) An herbaceous European plant (Atropa belladonna) with reddish bellshaped 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 animalcule (?). (Zol.) An infusorian of the family Vorticellid, common in freshwater ponds. Bell bearer (?). (Zol.) A Brazilian leaf hopper (Bocydium tintinnabuliferum), remarkable for the four bellshaped appendages of its thorax. Bellbird (?), n. [So called from their notes.] (Zol.) (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. Bellelettrist (?), n. One versed in belleslettres. Bellerophon (?), n. (Paleon.) A genus of fossil univalve shells, believed to belong to the Heteropoda, peculiar to the Paleozoic age. Belleslettres (?), n. pl. [F.] Polite or elegant literature; the humanities; used somewhat vaguely for literary works in which imagination and taste are predominant. Belletristic (?), Belletristical (?), } a. Occupied with, or pertaining to, belleslettres. An unlearned, belletristic trifler. M. Arnold. Bellfaced (?), a. Having the striking surface convex; said of hammers. Bellflower (?), n. (Bot.) A plant of the genus Campanula; so named from its bellshaped flowers. Bellflower, n. [ F. bellefleur, lit., beautiful flower.] A kind of apple. The yellow bellflower is a large, yellow winter apple. [Written also bellefleur.] Bellibone (?), n. [F. belle et bonne, beautiful and good.] A woman excelling both in beauty and goodness; a fair maid. [Obs.] Spenser. Bellic (?), Bellical (?), } a. [L. bellicus. See Bellicose.] Of or pertaining to war; warlike; martial. [Obs.] Bellic Csar. Feltham. Bellicose (?), 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. Bellicosely, adv. In a bellicose manner. Bellicous (?), a. Bellicose. [Obs.] Bellied (?), a. Having (such) a belly; puffed out; used in composition; as, potbellied; shadbellied. Belligerence (?), Belligerency (?), } n. The quality of being belligerent; act or state of making war; warfare. Belligerent (?), a. [L. bellum war + gerens, entis, waging, p. pr. of gerere to wage: cf. F. belligrant. See Bellicose, Jest.] 1. Waging war; carrying on war. Belligerent powers. E. Everett. 2. Pertaining, or tending, to war; of or relating to belligerents; as, a belligerent tone; belligerent rights. Belligerent, n. A nation or state recognized as carrying on war; a person engaged in warfare. Belligerently, adv. In a belligerent manner; hostilely. Belling (?), n. [From Bell to bellow.] A bellowing, as of a deer in rutting time. Johnson. Bellipotent (?), 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. Bellman (?), 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 metal (?). A hard alloy or bronze, consisting usually of about three parts of copper to one of tin; used for making bells. Bell metal ore, a sulphide of tin, copper, and iron; the mineral stannite. Bellmouthed (?), a. Expanding at the mouth; as, a bellmouthed gun. Byron. Bellon (?), n. Lead colic. Bellona (?), n. [L., from bellum war.] (Rom. Myth.) The goddess of war. Bellow (?), 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. Bellow, v. t. To emit with a loud voice; to shout; used with out. Would bellow out a laugh. Dryden. Bellow, n. A loud resounding outcry or noise, as of an enraged bull; a roar. Bellower (?), n. One who, or that which, bellows. Bellows (?), n. sing. & pl. [OE. bely, below, belly, bellows, AS. blg, blig, 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. Hydrostatic bellows. See Hydrostatic. A pair of bellows, the ordinary household instrument for blowing fires, consisting of two nearly heartshaped boards with handles, connected by leather, and having a valve and tube. Bellows fish (?). (Zol.) A European fish (Centriscus scolopax), distinguished by a long tubular snout, like the pipe of a bellows; called also trumpet fish, and snipe fish. Bell pepper (?). (Bot.) A species of Capsicum, or Guinea pepper (C. annuum). It is the red pepper of the gardens. Bellshaped (?), a. Having the shape of a widemouthed bell; campanulate. Belluine (?), a. [L. belluinus, fr. bellua beast.] Pertaining to, or like, a beast; brutal. [R.] Animal and belluine life. Atterbury. Bellwether (?), n. 1. A wether, or sheep, which leads the flock, with a bell on his neck. 2. Hence: A leader. [Contemptuous] Swift. Bellwort (?), n. (Bot.) A genus of plants (Uvularia) with yellowish bellshaped flowers. Belly (?), n.; pl. Bellies (?). [OE. bali, bely, AS. belg, blg, blig, bag, bellows, belly; akin to Icel. belgr bag, bellows, Sw. blg, Dan. blg, 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. Formerly all the splanchnic or visceral cavities were called bellies; 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. Belly fretting, the chafing of a horse's belly with a girth. Johnson. Belly timber, food. [Ludicrous] Prior. Belly worm, a worm that breeds or lives in the belly (stomach or intestines). Johnson. Belly, 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. Belly, v. i. To swell and become protuberant, like the belly; to bulge. The bellying canvas strutted with the gale. Dryden. Bellyache (?), n. Pain in the bowels; colic. Bellyband (?), 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. Bellybound (?), a. Costive; constipated. Bellycheat (?), n. An apron or covering for the front of the person. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl. Bellycheer (?), n. [Perh. from F. belle chre.] Good cheer; viands. [Obs.] Bellycheer and banquets. Rowlands. Loaves and bellycheer. Milton. Bellycheer, v. i. To revel; to feast. [Obs.] A pack of clergymen [assembled] by themselves to bellycheer in their presumptuous Sion. Milton. Bellyful (?), 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. Bellygod (?), n. One whose great pleasure it is to gratify his appetite; a glutton; an epicure. Bellypinched (?), a. Pinched with hunger; starved. The bellypinched wolf. Shak. Belock (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Belocked (?).] [Pref. be + lock: cf. AS. bel?can.] To lock, or fasten as with a lock. [Obs.] Shak. Belomancy (?), n. [Gr. ?; ? arrow + ? a diviner: cf. F. blomancie.] 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?. Belong (?), 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. be + 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. Do 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. Belong (?), v. t. To be deserved by. [Obs.] More evils belong us than happen to us. B. Jonson. Belonging, n. [Commonly in the pl.] 1. That which belongs to one; that which pertains to one; hence, goods or effects. Thyself 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. Belonite (?), n. [Gr. ? a needle.] (Min.) Minute acicular or dendritic crystalline forms sometimes observed in glassy volcanic rocks. Belooche Beloochee } (?), a. Of or pertaining to Beloochistan, or to its inhabitants. n. A native or an inhabitant of Beloochistan. Belord (?), v. t. 1. To act the lord over. 2. To address by the title of lord. Belove (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Beloved (?).] [OE. bilufien. See pref. Be, and Love, v. t.] To love. [Obs.] Wodroephe. Beloved (?), p. p. & a. Greatly loved; dear to the heart. Antony, so well beloved of Csar. Shak. This is my beloved Son. Matt. iii. 17. Beloved (?), n. One greatly loved. My beloved is mine, and I am his. Cant. ii. 16. Below (?), prep. [ Pref. be 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. One 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. Underneath; under; beneath. Below, 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. Belowt (?), v. t. To treat as a lout; to talk abusively to. [Obs.] Camden. Belsire (?), n. [Pref. bel + sire. Cf. Beldam.] A grandfather, or ancestor. His great belsire Brute. [Obs.] Drayton. Belswagger (?), n. [Contr. from bellyswagger.] A lewd man; also, a bully. [Obs.] Dryden. Belt (?), n. [AS. belt; akin to Icel. belti, Sw. blte, Dan. blte, 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. Beltane (?), n. [Gael. bealltainn, bealltuinn.] 1. The first day of May (Old Style). The quarterdays 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. Belted (?), 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; called also blanketed cattle. Beltein (?), Beltin (?), n. See Beltane. Belting (?), n. The material of which belt? for machinery are made; also, belts, taken collectively. <-- p. 136 --> Beluga (?), n. [Russ. bieluga a sort of large sturgeon, prop. white fish, fr. bieluii white.] (Zol.) A ??tacean allied to the dolphins. 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. Belute (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Beluted; p. pr. & vb. n. Beluting.] [Pref. be + L. lutum mud.] To bespatter, as with mud. [R.] Sterne. Belvedere (?), 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. Belzebuth (?), n. [From Beelzebub.] (Zol.) A spider monkey (Ateles belzebuth) of Brazil. Bema (?), 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. Bemad (?), v. t. To make mad. [Obs.] Fuller. Bemangle (?), v. t. To mangle; to tear ?sunder. [R.] Beaumont. Bemask (?), v. t. To mask; to conceal. Bemaster (?), v. t. To master thoroughly. Bemaul (?), v. t. To maul or beat severely; to bruise. In order to bemaul Yorick. Sterne. Bemaze (?), v. t. [OE. bimasen; pref. be + masen to maze.] To bewilder. Intellects bemazed in endless doubt. Cowper. Bemean (?), v. t. To make mean; to lower. C. Reade. Bemeet (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bemet (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bemeeting.] To meet. [Obs.] Our very loving sister, well bemet. Shak. Bemete (?), v. t. To mete. [Obs.] Shak. Bemingle (?), v. t. To mingle; to mix. Bemire (?), 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. Bemist (?), v. t. To envelop in mist. [Obs.] Bemoan (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bemoaned (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bemoaning.] [OE. bimenen, AS. bem?nan; pref. be + 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. See Deplore. Bemoaner (?), n. One who bemoans. Bemock (?), v. t. To mock; to ridicule. Bemock the modest moon. Shak. Bemoil (?), v. t. [Pref. be + moil, fr. F. mouiller to wet; but cf. also OE. bimolen to soil, fr. AS. ml spot: cf. E. mole.] To soil or encumber with mire and dirt. [Obs.] Shak. Bemol (?), n. [F. bmol, fr. b ? + mol soft.] (Mus.) The sign ?; the same as B flat. [Obs.] Bemonster (?), v. t. To make monstrous or like a monster. [Obs.] Shak. Bemourn (?), v. t. To mourn over. Wyclif. Bemuddle (?), v. t. To muddle; to stupefy or bewilder; to confuse. Bemuffle (?), v. t. To cover as with a muffler; to wrap up. Bemuffled with the externals of religion. Sterne. Bemuse (?), v. t. To muddle, daze, or partially stupefy, as with liquor. A parson much bemused in beer. Pope. Ben (?), Ben nut (?). [Ar. bn, 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. be 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; opposed to but, the outer apartment. [Scot.] Ben. An old form of the pl. indic. pr. of Be. [Obs.] Bename (?), v. t. [p. p. Benamed, Benempt.] To promise; to name. [Obs.] Bench (?), n.; pl. Benches (?). [OE. bench, benk, AS. benc; akin to Sw. bnk, Dan bnk, 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; 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. Bench of bishops, the whole body of English prelates assembled in council. Bench plane, any plane used by carpenters and joiners for working a flat surface, as jack planes, long planes. Bench show, an exhibition of dogs. 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. Bencher (??), 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 warrant (?). (Law) A process issued by a presiding judge or by a court against a person guilty of some contempt, or indicted for some crime; 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. Bend 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. Except 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. 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. Bendable (?), a. Capable of being bent. Bender (?), 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.] Bending, n. The marking of the clothes with stripes or horizontal bands. [Obs.] Chaucer. Bendlet (?), n. [Bend + let: cf. E. bandlet.] (Her.) A narrow bend, esp. one half the width of the bend. Bendwise (?), adv. (Her.) Diagonally. Bendy (?), a. [From Bend a band.] (Her.) Divided into an even number of bends; said of a shield or its charge. Cussans. Bene (?), n. (Bot.) See Benne. Bene (?), n. [AS. b?n.] A prayer; boon. [Archaic] What is good for a bootless bene ? Wordsworth. Bene, Ben (?), n. [Native name.] (Zol.) A hoglike mammal of New Guinea (Porcula papuensis). Beneaped (?), a. (Naut.) See Neaped. Beneath (?), prep. [OE. benethe, bineo?en, AS. beneo?an, beny?an; pref. be + 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. Beneath 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. Beneath (?), 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. Benedicite (?), 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. Benedicite, interj. [See Benedicite, n.] An exclamation corresponding to Bless you !. Benedict (?), Benedick (?), } n. [From Benedick, one of the characters in Shakespeare's play of Much Ado about Nothing.] A married man, or a man newly married. Benedict, a. [L. benedictus, p. p. of benedicere to bless. See Benison, and cf. Bennet.] Having mild and salubrious qualities. [Obs.] Bacon. Benedictine (?), a. Pertaining to the monks of St. Benedict, or St. Benet. Benedictine, 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. 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. Benediction (?), n. [L. benedictio: cf. F. bndiction. 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. Benedictional (?), n. A book of benedictions. Benedictionary (?), n. A collected series of benedictions. The benedictionary of Bishop Athelwold. G. Gurton's Needle. Benedictive (?), a. Tending to bless. Gauden. Benedictory (?), a. Expressing wishes for good; as, a benedictory prayer. Thackeray. Benedictus (?), n. [L., blessed. See Benedict, a.] The song of Zacharias at the birth of John the Baptist (Luke i. 68); so named from the first word of the Latin version. Benedight (?), a. Blessed. [R.] Longfellow. Benefaction (?), 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. Gift; present; gratuity; boon; alms. Benefactor (?), n. [L.] One who confers a benefit or benefits. Bacon. Benefactress, n. A woman who confers a benefit. His benefactress blushes at the deed. Cowper. Benefic (?), a. [L. beneficus. See Benefice.] Favorable; beneficent. Milton. Benefice (?), n. [F. bnfice, 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. 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. 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. Benefice, v. t. [imp. & p.p. Beneficed.] To endow with a benefice. [Commonly in the past participle.] Beneficed (?), a. Possessed of a benefice o? church preferment. Beneficed clergymen. Burke. Beneficeless (?), a. Having no benefice. Beneficeless precisians. Sheldon. Beneficence (?), n. [L. beneficentia, fr. beneficus: cf. F. bnficence. 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. See Benevolence. Beneficent (?), a. Doing or producing good; performing acts of kindness and charity; characterized by beneficence. The beneficent fruits of Christianity. Prescott. Syn. See Benevolent. Beneficential (?), a. Relating to beneficence. <-- p. 137 --> Beneficently (?), adv. In a beneficent manner; with beneficence. Beneficial (?), a. [Cf. F. bnficial, LL. beneficialis.] 1. Conferring benefits; useful; profi?table; helpful; advantageous; serviceable; contributing to a valuable end; followed by to. The war which would have been most beneficial to us. Swift. 2. (Law) Receiving, or entitled to have or receive, advantage, use, or benefit; as, the beneficial owner of an estate. Kent. 3. King. [Obs.] A beneficial foe. B. Jonson. Syn. See Advantage. Beneficially, adv. In a beneficial or advantageous manner; profitably; helpfully. Beneficialness, n. The quality of being beneficial; profitableness. Beneficiary (?), a. [Cf. F. bnficiaire, LL. beneficiarius.] 1. Holding some office or valuable possession, in subordination to another; holding under a feudal or other superior; having a dependent and secondary possession. A feudatory or beneficiary king of England. Bacon. 2. Bestowed as a gratuity; as, beneficiary gifts. Beneficiary, n.; pl. Beneficiaries (?). 1. A feudatory or vassal; hence, one who holds a benefice and uses its proceeds. Ayliffe. 