B (continued 8)
Reading edition
BISMARE; BISMER Bi*smare", Bi*smer", n. Etym: [AS. bismer.]
Defn: Shame; abuse. [Obs.] Chaucer.
BISMER Bis"mer, n.
1. A rule steelyard. [Scot.]
2. (Zoöl.)
Defn: The fifteen-spined (Gasterosteus spinachia).
BISMILLAH Bis*mil"lah, interj. Etym: [Arabic, in the name of God!]
Defn: An adjuration or exclamation common among the Mohammedans. [Written also Bizmillah.]
BISMITE Bis"mite, n. (Min.)
Defn: Bismuth trioxide, or bismuth ocher.
BISMUTH Bis"muth, n. Etym: [Ger. bismuth, wismuth: cf. F. bismuth.] (Chem.)
Defn: One of the elements; a metal of a reddish white color, crystallizing in rhombohedrons. It is somewhat harder than lead, and rather brittle; masses show broad cleavage surfaces when broken across. It melts at 507º Fahr., being easily fused in the flame of a candle. It is found in a native state, and as a constituent of some minerals. Specific gravity 9.8. Atomic weight 207.5. Symbol Bi.
Note: Chemically, bismuth (with arsenic and antimony is intermediate between the metals and nonmetals; it is used in thermo-electric piles, and as an alloy with lead and tin in the fusible alloy or metal. Bismuth is the most diamagnetic substance known. Bismuth glance, bismuth sulphide; bismuthinite. — Bismuth ocher, a native bismuth oxide; bismite.
BISMUTHAL Bis"muth*al, a.
Defn: Containing bismuth.
BISMUTHIC Bis"muth*ic, a. (Chem.)
Defn: Of or pertaining to bismuth; containing bismuth, when this element has its higher valence; as, bismuthic oxide.
BISMUTHIFEROUS Bis`muth*if"er*ous, a. Etym: [Bismuth + -ferous.]
Defn: Containing bismuth.
BISMUTHINE; BISMUTHINITE Bis"muth*ine, Bis"muth*in*ite, n.
Defn: Native bismuth sulphide; — sometimes called bismuthite.
BISMUTHOUS Bis"muth*ous, a.
Defn: Of, or containing, bismuth, when this element has its lower valence.
BISMUTHYL Bis"muth*yl`, n. (Min.)
Defn: Hydrous carbonate of bismuth, an earthy mineral of a dull white or yellowish color. [Written also bismuthite.]
BISON Bi"son, n. Etym: [L. bison, Gr. , a wild ox; akin to OHG. wisunt, wisant, G. wisent, AS. wesend, Icel. visundr: cf. F. bison.] (Zoöl.) (a) The aurochs or European bison. (b) The American bison buffalo (Bison Americanus), a large, gregarious bovine quadruped with shaggy mane and short black horns, which formerly roamed in herds over most of the temperate portion of North America, but is now restricted to very limited districts in the region of the Rocky Mountains, and is rapidly decreasing in numbers.
BISPINOSE Bi*spi"nose, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + spinose.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: Having two spines.
BISQUE Bisque, n. Etym: [A corruption of biscuit.]
Defn: Unglazed white porcelain.
BISQUE Bisque, n. Etym: [F.]
Defn: A point taken by the receiver of odds in the game of tennis; also, an extra innings allowed to a weaker player in croquet.
BISQUE Bisque, n. Etym: [F.]
Defn: A white soup made of crayfish.
BISSELL TRUCK Bis"sell truck.
Defn: A truck for railroad rolling stock, consisting of two ordinary axle boxes sliding in guides attached to a triangular frame; — called also pony truck.
BISSEXTILE Bis*sex"tile, n. Etym: [L. bissextilis annus, fr. bissextus (bis + sextus sixth, fr. sex six) the sixth of the calends of March, or twenty-fourth day of February, which was reckoned twice every fourth year, by the intercalation of a day.]
Defn: Leap year; every fourth year, in which a day is added to the month of February on account of the excess of the tropical year (365 d. 5 h. 48 m. 46 s.) above 365 days. But one day added every four years is equivalent to six hours each year, which is 11 m. 14 s. more than the excess of the real year. Hence, it is necessary to suppress the bissextile day at the end of every century which is not divisible by 400, while it is retained at the end of those which are divisible by 400.
BISSEXTILE Bis*sex"tile, a.
Defn: Pertaining to leap year.
BISSON Bis"son, a. Etym: [OE. bisen, bisne, AS. bisen, prob. for bis; bi by + s clear, akin to seón to see; clear when near, hence short-sighted. See See.]
Defn: Purblind; blinding. [Obs.] "Bisson rheum." Shak.
BISTER; BISTRE Bis"ter, Bis"tre, n. Etym: [F. bistre a color made of soot; of unknown origin. Cf., however, LG. biester frowning, dark, ugly.] (Paint.)
Defn: A dark brown pigment extracted from the soot of wood.
BISTIPULED Bi*stip"uled, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + stipule.] (Bot.)
Defn: Having two stipules.
BISTORT Bis"tort, n. Etym: [L. bis + tortus, p. p. of torquere to twist: cf. F. bistorte.] (Bot.)
Defn: An herbaceous plant of the genus Polygonum, section Bistorta; snakeweed; adderwort. Its root is used in medicine as an astringent.
BISTOURY Bis"tou*ry, n.; pl. Bistouries. Etym: [F. bistouri.]
Defn: A surgical instrument consisting of a slender knife, either straight or curved, generally used by introducing it beneath the part to be divided, and cutting towards the surface.
BISTRE Bis"tre, n.
Defn: See Bister.
BISULCATE Bi*sul"cate, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + sulcate.]
1. Having two grooves or furrows.
2. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Cloven; said of a foot or hoof.
BISULCOUS Bi*sul"cous, a. Etym: [L. bisulcus; bis twice + sulcus furrow.]
Defn: Bisulcate. Sir T. Browne.
BISULPHATE Bi*sul"phate, n. Etym: [Pref. bi- + sulphate.] (Chem.)
Defn: A sulphate 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 sulphates; an acid sulphate.
BISULPHIDE Bi*sul"phide, n. Etym: [Pref. bi- + sulphide.] (Chem.)
Defn: A sulphide having two atoms of sulphur in the molecule; a disulphide, as in iron pyrites, FeS2; — less frequently called bisulphuret.
BISULPHITE Bi*sul"phite, n. (Chem.)
Defn: A salt of sulphurous acid in which the base replaces but half the hydrogen of the acid; an acid sulphite.
BISULPHURET Bi*sul"phu*ret, n. Etym: [Pref. bi- + sulphuret.] (Chem.)
Defn: See Bisulphide.
BIT Bit, n. Etym: [OE. bitt, bite, AS. bite, bite, fr. bitan to bite. See Bite, n. & v., and cf. Bit a morsel.]
1. The part of a bridle, usually of iron, which is inserted in the mouth of a horse, and having appendages to which the reins are fastened. Shak. The foamy bridle with the bit of gold. Chaucer.
2. Fig.: Anything which curbs or restrains.
BIT Bit, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bitted; p. pr. & vb. n. Bitting.]
Defn: To put a bridle upon; to put the bit in the mouth of.
BIT Bit,
Defn: imp. & p. p. of Bite.
BIT Bit, n. Etym: [OE. bite, AS. bita, fr. bitan to bite; akin to D. beet, G. bissen bit, morsel, Icel. biti. See Bite, v., and cf. Bit part of a bridle.]
1. A part of anything, such as may be bitten off or taken into the mouth; a morsel; a bite. Hence: A small piece of anything; a little; a mite.
2. Somewhat; something, but not very great. My young companion was a bit of a poet. T. Hook.
Note: This word is used, also, like jot and whit, to express the smallest degree; as, he is not a bit wiser.
3. A tool for boring, of various forms and sizes, usually turned by means of a brace or bitstock. See Bitstock.
4. The part of a key which enters the lock and acts upon the bolt and tumblers. Knight.
5. The cutting iron of a plane. Knight.
6. In the Southern and Southwestern States, a small silver coin (as the real) formerly current; commonly, one worth about 12 1/2 cents; also, the sum of 12 1/2 cents. Bit my bit, piecemeal. Pope.
BIT Bit, 3d sing. pr.
Defn: of Bid, for biddeth. [Obs.] Chaucer.
BITAKE Bi*take", v. t. Etym: [See Betake, Betaught.]
Defn: To commend; to commit. [Obs.] Chaucer.
BITANGENT Bi*tan"gent, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + tangent.] (Geom.)
Defn: Possessing the property of touching at two points. — n.
Defn: A line that touches a curve in two points.
BITARTRATE Bi*tar"trate, n. (Chem.)
Defn: A salt of tartaric acid in which the base replaces but half the acid hydrogen; an acid tartrate, as cream of tartar.
BITCH Bitch, n. Etym: [OE. biche, bicche, AS. bicce; cf. Icel. bikkja, G. betze, peize.]
1. The female of the canine kind, as of the dog, wolf, and fox.
2. An opprobrious name for a woman, especially a lewd woman. Pope.
BITE Bite, v. t. [imp. Bit; p. p. Bitten, Bit; p. pr. & vb. n. Biting.] Etym: [OE. biten, AS. bitan; akin to D. bijten, OS. bitan, OHG. bizan, G. beissen, Goth. beitan, Icel. bita, Sw. bita, Dan. bide, L. findere to cleave, Skr. bhid to cleave. sq. root87. Cf. Fissure.]
1. To seize with the teeth, so that they enter or nip the thing seized; to lacerate, crush, or wound with the teeth; as, to bite an apple; to bite a crust; the dog bit a man. Such smiling rogues as these, Like rats, oft bite the holy cords atwain. Shak.
2. To puncture, abrade, or sting with an organ (of some insects) used in taking food.
3. To cause sharp pain, or smarting, to; to hurt or injure, in a literal or a figurative sense; as, pepper bites the mouth. "Frosts do bite the meads." Shak.
4. To cheat; to trick; to take in. [Colloq.] Pope.
5. To take hold of; to hold fast; to adhere to; as, the anchor bites the ground. The last screw of the rack having been turned so often that its purchase crumbled, . . . it turned and turned with nothing to bite. Dickens. To bite the dust, To bite the ground, to fall in the agonies of death; as, he made his enemy bite the dust. — To bite in (Etching), to corrode or eat into metallic plates by means of an acid. — To bite the thumb at (any one), formerly a mark of contempt, designed to provoke a quarrel; to defy. "Do you bite your thumb at us " Shak. — To bite the tongue, to keep silence. Shak.
BITE Bite, v. i.
1. To seize something forcibly with the teeth; to wound with the teeth; to have the habit of so doing; as, does the dog bite
2. To cause a smarting sensation; to have a property which causes such a sensation; to be pungent; as, it bites like pepper or mustard.
3. To cause sharp pain; to produce anguish; to hurt or injure; to have the property of so doing. At the last it [wine] biteth like serpent, and stingeth like an adder. Prov. xxiii. 32.
4. To take a bait into the mouth, as a fish does; hence, to take a tempting offer.
5. To take or keep a firm hold; as, the anchor bites.
BITE Bite, n. Etym: [OE. bite, bit, bitt, AS. bite bite, fr. bitan to bite, akin to Icel. bit, OS. biti, G. biss. See Bite, v., and cf. Bit.]
1. The act of seizing with the teeth or mouth; the act of wounding or separating with the teeth or mouth; a seizure with the teeth or mouth, as of a bait; as, to give anything a hard bite. I have known a very good fisher angle diligently four or six hours for a river carp, and not have a bite. Walton.
2. The act of puncturing or abrading with an organ for taking food, as is done by some insects.
3. The wound made by biting; as, the pain of a dog's or snake's bite; the bite of a mosquito.
4. A morsel; as much as is taken at once by biting.
5. The hold which the short end of a lever has upon the thing to be lifted, or the hold which one part of a machine has upon another.
6. A cheat; a trick; a fraud. [Colloq.] The baser methods of getting money by fraud and bite, by deceiving and overreaching. Humorist.
7. A sharper; one who cheats. [Slang] Johnson.
8. (Print.)
Defn: A blank on the edge or corner of a page, owing to a portion of the frisket, or something else, intervening between the type and paper.
BITER Bit"er, n.
1. One who, or that which, bites; that which bites often, or is inclined to bite, as a dog or fish. "Great barkers are no biters." Camden.
2. One who cheats; a sharper. [Colloq.] Spectator.
BITERNATE Bi*ter"nate, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + ternate.] (Bot.)
Defn: Doubly ternate, as when a petiole has three ternate leaflets. — Bi*ter"nate*ly, adv. Gray.
