B (continued 7)

1. Readily imbibing fluids or moisture; spongy; as, bibulous blotting paper.

2. Inclined to drink; addicted to tippling.

BIBULOUSLY Bib"u*lous*ly, adv.

Defn: In a bibulous manner; with profuse imbibition or absorption. De Quincey.

BICALCARATE Bi*cal"ca*rate, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + calcarate.]

Defn: Having two spurs, as the wing or leg of a bird.

BICALLOSE; BICALLOUS Bi*cal"lose, Bi*cal"lous, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + callose, callous.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having two callosities or hard spots. Gray.

BICAMERAL Bi*cam"er*al, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + camera.]

Defn: Consisting of, or including, two chambers, or legislative branches. Bentham.

BICAPSULAR Bi*cap"su*lar, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + capsular: cf. F. bicapsulaire.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having two capsules; as, a bicapsular pericarp.

BICARBONATE Bi*car"bon*ate, n. Etym: [Pref. bi-+ carbonate.] (Chem.)

Defn: 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; BICARBURETTED Bi*car"bu*ret`ed or -ret`ted, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + carbureted.] (Chem.)

Defn: Containing two atoms or equivalents of carbon in the molecule. [Obs. or R.]

BICARINATE Bi*car"i*nate, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + carinate.] (Biol.)

Defn: Having two keel-like projections, as the upper palea of grasses.

BICAUDAL Bi*cau"dal, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + caudal.]

Defn: Having, or terminating in, two tails.

BICAUDATE Bi*cau"date, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + caudate.]

Defn: Two-tailed; bicaudal.

BICCHED Bic"ched, a. Etym: [Of unknown origin.]

Defn: Pecked; pitted; notched. [Obs.] Chaucer. Bicched bones, pecked, or notched, bones; dice.

BICE; BISE Bice, Bise, n. Etym: [F. bis, akin to It. bigio light gray, tawny.] (Paint.)

Defn: 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 Bi*cen"te*na*ry, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + centenary.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to two hundred, esp. to two hundred years; as, a bicentenary celebration. — n.

Defn: The two hundredth anniversary, or its celebration.

BICENTENNIAL Bi`cen*ten"ni*al, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + centennial.]

1. Consisting of two hundred years.

2. Occurring every two hundred years.

BICENTENNIAL Bi`cen*ten"ni*al, n.

Defn: The two hundredth year or anniversary, or its celebration.

BICEPHALOUS Bi*ceph"a*lous, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + cephalous: cf. F. bicéphale.]

Defn: Having two heads.

BICEPS Bi"ceps, n. Etym: [L., two-headed; bis twice + caput head. See Capital.] (Anat.)

Defn: A muscle having two heads or origins; — applied particularly to a flexor in the arm, and to another in the thigh.

BICHIR Bi*chir", n. Etym: [Native name.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A remarkable ganoid fish (Polypterus bichir) found in the Nile and other African rivers. See Brachioganoidei.

BICHLORIDE Bi*chlo"ride, n. Etym: [Pref. bi- + chloride.] (Chem.)

Defn: 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 Bi"cho, n. Etym: [Sp.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Jigger.

BICHROMATE Bi*chro"mate, n. Etym: [Pref. bi- + chromate.] (Chem.)

Defn: A salt containing two parts of chromic acid to one of the other ingredients; as, potassium bichromate; — called also dichromate.

BICHROMATIZE Bi*chro"ma*tize, v. t.

Defn: To combine or treat with a bichromate, esp. with bichromate of potassium; as, bichromatized gelatine.

BICIPITAL Bi*cip"i*tal, a. Etym: [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.)

Defn: Dividing into two parts at one extremity; having two heads or two supports; as, a bicipital tree.

BICIPITOUS Bi*cip"i*tous, a.

Defn: Having two heads; bicipital. "Bicipitous serpents." Sir T. Browne.

BICKER Bick"er, n. Etym: [See Beaker.]

Defn: A small wooden vessel made of staves and hoops, like a tub. [Prov. Eng.]

BICKER Bick"er, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Bickered; p. pr. & vb. n. Bickering.] Etym: [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 Bick"er, 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 Bick"er*er, n.

Defn: One who bickers.

BICKERING Bick"er*ing, n.

1. A skirmishing. "Frays and bickerings." Milton.

2. Altercation; wrangling.

BICKERMENT Bick"er*ment, n.

Defn: Contention. [Obs.] Spenser.

BICKERN Bick"ern, n. Etym: [F. bigorne. See Bicorn.]

Defn: An anvil ending in a beak or point (orig. in two beaks); also, the beak or horn itself.

BICKFORD FUSE; BICKFORD FUZE; BICKFORD MATCH Bick"ford fuse, Bick"ford fuze, Bick"ford match.

Defn: A fuse used in blasting, consisting of a long cylinder of explosive material inclosed in a varnished wrapping of rope or hose. It burns from 2 to 4 feet a minute.

BICOLLIGATE Bi*col"li*gate, a. Etym: [L. bis twice + colligatus, p. p. See Colligate, v. t. ] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having the anterior toes connected by a basal web.

BICOLOR; BICOLORED Bi"col`or, Bi"col`ored, a. Etym: [L. bicolor; bis twice + color color.]

Defn: Of two colors.

BICONCAVE Bi*con"cave, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + concave.]

Defn: Concave on both sides; as, biconcave vertebræ.

BICONJUGATE Bi*con"ju*gate, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + conjugate, a.] (Bot.)

Defn: Twice paired, as when a petiole forks twice. Gray.

BICONVEX Bi*con"vex, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + convex.]

Defn: Convex on both sides; as, a biconvex lens.

BICORN; BICORNED; BICORNOUS Bi"corn, Bi"corned, Bi*cor"nous, a. Etym: [L. bicornis; bis twice + cornu horn: cf. F. bicorne. Cf. Bickern.]

Defn: Having two horns; two-horned; crescentlike.

BICORPORAL Bi*cor"po*ral, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + corporal.]

Defn: Having two bodies.

BICORPORATE Bi*cor"po*rate, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + corporate.] (Her.)

Defn: Double-bodied, as a lion having one head and two bodies.

BICOSTATE Bi*cos"tate, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + costate.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having two principal ribs running longitudinally, as a leaf.

BICRENATE Bi*cre"nate, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + crenate.] (Bot.)

Defn: Twice crenated, as in the case of leaves whose crenatures are themselves crenate.

BICRESCENTIC Bi`cres*cen"tic, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + crescent.]

Defn: Having the form of a double crescent.

BICRURAL Bi*cru"ral, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + crural.]

Defn: Having two legs. Hooker.

BICUSPID; BICUSPIDATE Bi*cus"pid, Bi*cus"pid*ate, a. Etym: [See pref. Bi-, and Cuspidate.]

Defn: Having two points or prominences; ending in two points; — said of teeth, leaves, fruit, etc.

BICUSPID Bi*cus"pid, n. (Anat.)

Defn: One of the two double-pointed teeth which intervene between the canines (cuspids) and the molars, on each side of each jaw. See Tooth, n.

BICYANIDE Bi*cy"a*nide, n.

Defn: See Dicyanide.

BICYCLE Bi"cy*cle, n. Etym: [Pref. bi- + cycle.]

Defn: 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 Bi"cy*cler, n.

Defn: One who rides a bicycle.

BICYCLIC Bi*cyc"lic, a.

Defn: Relating to bicycles.

BICYCLING Bi"cy*cling, n.

Defn: The use of a bicycle; the act or practice of riding a bicycle.

BICYCLISM Bi"cy*clism, n.

Defn: The art of riding a bicycle.

BICYCLIST Bi"cy*clist, n.

Defn: A bicycler.

BICYCULAR Bi*cyc"u*lar, a.

Defn: Relating to bicycling.

BID Bid, v. t. [imp. Bade, Bid, (Obs.) Bad; p. p. Bidden, Bid; p. pr. & vb. n. Bidding.] Etym: [OE. bidden, prop to ask, beg, AS. biddan; akin to OS. biddian, Icel. bi, 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. beódan, to offer, command; akin to Icel. bj, 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 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." sq. root30.]

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 Bid,

Defn: imp. & p. p. of Bid.

BID Bid, n.

Defn: 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 Bid, v. i. Etym: [See Bid, v. t.]

1. To pray. [Obs.] Chaucer.

2. To make a bid; to state what one will pay or take.

BIDALE Bid"ale`, n. Etym: [Bid + ale.]

Defn: An invitation of friends to drink ale at some poor man's house, and there to contribute in charity for his relief. [Prov. Eng.]

BIDARKEE; BIDARKA Bi*dar"kee, Bi*dar"ka, n. [Russ. baidarka, dim. Cf. Baidar.]

Defn: A portable boat made of skins stretched on a frame. [Alaska] The Century.

BIDDABLE Bid"da*ble, a.

Defn: Obedient; docile. [Scot.]

BIDDEN Bid"den, p. p.

Defn: of Bid.

BIDDER Bid"der, n. Etym: [AS. biddere. ]

Defn: One who bids or offers a price. Burke.

BIDDERY WARE Bid"der*y ware`. Etym: [From Beder or Bidar a town in India.]

Defn: A kind of metallic ware made in India. The material is a composition of zinc, tin, and lead, in which ornaments of gold and silver are inlaid or damascened. [Spelt also bidry, bidree, bedery, beder.]

BIDDING Bid"ding, n.

1. Command; order; a proclamation or 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 Bid"ding prayer`.

1. (R. C. Ch.)

Defn: The prayer for the souls of benefactors, said before the sermon.

2. (Angl. Ch.)

Defn: The prayer before the sermon, with petitions for various specified classes of persons.

BIDDY Bid"dy, n. Etym: [Etymology uncertain.]

Defn: A name used in calling a hen or chicken. Shak.

BIDDY Bid"dy, n. Etym: [A familiar form of Bridget.]

Defn: An Irish serving woman or girl. [Colloq.]

BIDE Bide, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Bided; p. pr. & vb. n. Biding.] Etym: [OE. biden, AS. bidan; akin to OHG. bitan, Goth. beidan, Icel. bi; 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 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 Bi"dent, n. Etym: [L. bidens, -entis, having two prongs; bis twice + dens a tooth.]

Defn: An instrument or weapon with two prongs.

BIDENTAL Bi*den"tal, a.

Defn: Having two teeth. Swift.

BIDENTATE Bi*den"tate, a. (Bot. & Zoöl.)

Defn: Having two teeth or two toothlike processes; two-toothed.

BIDET Bi*det", n. Etym: [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 Bi*dig"i*tate, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + digitate.]

Defn: Having two fingers or fingerlike projections.

BIDING Bid"ing, n.

Defn: Residence; habitation. Rowe.

BIELA'S COMET Bie"la's com"et. (Astron.)

Defn: A periodic coment, discovered by Biela in 1826, which revolves around the sun in 6.6 years. The November meteors (Andromedes or Bielids) move in its orbit, and may be fragments of the comet.

BIELD Bield, n.

Defn: A shelter. Same as Beild. [Scot.]

BIELD Bield, v. t.

Defn: To shelter. [Scot.]

BIELID Bie"lid, n. (Astron.)

Defn: See Andromede.

BIENNIAL Bi*en"ni*al, a. Etym: [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.)

Defn: Continuing for two years, and then perishing, as plants which form roots and leaves the first year, and produce fruit the second.

BIENNIAL Bi*en"ni*al, n.

1. Something which takes place or appears once in two years; esp. a biennial examination.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: A plant which exists or lasts for two years.

BIENNIALLY Bi*en"ni*al*ly, adv.

Defn: Once in two years.

BIER Bier, n. Etym: [OE. bæe, beere, AS. b, b; akin to D. baar, OHG. bara, G. bahre, Icel barar, Dbaare, 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)

Defn: A count of forty threads in the warp or chain of woolen cloth. Knight.

BIERBALK Bier"balk`, n. Etym: [See Bier, and Balk, n.]

Defn: A church road (e. g., a path across fields) for funerals. [Obs.] Homilies.

BIESTINGS; BEESTINGS Biest"ings, Beest"ings, n. pl. Etym: [OE. bestynge, AS. b, fr. b, beost; akin to D. biest, OHG. biost, G. biest; of unknown origin.]

