Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
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- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Bāf'fler, n. p. 102One who baffles.Băf'fling-ly, adv. p. 102In a baffling manner.Bāf'fling-ness, n. p. 102Quality of baffling.Bag, n. p. 102A sack or pouch, used to hold, preserve, or convey any thing; as, a bag of meal or of money. 2. A sac, in animal bodies, containing some fluid or other substance; as, the bag of poison in the mouth…Bāg, v. t. p. 102To put into a bag; as, to bag hops; to bag game. 2. To seize, capture, or entrap; as, to bag an army. 3. To load with bags. “A bee bagged with his honeyed venom.” Dryden. 4. To cause to swell like a…Bāg, v. i. p. 102To swell like a full bag; as, the skin bags from containing morbid matter. Wiseman. 2. To swell with arrogance. [Obs.] Chaucer. 3. To become pregnant; to breed. [Obs.] Some are of opinion that they…Ba-găsse', n. p. 102The sugar-cane, when crushed and dry;—used as fuel. Ure.Bāg'a-tēlle, n. p. 102A trifle; a thing of no importance. “Rich trifles, serious bagatelles.” Prior. 2. A game played on a board having, at the end, nine holes, into which balls are to be struck with a rod held in the…Băg'gāge, n. p. 102The tents, clothing, utensils, and other necessaries of an army. 2. The trunks, carpet-bags, valises, bandboxes, &c., used to contain the clothing and other necessaries or conveniences which a…Băg'gage, n. p. 102A low, worthless woman; a strumpet. 2. A playful, saucy young woman. Goldsmith.Bāg'gage-mās'ter, n. p. 102A person employed to take charge of baggage upon a railway train. [Amer.]Bāg'ga-ger, n. p. 102One who takes care of baggage. [Obs.] Raleigh.Bāg'ga-lā, n. p. 102(Naut.) A two-masted Arab boat, used both for commerce and piracy in the Indian Ocean, between the Malabar coast and the Red Sea. It is generally of 200 or 250 tuns burden, and sails with great…Băg'ging, n. p. 102The cloth or materials for bags. 2. A process in husbandry, consisting in reaping wheat, &c., with a sharp hook. Gardner.Băg'gy, a. p. 102Resembling a bag; loose like a bag; as, a baggy umbrella.Bāg'man, n. p. 102A commercial traveler employed to solicit orders for manufacturers, &c. Thackeray.Băg'-nĕt, n. p. 102A net for fishes, shaped like a bag.Bāg'nio, n. p. 102A bath; a house for bathing, cupping, sweating, and otherwise cleansing the body. Arbuthnot. 2. A brothel; a stew; a house of prostitution.Bag-nō'li-an, n. p. 102(Eccl. Hist.) One of a sect of heretics in the eighth century who rejected the whole of the Old Testament and part of the New; — so called from Bagnoles in Languedoc, where the sect originated.Bāg'pīpe, n. p. 102A musical wind instrument, used chiefly in Scotland and Ireland. ☞ It consists of a leathern bag, which receives the air by a tube, which is stopped by a valve; and pipes, into which the air is…Băg'pīp-er, n. p. 102One who - plays on a bagpipe.Bāg'reef, n. p. 102(Naut.) A fourth and lower reef used in the British navy. Mar. Dict.Bāg'shōt Sānd p. 102Sand of the eocene tertiary around Bagshot, in Surrey, and elsewhere in England. Mantell.Ba-guëtte’, n. p. 102(Arch.) A little round molding, less than an astragal, sometimes carved and enriched. Gwill.Bäh, interj. p. 102An exclamation expressive of disgust or contempt; pah. “Twenty-five years ago the vile ejaculation, Bäh! was utterly unknown to the English public. Now, and entirely through the currency given to it…Ba-hār' or Bār're, n. p. 102A weight used in the East Indies, varying considerably in different localities; the range being from 223 to 625 pounds. Simmonds.Bāigne, v. t. p. 102To soak or drench. [Obs.] Carew.Bāi-kā'/le-an, a. p. 102(Geog.) Pertaining to Lake Bai-kal, or to the range of mountains separating it from the lowlands of Siberia. Eng. Cyc.Bāil, v. t. p. 102To deliver; to release. [Obs.] Ne none there was to rescue her, ne none to bail. Spenser. 