BITHEISM Bi"the*ism, n. Etym: [Pref. bi- + theism.]
Defn: Belief in the existence of two gods; dualism.
BITING Bit"ing, a.
Defn: That bites; sharp; cutting; sarcastic; caustic. "A biting affliction." "A biting jest." Shak.
BITING IN Bit"ing in". (Etching.)
Defn: The process of corroding or eating into metallic plates, by means of an acid. See Etch. G. Francis.
BITINGLY Bit"ing*ly, adv.
Defn: In a biting manner.
BITLESS Bit"less, a.
Defn: Not having a bit or bridle.
BITO; BITO TREE Bi"to, n., Bi"to tree`. [Etym. uncertain.] (Bot.)
Defn: A small scrubby tree (Balanites Ægyptiaca) growing in dry regions of tropical Africa and Asia.
The hard yellowish white wood is made into plows in Abyssinia; the bark is used in Farther India to stupefy fish; the ripe fruit is edible, when green it is an anthelmintic; the fermented juice is used as a beverage; the seeds yield a medicinal oil called zachun. The African name of the tree is hajilij.
BITSTOCK Bit"stock`, n.
Defn: A stock or handle for holding and rotating a bit; a brace.
BITT Bitt, n. (Naut.)
Defn: See Bitts.
BITT Bitt, v. t. Etym: [See Bitts.] (Naut.)
Defn: To put round the bitts; as, to bitt the cable, in order to fasten it or to slacken it gradually, which is called veering away. Totten.
BITTACLE Bit"ta*cle, n.
Defn: A binnacle. [Obs.]
BITTEN Bit"ten, p. p.
Defn: of Bite.
BITTEN Bit"ten, a. (Bot.)
Defn: Terminating abruptly, as if bitten off; premorse.
BITTER Bit"ter, n. Etym: [See Bitts.] (Naut.)
Defn: AA turn of the cable which is round the bitts. Bitter end, that part of a cable which is abaft the bitts, and so within board, when the ship rides at anchor.
BITTER Bit"ter, a. Etym: [AS. biter; akin to Goth. baitrs, Icel. bitr, Dan., Sw., D., & G. bitter, OS. bittar, fr. root of E. bite. See Bite, v. t.]
1. Having a peculiar, acrid, biting taste, like that of wormwood or an infusion of hops; as, a bitter medicine; bitter as aloes.
2. Causing pain or smart; piercing; painful; sharp; severe; as, a bitter cold day.
3. Causing, or fitted to cause, pain or distress to the mind; calamitous; poignant. It is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God. Jer. ii. 19.
4. Characterized by sharpness, severity, or cruelty; harsh; stern; virulent; as, bitter reproach. Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. Col. iii. 19.
5. Mournful; sad; distressing; painful; pitiable. The Egyptians . . . made their lives bitter with hard bondage. Ex. i. 14. Bitter apple, Bitter cucumber, Bitter gourd. (Bot.) See Colocynth. — Bitter cress (Bot.), a plant of the genus Cardamine, esp. C. amara. — Bitter earth (Min.), tale earth; calcined magnesia. — Bitter principles (Chem.), a class of substances, extracted from vegetable products, having strong bitter taste but with no sharply defined chemical characteristics. — Bitter salt, Epsom salts;; magnesium sulphate. — Bitter vetch (Bot.), a name given to two European leguminous herbs, Vicia Orobus and Ervum Ervilia. — To the bitter end, to the last extremity, however calamitous.
Syn. — Acrid; sharp; harsh; pungent; stinging; cutting; severe; acrimonious.
BITTER Bit"ter, n.
Defn: Any substance that is bitter. See Bitters.
BITTER Bit"ter, v. t.
Defn: To make bitter. Wolcott.
BITTERBUMP Bit"ter*bump`, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: the butterbump or bittern.
BITTERFUL Bit"ter*ful, a.
Defn: Full of bitterness. [Obs.]
BITTERING Bit"ter*ing, n.
Defn: A bitter compound used in adulterating beer; bittern.
BITTERISH Bit"ter*ish, a.
Defn: Somewhat bitter. Goldsmith.
BITTERLING Bit"ter*ling, n. Etym: [G.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A roachlike European fish (Rhodima amarus).
BITTERLY Bit"ter*ly, adv.
Defn: In a bitter manner.
BITTERN Bit"tern, n. Etym: [OE. bitoure, betore, bitter, fr. F. butor; of unknown origin.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A wading bird of the genus Botaurus, allied to the herons, of various species.
Note: The common European bittern is Botaurus stellaris. It makes, during the brooding season, a noise called by Dryden bumping, and by Goldsmith booming. The American bittern is B. lentiginosus, and is also called stake-driver and meadow hen. See Stake-driver.
Note: The name is applied to other related birds, as the least bittern (Ardetta exilis), and the sun bittern.
BITTERN Bit"tern, n. Etym: [From Bitter, a.]
1. The brine which remains in salt works after the salt is concreted, having a bitter taste from the chloride of magnesium which it contains.
2. A very bitter compound of quassia, cocculus Indicus, etc., used by fraudulent brewers in adulterating beer. Cooley.
BITTERNESS Bit"ter*ness, n. Etym: [AS. biternys; biter better + -nys = -ness.]
1. The quality or state of being bitter, sharp, or acrid, in either a literal or figurative sense; implacableness; resentfulness; severity; keenness of reproach or sarcasm; deep distress, grief, or vexation of mind. The lip that curls with bitterness. Percival. I will complain in the bitterness of my soul. Job vii. 11.
2. A state of extreme impiety or enmity to God. Thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. Acts viii. 23.
3. Dangerous error, or schism, tending to draw persons to apostasy. Looking diligently, . . . lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you. Heb. xii. 15.
BITTERNUT Bit"ter*nut", n. (Bot.)
Defn: The swamp hickory (Carya amara). Its thin-shelled nuts are bitter.
BITTERROOT Bit"ter*root`, n. (Bot.)
Defn: A plant (Lewisia rediviva) allied to the purslane, but with fleshy, farinaceous roots, growing in the mountains of Idaho, Montana, etc. It gives the name to the Bitter Root mountains and river. The Indians call both the plant and the river Spæt'lum.
BITTERS Bit"ters, n. pl.
Defn: A liquor, generally spirituous in which a bitter herb, leaf, or root is steeped.
BITTER SPAR Bit"ter spar".
Defn: A common name of dolomite; — so called because it contains magnesia, the soluble salts of which are bitter. See Dolomite.
BITTERSWEET Bit"ter*sweet`, a.
Defn: Sweet and then bitter or bitter and then sweet; esp. sweet with a bitter after taste; hence (Fig.), pleasant but painful.
BITTERSWEET Bit"ter*sweet`, n.
1. Anything which is bittersweet.
2. A kind of apple so called. Gower.
3. (Bot.) (a) A climbing shrub, with oval coral-red berries (Solanum dulcamara); woody nightshade. The whole plant is poisonous, and has a taste at first sweetish and then bitter. The branches are the officinal dulcamara. (b) An American woody climber (Celastrus scandens), whose yellow capsules open late in autumn, and disclose the red aril which covers the seeds; — also called Roxbury waxwork.
BITTERWEED Bit"ter*weed`, n. (Bot.)
Defn: A species of Ambrosia (A. artemisiæfolia); Roman worm wood. Gray.
BITTERWOOD Bit"ter*wood`, n.
Defn: A West Indian tree (Picræna excelsa) from the wood of which the bitter drug Jamaica quassia is obtained.
BITTERWORT Bit"ter*wort`, n. (Bot.)
Defn: The yellow gentian (Gentiana lutea), which has a very bitter taste.
BITTOCK Bit"tock, n. Etym: [See Bit a morsel.]
Defn: A small bit of anything, of indefinite size or quantity; a short distance. [Scot.] Sir W. Scott.
BITTOR; BITTOUR Bit"tor Bit"tour, n. Etym: [See Bittern] (Zoöl.)
Defn: The bittern. Dryden.
BITTS Bitts, n. pl. Etym: [Cf. F. bitte, Icel. biti, a beam. (Naut.)
Defn: A frame of two strong timbers fixed perpendicularly in the fore part of a ship, on which to fasten the cables as the ship rides at anchor, or in warping. Other bitts are used for belaying (belaying bitts), for sustaining the windlass (carrick bitts, winch bitts, or windlass bitts), to hold the pawls of the windlass (pawl bitts) etc.
BITUME Bi*tume", n. Etym: [F. See Bitumen.]
Defn: Bitumen. [Poetic] May.
BITUMED Bi*tumed", a.
Defn: Smeared with bitumen. [R.] "The hatches caulked and bitumed." Shak.
BITUMEN Bi*tu"men, n. Etym: [L. bitumen: cf. F. bitume. Cf. Béton.]
1. Mineral pitch; a black, tarry substance, burning with a bright flame; Jew's pitch. It occurs as an abundant natural product in many places, as on the shores of the Dead and Caspian Seas. It is used in cements, in the construction of pavements, etc. See Asphalt.
2. By extension, any one of the natural hydrocarbons, including the hard, solid, brittle varieties called asphalt, the semisolid maltha and mineral tars, the oily petroleums, and even the light, volatile naphthas.
BITUMEN PROCESS Bi*tu"men proc"ess. (Photog.)
Defn: Any process in which advantage is taken of the fact that prepared bitumen is rendered insoluble by exposure to light, as in photolithography.
BITUMINATE Bi*tu"mi*nate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bituminated; p. pr. & vb. n. Bituminating.] Etym: [L. bituminatus, p. p. of bituminare to bituminate. See Bitumen.]
Defn: To treat or impregnate with bitumen; to cement with bitumen. "Bituminated walls of Babylon." Feltham.
BITUMINIFEROUS Bi*tu`mi*nif"er*ous, a. Etym: [Bitumen + -ferous.]
Defn: Producing bitumen. Kirwan.
BITUMINIZATION Bi*tu`mi*ni*za"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. bituminisation.]
Defn: The process of bituminizing. Mantell.
BITUMINIZE Bi*tu"mi*nize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bituminized (; p. pr. & vb. n. Bituminizing.] Etym: [Cf. F. bituminiser.]
Defn: To prepare, treat, impregnate, or coat with bitumen.
BITUMINOUS Bi*tu"mi*nous, a. Etym: [L. bituminosus: cf. F. bitumineux.]
Defn: Having the qualities of bitumen; compounded with bitumen; containing bitumen. Near that bituminous lake where Sodom flamed. Milton. Bituminous coal, a kind of coal which yields, when heated, a considerable amount of volatile bituminous matter. It burns with a yellow smoky flame. — Bituminous limestone, a mineral of a brown or black color, emitting an unpleasant smell when rubbed. That of Dalmatia is so charged with bitumen that it may be cut like soap. — Bituminous shale, an argillaceous shale impregnated with bitumen, often accompanying coal.
BIURET Bi"u*ret, n. Etym: [Pref. bi- + urea.] (Chem.)
Defn: A white, crystalline, nitrogenous substance, C2O2N3H5, formed by heating urea. It is intermediate between urea and cyanuric acid.
BIVALENCY Biv"a*len*cy, n. (Chem.)
Defn: The quality of being bivalent.
BIVALENT Biv"a*lent, a. Etym: [L. bis twice + valens, p. pr. See Valence.] (Chem.)
Defn: Equivalent in combining or displacing power to two atoms of hydrogen; dyad.
BIVALVE Bi"valve, n. Etym: [F. bivalve; bi- (L. bis) + valve valve.]
1. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A mollusk having a shell consisting of two lateral plates or valves joined together by an elastic ligament at the hinge, which is usually strengthened by prominences called teeth. The shell is closed by the contraction of two transverse muscles attached to the inner surface, as in the clam, — or by one, as in the oyster. See Mollusca.
2. (Bot.)
Defn: A pericarp in which the seed case opens or splits into two parts or valves.
BIVALVE Bi"valve, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + valve.] (Zoöl. & Bot.)
Defn: Having two shells or valves which open and shut, as the oyster and certain seed vessels.
BIVALVED Bi"valved, a.
Defn: Having two valves, as the oyster and some seed pods; bivalve.
BIVALVOUS Bi*val"vous, a.
Defn: Bivalvular.
BIVALVULAR Bi*val"vu*lar, a.
Defn: Having two valves.
BIVAULTED Bi*vault"ed, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + vault.]
Defn: Having two vaults or arches.
BIVECTOR Bi*vec"tor, n. Etym: [Pref. bi- + vector.] (Math.)
Defn: A term made up of the two parts
BIVENTRAL Bi*ven"tral, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + ventral.]
