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.
Bāl'ance, n. p. 103An apparatus for weighing bodies. Balance or Scales. In its original and simplest form, it consists of a beam or lever suspended exactly in the middle, with a scale or basin of precisely equal…Băl'ance, v. t. p. 103To bring to an equipoise, as the weights in the scales of a balance; to weigh in a balance. 2. To equal in number, weight, force, proportion, &c.; to counterpoise. One expression in the letter must…Bāl'ançe, v. i. p. 103To have equal weight on each side; to be in equipoise; as, the scales balance. 2. To fluctuate between motives which appear of equal force; to hesitate. He would not balance nor err in the…Bāl'ance-fish, n. p. 103(Ichth.) The hammer-headed shark (Carcharias zygæna). ☞ It is distinguished by the peculiar form of its head, which is flattened in front, and projects laterally, like the head of a hammer.Bāl'ance-knife, n. p. 103A table knife, which, when laid on the table, rests wholly on the handle, without the blade touching the cloth; — so called because the weight of the handle counterbalances that of the blade.Bāl'an-çer, n. p. 103One who balances, or uses a balance.Băl'ance-reef, n. p. 103(Naut.) A reef-band that crosses a sail diagonally, used to contract it in a storm.Bāl'ance-reef, v. t. p. 103To reduce a sail to its last reef. Totten.Bāl'ance-sheet, n. p. 103(Book-keeping.) A paper giving a summation and balance of accounts.Bāl'a-nite, n. p. 103(Paleon.) A fossil shell of the genus Balanus.Bāl'a-nŭs, n. p. 103(Zoöl.) A genus of the barnacle tribe; a barnacle. See CIRRIPED. Dana.Bāl'ase, v. t. p. 103To balance or to ballast; to counterpoise. [Obs.] Webster, 1623.Bā'las-rū'by, n. p. 103(Min.) A variety of spinel ruby, of a pale rose red, or inclining to orange. Its crystals are usually octahedrons. See SPINEL. Dana.Ba-lau'stine, n. p. 103The wild pomegranate tree. Coxe. Balaustine flowers, the dried flowers of the pomegranate, which are used in medicine as astringents.Bal-bū'ti-āte or Bal-bū'ci-nāte, v. i. p. 103To stammer. [Obs.]Bal-bū'ti-ēs, n. p. 103(Med.) The defect of stammering, or a vicious and imperfect pronunciation. Dunglison.Băl'con, n. p. 103A balcony or gallery. [Obs.] Pepys.Băl'co-nied, a. p. 103Having balconies.Băl'co-ny, n. p. 103(Arch.) A platform or projection from the external wall of a house or other building, usually resting on brackets or consoles, and having the sides encompassed with a balustrade. “The accent has…Bald, a. p. 103Destitute of the natural or common covering, as of hair, feathers, foliage, trees, &c.; as, a bald man, a bald eagle, a bald oak. On the bald top of an eminence. Wordsworth. 2. Destitute of suitable…Băl'da-chĭn, n. p. 104(Arch.) (a.) A structure in form of a canopy, sometimes supported by columns, and sometimes suspended from the roof or projecting from the wall, generally placed over an altar; as, the baldachin in…Bal′der-dash, n. p. 104A worthless mixture, especially bad mixed liquor. Indeed beer, by a mixture of wine, hath lost both name and nature, and is called balderdash. Taylor, Drink and Welcome. 2. A senseless jargon of…Bal'der-dash, v. t. p. 104To mix or adulterate, as liquors. [Obs.] The wine-merchants of Nice brew and balderdash, and even mix it with pigeon's dung and quicklime. Smollett.Bald'hĕad, n. p. 104A man bald on the head; a bald person. 