Defn: The first milk given by a cow after calving. B. Jonson. The thick and curdy milk . . . commonly called biestings. Newton. (1574).

BIFACIAL Bi*fa"cial, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + facial.]

Defn: Having the opposite surfaces alike.

BIFARIOUS Bi*fa"ri*ous, a. Etym: [L. bifarius; bis twice + fari to speak. Cf. Gr.

1. Twofold; arranged in two rows.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: Pointing two ways, as leaves that grow only on opposite sides of a branch; in two vertical rows.

BIFARIOUSLY Bi*fa"ri*ous*ly, adv.

Defn: In a bifarious manner.

BIFEROUS Bif"er*ous, a. Etym: [L. bifer; bis twice + ferre to bear.]

Defn: Bearing fruit twice a year.

BIFFIN Bif"fin, n. Etym: [Cf. Beaufin.]

1. A sort of apple peculiar to Norfolk, Eng.

Note: [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 Bi"fid, a. Etym: [L. bifidus; bis twice + root of findere to cleave or split: cf. F. bifide.]

Defn: Cleft to the middle or slightly beyond the middle; opening with a cleft; divided by a linear sinus, with straight margins.

BIFIDATE Bif"i*date, a. Etym: [L. bifidatus.]

Defn: See Bifid.

BIFILAR Bi*fi"lar, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + filar.]

Defn: Two-threaded; 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 Bi`fla*bel"late, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + flabellate.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Flabellate on both sides.

BIFLAGELLATE Bi`fla*gel"late, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + flagellate.]

Defn: Having two long, narrow, whiplike appendages.

BIFLORATE; BIFLOROUS Bi*flo"rate, Bi*flo"rous, a. Etym: [L. bis twice + flos, floris, flower.] (Bot.)

Defn: Bearing two flowers; two-flowered.

BIFOCAL Bi*fo"cal, a. [Pref. bi-+ focal.]

Defn: Having two foci, as some spectacle lenses.

BIFOLD Bi"fold, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + fold.]

Defn: Twofold; double; of two kinds, degrees, etc. Shak.

BIFOLIATE Bi*fo"li*ate, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + foliate.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having two leaves; two-leaved.

BIFOLIOLATE Bi*fo"li*o*late, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + foliolate.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having two leaflets, as some compound leaves.

BIFORATE Bif"o*rate, a. Etym: [L. bis twice + foratus, p. p. of forare to bore or pierce.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having two perforations.

BIFORINE Bif"o*rine, n. Etym: [L. biforis, biforus, having two doors; bis twice + foris door.] (Bot.)

Defn: An oval sac or cell, found in the leaves of certain plants of the order Araceæ. It has an opening at each end through which raphides, generated inside, are discharged.

BIFORKED Bi"forked, a.

Defn: Bifurcate.

BIFORM Bi"form, a. Etym: [L. biformis; bis twice + forma shape: cf. F. biforme.]

Defn: Having two forms, bodies, or shapes. Croxall.

BIFORMED Bi"formed, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + form.]

Defn: Having two forms. Johnson.

BIFORMITY Bi*form"i*ty, n.

Defn: A double form.

BIFORN Bi*forn", prep. & adv.

Defn: Before. [Obs.]

BIFOROUS Bif"o*rous, a. Etym: [L. biforis having two doors; bis twice, two + foris door.]

Defn: See Biforate.

BIFRONTED Bi*front"ed, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + front.]

Defn: Having two fronts. "Bifronted Janus." Massinger.

BIFURCATE; BIFURCATED Bi*fur"cate, Bi*fur"ca*ted, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + furcate.]

Defn: Two-pronged; forked.

BIFURCATE Bi*fur"cate, v. i.

Defn: To divide into two branches.

BIFURCATION Bi`fur*ca"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. bifurcation.]

Defn: A forking, or division into two branches.

BIFURCOUS Bi*fur"cous, a. Etym: [L. bifurcus; bis twice + furca fork.]

Defn: See Bifurcate, a. [R.] Coles.

BIG Big, a. [compar. Bigger; superl. Biggest.] Etym: [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.

Note: Big is often used in self-explaining compounds; as, big-boned; big-sounding; big-named; big-voiced. 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 Big, Bigg, n. Etym: [OE. bif, bigge; akin to Icel. bygg, Dan. byg, Sw. bjugg.] (Bot.)

Defn: Barley, especially the hardy four-rowed kind. "Bear interchanges in local use, now with barley, now with bigg." New English Dict.

BIG; BIGG Big, Bigg, v. t. Etym: [OE. biggen, fr. Icel. byggja to inhabit, to build, b (neut.) to dwell (active) to make ready. See Boor, and Bound.]

Defn: To build. [Scot. & North of Eng. Dial.] Sir W. Scott.

BIGA Bi"ga, n. Etym: [L.] (Antiq.)

Defn: A two-horse chariot.

BIGAM Big"am, n. Etym: [L. bigamus twice married: cf. F. bigame. See Bigamy.]

Defn: A bigamist. [Obs.]

BIGAMIST Big"a*mist, n. Etym: [Cf. Digamist.]

Defn: One who is guilty of bigamy. Ayliffe.

BIGAMOUS Big"a*mous, a.

Defn: Guilty of bigamy; involving bigamy; as, a bigamous marriage.

BIGAMY Big"a*my, n. Etym: [OE. bigamie, fr. L. bigamus twice married; bis twice + Gr. marriage; prob. akin to Skt. jamis related, and L. gemini twins, the root meaning to bind, join: cf. F. bigamie. Cf. Digamy.] (Law)

Defn: The offense of marrying one person when already legally married to another. Wharton.

Note: 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 Big`ar*reau", Big`a*roon", n. Etym: [F. bigarreau, fr. bigarré variegated.] (Bot.)

Defn: The large white-heart cherry.

BIG-BELLIED Big"-bel`lied, a.

Defn: Having a great belly; as, a big-bellied man or flagon; advanced in pregnancy.

BIG BEND STATE Big Bend State.

Defn: Tennessee; — a nickname.

BIGEMINATE Bi*gem"i*nate, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + geminate.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having a forked petiole, and a pair of leaflets at the end of each division; biconjugate; twice paired; — said of a decompound leaf.

BIGENTIAL Bi*gen"tial, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + L. gens, gentis, tribe.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Including two tribes or races of men.

BIGEYE Big"eye`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A fish of the genus Priacanthus, remarkable for the large size of the eye.

BIGG Bigg, n. & v.

Defn: See Big, n. & v.

BIGGEN Big"gen, v. t. & i.

Defn: To make or become big; to enlarge. [Obs. or Dial.] Steele.

BIGGER Big"ger, a.

Defn: , compar. of Big.

BIGGEST Big"gest, a.

Defn: , superl. of Big.

BIGGIN Big"gin, n. Etym: [F. béguin, prob. from the cap worn by the Béguines. Cf. Beguine, Biggon.]

Defn: A child's cap; a hood, or something worn on the head. An old woman's biggin for a nightcap. Massinger.

BIGGIN Big"gin, n.

Defn: 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 Big"gin, Big"ging, n. Etym: [OE. bigging. See Big, Bigg, v. t.]

Defn: A building. [Obs.]

BIGGON; BIGGONNET Big"gon, Big"gon*net, n. Etym: [F. béguin and OF. beguinet, dim of béguin. See Biggin a cap.]

Defn: A cap or hood with pieces covering the ears.

BIGHA Big"ha, n.

Defn: A measure of land in India, varying from a third of an acre to an acre.

BIGHORN Big"horn`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The Rocky Mountain sheep (Ovis or Caprovis montana).

BIGHT Bight, n. Etym: [OE. bi a bending; cf. Sw. & Dan. bugt bend, bay; fr. AS. byht, fr. b. sq. root88. 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.)

Defn: A bend in a coast forming an open bay; as, the Bight of Benin.

3. (Naut.)

Defn: 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 Bi*glan"du*lar, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + glandular.]

Defn: Having two glands, as a plant.

BIGLY Big"ly, adv. Etym: [From Big, a.]

Defn: In a tumid, swelling, blustering manner; haughtily; violently. He brawleth bigly. Robynson (More's Utopia. )

BIGNESS Big"ness, n.

Defn: The state or quality of being big; largeness; size; bulk.

BIGNONIA Big*no"ni*a, n. Etym: [Named from the Abbé Bignon.] (Bot.)

Defn: 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 Big*no`ni*a"ceous, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Of pertaining to, or resembling, the family of plants of which the trumpet flower is an example.

BIGOT Big"ot, n. Etym: [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. s- bigottire 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 Big"ot, a.

Defn: Bigoted. [Obs.] In a country more bigot than ours. Dryden.

BIGOTED Big"ot*ed, a.

Defn: Obstinately and blindly attached to some creed, opinion practice, or ritual; unreasonably devoted to a system or party, and illiberal toward the opinions of others. "Bigoted to strife." Byron.

Syn. — Prejudiced; intolerant; narrow-minded.

BIGOTEDLY Big"ot*ed*ly, adv.

Defn: In the manner of a bigot.

BIGOTRY Big"ot*ry, n. Etym: [Cf. F. bigoterie.]

1. The state of mind of a bigot; obstinate and unreasoning attachment of one's own belief and opinions, with narrow-minded intolerance of beliefs opposed to them.

2. The practice or tenets of a bigot.

BIGWIG Big"wig`, n. Etym: [Big,a.+ wig.]

Defn: A person of consequence; as, the bigwigs of society. [Jocose] In our youth we have heard him spoken of by the bigwigs with extreme condescension. Dickens.

BIG-WIGGED Big"-wigged`, a.

Defn: characterized by pomposity of manner. [Eng.]

BIHYDROGURET Bi`hy*drog"u*ret, n. Etym: [Pref. bi- + hydroguret.] (Chem.)

Defn: A compound of two atoms of hydrogen with some other substance. [Obs.]

BIJOU Bi*jou", n.; pl. Bijoux. Etym: [F.; of uncertain origin.]

Defn: A trinket; a jewel; — a word applied to anything small and of elegant workmanship.

BIJOUTRY Bi*jou"try, n. Etym: [F. bijouterie. See Bijou.]

Defn: Small articles of virtu, as jewelry, trinkets, etc.

BIJUGATE Bij"u*gate, a. Etym: [L. bis twice + jugatus, p. p. of jugare to join.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having two pairs, as of leaflets.

BIJUGOUS Bij"u*gous, a. Etym: [L. bijugus yoked two together; bis twice + jugum yoke, pair.] (Bot.)

Defn: Bijugate.

BIKE Bike, n. Etym: [Ethymol. unknown.]

Defn: A nest of wild bees, wasps, or ants; a swarm. [Scot.] Sir W. Scott.

BIKH Bikh, n. Etym: [Hind., fr. Skr. visha poison.] (Bot.)

Defn: The East Indian name of a virulent poison extracted from Aconitum ferox or other species of aconite: also, the plant itself.

BILABIATE Bi*la"bi*ate, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + labiate.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having two lips, as the corols of certain flowers.

BILACINIATE Bi`la*cin"i*ate, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + laciniate.]

Defn: Doubly fringed.

BILALO Bi*la"lo, n.

Defn: A two-masted passenger boat or small vessel, used in the bay of Manila.

BILAMELLATE; BILAMELLATED Bi*lam"el*late, Bi*lam"el*la`ted, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + lamellate.] (Bot.)

Defn: Formed of two plates, as the stigma of the Mimulus; also, having two elevated ridges, as in the lip of certain flowers.

BILAMINAR; BILAMINATE Bi*lam"i*nar, Bi*lam"i*nate, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + laminar, laminate.]

Defn: Formed of, or having, two laminæ, or thin plates.

BILAND Bi"land, n.

Defn: A byland. [Obs.] Holland.

BILANDER Bil"an*der, n. Etym: [D. bijlander; bij by + land land, country.] (Naut.)

Defn: A small two-masted merchant vessel, fitted only for coasting, or for use in canals, as in Holland. Why choose we, then, like bilanders to creep Along the coast, and land in view to keep Dryden.

BILATERAL Bi*lat"er*al, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + lateral: cf. F. bilatéral.]