2. One who receives anything as a gift; one who receives a benefit or advantage; esp. one who receives help or income from an educational fund or a trust estate. The rich men will be offering sacrifice to their Deity whose beneficiaries they are. Jer. Taylor. Beneficiate (?), v. t. [Sp. beneficiar to benefit, to work mines.] (Mining) To reduce (ores). Beneficiation (?), n. Beneficient (?), a. Beneficent. [Obs.] Benefit (?), n. [OE. benefet, benfeet, bienfet, F. bienfait, fr. L. benefactum; bene well (adv. of bonus good) + factum, p. p. of facere to do. See Bounty, and Fact.] 1. An act of kindness; a favor conferred. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Ps. ciii. 2. 2. Whatever promotes prosperity and personal happiness, or adds value to property; advantage; profit. Men have no right to what is not for their benefit. Burke. 3. A theatrical performance, a concert, or the like, the proceeds of which do not go to the lessee of the theater or to the company, but to some individual actor, or to some charitable use. 4. Beneficence; liberality. [Obs.] Webster (1623). 5. pl. Natural advantaged; endowments; accomplishments. [R.] The benefits of your own country. Shak. Benefit of clergy. (Law) See under Clergy. Syn. Profit; service; use; avail. See Advantage. Benefit, v. t. [imp. & p.p. Benefited; p. pr. & vb. n. Benefitting.] To be beneficial to; to do good to; to advantage; to advance in health or prosperity; to be useful to; to profit. I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them. Jer. xviii. 10. Benefit, v. i. To gain advantage; to make improvement; to profit; as, he will benefit by the change. Benefiter (?), n. One who confers a benefit; also, one who receives a benefit. Beneme (?), v. t. [AS. ben?man. Cf. Benim.] To deprive (of), or take away (from). [Obs.] Benempt (?), p. p. of Bename. 1. Promised; vowed. [Obs.] Spenser. 2. Named; styled. [Archaic] Sir W. Scott. Bene placito (?). [It. beneplacito pleasure, fr. L. bene well + placitus pleasing.] 1. At or during pleasure. For our English judges there never was ... any bene placito as their tenure. F. Harrison. 2. (Mus.) At pleasure; ad libitum. Benet (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Benetted.] To catch in a net; to insnare. Shak. Benevolence (?), n. [OF. benevolence, L. benevolentia. See Benevolent.] 1. The disposition to do good; good will; charitableness; love of mankind, accompanied with a desire to promote their happiness. The wakeful benevolence of the gospel. Chalmers. 2. An act of kindness; good done; charity given. 3. A species of compulsory contribution or tax, which has sometimes been illegally exacted by arbitrary kings of England, and falsely represented as a gratuity. Syn. Benevolence, Beneficence, Munificence. Benevolence marks a disposition made up of a choice and desire for the happiness of others. Beneficence marks the working of this disposition in dispensing good on a somewhat broad scale. Munificence shows the same disposition, but acting on a still broader scale, in conferring gifts and favors. These are not necessarily confined to objects of immediate utility. One may show his munificence in presents of pictures or jewelry, but this would not be beneficence. Benevolence of heart; beneficence of life; munificence in the encouragement of letters. Benevolent (?), a. [L. benevolens, entis; bene well (adv. of bonus good) + volens, p. pr. of volo I will, I wish. See Bounty, and Voluntary.] Having a disposition to do good; possessing or manifesting love to mankind, and a desire to promote their prosperity and happiness; disposed to give to good objects; kind; charitable. Benevolently, adv. Syn. Benevolent, Beneficent. Etymologically considered, benevolent implies wishing well to others, and beneficent, doing well. But by degrees the word benevolent has been widened to include not only feelings, but actions; thus, we speak of benevolent operations, benevolent labors for the public good, benevolent societies. In like manner, beneficent is now often applied to feelings; thus, we speak of the beneficent intentions of a donor. This extension of the terms enables us to mark nicer shades of meaning. Thus, the phrase benevolent labors turns attention to the source of these labors, viz., benevolent feeling; while beneficent would simply mark them as productive of good. So, beneficent intentions point to the feelings of the donor as bent upon some specific good act; while benevolent intentions would only denote a general wish and design to do good. Benevolous (?), a. [L. benevolus.] Kind; benevolent. [Obs.] T. Puller. Bengal (?), n. 1. A province in India, giving its name to various stuffs, animals, etc. 2. A thin stuff, made of silk and hair, originally brought from Bengal. 3. Striped gingham, originally brought from Bengal; Bengal stripes. Bengal light, a firework containing niter, sulphur, and antimony, and producing a sustained and vivid colored light, used in making signals and in pyrotechnics; called also blue light. Bengal stripes, a kind of cotton cloth woven with colored stripes. See Bengal, 3. Bengal tiger. (Zol.). See Tiger. Bengalee, Bengali (?), n. The language spoken in Bengal. Bengalese (?), a. Of or pertaining to Bengal. n. sing. & pl. A native or natives of Bengal. Bengola (?), n. A Bengal light. Benight (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Benighted; p. pr. & vb. n. Benighting.] 1. To involve in darkness; to shroud with the shades of night; to obscure. [Archaic] The clouds benight the sky. Garth. 2. To overtake with night or darkness, especially before the end of a day's journey or task. Some virgin, sure, ... benighted in these woods. Milton. 3. To involve in moral darkness, or ignorance; to debar from intellectual light. Shall we to men benighted The lamp of life deny ? Heber. Benightment (?), n. The condition of being benighted. Benign (?), a. [OE. benigne, bening, OF. benigne, F. bnin, fem. bnigne, fr. L. benignus, contr. from benigenus; bonus good + root of genus kind. See Bounty, and Genus.] 1. Of a kind or gentle disposition; gracious; generous; favorable; benignant. Creator bounteous and benign. Milton. 2. Exhibiting or manifesting kindness, gentleness, favor, etc.; mild; kindly; salutary; wholesome. Kind influences and benign aspects. South. 3. Of a mild type or character; as, a benign disease. Syn. Kind; propitious; bland; genial; salubrious; favorable salutary; gracious; liberal. Benignancy (?), n. Benignant quality; kindliness. Benignant (?), a. [LL. benignans, p. pr. of benignare, from L. benignus. See Benign.] Kind; gracious; favorable. Benignantly, adv. Benignity (?), n. [OE. benignite, F. bnignit, OF. bnignet, fr. L. benignitas. See Benign.] 1. The quality of being benign; goodness; kindness; graciousness. Benignity of aspect. Sir W. Scott. 2. Mildness; gentleness. The benignity or inclemency of the season. Spectator. 3. Salubrity; wholesome quality. Wiseman. Benignly (?), adv. In a benign manner. Benim (?), v. t. [AS. beniman. See Benumb, and cf. Nim.] To take away. [Obs.] Ire ... benimeth the man fro God. Chaucer. Benison (?), n. [OE. beneysun, benesoun, OF. bene?un, beneson, fr. L. benedictio, fr. benedicere to bless; bene (adv. of bonus good) + dicere to say. See Bounty, and Diction, and cf. Benediction.] Blessing; beatitude; benediction. Shak. More precious than the benison of friends. Talfourd. Bnitier (?), n. [F., fr. bnir to bless.] (R. C. Ch.) A holywater stoup. Shipley. Benjamin (?), n. [Corrupted from benzoin.] See Benzoin. Benjamin, n. A kind of upper coat for men. [Colloq. Eng.] Benjamite (?), n. A descendant of Benjamin; one of the tribe of Benjamin. Judg. iii. 15. Benne (?), n. [Malay bijen.] (Bot.) The name of two plants (Sesamum orientale and S. indicum), originally Asiatic; also called oil plant. From their seeds an oil is expressed, called benne oil, used mostly for making soap. In the southern United States the seeds are used in candy. Bennet (?), n. [F. benote, fr. L. benedicta, fem. of benedictus, p. p., blessed. See Benedict, a.] (Bot.) The common yellowflowered avens of Europe (Geum urbanum); herb bennet. The name is sometimes given to other plants, as the hemlock, valerian, etc. Benshee (?), n. See Banshee. Bent (?), imp. & p. p. of Bend. Bent, a. & p. p. 1. Changed by pressure so as to be no longer straight; crooked; as, a bent pin; a bent lever. 2. Strongly inclined toward something, so as to be resolved, determined, set, etc.; said of the mind, character, disposition, desires, etc., and used with on; as, to be bent on going to college; he is bent on mischief. Bent, n. [See Bend, n. & v.] 1. The state of being curved, crooked, or inclined from a straight line; flexure; curvity; as, the bent of a bow. [Obs.] Wilkins. 2. A declivity or slope, as of a hill. [R.] Dryden. 3. A leaning or bias; proclivity; tendency of mind; inclination; disposition; purpose; aim. Shak. With a native bent did good pursue. Dryden. 4. Particular direction or tendency; flexion; course. Bents and turns of the matter. Locke. 5. (Carp.) A transverse frame of a framed structure. 6. Tension; force of acting; energy; impetus. [Archaic] The full bent and stress of the soul. Norris. Syn. Predilection; turn. Bent, Bias, Inclination, Prepossession. These words agree in describing a permanent influence upon the mind which tends to decide its actions. Bent denotes a fixed tendency of the mind in a given direction. It is the widest of these terms, and applies to the will, the intellect, and the affections, taken conjointly; as, the whole bent of his character was toward evil practices. Bias is literally a weight fixed on one side of a ball used in bowling, and causing it to swerve from a straight course. Used figuratively, bias applies particularly to the judgment, and denotes something which acts with a permanent force on the character through that faculty; as, the bias of early education, early habits, etc. Inclination is an excited state of desire or appetency; as, a strong inclination to the study of the law. Prepossession is a mingled state of feeling and opinion in respect to some person or subject, which has laid hold of and occupied the mind previous to inquiry. The word is commonly used in a good sense, an unfavorable impression of this kind being denominated a prejudice. Strong minds will be strongly bent, and usually labor under a strong bias; but there is no mind so weak and powerless as not to have its inclinations, and none so guarded as to be without its prepossessions. Crabb. Bent (?), n. [AS. beonet; akin to OHG. pinuz, G. binse, rush, bent grass; of unknown origin.] 1. A reedlike grass; a stalk of stiff, coarse grass. His spear a bent, both stiff and strong. Drayton. 2. (Bot.) A grass of the genus Agrostis, esp. Agrostis vulgaris, or redtop. The name is also used of many other grasses, esp. in America. 3. Any neglected field or broken ground; a common; a moor. [Obs.] Wright. Bowmen bickered upon the bent. Chevy Chase. Bent grass (?). (Bot.) Same as Bent, a kind of grass. Benthal (?), a. [Gr. ? the depth of the sea.] Relating to the deepest zone or region of the ocean. Benthamic (?), a. Of or pertaining to Bentham or Benthamism. Benthamism (?), n. That phase of the doctrine of utilitarianism taught by Jeremy Bentham; the doctrine that the morality of actions is estimated and determined by their utility; also, the theory that the sensibility to pleasure and the recoil from pain are the only motives which influence human desires and actions, and that these are the sufficient explanation of ethical and jural conceptions. Benthamite (?), n. One who believes in Benthamism. Benting time (?). The season when pigeons are said to feed on bents, before peas are ripe. Bare benting times ... may come. Dryden. Benty (?), a. 1. A bounding in bents, or the stalks of coarse, stiff, withered grass; as, benty fields. 2. Resembling bent. Holland. Benumb (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Benumbed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Benumbing.] [OE. binomen, p. p. of binimen to take away, AS. beniman; pref. be + niman to take. See Numb, a., and cf. Benim.] To make torpid; to deprive of sensation or sensibility; to stupefy; as, a hand or foot benumbed by cold. The creeping death benumbed her senses first. Dryden. Benumbed (?), a. Made torpid; numbed; stupefied; deadened; as, a benumbed body and mind. Benumbedness, n. Benumbment (?), n. Act of benumbing, or state of being benumbed; torpor. Kirby. Benzal (?), n. [Benzoic + aldehyde.] (Chem.) A transparent crystalline substance,? C6H5.CO. NH2, obtained by the action of ammonia upon chloride of benzoyl, as also by several other reactions with benzoyl compounds. Benzamide (?), n. [Benzoin + amide.] (Chem.) A transparent crystalline substance, C6H5.CO.NH2, obtained by the action of ammonia upon chloride of benzoyl, as also by several other reactions with benzoyl compounds. Benzene (?), n. [From Benzoin.] (Chem.) A volatile, very inflammable liquid, C6H6, contained in the naphtha produced by the destructive distillation of coal, from which it is separated by fractional distillation. The name is sometimes applied also to the impure commercial product or benzole, and also, but rarely, to a similar mixed product of petroleum. Benzene nucleus, Benzene ring (Chem.), a closed chain or ring, consisting of six carbon atoms, each with one hydrogen atom attached, regarded as the type from which the aromatic compounds are derived. This ring formula is provisionally accepted as representing the probable constitution of the benzene molecule, C6H6, and as the type on which its derivatives are formed. Benzile (?), n. [From Benzoin.] (Chem.) A yellowish crystalline substance, C6H5.CO.CO.C6H5, formed from benzoin by the action of oxidizing agents, and consisting of a doubled benzoyl radical. Benzine (?), n. [From Benzoin.] (Chem.) 1. A liquid consisting mainly of the lighter and more volatile hydrocarbons of petroleum or kerosene oil, used as a solvent and for cleansing soiled fabrics; called also petroleum spirit, petroleum benzine. Varieties or similar products are gasoline, naphtha, rhigolene, ligroin, etc. 2. Same as Benzene. [R.] The hydrocarbons of benzine proper are essentially of the marsh gas series, while benzene proper is the typical hydrocarbon of the aromatic series. Benzoate (?), n. [Cf. F. benzoate.] (Chem.) A salt formed by the union of benzoic acid with any salifiable base. <-- p. 138 --> Benzoic (?), a. [Cf. F. benzoque.] Pertaining to, or obtained from, benzoin. Benzoic acid, or flowers of benzoin, a peculiar vegetable acid, C6H5.CO2H, obtained from benzoin, and some other balsams, by sublimation or decoction. It is also found in the urine of infants and herbivorous animals. It crystallizes in the form of white, satiny flakes; its odor is aromatic; its taste is pungent, and somewhat acidulous. Benzoic aldehyde, oil of bitter almonds; the aldehyde, C6H5.CHO, intermediate in composition between benzoic or benzyl alcohol, and benzoic acid. It is a thin colorless liquid. Benzoin (?), n. [Cf. F. benjoin, Sp. benjui, Pg. beijoin; all fr. Ar. lubnjw incense form Sumatra (named Java in Arabic), the first syllable being lost. Cf. Benjamin.] [Called also benjamin.] 1. A resinous substance, dry and brittle, obtained from the Styrax benzoin, a tree of Sumatra, Java, etc., having a fragrant odor, and slightly aromatic taste. It is used in the preparation of benzoic acid, in medicine, and as a perfume. 2. A white crystalline substance, C14H12O2, obtained from benzoic aldehyde and some other sources. 