Defn: (Anat.) Having two bellies or protuberances; as, a biventral, or digastric, muscle, or the biventral lobe of the cerebellum.
BIVIAL Biv"i*al, a.
Defn: Of or relating to the bivium.
BIVIOUS Biv"i*ous, a. Etym: [L. bivius; bis twice + via way.]
Defn: Having, or leading, two ways. Bivious theorems and Janus-faced doctrines. Sir T. Browne.
BIVIUM Biv"i*um, n. Etym: [L., a place with two ways. See Bivious.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: One side of an echinoderm, including a pair of ambulacra, in distinction from the opposite side (trivium), which includes three ambulacra.
BIVOUAC Biv"ouac, n. Etym: [F. bivouac, bivac, prab. fr. G. beiwache, or beiwacht; bei by, near + wachen to watch, wache watch, guard. See By, and Watch.] (Mil.) (a) The watch of a whole army by night, when in danger of surprise or attack. (b) An encampment for the night without tents or covering.
BIVOUAC Biv"ouac, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Bivouacked (p. pr. & vb. n. Bivouacking.] (Mil.) (a) To watch at night or be on guard, as a whole army. (b) To encamp for the night without tents or covering.
BIWEEKLY Bi"week`ly, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + weekly.]
Defn: Occurring or appearing once every two weeks; fortnightly. — n.
Defn: A publication issued every two weeks. — Bi"week"ly, adv.
BIWREYE Bi*wreye", v. t.
Defn: To bewray; to reveal. [Obs.]
BIZANTINE Biz"an*tine.
Defn: See Byzantine.
BIZARRE Bi*zarre", a. Etym: [F. bizarre odd, fr. Sp. bizarro gallant, brave, liberal, prob. of Basque origin; cf. Basque bizarra beard, whence the meaning manly, brave.]
Defn: Odd in manner or appearance; fantastic; whimsical; extravagant; grotesque. C. Kingsley.
BIZET Bi*zet", n. Etym: [Cf. Bezel.]
Defn: The upper faceted portion of a brilliant-cut diamond, which projects from the setting and occupies the zone between the girdle and the table. See Brilliant, n.
BLAB Blab, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Blabbed (p. pr. & vb. n. Blabbing.] Etym: [Cf. OE. blaberen, or Dan. blabbre, G. plappern, Gael. blabaran a stammerer; prob. of imitative origin. Cf. also Blubber, v.]
Defn: To utter or tell unnecessarily, or in a thoughtless manner; to publish (secrets or trifles) without reserve or discretion. Udall. And yonder a vile physician blabbing The case of his patient. Tennyson.
BLAB Blab, v. i.
Defn: To talk thoughtlessly or without discretion; to tattle; to tell tales. She must burst or blab. Dryden.
BLAB Blab, n. Etym: [OE. blabbe.]
Defn: One who blabs; a babbler; a telltale. "Avoided as a blab." Milton. For who will open himself to a blab or a babbler. Bacon.
BLABBER Blab"ber, n.
Defn: A tattler; a telltale.
BLACK Black, a. Etym: [OE. blak, AS. blæc; akin to Icel. blakkr dark, swarthy, Sw. bläck ink, Dan. blæk, OHG. blach, LG. & D. blaken to burn with a black smoke. Not akin to AS. blac, E. bleak pallid.
1. Destitute of light, or incapable of reflecting it; of the color of soot or coal; of the darkest or a very dark color, the opposite of white; characterized by such a color; as, black cloth; black hair or eyes. O night, with hue so black! Shak.
2. In a less literal sense: Enveloped or shrouded in darkness; very dark or gloomy; as, a black night; the heavens black with clouds. I spy a black, suspicious, threatening cloud. Shak.
3. Fig.: Dismal, gloomy, or forbidding, like darkness; destitute of moral light or goodness; atrociously wicked; cruel; mournful; calamitous; horrible. "This day's black fate." "Black villainy." "Arise, black vengeance." "Black day." "Black despair." Shak.
4. Expressing menace, or discontent; threatening; sullen; foreboding; as, to regard one with black looks.
Note: Black is often used in self-explaining compound words; as, black-eyed, black-faced, black-haired, black-visaged. Black act, the English statute 9 George I, which makes it a felony to appear armed in any park or warren, etc., or to hunt or steal deer, etc., with the face blackened or disguised. Subsequent acts inflicting heavy penalties for malicious injuries to cattle and machinery have been called black acts. — Black angel (Zoöl.), a fish of the West Indies and Florida (Holacanthus tricolor), with the head and tail yellow, and the middle of the body black. — Black antimony (Chem.), the black sulphide of antimony, Sb2S3, used in pyrotechnics, etc. — Black bear (Zoöl.), the common American bear (Ursus Americanus). — Black beast. See Bête noire. — Black beetle (Zoöl.), the common large cockroach (Blatta orientalis). — Black and blue, the dark color of a bruise in the flesh, which is accompanied with a mixture of blue. "To pinch the slatterns black and blue." Hudibras. — Black bonnet (Zoöl.), the black-headed bunting (Embriza Schoeniclus) of Europe. — Black canker, a disease in turnips and other crops, produced by a species of caterpillar. — Black cat (Zoöl.), the fisher, a quadruped of North America allied to the sable, but larger. See Fisher. — Black cattle, any bovine cattle reared for slaughter, in distinction from dairy cattle. [Eng.] — Black cherry. See under Cherry. — Black cockatoo (Zoöl.), the palm cockatoo. See Cockatoo. — Black copper. Same as Melaconite. — Black currant. (Bot.) See Currant. — Black diamond. (Min.) See Carbonado. — Black draught (Med.), a cathartic medicine, composed of senna and magnesia. — Black drop (Med.), vinegar of opium; a narcotic preparation consisting essentially of a solution of opium in vinegar. — Black earth, mold; earth of a dark color. Woodward. — Black flag, the flag of a pirate, often bearing in white a skull and crossbones; a signal of defiance. — Black flea (Zoöl.), a flea beetle (Haltica nemorum) injurious to turnips. — Black flux, a mixture of carbonate of potash and charcoal, obtained by deflagrating tartar with half its weight of niter. Brande & C. — Black fly. (Zoöl.) (a) In the United States, a small, venomous, two-winged fly of the genus Simulium of several species, exceedingly abundant and troublesome in the northern forests. The larvæ are aquatic. (b) A black plant louse, as the bean aphis (A. fabæ). — Black Forest Etym: [a translation of G. Schwarzwald], a forest in Baden and Würtemburg, in Germany; a part of the ancient Hercynian forest. — Black game, or Black grouse. (Zoöl.) See Blackcock, Grouse, and Heath grouse. — Black grass (Bot.), a grasslike rush of the species Juncus Gerardi, growing on salt marshes, and making good hay. — Black gum (Bot.), an American tree, the tupelo or pepperidge. See Tupelo. — Black Hamburg (grape) (Bot.), a sweet and juicy variety of dark purple or "black" grape. — Black horse (Zoöl.), a fish of the Mississippi valley (Cycleptus elongatus), of the sucker family; the Missouri sucker. — Black lemur (Zoöl.), the Lemurniger of Madagascar; the acoumbo of the natives. — Black list, a list of persons who are for some reason thought deserving of censure or punishment; — esp. a list of persons stigmatized as insolvent or untrustworthy, made for the protection of tradesmen or employers. See Blacklist, v. t. — Black manganese (Chem.), the black oxide of manganese, MnO2. — Black Maria, the close wagon in which prisoners are carried to or from jail. — Black martin (Zoöl.), the chimney swift. See Swift. — Black moss (Bot.), the common so-called long moss of the southern United States. See Tillandsia. — Black oak. See under Oak. — Black ocher. See Wad. — Black pigment, a very fine, light carbonaceous substance, or lampblack, prepared chiefly for the manufacture of printers' ink. It is obtained by burning common coal tar. — Black plate, sheet iron before it is tinned. Knight. — Black quarter, malignant anthrax with engorgement of a shoulder or quarter, etc., as of an ox. — Black rat (Zoöl.), one of the species of rats (Mus rattus), commonly infesting houses. — Black rent. See Blackmail, n., 3. — Black rust, a disease of wheat, in which a black, moist matter is deposited in the fissures of the grain. — Black sheep, one in a family or company who is unlike the rest, and makes trouble. — Black silver. (Min.) See under Silver. — Black and tan, black mixed or spotted with tan color or reddish brown; — used in describing certain breeds of dogs. — Black tea. See under Tea. — Black tin (Mining), tin ore (cassiterite), when dressed, stamped and washed, ready for smelting. It is in the form of a black powder, like fine sand. Knight. — Black walnut. See under Walnut. — Black warrior (Zoöl.), an American hawk (Buteo Harlani).
Syn. — Dark; murky; pitchy; inky; somber; dusky; gloomy; swart; Cimmerian; ebon; atrocious.
BLACK Black, adv.
Defn: Sullenly; threateningly; maliciously; so as to produce blackness.
BLACK Black, n.
1. That which is destitute of light or whiteness; the darkest color, or rather a destitution of all color; as, a cloth has a good black. Black is the badge of hell, The hue of dungeons, and the suit of night. Shak.
2. A black pigment or dye.
3. A negro; a person whose skin is of a black color, or shaded with black; esp. a member or descendant of certain African races.
4. A black garment or dress; as, she wears black; pl. (Obs.)
Defn: Mourning garments of a black color; funereal drapery. Friends weeping, and blacks, and obsequies, and the like show death terrible. Bacon. That was the full time they used to wear blacks for the death of their fathers. Sir T. North.
5. The part of a thing which is distinguished from the rest by being black. The black or sight of the eye. Sir K. Digby.
6. A stain; a spot; a smooch. Defiling her white lawn of chastity with ugly blacks of lust. Rowley. Black and white, writing or print; as, I must have that statement in black and white. — Blue black, a pigment of a blue black color. — Ivory black, a fine kind of animal charcoal prepared by calcining ivory or bones. When ground it is the chief ingredient of the ink used in copperplate printing. — Berlin black. See under Berlin.
BLACK Black, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Blacked ; p. pr. & vb. n. Blacking.] Etym: [See Black, a., and cf. Blacken.]
1. To make black; to blacken; to soil; to sully. They have their teeth blacked, both men and women, for they say a dog hath his teeth white, therefore they will black theirs. Hakluyt. Sins which black thy soul. J. Fletcher.
2. To make black and shining, as boots or a stove, by applying blacking and then polishing with a brush.
BLACKAMOOR Black"a*moor, n. Etym: [Black + Moor.]
Defn: A negro or negress. Shak.
BLACK ART Black" art`.
Defn: The art practiced by conjurers and witches; necromancy; conjuration; magic.
Note: This name was given in the Middle Ages to necromancy, under the idea that the latter term was derived from niger black, instead of nekro`s, a dead person, and mantei`a, divination. Wright.
BLACK-A-VISED Black"-a-vised`, a.
Defn: Dark-visaged; swart.
BLACKBALL Black"ball`, n.
1. A composition for blacking shoes, boots, etc.; also, one for taking impressions of engraved work.
2. A ball of black color, esp. one used as a negative in voting; — in this sense usually two words.
BLACKBALL Black"ball`, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Blackballed (; p. pr. & vb. n. Blackballing.]
1. To vote against, by putting a black ball into a ballot box; to reject or exclude, as by voting against with black balls; to ostracize. He was blackballed at two clubs in succession. Thackeray.
2. To blacken (leather, shoes, etc.) with blacking.
BLACKBAND Black"band`, n. (Min.)
Defn: An earthy carbonate of iron containing considerable carbonaceous matter; — valuable as an iron ore.
BLACK BASS Black" bass`. (Zoöl.)
1. An edible, fresh-water fish of the United States, of the genus Micropterus. the small-mouthed kind is M. dolomiei; the largemouthed is M. salmoides.
2. The sea bass. See Blackfish, 3.
BLACKBERRY Black"ber*ry, n. Etym: [OE. blakberye, AS. blæcerie; blæc black + berie berry.]
Defn: The fruit of several species of bramble (Rubus); also, the plant itself. Rubus fruticosus is the blackberry of England; R. villosus and R. Canadensis are the high blackberry and low blackberry of the United States. There are also other kinds.
BLACKBIRD Black"bird, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: In England, a species of thrush (Turdus merula), a singing bird with a fin note; the merle. In America the name is given to several birds, as the Quiscalus versicolor, or crow blackbird; the Agelæus phoeniceus, or red-winged blackbird; the cowbird; the rusty grackle, etc. See Redwing.
BLACKBIRDER Black"bird*er, n.