2. (Law.) To set free, liberate, or deliver from arrest, or out of custody, to the keeping of other persons…Bāil, n. p. 102(Law.) The person or persons who procure the release of a prisoner from the custody of the officer arresting him, or from imprisonment, by becoming surety for his appearance in court. The bail must…Bāil'a-ble, a. p. 102Capable of being admitted to bail, or of being set free from the hands of an officer after arrest, upon bond with sureties;—used of persons. “He's bailable, I'm sure.” Ford. 2. Admitting of bail; as…Bāil'age, n. p. 102(Law.) A small duty paid to the city of London by aliens, and even by denizens, for certain commodities exported by them. [Written also balliage.]Bāil'-bōnd, n. p. 102(Law.) (a.) A bond or obligation given by a prisoner and his surety, to insure the prisoner's appearance in court, at the return of the writ. (b.) Special bail in court to abide the judgment. Bouvier.Bāil-ee', n. p. 103The person to whom goods are committed in trust, and who has a temporary possession and a qualified property in them, for the purposes of the trust. Blackstone.Bāil’er or Bāil’or, n. p. 103(Law.) One who delivers goods to another in trust, for some particular purpose.Bāi'ley, n. p. 103Originally, a court within a fortress; now, a prison or court of justice; as, the Old Bailey in London; the New Bailey in Manchester. Oxf. Gloss.Bāil'lie, n. p. 103A municipal officer in Scotland, corresponding to an alderman in England. W. Scott.Bāil'iff, n. p. 103(Eng. Law.) A sheriff’s deputy, appointed to make arrests, collect fines, summon juries, &c. ☞ In American law the term bailiff is seldom used except sometimes to signify a sheriff’s officer or…Bāil'i-wick, n. p. 103[From O. Fr. bailie, jurisdiction of a bailiff, and A. S. wic, a termination which signifies station, residence, from wic, n., a dwelling-place. (Law.) The precincts in which a bailiff has…Bāil'ment, n. p. 103(Law.) A delivery of goods in trust, for some special object or purpose, upon a contract, expressed or implied, that the trust shall be faithfully executed. Blackstone.Bāil'piēce, n. p. 103(Law.) A slip of parchment, or paper, containing a recognizance of bail above, or bail to the action. Blackstone.Bāil'y, n. p. 103A bailiff; a steward. [Obs.] Webster, 1607.Bāin, n. p. 103A bath; a bagnio. [Obs.] Holland. 2. [See BAN.] A ban; a curse. [Obs.] Spenser.Bai'ram, n. p. 103A Mohammedan festival held at the close of the fast called Ramadan.Bāirn or Bārn, n. p. 103A child. [Scottish & Prov. Eng.] W. Scott.Bāit, n. p. 103Any substance used to catch fish, or other animals, by alluring them to swallow a hook, or to be caught in snares, or in an inclosure or net; a lure. 2. Any thing which serves to allure: enticement…Bāit, v. t. p. 103To put on or in, as on a hook or in an inclosure, to allure fish, fowls, and other animals into human power. A crooked pin for a hook, baited with a vile earth-worm. W. Irving. 2. To give a portion…Bāit, v. i. p. 103To stop to take a portion of food and drink for refreshment on a journey. My lord's coach conveyed me to Bury, and thence baiting at Newmarket. Evelyn.Bāit, v. t. p. 103To provoke and harass; as, to bait a bear with dogs.Bāit, v. i. p. 103To clap the wings; to flutter as if to fly; or to hover, as a hawk when she stoops to her prey. “Kites that bait and beat.” Shak.Bāize, n. p. 103A coarse woolen stuff, with a long nap.Ba-jŏ'cō, n. p. 103A small copper coin in the Roman States, worth about three farthings, or a cent and a half. Simmonds.Bake, v. t. p. 103To heat, dry, and harden, as in an oven or furnace, or under coals of fire, or by the solar rays; as, to bake bricks; the sun bakes the ground. Specifically, to prepare for food, in a close place…Bāke, v. i. p. 103To do the work of baking; as, she brews, washes, and bakes. 2. To be baked; to dry and harden in heat; as, the bread bakes; the ground bakes in the hot sun.Bāke'house, n. p. 103A house or building for baking.Bāke'-mēat or Bāked'-mēat, n. p. 103Meat prepared by baking. 2. A pie, particularly a meat pie. [Obs.] Sherwood. Shak.Bāk'en, p. p. p. 103The same as BAKED. [Obs.]Bāk'er, n. p. 103One whose occupation is to bake bread, biscuit, &c. 2. A small portable tin oven in which baking is performed. [An Americanism.] Baker's dozen, thirteen in number, was formerly called the devil's…Bāk'er-fōot, n. p. 103An ill-shaped or distorted foot. [Obs.] Bp. Taylor.Bāk'er-lĕgged, a. p. 103Having legs like a baker, that is, crooked legs, or legs that bend inward at the knees. Wright.