3. (Bot.) The spicebush (Lindera benzoin). Flowers of benzoin, benzoic acid. See under Benzoic. Benzoinated (?), a. (Med.) Containing or impregnated with benzoin; as, benzoinated lard. Benzole Benzol } (?), n. [Benzoin + L. oleum oil.] (Chem.) An impure benzene, used in the arts as a solvent, and for various other purposes. See Benzene. It has great solvent powers, and is used by manufacturers of India rubber and gutta percha; also for cleaning soiled kid gloves, and for other purposes. Benzoline (?), n. (Chem.) (a) Same as Benzole. (b) Same as Amarine. [R.] Watts. Benzoyl (?), n. [Benzoic + Gr. ? wood. See yl.] (Chem.) A compound radical, C6H5.CO; the base of benzoic acid, of the oil of bitter almonds, and of an extensive series of compounds. [Formerly written also benzule.] Benzyl (?), n. [Benzoic + yl.] (Chem.) A compound radical, C6H5.CH2, related to toluene and benzoic acid; commonly used adjectively. Bepaint (?), v. t. To paint; to cover or color with, or as with, paint. Else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek. Shak. Bepelt (?), v. t. To pelt roundly. Bepinch (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bepinched (?).] To pinch, or mark with pinches. Chapman. Beplaster (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Beplastered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Beplastering.] To plaster over; to cover or smear thickly; to bedaub. Beplastered with rouge. Goldsmith. Beplumed (?), a. Decked with feathers. Bepommel (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bepommeled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bepommeling.] To pommel; to beat, as with a stick; figuratively, to assail or criticise in conversation, or in writing. Thackeray. Bepowder (?), v. t. To sprinkle or cover with powder; to powder. Bepraise (?), v. t. To praise greatly or extravagantly. Goldsmith. Beprose (?), v. t. To reduce to prose. [R.] To beprose all rhyme. Mallet. Bepuffed (?), a. Puffed; praised. Carlyle. Bepurple (?), v. t. To tinge or dye with a purple color. Bequeath (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bequeathed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bequeathing.] [OE. biquethen, AS. becwe?an to say, affirm, bequeath; pref. be + cwe?an to say, speak. See Quoth.] 1. To give or leave by will; to give by testament; said especially of personal property. My heritage, which my dead father did bequeath to me. Shak. 2. To hand down; to transmit. To bequeath posterity somewhat to remember it. Glanvill. 3. To give; to offer; to commit. [Obs.] To whom, with all submission, on my knee I do bequeath my faithful services And true subjection everlastingly. Shak. Syn. To Bequeath, Devise. Both these words denote the giving or disposing of property by will. Devise, in legal usage, is property used to denote a gift by will of real property, and he to whom it is given is called the devisee. Bequeath is properly applied to a gift by will or legacy; i. e., of personal property; the gift is called a legacy, and he who receives it is called a legatee. In popular usage the word bequeath is sometimes enlarged so as to embrace devise; and it is sometimes so construed by courts. Bequeathable (?), a. Capable of being bequeathed. Bequeathal (?), n. The act of bequeathing; bequeathment; bequest. Fuller. Bequeathment (?), n. The act of bequeathing, or the state of being bequeathed; a bequest. Bequest (?), n. [OE. biquest, corrupted fr. bequide; pref. be + AS. cwide a saying, becwe?an to bequeath. The ending est is probably due to confusion with quest. See Bequeath, Quest.] 1. The act of bequeathing or leaving by will; as, a bequest of property by A. to B. 2. That which is left by will, esp. personal property; a legacy; also, a gift. Bequest, v. t. To bequeath, or leave as a legacy. [Obs.] All I have to bequest. Gascoigne. Bequethen (?), old p. p. of Bequeath. [Obs.] Chaucer. Bequote (?), v. t. To quote constantly or with great frequency. Berain (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Berained (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Beraining.] To rain upon; to wet with rain. [Obs.] Chaucer. Berate (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Berated; p. pr. & vb. n. Berating.] To rate or chide vehemently; to scold. Holland. Motley. Berattle (?), v. t. To make rattle; to scold vociferously; to cry down. [Obs.] Shak. Beray (?), v. t. [Pref. be + ray to defile.] To make foul; to soil; to defile. [Obs.] Milton. Berbe (?), n. [Cf. Berber, Barb a Barbary horse.] (Zol.) An African genet (Genetta pardina). See Genet. Berber (?), n. [See Barbary.] A member of a race somewhat resembling the Arabs, but often classed as Hamitic, who were formerly the inhabitants of the whole of North Africa from the Mediterranean southward into the Sahara, and who still occupy a large part of that region; called also Kabyles. Also, the language spoken by this people. Berberine (?), n. (Chem.) An alkaloid obtained, as a bitter, yellow substance, from the root of the barberry, gold thread, and other plants. Berberry (?), n. See Barberry. Berdash (?), n. A kind of neckcloth. [Obs.] A treatise against the cravat and berdash. Steele. Bere (?), v. t. [Cf. OIcel. berja to strike.] To pierce. [Obs.] Chaucer. Bere, n. See Bear, barley. [Scot.] Bereave (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bereaved (?), Bereft (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bereaving.] [OE. bireven, AS. berefian. See Be, and Reave.] 1. To make destitute; to deprive; to strip; with of before the person or thing taken away. Madam, you have bereft me of all words. Shak. Bereft of him who taught me how to sing. Tickell. 2. To take away from. [Obs.] All your interest in those territories Is utterly bereft you; all is lost. Shak. 3. To take away. [Obs.] Shall move you to bereave my life. Marlowe. The imp. and past pple. form bereaved is not used in reference to immaterial objects. We say bereaved or bereft by death of a relative, bereft of hope and strength. Syn. To dispossess; to divest. Bereavement (?), n. The state of being bereaved; deprivation; esp., the loss of a relative by death. Bereaver (?), n. One who bereaves. Bereft (?), imp. & p. p. of Bereave. Beretta (?), n. Same as Berretta. Berg (?), n. [?95. See Barrow hill, and cf. Iceberg.] A large mass or hill, as of ice. Glittering bergs of ice. Tennyson. Bergamot (?), n. [F. bergamote, fr. It. bergamotta; prob. a corruption of Turk. beg arm?di a lord's pear.] 1. (Bot.) (a) A tree of the Orange family (Citrus bergamia), having a roundish or pearshaped fruit, from the rind of which an essential oil of delicious odor is extracted, much prized as a perfume. Also, the fruit. (b) A variety of mint (Mentha aquatica, var. glabrata). 2. The essence or perfume made from the fruit. 3. A variety of pear. Johnson. 4. A variety of snuff perfumed with bergamot. The better hand ... gives the nose its bergamot. Cowper. 5. A coarse tapestry, manufactured from flock of cotton or hemp, mixed with ox's or goat's hair; said to have been invented at Bergamo, Italy. Encyc. Brit. Wild bergamot (Bot.), an American herb of the Mint family (Monarda fistulosa). Bergander (?), n. [Berg, for burrow + gander a male goose ? Cf. G. bergente, Dan. gravgaas.] (Zol.) A European duck (Anas tadorna). See Sheldrake. Bergeret (?), n. [OF. bergerete, F. berger a shepherd.] A pastoral song. [Obs.] Bergh (?), n. [AS. beorg.] A hill. [Obs.] Bergmaster (?), n. See Barmaster. Bergmeal (?), n. [G. berg mountain + mehl meal.] (Min.) An earthy substance, resembling fine flour. It is composed of the shells of infusoria, and in Lapland and Sweden is sometimes eaten, mixed with flour or ground birch bark, in times of scarcity. This name is also given to a white powdery variety of calcite. Bergmote (?), n. See Barmote. Bergomask (?), n. A rustic dance, so called in ridicule of the people of Bergamo, in Italy, once noted for their clownishness. Bergylt (?), n. [Etymol. uncertain.] (Zol.) The Norway haddock. See Rosefish. Berhyme (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Berhymed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Berhyming.] To mention in rhyme or verse; to rhyme about. [Sometimes use depreciatively.] Shak. Beriberi (?), n. [Singhalese beri weakness.] An acute disease occurring in India, characterized by multiple inflammatory changes in the nerves, producing great muscular debility, a painful rigidity of the limbs, and cachexy. Berime (?), v. t. To berhyme. [The earlier and etymologically preferable spelling.] Berkeleian (?), a. Of or relating to Bishop Berkeley or his system of idealism; as, Berkeleian philosophy. Berkeleyism , n. Berlin (?), n. [The capital of Prussia] 1. A fourwheeled carriage, having a sheltered seat behind the body and separate from it, invented in the 17th century, at Berlin. 2. Fine worsted for fancywork; zephyr worsted; called also Berlin wool. Berlin black, a black varnish, drying with almost a dead surface; used for coating the better kinds of ironware. Ure. Berlin blue, Prussian blue. Ure. Berlin green, a complex cyanide of iron, used as a green dye, and similar to Prussian blue. Berlin iron, a very fusible variety of cast iron, from which figures and other delicate articles are manufactured. These are often stained or lacquered in imitation of bronze. Berlin shop, a shop for the sale of worsted embroidery and the materials for such work. Berlin work, worsted embroidery. Berm Berme } (?), n. [F. berme, of German origin; cf. G. brame, brme, border, akin to E. brim.] 1. (Fort.) A narrow shelf or path between the bottom of a parapet and the ditch. 2. (Engineering) A ledge at the bottom of a bank or cutting, to catch earth that may roll down the slope, or to strengthen the bank. Bermuda grass (?). (Bot.) A kind of grass (Cynodon Dactylon) esteemed for pasture in the Southern United States. It is a native of Southern Europe, but is now widespread in warm countries; called also scutch grass, and in Bermuda, devil grass. Bernacle (?), n. See Barnacle. Berna fly (?). (Zol.) A Brazilian dipterous insect of the genus Trypeta, which lays its eggs in the nostrils or in wounds of man and beast, where the larv do great injury. Bernardine (?), a. Of or pertaining to St. Bernard of Clairvaux, or to the Cistercian monks. n. A Cistercian monk. Bernese (?), a. Pertaining to the city o? canton of Bern, in Switzerland, or to its inhabitants. n. sing. & pl. A native or natives of Bern. Bernicle (?), n. [OE. bernak, bernacle; cf. OF. bernac; prob. fr. LL. bernacula for hibernicula, bernicula, fr. Hibernia; the birds coming from Hibernia o? Ireland. Cf. 1st Barnacle.] A bernicle goose. [Written also barnacle.] Bernicle goose (Zol.), a goose (Branta leucopsis), of Arctic Europe and America. It was formerly believed that it hatched from the cirripeds of the sea (Lepas), which were, therefore, called barnacles, goose barnacles, or Anatifers. The name is also applied to other related species. See Anatifa and Cirripedia. Bernouse (?), n. Some as Burnoose. Berob (?), v. t. To rob; to plunder. [Obs.] Beroe (?), n. [L. Beroe, one of the Oceanid Gr. ?: cf. F. bero.] (Zol.) A small, oval, transparent jellyfish, belonging to the Ctenophora. Berretta (?), n. [It., fr. LL. birrettum, berretum, a cap, dim. of L. birrus, birrum, a cloak to keep off rain, cf. Gr. ? tawny, red: cf. Sp. birreta, Pg. barrete, and E. Barret.] A square cap worn by ecclesiastics of the Roman Catholic Church. A cardinal's berretta is scarlet; that worn by other clerics is black, except that a bishop's is lined with green. [Also spelt beretta, biretta, etc.] Berried (?), a. Furnished with berries; consisting of a berry; baccate; as, a berried shrub. Berry (?), n.; pl. Berries. [OE. berie, AS. berie, berige; akin to D. bes, G. beere, OS. and OHG. beri, Icel. ber, Sw. br, Goth. basi, and perh. Skr. bhas to eat.] 1. Any small fleshy fruit, as the strawberry, mulberry, huckleberry, etc. 2. (Bot.) A small fruit that is pulpy or succulent throughout, having seeds loosely imbedded in the pulp, as the currant, grape, blueberry. 3. The coffee bean. 4. One of the ova or eggs of a fish. Travis. In berry, containing ova or spawn. Berry, v. i. [imp. & p.p. Berried (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Berrying.] To bear or produce berries. Berry, n. [AS. beorh. See Barrow a hill.] A mound; a hillock. W. Browne. Berrying, n. A seeking for or gathering of berries, esp. of such as grow wild. Berserk (?), Berserker (?), } n. [Icel. berserkr.] 1. (Scand. Myth.) One of a class of legendary heroes, who fought frenzied by intoxicating liquors, and naked, regardless of wounds. Longfellow. 2. One who fights as if frenzied, like a Berserker. Berstle (?), n. See Bristle. [Obs.] Chaucer. Berth (?), n. [From the root of bear to produce, like birth nativity. See Birth.] [Also written birth.] 1. (Naut.) (a) Convenient sea room. (b) A room in which a number of the officers or ship's company mess and reside. (c) The place where a ship lies when she is at anchor, or at a wharf. 2. An allotted place; an appointment; situation or employment. He has a good berth. Totten. 3. A place in a ship to sleep in; a long box or shelf on the side of a cabin or stateroom, or of a railway car, for sleeping in. Berth deck, the deck next below the lower gun deck. Ham. Nav. Encyc. To give (the land or any object) a wide berth, to keep at a distance from it. Berth, v. t. [imp. & p.p. Berthed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Berthing.] 1. To give an anchorage to, or a place to lie at; to place in a berth; as, she was berthed stem to stern with the Adelaide. 2. To allot or furnish berths to, on shipboard; as, to berth a ship's company. Totten. Bertha (?), n. [F. berthe, fr. Berthe, a woman's name.] A kind of collar or cape worn by ladies. Berthage (?), n. A place for mooring vessels in a dock or harbor. Berthierite (?), n. [From Berthier, a French naturalist.] (Min.) A double sulphide of antimony and iron, of a dark steelgray color. Berthing (?), n. (Naut.) The planking outside of a vessel, above the sheer strake. Smyth. Bertram (?), n. [Corrupted fr. L. pyrethrum, Gr. ? a hot spicy plant, fr. ? fire.] (Bot.) Pellitory of Spain (Anacyclus pyrethrum). <-- p. 139 --> Berycoid (?), a. [NL. beryx, the name of the typical genus + oid.] (Zol.) Of or pertaining to the Berycid, a family of marine fishes. Beryl (?), n. [ F. bryl, OF. beril, L. beryllus, Gr. ?, prob. fr. Skr. vaid?rya. Cf. Brilliant.] (Min.) A mineral of great hardness, and, when transparent, of much beauty. It occurs in hexagonal prisms, commonly of a green or bluish green color, but also yellow, pink, and white. It is a silicate of aluminium and glucinum (beryllium). The aquamarine is a transparent, seagreen variety used as a gem. The emerald is another variety highly prized in jewelry, and distinguished by its deep color, which is probably due to the presence of a little oxide of chromium. Berylline (?), a. Like a beryl; of a light or bluish green color. Beryllium (?), n. [NL.] (Chem.) A metallic element found in the beryl. See Glucinum. Berylloid (?), n. [Beryl + oid.] (Crystallog.) A solid consisting of a double twelvesided pyramid; so called because the planes of this form occur on crystals of beryl. Besaiel, Besaile, Besayle (?), n. [OF. beseel, F. bisaeul, fr. L. bis twice + LL. avolus, dim. of L. avus grandfather.] 1. A greatgrandfather. [Obs.] 2. (Law) A kind of writ which formerly lay where a greatgrandfather died seized of lands in fee simple, and on the day of his death a stranger abated or entered and kept the heir out. This is now abolished. Blackstone. Besaint (?), v. t. To make a saint of. Besant (?), n. See Bezant. Besantler (?), n. Same as Bezantler. Bescatter (?), v. t. 1. To scatter over. 2. To cover sparsely by scattering (something); to strew. With flowers bescattered. Spenser. Bescorn (?), v. t. To treat with scorn. Then was he bescorned. Chaucer. Bescratch (?), v. t. To tear with the nails; to cover with scratches. Bescrawl (?), v. t. To cover with scrawls; to scribble over. Milton. Bescreen (?), v. t. To cover with a screen, or as with a screen; to shelter; to conceal. Shak. Bescribble (?), v. t. To scribble over. Bescribbled with impertinences. Milton. Bescumber (?), Bescummer (?), } v. t. [Pref. be + scumber, scummer.] To discharge ordure or dung upon. [Obs.] B. Jonson. Besee (?), v. t. & i. [AS. besen; pref. be + ?en to see.] To see; to look; to mind. [Obs.] Wyclif. Beseech (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Besought (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Beseeching.] [OE. bisechen, biseken (akin to G. besuchen to visit); pref. be + sechen, seken, to seek. See Seek.] 1. To ask or entreat with urgency; to supplicate; to implore. I beseech you, punish me not with your hard thoughts. Shak. But Eve ... besought his peace. Milton. Syn. To beg; to crave. To Beseech, Entreat, Solicit, Implore, Supplicate. These words agree in marking that sense of want which leads men to beg some favor. To solicit is to make a request, with some degree of earnestness and repetition, of one whom we address as a superior. To entreat implies greater urgency, usually enforced by adducing reasons or arguments. To beseech is still stronger, and belongs rather to the language of poetry and imagination. To implore denotes increased fervor of entreaty, as addressed either to equals or superiors. To supplicate expresses the extreme of entreaty, and usually implies a state of deep humiliation. Thus, a captive supplicates a conqueror to spare his life. Men solicit by virtue of their interest with another; they entreat in the use of reasoning and strong representations; they beseech with importunate earnestness; they implore from a sense of overwhelming distress; they supplicate with a feeling of the most absolute inferiority and dependence. Beseech, n. Solicitation; supplication. [Obs. or Poetic] Shak. Beseecher (?), n. One who beseeches. Beseeching, a. Entreating urgently; imploring; as, a beseeching look. Beseechingly, adv. Beseechingness, n. Beseechment (?), n. The act of beseeching or entreating earnestly. [R.] Goodwin. Beseek (?), v. t. To beseech. [Obs.] Chaucer. Beseem (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Beseemed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Beseeming.] [Pref. be + seem.] Literally: To appear or seem (well, ill, best, etc.) for (one) to do or to have. Hence: To be fit, suitable, or proper for, or worthy of; to become; to befit. A duty well beseeming the preachers. Clarendon. What form of speech or behavior beseemeth us, in our prayers to God ? Hocker. Beseem, v. i. To seem; to appear; to be fitting. [Obs.] As beseemed best. Spenser. Beseeming, n. 1. Appearance; look; garb. [Obs.] I ... did company these three in poor beseeming. Shak. 2. Comeliness. Baret. Beseeming, a. Becoming; suitable. [Archaic] Beseemingly, adv. Beseemingness, n. Beseemly, a. Fit; suitable; becoming. [Archaic] In beseemly order sitten there. Shenstone. Beseen (?), a. [Properly the p. p. of besee.] 