2 Kings ii. 23.Bald'ly, adv. p. 104In a bald, naked manner; inelegantly; openly.Bald'ness, n. p. 104State of being bald; destitution of the natural covering on the head or top; as, baldness of the head; the baldness of a hill. 2. Destitution of ornament; inelegance; as, baldness of style.Bald'pāte, n. p. 104A pate without hair. Shak.Bald'pāte or Bald'pāt-ed, a. p. 104Destitute of hair; shorn of hair. Shak.Bal'dric, n. p. 104A girdle, or richly ornamented belt, worn pendent from one shoulder across the breast, and under the opposite arm. “A radiant baldric o’er his shoulders tied.” Pope.Bāle, n. p. 104A bundle or package of goods in a cloth cover, and corded for carriage or transportation. Bale of dice, a pair of dice. [Obs.] B. Jonson.Bāle, v. t. p. 104To make up in a bale. “These goods are baled up.” Goldsmith. 2. To free from water by dipping; as, to bale a boat. [More properly bail. See BAIL.]Bāle, n. p. 104Misery; calamity; misfortune; sorrow. Let now your bliss be turned into bale. Spenser.Băl'e-ār'ie, a. p. 104(Geog.) Pertaining to the isles of Majorca, Minorca, Ivica, Formentera, and Cabrera, in the Mediterranean Sea.Ba-leen’, n. p. 104(Com.) Plates of whale-bone. Tomlinson.Bāle'-fire, n. p. 104A signal-fire; an alarm-fire. Sweet Teviot! on thy silver tide The gloomy bale-fires blaze no more. W. Scott.Bāle'ful, a. p. 104Full of bale or misery; calamitous; destructive. “Baleful enemies.” Shak. 2. Full of grief or sorrow; woful; sad. “Baleful eyes.” Milton.Bāle'ful-ly, adv. p. 104In a baleful manner; perniciously.Bāle'ful-ness, n. p. 104The state or quality of being baleful.Bāl'ing-prĕss, n. p. 104A power-press used for compressing cotton, goods, &c., into bales for transportation.Băl'is-ter or Băl'lis-ter, n. p. 104A cross-bow. Blount.Ba-līze', n. p. 104A sea-mark; a pole raised on a bank.Bālk, n. p. 104A ridge of land left unplowed between furrows, or at the end of a field. Bad plowmen made balks of such ground. Fuller. 2. A great beam, or rafter, or timber. “Tubs hanging in the balks.” Chaucer. 3.…Bālk, v. t. p. 104To leave untouched in plowing. Gower. 2. To omit, miss, or overlook. [Obs.] Nor doth he any creature balk, But lays on all he meets. Drayton. 3. To disappoint; to frustrate; to baffle; as, to balk…Balk, v. i. p. 104To deal in cross-purposes. [Obs.] “In strifeful terms with him to balk.” Spenser. 2. To stop abruptly in one's course; as, the horse balks; he balked in his speech. ☞ This has been regarded as an…Balk'er, n. p. 104One who balks. 2. A person who stands on a rock or eminence to espy the shoals of herring, and to give notice to the men in boats which way they pass. Cowell.Balk'ing-ly, adv. p. 104In a manner to balk or frustrate.Balk'ish, a. p. 104Uneven; ridgy. [Rare.] Holinshed.Balk'y, a. p. 104Apt to turn aside or stop abruptly; as, a balky horse. [Amer.]Ball or Ball-vein or Ball and socket joint, n. p. 104Any round body, or one nearly so; as, a ball of twine; a ball of snow; a ball to play with. 2. Any part of the body that is round or protuberant; as, the ball of the eye, of the thumb, &c. 3.…Ball, n. p. 104A social assembly for the purpose of dancing.Ball, v. i. p. 104To gather snow into balls, as on horses’ hoofs, or on the feet; as, the horse balls.Băl'lage, v. t. p. 104To ballast. [Obs.] Holland.Bāl'lad, n. p. 104(Poet.) A popular song, narrative or sentimental, in simple, homely verses, each song commonly to the same tune; as, the ancient ballad of Chevy Chase.Băl'lad, v. t. p. 104To make or sing ballads. 2. To make mention of in ballads. Shak.Băl'lad-er, n. p. 104A writer of ballads. Overbury.Băl'lad-mŏn/ger, n. p. 104A dealer in ballads. Shak.Băl'lad-ŏp/e-rā, n. p. 104An opera in which only ballads are sung. Johnson.Bāl'lad-ry, n. p. 104The subject or style of ballads. [Obs.] “Base balladry is so beloved.” Drayton.Băl'la-răg, v. t. p. 104To bully; to threaten. [Low.] Warton.Bāl'lass, v. t. p. 104To ballast. [Obs.] Webster, 1623.