1. Having two sides; arranged upon two sides; affecting two sides or two parties.

2. (Biol.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the two sides of a central area or organ, or of a central axis; as, bilateral symmetry in animals, where there is a similarity of parts on the right and left sides of the body.

BILATERALITY Bi*lat`er*al"i*ty, n.

Defn: State of being bilateral.

BILBERRY Bil"ber*ry, n.; pl. Bilberries (. Etym: [Cf. Dan. böllebær bilberry, where bölle is perh. akin to E. ball.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: The European whortleberry (Vaccinium myrtillus); also, its edible bluish black fruit. There pinch the maids as blue as bilberry. Shak.

2. (Bot.) Any similar plant or its fruit; esp., in America, the species Vaccinium myrtilloides, V. cæspitosum and V. uliginosum.

BILBO Bil"bo, n.; pl. Bilboes (.

1. A rapier; a sword; so named from Bilbao, in Spain. Shak.

2. pl.

Defn: A long bar or bolt of iron with sliding shackles, and a lock at the end, to confine the feet of prisoners or offenders, esp. on board of ships. Methought I lay Worse than the mutines in the bilboes. Shak.

BILBOQUET Bil"bo*quet, n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: The toy called cup and ball.

BILCOCK Bil"cock, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The European water rail.

BILDSTEIN Bild"stein, n. Etym: [G., fr. bild image, likeness + stein stone.]

Defn: Same as Agalmatolite.

BILE Bile, n. Etym: [L. bilis: cf. F. bile.]

1. (Physiol.)

Defn: A yellow, or greenish, viscid fluid, usually alkaline in reaction, secreted by the liver. It passes into the intestines, where it aids in the digestive process. Its characteristic constituents are the bile salts, and coloring matters.

2. Bitterness of feeling; choler; anger; ill humor; as, to stir one's bile. Prescott.

Note: The ancients considered the bile to be the "humor" which caused irascibility.

BILE Bile, n. Etym: [OE. byle, bule, bele, AS. b, b; skin to D. buil, G. beule, and Goth. ufbauljan to puff up. Cf. Boil a tumor, Bulge.]

Defn: A boil. [Obs. or Archaic]

BILECTION Bi*lec"tion, n. (Arch.)

Defn: That portion of a group of moldings which projects beyond the general surface of a panel; a bolection.

BILESTONE Bile"stone`, n. Etym: [Bile + stone.]

Defn: A gallstone, or biliary calculus. See Biliary. E. Darwin.

BILGE Bilge, n. Etym: [A different orthography of bulge, of same origin as belly. Cf. Belly, Bulge.]

1. The protuberant part of a cask, which is usually in the middle.

2. (Naut.)

Defn: That part of a ship's hull or bottom which is broadest and most nearly flat, and on which she would rest if aground.

3. Bilge water. Bilge free (Naut.), stowed in such a way that the bilge is clear of everything; — said of a cask. — Bilge pump, a pump to draw the bilge water from the gold of a ship. — Bilge water (Naut.), water which collects in the bilge or bottom of a ship or other vessel. It is often allowed to remain till it becomes very offensive. — Bilge ways, the timbers which support the cradle of a ship upon the ways, and which slide upon the launching ways in launching the vessel.

BILGE Bilge, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Bilged (; p. pr. & vb. n. Bilging.]

1. (Naut.)

Defn: To suffer a fracture in the bilge; to spring a leak by a fracture in the bilge.

2. To bulge.

BILGE Bilge, v. t.

1. (Naut.)

Defn: To fracture the bilge of, or stave in the bottom of (a ship or other vessel).

2. To cause to bulge.

BILGY Bil"gy, a.

Defn: Having the smell of bilge water.

BILIARY Bil"ia*ry, a. Etym: [L. bilis bile: cf. F. biliaire.] (Physiol.)

Defn: Relating or belonging to bile; conveying bile; as, biliary acids; biliary ducts. Biliary calculus (Med.), a gallstone, or a concretion formed in the gall bladder or its duct.

BILIATION Bil`i*a"tion, n. (Physiol.)

Defn: The production and excretion of bile.

BILIFEROUS Bi*lif"er*ous, a.

Defn: Generating bile.

BILIFUSCIN Bil`i*fus"cin, n. Etym: [L. bilis bile + fuscus dark.] (Physiol.)

Defn: A brownish green pigment found in human gallstones and in old bile. It is a derivative of bilirubin.

BILIMBI; BILIMBING Bi*lim"bi, Bi*lim"bing, n. Etym: [Malay.]

Defn: The berries of two East Indian species of Averrhoa, of the Oxalideæ or Sorrel family. They are very acid, and highly esteemed when preserved or pickled. The juice is used as a remedy for skin diseases. [Written also blimbi and blimbing.]

BILIMENT Bil"i*ment, n.

Defn: A woman's ornament; habiliment. [Obs.]

BILIN Bi"lin, n. Etym: [Cf. F. biline, from L. bilis bile.] (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: A name applied to the amorphous or crystalline mass obtained from bile by the action of alcohol and ether. It is composed of a mixture of the sodium salts of the bile acids.

BILINEAR Bi*lin"e*ar, a. (Math.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or included by, two lines; as, bilinear coördinates.

BILINGUAL Bi*lin"gual, a. Etym: [L. bilinguis; bis twice + lingua tongue, language.]

Defn: Containing, or consisting of, two languages; expressed in two languages; as, a bilingual inscription; a bilingual dictionary. — Bi*lin"gual*ly, adv.

BILINGUALISM Bi*lin"gual*ism, n.

Defn: Quality of being bilingual. The bilingualism of King's English. Earle.

BILINGUAR Bi*lin"guar, a.

Defn: See Bilingual.

BILINGUIST Bi*lin"guist, n.

Defn: One versed in two languages.

BILINGUOUS Bi*lin"guous, a. Etym: [L. bilinguis.]

Defn: Having two tongues, or speaking two languages. [Obs.]

BILIOUS Bil"ious, a. Etym: [L. biliosus, fr. bilis bile.]

1. Of or pertaining to the bile.

2. Disordered in respect to the bile; troubled with and excess of bile; as, a bilious patient; dependent on, or characterized by, an excess of bile; as, bilious symptoms.

3. Choleric; passionate; ill tempered. "A bilious old nabob." Macaulay. Bilious temperament. See Temperament.

BILIOUSNESS Bil"ious*ness, n.

Defn: The state of being bilious.

BILIPRASIN Bil`i*pra"sin, n. Etym: [L. bilis bile + prasinus green.] (Physiol.)

Defn: A dark green pigment found in small quantity in human gallstones.

BILIRUBIN Bil`i*ru"bin, n. Etym: [L. bilis biel + ruber red.] (Physiol.)

Defn: A reddish yellow pigment present in human bile, and in that from carnivorous and herbivorous animals; the normal biliary pigment.

BILITERAL Bi*lit"er*al, a. Etym: [L. bis twice + littera letter.]

Defn: Consisting of two letters; as, a biliteral root of a Sanskrit verb. Sir W. Jones. — n.

Defn: A word, syllable, or root, consisting of two letters.

BILITERALISM Bi*lit"er*al*ism, n.

Defn: The property or state of being biliteral.

BILIVERDIN Bil`i*ver"din, n. Etym: [L. bilis bile + viridis green. Cf. Verdure.] (Physiol.)

Defn: A green pigment present in the bile, formed from bilirubin by oxidation.

BILK Bilk, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bilked; p. pr. & vb. n. Bilking.] Etym: [Origin unknown. Cf. Balk.]

Defn: To frustrate or disappoint; to deceive or defraud, by nonfulfillment of engagement; to leave in the lurch; to give the slip to; as, to bilk a creditor. Thackeray.

BILK Bilk, n.

1. A thwarting an adversary in cribbage by spoiling his score; a balk.

2. A cheat; a trick; a hoax. Hudibras.

3. Nonsense; vain words. B. Jonson.

4. A person who tricks a creditor; an untrustworthy, tricky person. Marryat.

BILL Bill, n. Etym: [OE. bile, bille, AS. bile beak of a bird, proboscis; cf. Ir. & Gael. bil, bile, mouth, lip, bird's bill. Cf. Bill a weapon.]

Defn: A beak, as of a bird, or sometimes of a turtle or other animal. Milton.

BILL Bill, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Billed; p. pr. & vb. n. Billing.]

1. To strike; to peck. [Obs.]

2. To join bills, as doves; to caress in fondness. "As pigeons bill." Shak. To bill and coo, to interchange caresses; — said of doves; also of demonstrative lovers. Thackeray.

BILL Bill, n.

Defn: The bell, or boom, of the bittern The bittern's hollow bill was heard. Wordsworth.

BILL Bill, n. Etym: [OE. bil, AS. bill, bil; akin to OS. bil sword, OHG. bill pickax, G. bille. Cf. Bill bea

1. A cutting instrument, with hook-shaped point, and fitted with a handle; — used in pruning, etc.; a billhook. When short, called a hand bill, when long, a hedge bill.

2. A weapon of infantry, in the 14th and 15th centuries. A common form of bill consisted of a broad, heavy, double-edged, hook-shaped blade, having a short pike at the back and another at the top, and attached to the end of a long staff. France had no infantry that dared to face the English bows end bills. Macaulay.

3. One who wields a bill; a billman. Strype.

4. A pickax, or mattock. [Obs.]

5. (Naut.)

Defn: The extremity of the arm of an anchor; the point of or beyond the fluke.

BILL Bill, v. t.

Defn: To work upon ( as to dig, hoe, hack, or chop anything) with a bill.

BILL Bill, n. Etym: [OE. bill, bille, fr. LL. billa (or OF. bille), for L. bulla anything rounded, LL., seal, stamp, letter, edict, roll; cf. F. bille a ball, prob. fr. Ger.; cf. MHG. bickel, D. bikkel, dice. Cf. Bull papal edict, Billet a paper.]

1. (Law)

Defn: A declaration made in writing, stating some wrong the complainant has suffered from the defendant, or a fault committed by some person against a law.

2. A writing binding the signer or signers to pay a certain sum at a future day or on demand, with or without interest, as may be stated in the document. [Eng.]

Note: In the United States, it is usually called a note, a note of hand, or a promissory note.

3. A form or draft of a law, presented to a legislature for enactment; a proposed or projected law.

4. A paper, written or printed, and posted up or given away, to advertise something, as a lecture, a play, or the sale of goods; a placard; a poster; a handbill. She put up the bill in her parlor window. Dickens.

5. An account of goods sold, services rendered, or work done, with the price or charge; a statement of a creditor's claim, in gross or by items; as, a grocer's bill.