1. Seen; appearing. [Obs. or Archaic] 2. Decked or adorned; clad. [Archaic] Chaucer. 3. Accomplished; versed. [Archaic] Spenser. Beset (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Beset; p. pr. & vb. n. Besetting.] [AS. besettan (akin to OHG. bisazjan, G. besetzen, D. bezetten); pref. be + settan to set. See Set.] 1. To set or stud (anything) with ornaments or prominent objects. A robe of azure beset with drops of gold. Spectator. The garden is so beset with all manner of sweet shrubs that it perfumes the air. Evelyn. 2. To hem in; to waylay; to surround; to besiege; to blockade. Beset with foes. Milton. Let thy troops beset our gates. Addison. 3. To set upon on all sides; to perplex; to harass; said of dangers, obstacles, etc. Adam, sore beset, replied. Milton. Beset with ills. Addison. Incommodities which beset old age. Burke. 4. To occupy; to employ; to use up. [Obs.] Chaucer. Syn. To surround; inclose; environ; hem in; besiege; encircle; encompass; embarrass; urge; press. Besetment (?), n. The act of besetting, or the state of being beset; also, that which besets one, as a sin. Fearing a besetment. Kane. Besetter (?), n. One who, or that which, besets. Besetting, a. Habitually attacking, harassing, or pressing upon or about; as, a besetting sin. Beshine (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Beshone; p. pr. & vb. n. Beshining.] To shine upon; to ullumine. Beshow (?), n. [Native name.] (Zol.) A large food fish (Anoplopoma fimbria) of the north Pacific coast; called also candlefish. Beshrew (?), v. t. To curse; to execrate. Beshrew me, but I love her heartily. Shak. Often a very mild form of imprecation; sometimes so far from implying a curse, as to be uttered coaxingly, nay even with some tenderness. Schmidt. Beshroud (?), v. t. To cover with, or as with, a shroud; to screen. Beshut (?), v. t. To shut up or out. [Obs.] Beside (?), prep. [OE. biside, bisiden, bisides, prep. and adv., beside, besides; pref. be by + side. Cf. Besides, and see Side, n.] 1. At the side of; on one side of. Beside him hung his bow. Milton. 2. Aside from; out of the regular course or order of; in a state of deviation from; out of. [You] have done enough To put him quite beside his patience. Shak. 3. Over and above; distinct from; in addition to. [In this use besides is now commoner.] Wise and learned men beside those whose names are in the Christian records. Addison. To be beside one's self, to be out ob one's wits or senses. Paul, thou art beside thyself. Acts xxvi. 24. Syn. Beside, Besides. These words, whether used as prepositions or adverbs, have been considered strictly synonymous, from an early period of our literature, and have been freely interchanged by our best writers. There is, however, a tendency, in present usage, to make the following distinction between them: 1. That beside be used only and always as a preposition, with the original meaning by the side of; as, to sit beside a fountain; or with the closely allied meaning aside from, apart from, or out of; as, this is beside our present purpose; to be beside one's self with joy. The adverbial sense to be wholly transferred to the cognate word. 2. That besides, as a preposition, take the remaining sense in addition to, as, besides all this; besides the considerations here offered. There was a famine in the land besides the first famine. Gen. xxvi. 1. And that it also take the adverbial sense of moreover, beyond, etc., which had been divided between the words; as, besides, there are other considerations which belong to this case. The following passages may serve to illustrate this use of the words: Lovely Thais sits beside thee. Dryden. Only be patient till we have appeased The multitude, beside themselves with fear. Shak. It is beside my present business to enlarge on this speculation. Locke. Besides this, there are persons in certain situations who are expected to be charitable. Bp. Porteus. And, besides, the Moor May unfold me to him; there stand I in much peril. Shak. That man that does not know those things which are of necessity for him to know is but an ignorant man, whatever he may know besides. Tillotson. See Moreover. Besides (?), Beside (?), } adv. [OE. Same as beside, prep.; the ending s is an adverbial one, prop. a genitive sign.] 1. On one side. [Obs.] Chaucer. Shak. 2. More than that; over and above; not included in the number, or in what has been mentioned; moreover; in addition. The men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides ? Gen. xix. 12. To all beside, as much an empty shade, An Eugene living, as a Csar dead. Pope. These sentences may be considered as elliptical. Besides (?), prep. Over and above; separate or distinct from; in addition to; other than; else than. See Beside, prep., 3, and Syn. under Beside. Besides your cheer, you shall have sport. Shak. Besiege (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Besieged (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Besieging.] [OE. bisegen; pref. be + segen to siege. See Siege.] To beset or surround with armed forces, for the purpose of compelling to surrender; to lay s?ege to; to beleaguer; to beset. Till Paris was besieged, famished, and lost. Shak. Syn. To environ; hem in; invest; encompass. Besiegement (?), n. The act of besieging, or the state of being besieged. Golding. Besieger (?), n. One who besieges; opposed to the besieged. Besieging (?), a. That besieges; laying siege to. Besiegingly, adv. Besit (?), v. t. [Pref. be + sit.] To suit; to fit; to become. [Obs.] Beslabber (?), v. t. To beslobber. Beslave (?), v. t. To enslave. [Obs.] Bp. Hall. Beslaver (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Beslavered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Beslavering.] To defile with slaver; to beslobber. Beslime (?), v. t. To daub with slime; to soil. [Obs.] B. Jonson. Beslobber (?), v. t. To slobber on; to smear with spittle running from the mouth. Also Fig.: as, to beslobber with praise. Beslubber (?), v. t. To beslobber. Besmear (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Besmeared (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Besmearing.] To smear with any viscous, glutinous matter; to bedaub; to soil. Besmeared with precious balm. Spenser. Besmearer (?), n. One that besmears. Besmirch (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Besmirched (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Besmirching.] To smirch or soil; to disoolor; to obscure. Hence: To dishonor; to sully. Shak. Besmoke (?), v. t. 1. To foul with smoke. 2. To harden or dry in smoke. Johnson. Besmut (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Besmutted; p. pr. & vb. n. Besmutting.] [Pref. be + smut: cf. AS. besmtan, and also OE. besmotren.] To blacken with smut; to foul with soot. Besnow (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Besnowed (?).] [OE. bisnewen, AS. besnwan; pref. be + snwan to snow.] 1. To scatter ? snow; to cover thick, as with snow flakes. [R.] Gower. 2. To cover with snow; to whiten with snow, or as with snow. Besnuff (?), v. t. To befoul with snuff. Young. Besogne (?), n. [F. bisogne.] A worthless fellow; a bezonian. [Obs.] Besom (?), n. [OE. besme, besum, AS. besma; akin to D. bezem, OHG pesamo, G. besen; of uncertain origin.] A brush of twigs for sweeping; a broom; anything which sweeps away or destroys. [Archaic or Fig.] I will sweep it with the besom of destruction. Isa. xiv. 23. The housemaid with her besom. W. Irving. Besom, v. t. [imp. & p.p. Besomed (?).] To sweep, as with a besom. [Archaic or Poetic] Cowper. Rolls back all Greece, and besoms wide the plain. Barlow. Besomer (?), n. One who uses a besom. [Archaic] Besort (?), v. t. To assort or be congruous with; to fit, or become. [Obs.] Such men as may besort your age. Shak. Besort, n. Befitting associates or attendants. [Obs.] With such accommodation and besort As levels with her breeding. Shak. Besot (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Besotted (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Besotting.] To make sottish; to make dull or stupid; to stupefy; to infatuate. Fools besotted with their crimes. Hudibras. Besotted, a. Made sottish, senseless, or infatuated; characterized by drunken stupidity, or by infatuation; stupefied. Besotted devotion. Sir W. Scott. Besottedly, adv. Besottedness, n. Milton. Besottingly, adv. In a besotting manner. Besought (?), p. p. of Beseech. Bespangle (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bespangled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bespangling (?).] To adorn with spangles; to dot or sprinkle with something brilliant or glittering. The grass ... is all bespangled with dewdrops. Cowper. Bespatter (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bespattered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bespattering.] 1. To soil by spattering; to sprinkle, esp. with dirty water, mud, or anything which will leave foul spots or stains. 2. To asperse with calumny or reproach. Whom never faction could bespatter. Swift. Bespawl (?), v. t. To daub, soil, or make foul with spawl or spittle. [Obs.] Milton. Bespeak (?), v. t. [imp. Bespoke (?), Bespake (Archaic); p. p. Bespoke, Bespoken (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bespeaking.] [OE. bispeken, AS. besprecan, to speak to, accuse; pref. be + sprecan to speak. See Speak.] 1. To speak or arrange for beforehand; to order or engage against a future time; as, to bespeak goods, a right, or a favor. Concluding, naturally, that to gratify his avarice was to bespeak his favor. Sir W. Scott. 2. To show beforehand; to foretell; to indicate. [They] bespoke dangers ... in order to scare the allies. Swift. 3. To betoken; to show; to indicate by external marks or appearances. When the abbot of St. Martin was born, he had so little the figure of a man that it bespoke him rather a monster. Locke. 4. To speak to; to address. [Poetic] He thus the queen bespoke. Dryden. Bespeak, v. i. To speak. [Obs.] Milton. Bespeak, n. A bespeaking. Among actors, a benefit (when a particular play is bespoken.) The night of her bespeak. Dickens. Bespeaker (?), n. One who bespeaks. Bespeckle (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bespeckled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bespeckling.] To mark with speckles or spots. Milton. Bespew (?), v. t. To soil or daub with spew; to vomit on. Bespice (?), v. t. To season with spice, or with some spicy drug. Shak. Bespirt (?), v. t. Same as Bespurt. <-- p. 140 --> <-- p. 140 --> Bespit (?), v. t. [imp. Bespit; p. p. Bespit, Bespitten (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bespitting.] To daub or soil with spittle. Johnson. Bespoke (?), imp. & p.p. of Bespeak. Bespot (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bespotted (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bespotting.] To mark with spots, or as with spots. Bespread (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bespread; p. pr. & vb. n. Bespreading.] To spread or cover over. The carpet which bespread His rich pavilion's floor. Glover. Besprent (?), p. p. [OE. bespreynt, p. p. of besprengen, bisprengen, to besprinkle, AS. besprengan, akin to D. & G. besprengen; pref. be + sprengan to sprinkle. See Sprinkle.] Sprinkled over; strewed. His face besprent with liquid crystal shines. Shenstone. The floor with tassels of fir was besprent. Longfellow. Besprinkle (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Besprinkled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Besprinkling (?).] To sprinkle over; to scatter over. The bed besprinkles, and bedews the ground. Dryden. Besprinkler (?), n. One who, or that which, besprinkles. Besprinkling (?), n. The act of sprinkling anything; a sprinkling over. Bespurt (?), v. t. To spurt on or over; to asperse. [Obs.] Milton. Bessemer steel (?). Steel made directly from cast iron, by burning out a portion of the carbon and other impurities that the latter contains, through the agency of a blast of air which is forced through the molten metal; so called from Sir Henry Bessemer, an English engineer, the inventor of the process. Best (?), a.; superl. of Good. [AS. besta, best, contr. from betest, betst, betsta; akin to Goth. batists, OHG. pezzisto, G. best, beste, D. best, Icel. beztr, Dan. best, Sw. bst. This word has no connection in origin with good. See Better.] 1. Having good qualities in the highest degree; most good, kind, desirable, suitable, etc.; most excellent; as, the best man; the best road; the best cloth; the best abilities. When he is best, he is a little worse than a man. Shak. Heaven's last, best gift, my ever new delight. Milton. 2. Most advanced; most correct or complete; as, the best scholar; the best view of a subject. 3. Most; largest; as, the best part of a week. Best man, the only or principal groomsman at a wedding ceremony. Best, n. Utmost; highest endeavor or state; most nearly perfect thing, or being, or action; as, to do one's best; to the best of our ability. At best, in the utmost degree or extent applicable to the case; under the most favorable circumstances; as, life is at best very short. For best, finally. [Obs.] Those constitutions ... are now established for best, and not to be mended. Milton. To get the best of, to gain an advantage over, whether fairly or unfairly. To make the best of. (a) To improve to the utmost; to use or dispose of to the greatest advantage. Let there be freedom to carry their commodities where they can make the best of them. Bacon. (b) To reduce to the least possible inconvenience; as, to make the best of ill fortune or a bad bargain. Best, adv.; superl. of Well. 1. In the highest degree; beyond all others. Thou serpent ! That name best befits thee. Milton. He prayeth best, who loveth best All things both great and small. Coleridge. 2. To the most advantage; with the most success, case, profit, benefit, or propriety. Had we best retire? I see a storm. Milton. Had I not best go to her? Thackeray. 3. Most intimately; most thoroughly or correctly; as, what is expedient is best known to himself. Best, v. t. To get the better of. [Colloq.] Bestad (?), imp. & p. p. of Bestead. Beset; put in peril. [Obs.] Chaucer. Bestain (?), v. t. To stain. Bestar (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bestarred (?).] To sprinkle with, or as with, stars; to decorate with, or as with, stars; to bestud. Bestarred with anemones. W. Black. Bestead (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bestead or Bested, also (Obs.) Bestad. In sense 3 imp. also Besteaded.] [Pref. be + stead a place.] 1. To put in a certain situation or condition; to circumstance; to place. [Only in p. p.] They shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry: ... and curse their king and their God. Is. viii. 21. Many far worse bestead than ourselves. Barrow. 