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An American Dictionary of the English Language

Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)

Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865

Entries
95,912
Pages
1,538
Illustrations
2,133

Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.

  1. Bāl'ne-a-ry, n.p. 105A bathing room. [Obs.] Browne.
  2. Bāl'ne-ā'tion, n.p. 105The act of bathing. [Obs.]
  3. Bāl'ne-a-to-ry, a.p. 105Belonging to a bath or stove. [Obs.]
  4. Bāl'o-tāde, n.p. 105See BALLOTĀDE.
  5. Băl'să, n.p. 105(Naut.) A raft or fishing-float, used principally on the Pacific coast of South America. [Written also balza.] Simmonds.
  6. Bāl'sam, n.p. 105A resin containing more or less of an essential or volatile oil. ¶ The balsams are aromatic resinous substances, flowing spontaneously or by incision from certain plants; and a great variety of…
  7. Bāl'sam, v. t.p. 105To impregnate with balsam; to render balsamic. [Obs.] Hacket.
  8. Bāl'sa-mā'tion, n.p. 105The act of rendering balsamic.
  9. Băl-săm'ic or Băl-săm'ic-al, a.p. 105Having the qualities of balsam; containing, or resembling, balsam; soft; mitigatory. “Balsamic cups, to wheezing lungs Medicinal.” Philips.
  10. Bāl-sām'ic, n.p. 105That which has the properties of a balsam. Bp. Berkeley.
  11. Bāl-sām'ic-al-ly, adv.p. 105In a balsamic manner.
  12. Bāl'sa-mĭf'er-oŭs, a.p. 105Producing balsam.
  13. Bāl'sa-mīne, n.p. 105(Bot.) The Balsamina hortensis (Impatiens balsamina, Linn.), or garden balsam.
  14. Bāl'sa-mo-dēn'dron, n.p. 105(Bot.) A genus of balsamiferous plants, natives of tropical Asia.
  15. Bal'sa-moŭs, a.p. 105Having the quality of balsam. “A balsamous substance.” Sterne.
  16. Bal'ter, v. t.p. 105To stick together. [Obs.] Holland.
  17. Bal'tic, a.p. 105Pertaining to the sea of the same name, which separates Norway and Sweden from Jutland, Holstein, and Germany; situated on the Baltic Sea. Each Baltic state to join the righteous cause. Barlow.
  18. Băl'us-ter, n.p. 105(Arch.) (a.) A small column or pilaster, used as a support to the rail of a staircase, &c. (b.) The lateral part of the volute of the Ionic capital. Gwilt.
  19. Băl'us-tered, a.p. 105Having balusters. [Rare.] “Balustered with gold.” Dryden.
  20. Bāl'us-trāde, n.p. 105[Fr. balustrade, Sp. balustrada, balustrado, It. balaustrata, from Fr. balustre, &c. See BALUSTER. (Arch.) A row of balusters, topped by a rail, serving as a fence or inclosure, for altars…
  21. Bāl'za-rīne', n.p. 105A light mixed material of worsted and cotton, for ladies’ dresses. Simmonds.
  22. Bān, n.p. 105An imposition; a cheat. [Vulgar.] Garrick. To relieve the tedium, he kept plying them with all manner of bams. Prof. Wilson.
  23. Băm, v. t.p. 105To cheat; to wheedle. [Vulgar.] This is some conspiracy, I suppose, to bam, to chouse me out of my money. Foote.
  24. Bam-bōō', n.p. 105(Bot.) A plant of the family of grasses, and genus Bambusa, growing in tropical countries. ☞ B. arundinacea has a woody, hollow, round, straight, jointed stem; it grows to the height of forty feet…
  25. Bam-bōō', v. t.p. 105To flog with the bamboo. Williams.
  26. Bam-bōō'zle, v. t.p. 105To deceive; to play low tricks upon. [Low.]
  27. Bam-bōō'zler, n.p. 105A cheat; one who plays low tricks. Arbuthnot.
  28. Bān, n.p. 105A kind of fine muslin, brought from the East Indies. Simmonds.
  29. Bān, n.p. 105A public proclamation or edict; a public order or notice, mandatory or prohibitory. 2. (pl.) Notice of a marriage proposed, or of a matrimonial contract, proclaimed in a church, or other place…
  30. Bān, n.p. 105An ancient title belonging to the wardens of the eastern marches of Hungary; now given to the viceroy of Croatia. He is appointed by the emperor of Austria. The Pitter-Ban of Hungary Came back…
  31. Băn, v. t.p. 105To curse; to execrate. Banning his boisterous and unruly beast. Shak.
  32. Băn, v. i.p. 105To curse. [Obs.] Spenser.