Defn: A slave ship; a slaver. [Colloq.] F. T. Bullen.
BLACKBIRDING Black"bird*ing, n.
1. The kidnaping of negroes or Polynesians to be sold as slaves.
2. The act or practice of collecting natives of the islands near Queensland for service on the Queensland sugar plantations. [Australia]
BLACKBOARD Black"board`, n.
Defn: A broad board painted black, or any black surface on which writing, drawing, or the working of mathematical problems can be done with chalk or crayons. It is much used in schools.
BLACK BOOK Black" book`.
1. One of several books of a political character, published at different times and for different purposes; — so called either from the color of the binding, or from the character of the contents.
2. A book compiled in the twelfth century, containing a description of the court of exchequer of England, an official statement of the revenues of the crown, etc.
3. A book containing details of the enormities practiced in the English monasteries and religious houses, compiled by order of their visitors under Henry VIII., to hasten their dissolution.
4. A book of admiralty law, of the highest authority, compiled in the reign of Edw. III. Bouvier. Wharton.
5. A book kept for the purpose of registering the names of persons liable to censure or punishment, as in the English universities, or the English armies.
6. Any book which treats of necromancy.
BLACK-BROWED Black"-browed`, a.
Defn: Having black eyebrows. Hence: Gloomy; dismal; threatening; forbidding. Shak. Dryden.
BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER Black*bur"ni*an war"bler. Etym: [Named from Mrs. Blackburn, an English lady.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A beautiful warbler of the United States (Dendroica Blackburniæ). The male is strongly marked with orange, yellow, and black on the head and neck, and has an orange-yellow breast.
BLACKCAP Black"cap`, n.
1. (Zoöl.) (a) A small European song bird (Sylvia atricapilla), with a black crown; the mock nightingale. (b) An American titmouse (Parus atricapillus); the chickadee.
2. (Cookery)
Defn: An apple roasted till black, to be served in a dish of boiled custard.
3. The black raspberry.
BLACKCOAT Black"coat`, n.
Defn: A clergyman; — familiarly so called, as a soldier is sometimes called a redcoat or a bluecoat.
BLACKCOCK Black"cock`, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: The male of the European black grouse (Tetrao tetrix, Linn.); - - so called by sportsmen. The female is called gray hen. See Heath grouse.
BLACK DEATH Black" death`.
Defn: A pestilence which ravaged Europe and Asia in the fourteenth century.
BLACKEN Black"en, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Blackened; p. pr. & vb. n. Blackening.] Etym: [See Black, a., and cf. Black, v. t. ]
1. To make or render black. While the long funerals blacken all the way. Pope
2. To make dark; to darken; to cloud. "Blackened the whole heavens." South.
3. To defame; to sully, as reputation; to make infamous; as, vice blackens the character.
Syn. — To denigrate; defame; vilify; slander; calumniate; traduce; malign; asperse.
BLACKEN Black"en, v. i.
Defn: To grow black or dark.
BLACKENER Black"en*er, n.
Defn: One who blackens.
BLACK-EYED Black"-eyed`, a.
Defn: Having black eyes. Dryden.
BLACK-EYED SUSAN Black"-eyed` Su"san. (Bot.) (a) The coneflower, or yellow daisy (Rudbeckia hirta). (b) The bladder ketmie.
BLACK-FACED Black"-faced`, a.
Defn: Having a black, dark, or gloomy face or aspect.
BLACKFEET Black"feet`, n. pl. (Ethn.)
Defn: A tribe of North American Indians formerly inhabiting the country from the upper Missouri River to the Saskatchewan, but now much reduced in numbers.
BLACKFIN Black"fin`, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: See Bluefin.
BLACKFISH Black"fish, n.
1. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A small kind of whale, of the genus Globicephalus, of several species. The most common is G. melas. Also sometimes applied to other whales of larger size.
2. (Zoöl.)
Defn: The tautog of New England (Tautoga).
3. (Zoöl.)
Defn: The black sea bass (Centropristis atrarius) of the Atlantic coast. It is excellent food fish; — locally called also black Harry.
4. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A fish of southern Europe (Centrolophus pompilus) of the Mackerel family.
5. (Zoöl.)
Defn: The female salmon in the spawning season.
Note: The name is locally applied to other fishes.
BLACK FLAGS Black Flags.
Defn: An organization composed originally of Chinese rebels that had been driven into Tonkin by the suppression of the Taiping rebellion, but later increased by bands of pirates and adventurers. It took a prominent part in fighting the French during their hostilities with Anam, 1873-85.
BLACKFOOT Black"foot`, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to the Blackfeet; as, a Blackfoot Indian. — n.
Defn: A Blackfoot Indian.
BLACK FRIAR Black" fri`ar. (Eccl.)
Defn: A friar of the Dominican order; — called also predicant and preaching friar; in France, Jacobin. Also, sometimes, a Benedictine.
BLACK FRIDAY Black Friday.
Defn: Any Friday on which a public disaster has occurred, as: In England, December 6, 1745, when the news of the landing of the Pretender reached London, or May 11, 1866, when a financial panic commenced. In the United States, September 24, 1869, and September 18, 1873, on which financial panics began.
BLACKGUARD Black"guard, n. Etym: [Black + guard.]
1. The scullions and lower menials of a court, or of a nobleman's household, who, in a removal from one residence to another, had charge of the kitchen utensils, and being smutted by them, were jocularly called the "black guard"; also, the servants and hangers-on of an army. [Obs.] A lousy slave, that . . . rode with the black guard in the duke's carriage, 'mongst spits and dripping pans. Webster (1612).
2. The criminals and vagrants or vagabonds of a town or community, collectively. [Obs.]
3. A person of stained or low character, esp. one who uses scurrilous language, or treats others with foul abuse; a scoundrel; a rough. A man whose manners and sentiments are decidedly below those of his class deserves to be called a blackguard. Macaulay.
4. A vagrant; a bootblack; a gamin. [Obs.]
BLACKGUARD Black"guard`, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Blackguarded; p. pr. & vb. n. Blackguarding.]
Defn: To revile or abuse in scurrilous language. Southey.
BLACKGUARD Black"guard, a.
Defn: Scurrilous; abusive; low; worthless; vicious; as, blackguard language.
BLACKGUARDISM Black"guard*ism, n.
Defn: The conduct or language of a blackguard; rufflanism.
BLACKGUARDLY Black"guard*ly, adv. & a.
Defn: In the manner of or resembling a blackguard; abusive; scurrilous; ruffianly.
BLACK HAMBURG Black Ham"burg.
Defn: A sweet and juicy variety of European grape, of a dark purplish black color, much grown under glass in northern latitudes.
BLACK HAND Black Hand. [A trans. of Sp. mano negra.]
1.
Defn: A Spanish anarchistic society, many of the members of which were imprisoned in 1883.
2. A lawless or blackmailing secret society, esp. among Italians. [U. S.]
BLACKHEAD Black"head`, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: The scaup duck.
BLACKHEART Black"heart`, n.
Defn: A heart-shaped cherry with a very dark-colored skin.
BLACK-HEARTED Black"-heart`ed, a.
Defn: Having a wicked, malignant disposition; morally bad.
BLACK HOLE Black" hole`.
Defn: A dungeon or dark cell in a prison; a military lock-up or guardroom; — now commonly with allusion to the cell (the Black Hole) in a fort at Calcutta, into which 146 English prisoners were thrust by the nabob Suraja Dowla on the night of June 20, 17656, and in which 123 of the prisoners died before morning from lack of air. A discipline of unlimited autocracy, upheld by rods, and ferules, and the black hole. H. Spencer.
BLACKING Black"ing, n.
1. Any preparation for making things black; esp. one for giving a black luster to boots and shoes, or to stoves.
2. The act or process of making black.
BLACKISH Black"ish, a.
Defn: Somewhat black.
BLACK-JACK Black"-jack`, n.
1. (Min.)
Defn: A name given by English miners to sphalerite, or zinc blende; - - called also false galena. See Blende.
2. Caramel or burnt sugar, used to color wines, spirits, ground coffee, etc.
3. A large leather vessel for beer, etc. [Obs.]
4. (Bot.)
Defn: The Quercus nigra, or barren oak.
5. The ensign of a pirate.
BLACK LEAD Black` lead".
Defn: Plumbago; graphite.It leaves a blackish mark somewhat like lead. See Graphite.
BLACKLEAD Black`lead", v. t.
Defn: To coat or to polish with black lead.
BLACKLEG Black"leg`, n.
1. A notorious gambler. [Colloq.]
2. A disease among calves and sheep, characterized by a settling of gelatinous matter in the legs, and sometimes in the neck. [Eng.]
BLACK LETTER Black" let`ter.
Defn: The old English or Gothic letter, in which the Early English manuscripts were written, and the first English books were printed. It was conspicuous for its blackness. See Type.
BLACK-LETTER Black"-let`ter, a.
1. Written or printed in black letter; as, a black-letter manuscript or book.
2. Given to the study of books in black letter; that is, of old books; out of date. Kemble, a black-letter man! J. Boaden.
3. Of or pertaining to the days in the calendar not marked with red letters as saints' days. Hence: Unlucky; inauspicious.
BLACKLIST Black"list`, v. t.
Defn: To put in a black list as deserving of suspicion, censure, or punishment; esp. to put in a list of persons stigmatized as insolvent or untrustworthy, — as tradesmen and employers do for mutual protection; as, to blacklist a workman who has been discharged. See Black list, under Black, a. If you blacklist us, we will boycott you. John Swinton.
BLACKLY Black"ly, adv.
Defn: In a black manner; darkly, in color; gloomily; threateningly; atrociously. "Deeds so blackly grim and horrid." Feltham.
BLACKMAIL Black"mail`, n. Etym: [Black + mail a piece of money.]
1. A certain rate of money, corn, cattle, or other thing, anciently paid, in the north of England and south of Scotland, to certain men who were allied to robbers, or moss troopers, to be by them protected from pillage. Sir W. Scott.
2. Payment of money exacted by means of intimidation; also, extortion of money from a person by threats of public accusation, exposure, or censure.
3. (Eng. Law)
Defn: Black rent, or rent paid in corn, flesh, or the lowest coin, a opposed to "white rent", which paid in silver. To levy blackmail, to extort money by threats, as of injury to one's reputation.
BLACKMAIL Black"mail`, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Blackmailed; p. pr. & vb. n. Blackmailing.]
Defn: To extort money from by exciting fears of injury other than bodily harm, as injury to reputation, distress of mind, etc.; as, to blackmail a merchant by threatening to expose an alleged fraud. [U. S.]
BLACKMAILER Black"mail`er, n.
Defn: One who extorts, or endeavors to extort, money, by black mailing.
BLACKMAILING Black"mail`ing, n.
Defn: The act or practice of extorting money by exciting fears of injury other than bodily harm, as injury to reputation.
BLACK MONDAY Black" Mon`day.
1. Easter Monday, so called from the severity of that day in 1360, which was so unusual that many of Edward III.'s soldiers, then before Paris, died from the cold. Stow. Then it was not for nothing that may nose fell a bleeding on Black Monday last. Shak.
2. The first Monday after the holidays; — so called by English schoolboys. Halliwell.
BLACK MONK Black" monk`.
Defn: A Benedictine monk.
BLACKMOOR Black"moor, n.
Defn: See Blackamoor.
BLACK-MOUTHED Black"-mouthed`, a.
Defn: Using foul or scurrilous language; slanderous.
BLACKNESS Black"ness, n.
Defn: The quality or state of being black; black color; atrociousness or enormity in wickedness. They're darker now than blackness. Donne.
BLACKPOLL Black"poll`, n. Etym: [Black + poll head.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A warbler of the United States (Dendroica striata).
BLACK PUDDING Black" pud"ding.
Defn: A kind of sausage made of blood, suet, etc., thickened with meal. And fat black puddings, — proper food, For warriors that delight in blood. Hudibras.
BLACK ROD Black" Rod`. (a) the usher to the Chapter of the Garter, so called from the black rod which he carries. He is of the king's chamber, and also usher to the House of Lords. [Eng.] (b) An usher in the legislature of British colonies. Cowell. Committed to the custody of the Black Rod. Macaulay.
BLACKROOT Black"root`, n. (Bot.)
Defn: See Colicroot.
BLACKS Blacks, n. pl.
1. The name of a kind of in used in copperplate printing, prepared from the charred husks of the grape, and residue of the wine press.
2. Soot flying in the air. [Eng.]
3. Black garments, etc. See Black, n., 4.
BLACKSALTER Black"salt`er, n.
Defn: One who,makes crude potash, or black salts.
