Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Ba-teau' or BA-TEAUX', n. p. 113A light boat, long in proportion to its breadth, and wider in the middle than at the ends. Bateau-bridge, a floating bridge supported by bateaux.Bāte'ful, a. p. 113Exciting contention; contentious. [Obs.] “It did bateful question frame.” Sidney.Bāte'less, a. p. 113Not to be abated. [Obs.] Shak.Bāte'ment, n. p. 113Abatement; deduction; diminution. [Obs.] Moxon.Bāt'-fowl'er, n. p. 113One who practices or finds sport in bat-fowling. Barrington.Bāt'-fowl'ing, n. p. 113A mode of catching birds at night, by holding a torch or other light, and beating the bush or perch where they roost. The birds, flying to the light, are caught with nets or otherwise.Băt'ful, a. p. 113Rich; fertile. [Obs.] “Batful valleys.” Drayton.Bāth, n. p. 113A receptacle of water for persons to plunge or wash their bodies in. 2. A building containing an apartment or series of apartments arranged for bathing. Among the ancients, the public baths were of…Order of the Bath p. 113a high order of British knighthood, composed of three classes, viz., knights grand crosses, knights commanders, and knights companions, abbreviated thus: G. B. C., K. C. B., K. B.Bāth'-brīck, n. p. 113A preparation of calcareous earth in the form of a brick, used for cleaning knives.Bāthe, v. t. p. 113To wash by immersion, as in a bath. “Chancing to bathe herself in the River Cydnus.” South. 2. To moisten or suffuse with a liquid. “Her bosom bathed in blood.” Dryden.Bāthe, v. i. p. 113To be, or lie, in a bath; to be in water, or in other liquid. “They bathe in summer.” Walter. 2. To immerse or cover one's self, as in a bath. “To bathe in fiery floods.” Shak. “Bathe in the dimples…Bāthe, n. p. 113The immersion of the body in water; as, to take one's usual bathe. Ed. Rev.Bāth'er, n. p. 113One who bathes.Ba-thĕt'ic, a. p. 113Pertaining to the bathos. [Rare.]Bāth'ing-ma-çhïne', n. p. 113A small room on wheels, to be driven into the water for the convenience of bathers, who undress and dress therein. Simmonds.Bāth'ing-tŭb, n. p. 113A vessel for bathing, usually made either of wood or tin.Bāth'-mēt'al, n. p. 113An alloy consisting of four and a half ounces of zinc and one pound of copper.Bat'hôrse, n. p. 113A horse belonging to an officer, or to the baggage train. Macaulay.Bā'thos, n. p. 114(Rhet.) A ludicrous descent from the elevated to the mean, in writing or speech. Arbuthnot.Bäth'-rōōm or Bäth'y-mĕt'ri-cal, n. p. 114An apartment for bathing. Tooke. Bäth'y-mĕt'ri-cal, a. Pertaining to bathymetry.Ba-thým'e-try, n. p. 114The art or science of sounding, or measuring depths in the sea. Dens.Bāt'ing, prep. p. 114or, more properly, a participle. With the exception of; excepting. We have little reason to think that they [children] bring many ideas with them, bating some faint ideas of hunger and thirst. Locke.Băt'ist, n. p. 114A fine linen cloth made in certain parts of France. Simmonds.Băt'let, n. p. 114A small bat, or square piece of wood with a handle, for beating linen when taken out of the buck. Shuk.Bāt'man, n. p. 114A weight used in the East, varying according to the locality; in Turkey, the greater batman is about 157 pounds, the lesser only a fourth of this; at Aleppo and Smyrna, the batman is 17 pounds; in…Bat′man, n. p. 114A person having charge of the bathorse and his load, &c. Macaulay.Bā-tōn' or Ba-toon', n. p. 114A staff or truncheon, used for various purposes; as, the baton of a field marshal; the baton of a conductor in musical performances; the baton of a policeman. He held the baton of command. Prescott.