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.
Bēn'e-dict'o-ry, a. p. 125Expressing wishes for good; as, a benedictory prayer. Theodoret.Bĕn'e-făc'tion, n. p. 125The act of conferring a benefit. Johnson. 2. A benefit conferred, especially a charitable donation. Atterbury.Bēn'e-fā'ctor, n. p. 125One who confers a benefit, especially one who makes charitable contributions either for public institutions or for private use.Bēn'e-făc'tress, n. p. 125A woman who confers a benefit.Bēn'e-fice, n. p. 125Life, a benefit, advantage, or kindness. 2. An ecclesiastical living; a church endowed with a revenue for the maintenance of divine service, or the revenue itself. ☞— All church preferments are…Bĕn'e-fĭced, a. p. 125Possessed of a benefice or church preferment. “Beneficed clergymen.” Burke.Bēn'e-fīce-less, a. p. 125Having no benefice. [Obs.] “Beneficeless precisian.” Sheldon.Be-nĕf'i-cence, n. p. 125The practice of doing good; active goodness, kindness, or charity. And whose beneficence no change exhausts. Cooper. Syn.—See BENEVOLENCE.Be-nĕf'i-cent, a. p. 125Doing good; performing acts of kindness and charity; characterized by beneficence. “The beneficent fruits of Christianity.” Prescott. Syn.—See BENEVOLENT.Be-nĕf'i-cent-ly, adv. p. 125In a beneficent manner.Bĕn'e-fĭ'cial, a. p. 125Conferring benefits; useful; profitable; helpful; contributing to a valuable end; — followed by to. “The war which would have been most beneficial to us.” Swift. 2. (Law.) Receiving, or entitled to…Bēn'e-fi'cial, n. p. 125A church-living; a benefice. [Obs.] Spenser.Bĕn’e-fi’cial-ly, adv. p. 125In a beneficial or advantageous manner; profitably; helpfully.Bĕn'e-fi'cial-ness, n. p. 125The quality of being beneficial; usefulness; profitableness. Hale.Bĕn'e-fi'ci-a-ry, a. p. 125Holding some office or valuable possession, in subordination to another; having a dependent and secondary possession. “Beneficiary services.” Spelman. “A beneficiary king.” Bacon.Bĕn'e-fi'ci-a-ry, n. p. 125A feudatory or vassal; hence, one who holds a benefice, and uses its proceeds. Ayliffe. 2. One who receives any thing as a gift, or is maintained by charity. The rich men will be offering sacrifice…Bĕn'e-fi'cien-cy, n. p. 125Kindness or favor bestowed. [Obs.] Browne.Bēn'e-fi'cient, a. p. 125Doing good. [Rare.] Adam Smith.Bĕn'e-fit, n. p. 125An act of kindness; a favor conferred. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Ps. ciii. 2. 2. Whatever contributes to promote prosperity and personal happiness, or adds value to…Bĕn'e-fit, v. t. p. 125To be beneficial to, to do good to; to advantage; to advance in health or prosperity; to be useful to. What course I mean to hold shall nothing benefit your knowledge. Shak.Bĕn'e-fit, v. t. p. 125To gain advantage; to make improvement. To tell you what I have benefited herein. Milton.Be-nē'gro, v. t. p. 125To render dark; to blacken. [Obs. and rare.] “The sun shall be benegreed in darkness.” Hewyt.Be-nēme', v. t. p. 125To name. [Obs.] Spenser. 2. To promise; to give. [Obs.] Spenser.Be-nĕmp'ne, v. t. p. 125To name. [Obs.] Spenser.Bē'ne-plăç'i-to p. 125(Mus.) At pleasure.Bĕn'e-plăc'i-tūre, n. p. 125Will; choice. [Obs.] Glanville.Be-nēt', v. t. p. 125To catch in a net; to insnare. [Obs.] Shak.Be-nĕv'o-lence, n. p. 125The disposition to do good; good will; kindness; charitableness; love of mankind, accompanied with a desire to promote their happiness. “The wakeful benevolence of the gospel.” (Chalmers. 2. An act…Be-nēv'o-lent, a. p. 125Having a disposition to do good; possessing love to mankind, and a desire to promote their prosperity and happiness; kind. Syn.