2. To put in peril; to beset. [Only in p. p.] Chaucer. 3. To serve; to assist; to profit; to avail. Milton. Bestial (?), a. [F. bestial, L. bestialis, fr. bestia beast. See Beast.] 1. Belonging to a beast, or to the class of beasts. Among the bestial herds to range. Milton. 2. Having the qualities of a beast; brutal; below the dignity of reason or humanity; irrational; carnal; beastly; sensual. Shak. Syn. Brutish; beastly; brutal; carnal; vile; low; depraved; sensual; filthy. Bestial, n. A domestic animal; also collectively, cattle; as, other kinds of bestial. [Scot.] Bestiality (?), n. [F. bestialit.] 1. The state or quality of being bestial. 2. Unnatural connection with a beast. Bestialize (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bestialized (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bestializing.] To make bestial, or like a beast; to degrade; to brutalize. The process of bestializing humanity. Hare. Bestially, adv. In a bestial manner. Bestick (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bestuck (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Besticking.] To stick over, as with sharp points pressed in; to mark by infixing points or spots here and there; to pierce. Truth shall retire Bestuck with slanderous darts. Milton. Bestill (?), v. t. To make still. Bestir (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bestirred (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bestirring.] To put into brisk or vigorous action; to move with life and vigor; usually with the reciprocal pronoun. You have so bestirred your valor. Shak. Rouse and bestir themselves ere well awake. Milton. Bestorm (?), v. i. & t. To storm. Young. Bestow (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bestowed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bestowing.] [OE. bestowen; pref. be + stow a place. See Stow.] 1. To lay up in store; to deposit for safe keeping; to stow; to place; to put. He bestowed it in a pouch. Sir W. Scott. See that the women are bestowed in safety. Byron. 2. To use; to apply; to devote, as time or strength in some occupation. 3. To expend, as money. [Obs.] 4. To give or confer; to impart; with on or upon. Empire is on us bestowed. Cowper. Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor. 1 Cor. xiii. 3. 5. To give in marriage. I could have bestowed her upon a fine gentleman. Tatler. 6. To demean; to conduct; to behave; followed by a reflexive pronoun. [Obs.] How might we see Falstaff bestow himself tonight in his true colors, and not ourselves be seen ? Shak. Syn. To give; grant; present; confer; accord. Bestowal (?), n. The act of bestowing; disposal. Bestower (?), n. One that bestows. Bestowment (?), n. 1. The act of giving or bestowing; a conferring or bestowal. If we consider this bestowment of gifts in this view. Chauncy. 2. That which is given or bestowed. They almost refuse to give due praise and credit to God's own bestowments. I. Taylor. Bestraddle (?), v. t. To bestride. Bestraught (?), a. [Pref. be + straught; prob. here used for distraught.] Out of one's senses; distracted; mad. [Obs.] Shak. Bestreak (?), v. t. To streak. Bestrew (?), v. t. [imp. Bestrewed (?); p. p. Bestrewed, Bestrown (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bestrewing.] To strew or scatter over; to besprinkle. [Spelt also bestrow.] Milton. Bestride (?), v. t. [imp. Bestrode (?), (Obs. or R.) Bestrid (?); p. p. Bestridden (?), Bestrid, Bestrode; p. pr. & vb. n. Bestriding.] [AS. bestrdan; pref. be + strdan to stride.] 1. To stand or sit with anything between the legs, or with the legs astride; to stand over That horse that thou so often hast bestrid. Shak. Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world Like a Colossus. Shak. 2. To step over; to stride over or across; as, to bestride a threshold. Bestrode (?), imp. & p. p. of Bestride. Bestrown (?), p. p. of Bestrew. Bestuck (?), imp. & p. p. Bestick. Bestud (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bestudded; p. pr. & vb. n. Bestudding.] To set or adorn, as with studs or bosses; to set thickly; to stud; as, to bestud with stars. Milton. Beswike , v. t. [AS. beswcan; be + swcan to deceive, entice; akin to OS. swkan, OHG. swhhan, Icel. svkja.] To lure; to cheat. [Obs.] Gower. Bet (?), n. [Prob. from OE. abet abetting, OF. abet, fr. abeter to excite, incite. See Abet.] That which is laid, staked, or pledged, as between two parties, upon the event of a contest or any contingent issue; the act of giving such a pledge; a wager. Having made his bets. Goldsmith. Bet, v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bet, Betted (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Betting.] To stake or pledge upon the event of a contingent issue; to wager. John a Gaunt loved him well, and betted much money on his head. Shak. I'll bet you two to one I'll make him do it. O. W. Holmes. Bet, imp. & p. p. of Beat. [Obs.] Bet, a. & adv. An early form of Better. [Obs.] To go bet, to go fast; to hurry. [Obs.] Chaucer. Betaine (?), n. [From beta, generic name of the beet.] (Chem.) A nitrogenous base, C5H11NO2, produced artificially, and also occurring naturally in beetroot molasses and its residues, from which it is extracted as a white crystalline substance; called also lycine and oxyneurine. It has a sweetish taste. Betake (?), v. t. [imp. Betook (?); p. p. Betaken (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Betaking.] [Pref. be + take.] 1. To take or seize. [Obs.] Spenser. 2. To have recourse to; to apply; to resort; to go; with a reflexive pronoun. They betook themselves to treaty and submission. Burke. The rest, in imitation, to like arms Betook them. Milton. Whither shall I betake me, where subsist ? Milton. 3. To commend or intrust to; to commit to. [Obs.] Betaught (?), a. [ P. p. of OE. bitechen, AS. bet?can, to assign, deliver. See Teach.] Delivered; committed in trust. [Obs.] Bete (?), v. t. To better; to mend. See Beete. [Obs.] Chaucer. Beteela (?), n. [Pg. beatilha.] An East India muslin, formerly used for cravats, veils, etc. [Obs.] Beteem (?), v. t. [Pref. be + an old verb teem to be fitting; cf. D. betamen to beseem, G. ziemen, Goth. gatiman, and E. tame. See Tame, a.] 1. To give ; to bestow; to grant; to accord; to consent. [Obs.] Spenser. Milton. 2. To allow; to permit; to suffer. [Obs.] So loving to my mother, That he might not beteem the winds of heaven Visit her face too roughly. Shak. Betel (?), n. [Pg., fr. Tamil vettilei, prop. meaning, a mere leaf.] (Bot.) A species of pepper (Piper betle), the leaves of which are chewed, with the areca or betel nut and a little shell lime, by the inhabitants of the East Indies. I is a woody climber with ovate manynerved leaves. Betelguese (?), n. [F. Btelgeuse, of Arabic origin.] (Astron.) A bright star of the first magnitude, near one shoulder of Orion. [Written also Betelgeux and Betelgeuse.] Betel nut (?). The nutlike seed of the areca palm, chewed in the East with betel leaves (whence its name) and shell lime. Bte noire (?). [Fr., lit. black beast.] Something especially hated or dreaded; a bugbear. Bethabara wood (?). (Bot.) A highly elastic wood, used for fishing rods, etc. The tree is unknown, but it is thought to be East Indian. Bethel (?), n. [Heb. b?thel house of God.] 1. A place of worship; a hallowed spot. S. F. Adams. 2. A chapel for dissenters. [Eng.] 3. A house of worship for seamen. Bethink (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bethought (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bethinking.] [AS. be?encan; pref. be + ?encan to think. See Think.] To call to mind; to recall or bring to recollection, reflection, or consideration; to think; to consider; generally followed by a reflexive pronoun, often with of or that before the subject of thought. I have bethought me of another fault. Shak. The rest ... may ... bethink themselves, and recover. Milton. We bethink a means to break it off. Shak. Syn. To recollect; remember; reflect. Bethink, v. i. To think; to recollect; to consider. Bethink ere thou dismiss us. Byron. Bethlehem (?), n. [Heb. b?thlekhem house of food; b?th house + lekhem food, lkham to eat. Formerly the name of a hospital for the insane, in London, which had been the priory of St. Mary of Bethlehem. Cf. Bedlam.] 1. A hospital for lunatics; corrupted into bedlam. 2. (Arch.) In the Ethiopic church, a small building attached to a church edifice, in which the bread for the eucharist is made. Audsley. Bethlehemite (?), Bethlemite (?), } n. 1. An inhabitant of Bethlehem in Judea. 2. An insane person; a madman; a bedlamite. 3. One of an extinct English order of monks. Bethought (?), imp. & p. p. of Bethink. Bethrall (?), v. t. To reduce to thralldom; to inthrall. [Obs.] Spenser. Bethumb (?), v. t. To handle; to wear or soil by handling; as books. Poe. Bethump (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bethumped (?), or Bethumpt; p. pr. & vb. n. Bethumping.] To beat or thump soundly. Shak. Betide (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Betided (?), Obs. Betid (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Betiding.] [OE. bitiden; pref. bi, be + tiden, fr. AS. tdan, to happen, fr. td time. See Tide.] To happen to; to befall; to come to ; as, woe betide the wanderer. What will betide the few ? Milton. Betide, v. i. To come to pass; to happen; to occur. A salve for any sore that may betide. Shak. Shakespeare has used it with of. What would betide of me ? Betime (?), Betimes (?), } adv. [ Pref. be (for by) + time; that is, by the proper time. The s is an adverbial ending.] 1. In good season or time; before it is late; seasonably; early. To measure life learn thou betimes. Milton. To rise betimes is often harder than to do all the day's work. Barrow. 2. In a short time; soon; speedily; forth with. He tires betimes that spurs too fast betimes. Shak. Betitle (?), v. t. To furnish with a title or titles; to entitle. [Obs.] Carlyle. Betoken (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Betokened (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Betokening.] 1. To signify by some visible object; to show by signs or tokens. A dewy cloud, and in the cloud a bow ... Betokening peace from God, and covenant new. Milton. 2. To foreshow by present signs; to indicate something future by that which is seen or known; as, a dark cloud often betokens a storm. Syn. To presage; portend; indicate; mark; note. Bton (?), n. [F. bton, fr. L. bitumen bitumen.] (Masonry) The French name for concrete; hence, concrete made after the French fashion. Betongue (?), v. t. To attack with the tongue; to abuse; to insult. Betony (?), n.; pl. Betonies (?). [OE. betony, betany, F. betoine, fr. L. betonica, vettonica.] (Bot.) A plant of the genus Betonica (Linn.). The purple or wood betony (B. officinalis, Linn.) is common in Europe, being formerly used in medicine, and (according to Loudon) in dyeing wool a yellow color. Betook (?), imp. of Betake. Betorn (?), a. Torn in pieces; tattered. Betoss (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Betossed (?).] To put in violent motion; to agitate; to disturb; to toss. My betossed soul. Shak. Betrap (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Betrapped (?).] 1. To draw into, or catch in, a trap; to in? snare; to circumvent. Gower. 2. To put trappings on; to clothe; to deck. After them followed two other chariots covered with red satin, and the horses betrapped with the same. Stow. <-- p. 141 --> Betray (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Betrayed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Betraying.] [OE. betraien, bitraien; pref. be + OF. trar to bertray, F. trahir, fr. L. tradere. See Traitor.] 1. To deliver into the hands of an enemy by treachery or fraud, in violation of trust; to give up treacherously or faithlessly; as, an officer betrayed the city. Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men. Matt. xvii. 22. 2. To prove faithless or treacherous to, as to a trust or one who trusts; to be false to; to deceive; as, to betray a person or a cause. But when I rise, I shall find my legs betraying me. Johnson. 3. To violate the confidence of, by disclosing a secret, or that which one is bound in honor not to make known. Willing to serve or betray any government for hire. Macaulay. 4. To disclose or discover, as something which prudence would conceal; to reveal unintentionally. Be swift to hear, but cautious of your tongue, lest you betray your ignorance. T. Watts. 5. To mislead; to expose to inconvenience not foreseen to lead into error or sin. Genius ... often betrays itself into great errors. T. Watts. 6. To lead astray, as a maiden; to seduce (as under promise of marriage) and then abandon. 7. To show or to indicate; said of what is not obvious at first, or would otherwise be concealed. All the names in the country betray great antiquity. Bryant. Betrayal (?) n. The act or the result of betraying. Betrayer (?), n. One who, or that which, betrays. Betrayment (?), n. Betrayal. [R.] Udall. Betrim (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Betrimmed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Betrimming.] To set in order; to adorn; to deck, to embellish; to trim. Shak. Betroth (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Betrothed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Betrothing.] [Pref. be + troth, i. e., truth. See Truth.] 1. To contract to any one for a marriage; to engage or promise in order to marriage; to affiance; used esp. of a woman. He, in the first flower of my freshest age, Betrothed me unto the only heir. Spenser. Ay, and we are betrothed. Shak. 2. To promise to take (as a future spouse); to plight one's troth to. What man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? Deut. xx. 7. 3. To nominate to a bishopric, in order to consecration. Ayliffe. Betrothal (?), n. The act of betrothing, or the fact of being betrothed; a mutual promise, engagement, or contract for a future marriage between the persons betrothed; betrothment; affiance. The feast of betrothal. Longfellow. Betrothment (?), n. The act of betrothing, or the state of being betrothed; betrothal. Betrust (?), v. t. To trust or intrust. [Obs.] Betrustment (?), n. The act of intrusting, or the thing intrusted. [Obs.] Chipman. Betso (?), n. [It. bezzo.] A small brass Venetian coin. [Obs.] Better (?), a.; compar. of Good. [OE. betere, bettre, and as adv. bet, AS. betera, adj., and bet, adv.; akin to Icel. betri, adj., betr, adv., Goth. batiza, adj., OHG. bezziro, adj., baz, adv., G. besser, adj. and adv., bass, adv., E. boot, and prob. to Skr. bhadra excellent. See Boot advantage, and cf. Best, Batful.] 1. Having good qualities in a greater degree than another; as, a better man; a better physician; a better house; a better air. Could make the worse appear The better reason. Milton. 2. Preferable in regard to rank, value, use, fitness, acceptableness, safety, or in any other respect. To obey is better than sacrifice. 1 Sam. xv. 22. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes. Ps. cxviii. 9. 3. Greater in amount; larger; more. 4. Improved in health; less affected with disease; as, the patient is better. 5. More advanced; more perfect; as, upon better acquaintance; a better knowledge of the subject. All the better. See under All, adv. Better half, an expression used to designate one's wife. My dear, my better half (said he), I find I must now leave thee. Sir P. Sidney. To better off, to be in a better condition. Had better. (See under Had) The phrase had better, followed by an infinitive without to, is idiomatic. The earliest form of construction was were better with a dative; as, Him were better go beside. (Gower.) i. e., It would be better for him, etc. At length the nominative (I, he, they, etc.) supplanted the dative and had took the place of were. Thus we have the construction now used. By all that's holy, he had better starve Than but once think this place becomes thee not. Shak. Better, n. 1. Advantage, superiority, or victory; usually with of; as, to get the better of an enemy. 