…Ba-tră'chi-ă, n. pl. p. 114(Zoöl.) The order of reptiles which includes the frogs and related animals. See AMPHIBIA. Dana.Ba-trā'chi-an, a. p. 114(Zoöl.) Pertaining to animals of the order Batrachia.Ba-trā'chi-an, n. p. 114(Zoöl.) An animal of the order Batrachia.Băt'ra-choid, a. p. 114Having the form of a frog.Băt'ra-chō'my-ōm'a-chy, n. p. 114The battle between the frogs and mice;—a parody on the Iliad, of uncertain authorship.Băt'ra-chōph'a-goŭs, a. p. 114Feeding on frogs. Quart. Rev.Băt's'măn, n. p. 114The one who wields the bat in cricket, &c.; a batster.Băt's'wing, n. p. 114A form of gas-burner with a slit at the top, so that the gas issuing from this burns in a flame shaped like a bat's wing. Francis.Bāt'ta, n. p. 114An allowance made to military officers in the service of the East India Company, in addition to their pay. P. Cyc.Băt'ta-ble, a. p. 114Capable of cultivation; fertile; productive; fattening. [Obs.] Burton.Băt'tail-ant, n. p. 114A combatant. [Obs.] Shelton.Băt'tail-ant, a. p. 114Equipped for battle; warlike; battailous. [Obs.] Spenser.Băt'tail-oŭs, a. p. 114Arrayed for battle, or appearing to be so; warlike. [Obs.] “In battailous aspect.” Milton. The French came foremost battailous and bold. Fairfax.Bat-tāl'ia, n. p. 114The order of battle; disposition or arrangement of troops, brigades, regiments, battalions, &c., as for action. A drawing up the armies in battalia. Bp. Taylor. 2. The main body of an army in array…Bat-tāl'ion or Bat-tāl'ioned, n. p. 114(Mil.) A body of troops, so called from being originally a body of men arrayed for battle; consisting, in the British army, of about eight hundred men, under the command of a lieutenant-colonel. In…Băt'tel, n. p. 114(Law.) A species of trial in which a person accused of felony was allowed to fight with his accuser, and make proof thereby of his guilt or innocence. This species of trial was introduced into…Băt'tel, v. i. p. 114To grow fat. [Obs.] The well batteling of the babe pleads aloud for her care. Fuller. 2. To stand indebted, at the buttery, at Oxford, England, for provisions and drink. 3. To reside or keep terms at…Băt'tel, n. p. 114Provisions taken by Oxford students from the buttery, and also the charges thereon.Băt'tel, a. p. 114Fertile; fruitful; productive; prolific. [Obs.] A battel soil for grain, for pasture good. Fairfax.Băt'tel-er, or Băt'tler,, n. p. 114A student at Oxford who stands indebted in the college books for provisions and drink at the buttery;—formerly, one who paid for nothing but what he called for, answering nearly to a sizar at…Bāt'te-ment, n. p. 114A beating; striking; impulse. [Obs.] Darwin.Băt'ten, v. t. p. 114To make fat by plenteous feeding; to fatten. “Battening our flocks.” Milton. 2. To fertilize or enrich, as land. Phillips.Băt'ten, v. i. p. 114To grow or become fat; to live in luxury, or to grow fat in ease and luxury. Dryden. The pampered monarch battening in ease. Garth.Băt'ten, n. p. 114A piece of board, or scantling, of a few inches in breadth, used for various purposes. 2. The movable bar of a loom, which strikes in or closes the threads of a woof. Francis.Băt'ten, v. t. p. 114To form or fasten with battens. To batten down, to fasten down with battens, as the hatches of a ship during a storm.Băt'ten-ing, n. p. 114Battens fixed to walls for nailing laths to.Băt'ter, v. t. p. 114To beat with successive blows; to beat repeatedly and with violence, so as to bruise, shake, or demolish; specifically, to attack with artillery; as, to batter a wall or rampart. 2. To wear or impair…Băt'ter, v. i. p. 114(Arch.) To slope gently backward, as a wall from a person standing before it. Gwilt.Bāt'ter, n. p. 114(Arch.) A backward slope in the face of a wall, so as to make the plumb-line fall within the base. Weale.Băt'ter, n. p. 114A mixture of several ingredients, as, flour, eggs, salt, &c., beaten together with some liquid, used in cookery. King. 2. Dirt; loam. [Obs.] Holland.Băt'ter or Băts'ter, n. p. 114One who holds the bat in cricket.Băt'ter-er, n. p. 114One who batters or beats.