BLACK SALTS Black" salts`.
Defn: Crude potash. De Colange.
BLACKSMITH Black"smith`, n. Etym: [Black (in allusion to the color of the metal) + smith. Cf. Whitesmith.]
1. A smith who works in iron with a forge, and makes iron utensils, horseshoes, etc. The blacksmith may forge what he pleases. Howell.
2. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A fish of the Pacific coast (Chromis, or Heliastes, punctipinnis), of a blackish color.
BLACK SNAKE; BLACKSNAKE Black" snake` or Black"snake, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A snake of a black color, of which two species are common in the United States, the Bascanium constrictor, or racer, sometimes six feet long, and the Scotophis Alleghaniensis, seven or eight feet long.
Note: The name is also applied to various other black serpents, as Natrix atra of Jamaica.
BLACK SPANISH Black Spanish.
Defn: One of an old and well-known Mediterranean breed of domestic fowls with glossy black plumage, blue legs and feet, bright red comb and wattles, and white face. They are remarkable as egg layers.
BLACKSTRAP Black"strap`, n.
1. A mixture of spirituous liquor (usually rum) and molasses. No blackstrap to-night; switchel, or ginger pop. Judd.
2. Bad port wine; any commo wine of the Mediterranean; — so called by sailors.
BLACKTAIL Black"tail`, n. Etym: [Black + tail.]
1. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A fish; the ruff or pope.
2. (Zoöl.)
Defn: The black-tailed deer (Cervus or Cariacus Columbianus) of California and Oregon; also, the mule deer of the Rocky Mountains. See Mule deer.
BLACKTHORN Black"thorn`, n. (Bot.) (a) A spreading thorny shrub or small tree (Prunus spinosa), with blackish bark, and bearing little black plums, which are called sloes; the sloe. (b) A species of Cratægus or hawthorn (C. tomentosa). Both are used for hedges.
BLACK VOMIT Black" vom"it. (Med.)
Defn: A copious vomiting of dark-colored matter; or the substance so discharged; — one of the most fatal symptoms in yellow fever.
BLACK WASH; BLACKWASH Black" wash` or Black"wash, n.
1. (Med.)
Defn: A lotion made by mixing calomel and lime water.
2. A wash that blackens, as opposed to whitewash; hence, figuratively, calumny. To remove as far as he can the modern layers of black wash, and let the man himself, fair or foul, be seen. C. Kingsley.
BLACKWATER STATE Black"wa`ter State.
Defn: Nebraska; — a nickname alluding to the dark color of the water of its rivers, due to the presence of a black vegetable mold in the soil.
BLACKWOOD Black"wood, n.
Defn: A name given to several dark-colored timbers. The East Indian black wood is from the tree Dalbergia latifolia. Balfour.
BLACKWORK Black"work`, n.
Defn: Work wrought by blacksmiths; — so called in distinction from that wrought by whitesmiths. Knight.
BLADDER Blad"der, n. Etym: [OE. bladder, bleddre, AS. bl, bl; akin to Icel. bla, SW. bläddra, Dan. blære, D. blaar, OHG. blatara the bladder in the body of animals, G. blatter blister, bustule; all fr. the same root as AS. blawan, E. blow, to puff. See Blow to puff.]
1. (Anat.)
Defn: A bag or sac in animals, which serves as the receptacle of some fluid; as, the urinary bladder; the gall bladder; — applied especially to the urinary bladder, either within the animal, or when taken out and inflated with air.
2. Any vesicle or blister, especially if filled with air, or a thin, watery fluid.
3. (Bot.)
Defn: A distended, membranaceous pericarp.
4. Anything inflated, empty, or unsound. "To swim with bladders of philosophy." Rochester. Bladder nut, or Bladder tree (Bot.), a genus of plants (Staphylea) with bladderlike seed pods. — Bladder pod (Bot.), a genus of low herbs (Vesicaria) with inflated seed pods. — Bladdor senna (Bot.), a genus of shrubs (Colutea), with membranaceous, inflated pods. — Bladder worm (Zoöl.), the larva of any species of tapeworm (Tænia), found in the flesh or other parts of animals. See Measle, Cysticercus. — Bladder wrack (Bot.), the common black rock weed of the seacoast (Fucus nodosus and F. vesiculosus) — called also bladder tangle. See Wrack.
BLADDER Blad"der, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bladdered; p. pr. & vb. n. Bladdering.]
1. To swell out like a bladder with air; to inflate. [Obs.] G. Fletcher.
2. To put up in bladders; as, bladdered lard.
BLADDERWORT Blad"der*wort`, n. (Bot.)
Defn: A genus (Utricularia) of aquatic or marshy plants, which usually bear numerous vesicles in the divisions of the leaves. These serve as traps for minute animals. See Ascidium.
BLADDERY Blad"der*y, a.
Defn: Having bladders; also, resembling a bladder.
BLADE Blade, n. Etym: [OE. blade, blad, AS. blæd leaf; akin to OS., D., Dan., & Sw. blad, Icel. bla, OHG. blat, G. blatt, and perh. to L. folium, Gr. . The root is prob. the same as that of AS. bl, E. blow, to blossom. See Blow to blossom, and cf. Foil leaf of metal.]
1. Properly, the leaf, or flat part of the leaf, of any plant, especially of gramineous plants. The term is sometimes applied to the spire of grasses. The crimson dulse . . . with its waving blade. Percival. First the blade, then ear, after that the full corn in the ear. Mark iv. 28.
2. The cutting part of an instrument; as, the blade of a knife or a sword.
3. The broad part of an oar; also, one of the projecting arms of a screw propeller.
4. The scapula or shoulder blade.
5. pl. (Arch.)
Defn: The principal rafters of a roof. Weale.
6. pl. (Com.)
Defn: The four large shell plates on the sides, and the five large ones of the middle, of the carapace of the sea turtle, which yield the best tortoise shell. De Colange.
7. A sharp-witted, dashing, wild, or reckless, fellow; — a word of somewhat indefinite meaning. He saw a turnkey in a trice Fetter a troublesome blade. Coleridge.
BLADE Blade, v. t.
Defn: To furnish with a blade.
BLADE Blade, v. i.
Defn: To put forth or have a blade. As sweet a plant, as fair a flower, is faded As ever in the Muses' garden bladed. P. Fletcher.
BLADEBONE Blade"bone`, n.
Defn: The scapula. See Blade, 4.
BLADED Blad"ed, a.
1. Having a blade or blades; as a two-bladed knife. Decking with liquid pearl the bladed grass. Shak.
2. Divested of blades; as, bladed corn.
3. (Min.)
Defn: Composed of long and narrow plates, shaped like the blade of a knife.
BLADEFISH Blade"fish`, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A long, thin, marine fish of Europe (Trichiurus lepturus); the ribbon fish.
BLADESMITH Blade"smith`, n.
Defn: A sword cutler. [Obs.]
BLADY Blad"y, a.
Defn: Consisting of blades. [R.] "Blady grass." Drayton.
BLAE Blæ, a. Etym: [See Blue.]
Defn: Dark blue or bluish gray; lead-colored. [Scot.]
BLAEBERRY Blæ"ber*ry, n. Etym: [Blæ + berry; akin to Icel blaber, Sw. bl, D. blaabær. Cf. Blueberry.]
Defn: The bilberry. [North of Eng. & Scot.]
BLAGUE Blague, n. Etym: [F.]
Defn: Mendacious boasting; falcefood; humbug.
BLAIN Blain, n. Etym: [OE. blein, bleyn, AS. bl; akin to Dan. blegn, D. blein; perh. fr. the same root as E. bladder. See Bladder.]
1. An inflammatory swelling or sore; a bulla, pustule, or blister. Blotches and blains must all his flesh emboss. Milton.
2. (Far.)
Defn: A bladder growing on the root of the tongue of a horse, against the windpipe, and stopping the breath.
BLAMABLE Blam"a*ble, a. Etym: [Cf. F. blâmable.]
Defn: Deserving of censure; faulty; culpable; reprehensible; censurable; blameworthy. — Blam"a*ble*ness, n. — Blam"a*bly (, adv.
BLAME Blame, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Blamed; p. pr. & vb. n. Blaming.] Etym: [OE. blamen, F. blâr, OF. blasmer, fr. L. blasphemare to blaspheme, LL. also to blame, fr. Gr. to speak ill to slander, to blaspheme, fr. evil speaking, perh, for ; injury (fr. to injure) + a saying, fr. to say. Cf. Blaspheme, and see Fame.]
1. To censure; to express disapprobation of; to find fault with; to reproach. We have none to blame but ourselves. Tillotson.
2. To bring reproach upon; to blemish. [Obs.] She . . . blamed her noble blood. Spenser. To blame, to be blamed, or deserving blame; in fault; as, the conductor was to blame for the accident. You were to blame, I must be plain with you. Shak.
BLAME Blame, n. Etym: [OE. blame, fr. F. blâme, OF. blasme, fr. blâmer, OF. blasmer, to blame. See Blame, v.]
1. An expression of disapprobation fir something deemed to be wrong; imputation of fault; censure. Let me bear the blame forever. Gen. xiiii. 9.
2. That which is deserving of censure or disapprobation; culpability; fault; crime; sin. Holy and without blame before him in love. Eph. i. 4.
3. Hurt; injury. [Obs.] Spenser.
Syn. — Censure; reprehension; condemnation; reproach; fault; sin; crime; wrongdoing.
BLAMEFUL Blame"ful, a.
1. Faulty; meriting blame. Shak.
2. Attributing blame or fault; implying or conveying censure; faultfinding; censorious. Chaucer. — Blame"ful*ly, adv. — Blame"ful*ness, n.
BLAMELESS Blame"less, a.
Defn: Free from blame; without fault; innocent; guiltless; — sometimes followed by of. A bishop then must be blameless. 1 Tim. iii. 2. Blameless still of arts that polish to deprave. Mallet. We will be blameless of this thine oath. Josh. ii. 17.
Syn. — Irreproachable; sinless; unblemished; inculpable. — Blameless, Spotless, Faultless, Stainless. We speak of a thing as blameless when it is free from blame, or the just imputation of fault; as, a blameless life or character. The others are stronger. We speak of a thing as faultless, stainless, or spotless, only when we mean that it is absolutely without fault or blemish; as, a spotless or stainless reputation; a faultless course of conduct. The last three words apply only to the general character, while blameless may be used in reverence to particular points; as, in this transaction he was wholly blameless. We also apply faultless to personal appearance; as, a faultless figure; which can not be done in respect to any of the other words.
BLAMELESSLY Blame"less*ly, adv.
Defn: In a blameless manner.
BLAMELESSNESS Blame"less*ness, n.
Defn: The quality or state of being blameless; innocence.
BLAMER Blam"er, n.
Defn: One who blames. Wyclif.
BLAMEWORTHY Blame"wor`thy, a.
Defn: Deserving blame; culpable; reprehensible. — Blame"wor`thi*ness, n.
BLANC Blanc, n. [F., white.]
1. A white cosmetic.
2. A white sauce of fat, broth, and vegetables, used esp. for braised meat.
BLANCARD Blan"card, n. Etym: [F., fr. blanc white.]
Defn: A kind of linen cloth made in Normandy, the thread of which is partly blanches before it is woven.
BLANCH Blanch, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Blanched; p. pr. & vb. n. Blanching.] Etym: [OE. blanchen, blaunchen, F. blanchir, fr. blanc white. See Blank, a.]
1. To take the color out of, and make white; to bleach; as, to blanch linen; age has blanched his hair.
2. (Gardening)
Defn: To bleach by excluding the light, as the stalks or leaves of plants, by earthing them up or tying them together.
3. (Confectionery & Cookery) (a) To make white by removing the skin of, as by scalding; as, to blanch almonds. (b) To whiten, as the surface of meat, by plunging into boiling water and afterwards into cold, so as to harden the surface and retain the juices.
4. To give a white luster to (silver, before stamping, in the process of coining.).
5. To cover (sheet iron) with a coating of tin.
6. Fig.: To whiten; to give a favorable appearance to; to whitewash; to palliate. Blanch over the blackest and most absurd things. Tillotson.
Syn. — To Blanch, Whiten. To whiten is the generic term, denoting, to render white; as, to whiten the walls of a room. Usually (though not of necessity) this is supposed to be done by placing some white coloring matter in or upon the surface of the object in question. To blanch is to whiten by the removal of coloring matter; as, to blanch linen. So the cheek is blanched by fear, i. e., by the withdrawal of the blood, which leaves it white.
BLANCH Blanch, v. i.