2. One who has a claim to precedence; a superior, as in merit, social standing, etc.; usually in the plural. Their betters would hardly be found. Hooker. For the better, in the way of improvement; so as to produce improvement. If I have altered him anywhere for the better. Dryden. Better, adv.; compar. of Well. 1. In a superior or more excellent manner; with more skill and wisdom, courage, virtue, advantage, or success; as, Henry writes better than John; veterans fight better than recruits. I could have better spared a better man. Shak. 2. More correctly or thoroughly. The better to understand the extent of our knowledge. Locke. 3. In a higher or greater degree; more; as, to love one better than another. Never was monarch better feared, and loved. Shak. 4. More, in reference to value, distance, time, etc.; as, ten miles and better. [Colloq.] To think better of (any one), to have a more favorable opinion of any one. To think better of (an opinion, resolution, etc.), to reconsider and alter one's decision. Better (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bettered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bettering.] [AS. beterian, betrian, fr. betera better. See Better, a.] 1. To improve or ameliorate; to increase the good qualities of. Love betters what is best. Wordsworth. He thought to better his circumstances. Thackeray. 2. To improve the condition of, morally, physically, financially, socially, or otherwise. The constant effort of every man to better himself. Macaulay. 3. To surpass in excellence; to exceed; to excel. The works of nature do always aim at that which can not be bettered. Hooker. 4. To give advantage to; to support; to advance the interest of. [Obs.] Weapons more violent, when next we meet, May serve to better us and worse our foes. Milton. Syn. To improve; meliorate; ameliorate; mend; amend; correct; emend; reform; advance; promote. Better, v. i. To become better; to improve. Carlyle. Better, n. One who bets or lays a wager. Betterment (?), n. 1. A making better; amendment; improvement. W. Montagu. 2. (Law) An improvement of an estate which renders it better than mere repairing would do; generally used in the plural. [U. S.] Bouvier. Bettermost (?), a. Best. [R.] The bettermost classes. Brougham. Betterness, n. 1. The quality of being better or superior; superiority. [R.] Sir P. Sidney. 2. The difference by which fine gold or silver exceeds in fineness the standard. Bettong (?), n. [Native name.] (Zol.) A small, leaping Australian marsupial of the genus Bettongia; the jerboa kangaroo. Bettor (?), n. One who bets; a better. Addison. Betty (?), n. 1. [Supposed to be a cant word, from Betty, for Elizabeth, as such an instrument is also called Bess (i. e., Elizabeth) in the Canting Dictionary of 1725, and Jenny (i. e., Jane).] A short bar used by thieves to wrench doors open. [Written also bettee.] The powerful betty, or the artful picklock. Arbuthnot. 2. [Betty, nickname for Elizabeth.] A name of contempt given to a man who interferes with the duties of women in a household, or who occupies himself with womanish matters. 3. A pearshaped bottle covered round with straw, in which olive oil is sometimes brought from Italy; called by chemists a Florence flask. [U. S.] Bartlett. Betulin (?), n. [L. betula birch tree.] (Chem.) A substance of a resinous nature, obtained from the outer bark of the common European birch (Betula alba), or from the tar prepared therefrom; called also birch camphor. Watts. Betumble (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Betumbled (?).] To throw into disorder; to tumble. [R.] From her betumbled couch she starteth. Shak. Betutor (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Betutored (?).] To tutor; to instruct. Coleridge. Between (?), prep. [OE. bytwene, bitweonen, AS. betwenan, betwenum; prefix be by + a form fr. AS. tw two, akin to Goth. tweihnai two apiece. See Twain, and cf. Atween, Betwixt.] 1. In the space which separates; betwixt; as, New York is between Boston and Philadelphia. 2. Used in expressing motion from one body or place to another; from one to another of two. If things should go so between them. Bacon. 3. Belonging in common to two; shared by both. Castor and Pollux with only one soul between them. Locke. 4. Belonging to, or participated in by, two, and involving reciprocal action or affecting their mutual relation; as, opposition between science and religion. An intestine struggle, open or secret, between authority and liberty. Hume. 5. With relation to two, as involved in an act or attribute of which another is the agent or subject; as, to judge between or to choose between courses; to distinguish between you and me; to mediate between nations. 6. In intermediate relation to, in respect to time, quantity, or degree; as, between nine and ten o'clock. Between decks, the space, or in the space, between the decks of a vessel. Between ourselves, Between you and me, Between themselves, in confidence; with the understanding that the matter is not to be communicated to others. Syn. Between, Among. Between etymologically indicates only two; as, a quarrel between two men or two nations; to be between two fires, etc. It is however extended to more than two in expressing a certain relation. I ... hope that between public business, improving studies, and domestic pleasures, neither melancholy nor caprice will find any place for entrance. Johnson. Among implies a mass or collection of things or persons, and always supposes more than two; as, the prize money was equally divided among the ship's crew. Between, n. Intermediate time or space; interval. [Poetic & R.] Shak. Betwixt (?), prep. [OE. betwix, bitwix, rarely bitwixt, AS. betweox, betweohs, betweoh, betwh; pref. be by + a form fr. AS. tw two. See Between.] 1. In the space which separates; between. From betwixt two aged oaks. Milton. 2. From one to another of; mutually affecting. There was some speech of marriage Betwixt myself and her. Shak. Betwixt and between, in a midway position; soso; neither one thing nor the other. [Colloq.] Beurr (?), n. [F., fr. beurre butter.] (Bot.) A beurr (or buttery) pear, one with the me?? soft and melting; used with a distinguishing word; as, Beurr d'Anjou; Beurr Clairgeau. Bevel (?), n. [C. F. biveau, earlier buveau, Sp. baivel; of unknown origin. Cf. Bevile.] 1. Any angle other than a right angle; the angle which one surface makes with another when they are not at right angles; the slant or inclination of such surface; as, to give a bevel to the edge of a table or a stone slab; the bevel of a piece of timber. 2. An instrument consisting of two rules or arms, jointed together at one end, and opening to any angle, for adjusting the surfaces of work to the same or a given inclination; called also a bevel square. Gwilt. Bevel, a. 1. Having the slant of a bevel; slanting. 2. Hence: Morally distorted; not upright. [Poetic] I may be straight, though they themselves be bevel. Shak. A bevel angle, any angle other than one of 90?. Bevel wheel, a cogwheel whose working face is oblique to the axis. Knight. Bevel, v. t. [imp. & p.p. Beveled (?) or Bevelled; p. pr. & vb. n. Beveling or Bevelling.] To cut to a bevel angle; to slope the edge or surface of. Bevel, v. i. To deviate or incline from an angle of 90?, as a surface; to slant. Their houses are very ill built, the walls bevel. Swift. Beveled, Bevelled (?), a. 1. Formed to a bevel angle; sloping; as, the beveled edge of a table. 2. (Min.) Replaced by two planes inclining equally upon the adjacent planes, as an edge; having its edges replaces by sloping planes, as a cube or other solid. Bevel gear (?). (Mech.) A kind of gear in which the two wheels working together lie in different planes, and have their teeth cut at right angles to the surfaces of two cones whose apices coincide with the point where the axes of the wheels would meet. Bevelment (?), n. (Min.) The replacement of an edge by two similar planes, equally inclined to the including faces or adjacent planes. Bever (?), n. [OE. bever a drink, drinking time, OF. beivre, boivre, to drink, fr. L. bibere.] A light repast between meals; a lunch. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl. Bever, v. i. [imp. & p.p. Bevered (?).] To take a light repast between meals. [Obs.] Beverage (?), n. [OF. bevrage, F. breuvage, fr. beivre to drink, fr. L. bibere. Cf. Bib, v. t., Poison, Potable.] 1. Liquid for drinking; drink; usually applied to drink artificially prepared and of an agreeable flavor; as, an intoxicating beverage. He knew no beverage but the flowing stream. Thomson. 2. Specifically, a name applied to various kinds of drink. 3. A treat, or drink money. [Slang] Bevile (?), n. [See Bevel.] (Her.) A chief broken or opening like a carpenter's bevel. Encyc. Brit. Beviled, Bevilled (?), a. (Her.) Notched with an angle like that inclosed by a carpenter's bevel; said of a partition line of a shield. Bevy (?), n.; pl. Bevies (?). [Perhaps orig. a drinking company, fr. OF. beve (cf. It. beva) a drink, beverage; then, perh., a company in general, esp. of ladies; and last applied by sportsmen to larks, quails, etc. See Beverage.] 1. A company; an assembly or collection of persons, especially of ladies. What a bevy of beaten slaves have we here ! Beau. & Fl. 2. A flock of birds, especially quails or larks; also, a herd of roes. Bewail (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bewailed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bewailing.] To express deep sorrow for, as by wailing; to lament; to wail over. Hath widowed and unchilded many a one, Which to this hour bewail the injury. Shak. Syn. To bemoan; grieve. See Deplore. Bewail, v. i. To express grief; to lament. Shak. Bewailable (?), a. Such as may, or ought to, be bewailed; lamentable. Bewailer (?), n. One who bewails or laments. Bewailing, a. Wailing over; lamenting. Bewailingly, adv. Bewailment (?), n. The act of bewailing. Bewake (?), v. t. & i. To keep watch over; to keep awake. [Obs.] Gower. Beware (?), v. i. [Be, imperative of verb to be + ware. See Ware, Wary.] 1. To be on one's guard; to be cautious; to take care; commonly followed by of or lest before the thing that is to be avoided. Beware of all, but most beware of man ! Pope. Beware the awful avalanche. Longfellow. 2. To have a special regard; to heed. [Obs.] Behold, I send an Angel before thee. ... Beware of him, and obey his voice. Ex. xxiii. 20, 21. This word is a compound from be and the Old English ware, now wary, which is an adjective. Be ye? war of false prophetis. Wyclif, Matt. vii. 15. It is used commonly in the imperative and infinitive modes, and with such auxiliaries (shall, should, must, etc.) as go with the infinitive. <-- p. 142 --> Beware (?), v. t. To avoid; to take care of; to have a care for. [Obs.] Priest, beware your beard. Shak. To wish them beware the son. Milton. Bewash (?), v. t. To drench or souse with water. Let the maids bewash the men. Herrick. Beweep (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bewept (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Beweeping.] [AS. bew?pan; pref. be + weep.] To weep over; to deplore; to bedew with tears. His timeless death beweeping. Drayton. Beweep, v. i. To weep. [Obs.] Chaucer. Bewet (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bewet, Bewetted.] To wet or moisten. Gay. Bewhore (?), v. t. 1. To corrupt with regard to chastity; to make a whore of. J. Fletcher. 2. To pronounce or characterize as a whore. Shak. Bewig (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bewigged (?).] To cover (the head) with a wig. Hawthorne. Bewilder (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bewildered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bewildering.] [Pref. be + wilder.] To lead into perplexity or confusion, as for want of a plain path; to perplex with mazes; or in general, to perplex or confuse greatly. Lost and bewildered in the fruitless search. Addison. Syn. To perplex; puzzle; entangle; confuse; confound; mystify; embarrass; lead astray. Bewildered (?), a. Greatly perplexed; as, a bewildered mind. Bewilderedness (?), n. The state of being bewildered; bewilderment. [R.] Bewildering (?), a. Causing bewilderment or great perplexity; as, bewildering difficulties. Bewilderingly, adv. Bewilderment (?), n. 1. The state of being bewildered. 2. A bewildering tangle or confusion. He ... soon lost all traces of it amid bewilderment of tree trunks and underbrush. Hawthorne. Bewinter (?), v. t. To make wintry. [Obs.] Bewit (?), n. [Cf. OF. buie bond, chain, fr. L. boja neck collar, fetter. Cf. Buoy.] A double slip of leather by which bells are fastened to a hawk's legs. Bewitch (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bewitched (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bewitching.] 1. To gain an ascendency over by charms or incantations; to affect (esp. to injure) by witchcraft or sorcery. See how I am bewitched; behold, mine arm Is like a blasted sapling withered up. Shak. 2. To charm; to fascinate; to please to such a degree as to take away the power of resistance; to enchant. The charms of poetry our souls bewitch. Dryden. Syn. To enchant; captivate; charm; entrance. Bewitchedness (?), n. The state of being bewitched. Gauden. Bewitcher (?), n. One who bewitches. Bewitchery (?), n. The power of bewitching or fascinating; bewitchment; charm; fascination. There is a certain bewitchery or fascination in words. South. Bewitching, a. Having power to bewitch or fascinate; enchanting; captivating; charming. Bewitchingly, adv. Bewitchingness, n. Bewitchment (?), n. 1. The act of bewitching, or the state of being bewitched. Tylor. 2. The power of bewitching or charming. Shak. Bewonder (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bewondered (?).] 1. To fill with wonder. [Obs.] 2. To wonder at; to admire. [Obs.] Bewrap (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bewrapped (?).] To wrap up; to cover. Fairfax. Bewray (?), v. t. To soil. See Beray. Bewray, v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bewrayed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bewraying.] [OE. bewraien, biwreyen; pref. be + AS. wr?gan to accuse, betray; akin to OS. wr?gian, OHG. ruog?n, G. rgen, Icel. rgja, Goth. wr?hjan to accuse.] To expose; to reveal; to disclose; to betray. [Obs. or Archaic] The murder being once done, he is in less fear, and in more hope that the deed shall not be bewrayed or known. Robynson (More's Utopia.) Thy speech bewrayeth thee. Matt. xxvi. 73. Bewrayer (?), n. One who, or that which, bewrays; a revealer. [Obs. or Archaic] Addison. Bewrayment (?), n. Betrayal. [R.] Bewreck (?), v. t. To wreck. [Obs.] Bewreke (?), v. t. [Pref. be + wreak.] To wreak; to avenge. [Obs.] Ld. Berners. Bewrought (?), a. [Pref. be + wrought, p. p. of work, v. t. ] Embroidered. [Obs.] B. Jonson. Bey (?), n. [See Beg a bey.] A governor of a province or district in the Turkish dominions; also, in some places, a prince or nobleman; a beg; as, the bey of Tunis. Beylic (?), n. [Turk.] The territory ruled by a bey. Beyond (?), prep. [OE. biyonde, bi?eonde, AS. begeondan, prep. and adv.; pref. be + geond yond, yonder. See Yon, Yonder.] 1. On the further side of; in the same direction as, and further on or away than. Beyond that flaming hill. G. Fletcher. 2. At a place or time not yet reached; before. A thing beyond us, even before our death. Pope. 3. Past, out of the reach or sphere of; further than; greater than; as, the patient was beyond medical aid; beyond one's strength. 4. In a degree or amount exceeding or surpassing; proceeding to a greater degree than; above, as in dignity, excellence, or quality of any kind. Beyond expectation. Barrow. Beyond any of the great men of my country. Sir P.Sidney. Beyond sea. (Law) See under Sea. To go beyond, to exceed in ingenuity, in research, or in anything else; hence, in a bed sense, to deceive or circumvent. That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter. 1 Thess. iv. 6. Beyond (?), adv. Further away; at a distance; yonder. Lo, where beyond he lyeth languishing. Spenser. Bezant (?), n. [See Byzant.] 1. A gold coin of Byzantium or Constantinople, varying in weight and value, usually (those current in England) between a sovereign and a half sovereign. There were also white or silver bezants. [Written also besant, byzant, etc.] 2. (Her.) A circle in or, i. e., gold, representing the gold coin called bezant. Burke. 