  33. Ba-nä'na, n.p. 105(Bot.) A species of the genus Musa, and its fruit. ☞ The banana has a soft, herbaceous stalk, with leaves of great length and breadth. The flowers grow in bunches, covered with a sheath of a green or…
  34. Ban'co, n.p. 105A bank, especially that of Venice. ☞ This term is used in some parts of Europe to distinguish between the value of money at a bank, and its current value; as, at Hamburg banco is worth about 23½ per…
  35. Bänd, n.p. 105Any narrow ligament with which a thing is encircled, or fastened, or by which a number of things are confined together; a fillet; a cord. “Bound with leaden bands.” Bacon. 2. (Arch.) (a.) Any flat…
  36. Bānd, v. t.p. 105To bind, tie, or mark with a band. 2. To unite in a troop, company, or confederacy. “Banded against his throne.” Milton. “Banded nations.” Byron. 3. To ban or banish. [Obs. and very rare.] Spenser.
  37. Bănd, v. i.p. 105To confederate for some common purpose; to unite; to conspire together. “Certain of the Jews banded together.” Acts xxiii. 12.
  38. Bänd, imp.p. 105of bind. [Obs.] And with a belt his gown about him band. Spenser.
  39. Bänd'age, n.p. 105A fillet, roller, or swath, used in dressing and binding up wounds, &c. 2. Something resembling a bandage; that which is bound over another.
  40. Bănd'age, v. t.p. 105To bind with a bandage; as, to bandage the eyes.
  41. Ban'da-gīst, n.p. 105One who makes bandages, especially for hernia. Dunglison.
  42. Ban-dū'la, n.p. 105The fiber from which Manilla white rope is made. It is an outer layer of the abaca (Musa textilis), a variety of the plantain. Simmonds.
  43. Ban-dăn'ă or Ban-dăn'nā, n.p. 105A species of silk or cotton handkerchief, having a uniformly dyed ground, usually of red or blue, with white figures of a circular or lozenge form, made by discharging the color. 2. A style of calico…
  44. Bănd'bŏx, n.p. 105A slight paper box for bands, caps, bonnets, muffs, or other light articles. Gay.
  45. Băn'deau, n.p. 105A narrow band or fillet; a head-dress. Around the edge of this cap was a stiff bandeau of leather. W. Scott.
  46. Bän'de-liēr', n.p. 105See BANDOLIER.
  47. Bänd'er, n.p. 105One banded with others.
  48. Bän'de-rōle, n.p. 105A small banner or flag, carried on the masts of vessels, or on military weapons. From the extremity of which fluttered a small banderole or streamer bearing a cross. W. Scott.
  49. Bănd'-fish, n.p. 105(Ichth.) An acanthopterygious fish, of the genus Cepola; ribbon-fish.
  50. Băn'di-cōot, n.p. 105(Zoöl.) A species of the rat family (Mus bandicota or giganteus), in appearance like a large brown rat, found in India and Australia, and very mischievous in its habits. Its chief food is grain and…
  51. Bānd'ing-plāne, n.p. 106A plane used for cutting out grooves and inlaying strings and bands in straight and circular work.
  52. Bān'dīt, n.p. 106or BAN-DĪT'TĪ. [It. bandito, outlaw, p. p. of bandire, to proclaim, to banish, proscribe, Pr. & Sp. bandir; Fr. bannir. See BAN and ABANDON.] A lawless or desperate fellow; a robber; a brigand.…
  53. Ban-dĭt'to, n.p. 106A bandit. [Obs.] Webster, 1854.
  54. Bān'dle, n.p. 106An Irish measure of two feet in length.
  55. Bānd'let or Bānd'e-let, n.p. 106(Arch.) Any little band or flat molding, compassing a column, like a ring. Gwilt.
  56. Bān'dŏg, n.p. 106A large, fierce kind of dog, kept chained. The keeper entered leading his bandog, a large bloodhound, tied in a leash, or band, from which he takes his name. W. Scott.
  57. Băn'do-leer', n.p. 106A large leathern belt, thrown over the right shoulder, and hanging under the left arm, worn by ancient musketeers for sustaining their fire-arms. 2. A small leather case, of which every musketeer…
  58. Bān’do-līne, n.p. 106A gummy preparation for the hair, made usually of Iceland moss or linseed, with water, and perfumed.
  59. Băn'don, n.p. 106Disposal; license. [Obs.] Chaucer.
  60. Băn'dōre or Ban-dōre', n.p. 106A musical stringed instrument, very similar in form to a guitar; a pandore.