Defn: To grow or become white; as, his cheek blanched with fear; the rose blanches in the sun. [Bones] blanching on the grass. Tennyson.
BLANCH Blanch, v. t. Etym: [See Blench.]
1. To avoid, as from fear; to evade; to leave unnoticed. [Obs.] Ifs and ands to qualify the words of treason, whereby every man might express his malice and blanch his danger. Bacon. I suppose you will not blanch Paris in your way. Reliq. Wot.
2. To cause to turn aside or back; as, to blanch a deer.
BLANCH Blanch, v. i.
Defn: To use evasion. [Obs.] Books will speak plain, when counselors blanch. Bacon.
BLANCH Blanch, n. (Mining)
Defn: Ore, not in masses, but mixed with other minerals.
BLANCHARD LATHE Blan"chard lathe. [After Thomas Blanchard, American inventor.] (Mach.)
Defn: A kind of wood-turning lathe for making noncircular and irregular forms, as felloes, gun stocks, lasts, spokes, etc., after a given pattern. The pattern and work rotate on parallel spindles in the same direction with the same speed, and the work is shaped by a rapidly rotating cutter whose position is varied by the pattern acting as a cam upon a follower wheel traversing slowly along the pattern.
BLANCHER Blanch"er, n.
Defn: One who, or that which, blanches or whitens; esp., one who anneals and cleanses money; also, a chemical preparation for this purpose.
BLANCHER Blanch"er, n.
Defn: One who, or that which, frightens away or turns aside. [Obs.] And Gynecia, a blancher, which kept the dearest deer from her. Sir P. Sidney. And so even now hath he divers blanchers belonging to the market, to let and stop the light of the gospel. Latimer.
BLANCH HOLDING Blanch" hold`ing. (Scots Law)
Defn: A mode of tenure by the payment of a small duty in white rent (silver) or otherwise.
BLANCHIMETER Blanch*im"e*ter, n. Etym: [1st blanch + -meter.]
Defn: An instrument for measuring the bleaching power of chloride of lime and potash; a chlorometer. Ure.
BLANCMANGE Blanc*mange", n. Etym: [F. blancmanger, lit. white food; blanc white + manger to eat.] (Cookery)
Defn: A preparation for desserts, etc., made from isinglass, sea moss, cornstarch, or other gelatinous or starchy substance, with mild, usually sweetened and flavored, and shaped in a mold.
BLANCMANGER Blanc*man"ger, n. Etym: [F. See Blancmange.]
Defn: A sort of fricassee with white sauce, variously made of capon, fish, etc. [Obs.] Chaucer.
BLAND Bland, a. Etym: [L. blandus, of unknown origin.]
1. Mild; soft; gentle; smooth and soothing in manner; suave; as, a bland temper; bland persuasion; a bland sycophant. "Exhilarating vapor bland." Milton.
2. Having soft and soothing qualities; not drastic or irritating; not stimulating; as, a bland oil; a bland diet.
BLANDATION Blan*da"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. L. blanditia, blandities, fr. blandus. See Bland.]
Defn: Flattery. [Obs.]
BLANDILOQUENCE Blan*dil"o*quence, n. Etym: [L. blandiloquentia; blandus mild + loqui to speak.]
Defn: Mild, flattering speech.
BLANDILOQUOUS; BLANDILOQUIOUS Blan*dil"o*quous, Blan*di*lo"qui*ous, a.
Defn: Fair-spoken; flattering.
BLANDISE Blan"dise, v. i. Etym: [Same word as Blandish.]
Defn: To blandish any one. [Obs.] Chaucer.
BLANDISH Blan"dish, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Blandished; p. pr. & vb. n. Blandishing.] Etym: [OE. blaundisen, F. blandir, fr. L. blandiri, fr. blandus mild, flattering.]
1. To flatter with kind words or affectionate actions; to caress; to cajole.
2. To make agreeable and enticing. Mustering all her wiles, With blandished parleys. Milton.
BLANDISHER Blan"dish*er, n.
Defn: One who uses blandishments.
BLANDISHMENT Blan"dish*ment, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. blandissement.]
Defn: The act of blandishing; a word or act expressive of affection or kindness, and tending to win the heart; soft words and artful caresses; cajolery; allurement. Cowering low with blandishment. Milton. Attacked by royal smiles, by female blandishments. Macaulay.
BLANDLY Bland"ly, adv.
Defn: In a bland manner; mildly; suavely.
BLANDNESS Bland"ness, n.
Defn: The state or quality of being bland.
BLANK Blank, a. Etym: [OE. blank, blonc, blaunc, blaunche, fr. F. blanc, fem. blanche, fr. OHG. blanch shining, bright, white, G. blank; akin to E. blink, cf. also AS. blanc white. Blink, and cf. 1st Blanch.]
1. Of a white or pale color; without color. To the blank moon Her office they prescribed. Milton.
2. Free from writing, printing, or marks; having an empty space to be filled in with some special writing; — said of checks, official documents, etc.; as, blank paper; a blank check; a blank ballot.
3. Utterly confounded or discomfited. Adam . . . astonied stood, and blank. Milton.
4. Empty; void; without result; fruitless; as, a blank space; a blank day.
5. Lacking characteristics which give variety; as, a blank desert; a blank wall; destitute of interests, affections, hopes, etc.; as, to live a blank existence; destitute of sensations; as, blank unconsciousness.
6. Lacking animation and intelligence, or their associated characteristics, as expression of face, look, etc.; expressionless; vacant. "Blank and horror-stricken faces." C. Kingsley. The blank . . . glance of a half returned consciousness. G. Eliot.
7. Absolute; downright; unmixed; as, blank terror. Blank bar (Law), a plea put in to oblige the plaintiff in an action of trespass to assign the certain place where the trespass was committed; — called also common bar. — Blank cartridge, a cartridge containing no ball. — Blank deed. See Deed. — Blank door, or Blank window (Arch.), a depression in a wall of the size of a door or window, either for symmetrical effect, or for the more convenient insertion of a door or window at a future time, should it be needed. — Blank indorsement (Law), an indorsement which omits the name of the person in whose favor it is made; it is usually made by simply writing the name of the indorser on the back of the bill. — Blank line (Print.), a vacant space of the breadth of a line, on a printed page; a line of quadrats. — Blank tire (Mech.), a tire without a flange. — Blank tooling. See Blind tooling, under Blind. — Blank verse. See under Verse. — Blank wall, a wall in which there is no opening; a dead wall.
BLANK Blank, n.
1. Any void space; a void space on paper, or in any written instrument; an interval void of consciousness, action, result, etc; a void. I can not write a paper full, I used to do; and yet I will not forgive a blank of half an inch from you. Swift. From this time there ensues a long blank in the history of French legislation. Hallam. I was ill. I can't tell how long — it was a blank. G. Eliot.
2. A lot by which nothing is gained; a ticket in a lottery on which no prize is indicated. In Fortune's lottery lies A heap of blanks, like this, for one small prize. Dryden.
3. A paper unwritten; a paper without marks or characters a blank ballot; — especially, a paper on which are to be inserted designated items of information, for which spaces are left vacant; a bland form. The freemen signified their approbation by an inscribed vote, and their dissent by a blank. Palfrey.
4. A paper containing the substance of a legal instrument, as a deed, release, writ, or execution, with spaces left to be filled with names, date, descriptions, etc.
5. The point aimed at in a target, marked with a white spot; hence, the object to which anything is directed. Let me still remain The true blank of thine eye. Shak.
6. Aim; shot; range. [Obs.] I have stood . . . within the blank of his displeasure For my free speech. Shak.
7. A kind of base silver money, first coined in England by Henry V., and worth about 8 pence; also, a French coin of the seventeenth century, worth about 4 pence. Nares.
8. (Mech.)
Defn: A piece of metal prepared to be made into something by a further operation, as a coin, screw, nuts.
9. (Dominoes)
Defn: A piece or division of a piece, without spots; as, the "double blank"; the "six blank." In blank, with an essential portion to be supplied by another; as, to make out a check in blank.
BLANK Blank, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Blanked; p. pr. & vb. n. Blanking.] Etym: [Cf. 3d Blanch.]
1. To make void; to annul. [Obs.] Spenser.
2. To blanch; to make blank; to damp the spirits of; to dispirit or confuse. [Obs.] Each opposite that blanks the face of joy. Shak.
BLANKET Blan"ket, n. Etym: [F. blanchet, OF. also blanket, a woolen waistcoat or shirt, the blanket of a printing press; prop. white woolen stuff, dim. of blanc white; blanquette a kind of white pear, fr. blanc white. See Blank, a.]
1. A heavy, loosely woven fabric, usually of wool, and having a nap, used in bed clothing; also, a similar fabric used as a robe; or any fabric used as a cover for a horse.
2. (Print.)
Defn: A piece of rubber, felt, or woolen cloth, used in the tympan to make it soft and elastic.
3. A streak or layer of blubber in whales.
Note: The use of blankets formerly as curtains in theaters explains the following figure of Shakespeare. Nares. Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark To cry, "Hold, hold!" Shak. Blanket sheet, a newspaper of folio size. — A wet blanket, anything which damps, chills, dispirits, or discour
BLANKET Blan"ket, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Blanketed; p. pr. & vb. n. Blanketing.]
1. To cover with a blanket. I'll . . . blanket my loins. Shak.
2. To toss in a blanket by way of punishment. We'll have our men blanket 'em i' the hall. B. Jonson.
3. To take the wind out of the sails of (another vessel) by sailing to windward of her. Blanket cattle. See Belted cattle, under Belted.
BLANKET CLAUSE Blan"ket clause`. (Law)
Defn: A clause, as in a blanket mortgage or policy, that includes a group or class of things, rather than a number mentioned individually and having the burden, loss, or the like, apportioned among them.
BLANKETING Blan"ket*ing, n.
1. Cloth for blankets.
2. The act or punishment of tossing in a blanket. That affair of the blanketing happened to thee for the fault thou wast guilty of. Smollett.
BLANKET MORTGAGE; BLANKET POLICY Blan"ket mortgage or Blan"ket policy .
Defn: One that covers a group or class of things or properties instead of one or more things mentioned individually, as where a mortgage secures various debts as a group, or subjects a group or class of different pieces of property to one general lien.
BLANKET STITCH Blanket stitch.
Defn: A buttonhole stitch worked wide apart on the edge of material, as blankets, too thick to hem.
BLANKLY Blank"ly, adv.
1. In a blank manner; without expression; vacuously; as, to stare blankly. G. Eliot.
2. Directly; flatly; point blank. De Quincey.
BLANKNESS Blank"ness, n.
Defn: The state of being blank.
BLANQUETTE Blan*quette", n. Etym: [F. blanquette, from blanc white.] (Cookery)
Defn: A white fricassee.
BLANQUILLO Blan*quil"lo, n. Etym: [Sp. blanquillo whitish.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A large fish of Florida and the W. Indies (Caulolatilus chrysops). It is red, marked with yellow.
BLARE Blare, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Blared; p. pr. & vb. n. Blaring.] Etym: [OE. blaren, bloren, to cry, woop; cf. G. plärren to bleat, D. blaren to bleat, cry, weep. Prob. an imitative word, but cf. also E. blast. Cf. Blore.]
Defn: To sound loudly and somewhat harshly. "The trumpet blared." Tennyson.
BLARE Blare, v. t.
Defn: To cause to sound like the blare of a trumpet; to proclaim loudly. To blare its own interpretation. Tennyson.
BLARE Blare, n.
Defn: The harsh noise of a trumpet; a loud and somewhat harsh noise, like the blast of a trumpet; a roar or bellowing. With blare of bugle, clamor of men. Tennyson. His ears are stunned with the thunder's blare. J. R. Drake.
BLARNEY Blar"ney, n. Etym: [Blarney, a village and castle near Cork.]
Defn: Smooth, wheedling talk; flattery. [Colloq.] Blarney stone, a stone in Blarney castle, Ireland, said to make those who kiss it proficient in the use of blarney.
BLARNEY Blar"ney, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Blarneyed; p. pr. & vb. n. Blarneying.]
Defn: To influence by blarney; to wheedle with smooth talk; to make or accomplish by blarney. "Blarneyed the landlord." Irving. Had blarneyed his way from Long Island. S. G. Goodrich.
BLASE Bla*sé", a. Etym: [F., p. p. of blaser.]
Defn: Having the sensibilities deadened by excess or frequency of enjoyment; sated or surfeited with pleasure; used up.
BLASPHEME Blas*pheme", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Blasphemed; p. pr. & vb. n. Blaspheming.] Etym: [OE. blasfem, L. blasphemare, fr. Gr. : cf. F. blasphémer. See Blame, v.]