6. Any paper, containing a statement of particulars; as, a bill of charges or expenditures; a weekly bill of mortality; a bill of fare, etc. Bill of adventure. See under Adventure. — Bill of costs, a statement of the items which form the total amount of the costs of a party to a suit or action. — Bill of credit. (a) Within the constitution of the United States, a paper issued by a State, on the mere faith and credit of the State, and designed to circulate as money. No State shall "emit bills of credit." U. S. Const. Peters. Wharton. Bouvier (b) Among merchants, a letter sent by an agent or other person to a merchant, desiring him to give credit to the bearer for goods or money. — Bill of divorce, in the Jewish law, a writing given by the husband to the wife, by which the marriage relation was dissolved. Jer. iii. 8. — Bill of entry, a written account of goods entered at the customhouse, whether imported or intended for exportation. — Bill of exceptions. See under Exception. — Bill of exchange (Com.), a written order or request from one person or house to another, desiring the latter to pay to some person designated a certain sum of money therein generally is, and, to be negotiable, must be, made payable to order or to bearer. So also the order generally expresses a specified time of payment, and that it is drawn for value. The person who draws the bil is called the drawer, the person on whom it is drawn is, before acceptance, called the drawee, — after acceptance, the acceptor; the person to whom the money is directed to be paid is called the payee. The person making the order may himself be the payee. The bill itself is frequently called a draft. See Exchange. Chitty. — Bill of fare, a written or printed enumeration of the dishes served at a public table, or of the dishes (with prices annexed) which may be ordered at a restaurant, etc. — Bill of health, a certificate from the proper authorities as to the state of health of a ship's company at the time of her leaving port. — Bill of indictment, a written accusation lawfully presented to a grand jury. If the jury consider the evidence sufficient to support the accusation, they indorse it "A true bill," or "Not found," or "Ignoramus", or "Ignored." — Bill of lading, a written account of goods shipped by any person, signed by the agent of the owner of the vessel, or by its master, acknowledging the receipt of the goods, and promising to deliver them safe at the place directed, dangers of the sea excepted. It is usual for the master to sign two, three, or four copies of the bill; one of which he keeps in possession, one is kept by the shipper, and one is sent to the consignee of the goods. — Bill of mortality, an official statement of the number of deaths in a place or district within a given time; also, a district required to be covered by such statement; as, a place within the bills of mortality of London. — Bill of pains and penalties, a special act of a legislature which inflicts a punishment less than death upon persons supposed to be guilty of treason or felony, without any conviction in the ordinary course of judicial proceedings. Bouvier. Wharton. — Bill of parcels, an account given by the seller to the buyer of the several articles purchased, with the price of each. — Bill of particulars (Law), a detailed statement of the items of a plaintiff's demand in an action, or of the defendant's set-off. — Bill of rights, a summary of rights and privileges claimed by a people. Such was the declaration presented by the Lords and Commons of England to the Prince and Princess of Orange in 1688, and enacted in Parliament after they became king and queen. In America, a bill or declaration of rights is prefixed to most of the constitutions of the several States. — Bill of sale, a formal instrument for the conveyance or transfer of goods and chattels. — Bill of sight, a form of entry at the customhouse, by which goods, respecting which the importer is not possessed of full information, may be provisionally landed for examination. — Bill of store, a license granted at the customhouse to merchants, to carry such stores and provisions as are necessary for a voyage, custom free. Wharton. — Bills payable (pl.), the outstanding unpaid notes or acceptances made and issued by an individual or firm. — Bills receivable (pl.), the unpaid promissory notes or acceptances held by an individual or firm. McElrath. — A true bill, a bill of indictment sanctioned by a grand jury.

BILL Bill, v. t.

1. To advertise by a bill or public notice.

2. To charge or enter in a bill; as, to bill goods.

BILLABONG Bil"la*bong`, n. [Native name.]

Defn: In Australia, a blind channel leading out from a river; — sometimes called an anabranch. This is the sense of the word as used in the Public Works Department; but the term has also been locally applied to mere back-waters forming stagnant pools and to certain water channels arising from a source.

BILLAGE Bil"lage, n.

Defn: and v. t. & i. Same as Bilge.

BILLARD Bil"lard, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An English fish, allied to the cod; the coalfish. [Written also billet and billit.]

BILLBEETLE; BILLBUG Bill`bee"tle, or Bill"bug`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A weevil or curculio of various species, as the corn weevil. See Curculio.

BILLBOARD Bill"board`, n.

1. (Naut.)

Defn: A piece of thick plank, armed with iron plates, and fixed on the bow or fore channels of a vessel, for the bill or fluke of the anchor to rest on. Totten.

2. A flat surface, as of a panel or of a fence, on which bills are posted; a bulletin board.

BILL BOOK Bill" book`. (Com.)

Defn: A book in which a person keeps an account of his notes, bills, bills of exchange, etc., thus showing all that he issues and receives.

BILL BROKER Bill" bro`ker.

Defn: One who negotiates the discount of bills.

BILLED Billed, a.

Defn: Furnished with, or having, a bill, as a bird; — used in composition; as, broad-billed.

BILLET Bil"let, n. Etym: [F. billet, dim. of an OF. bille bill. See Bill a writing.]

1. A small paper; a note; a short letter. "I got your melancholy billet." Sterne.

2. A ticket from a public officer directing soldiers at what house to lodge; as, a billet of residence.

BILLET Bil"let, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Billeted; p. pr. & vb. n. Billeting.] Etym: [From Billet a ticket.] (Mil.)

Defn: To direct, by a ticket or note, where to lodge. Hence: To quarter, or place in lodgings, as soldiers in private houses. Billeted in so antiquated a mansion. W. Irving.

BILLET Bil"let, n. Etym: [F. billette, bille, log; of unknown origin; a different word from bille ball. Cf. Billiards, Billot.]

1. A small stick of wood, as for firewood. They shall beat out my brains with billets. Shak.

2. (Metal.)

Defn: A short bar of metal, as of gold or iron.

3. (Arch.)

Defn: An ornament in Norman work, resembling a billet of wood either square or round.

4. (Saddlery) (a) A strap which enters a buckle. (b) A loop which receives the end of a buckled strap. Knight.

5. (Her.)

Defn: A bearing in the form of an oblong rectangle.

BILLET-DOUX Bil`let-doux", n.; pl. Billets-doux. Etym: [F. billet note + doux sweet, L. dulcis.]

Defn: A love letter or note. A lover chanting out a billet-doux. Spectator.

BILLETHEAD Bil"let*head`, n. (Naut.)

Defn: A round piece of timber at the bow or stern of a whaleboat, around which the harpoon lone is run out when the whale darts off.

BILLFISH Bill"fish`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A name applied to several distinct fishes: (a) The garfish (Tylosurus, or Belone, longirostris) and allied species. (b) The saury, a slender fish of the Atlantic coast (Scomberesox saurus). (c) The Tetrapturus albidus, a large oceanic species related to the swordfish; the spearfish. (d) The American fresh-water garpike (Lepidosteus osseus).

BILLHEAD Bill"head`, n.

Defn: A printed form, used by merchants in making out bills or rendering accounts.

BILL HOLDER Bill" hold`er.

1. A person who holds a bill or acceptance.

2. A device by means of which bills, etc., are held.

BILLHOOK Bill"hook`, n. Etym: [Bill + hook.]

Defn: A thick, heavy knife with a hooked point, used in pruning hedges, etc. When it has a short handle, it is sometimes called a hand bill; when the handle is long, a hedge bill or scimiter.

BILLIARD Bil"liard, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the game of billiards. "Smooth as is a billiard ball." B. Jonson.

BILLIARDS Bil"liards, n. Etym: [F. billiard billiards, OF. billart staff, cue form playing, fr. bille log. See Billet a stick.]

Defn: A game played with ivory balls o a cloth-covered, rectangular table, bounded by elastic cushions. The player seeks to impel his ball with his cue so that it shall either strike (carom upon) two other balls, or drive another ball into one of the pockets with which the table sometimes is furnished.

BILLING Bill"ing, a. & n.

Defn: Caressing; kissing.

BILLINGSGATE Bil"lings*gate`, n.

1. A market near the Billings gate in London, celebrated for fish and foul language.

2. Coarsely abusive, foul, or profane language; vituperation; ribaldry.

BILLION Bil"lion, n. Etym: [F. billion, arbitrarily formed fr. L. bis twice, in imitation of million a million. See Million.]

Defn: According to the French and American method of numeration, a thousand millions, or 1,000,000,000; according to the English method, a million millions, or 1,000,000,000,000. See Numeration.

BILLMAN Bill"man, n.; pl. Billmen (.

Defn: One who uses, or is armed with, a bill or hooked ax. "A billman of the guard." Savile.

BILLON Bil`lon", n. Etym: [F. Cf. Billet a stick.]

Defn: An alloy of gold and silver with a large proportion of copper or other base metal, used in coinage.

BILLOT Bil"lot, n. Etym: [F. billot, dim. of bille. See Billet a stick.]

Defn: Bullion in the bar or mass.

BILLOW Bil"low, n. Etym: [Cf. Icel. bylgja billow, Dan. bölge, Sw. bölja; akin to MHG. bulge billow, bag, and to E. bulge. See Bulge.]

1. A great wave or surge of the sea or other water, caused usually by violent wind. Whom the winds waft where'er the billows roll. Cowper.

2. A great wave or flood of anything. Milton.

BILLOW Bil"low, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Billowed; p. pr. & vb. n. Billowing.]

Defn: To surge; to rise and roll in waves or surges; to undulate. "The billowing snow." Prior.

BILLOWY Bil"low*y, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to billows; swelling or swollen into large waves; full of billows or surges; resembling billows. And whitening down the many-tinctured stream, Descends the billowy foam. Thomson.

BILLPOSTER; BILLSTICKER Bill"post`er, Bill"stick"er, n.

Defn: One whose occupation is to post handbills or posters in public places.

BILLY Bil"ly, n.

1. A club; esp., a policeman's club.

2. (Wool Manuf.)

Defn: A slubbing or roving machine.

BILLYBOY Bil"ly*boy`, n.

Defn: A flat-bottomed river barge or coasting vessel. [Eng.]

BILLYCOCK; BILLYCOCK HAT Bil"ly*cock, n., or Bil"ly*cock hat`. [Perh. from bully + cock; that is, cocked like the hats of the bullies.]

Defn: A round, low-crowned felt hat; a wideawake. "The undignified billycocks and pantaloons of the West." B. H. Chamberlain.

Little acquiesced, and Ransome disguised him in a beard, and a loose set of clothes, and a billicock hat. Charles Reade.

BILLY GOAT Bil"ly goat`.

Defn: A male goat. [Colloq.]

BILOBATE Bi*lo"bate, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + lobate.]

Defn: Divided into two lobes or segments.

BILOBED Bi"lobed, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + lobe.]

Defn: Bilobate.

BILOCATION Bi`lo*ca"tion, n. Etym: [Pref. bi- + location.]

Defn: Double location; the state or power of being in two places at the same instant; — a miraculous power attributed to some of the saints. Tylor.

BILOCULAR Bi*loc"u*lar, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + locular: cf. F. biloculaire.]

Defn: Divided into two cells or compartments; as, a bilocular pericarp. Gray.

BILSTED Bil"sted, n. (Bot.)

Defn: See Sweet gum.

BILTONG Bil"tong, n. Etym: [S. African.]

Defn: Lean meat cut into strips and sun-dried. H. R. Haggard.

BIMACULATE Bi*mac"u*late, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + maculate, a.]

Defn: Having, or marked with, two spots.

BIMANA Bim"a*na, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Bimanous.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Animals having two hands; — a term applied by Cuvier to man as a special order of Mammalia.

BIMANOUS Bim"a*nous, a. Etym: [L. bis twice + manus hand.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having two hands; two-handed.

BIMARGINATE Bi*mar"gin*ate, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + marginate.]

Defn: Having a double margin, as certain shells.

BIMASTISM Bi*mas"tism, n. Etym: [Pref. bi- + Gr. breast.] (Anat.)

Defn: The condition of having two mammæ or teats.

BIMEDIAL Bi*me"di*al, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + medial.] (Geom.)

Defn: Applied to a line which is the sum of two lines commensurable only in power (as the side and diagonal of a square).

BIMEMBRAL Bi*mem"bral, a. Etym: [L. bis twice + membrum member.] (Gram.)

Defn: Having two members; as, a bimembral sentence. J. W. Gibbs.

BIMENSAL Bi*men"sal, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + mensal.]

Defn: See Bimonthly, a. [Obs. or R.]

BIMESTRIAL Bi*mes"tri*al, a. Etym: [L. bimestris; bis twice + mensis month.]

Defn: Continuing two months. [R.]

BIMETALLIC Bi`me*tal"lic, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + metallic: cf. F. bimétallique.]

Defn: Of or relating to, or using, a double metallic standard (as gold and silver) for a system of coins or currency.

BIMETALLISM Bi*met"al*lism, n. Etym: [F. bimétalisme.]

Defn: The legalized use of two metals (as gold and silver) in the currency of a country, at a fixed relative value; — in opposition to monometallism.

Note: The words bimétallisme and monométallisme are due to M. Cernuschi [1869]. Littré.

BIMETALLIST Bi*met"al*list, n.

Defn: An advocate of bimetallism.

BIMOLECULAR Bi"mo*lec"u*lar, a. [Pref. bi-+ molecular.] (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or formed from, two molecules; as, a bimolecular reaction (a reaction between two molecules).

BIMONTHLY Bi*month"ly, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + monthly.]

Defn: Occurring, done, or coming, once in two months; as, bimonthly visits; bimonthly publications. — n.

Defn: A bimonthly publication.

BIMONTHLY Bi*month"ly, adv.

Defn: Once in two months.

BIMUSCULAR Bi*mus"cu*lar, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + muscular.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having two adductor muscles, as a bivalve mollusk.