—BENEVOLENT, BENEFICENT. Etymologically considered, benevolent implies…Be-nēv'o-lent-ly, adv. p. 125In a benevolent manner; with good will; kindly.Be-nēv'o-lous, a. p. 125Kind; benevolent. [Obs.] Puller.Ben-gal', n. p. 125<br>1. A thin stuff, made of silk and hair, originally brought from Bengal.<br>2. An imitation of striped muslin. Simmonds.Ben-gal'-light, n. p. 125A species of fireworks used as signals, by night or otherwise, producing a steady and vivid blue-colored fire.Ben-gal'-stripes, n. p. 125A kind of cotton cloth woven with colored stripes. Ure.Ben-gal'ee, n. p. 125The language or dialect spoken in Bengal.Ben-gal-ēse', n. sing. & pl. p. 125(Geog.) A native, or the natives, of Bengal. As. Res.Ben-gal-eşe', a. p. 125(Geog.) Pertaining to Bengal, or its inhabitants.Bĕn'icke, n. p. 126A kind of military fête among the Turks, similar to a tournament, but without the presence of ladies. Ogilvie.Be-night', v. t. p. 126To involve in darkness; to shroud with the shades of night. The clouds benight the sky. Garth. 2. To overtake with night. Some virgin, sure, benighted in these woods. Milton. 3. To involve in moral…Be-nīgn', a. p. 126Of a kind or gentle disposition; gracious; generous; favorable; benignant. Creator bounteous and benign. Milton. 2. Exhibiting or manifesting kindness, gentleness, favor, &c. “Kind influences and…Be-nig'nant, a. p. 126Kind; gracious; favorable. “Your benignant sovereign.” Burke.Be-nig'nant-ly, adv. p. 126With benignity.Be-nig'ni-ty, n. p. 126Quality of being benign; goodness; kindness; graciousness. “Benignity of aspect.” W. Scott. 2. Salubrity; wholesome quality, or that which tends to promote health. Wiseman. Syn.—See BENEVOLENCE.Be-nign'ly, adv. p. 126Favorably; kindly; graciously.Bĕn'i-sŏn, n. p. 126Blessing; benediction. “More precious than the benison of friends.” Talfourd.Bĕn'ja-mĭn, n. p. 126(Bot.) A tree or shrub (Styrax benzoin) of North America, the bark of which is aromatic, stimulant, and tonic. Loudon. 2. A resinous substance obtained from the tree. See BENZOIN. Benjamin-tree, the…Bĕn'-kĭt, n. p. 126A wooden vessel with a cover. [Prov. Eng.] Wright.Bĕn'ne, n. p. 126(Bot.) The Sesamus orientale, or oil plant, of the West Indies, from the seeds of which an oil is expressed, called benne-oil, used in medicine as a laxative. Dunglison.Bĕn'net, n. p. 126(Bot.) The common avens, or Geum urbanum.Bĕn'shee, n. p. 126See BANSHEE.Bĕnt, imp. & p. p. p. 126from bend.Bĕnt, n. p. 126The state of being curved, crooked, or inclined from a straight line; flexure; curvity; as, the bent of a bow. Wilkins. 2. Declivity; slope; as, the bent of a hill. [Rare.] Dryden. 3. A leaning or…Bĕnt or Bĕnt'-grāss, n. p. 126(Bot.) A grass of the genus Agrostis. Loudon. 2. A stalk of coarse, withered grass. His spear a bent both stiff and strong. Dryden.Bĕnt'ing-time, n. p. 126The time when pigeons feed on bents, before peas are ripe. Dryden.Bēnt'y, a. p. 126Abounding in bents or stalks of withered grass; as, benty fields. 2. Resembling a bent, or stalk of coarse, withered grass. Holland.Be-nŭmb', v. t. p. 126To make torpid; to deprive of sensation or sensibility; to stupefy; as, a hand or foot benumbed by cold. The creeping death benumbed her senses first. Dryden.Be-nūmb'ed-ness, n. p. 126Destitution of feeling.Be-nūmb'ment, n. p. 126Act of benumbing, or state of being benumbed. Kirby.Bĕn'zine, n. p. 126Same as BENZOLE.Bĕn'zo-ate, n. p. 126(Chem.) A salt formed by the union of the benzoic acid with any salifiable base.