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.
Be-hĕad’, v. t. p. 122To sever the head from; to take off the head of.Be-hēld’, imp. & p. p. p. 122of behold, q. v.Bē'he-moth, n. p. 122An animal described in the book of Job, xl. 15-24. ☞ It has been variously supposed to be the ox, the elephant, the crocodile, the mastodon, and the hippopotamus, or river-horse. Some writers…Bē'hen or Bēk'en or Bēn, n. p. 122(Bot.) (a.) The Centaurea behen, or saw-leaved centaury. (b.) The Cucubalus behen, or bladder campion. (c.) The Statice limonium, or sea-lavender. London. Dunglison.Be-hēst', n. p. 122That which is willed or ordered; command; mandate; injunction. To do his master's high behest. W. Scott. 2. A vow; a promise. [Obs.] The time is come that I should send it her, if I keep the behest…Be-hēst', v. t. p. 122To vow. [Obs.] Paston.Be-hight', v. t. p. 122To name or declare in the way of promise. Behight by vow unto the chaste Minerve. Surrey. 2. To give in trust; to commit; to intrust. “The keys are to thy hand behight.” Spenser. 3. To call by name…Be-hight', n. p. 122Vow; promise. [Obs.] Surrey.Be-hīnd’, prep. p. 122On the side opposite the front or nearest part; opposite to that side which faces any thing; at the back of; on the other side of; as, behind a door; behind a hill or rock. “A tall Brabanter, behind…Be-hīnd’, adv. p. 122At the back part; in the rear. “I shall not lag behind.” Milton. 2. Toward the back part or rear; backward; as, to look behind. 3. Not yet brought forward, produced, or exhibited to view; remaining.…Be-hind'hānd, a. p. 122In arrear; in a state where expenditures have exceeded the receipt of funds, or are inadequate to the supply of wants; as, to be behindhand in one's circumstances. 2. In a backwardness, in respect to…Be-hĭth'er, prep. p. 122On this side of. [Obs. and rare.] Two miles behither Clifden. Evelyn.Be-hōld’, v. t. p. 122To fix the eyes upon; to look at; to see with attention; to observe with care. When he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived. Num. xxi. 9. Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the…Be-hōld', v. i. p. 122To direct the eyes to an object; to look. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. Rev. iii. 20. And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne, . . . a lamb as it had been slain. Rev. v. 6.Be-hōld’en, p. a. p. 122Obliged; bound in gratitude; indebted. Little are we beholden to your love. Shak.Be-hōld'er, n. p. 122One who beholds; a spectator; one who looks upon or sees.Be-hōld’ing, a. p. 122Obliged; under obligation. [Improperly used for beholden.] So much hath Oxford been beholding to her nephews, or sister’s children. Fuller.Be-hōld'ing, n. p. 122The act of seeing or contemplating. “I am wild in my beholding.” Shak. 2. Obligation. [Obs.] “Love to virtue, and not to any particular beholding.” Carew.Be-hōld'ing-ness, n. p. 122The state of being obliged or beholden. [Obs. and illegitimate.] Sidney.Be-hōn'ey, v. t. p. 122To sweeten with honey. Sherwood.Be-hoof', n. p. 122That which is advantageous; advantage; profit; benefit. No mean recompence it brings to your behoof. Milton.Be-hōōv'a-ble, a. p. 122Supplying need; profitable; advantageous. [Obs.] Udal.Be-hōove', v. t. p. 122To be necessary for; to be fit for; to be meet for, with respect to necessity, duty, or convenience. And thus it behooved Christ to suffer. Luke xxiv. 46.Be-hōove', v. i. p. 122To be necessary, fit, or suitable. [Obs.] Chaucer.Be-hoove', n. p. 122Advantage; behoof. [Obs.] “It shall not be to his behoove.” Gower.Be-hōōve'ful, a. p. 122Advantageous; useful; profitable. Bp. Hall.Be-hōōve'ful-ly, adv. p. 122Usefully; profitably. [Obs., or nearly so.] Spenser.Be-hŏt’ or Be-hōve’, imp. p. 122of behight. [Obs.] Be-hōve’, and its derivatives. See BEHOOVE.Be-howl', v. t. p. 122To howl at. [Obs.] “The wolf behowls the moon.” Shak.Bĕ'ing, p. pr. p. 122from be.Bē'ing, n. p. 122Existence, as opposed to non-existence; existence in fact or in thought. In Him we live, and move, and have our being. Acts xvii. 28. 