BIN Bin, n. Etym: [OE. binne, AS. binn manager, crib; perh. akin to D. ben, benne, basket, and to L. benna a kind of carriage ( a Gallic word), W. benn, men, wain, cart.]

Defn: A box, frame, crib, or inclosed place, used as a receptacle for any commodity; as, a corn bin; a wine bin; a coal bin.

BIN Bin, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Binned; p. pr. & vb. n. Binning.]

Defn: To put into a bin; as, to bin wine.

BIN Bin.

Defn: An old form of Be and Been. [Obs.]

BIN; BIN- Bin*.

Defn: A euphonic form of the prefix Bi-.

BINAL Bi"nal, a. Etym: [See Binary.]

Defn: Twofold; double. [R.] "Binal revenge, all this." Ford.

BINARSENIATE Bin`ar*se"ni*ate, n. Etym: [Pref. bin- + arseniate.] (Chem.)

Defn: A salt having two equivalents of arsenic acid to one of the base. Graham.

BINARY Bi"na*ry, a. Etym: [L. binarius, fr. bini two by two, two at a time, fr. root of bis twice; akin to E. two: cf. F. binaire.]

Defn: Compounded or consisting of two things or parts; characterized by two (things). Binary arithmetic, that in which numbers are expressed according to the binary scale, or in which two figures only, 0 and 1, are used, in lieu of ten; the cipher multiplying everything by two, as in common arithmetic by ten. Thus, 1 is one; 10 is two; 11 is three; 100 is four, etc. Davies & Peck. — Binary compound (Chem.), a compound of two elements, or of an element and a compound performing the function of an element, or of two compounds performing the function of elements. — Binary logarithms, a system of logarithms devised by Euler for facilitating musical calculations, in which 1 is logarithm of 2, instead of 10, as in the common logarithms, and the modulus 1.442695 instead of .43429448. — Binary measure (Mus.), measure divisible by two or four; common time. — Binary nomenclature (Nat. Hist.), nomenclature in which the names designate both genus and species. — Binary scale (Arith.), a uniform scale of notation whose ratio is two. — Binary star (Astron.), a double star whose members have a revolution round their common center of gravity. — Binary theory (Chem.), the theory that all chemical compounds consist of two constituents of opposite and unlike qualities.

BINARY Bi"na*ry, n.

Defn: That which is constituted of two figures, things, or parts; two; duality. Fotherby.

BINATE Bi"nate, a. Etym: [L. bini two and two.] (Bot.)

Defn: Double; growing in pairs or couples. Gray.

BINAURAL Bin*au"ral, a. Etym: [Pref. bin- + aural.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to, or used by, both ears.

BINBASHI Bin*bash"i, n. [Turk., prop., chief of a thousand; bin thousand + bash head.] (Mil.)

Defn: A major in the Turkish army.

BIND Bind, v. t. [imp. Bound; p. p. Bound, formerly Bounden; p. pr. & vb. n. Binding.] Etym: [AS. bindan, perfect tense band, bundon, p. p. bunden; akin to D. & G. binden, Dan. binde, Sw. & Icel. binda, Goth. bindan, Skr. bandh (for bhandh) to bind, cf. Gr. (for ) cable, and L. offendix. sq. root90.]

1. To tie, or confine with a cord, band, ligature, chain, etc.; to fetter; to make fast; as, to bind grain in bundles; to bind a prisoner.

2. To confine, restrain, or hold by physical force or influence of any kind; as, attraction binds the planets to the sun; frost binds the earth, or the streams. He bindeth the floods from overflowing. Job xxviii. 11. Whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years. Luke xiii. 16.

3. To cover, as with a bandage; to bandage or dress; — sometimes with up; as, to bind up a wound.

4. To make fast ( a thing) about or upon something, as by tying; to encircle with something; as, to bind a belt about one; to bind a compress upon a part.

5. To prevent or restrain from customary or natural action; as, certain drugs bind the bowels.

6. To protect or strengthen by a band or binding, as the edge of a carpet or garment.

7. To sew or fasten together, and inclose in a cover; as, to bind a book.

8. Fig.: To oblige, restrain, or hold, by authority, law, duty, promise, vow, affection, or other moral tie; as, to bind the conscience; to bind by kindness; bound by affection; commerce binds nations to each other. Who made our laws to bind us, not himself. Milton.

9. (Law) (a) To bring (any one) under definite legal obligations; esp. under the obligation of a bond or covenant. Abbott. (b) To place under legal obligation to serve; to indenture; as, to bind an apprentice; — sometimes with out; as, bound out to service. To bind over, to put under bonds to do something, as to appear at court, to keep the peace, etc. — To bind to, to contract; as, to bind one's self to a wife. — To bind up in, to cause to be wholly engrossed with; to absorb in.

Syn. — To fetter; tie; fasten; restrain; restrict; oblige.

BIND Bind, v. i.

1. To tie; to confine by any ligature. They that reap must sheaf and bind. Shak.

2. To contract; to grow hard or stiff; to cohere or stick together in a mass; as, clay binds by heat. Mortimer.

3. To be restrained from motion, or from customary or natural action, as by friction.

4. To exert a binding or restraining influence. Locke.

BIND Bind, n.

1. That which binds or ties.

2. Any twining or climbing plant or stem, esp. a hop vine; a bine.

3. (Metal.)

Defn: Indurated clay, when much mixed with the oxide of iron. Kirwan.

4. (Mus.)

Defn: A ligature or tie for grouping notes.

BINDER Bind"er, n.

1. One who binds; as, a binder of sheaves; one whose trade is to bind; as, a binder of books.

2. Anything that binds, as a fillet, cord, rope, or band; a bandage; — esp. the principal piece of timber intended to bind together any building.

BINDERY Bind"er*y, n.

Defn: A place where books, or other articles, are bound; a bookbinder's establishment.

BINDHEIMITE Bind"heim*ite, n. Etym: [From Bindheim, a German who analyzed it.] (Min.)

Defn: An amorphous antimonate of lead, produced from the alteration of other ores, as from jamesonite.

BINDING Bind"ing, a.

Defn: That binds; obligatory. Binding beam (Arch.), the main timber in double flooring. — Binding joist (Arch.), the secondary timber in double-framed flooring.

Syn. — Obligatory; restraining; restrictive; stringent; astringent; costive; styptic.

BINDING Bind"ing, n.

1. The act or process of one who, or that which, binds.

2. Anything that binds; a bandage; the cover of a book, or the cover with the sewing, etc.; something that secures the edge of cloth from raveling.

3. pl. (Naut.)

Defn: The transoms, knees, beams, keelson, and other chief timbers used for connecting and strengthening the parts of a vessel.

BINDINGLY Bind"ing*ly, adv.

Defn: So as to bind.

BINDINGNESS Bind"ing*ness, n.

Defn: The condition or property of being binding; obligatory quality. Coleridge.

BINDING POST Bind"ing post`. (Elec.)

Defn: A metallic post attached to electrical apparatus for convenience in making connections.

BINDING SCREW Bind"ing screw`.

Defn: A set screw used to bind parts together, esp. one for making a connection in an electrical circuit.

BINDWEED Bind"weed`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A plant of the genus Convolvulus; as, greater bindweed (C. Sepium); lesser bindweed (C. arvensis); the white, the blue, the Syrian, bindweed. The black bryony, or Tamus, is called black bindweed, and the Smilax aspera, rough bindweed. The fragile bindweed bells and bryony rings. Tennyson.

BINE Bine, n. Etym: [Bind, cf. Woodbine.]

Defn: The winding or twining stem of a hop vine or other climbing plant.

BINERVATE Bi*nerv"ate, a. Etym: [L. bis twice + nervus sinew, nerve.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: Two-nerved; — applied to leaves which have two longitudinal ribs or nerves.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having only two nerves, as the wings of some insects.

BING Bing, n. Etym: [Cf. Icel. bingr, Sw. binge, G. beige, beuge. Cf. Prov. E. bink bench, and bench coal the uppermost stratum of coal.]

Defn: A heap or pile; as, a bing of wood. "Potato bings." Burns. "A bing of corn." Surrey. [Obs. or Dial. Eng. & Scot.]

BINIODIDE Bin*i"o*dide, n.

Defn: Same as Diiodide.

BINK Bink, n.

Defn: A bench. [North of Eng. & Scot.]

BINNACLE Bin"na*cle, n. Etym: [For bittacle, corrupted (perh. by influence of bin) fr. Pg. bitacola binnacle, fr. L. habitaculum dwelling place, fr. habitare to dwell. See Habit, and cf. Bittacle.] (Naut.)

Defn: A case or box placed near the helmsman, containing the compass of a ship, and a light to show it at night. Totten.

BINNY Bin"ny, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A large species of barbel (Barbus bynni), found in the Nile, and much esteemed for food.

BINOCLE Bin"o*cle, n. Etym: [F. binocle; L. bini two at a time + oculus eye.] (Opt.)

Defn: A dioptric telescope, fitted with two tubes joining, so as to enable a person to view an object with both eyes at once; a double- barreled field glass or an opera glass.

BINOCULAR Bin*oc"u*lar, a. Etym: [Cf. F. binoculaire. See Binocle.]

1. Having two eyes. "Most animals are binocular." Derham.

2. Pertaining to both eyes; employing both eyes at once; as, binocular vision.

3. Adapted to the use of both eyes; as, a binocular microscope or telescope. Brewster.

BINOCULAR Bin*oc"u*lar, n.

Defn: A binocular glass, whether opera glass, telescope, or microscope.

BINOCULARLY Bin*oc"u*lar*ly, adv.

Defn: In a binocular manner.

BINOCULATE Bin*oc"u*late, a.

Defn: Having two eyes.

BINOMIAL Bi*no"mi*al, n. Etym: [L. bis twice + nomen name: cf. F. binome, LL. binomius (or fr. bi- + Gr. distribution ). Cf. Monomial.] (Alg.)

Defn: An expression consisting of two terms connected by the sign plus (+) or minus (-); as, a+b, or 7-3.

BINOMIAL Bi*no"mi*al, a.

1. Consisting of two terms; pertaining to binomials; as, a binomial root.

2. (Nat. Hist.)

Defn: Having two names; — used of the system by which every animal and plant receives two names, the one indicating the genus, the other the species, to which it belongs. Binomial theorem (Alg.), the theorem which expresses the law of formation of any power of a binomial.

BINOMINAL Bi*nom"i*nal, a. Etym: [See Binomial.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to two names; binomial.

BINOMINOUS Bi*nom"i*nous, a.

Defn: Binominal. [Obs.]

BINOTONOUS Bi*not"o*nous, a. Etym: [L. bini two at a time + tonus, fr. Gr. , tone.]

Defn: Consisting of two notes; as, a binotonous cry.

BINOUS Bi"nous, a.

Defn: Same as Binate.

BINOXALATE Bin*ox"a*late, n. Etym: [Pref. bin- + oxalate.] (Chem.)

Defn: A salt having two equivalents of oxalic acid to one of the base; an acid oxalate.

BINOXIDE Bin*ox"ide, n. Etym: [Pref. bin- + oxide.] (Chem.)

Defn: Same as Dioxide.

BINTURONG Bin"tu*rong, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A small Asiatic civet of the genus Arctilis.

BINUCLEAR; BINUCLEATE Bi*nu"cle*ar, Bi*nu"cle*ate, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + nuclear, nucleate.] (Biol.)

Defn: Having two nuclei; as, binucleate cells.

BINUCLEOLATE Bi*nu"cle*o*late, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + nucleolus.] (Biol.)

Defn: Having two nucleoli.

BIOBLAST Bi"o*blast, n. Etym: [Gr. life + -blast.] (Biol.)

Defn: Same as Bioplast.

BIOCELLATE Bi*oc"el*late, a. Etym: [L. bis twice + ocellatus. See Ocellated.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having two ocelli (eyelike spots); — said of a wing, etc.

BIOCHEMISTRY Bi`o*chem"is*try, n. Etym: [Gr. life + E. chemistry.] (Biol.)

Defn: The chemistry of living organisms; the chemistry of the processes incidental to, and characteristic of, life.

BIODYNAMIC; BIODYNAMICAL Bi`o*dy*nam"ic, Bi`o*dy*nam"ic*al, a. (Biol.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to biodynamics, or the doctrine of vital forces or energy.