3. A decoration of a flat surface, as of a band or belt, representing circular disks lapping one upon another. Bezantler (?), n. [L. bis twice (OF. bes) + E. antler.] The second branch of a stag's horn. Bezel (?), n. [From an old form of F. biseau sloping edge, prob. fr. L. bis double. See Bi.] The rim which encompasses and fastens a jewel or other object, as the crystal of a watch, in the cavity in which it is set. Bzique (?), n. [F. bsigue.] A game at cards in which various combinations of cards in the hand, when declared, score points. Bezoar (?), n. [F. bzoard, fr. Ar. bzahr, bdizahr, fr. Per. pdzahr bezoar; pd protecting + zahr poison; cf. Pg. & Sp. bezoar.] A calculous concretion found in the intestines of certain ruminant animals (as the wild goat, the gazelle, and the Peruvian llama) formerly regarded as an unfailing antidote for poison, and a certain remedy for eruptive, pestilential, or putrid diseases. Hence: Any antidote or panacea. Two kinds were particularly esteemed, the Bezoar orientale of India, and the Bezoar occidentale of Peru. Bezoar antelope. See Antelope. Bezoar goat (Zol.), the wild goat (Capra gagrus). Bezoar mineral, an old preparation of oxide of antimony. Ure. Bezoardic (?), a. [Cf. F. bzoardique, bzoartique.] Pertaining to, or compounded with, bezoar. n. A medicine containing bezoar. Bezoartic (?), Bezoartical (?), } a. [See Bezoardic.] Having the qualities of an antidote, or of bezoar; healing. [Obs.] Bezonian (?), n. [ Cf. F. besoin need, want, It bisogno.] A low fellow or scoundrel; a beggar. Great men oft die by vile bezonians. Shak. Bezzle (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Bezzled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bezzling (?).] [OF. besillier, besiler, to maltreat, pillage; or shortened fr. embezzle. Cf. Embezzle.] To plunder; to waste in riot. [Obs.] Bezzle, v. i. To drink to excess; to revel. [Obs.] Bhang (?), n. [Per. bang; cf. Skr. bhang hemp.] An astringent and narcotic drug made from the dried leaves and seed capsules of wild hemp (Cannabis Indica), and chewed or smoked in the East as a means of intoxication. See Hasheesh. Bhunder (?), n. [Native name.] (Zol.) An Indian monkey (Macacus Rhesus), protected by the Hindoos as sacred. See Rhesus. Bi (?). [L. bis twice, which i composition drops the s, akin to E. two. See Bis, Two, and cf. Di, Dis.] 1. In most branches of science bi in composition denotes two, twice, or doubly; as, bidentate, twotoothed; biternate, doubly ternate, etc. 2. (Chem.) In the composition of chemical names bi denotes two atoms, parts, or equivalents of that constituent to the name of which it is prefixed, to one of the other component, or that such constituent is present in double the ordinary proportion; as, bichromate, bisulphide. Be and di are often used interchangeably. Biacid (?), a. [Pref. bi + acid.] (Chem.) Having two hydrogen atoms which can be replaced by negative atoms or radicals to form salts; said of bases. See Diacid. Biacuminate (?), a. [Pref. bi + acuminate.] (Bot.) Having points in two directions. Beangular (?), a. [Pref. bi + angular.] Having two angles or corners. Biangulate (?), Biangulated (?), } a. [Pref. bi + angulate, angulated.] Biangular. Biangulous (?), a. [Pref. bi + angulous.] Biangular. [R.] Biantheriferous (?), a. [Pref. bi + antherigerous.] (Bot.) Having two anthers. Biarticulate (?), a. [Pref. bi + articulate.] (Zol.) Having, or consisting of, tow joints. Bias (?), n.; pl. Biases (?). [F. biasis, perh. fr. LL. bifax twofaced; L. bis + facies face. See Bi, and cf. Face.] 1. A weight on the side of the ball used in the game of bowls, or a tendency imparted to the ball, which turns it from a straight line. Being ignorant that there is a concealed bias within the spheroid, which will ... swerve away. Sir W. Scott. 2. A learning of the mind; propensity or prepossession toward an object or view, not leaving the mind indifferent; bent inclination. Strong love is a bias upon the thoughts. South. Morality influences men's lives, and gives a bias to all their actions. Locke. 3. A wedgeshaped piece of cloth taken out of a garment (as the waist of a dress) to diminish its circumference. 4. A slant; a diagonal; as, to cut cloth on the bias. Syn. Prepossession; prejudice; partiality; inclination. See Bent. Bias, a. 1. Inclined to one side; swelled on one side. [Obs.] Shak. 2. Cut slanting or diagonally, as cloth. Bias, adv. In a slanting manner; crosswise; obliquely; diagonally; as, to cut cloth bias. Bias, v. t. [imp. & p.p. Biased (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Biasing.] To incline to one side; to give a particular direction to; to influence; to prejudice; to prepossess. Me it had not biased in the one direction, nor should it have biased any just critic in the counter direction. De. Quincey. Biauriculate (?), a. [Pref. bi + au riculate.] 1. (Anat.) Having two auricles, as the heart of mammals, birds, and reptiles. 2. (Bot. & Zol.) Having two earlike projections at its base, as a leaf. Biaxal (?), Biaxial (?), } a. [Pref. bi + axal, axial.] (Opt.) Having two axes; as, biaxial polarization. Brewster. Biaxially, adv. Bib (?), n. [From Bib, v., because the bib receives the drink that the child slavers from the mouth.] 1. A small piece of cloth worn by children over the breast, to protect the clothes. 2. (Zol.) An arctic fish (Gadus luscus), allied to the cod; called also pout and whiting pout. 3. A bibcock. Bib, Bibbe (?), v. t. [L. bibere. See Beverage, and cf. Imbibe.] To drink; to tipple. [Obs.] This miller hath ... bibbed ale. Chaucer. Bib, v. i. To drink; to sip; to tipple. He was constantly bibbing. Locke. Bibacious (?), a. [L. bibax, bibacis, fr. bibere. See Bib.] Addicted to drinking. Bibacity (?), n. The practice or habit of drinking too much; tippling. Blount. Bibasic (?), a. [ Pref. bi + basic.] (Chem.) Having to hydrogen atoms which can be replaced by positive or basic atoms or radicals to form salts; said of acids. See Dibasic. Bibb (?), n. A bibcock. See Bib, n., 3. Bibber (?), n. One given to drinking alcoholic beverages too freely; a tippler; chiefly used in composition; as, winebibber. Bibblebabble (?), n. [A reduplication of babble.] Idle talk; babble. Shak. Bibbs (?), n. pl. (Naut.) Pieces of timber bolted to certain parts of a mast tp support the trestletrees. Bibcock (?), n. A cock or faucet having a bent down nozzle. Knight. Bibirine (?), n. (Chem.) See Bebeerine. Bibitory (?), a. Of or pertaining to drinking or tippling. Bible (?), n. [F. bible, L. biblia, pl., fr. Gr. ?, pl. of ?, dim. of ?, ?, book, prop. Egyptian papyrus.] 1. A book. [Obs.] Chaucer. 2. The Book by way of eminence, that is, the book which is made up of the writings accepted by Christians as of divine origin and authority, whether such writings be in the original language, or translated; the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments; sometimes in a restricted sense, the Old Testament; as, King James's Bible; Douay Bible; Luther's Bible. Also, the book which is made up of writings similarly accepted by the Jews; as, a rabbinical Bible. 3. A book containing the sacred writings belonging to any religion; as, the Koran is often called the Mohammedan Bible. Bible Society, an association for securing the multiplication and wide distribution of the Bible. Douay Bible. See Douay Bible. Geneva Bible. See under Geneva. Bibler (?), n. [See Bib, v. t.] A great drinker; a tippler. [Written also bibbler and bibbeler.] Biblical (?), a. Pertaining to, or derived from, the Bible; as, biblical learning; biblical authority. Biblicality (?), n. The quality of being biblical; a biblical subject. [R.] Biblically (?), adv. According to the Bible. Biblicism (?), n. [Cf. F. biblicisme.] Learning or literature relating to the Bible. [R.] Biblicist (?), n. One skilled in the knowledge of the Bible; a demonstrator of religious truth by the Scriptures. Bibliograph (?), n. Bibliographer. Bibliographer (?), n. [Gr. ?, fr. ? book + ? to write : cf. F. bibliographe.] One who writes, or is versed in, bibliography. Bibliographic (?), Bibliographical (?), } a. [Cf. F. bibliographique.] Pertaining to bibliography, or the history of books. Bibliographically, adv. Bibliography (?) n.; pl. Bibliographies (?). [Gr. ?: cf. F. bibliographie.] A history or description of books and manuscripts, with notices of the different editions, the times when they were printed, etc. Bibliolater (?), Bibliolatrist (?), } n. [See. Bibliolatry.] A worshiper of books; especially, a worshiper of the Bible; a believer in its verbal inspiration. De Quincey. Bibliolatry (?), n. [Gr. ? book + ? service, worship, ? to serve.] Book worship, esp. of the Bible; applied by Roman Catholic divine? to the exaltation of the authority of the Bible over that of the pope or the church, and by Protestants to an excessive regard to the letter of the Scriptures. Coleridge. F. W. Newman. Bibliological (?), a. Relating to bibliology. Bibliology (?), n. [Gr. ? book + logy.] 1. An account of books; book lore; bibliography. 2. The literature or doctrine of the Bible. Bibliomancy (?), n. [Gr. ? book + mancy: cf. F. bibliomancie.] A kind of divination, performed by selecting passages of Scripture at hazard, and drawing from them indications concerning future events. Bibliomania (?), n. [Gr. ? book + ? madness: cf. F. bibliomanie.] A mania for acquiring books. Bibliomaniac (?), n. One who has a mania for books. a. Relating to a bibliomaniac. Bibliomaniacal (?), a. Pertaining to a passion for books; relating to a bibliomaniac. Bibliopegic (?), a. [ Gr. ? book + ? to make fast.] Relating to the binding of books. [R.] <-- p. 143 --> Bibliopegist (?), n. A bookbinder. Bibliopegistic (?), a. Pertaining to the art of binding books. [R.] Dibdin. Bibliopegy (?), n. [See Bibliopegic.] The art of binding books. [R.] Bibliophile (?), n. [Gr. ? book + ? to love: cf. F. bibliophile.] A lover of books. Bibliophilism (?), n. Love of books. Bibliophilist (?), n. A lover of books. Bibliophobia (?), n. [Gr. ? book + ? to fear.] A dread of books. [R.] Bibliopole (?), n. [ L. bibliopola, Gr. ?; ? book + ? to sell: cf. F. bibliopole.] One who sells books. Bibliopolic (?), Bibliopolar (?), a. [See Bibliopole.] Of or pertaining to the sale of books. Bibliopolic difficulties. Carlyle. Bibliopolism (?), n. The trade or business of selling books. Bibliopolist (?), n. Same as Bibliopole. Bibliopolistic (?), a. Of or pertaining to bibliopolism. Dibdin. Bibliotaph (?), Bibliotaphist (?), } n. [Gr. ? book + ? a burial.] One who hides away books, as in a tomb. [R.] Crabb. Bibliothec (?), n. A librarian. Bibliotheca (?), n. [L. See Bibliotheke.] A library. Bibliothecal (?), a. [ L. bibliothecalis. See Bibliotheke.] Belonging to a library. Byrom. Bibliothecary (?), n. [L. bibliothecarius: cf. F. bibliothcaire.] A librarian. [Obs.] Evelin. Bibliotheke (?), n. [L. bibliotheca, Gr. ?; ? book + ? a case, box, fr. ? to place: cf. F. bibliothque.] A library. [Obs.] Bale. Biblist (?), n. [Cf. F. bibliste. See Bible.] 1. One who makes the Bible the sole rule of faith. 2. A biblical scholar; a biblicist. I. Taylor. Bibracteate (?), a. [Pref. bi + bracteate.] (Bot.) Furnished with, or having, two bracts. Bibulous (?), a. [L. bibulus, fr. bibere to drink. See Bib, v. t. ] 1. Readily imbibing fluids or moisture; spongy; as, bibulous blotting paper. 2. Inclined to drink; addicted to tippling. Bibulously, adv. In a bibulous manner; with profuse imbibition or absorption. De Quincey. Bicalcarate (?), a. [Pref. bi + calcarate.] Having two spurs, as the wing or leg of a bird. Bicallose (?), Bicallous (?), } a. [Pref. bi + callose, callous.] (Bot.) Having two callosities or hard spots. Gray. Bicameral (?), a. [Pref. bi + camera.] Consisting of, or including, two chambers, or legislative branches. Bentham. Bicapsular (?), a. [Pref. bi + capsular: cf. F. bicapsulaire.] (Bot.) Having two capsules; as, a bicapsular pericarp. Bicarbonate (?), n. [Pref. bi+ carbonate.] (Chem.) A carbonate in which but half the hydrogen of the acid is replaced by a positive element or radical, thus making the proportion of the acid to the positive or basic portion twice what it is in the normal carbonates; an acid carbonate; sometimes called supercarbonate. Bicarbureted or retted (?), a. [Pref. bi + carbureted.] (Chem.) Containing two atoms or equivalents of carbon in the molecule. [Obs. or R.] Bicarinate (?), a. [Pref. bi + carinate.] (Biol.) Having two keellike projections, as the upper palea of grasses. Bicaudal (?), a. [Pref. bi + caudal.] Having, or terminating in, two tails. Bicaudate (?), a. [Pref. bi + caudate.] Twotailed; bicaudal. Bicched (?), a. [Of unknown origin.] Pecked; pitted; notched. [Obs.] Chaucer. Bicched bones, pecked, or notched, bones; dice. Bice, Bise (?), n. [F. bis, akin to It. bigio light gray, tawny.] (Paint.) A pale blue pigment, prepared from the native blue carbonate of copper, or from smalt; called also blue bice. Green bice is prepared from the blue, by adding yellow orpiment, or by grinding down the green carbonate of copper. Cooley. Brande & C. Bicentenary (?), a. [Pref. bi + centenary.] Of or pertaining to two hundred, esp. to two hundred years; as, a bicentenary celebration. n. The two hundredth anniversary, or its celebration. Bicentennial, a. [Pref. bi + centennial.] 1. Consisting of two hundred years. 2. Occurring every two hundred years. Bicentennial, n. The two hundredth year or anniversary, or its celebration. Bicephalous (?), a. [Pref. bi + cephalous: cf. F. bicphale.] Having two heads. Biceps (?), n. [L., twoheaded; bis twice + caput head. See Capital.] (Anat.) A muscle having two heads or origins; applied particularly to a flexor in the arm, and to another in the thigh. Bichir (?), n. [Native name.] (Zol.) A remarkable ganoid fish (Polypterus bichir) found in the Nile and other African rivers. See Brachioganoidei. Bichloride (?), n. [Pref. bi + chloride.] (Chem.) A compound consisting of two atoms of chlorine with one or more atoms of another element; called also dichloride. Bichloride of mercury, mercuric chloride; sometimes called corrosive sublimate. Bicho (?), n. [Sp.] (Zol.) See Jigger. Bichromate (?), n. [Pref. bi + chromate.] (Chem.) A salt containing two parts of chromic acid to one of the other ingredients; as, potassfum bichromate; called also dichromate. Bichromatize (?), v. t. To combine or treat with a bichromate, esp. with bichromate of potassium; as, bichromatized gelatine. Bicipital (?), a. [L. biceps, bicipitis: cf. F. bicipital. See Biceps.] 1. (Anat.) (a) Having two heads or origins, as a muscle. (b) Pertaining to a biceps muscle; as, bicipital furrows, the depressions on either side of the biceps of the arm. 2. (Bot.) Dividing into two parts at one extremity; having two heads or two supports; as, a bicipital tree. Bicipitous (?), a. Having two heads; bicipital. Bicipitous serpents. Sir T. Browne. Bicker, n. [See Beaker.] A small wooden vessel made of staves and hoops, like a tub. [Prov. Eng.] Bicker (?), v. i. [imp. & p.p. Bickered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bickering.] [OE. bikeren, perh. fr. Celtic; cf. W. bicra to fight, bicker, bicre conflict, skirmish; perh. akin to E. beak.] 1. To skirmish; to exchange blows; to fight. [Obs.] Two eagles had a conflict, and bickered together. Holland. 2. To contend in petulant altercation; to wrangle. Petty things about which men cark and bicker. Barrow. 3. To move quickly and unsteadily, or with a pattering noise; to quiver; to be tremulous, like flame. They [streamlets] bickered through the sunny shade. Thomson. Bicker, n. 1. A skirmish; an encounter. [Obs.] 2. A fight with stones between two parties of boys. [Scot.] Jamieson. 3. A wrangle; also, a noise,, as in angry contention. Bickerer (?), n. One who bickers. Bickering, n. 1. A skirmishing. Frays and bickerings. Milton. 