1. To speak of, or address, with impious irreverence; to revile impiously (anything sacred); as, to blaspheme the Holy Spirit. So Dagon shall be magnified, and God, Besides whom is no god, compared with idols, Disglorified, blasphemed, and had in scorn. Milton. How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge thyself on all those who thus continually blaspheme thy great and all-glorious name Dr. W. Beveridge.
2. Figuratively, of persons and things not religiously sacred, but held in high honor: To calumniate; to revile; to abuse. You do blaspheme the good in mocking me. Shak. Those who from our labors heap their board, Blaspheme their feeder and forget their lord. Pope.
BLASPHEME Blas*pheme", v. i.
Defn: To utter blasphemy. He that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness. Mark iii. 29.
BLASPHEMER Blas*phem"er, n.
Defn: One who blasphemes. And each blasphemer quite escape the rod, Because the insult's not on man, but God Pope.
BLASPHEMOUS Blas"phe*mous, a. Etym: [L. blasphemus, Gr. .]
Defn: Speaking or writing blasphemy; uttering or exhibiting anything impiously irreverent; profane; as, a blasphemous person; containing blasphemy; as, a blasphemous book; a blasphemous caricature. "Blasphemous publications." Porteus. Nor from the Holy One of Heaven Refrained his tongue blasphemous. Milton.
Note: Formerly this word was accented on the second syllable, as in the above example.
BLASPHEMOUSLY Blas"phe*mous*ly, adv.
Defn: In a blasphemous manner.
BLASPHEMY Blas"phe*my, n. Etym: [L. blasphemia, Gr. : cf. OF. blasphemie.]
1. An indignity offered to God in words, writing, or signs; impiously irreverent words or signs addressed to, or used in reference to, God; speaking evil of God; also, the act of claiming the attributes or prerogatives of deity.
Note: When used generally in statutes or at common law, blasphemy is the use of irreverent words or signs in reference to the Supreme Being in such a way as to produce scandal or provoke violence.
2. Figuratively, of things held in high honor: Calumny; abuse; vilification. Punished for his blasphemy against learning. Bacon.
-BLAST -blast. Etym: [Gr. sprout, shoot.]
Defn: A suffix or terminal formative, used principally in biological terms, and signifying growth, formation; as, bioblast, epiblast, mesoblast, etc.
BLAST Blast, n. Etym: [AS. bl a puff of wind, a blowing; akin to Icel. blastr, OHG. blast, and fr. a verb akin to Icel. blasa to blow, OHG. blâsan, Goth. bl (in comp.); all prob. from the same root as E. blow. See Blow to eject air.]
1. A violent gust of wind. And see where surly Winter passes off, Far to the north, and calls his ruffian blasts; His blasts obey, and quit the howling hill. Thomson.
2. A forcible stream of air from an orifice, as from a bellows, the mouth, etc. Hence: The continuous blowing to which one charge of ore or metal is subjected in a furnace; as, to melt so many tons of iron at a blast.
Note: The terms hot blast and cold blast are employed to designate whether the current is heated or not heated before entering the furnace. A blast furnace is said to be in blast while it is in operation, and out of blast when not in use.
3. The exhaust steam from and engine, driving a column of air out of a boiler chimney, and thus creating an intense draught through the fire; also, any draught produced by the blast.
4. The sound made by blowing a wind instrument; strictly, the sound produces at one breath. One blast upon his bugle horn Were worth a thousand men. Sir W. Scott. The blast of triumph o'er thy grave. Bryant.
5. A sudden, pernicious effect, as if by a noxious wind, especially on animals and plants; a blight. By the blast of God they perish. Job iv. 9. Virtue preserved from fell destruction's blast. Shak.
6. The act of rending, or attempting to rend, heavy masses of rock, earth, etc., by the explosion of gunpowder, dynamite, etc.; also, the charge used for this purpose. "Large blasts are often used." Tomlinson.
7. A flatulent disease of sheep. Blast furnace, a furnace, usually a shaft furnace for smelting ores, into which air is forced by pressure. — Blast hole, a hole in the bottom of a pump stock through which water enters. — Blast nozzle, a fixed or variable orifice in the delivery end of a blast pipe; — called also blast orifice. — In full blast, in complete operation; in a state of great activity. See Blast, n., 2. [Colloq.]
BLAST Blast, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Blasted; p. pr. & vb. n. Blasting.]
1. To injure, as by a noxious wind; to cause to wither; to stop or check the growth of, and prevent from fruit-bearing, by some pernicious influence; to blight; to shrivel. Seven thin ears, and blasted with the east wind. Gen. xii. 6.
2. Hence, to affect with some sudden violence, plague, calamity, or blighting influence, which destroys or causes to fail; to visit with a curse; to curse; to ruin; as, to blast pride, hopes, or character. I'll cross it, though it blast me. Shak. Blasted with excess of light. T. Gray.
3. To confound by a loud blast or din. Trumpeters, With brazen din blast you the city's ear. Shak.
4. To rend open by any explosive agent, as gunpowder, dynamite, etc.; to shatter; as, to blast rocks.
BLAST Blast, v. i.
1. To be blighted or withered; as, the bud blasted in the blossom.
2. To blow; to blow on a trumpet. [Obs.] Toke his blake trumpe faste And gan to puffen and to blaste. Chaucer.
BLASTED Blast"ed, a.
1. Blighted; withered. Upon this blasted heath. Shak.
2. Confounded; accursed; detestable. Some of her own blasted gypsies. Sir W. Scott.
3. Rent open by an explosive. The blasted quarry thunders, heard remote. Wordsworth.
BLASTEMA Blas*te"ma, n.; pl. Blastemata. Etym: [Gr. bud, sprout.] (Biol.)
Defn: The structureless, protoplasmic tissue of the embryo; the primitive basis of an organ yet unformed, from which it grows.
BLASTEMAL Blas*te"mal, a. (Biol.)
Defn: Relating to the blastema; rudimentary.
BLASTEMATIC Blas`te*mat"ic, a. (Biol.)
Defn: Connected with, or proceeding from, the blastema; blastemal.
BLASTER Blast"er, n.
Defn: One who, or that which, blasts or destroys.
BLASTIDE Blas"tide, n. Etym: [Gr. sprout, fr. to grow.] (Biol.)
Defn: A small, clear space in the segments of the ovum, the precursor of the nucleus.
BLASTING Blast"ing, n.
1. A blast; destruction by a blast, or by some pernicious cause. I have smitten you with blasting and mildew. Amos iv. 9.
2. The act or process of one who, or that which, blasts; the business of one who blasts.
BLAST LAMP Blast lamp.
Defn: A lamp provided with some arrangement for intensifying combustion by means of a blast.
BLASTMENT Blast"ment, n.
Defn: A sudden stroke or injury produced by some destructive cause. [Obs.] Shak.
BLASTOCARPOUS Blas`to*car"pous, a. Etym: [Gr. sprout, germ + fruit.] (Bot.)
Defn: Germinating inside the pericarp, as the mangrove. Brande & C.
BLASTOCOELE Blas"to*coele, n. Etym: [Gr. sprout + hollow.] (Biol.)
Defn: The cavity of the blastosphere, or segmentation cavity.
BLASTOCYST Blas"to*cyst, n. Etym: [Gr. sprout + E. cyst.] (Biol.)
Defn: The germinal vesicle.
BLASTODERM Blas"to*derm, n. Etym: [Gr. sprout + E. derm.] (Biol.)
Defn: The germinal membrane in an ovum, from which the embryo is developed.
BLASTODERMATIC; BLASTODERMIC Blas`to*der*mat"ic, Blas`to*der"mic, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to the blastoderm.
BLASTOGENESIS Blas`to*gen"e*sis, n. Etym: [Gr. sprout + E. genesis.] (Biol.)
Defn: Multiplication or increase by gemmation or budding.
BLASTOID Blas"toid, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: One of the Blastoidea.
BLASTOIDEA Blas*toid"e*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. sprout + -oid.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: One of the divisions of Crinoidea found fossil in paleozoic rocks; pentremites. They are so named on account of their budlike form.
BLASTOMERE Blas"to*mere, n. Etym: [Gr. sprout + -mere.] (Biol.)
Defn: One of the segments first formed by the division of the ovum. Balfour.
BLASTOPHORAL; BLASTOPHORIC Blas`toph"o*ral, Blas`to*phor"ic, a.
Defn: Relating to the blastophore.
BLASTOPHORE Blas"to*phore, n. Etym: [Gr. sprout + to bear.] (Biol.)
Defn: That portion of the spermatospore which is not converted into spermatoblasts, but carries them.
BLASTOPORE Blas"to*pore, n. Etym: [Gr. sprout + E. pore.] (Biol.)
Defn: The pore or opening leading into the cavity of invagination, or archenteron.
Note: [See Illust. of Invagination.] Balfour.
BLASTOSPHERE Blas"to*sphere, n. Etym: [Gr. sprout + E. sphere.] (Biol.)
Defn: The hollow globe or sphere formed by the arrangement of the blastomeres on the periphery of an impregnated ovum.
Note: [See Illust. of Invagination.]
BLASTOSTYLE Blas"to*style, n. Etym: [Gr. sprout, bud + a pillar.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: In certain hydroids, an imperfect zooid, whose special function is to produce medusoid buds. See Hydroidea, and Athecata.
BLAST PIPE Blast" pipe`.
Defn: The exhaust pipe of a steam engine, or any pipe delivering steam or air, when so constructed as to cause a blast.
BLASTULA Blas"tu*la, n. Etym: [NL., dim. of Gr. a sprout.] (Biol.)
Defn: That stage in the development of the ovum in which the outer cells of the morula become more defined and form the blastoderm.
BLASTULE Blas"tule, n. (Biol.)
Defn: Same as Blastula.
BLASTY Blast"y, a.
1. Affected by blasts; gusty.
2. Causing blast or injury. [Obs.] Boyle.
BLAT Blat, v. i.
Defn: To cry, as a calf or sheep; to bleat; to make a senseless noise; to talk inconsiderately. [Low]
BLAT Blat, v. t.
Defn: To utter inconsiderately. [Low] If I have anything on my mind, I have to blat it right out. W. D. Howells.
BLATANCY Bla"tan*cy, n.
Defn: Blatant quality.
BLATANT Bla"tant, a. Etym: [Cf. Bleat.]
Defn: Bellowing, as a calf; bawling; brawling; clamoring; disagreeably clamorous; sounding loudly and harshly. "Harsh and blatant tone." R. H. Dana. A monster, which the blatant beast men call. Spenser. Glory, that blatant word, which haunts some military minds like the bray of the trumpet. W. Irving.
BLATANTLY Bla"tant*ly, adv.
Defn: In a blatant manner.
BLATHER Blath"er (blath"er), v. i. & t. [imp. & p. p. Blathered; p. pr. & vb. n. Blathering.] [Written also blether.] [Icel. blaðra. Cf. Blatherskite.]
Defn: To talk foolishly, or nonsensically. G. Eliot.
BLATHER Blath"er, n. [Written also blether.]
Defn: Voluble, foolish, or nonsensical talk; — often in the pl. Hall Caine.
BLATHERSKITE Blath"er*skite, n.
Defn: A blustering, talkative fellow. [Local slang, U. S.] Barllett.
BLATTER Blat"ter, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Blattered.] Etym: [L. blaterare to babble: cf. F. blatérer to bleat.]
Defn: To prate; to babble; to rail; to make a senseless noise; to patter. [Archaic] "The rain blattered." Jeffrey. They procured . . . preachers to blatter against me, . . . so that they had place and time to belie me shamefully. Latimer.
BLATTERATION Blat`ter*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. blateratio a babbling.]
Defn: Blattering.
BLATTERER Blat"ter*er, n.
Defn: One who blatters; a babbler; a noisy, blustering boaster.
BLATTERING Blat"ter*ing, n.
Defn: Senseless babble or boasting.
BLATTEROON Blat`ter*oon", n. Etym: [L. blatero, -onis.]
Defn: A senseless babbler or boaster. [Obs.] "I hate such blatteroons." Howell.
BLAUBOK Blau"bok, n. Etym: [D. blauwbok.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: The blue buck. See Blue buck, under Blue.
BLAY Blay, n. Etym: [AS. bl, fr. bl, bleak, white; akin to Icel. bleikja, OHG. bleicha, G. bleihe. See Bleak, n. & a.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A fish. See Bleak, n.
BLAZE Blaze (blaz), n. Etym: [OE. blase, AS. blæse, blase; akin to OHG. blass whitish, G. blass pale, MHG. blas torch, Icel. blys torch; perh. fr. the same root as E. blast. Cf. Blast, Blush, Blink.]