BIODYNAMICS Bi`o*dy*nam"ics, n. Etym: [Gr. life + E. dynamics.] (Biol.)

Defn: The doctrine of vital forces or energy.

BIOGEN Bi"o*gen, n. Etym: [Gr. life + -gen.] (Biol.)

Defn: Bioplasm.

BIOGENESIS; BIOGENY Bi`o*gen"e*sis, Bi*og"e*ny, n. Etym: [Gr. life + , , birth.] (Biol.) (a) A doctrine that the genesis or production of living organisms can take place only through the agency of living germs or parents; — opposed to abiogenesis. (b) Life development generally.

BIOGENETIC Bi`o*ge*net"ic, a. (Biol.)

Defn: Pertaining to biogenesis.

BIOGENIST Bi*og"e*nist, n.

Defn: A believer in the theory of biogenesis.

BIOGEOGRAPHY Bi`o*ge*og"ra*phy, n. [Gr. bi`os life + E. geography.]

Defn: The branch of biology which deals with the geographical distribution of animals and plants. It includes both zoögeography and phytogeography. — Bi`o*ge`o*graph"ic (#), a. — Bi`o*ge`o*graph"ic*al*ly (#), adv.

BIOGNOSIS Bi`og*no"sis, n. Etym: [Gr. life + investigation.] (Biol.)

Defn: The investigation of life.

BIOGRAPH Bi"o*graph, n. [Gr. bi`os life + -graph.]

1.

Defn: An animated picture machine for screen projection; a cinematograph.

2. [Cf. Biography.] A biographical sketch. [Rare]

BIOGRAPHER Bi*og"ra*pher, n.

Defn: One who writes an account or history of the life of a particular person; a writer of lives, as Plutarch.

BIOGRAPHIC; BIOGRAPHICAL Bi"o*graph"ic, Bi`o*graph"ic*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to biography; containing biography. — Bi`o*graph"ic*al*ly, adv.

BIOGRAPHIZE Bi*og"ra*phize, v. t.

Defn: To write a history of the life of. Southey.

BIOGRAPHY Bi*og"ra*phy, n.; pl. Biographies. Etym: [Gr. ; life + to write: cf. F. biographie. See Graphic.]

1. The written history of a person's life.

2. Biographical writings in general.

BIOLOGIC; BIOLOGICAL Bi`o*log"ic, Bi`o*log"ic*al, a.

Defn: Of or relating to biology. — Bi`o*log"ic*al*ly, adv.

BIOLOGIST Bi*ol"o*gist, n.

Defn: A student of biology; one versed in the science of biology.

BIOLOGY Bi*ol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr. life + -logy: cf. F. biologie.]

Defn: The science of life; that branch of knowledge which treats of living matter as distinct from matter which is not living; the study of living tissue. It has to do with the origin, structure, development, function, and distribution of animals and plants.

BIOLYSIS Bi*ol"y*sis, n. Etym: [Gr. life + a dissolving.] (Biol.)

Defn: The destruction of life.

BIOLYTIC Bi`o*lyt"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. life + to destroy.]

Defn: Relating to the destruction of life.

BIOMAGNETIC Bi`o*mag*net"ic, a.

Defn: Relating to biomagnetism.

BIOMAGNETISM Bi`o*mag"net*ism, n. Etym: [Gr. life + E. magnetism.]

Defn: Animal magnetism.

BIOMETRY Bi*om"e*try, n. Etym: [Gr. life + -metry.]

Defn: Measurement of life; calculation of the probable duration of human life.

BION Bi"on, n. Etym: [Gr. living, p. pr. of to live.] (Biol.)

Defn: The physiological individual, characterized by definiteness and independence of function, in distinction from the morphological individual or morphon.

BIONOMY Bi*on"o*my, n. Etym: [Gr. life + law.]

Defn: Physiology. [R.] Dunglison.

BIOPHOR; BIOPHORE Bi"o*phor` Bi"o*phore`, n. Etym: [Gr. life + bearing, fr. to bear.] (Biol.)

Defn: One of the smaller vital units of a cell, the bearer of vitality and heredity. See Pangen, in Supplement.

BIOPHOTOPHONE Bi`o*pho"to*phone, n. [Gr. bi`os life + photo + fwnh` sound, voice.]

Defn: An instrument combining a cinematograph and a phonograph so that the moving figures on the screen are accompanied by the appropriate sounds.

BIOPLASM Bi"o*plasm, n. Etym: [Gr. life + form, mold, fr. to mold.] (Biol.)

Defn: A name suggested by Dr. Beale for the germinal matter supposed to be essential to the functions of all living beings; the material through which every form of life manifests itself; unaltered protoplasm.

BIOPLASMIC Bi`o*plas"mic, a.

Defn: Pertaining to, or consisting of, bioplasm.

BIOPLAST Bi"o*plast, n. Etym: [Gr. life + to form.] (Biol.)

Defn: A tiny mass of bioplasm, in itself a living unit and having formative power, as a living white blood corpuscle; bioblast.

BIOPLASTIC Bi`o*plas"tic, a. (Biol.)

Defn: Bioplasmic.

BIOPSYCHIC; BIOPSYCHICAL Bi`o*psy"chic, Bi`o*psy"chic*al, a. [Gr. bi`os life + psychic, -cal.]

Defn: Pertaining to psychical phenomena in their relation to the living organism or to the general phenomena of life.

BIORGAN Bi*or"gan, n. Etym: [Gr. life + E. organ.] (Biol.)

Defn: A physiological organ; a living organ; an organ endowed with function; — distinguished from idorgan.

BIOSCOPE Bi"o*scope, n. [Gr. bi`os life + -scope.]

1.

Defn: A view of life; that which gives such a view.

Bagman's Bioscope: Various Views of Men and Manners. [Book Title.] W. Bayley (1824).

2. An animated picture machine for screen projection; a cinematograph (which see).

BIOSTATICS Bi`o*stat"ics, n. Etym: [Gr. life + . See Statics.] (Biol.)

Defn: The physical phenomena of organized bodies, in opposition to their organic or vital phenomena.

BIOSTATISTICS Bi`o*sta*tis"tics, n. Etym: [Gr. life + E. statistics.] (Biol.)

Defn: Vital statistics.

BIOTAXY Bi"o*tax`y, n. Etym: [Gr. life + arrangement.] (Biol.)

Defn: The classification of living organisms according to their structural character; taxonomy.

BIOTIC Bi*ot"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. pert. to life.] (Biol.)

Defn: Relating to life; as, the biotic principle.

BIOTITE Bi"o*tite, n. Etym: [From Biot, a French naturalist.] (Min.)

Defn: Mica containing iron and magnesia, generally of a black or dark green color; — a common constituent of crystalline rocks. See Mica.

BIPALMATE Bi*pal"mate, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + palmate.] (Bot.)

Defn: Palmately branched, with the branches again palmated.

BIPARIETAL Bi`pa*ri"e*tal, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + parietal.] (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the diameter of the cranium, from one parietal fossa to the other.

BIPAROUS Bip"a*rous, a. Etym: [L. bis twice + parere to bring forth.]

Defn: Bringing forth two at a birth.

BIPARTIBLE Bi*part"i*ble, a. Etym: [Cf. F. bipartible. See Bipartite.]

Defn: Capable of being divided into two parts.

BIPARTIENT Bi*par"tient, a. Etym: [L. bis twice + partiens, p. pr. of partire to divide.]

Defn: Dividing into two parts. — n.

Defn: A number that divides another into two equal parts without a remainder.

BIPARTILE Bi*par"tile, a.

Defn: Divisible into two parts.

BIPARTITE Bip"ar*tite, a. Etym: [L. bipartitus, p. p. of bipartire; bis twice + partire. See Partite.]

1. Being in two parts; having two correspondent parts, as a legal contract or writing, one for each party; shared by two; as, a bipartite treaty.

2. Divided into two parts almost to the base, as a leaf; consisting of two parts or subdivisions. Gray.

BIPARTITION Bi`par*ti"tion, n.

Defn: The act of dividing into two parts, or of making two correspondent parts, or the state of being so divided.

BIPECTINATE; BIPECTINATED Bi*pec"ti*nate, Bi*pec"ti*na`ted, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + pectinate.] (Biol.)

Defn: Having two margins toothed like a comb.

BIPED Bi"ped, n. Etym: [L. bipes; bis twice + pes, pedis, bipède.]

Defn: A two-footed animal, as man.

BIPED Bi"ped, a.

Defn: Having two feet; two-footed. By which the man, when heavenly life was ceased, Became a helpless, naked, biped beast. Byrom.

BIPEDAL Bip"e*dal, a. Etym: [L. bipedalis: cf. F. bipédal. See Biped, n.]

1. Having two feet; biped.

2. Pertaining to a biped.

BIPELTATE Bi*pel"tate, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + peltate.]

Defn: Having a shell or covering like a double shield.

BIPENNATE; BIPENNATED Bi*pen"nate, Bi*pen"na*ted, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + pennate: cf. L. bipennis. Cf. Bipinnate.]

Defn: Having two wings. "Bipennated insects." Derham.

BIPENNIS Bi*pen"nis, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: An ax with an edge or blade on each side of the handle.

BIPETALOUS Bi*pet"al*ous, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + petalous.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having two petals.

BIPINNARIA Bi`pin*na"ri*a, n. Etym: [NL., fr. L. bis twice + pinna feather.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The larva of certain starfishes as developed in the free- swimming stage.

BIPINNATE; BIPINNATED Bi*pin"nate, Bi*pin"na*ted, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + pinnate; cf. F. bipinné. Cf. Bipennate.]

Defn: Twice pinnate.

BIPINNATIFID Bi`pin*nat"i*fid, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + pinnatifid.] (Bot.)

Defn: Doubly pinnatifid.

Note: A bipinnatifid leaf is a pinnatifid leaf having its segments or divisions also pinnatifid. The primary divisions are pinnæ and the secondary pinnules.

BIPLANE Bi"plane, n. [Pref. bi- + plane.] (Aëronautics)

Defn: An aëroplane with two main supporting surfaces one above the other.

BIPLANE Bi"plane, a. (Aëronautics)

Defn: Having, or consisting of, two superposed planes, aërocurves, or the like; of or pertaining to a biplane; as, a biplane rudder.

BIPLICATE Bip"li*cate, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + plicate.]

Defn: Twice folded together. Henslow.

BIPLICITY Bi*plic"i*ty, n.

Defn: The state of being twice folded; reduplication. [R.] Bailey.

BIPOLAR Bi*po"lar, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + polar. Cf. Dipolar.]

Defn: Doubly polar; having two poles; as, a bipolar cell or corpuscle.

BIPOLARITY Bi`po*lar"i*ty, n.

Defn: Bipolar quality.

BIPONT; BIPONTINE Bi"pont, Bi*pont"ine, a. (Bibliog.)

Defn: Relating to books printed at Deuxponts, or Bipontium (Zweibrücken), in Bavaria.

BIPRISM Bi"prism, n. [Pref. bi- + prism.]

1.

Defn: A prism whose refracting angle is very nearly 180 degrees.

2. A combination of two short rectangular glass prisms cemented together at their diagonal faces so as to form a cube; — called also optical cube. It is used in one form of photometer.

BIPUNCTATE Bi*punc"tate, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + punctate.]

Defn: Having two punctures, or spots.

BIPUNCTUAL Bi*punc"tu*al, a.

Defn: Having two points.

BIPUPILLATE Bi*pu"pil*late, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + pupil (of the eye).] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having an eyelike spot on the wing, with two dots within it of a different color, as in some butterflies.

BIPYRAMIDAL Bi`py*ram"i*dal, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + pyramidal.]

Defn: Consisting of two pyramids placed base to base; having a pyramid at each of the extremities of a prism, as in quartz crystals.

BIQUADRATE Bi*quad"rate, n. Etym: [Pref. bi- + quadrate.] (Math.)

Defn: The fourth power, or the square of the square. Thus 4x4=16, the square of 4, and 16x16=256, the biquadrate of 4.