2. That which exists in any way, whether it be material or…Be'ing, adv. p. 122Since; inasmuch as. [Obs. or vulgar.] And being you have Declined his means, you have increased his malice. Beau. & Fl.Bē it sō. p. 122A phrase of supposition, equivalent to suppose it to be so; or of permission, signifying let it be so. Shak.Be-jāde', v. t. p. 122To tire. [Obs.] Milton.Be-jāpe', v. t. p. 122To laugh at; to deceive. [Obs.] Chaucer.Be-jäun'diçe, v. t. p. 122To infect with jaundice.Be-jē'sū-it, v. t. p. 122To initiate into Jesuitism. Milton.Be-jŭm'ble, v. t. p. 122To throw into confusion.Bē'kah, n. p. 122(Bib.) A half-shekel.Be-kiss', v. t. p. 122To kiss or salute. [Obs.] B. Jonson.Be-knāve', v. t. p. 122To call knave. [Obs.] Pope.Be-knōw', v. t. p. 122To acknowledge. [Obs.] Chaucer.Be-lā'bor, v. t. p. 122To ply diligently; to work carefully upon. If the earth is belabored with culture, it yieldeth corn. Barrow. 2. To beat soundly; to cudgel. Ajax belabors there a harmless ox. Dryden.Bĕl'-ae-eôrd' or Bĕl'-ae-eoyle', n. p. 122A kind or favorable reception or salutation. [Obs.] Spenser.Be-lāçe', v. t. p. 122To fasten, as with a lace or cord. [Obs.] 2. To cover or adorn with lace. [Obs.] Beaumont. 3. To beat with a strap; to chastise. Wright.Be-lām', v. t. p. 122To beat or bang. [Prov. Eng.] Todd.Bēl'a-mōur', n. p. 122A gallant; a consort. [Obs.] Spenser. 2. A flower, but of what kind is unknown. Her snowy brows like budded belamours. Spenser.Bĕl'a-my, n. p. 122A good friend; an intimate. [Obs.] “His dearest belamy.” Spenser.Be-lāte', v. t. p. 122To retard or make too late. [Obs.] Beaumont.Be-lāt'ed-ness, n. p. 122A being too late. Milton.Be-lāud', v. t. p. 122To laud or praise greatly.Be-lāve', v. t. p. 122To lave or wash. [Obs.]Be-law'gīve, v. t. p. 122To give a law to. [Barbarous and obs.] Milton.Be-lāy', v. t. p. 122To lie in wait for with a view to assault; hence, to block up or obstruct. [Obs.] The speedy horse all passages belay. Dryden. 2. To lay on or cover; to adorn. [Obs.] “Belayed with silver lace.”…Be-lāy'ing-pīn, n. p. 122(Naut.) A strong pin in the side of a vessel, or by the mast, round which ropes are wound when they are fastened or belayed.Bĕlch, v. t. p. 122To eject or throw up from the stomach with violence; to eruct. I belched a hurricane of wind. Swift. 2. To eject violently from within; to cast forth. The gates that now stood open wide, belching…Bĕlch, v. i. p. 122To eject wind from the stomach. 2. To issue out with eructation. Dryden.Bĕlch, n. p. 122The act of throwing out from the stomach, or violently from within; eructation. 2. Malt liquor; — vulgarly so called as causing eructation. [Obs.] Dennis.Bĕl'dam or Bĕl'dame, n. p. 122Fair dame or lady. [Obs.] Spenser. 2. Grandmother, corresponding to belsire, grandfather. To show the beldame daughters of her daughter. Shak. 3. An old woman in general, especially an ugly old…Be-lea'guer, v. t. p. 122To surround with an army so as to preclude escape; to besiege; to blockade. The wall of famine in beleaguered towns. Longfellow. Syn.—To block up; besiege; environ; invest; encompass.