1. A stream of gas or vapor emitting light and heat in the process of combustion; a bright flame. "To heaven the blaze uprolled." Croly.
2. Intense, direct light accompanied with heat; as, to seek shelter from the blaze of the sun. O dark, dark, dark, amid the blaze of noon! Milton.
3. A bursting out, or active display of any quality; an outburst; a brilliant display. "Fierce blaze of riot." "His blaze of wrath." Shak. For what is glory but the blaze of fame Milton.
4. [Cf. D. bles; akin to E. blaze light.]
Defn: A white spot on the forehead of a horse.
5. A spot made on trees by chipping off a piece of the bark, usually as a surveyor's mark. Three blazes in a perpendicular line on the same tree indicating a legislative road, the single blaze a settlement or neighborhood road. Carlton. In a blaze, on fire; burning with a flame; filled with, giving, or reflecting light; excited or exasperated. — Like blazes, furiously; rapidly. [Low] "The horses did along like blazes tear." Poem in Essex dialect.
Note: In low language in the U. S., blazes is frequently used of something extreme or excessive, especially of something very bad; as, blue as blazes. Neal.
Syn. — Blaze, Flame. A blaze and a flame are both produced by burning gas. In blaze the idea of light rapidly evolved is prominent, with or without heat; as, the blaze of the sun or of a meteor. Flame includes a stronger notion of heat; as, he perished in the flames.
BLAZE Blaze, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Blazed; p. pr. & vb. n. Blazing.]
1. To shine with flame; to glow with flame; as, the fire blazes.
2. To send forth or reflect glowing or brilliant light; to show a blaze. And far and wide the icy summit blazed. Wordsworth.
3. To be resplendent. Macaulay. To blaze away, to discharge a firearm, or to continue firing; — said esp. of a number of persons, as a line of soldiers. Also used (fig.) of speech or action. [Colloq.]
BLAZE Blaze, v. t.
1. To mark (a tree) by chipping off a piece of the bark. I found my way by the blazed trees. Hoffman.
2. To designate by blazing; to mark out, as by blazed trees; as, to blaze a line or path. Champollion died in 1832, having done little more than blaze out the road to be traveled by others. Nott.
BLAZE Blaze, v. t. Etym: [OE. blasen to blow; perh. confused with blast and blaze a flame, OE. blase. Cf. Blaze, v. i., and see Blast.]
1. To make public far and wide; to make known; to render conspicuous. On charitable lists he blazed his name. Pollok. To blaze those virtues which the good would hide. Pope.
2. (Her.)
Defn: To blazon. [Obs.] Peacham.
BLAZER Blaz"er, n.
Defn: One who spreads reports or blazes matters abroad. "Blazers of crime." Spenser.
BLAZING Blaz"ing, a.
Defn: Burning with a blaze; as, a blazing fire; blazing torches. Sir W. Scott. Blazing star. (a) A comet. [Obs.] (b) A brilliant center of attraction. (c) (Bot.) A name given to several plants; as, to Chamælirium luteum of the Lily family; Liatris squarrosa; and Aletris farinosa, called also colicroot and star grass.
BLAZON Bla"zon, n. Etym: [OE. blason, blasoun, shield, fr. F. blason coat of arms, OF. shield, from the root of AS. blæse blaze, i. e., luster, splendor, MHG. blas torch See Blaze, n.]
1. A shield. [Obs.]
2. An heraldic shield; a coat of arms, or a bearing on a coat of arms; armorial bearings. Their blazon o'er his towers displayed. Sir W. Scott.
3. The art or act of describing or depicting heraldic bearings in the proper language or manner. Peacham.
4. Ostentatious display, either by words or other means; publication; show; description; record. Obtrude the blazon of their exploits upon the company. Collier. Thy tongue, thy face, thy limbs, actions, and spirit, Do give thee fivefold blazon. Shak.
BLAZON Bla"zon, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Blazoned; p. pr. & vb. n. Blazoning.] Etym: [From blazon, n.; confused with 4th blaze: cf. F. blasonner.]
1. To depict in colors; to display; to exhibit conspicuously; to publish or make public far and wide. Thyself thou blazon'st. Shak. There pride sits blazoned on th' unmeaning brow. Trumbull. To blazon his own worthless name. Cowper.
2. To deck; to embellish; to adorn. She blazons in dread smiles her hideous form. Garth.
3. (Her.)
Defn: To describe in proper terms (the figures of heraldic devices); also, to delineate (armorial bearings); to emblazon. The coat of , arms, which I am not herald enough to blazon into English. Addison.
BLAZON Bla"zon, v. i.
Defn: To shine; to be conspicuous. [R.]
BLAZONER Bla"zon*er, n.
Defn: One who gives publicity, proclaims, or blazons; esp., one who blazons coats of arms; a herald. Burke.
BLAZONMENT Bla"zon*ment, n.
Defn: The act or blazoning; blazoning; emblazonment.
BLAZONRY Bla"zon*ry, n.
1. Same as Blazon, 3. The principles of blazonry. Peacham.
2. A coat of arms; an armorial bearing or bearings. The blazonry of Argyle. Lord Dufferin.
3. Artistic representation or display.
BLEA Blea, n.
Defn: The part of a tree which lies immediately under the bark; the alburnum or sapwood.
BLEABERRY Blea"ber*ry, n. (Bot.)
Defn: See Blaeberry.
BLEACH Bleach, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bleached; p. pr. & vb. n. Bleaching.] Etym: [OE. blakien, blechen, v. t. & v. i., AS. blacian, bl, to grow pale; akin to Icel. bleikja, Sw. bleka, Dan. blege, D. bleeken, G. bleichen, AS. blac pale. See Bleak, a.]
Defn: To make white, or whiter; to remove the color, or stains, from; to blanch; to whiten. The destruction of the coloring matters attached to the bodies to be bleached is effected either by the action of the air and light, of chlorine, or of sulphurous acid. Ure. Immortal liberty, whose look sublime Hath bleached the tyrant's cheek in every varying clime. Smollett.
BLEACH Bleach, v. i.
Defn: To grow white or lose color; to whiten.
BLEACHED Bleached, a.
Defn: Whitened; make white. Let their bleached bones, and blood's unbleaching stain, Long mark the battlefield with hideous awe. Byron.
BLEACHER Bleach"er, n.
Defn: One who whitens, or whose occupation is to whiten, by bleaching.
BLEACHERY Bleach"er*y, n.; pl. Bleacheries (.
Defn: A place or an establishment where bleaching is done.
BLEACHING Bleach"ing, n.
Defn: The act or process of whitening, by removing color or stains; esp. the process of whitening fabrics by chemical agents. Ure. Bleaching powder, a powder for bleaching, consisting of chloride of lime, or some other chemical or chemicals.
BLEAK Bleak, a. Etym: [OE. blac, bleyke, bleche, AS. blac, bl, pale, wan; akin to Icel. bleikr, Sw. blek, Dan. bleg, OS. bl, D. bleek, OHG. pleih, G. bleich; all from the root of AS. blican to shine; akin to OHG. blichen to shine; cf. L. flagrare to burn, Gr. to burn, shine, Skr. bhraj to shine, and E. flame. Bleach, Blink, Flame.]
1. Without color; pale; pallid. [Obs.] When she came out she looked as pale and as bleak as one that were laid out dead. Foxe.
2. Desolate and exposed; swept by cold winds. Wastes too bleak to rear The common growth of earth, the foodful ear. Wordsworth. At daybreak, on the bleak sea beach. Longfellow.
3. Cold and cutting; cheerless; as, a bleak blast. — Bleak"ish, a. — Bleak"ly, adv. — Bleak"ness, n.
BLEAK Bleak, n. Etym: [From Bleak, a., cf. Blay.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A small European river fish (Leuciscus alburnus), of the family Cyprinidæ; the blay. [Written also blick.]
Note: The silvery pigment lining the scales of the bleak is used in the manufacture of artificial pearls. Baird.
BLEAKY Bleak"y, a.
Defn: Bleak. [Obs.] Dryden.
BLEAR Blear, a. Etym: [See Blear, v.]
1. Dim or sore with water or rheum; — said of the eyes. His blear eyes ran in gutters to his chin. Dryden.
2. Causing or caused by dimness of sight; dim. Power to cheat the eye with blear illusion. Milton.
BLEAR Blear, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bleared; p. pr. & vb. n. Blearing.] Etym: [OE. bleren; cf. Dan. plire to blink, Sw. plira to twinkle, wink, LG. plieren; perh. from the same root as E. blink. See Blink, and cf. Blur.]
Defn: To make somewhat sore or watery, as the eyes; to dim, or blur, as the sight. Figuratively: To obscure (mental or moral perception); to blind; to hoodwink. That tickling rheums Should ever tease the lungs and blear the sight. Cowper. To blear the eye of, to deceive; to impose upon. [Obs.] Chaucer.
BLEARED Bleared, a.
Defn: Dimmed, as by a watery humor; affected with rheum. — Blear"ed*ness (, n. Dardanian wives, With bleared visages, come forth to view The issue of the exploit. Shak.
BLEAREYE Blear"eye`, n. (Med.)
Defn: A disease of the eyelids, consisting in chronic inflammation of the margins, with a gummy secretion of sebaceous matter. Dunglison.
BLEAR-EYED Blear"-eyed`, a.
1. Having sore eyes; having the eyes dim with rheum; dim-sighted. The blear-eyed Crispin. Drant.
2. Lacking in perception or penetration; short-sighted; as, a blear- eyed bigot.
BLEAREYEDNESS Blear"eyed`ness, n.
Defn: The state of being blear-eyed.
BLEARY Blear"y, a.
Defn: Somewhat blear.
BLEAT Bleat, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Bleated; p. pr. & vb. n. Bleating.] Etym: [OE. bleten, AS. bl; akin to D. blaten, bleeten, OHG. blazan, plazan; prob. of imitative origin.]
Defn: To make the noise of, or one like that of, a sheep; to cry like a sheep or calf. Then suddenly was heard along the main, To low the ox, to bleat the woolly train. Pope The ewe that will not hear her lamb when it baas, will never answer a calf when he bleats. Shak.
BLEAT Bleat, n.
Defn: A plaintive cry of, or like that of, a sheep. The bleat of fleecy sheep. Chapman's Homer.
BLEATER Bleat"er, n.
Defn: One who bleats; a sheep. In cold, stiff soils the bleaters oft complain Of gouty ails. Dyer.
BLEATING Bleat"ing, a.
Defn: Crying as a sheep does. Then came the shepherd back with his bleating flocks from the seaside. Longfellow.
BLEATING Bleat"ing, n.
Defn: The cry of, or as of, a sheep. Chapman.
BLEB Bleb, n. Etym: [Prov. E. bleb, bleib, blob, bubble, blister. This word belongs to the root of blub, blubber, blabber, and perh. blow to puff.]
Defn: A large vesicle or bulla, usually containing a serous fluid; a blister; a bubble, as in water, glass, etc. Arsenic abounds with air blebs. Kirwan.
BLEBBY Bleb"by, a.
Defn: Containing blebs, or characterized by blebs; as, blebby glass.
BLECK; BLEK Bleck, Blek, v. t.
Defn: To blacken; also, to defile. [Obs. or Dial.] Wyclif.
BLED Bled,
Defn: imp. & p. p. of Bleed.
BLEE Blee, n. Etym: [AS. bleó, bleóh.]
Defn: Complexion; color; hue; likeness; form. [Archaic] For him which is so bright of blee. Lament. of Mary Magd. That boy has a strong blee of his father. Forby.
BLEED Bleed, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Bled; p. pr. & vb. n. Bleeding.] Etym: [OE. bleden, AS. bl, fr. bl blood; akin to Sw. blöda, Dan. blöde, D. bloeden, G. bluten. See Blood.]
1. To emit blood; to lose blood; to run with blood, by whatever means; as, the arm bleeds; the wound bled freely; to bleed at the nose.
2. To withdraw blood from the body; to let blood; as, Dr. A. bleeds in fevers.
3. To lose or shed one's blood, as in case of a violent death or severe wounds; to die by violence. "Cæsar must bleed." Shak. The lamb thy riot dooms to bleed to-day. Pope.
4. To issue forth, or drop, as blood from an incision. For me the balm shall bleed. Pope.
5. To lose sap, gum, or juice; as, a tree or a vine bleeds when tapped or wounded.
6. To pay or lose money; to have money drawn or extorted; as, to bleed freely for a cause. [Colloq.] To make the heart bleed, to cause extreme pain, as from sympathy or pity.