BIQUADRATIC Bi`quad*rat"ic, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + quadratic: cf. F. biquadratique.] (Math.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the biquadrate, or fourth power. Biquadratic equation (Alg.), an equation of the fourth degree, or an equation in some term of which the unknown quantity is raised to the fourth power. — Biquadratic root of a number, the square root of the square root of that number. Thus the square root of 81 is 9, and the square root of 9 is 3, which is the biquadratic root of 81. Hutton.

BIQUADRATIC Bi`quad*rat"ic, n. (Math.) (a) A biquadrate. (b) A biquadratic equation.

BIQUINTILE Bi*quin"tile, n. Etym: [Pref. bi- + quintile: cf. F. biquintile.] (Astron.)

Defn: An aspect of the planets when they are distant from each other by twice the fifth part of a great circle — that is, twice 72 degrees.

BIRADIATE; BIRADIATED Bi*ra"di*ate, Bi*ra"di*a`ted, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + radiate.]

Defn: Having two rays; as, a biradiate fin.

BIRAMOUS Bi*ra"mous, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + ramous.] (Biol.)

Defn: Having, or consisting of, two branches.

BIRCH Birch, n.; pl. Birches. Etym: [OE. birche, birk, AS. birce, beorc; akin to Icel. björk, Sw. björk, Dan. birk, D. berk, OHG. piricha, MHG. birche, birke, G. birke, Russ. bereza, Pol. brzoza, Serv. breza, Skr. bh. sq. root254. Cf. 1st Birk.]

1. A tree of several species, constituting the genus Betula; as, the white or common birch (B. alba) (also called silver birch and lady birch); the dwarf birch (B. glandulosa); the paper or canoe birch (B. papyracea); the yellow birch (B. lutea); the black or cherry birch (B. lenta).

2. The wood or timber of the birch.

3. A birch twig or birch twigs, used for flogging.

Note: The twigs of the common European birch (B. alba), being tough and slender, were formerly much used for rods in schools. They were also made into brooms. The threatening twigs of birch. Shak.

4. A birch-bark canoe. Birch of Jamaica, a species (Bursera gummifera) of turpentine tree. — Birch partridge. (Zoöl.) See Ruffed grouse. — Birch wine, wine made of the spring sap of the birch. — Oil of birch. (a) An oil obtained from the bark of the common European birch (Betula alba), and used in the preparation of genuine ( and sometimes of the imitation) Russia leather, to which it gives its peculiar odor. (b) An oil prepared from the black birch (B. lenta), said to be identical with the oil of wintergreen, for which it is largely sold.

BIRCH Birch, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the birch; birchen.

BIRCH Birch, v. t. [imp & p. p. Birched; p. pr. & vb. n. Birching.]

Defn: To whip with a birch rod or twig; to flog.

BIRCHEN Birch"en, a.

Defn: Of or relating to birch. He passed where Newark's stately tower Looks out from Yarrow's birchen bower. Sir W. Scott.

BIRD Bird, n. Etym: [OE. brid, bred, bird, young bird, bird, AS. bridd young bird.

1. Orig., a chicken; the young of a fowl; a young eaglet; a nestling; and hence, a feathered flying animal (see 2). That ungentle gull, the cuckoo's bird. Shak. The brydds [birds] of the aier have nestes. Tyndale (Matt. viii. 20).

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A warm-blooded, feathered vertebrate provided with wings. See Aves.

3. Specifically, among sportsmen, a game bird.

4. Fig.: A girl; a maiden. And by my word! the bonny bird In danger shall not tarry. Campbell. Arabian bird, the phenix. — Bird of Jove, the eagle. — Bird of Juno, the peacock. — Bird louse (Zoöl.), a wingless insect of the group Mallophaga, of which the genera and species are very numerous and mostly parasitic upon birds. — Bird mite (Zoöl.), a small mite (genera Dermanyssus, Dermaleichus and allies) parasitic upon birds. The species are numerous. — Bird of passage, a migratory bird. — Bird spider (Zoöl.), a very large South American spider (Mygale avicularia). It is said sometimes to capture and kill small birds. — Bird tick (Zoöl.), a dipterous insect parasitic upon birds (genus Ornithomyia, and allies), usually winged.

BIRD Bird, v. i.

1. To catch or shoot birds.

2. Hence: To seek for game or plunder; to thieve. [R.] B. Jonson.

BIRDBOLT Bird"bolt`, n.

Defn: A short blunt arrow for killing birds without piercing them. Hence: Anything which smites without penetrating. Shak.

BIRD CAGE; BIRDCAGE Bird" cage", or Bird"cage`, n.

Defn: A cage for confining birds.

BIRDCALL Bird"call`, n.

1. A sound made in imitation of the note or cry of a bird for the purpose of decoying the bird or its mate.

2. An instrument of any kind, as a whistle, used in making the sound of a birdcall.

BIRDCATCHER Bird"catch`er, n.

Defn: One whose employment it is to catch birds; a fowler.

BIRDCATCHING Bird"catch`ing, n.

Defn: The art, act, or occupation or catching birds or wild fowls.

BIRD CHERRY Bird" cher`ry. (Bot.)

Defn: A shrub (Prunus Padus ) found in Northern and Central Europe. It bears small black cherries.

BIRDER Bird"er, n.

Defn: A birdcatcher.

BIRD-EYED Bird"-eyed`, a.

Defn: Quick-sighted; catching a glance as one goes.

BIRD FANCIER Bird" fan`ci*er.

1. One who takes pleasure in rearing or collecting rare or curious birds.

2. One who has for sale the various kinds of birds which are kept in cages.

BIRDIE Bird"ie, n.

Defn: A pretty or dear little bird; — a pet name. Tennyson.

BIRDIKIN Bird"i*kin, n.

Defn: A young bird. Thackeray.

BIRDING Bird"ing, n.

Defn: Birdcatching or fowling. Shak. Birding piece, a fowling piece. Shak.

BIRDLET Bird"let, n.

Defn: A little bird; a nestling.

BIRDLIKE Bird"like`, a.

Defn: Resembling a bird.

BIRDLIME Bird"lime`, n. Etym: [Bird + lime viscous substance.]

Defn: An extremely adhesive viscid substance, usually made of the middle bark of the holly, by boiling, fermenting, and cleansing it. When a twig is smeared with this substance it will hold small birds which may light upon it. Hence: Anything which insnares. Not birdlime or Idean pitch produce A more tenacious mass of clammy juice. Dryden.

Note: Birdlime is also made from mistletoe, elder, etc.

BIRDLIME Bird"lime`, v. t. T

Defn: o smear with birdlime; to catch with birdlime; to insnare. When the heart is thus birdlimed, then it cleaves to everything it meets with. Coodwin.

BIRDLING Bird"ling, n.

Defn: A little bird; a nestling.

BIRDMAN Bird"man, n.

Defn: A fowler or birdcatcher.

BIRD OF PARADISE Bird" of par"a*dise. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The name of several very beautiful birds of the genus Paradisea and allied genera, inhabiting New Guinea and the adjacent islands. The males have brilliant colors, elegant plumes, and often remarkable tail feathers.

Note: The Great emerald (Paradisea apoda) and the Lesser emerald (P. minor) furnish many of the plumes used as ornaments by ladies; the Red is P. rubra or sanguinea; the Golden is Parotia aurea or sexsetacea; the King is Cincinnurus regius. The name is also applied to the longer-billed birds of another related group (Epimachinæ) from the same region. The Twelve-wired (Seleucides alba) is one of these. See Paradise bird, and Note under Apod.

BIRD PEPPER Bird" pep`per.

Defn: A species of capsicum (Capsicum baccatum), whose small, conical, coral-red fruit is among the most piquant of all red peppers.

BIRD'S-BEAK Bird's"-beak`, n. (Arch.)

Defn: A molding whose section is thought to resemble a beak.

BIRDSEED Bird"seed`, n.

Defn: Canary seed, hemp, millet or other small seeds used for feeding caged birds.

BIRD'S-EYE Bird's"-eye`, a.

1. Seen from above, as if by a flying bird; embraced at a glance; hence, generalas, a bird's-eye view.

2. Marked with spots resembling bird's eyes; as, bird's-eye diaper; bird's-eye maple.

BIRD'S-EYE Bird's"-eye`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A plant with a small bright flower, as the Adonis or pheasant's eye, the mealy primrose (Primula farinosa), and species of Veronica, Geranium, etc.

BIRD'S-EYE MAPLE Bird's"-eye` ma"ple.

Defn: See under Maple.

BIRD'S-FOOT Bird's"-foot`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A papilionaceous plant, the Ornithopus, having a curved, cylindrical pod tipped with a short, clawlike point. Bird's-foot trefoil. (Bot.) (a) A genus of plants (Lotus) with clawlike pods. L. corniculatas, with yellow flowers, is very common in Great Britain. (b) the related plant, Trigonella ornithopodioides, is also European.

BIRD'S-MOUTH Bird's-mouth`, n. (Arch.)

Defn: An interior acrow's-foot in the United States.

BIRD'S NEST; BIRD'S-NEST Bird's" nest`, or Bird's-nest, n.

1. The nest in which a bird lays eggs and hatches her young.

2. (Cookery)

Defn: The nest of a small swallow (Collocalia nidifica and several allied species), of China and the neighboring countries, which is mixed with soups.

Note: The nests are found in caverns and fissures of cliffs on rocky coasts, and are composed in part of algæ. They are of the size of a goose egg, and in substance resemble isinglass. See Illust. under Edible.

3. (Bot.)

Defn: An orchideous plant with matted roots, of the genus Neottia (N. nidus-avis.) Bird's-nest pudding, a pudding containing apples whose cores have been replaces by sugar. — Yellow bird's nest, a plant, the Monotropa hypopitys.

BIRD'S-NESTING Bird's-nest`ing, n.

Defn: Hunting for, or taking, birds' nests or their contents.

BIRD'S-TONGUE Bird's"-tongue`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: The knotgrass (Polygonum aviculare).

BIRD-WITTED Bird"-wit`ted, a.

Defn: Flighty; passing rapidly from one subject to another; not having the faculty of attention. Bacon.

BIRDWOMAN Bird"wom`an, n.

Defn: An airwoman; an aviatress. [Colloq.]

BIRECTANGULAR Bi`rec*tan"gu*lar, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + rectangular.]

Defn: Containing or having two right angles; as, a birectangular spherical triangle.

BIREME Bi"reme, n. Etym: [L. biremis; bis twice + remus oar: cf. F. birème.]

Defn: An ancient galley or vessel with two banks or tiers of oars.

BIRETTA Bi*ret"ta, n.

Defn: Same as Berretta.

BIRGANDER Bir"gan*der, n.

Defn: See Bergander.

BIRK Birk, n. Etym: [See Birch, n.]

Defn: A birch tree. [Prov. Eng.] "The silver birk." Tennyson.

BIRK Birk, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A small European minnow (Leuciscus phoxinus).

BIRKEN Birk"en, v. t. Etym: [From 1st Birk.]

Defn: To whip with a birch or rod. [Obs.]

BIRKEN Birk"en, a.

Defn: Birchen; as, birken groves. Burns.

BIRKIE Bir"kie, n.

Defn: A lively or mettlesome fellow. [Jocular, Scot.] Burns.

BIRL Birl, v. t. & i.

Defn: To revolve or cause to revolve; to spin. [Scot.] Sir W. Scott.

BIRL Birl, v. t. & i. Etym: [AS. byrlian.

Defn: To pour (beer or wine); to ply with drink; to drink; to carouse. [Obs. or Dial.] Skelton.

BIRLAW Bir"law, n. Etym: [See By-law.] (Law)

Defn: A law made by husbandmen respecting rural affairs; a rustic or local law or by-law. [Written also byrlaw, birlie, birley.]

BIROSTRATE; BIROSTRATED Bi*ros`trate, Bi*ros"tra*ted, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + rostrate.]

Defn: Having a double beak, or two processes resembling beaks. The capsule is bilocular and birostrated. Ed. Encyc.

BIRR Birr, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Birred; p. pr. & vb. n. Birring.] Etym: [Cf. OE. bur, bir, wind, storm wind, fr. Icel. byrr wind. Perh. imitative.]

Defn: To make, or move with, a whirring noise, as of wheels in motion.

BIRR Birr, n.

1. A whirring sound, as of a spinning wheel.

2. A rush or impetus; force.

BIRRUS Bir"rus, n. Etym: [LL., fr. L. birrus a kind of cloak. See Berretta.]