2. Altercation; wrangling. Bickerment (?), n. Contention. [Obs.] Spenser. Bickern (?), n. [F. bigorne. See Bicorn.] An anvil ending in a beak or point (orig. in two beaks); also, the beak or horn itself. Bicolligate (?), a. [L. bis twice + colligatus, p. p. See Colligate, v. t. ] (Zol.) Having the anterior toes connected by a basal web. Bicolor (?), Bicolored (?), } a. [L. bicolor; bis twice + color color.] Of two colors. Biconcave (?), a. [Pref. bi + concave.] Concave on both sides; as, biconcave vertebr. Biconjugate (?), a. [Pref. bi + conjugate, a.] (Bot.) Twice paired, as when a petiole forks twice. Gray. Biconvex (?), a. [Pref. bi + convex.] Convex on both sides; as, a biconvex lens. Bicorn (?), Bicorned (?), Bicornous (?), } a. [L. bicornis; bis twice + cornu horn: cf. F. bicorne. Cf. Bickern.] Having two horns; twohorned; crescentlike. Bicorporal (?), a. [Pref. bi + corporal.] Having two bodies. Bicorporate (?), a. [Pref. bi + corporate.] (Her.) Doublebodied, as a lion having one head and two bodies. Bicostate (?), a. [Pref. bi + costate.] (Bot.) Having two principal ribs running longitudinally, as a leaf. Bicrenate (?), a. [Pref. bi + crenate.] (Bot.) Twice crenated, as in the case of leaves whose crenatures are themselves crenate. Bicrescentic (?), a. [Pref. bi + crescent.] Having the form of a double crescent. Bicrural (?), a. [Pref. bi + crural.] Having two legs. Hooker. Bicuspid (?), Bicuspidate (?), } a. [See pref. Bi, and Cuspidate.] Having two points or prominences; ending in two points; said of teeth, leaves, fruit, etc. Bicuspid, n. (Anat.) One of the two doublepointed teeth which intervene between the canines (cuspids) and the molars, on each side of each jaw. See Tooth, n. Bicyanide (?), n. See Dicyanide. Bicycle (?), n. [Pref. bi + cycle.] A light vehicle having two wheels one behind the other. It has a saddle seat and is propelled by the rider's feet acting on cranks or levers. Bicycler (?), n. One who rides a bicycle. Bicyclic (?), a. Relating to bicycles. Bicycling (?), n. The use of a bicycle; the act or practice of riding a bicycle. Bicyclism (?), n. The art of riding a bicycle. Bicyclist (?), n. A bicycler. Bicycular (?), a. Relating to bicycling. Bid (?), v. t. [imp. Bade (?), Bid, (Obs.) Bad; p. p. Bidden (?), Bid; p. pr. & vb. n. Bidding.] [OE. bidden, prop to ask, beg, AS. biddan; akin to OS. biddian, Icel. bi?ja, OHG. bittan, G. bitten, to pray, ask, request, and E. bead, also perh. to Gr. ? to persuade, L. fidere to trust, E. faith, and bide. But this word was early confused with OE. beden, beoden, AS. bedan, to offer, command; akin to Icel. bj??a, Goth. biudan (in comp.), OHG. biotan to command, bid, G. bieten, D. bieden, to offer, also to Gr. ? to learn by inquiry, Skr. budh to be awake, to heed, present OSlav. bud?ti to be awake, E. bode, v. The word now has the form of OE. bidden to ask, but the meaning of OE. beden to command, except in to bid beads. ?30.] 1. To make an offer of; to propose. Specifically : To offer to pay ( a certain price, as for a thing put up at auction), or to take (a certain price, as for work to be done under a contract). 2. To offer in words; to declare, as a wish, a greeting, a threat, or defiance, etc.; as, to bid one welcome; to bid good morning, farewell, etc. Neither bid him God speed. 2. John 10. He bids defiance to the gaping crowd. Granrille. 3. To proclaim; to declare publicly; to make known. [Mostly obs.] Our banns thrice bid ! Gay. 4. To order; to direct; to enjoin; to command. That Power who bids the ocean ebb and flow. Pope Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee. Matt. xiv.28 I was bid to pick up shells. D. Jerrold. 5. To invite; to call in; to request to come. As many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. Matt. xxii. 9 To bid beads, to pray with beads, as the Roman Catholics; to distinguish each bead by a prayer. [Obs.] To bid defiance to , to defy openly; to brave. To bid fair, to offer a good prospect; to make fair promise; to seem likely. Syn. To offer; proffer; tender; propose; order; command; direct; charge; enjoin. Bid (?), imp. & p. p. of Bid. Bid, n. An offer of a price, especially at auctions; a statement of a sum which one will give for something to be received, or will take for something to be done or furnished; that which is offered. Bid, v. i. [See Bid, v. t.] 1. To pray. [Obs.] Chaucer. 2. To make a bid; to state what one will pay or take. Bidale (?), n. [Bid + ale.] An invitation of friends to drink ale at some poor man's house, and there to contribute in charity for his relief. [Prov. Eng.] Biddable (?), a. Obedient; docile. [Scot.] Bidden (?), p. p. of Bid. Bidder (?), n. [AS. biddere. ] One who bids or offers a price. Burke. Biddery ware (?). [From Beder or Bidar a town in India.] A kind of metallic ware make in India. The material is a composition of Inc, tin, and lead, in which ornaments of gold and silver are inlaid o? damascened. [Spelt also bidry, bidree, bedery, beder.] Bidding, n. 1. Command; order; a proclamation o? notifying. Do thou thy master's bidding. Shak. 2. The act or process of making bids; an offer; a proposal of a price, as at an auction. Bidding prayer (?). 1. (R. C. Ch.) The prayer for the souls of benefactors, said before the sermon. 2. (Angl. Ch.) The prayer before the sermon, with petitions for various specified classes of persons. Biddy (?), n. [Etymology uncertain.] A name used in calling a hen or chicken. Shak. Biddy, n. [A familiar form of Bridget.] An Irish serving woman or girl. [Colloq.] Bide (?), v. i. [imp. & p.p. Bided; p. pr. & vb. n. Biding.] [OE. biden, AS. bdan; akin to OHG. btan, Goth. beidan, Icel. b??; perh. orig., to wait with trust, and akin to bid. See Bid, v. t., and cf. Abide.] 1. To dwell; to inhabit; to abide; to stay. All knees to thee shall bow of them that bide In heaven or earth, or under earth, in hell. Milton. 2. To remain; to continue or be permanent in a place or state; to continue to be. Shak. Bide, v. t. 1. To encounter; to remain firm under (a hardship); to endure; to suffer; to undergo. Poor naked wretches, wheresoe'er you are, That bide the pelting of this pitiless storm. Shak. 2. To wait for; as, I bide my time. See Abide. Bident (?), n. [L. bidens, entis, having two prongs; bis twice + dens a tooth.] An instrument or weapon with two prongs. Bidental (?), a. Having two teeth. Swift. Bidentate (?), a. (Bot. & Zol.) Having two teeth or two toothlike processes; twotoothed. Bidet (?), n. [F. bidet, perh. fr. Celtic; cr. Gael. bideach very little, diminutive, bidein a diminutive animal, W. bidan a weakly or sorry wretch.] 1. A small horse formerly allowed to each trooper or dragoon for carrying his baggage. B. Jonson. 2. A kind of bath tub for sitting baths; a sitz bath. Bidigitate (?), a. [Pref. bi + digitate.] Having two fingers or fingerlike projections. Biding (?), n. Residence; habitation. Rowe. Bield (?), n. A shelter. Same as Beild. [Scot.] Bield, v. t. To shelter. [Scot.] Biennial (?), a. [L. biennalis and biennis, fr. biennium a space of two years; bis twice + annus year. Cf. Annual.] 1. Happening, or taking place, once in two years; as, a biennial election. 2. (Bot.) Continuing for two years, and then perishing, as plants which form roots and leaves the first year, and produce fruit the second. Biennial, n. 1. Something which takes place or appears once in two years; esp. a biennial examination. 2. (Bot.) A plant which exists or lasts for two years. Biennially, adv. Once in two years. Bier (?), n. [OE. be, beere, AS. b?r, b?re; akin to D. baar, OHG. bra, G. bahre, Icel barar, D? baare, L. feretrum, Gr. ?, from the same ?? bear to produce. See 1st Bear, and cf. Barrow.] 1. A handbarrow or portable frame on which a corpse is placed or borne to the grave. 2. (Weaving) A count of forty threads in the warp or chain of woolen cloth. Knight. <-- p. 144 --> Bierbalk (?), n. [See Bier, and Balk, n.] A church road (e. g., a path across fields) for funerals. [Obs.] Homilies. Biestings, Beestings (?), n. pl. [OE. bestynge, AS. b?sting, fr. b?st, beost; akin to D. biest, OHG. biost, G. biest; of unknown origin.] The first milk given by a cow after calving. B. Jonson. The thick and curdy milk ... commonly called biestings. Newton. (1574). Bifacial (?), a. [Pref. bi + facial.] Having the opposite surfaces alike. Bifarious (?), a. [L. bifarius; bis twice + fari to speak. Cf. Gr. ? twofold; ? twice + ? to say.] 1. Twofold; arranged in two rows. 2. (Bot.) Pointing two ways, as leaves that grow only on opposite sides of a branch; in two vertical rows. Bifariously, adv. In a bifarious manner. Biferous (?), a. [L. bifer; bis twice + ferre to bear.] Bearing fruit twice a year. Biffin (?), n. [Cf. Beaufin.] 1. A sort of apple peculiar to Norfolk, Eng. [Sometimes called beaufin; but properly beefin (it is said), from its resemblance to raw beef.] Wright. 2. A baked apple pressed down into a flat, round cake; a dried apple. Dickens. Bifid (?), a. [L. bifidus; bis twice + root of findere to cleave or split: cf. F. bifide.] Cleft to the middle or slightly beyond the middle; opening with a cleft; divided by a linear sinus, with straight margins. Bifidate (?), a. [L. bifidatus.] See Bifid. Bifilar (?), a. [Pref. bi + filar.] Twothreaded; involving the use of two threads; as, bifilar suspension; a bifilar balance. Bifilar micrometer (often called a bifilar), an instrument form measuring minute distances or angles by means of two very minute threads (usually spider lines), one of which, at least, is movable; more commonly called a filar micrometer. Biflabellate (?), a. [Pref. bi + flabellate.] (Zol.) Flabellate on both sides. Biflagellate (?), a. [Pref. bi + flagellate.] Having two long, narrow, whiplike appendages. Biflorate (?), Biflorous (?), } a. [L. bis twice + flos, floris, flower.] (Bot.) Bearing two flowers; twoflowered. Bifold (?), a. [Pref. bi + fold.] Twofold; double; of two kinds, degrees, etc. Shak. Bifoliate (?), a. [Pref. bi + foliate.] (Bot.) Having two leaves; twoleaved. Bifoliolate (?), a. [Pref. bi + foliolate.] (Bot.) Having two leaflets, as some compound leaves. Biforate (?), a. [L. bis twice + foratus, p. p. of forare to bore or pierce.] (Bot.) Having two perforations. Biforine (?), n. [L. biforis, biforus, having two doors; bis twice + foris door.] (Bot.) An oval sac or cell, found in the leaves of certain plants of the order Arace. It has an opening at each end through which raphides, generated inside, are discharged. Biforked (?), a. Bifurcate. Biform (?), a. [L. biformis; bis twice + forma shape: cf. F. biforme.] Having two forms, bodies, or shapes. Croxall. Biformed (?), a. [Pref. bi + form.] Having two forms. Johnson. Biformity (?), n. A double form. Biforn (?), prep. & adv. Before. [Obs.] Biforous (?), a. [L. biforis having two doors; bis twice, two + foris door.] See Biforate. Bifronted (?), a. [Pref. bi + front.] Having two fronts. Bifronted Janus. Massinger. Bifurcate (?), Bifurcated (?), } a. [Pref. bi + furcate.] Twopronged; forked. Bifurcate (?), v. i. To divide into two branches. Bifurcation (?), n. [Cf. F. bifurcation.] A forking, or division into two branches. Bifurcous (?), a. [L. bifurcus; bis twice + furca fork.] See Bifurcate, a. [R.] Coles. Big (?), a. [compar. Bigger; superl. Biggest.] [Perh. from Celtic; cf. W. beichiog, beichiawg, pregnant, with child, fr. baich burden, Arm. beac'h; or cf. OE. bygly, Icel. biggiligr, (properly) habitable; (then) magnigicent, excellent, fr. OE. biggen, Icel. byggja, to dwell, build, akin to E. be.] 1. Having largeness of size; of much bulk or magnitude; of great size; large. He's too big to go in there. Shak. 2. Great with young; pregnant; swelling; ready to give birth or produce; often figuratively. [Day] big with the fate of Cato and of Rome. Addison. 3. Having greatness, fullness, importance, inflation, distention, etc., whether in a good or a bad sense; as, a big heart; a big voice; big looks; to look big. As applied to looks, it indicates haughtiness or pride. God hath not in heaven a bigger argument. Jer. Taylor. Big is often used in selfexplaining compounds; as, bigboned; bigsounding; bignamed; bigvoiced. To talk big, to talk loudly, arrogantly, or pretentiously. I talked big to them at first. De Foe. Syn. Bulky; large; great; massive; gross. Big, Bigg, n. [OE. bif, bigge; akin to Icel. bygg, Dan. byg, Sw. bjugg.] (Bot.) Barley, especially the hardy fourrowed kind. Bear interchanges in local use, now with barley, now with bigg. New English Dict. Big, Bigg, v. t. [OE. biggen, fr. Icel. byggja to inhabit, to build, b?a (neut.) to dwell (active) to make ready. See Boor, and Bound.] To build. [Scot. & North of Eng. Dial.] Sir W. Scott. Biga (?), n. [L.] (Antiq.) A twohorse chariot. Bigam (?), n. [L. bigamus twice married: cf. F. bigame. See Bigamy.] A bigamist. [Obs.] Bigamist (?), n. [Cf. Digamist.] One who is guilty of bigamy. Ayliffe. Bigamous (?), a. Guilty of bigamy; involving bigamy; as, a bigamous marriage. Bigamy (?), n. [OE. bigamie, fr. L. bigamus twice married; bis twice + Gr. ? marriage; prob. akin to Skt. jmis related, and L. gemini twins, the root meaning to bind, join: cf. F. bigamie. Cf. Digamy.] (Law) The offense of marrying one person when already legally married to another. Wharton. It is not strictly correct to call this offense bigamy: it more properly denominated polygamy, i. e., having a plurality of wives or husbands at once, and in several statutes in the United States the offense is classed under the head of polygamy. In the canon law bigamy was the marrying of two virgins successively, or one after the death of the other, or once marrying a widow. This disqualified a man for orders, and for holding ecclesiastical offices. Shakespeare uses the word in the latter sense. Blackstone. Bouvier. Base declension and loathed bigamy. Shak. Bigarreau (?), Bigaroon (?), } n. [F. bigarreau, fr. bigarr variegated.] (Bot.) The large whiteheart cherry. Bigbellied (?), a. Having a great belly; as, a bigbellied man or flagon; advanced in pregnancy. Bigaminate (?), a. [Pref. bi + geminate.] (Bot.) Having a forked petiole, and a pair of leaflets at the end of each division; biconjugate; twice paired; said of a decompound leaf. Bigential (?), a. [Pref. bi + L. gens, gentis, tribe.] (Zol.) Including two tribes or races of men. Bigeye (?), n. (Zol.) A fish of the genus Priacanthus, remarkable for the large size of the eye. Bigg (?), n. & v. See Big, n. & v. Biggen (?), v. t. & i. To make or become big; to enlarge. [Obs. or Dial.] Steele. Bigger (?), a., compar. of Big. Biggest (?), a., superl. of Big. Biggin (?), n. [F. bguin, prob. from the cap worn by the Bguines. Cf. Beguine, Biggon.] A child's cap; a hood, or something worn on the head. An old woman's biggin for a nightcap. Massinger. Biggin, n. A coffeepot with a strainer or perforated metallic vessel for holding the ground coffee, through which boiling water is poured; so called from Mr. Biggin, the inventor. Biggin, Bigging, } n. [OE. bigging. See Big, Bigg, v. t.] A building. [Obs.] Biggon (?), Biggonnet (?), } n. [ F. bguin and OF. beguinet, dim of bguin. See Biggin a cap.] A cap or hood with pieces covering the ears. Bigha (?), n. A measure of land in India, varying from a third of an acre to an acre. Bighorn (?), n. (Zol.) The Rocky Mountain sheep (Ovis or Caprovis montana). Bight (?), n. [OE. bi?t a bending; cf. Sw. & Dan. bugt bend, bay; fr. AS. byht, fr. b?gan. ?88. Cf. Bout, Bought a bend, and see Bow, v.] 1. A corner, bend, or angle; a hollow; as, the bight of a horse's knee; the bight of an elbow. 2. (Geog.) A bend in a coast forming an open bay; as, the Bight of Benin. 3. (Naut.) The double part of a rope when folded, in distinction from the ends; that is, a round, bend, or coil not including the ends; a loop. Biglandular (?), a. [Pref. bi + glandular.] Having two glands, as a plant. Bigly (?), adv. [From Big, a.] In a tumid, swelling, blustering manner; haughtily; violently. He brawleth bigly. Robynson (More's Utopia.) Bigness, n. The state or quality of being big; largeness; size; bulk. Bignonia (?), n. [Named from the Abb Bignon.] (Bot.) A large genus of American, mostly tropical, climbing shrubs, having compound leaves and showy somewhat tubular flowers. B. capreolata is the cross vine of the Southern United States. The trumpet creeper was formerly considered to be of this genus. Bignoniaceous (?), a. (Bot.) Of pertaining to, or resembling, the family of plants of which the trumpet flower is an example. Bigot (?), n. [F. bigot a bigot or hypocrite, a name once given to the Normans in France. Of unknown origin; possibly akin to Sp. bigote a whisker; hombre de bigote a man of spirit and vigor; cf. It. sbigottire to terrify, to appall. Wedgwood and others maintain that bigot is from the same source as Beguine, Beghard.] 1. A hypocrite; esp., a superstitious hypocrite. [Obs.] 2. A person who regards his own faith and views in matters of religion as unquestionably right, and any belief or opinion opposed to or differing from them as unreasonable or wicked. In an extended sense, a person who is intolerant of opinions which conflict with his own, as in politics or morals; one obstinately and blindly devoted to his own church, party, belief, or opinion. To doubt, where bigots had been content to wonder and believe. Macaulay. Bigot, a. Bigoted. [Obs.]
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