Defn: A coarse kind of thick woolen cloth, worn by the poor in the Middle Ages; also, a woolen cap or hood worn over the shoulders or over the head.

BIRSE Birse, n.

Defn: A bristle or bristles. [Scot.]

BIRT Birt, n. Etym: [OE. byrte; cf. F. bertonneau. Cf. Bret, Burt.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A fish of the turbot kind; the brill. [Written also burt, bret, or brut.] [Prov. Eng.]

BIRTH Birth, n. Etym: [OE. burth, birth, AS. beor, gebyrd, fr. beran to bear, bring forth; akin to D. geboorate, OHG. burt, giburt, G. geburt, Icel. bur, Skr. bhrti bearing, supporting; cf. Ir. & Gael. beirthe born, brought forth. Bear, and cf. Berth.]

1. The act or fact of coming into life, or of being born; — generally applied to human beings; as, the birth of a son.

2. Lineage; extraction; descent; sometimes, high birth; noble extraction. Elected without reference to birth, but solely for qualifications. Prescott.

3. The condition to which a person is born; natural state or position; inherited disposition or tendency. A foe by birth to Troy's unhappy name. Dryden.

4. The act of bringing forth; as, she had two children at a birth. "At her next birth." Milton.

5. That which is born; that which is produced, whether animal or vegetable. Poets are far rarer births that kings. B. Jonson. Others hatch their eggs and tend the birth till it is able to shift for itself. Addison.

6. Origin; beginning; as, the birth of an empire. New birth (Theol.), regeneration, or the commencement of a religious life.

Syn. — Parentage; extraction; lineage; race; family.

BIRTH Birth, n.

Defn: See Berth. [Obs.] De Foe.

BIRTHDAY Birth"day`, n.

1. The day in which any person is born; day of origin or commencement. Those barbarous ages past, succeeded next The birthday of invention. Cowper.

2. The day of the month in which a person was born, in whatever succeeding year it may recur; the anniversary of one's birth. This is my birthday; as this very day Was Cassius born. Shak.

BIRTHDAY Birth"day`, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the day of birth, or its anniversary; as, birthday gifts or festivities.

BIRTHDOM Birth"dom, n. Etym: [Birth + -dom.]

Defn: The land of one's birth; one's inheritance. [R.] Shak.

BIRTHING Birth"ing, n. (Naut.)

Defn: Anything added to raise the sides of a ship. Bailey.

BIRTHLESS Birth"less, a.

Defn: Of mean extraction. [R.] Sir W. Scott.

BIRTHMARK Birth"mark`, n.

Defn: Some peculiar mark or blemish on the body at birth. Most part of this noble lineage carried upon their body for a natural birthmark, . . . a snake. Sir T. North.

BIRTHNIGHT Birth"night`, n.

Defn: The night in which a person is born; the anniversary of that night in succeeding years. The angelic song in Bethlehem field, On thy birthnight, that sung thee Savior born. Milton.

BIRTHPLACE Birth"place`, n.

Defn: The town, city, or country, where a person is born; place of origin or birth, in its more general sense. "The birthplace of valor." Burns.

BIRTHRIGHT Birth"right`, n.

Defn: Any right, privilege, or possession to which a person is entitled by birth, such as an estate descendible by law to an heir, or civil liberty under a free constitution; esp. the rights or inheritance of the first born. Lest there be any . . . profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. Heb. xii. 16.

BIRTHROOT Birth"root`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: An herbaceous plant (Trillium erectum), and its astringent rootstock, which is said to have medicinal properties.

BIRTHWORT Birth"wort`, n.

Defn: A genus of herbs and shrubs (Aristolochia), reputed to have medicinal properties.

BIS Bis, adv. Etym: [L. bis twice, for duis, fr. root of duo two. See Two, and cf. Bi-.]

Defn: Twice; — a word showing that something is, or is to be, repeated; as a passage of music, or an item in accounts.

BIS; BIS- Bis*, pref.

Defn: A form of Bi-, sometimes used before s, c, or a vowel.

BISA ANTELOPE Bi"sa an"te*lope. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Oryx.

BISACCATE Bi*sac"cate, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + saccate.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having two little bags, sacs, or pouches.

BISCAYAN Bis*cay"an, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Biscay in Spain. — n.

Defn: A native or inhabitant of Biscay.

BISCOTIN Bis"co*tin, n. Etym: [F. biscotin. See Biscuit.]

Defn: A confection made of flour, sugar, marmalade, and eggs; a sweet biscuit.

BISCUIT Bis"cuit, n. Etym: [F. biscuit (cf. It. biscotto, Sp. bizcocho, Pg. biscouto), fr. L. bis twice + coctus, p. p. of coquere to cook, bake. See Cook, and cf. Bisque a kind of porcelain.]

1. A kind of unraised bread, of many varieties, plain, sweet, or fancy, formed into flat cakes, and bakes hard; as, ship biscuit. According to military practice, the bread or biscuit of the Romans was twice prepared in the oven. Gibbon.

2. A small loaf or cake of bread, raised and shortened, or made light with soda or baking powder. Usually a number are baked in the same pan, forming a sheet or card.

3. Earthen ware or porcelain which has undergone the first baking, before it is subjected to the glazing.

4. (Sculp.)

Defn: A species of white, unglazed porcelain, in which vases, figures, and groups are formed in miniature. Meat biscuit, an alimentary preparation consisting of matters extracted from meat by boiling, or of meat ground fine and combined with flour, so as to form biscuits.

BISCUTATE Bi*scu"tate, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + scutate.] (Bot.)

Defn: Resembling two bucklers placed side by side.

BISE Bise, n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: A cold north wind which prevails on the northern coasts of the Mediterranean and in Switzerland, etc.; — nearly the same as the mistral.

BISE Bise, n. (Paint.)

Defn: See Bice.

BISECT Bi*sect", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bisected; p. pr. & vb. n. Bisecting.] Etym: [L. bis twice + secare, sectum, to cut.]

1. To cut or divide into two parts.

2. (Geom.)

Defn: To divide into two equal parts.

BISECTION Bi*sec"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. bissection.]

Defn: Division into two parts, esp. two equal parts.

BISECTOR Bi*sec"tor, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, bisects; esp. (Geom.) a straight line which bisects an angle.

BISECTRIX Bi*sec"trix, n.

Defn: The line bisecting the angle between the optic axes of a biaxial crystal.

BISEGMENT Bi*seg"ment, n. Etym: [Pref. bi- + segment.]

Defn: One of tow equal parts of a line, or other magnitude.

BISEPTATE Bi*sep"tate, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + septate.]

Defn: With two partitions or septa. Gray.

BISERIAL; BISERIATE Bi*se"ri*al, Bi*se"ri*ate, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + serial, seriate.]

Defn: In two rows or series.

BISERRATE Bi*ser"rate, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + serrate.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: Doubly serrate, or having the serratures serrate, as in some leaves.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Serrate on both sides, as some antennæ.

BISETOSE; BISETOUS Bi*se"tose, Bi*se"tous, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + setose, setous.]

Defn: Having two bristles.

BISEXOUS Bi*sex"ous, a. Etym: [L. bis twice + sexus sex: cf. F. bissexe.]

Defn: Bisexual. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

BISEXUAL Bi*sex"u*al, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + sexual.] (Biol.)

Defn: Of both sexes; hermaphrodite; as a flower with stamens and pistil, or an animal having ovaries and testes.

BISEXUOUS Bi*sex"u*ous, a.

Defn: Bisexual.

BISEYE Bi*seye", p. p.

Defn: of Besee. [Obs.] Chaucer. Evil biseye, ill looking. [Obs.]

BISH Bish, n.

Defn: Same as Bikh.

BISHOP Bish"op, n. Etym: [OE. bischop, biscop, bisceop, AS. bisceop, biscop, L. episcopus overseer, superintendent, bishop, fr. Gr. , over + inspector, fr. root of , , to look to, perh. akin to L. specere to look at. See Spy, and cf. Episcopal.]

1. A spiritual overseer, superintendent, or director. Ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. 1 Pet. ii. 25. It is a fact now generally recognized by theologians of all shades of opinion, that in the language of the New Testament the same officer in the church is called indifferently "bishop" ( J. B. Lightfoot.

2. In the Roman Catholic, Greek, and Anglican or Protestant Episcopal churches, one ordained to the highest order of the ministry, superior to the priesthood, and generally claiming to be a successor of the Apostles. The bishop is usually the spiritual head or ruler of a diocese, bishopric, or see. Bishop in partibus [infidelium] (R. C. Ch.), a bishop of a see which does not actually exist; one who has the office of bishop, without especial jurisdiction. Shipley. — Titular bishop (R. C. Ch.), a term officially substituted in 1882 for bishop in partibus. — Bench of Bishops. See under Bench.

3. In the Methodist Episcopal and some other churches, one of the highest church officers or superintendents.

4. A piece used in the game of chess, bearing a representation of a bishop's miter; — formerly called archer.

5. A beverage, being a mixture of wine, oranges or lemons, and sugar. Swift.

6. An old name for a woman's bustle. [U. S.] If, by her bishop, or her "grace" alone, A genuine lady, or a church, is known. Saxe.

BISHOP Bish"op, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bishoped; p. pr. & vb. n. Bishoping.]

Defn: To admit into the church by confirmation; to confirm; hence, to receive formally to favor.

BISHOP Bish"op, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bishoped; p. pr. & vb. n. Bishoping.] Etym: [From the name of the scoundrel who first practiced it. Youatt.] (Far.)

Defn: To make seem younger, by operating on the teeth; as, to bishop an old horse or his teeth.

Note: The plan adopted is to cut off all the nippers with a saw to the proper length, and then with a cutting instrument the operator scoops out an oval cavity in the corner nippers, which is afterwards burnt with a hot iron until it is black. J. H. Walsh.

BISHOPDOM Bish"op*dom, n.

Defn: Jurisdiction of a bishop; episcopate. "Divine right of bishopdom." Milton.

BISHOPLIKE Bish"op*like`, a.

Defn: Resembling a bishop; belonging to a bishop. Fulke.

BISHOPLY Bish"op*ly, a.

Defn: Bishoplike; episcopal. [Obs.]

BISHOPLY Bish"op*ly, adv.

Defn: In the manner of a bishop. [Obs.]

BISHOPRIC Bish"op*ric, n. Etym: [AS. bisceoprice; bisceop bishop + rice dominion. See -ric.]

1. A diocese; the district over which the jurisdiction of a bishop extends.

2. The office of a spiritual overseer, as of an apostle, bishop, or presbyter. Acts i. 20.

BISHOP'S CAP Bish"op's cap`. (Bot.)

Defn: A plant of the genus Mitella; miterwort. Longfellow.

BISHOP SLEEVE Bish"op sleeve`.

Defn: A wide sleeve, once worn by women.

BISHOP'S LENGTH Bish"op's length`.

Defn: A canvas for a portrait measuring 58 by 94 inches. The half bishop measures 45 of 56.

BISHOP-STOOL Bish"op-stool`, n.

Defn: A bishop's seat or see.

BISHOP'S-WEED Bish"op's-weed`, n. (Bot.) (a) An umbelliferous plant of the genus Ammi. (b) Goutweed (Ægopodium podagraria).

BISHOP'S-WORT Bish"op's-wort`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: Wood betony (Stachys betonica); also, the plant called fennel flower (Nigella Damascena), or devil-in-a-bush.

BISIE Bis"ie, v. t.

Defn: To busy; to employ. [Obs.]

BISILICATE Bi*sil"i*cate, n. (Min. Chem.)

Defn: A salt of metasilicic acid; — so called because the ratio of the oxygen of the silica to the oxygen of the base is as two to one. The bisilicates include many of the most common and important minerals.

BISK Bisk, n. Etym: [F. bisque.]

Defn: Soup or broth made by boiling several sorts of flesh together. King.

BISK Bisk, n. Etym: [F. bisque.] (Tennis)

Defn: See Bisque.

BISKARA BOIL; BISKARA BUTTON Bis"ka*ra boil`, Bis"ka*ra but"ton . [Named after the town Biskara, in Algeria.] (Med.)

Defn: Same as Aleppo boil.